Chapter 98: No Favoritism (4)

Chapter 98: No Favoritism (4)

Leaving the mercenary group behind, Arwin and I spurred our horses on.

We galloped at our own pace, independent of the procession.

Pushing through grass untouched by others, we advanced.

Straying from the set path bestowed a sense of freedom.

And it seemed I wasnt the only one to feel it.

Looking over at Arwin, her smile never faded.

Perhaps it was because she had been confined to one place for so long time.

This freedom must have pleased her.

I had somewhat anticipated this.

For her, who loved to travel and craved freedom, nothing could be better than this.

Moreover, it was time to test the archery skills she had honed over time.

And incidentally, to practice the act of taking life.

After all, she would be the one to live in this world long after I was gone.

Teaching her such things could not be wrong.

It was, in a way, my duty as her husband.

Was Arwin ready to take a life?

At first, the thought was more repugnant than one could imagine.

But then again, if she couldnt do it, there was no need to insist on teaching her today.

Above all, spending time with her was what mattered more.

Regardless of the reason, not giving time to Arwin would have hurt her feelings.

...

I quietly glanced at Arwins profile...

And couldnt help but let out a chuckle.

Teaching something to an elf.

Such a unique experience was rare in itself.

****

We tethered our horses to a tree and dismounted.

I put on my sword and slung my bow across my back.

I didnt forget the arrows and quiver.

Arwin, on the other hand, only carried her bow.

Lets go.

At my words, Arwin nodded her head.

I took a moment to assess our surroundings.

The weather wasnt particularly clear, suggesting night might fall early.

Perhaps we would need to end our hunt sooner and return.

Nonetheless, we began to venture into the forest.

The calls of birds echoing around us and the crisp air of the woods welcomed us.

Arwin seemed either unfamiliar with such an expansive forest or just intrigued by the novelty of a new woodland, looking around curiously.

Then, she asked me a question.

Berg, what are we hunting?

Whatever we come across. Lets just catch one for now.

...Not just anything, you must have some expectations?

Her question was laced with an eagerness akin to a childs impatience for the future.

I couldnt be certain. It might be the tension of ending ones life.

Regardless, it was clear she felt a spark of interest.

I shrugged my shoulders.

The fun would be saved for her to discover later.

.

.

.

We wandered the forest for quite some time.

Lightly exchanging this and that story, we enjoyed a bit of deviation.

Of course, it wasnt just wandering.

Following various tracks, we were gradually closing in on our prey.

As expected, deer, rabbits, and wild boars were likely candidates.

Even as I conversed with Arwin, I kept a steady watch around us.

Arwin, do you think you can catch it if the prey appears?

Ive practiced a lot, you know.

...Thats not what I mean.

Berg, look at this...!

But Arwin wasnt as focused on the hunt as I was.

Every so often, she would stop in her tracks, exclaiming over a flower blooming haphazardly.

Its a morning glory...!

Where she had put away that usually cold expression, I couldnt tell.

She was showing me more and more of her different faces.

Is this your first time seeing one?

When I matched her mood and asked, Arwin nodded vigorously.

Yes. They dont grow in the Celebrien estate... Ive only seen them in books.

...

...So this is what they look like in reality.

-Berg.

Arwin called my name firmly.

...Im an elf.

I shrugged.

I know.

...Thats not it.

...?

Do you think I would feel guilty about killing such a creature?

...

It was unexpected, the kind of response I hadnt anticipated from her.

It had been a while since Id encountered this atmosphere; Id almost forgotten it.

It was this very sensation when we first met.

...Perhaps then, her quick decision earlier was also in this vein.

In any case, with her speaking so adamantly, it seemed unnecessary to preach any further.

In truth, all this talk stemmed from my own regrets.

I had hoped Arwin could devise a way to protect herself.

So, that should be enough for now.

To break the slightly frosty air, I made light of the situation.

...Why make such grim remarks?

Youre one to talk, always quick to fight.

Arwin joined in with the banter, riding the change in my tone.

The atmosphere softened once again.

I looked up at the sky and said,

Arwin, lets head back. Its getting dark.

...

Arwin was silent at my suggestion.

...Arwin?

Cant we follow that deer a bit longer?

...

If thats too difficult, can we at least wander the forest a bit more...?

I shook my head.

Next time.

Turning around, I began to make my way out of the forest.

After a moment of stubbornness, Arwin, seeing my resolute action, eventually followed.

.

.

.

As we left the forest, raindrops began to fall.

It was unfortunate.

The weather had not been great, but I hadnt anticipated a sudden downpour.

I hastened my pace.

Untying our horses from the tree and loading the bows.

Looking around, I oriented myself to our position.

And then, a sudden deluge of rain began to pour down.

A fierce torrent of water cascaded around us.

...

I clicked my tongue and quickly searched for shelter from the rain.

For the time being, we decided to seek shelter under a tree with large, overlapping leaves as a temporary measure.

If necessary, we could head toward the small cave we had seen in the forest.

I called out to Arwin.

Arwin! Over there...

But I stopped short at the sight I had stumbled upon.

I caught her in a daze from behind.

Outside the forest, Arwin stood in the pouring rain, looking up at the sky.

Just seeing her like that left me unable to utter a word.

A profound sense of freedom was conveyed in that single act.

Her emotions seemed to be infectious, reaching out to me.

As she stood there embracing the rain, Arwin turned to look at me.

...

And then, she beamed a radiant smile.

...Its refreshing.

Her beauty seemed to be accentuated even more within the rain.

I really enjoy this, Berg.

Perhaps it was the sight of her apparent happiness that made me say it.

I cant go back now.

Unable to leave her alone in the rain, I too decided to welcome the downpour just as she did.

Giving up on seeking cover, I too felt a sense of relief wash over me.

Yeah.

The End of The Chapter

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