Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The boy’s outstretched hand was rough. His hands had no place without calluses already at a young age.

While her left leg, which she had never used before, was fine. He murmured as he gazed down at the girl with her eyes wide open when she saw the scar on his palm that looked like it had been split into two.

“…I told you, your legs aren’t that hideous. You’re not even cursed. The cursed one would be those bastard mouths. Those who say you were cursed for looking at your legs.”

Compared to them, you are very clean.

The boy’s face, who began to rub her legs silently again, looked as if there was really no trace of lies in those words. From that day on, Tarhan never stopped massaging Enya’s leg. Whenever they were together, he would grab her stunted left foot and rub or stroke it in his hand. It has almost become a habit now.

It was still the same today.

Enya groaned, feeling a familiar sensation, leaving her legs to him.

“Um, uh…”

He had such a blunt and rough hand, yet she had never felt that it was uncomfortable or cumbersome to touch. Even though she was always afraid of its size, once she touched Tarhan, her eyes would relax on their own.

There was never a time when she felt bad when his hand touched her skin, whether it was squeaking or drooping with sweetness.

That hand also made this hut, covered it with beasts’ bones, and set fire to the furnace.

Although she thought it may be rough, there were much more delicate corners to that. Tarhan didn’t let Enya do anything. When she tried to do something, he retaliated. He made time to visit their hut every once in a while, even when he was busy hunting during the spawning season.

Like her, he couldn’t stand Enya being out of his sight for so long. What was more spectacular was her. Even though she thought it was shameless, she liked it so much that she couldn’t stand it.

As time went on, she felt herself getting uglier.

“…I will return from this outing just before the Day of Repose.”

After finishing the massage, Tarhan gave his arm for her to sleep on and said so.

Going out meant hunting…

Enya opened her mouth, her eyes widened at the news.

“…Again? Are you going somewhere nearby?”

If it was the Day of Repose it was less than a full moon away.

Enya squirmed and turned to Tarhan’s side. She felt him change his posture so that she could come closer to his arms.

She was expecting a long reply.

It would be astonishing for the men to hear it, though when she laid on his arms like this, he would keep eye contact with her and tell her everything that happened that day.

When there was a problem, there were times when he got angry by himself and brought it out without her asking first. At that time, she felt like the big man had gone somewhere, and a boy who was always feisty had come and laid beside her instead.

Of course, it was unimaginable from the outside.

When Enya left Tarhan’s hut, she separated from him and walked a few steps away. She didn’t even look in the direction where he worked. She couldn’t stand the people coming up to him and talking with him.

Obviously, Tarhan didn’t even care about those mouths. When she tried to walk away from him on the pretense of her feet, he would lift her up and carry her across the people. However, this time, he said nothing.

After a long pause, he frowned and muttered.

“…Not close. I think I will have to go to Perugia again.”

Enya was worried about what had happened.

Perugia was a tribe of the Great Plains that maintained a fairly friendly relationship with Aquilea. Last time, the creeks in Perugia swelled, and dozens of nearby huts were washed away. A lot of people died, and there were not enough men to hunt, so they asked for help.

At that time, Tarhan went there with about twenty men and stayed there for about a month. One of Tarhan’s subordinates was said to have had an eye with a woman there and had a child.

She was worried that another natural disaster might have occurred.

‘…What’s going on?’

The man who seemed to be contemplating something suddenly got up and came up on top of her.

The next moment, she was trapped in his arms in an instant and caught the man’s bitter gaze. She felt her heart beating loudly again.

Tarhan tried to open his mouth in determination, then gazed down at Enya, who was looking up at him, then shut his mouth again. He swung his body again and crossed his legs before sitting down on the floor, ruffling his hair roughly.

“Damn it…”

Enya, who had never seen him in such trouble recently, of course, would be worried. She followed Tarhan, getting up. After a while, he sat and placed his hands on her thighs, facing her.

Enya, who sat in front of him in the dark, seemed smaller.

“You know we don’t have enough virgins from the tribe to attend this Day of Repose.”

Enya blinked at Tarhan as he spoke boldly.

Naturally, she knew.

It was probably about twenty years ago. It was said that many babies died in Aquilea before spring came due to the severe famine and the cold. Most of the dead babies were girls. If it were now, they would be just Enya’s age, and by now, they would be in the midst of giving birth to children.

Besides, the hands of the next generation girls were precious. Naturally, the number of healthy virgins who could participate in the Day of Repose in Aquilea was decreasing year by year.

“At first, I was only going to send Rigata. Although the elder over there persistently mentioned my name…”

Enya then exclaimed an ‘Ah.’

…Tarhan was going to seek the women.

He quickly added to Enya, who didn’t respond, as if someone had slapped her on the back of her neck.

“Of course, they know that I have you, too. I won’t do any kind of thing that gets me in trouble there. The women… I think about twenty will come.”

As he finished his words, even in the dark, she could feel him examining her expression.

Enya felt stunned but didn’t say anything.

It must have been the elders’ decision to bring in women from other tribes because there was a shortage of women in the tribe. Certainly, Tarhan would have agreed with this decision. Kahanti couldn’t have a meeting with the elders because he was trying to get the pus from his flesh, which was starting to rot.

The absence of women to participate in the Day of Repose was a serious problem. It was a matter that depended on the survival of the entire tribe.

But, why does this man keep hesitating about such a problem, looking at her first…?

“I was going to tell you ahead of time, but I ran out of time.”

Enya remained silent. Then, in embarrassment, as if he became more anxious, Tarhan drew closer to her body.

“It bothered me all the way to the end. Considering the fact that we rolled our men out of their way to meet the conditions they demand in exchange for handing over the women to migrate…”

He sighed deeply as he looked back at her, then fussed again, revealing his teeth in an angry way whenever he thought of that time. Enya wanted Tarhan not to be angry anymore. Because if he didn’t, there wouldn’t be a proper benefit for the tribe.

As his hand came closer, he hesitated a little before arranging her hair. Enya lowered her eyes at his careful hand.

“…Enya?”

He called her once more in a soft voice.

She blinked her eyes and lifted her head. Tarhan stroked her cheek with an impatient hand.

Impatient?

Enya corrected the word.

It was impossible for Tarhan to see his eyes… Rather, she had to look for the timing.

Other tribal women—Precious women who have large breasts and wide hips to give birth to children, and with exotic skin color and hair…

Enya thought about how luscious their skin would be and how long their legs would stretch out. There were many reasons to be anxious. She was destined to starve to death, even if she just stood still and moved away from Tarhan’s eyes.

If there were more beautiful women in the tribe, that time would only be shortened.

Anxiety that had been dormant in her stomach flew out and squirmed like a caterpillar. He was waiting for an answer…

She had no idea what to say, but her thinking made her embarrassed.

The day Tarhan finally abandoned her.

Only these stupid and flesh-eating, wretched thoughts slowly bloomed.

Wouldn’t it be better for her to leave him on her own feet before that day came? Before he was harmed by her presence. If it was for him, wouldn’t it be right for her to leave in the end? If she really loved him unbearably…

“Ah—!”

Suddenly, a large hand gripped one of her breasts.

Enya groaned at the sudden sensation and crouched down. She could feel Tarhan staring down at her with sharp, almond-like eyes.

Even though the hut was dark without a single light, his whitish outline seemed to glow at night like that of a wild beast. Tarhan hunted with eyes like that, he skinned an animal and drew their blood with those eyes.

“…What were you just thinking?”

She shook her head in surprise.

Even as he kissed her lips with infinite tenderness, every once in a while, Tarhan would push against her an aggression that she herself could not understand.

It was not uncommon for him to doubt her like this, though each time she went through it, one side of her chest became clear. Enya didn’t say anything and just kept shaking her head. If she had been honest here for nothing, his behavior would only be harsher.

“You… Wait here quietly until I get back. Like before, if you wander around a group of women saying you are learning to sew for wages, and I come to hear strange words for no reason… then, I really will not leave them alone.”

Holding her shoulders tightly, Tarhan then muttered softly. The two eyes were shining like they were painted on.

“Ye, yes…”

Enya swallowed a gulp and answered hastily. Nonetheless, he tightened his grip on her shoulder and pushed her back again.

“The more so with where the boys are, do you understand?”

“Yes…”

She gasped and nodded her head quickly.

At that moment, the upper body that he had been holding on to was released, and he climbed up and hugged her in his arms. With a sigh of satisfaction, Tarhan turned her body over and hugged her to his chest.

Enya, as usual, gazed at the darkness, embracing the familiar yet unfamiliar arms.

The man kissed the back of her neck, where his head was buried. She could feel like she was going to cry at that kindness.

Still, despite his warm body temperature, her body felt as cold as a corpse.

—

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