Chapter 37: Spreading Reputation (3)

Chapter 37: Spreading Reputation (3)

Gibson Blackwood found himself less anxious these days.

Many things within his territory were slowly getting back to normal

The forest, once harmed by monsters and magic, was gradually recovering its pristine state.

People, who had surrendered to despair and lost all hope, were finally starting to get back on their feet, one after another. The sounds of crying that once filled the air were giving way to an emergent chorus of laughter.

All this was made possible thanks to the sacrifice of the Red Flames and Ner.

He continued to work to prosper his territory, hoping that his daughter was holding up well.

-Thump, thump

Father, I have arrived.

A slightly urgent voice echoed from outside.

Gibson nodded, allowing his eldest son, Gidon, to enter the room.

Come in.

As soon as Gidon entered the room, he said to Gibson.

We have a visitor.

A visitor?

Gibson briefly wondered if there was something he had forgotten in his recent hectic schedule.

However, no matter how much he racked his brain, there were no expected visitors.

Whos asking to see us?

Its the Celebrien family. They are currently with our soldiers at the Blackwood territory border. for new novels

Gibson, having maintained smooth diplomacy with the Celebrien family, did not feel uneasy about their sudden appearance.

He was simply curious as to why they had come in such a rush.

Drowned in the issues concerning the Blackwood territory for a while, Gibson hadnt had time to keep up with what was happening in other families.

Even so, he had a hunch. Perhaps the Celebriens were acting so aggressively and hastily because they were facing the same issues as the Blackwoods.

Gibson nodded and said to Gidon.

Bring in the guests.

Gidon nodded back in response.

.

.

.

.

After a while, Gibson observed as the elves made their way into his mansion.

In contrast to the typical Celebrien elves, who always carried themselves with dignity and grandeur, these seemed different.

They appeared rather rushed, missing the usual calmness on their faces.

There was no carriage as if they had hurriedly rushed here, and the usual entourage of servants was missing.

Instead, Ascal Celebrien, the head of the Celebrien family, appeared on horseback with just a few escorts. Tall height, slender body with a young and handsome face. Despite being hundreds of years old, Ascal looked younger than Gibson, a surprising sight indeed.

Gidon, who escorted the elves, first dismounted from his horse and led Ascal to Gibson.

With a light touch to his forehead, Ascal bowed his head.

Lord Blackwood.

Gibson, respecting the greeting in werewolf way, blinked a few times and reciprocated the gesture.

Elder, what brings you here...

...

At those words, Ascal Celebrian clenched his teeth.

For Gibson, it was the first time seeing such an emotional expression from this old elf.

Having lived not a short life himself, Gibson couldnt help but be more surprised.

...Can we discuss matters inside?

Ascal asked. Seeing Ascal, who had lost his arrogant aura, Gibson understood the seriousness of the situation. He could certainly guess the reason as well. Given he was in a similar position some time ago, he nodded his head in agreement.

****

Once the two were alone in a room, Ascal let out a long sigh.

Gibson, respectful of his guest, offered him a cup of tea and asked.

Whats the matter?

Gibson had known Ascal since he was born. His father, and even his grandfather, were said to have been acquainted with Ascal.

Regardless of his own position, Gibson held a deep respect for Ascal, rooted in these long-established connections.

Ascal seemed like a wise old sage to Gibson. And when such a sage revealed his emotions with a serious expression, Gibson couldnt help but feel intrigued.

Gibson. Our territory can no longer hold back the tide of monsters.

In this private setting, Ascal spoke more informally. Gibson didnt mind. After all, Ascal had called him Gibson since he was a child, so formal speech would have felt more awkward and uncomfortable.

For the time being, were holding the line... but we require a solution. Soon everything may collapse at once. Inevitably...the World Tree too will come under attack from the monsters.

The World Tree...

At that word, Gibson nodded his head.

To the elves, the World Tree was as sacred as the five gods they believed in.

They held the belief that if the World Tree died, the world would also perish.

We need assistance. Could you perhaps send some of the Blackwood soldiers? I assure you, this favor will not be forgotten, even after hundreds of years.

Under normal circumstances, Ascal would have spoken about the mutual need to safeguard the World Tree. But seeing the old elf hold back such words, Gibson realized he was choosing his words very carefully.

He wasnt pushing his beliefs onto others, making his desperation more evident.

...

Even though things were unfolding as Gibson had predicted, it was difficult for him to respond.

As there were no races as esteemed and noble as the elves, Gibson also wanted to help Ascal.

But Blackwood too was stretched thin.

Just a few weeks ago, they had been struggling under the onslaught of the monsters.

If it werent for Ners sacrifice, they wouldnt have survived.

Seeing Gibsons silence, Ascal let out a sigh.

...I understand.

Gibson opened his mouth as if to justify himself.

...Elder, I really want to help. But its hard for us as weve only just escaped the onslaught of the monsters.

The onslaught of the monsters?

I wish you good luck.

****

In the blink of an eye, two weeks had swept past.

Ner and I were getting to know each other day by day.

There was still some distance between us. It seemed as if the time required to become an ordinary couple was still a far-off reality.

Despite that, an aura of comfort existed between us, often punctuated with shared laughter.

Gradually, I was discovering the hidden charms of Ner.

As she grew more comfortable with me, she started to show her true self.

Ner. Im back.

Ner ran towards me as I came back from training.

Berg! How many times have I told you to rinse the rag in water when youre done?

Seeing this noble lady fuss over laundry was a common sight now.

If anyone else said it, it would mean nothing, but when Ner said it, it sparked humor.

I left it out to use it again.

How can you use this dirty rag again. Seriously...

Cant you at least welcome me first?

I grumbled lightly, feeling the fatigue from training.

...

Only then did Ner blink her eyes, turned her head, and said.

...Youre back?

I smiled and revealed the snack I had kept hidden behind my back.

Upon seeing it, Ners ears twitched, and her tail wagged in anticipation.

Uh...? Berg, is this...?

Honey pie. I remember you saying that you liked it. A friend made it and gifted it to me.

The treat was neatly wrapped in a small box.

Ners eyes, full of anticipation, blinked at me, and she approached hesitantly.

...Is it really for me? You sure you dont want some?

I dont really eat sweet things.

Oh...really? Dont you want to try at least a bite?

Her courtesy was evident in her expression. Just by looking at her worry about what response I might give, I knew it...

Seeing her unable to approach me, I closed the distance between us.

I placed the snack on a nearby table, declaring, No, you enjoy it all.

Her tail resumed its joyful wagging at my response.

Observing this, I finally understood why the werewolf-kind preferred to tuck their tails beneath them when seated.

It would be troublesome if ones emotions were that easily read. But for me, it was just amusing now.

I fetched a wooden fork from the kitchen and placed it next to the pie.

Before I knew it, Ner had sat down and was waiting patiently.

...Thank you, she murmured as I handed her the fork.

I responded with a nod and a warm smile.

Then, sitting across from her, I began to indulge in the sight of Ner savoring the pie.

...Ill forgive you this time for the rag incident.

Ner playfully brought up our previous conversation. My chuckle echoed through the room.

Seeing that her joke had landed, Ner continued eating with a smile.

Indeed, there wasnt any issue as long as we were in each others company, free from any discomfort.

The problem arose when we were alone.

That was when my thoughts turned turbulent.

I imagined it must be the same for Ner.

Recently, she has been sighing more frequently without me noticing.

Several times, I caught her sighing while aimlessly wandering around the house. These days, she also let out a few hefty breaths before slipping into sleep.

I had a vague understanding of why.

She was struggling in her own way.

Besides the fact that she had married someone she didnt love, Stockpin was a human-centric town.

It was a world apart from where she used to live.

As a noble, she also had a different standard of living.

I also realized that she didnt have anything to do to alleviate her boredom.

For me, there was training, meetings with officers, and friends were aplenty. But Ner was confined to the house all day.

She only seemed to smile a little when I was around.

I had no idea how many worries she had that she didnt share with me.

I felt a pang of guilt that she may have been suppressing her grievances, but I also felt grateful for her patience.

However, I was unsure about how she would change in the future.

I felt like I was watching an active volcano.

I hoped that her inevitable emotional outburst would be within my capacity to manage.

I never expected our marriage to be smooth sailing.

We were bound to face issues at some point.

Due to cultural differences, there may come a time when Ill have to make her do something she doesnt want to do.

...Is it good?

Yes.

But for today at least, our day was filled with shared smiles.

Perhaps I needed to find a suitable solution for a smooth married life.

I felt that I needed to think about how to get closer to her, and how to cherish each other.

Because thats what being a couple truly meant.

End of Chapter

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