Chapter 45
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: Selling Firewood - 6
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Selnia left Sian's house full of confidence, but upon arriving home, she regretted letting her pride get the better of her. Unlike the warmth of Sian's home, a chill hung over hers, and there was a man struggling with a cold.
"Cough, cough! Selnia, you're back?"
The man greeting her was her husband, Jace. His health had been steadily declining due to injuries sustained in the war.
'Why did you have to help someone who couldn't even repay you, and create this mess?'
Selnia resented her husband.
Her husband Jace had a personality that was too good—too kind. He knew how to give, how to share, and he helped anyone in need without hesitation.
Put nicely, he was good-hearted; put harshly, he was a pushover. Selnia had married him because of that personality. At least he wouldn't pry into her past.
But at some point, Jace's nature had become poison to their family. Because he helped others even when he couldn't afford to.
He wasn't a master craftsman like the blacksmith Tom, nor did he have the village chief's reputation, nor Ian the hunter's unparalleled skills.
Yet Jace insisted on being the village's good guy. His dream was to become the village chief. He wanted to build the same respect as the current chief, even if it meant overextending himself. Selnia didn't hate her husband for it—she couldn't resent him. They'd talked about it before marriage.
But she couldn't help resenting him after he lost his leg saving a comrade in the war. If he was crippled, forget becoming village chief—he was dying right before her eyes.
"You worked hard."
"No, it's fine."
"So, how'd it go with the firewood?"
"Couldn't get any."
"Damn..."
And yet, he was asking her to beg the villagers for firewood.
"Did you explain the situation to Sian?"
"Yeah. He said he won't give any without payment."
"What about the village chief? If you talk to him, we might get some aid."
"He said he can't favor just one family in this situation."
"Then did you see Alvin? He owes me his life—he'll surely help."
"Got turned away at his door."
"No way..."
For rural hospitality, that was too harsh.
But in the current situation, it couldn't be helped. It was already March, yet winter showed no signs of ending.
In this uncertain time when no one knew how long the cold snap would last, there was no spare energy to look after other families.
Even before Sian's father, Ian, settled in Lugeron Village and his son Sian took over hunting monsters, the atmosphere had always been like that. The village scraped by day by day, hoping monsters would pass them by and spare their own homes. That was Lugeron Village.
About 25 years ago, Ian settled in the village by the Dark Forest, and now his son Sian hunted monsters, so almost no one died to them anymore. But cynicism toward neighbors was the village's tradition.
"Cough, cough!"
"Jesper?!"
And that cynicism was now making one family shiver in the cold.
"I'm fine! Cough, cough!"
"You're not fine!"
Seeing even her son catch a cold, Selnia trembled with anxiety. What if the whole family froze to death?
Selnia tried to shake off the grim thought, but it clung stubbornly. No solution came to mind.
"Selnia, what if..."
Then her husband made an absurd request.
...
In a rural village, a woman's ways to earn money on her own were almost nonexistent unless she had a talent for commerce like Elsia or a specialized skill like Petra.
So most sold their bodies. Naturally, Selnia—who was born a farmer's daughter and became a farmer's wife—was no different.
I asked Selnia, who was kneeling naked before me.
"Does your husband know you're doing this?"
"If you're not going to help, don't ask."
Selnia had no intention of answering my question, but I had capable Elsia by my side.
"Sian, no need to worry. I've already spoken with her husband."
"I see."
"Urgh..."
Selnia flushed red at the humiliating truth, and I informed her.
"I know your situation now. That's enough—go home."
"What?"
Selnia looked flustered at my dismissal.
"Didn't you hear? We'll freeze without firewood!"
"I know. I'll give you the firewood for free, so go home."
"For free?"
"Yes. I don't particularly want to sleep with you, so take it and leave."
"....."
I thought she'd be happy at my words, but she began trembling with shame.
Free firewood—what's the problem?
"Sian. If she goes home like this, her husband will feel uneasy."
"Why?"
"Because it means owing you without paying the proper price."
"Ha. If that's a problem, tell him to come kneel and beg for help himself."
I understood their family situation to some extent. Not everyone was special like me. Tough times could hit any household.
But forcing his wife into bed with another man was something else. Treating her like his property was repulsive.
"So go while I'm asking nicely."
"......"
But Selnia was stubborn—either that or intimidated by her husband—and wouldn't budge.
"Is my looks not to your liking?"
"Huh?"
What was that now?
"I don't think I'm inferior to Elsia in appearance."
"Sigh..."
She seemed to think I was rejecting her because of her looks.
"Elsia, persuade her nicely and send her off."
"Sian, if I may make one humble request?"
"What?"
"Since you're giving it for free anyway, wouldn't it be better to enjoy it first?"
"You want me to sleep with her?"
I wasn't really into affairs.
"Does Sian need to share love with a whore himself?"
Elsia referred to Selnia as a whore.
Selnia grimaced in displeasure, and Elsia gave her a sly smile.
Watching my concubine, I caught on.
"You're right."
Grasping Elsia's intent, I leered at Selnia and said,
"Selnia, you're selling your body for firewood, right?"
"Using informal speech now."
"Of course. I bought your night."
"Urgh..."
"Right?"
"Yes."
"Good. Then go sleep with Elsia right now."
"Huh?"
She looked confused, either not understanding or thrown by my word choice.
So I rubbed my index and middle fingers together with both hands and ordered again.
"Like this."
"?!!"
...
Selnia felt no interest in the village men. They were all too busy chasing after Sylvia, the village's top beauty.
Even her close friend Elsia was the same.
"Men are idiots, right?"
"Yeah."
The village's top beauty, Sylvia, was single.
Naturally, the man who could claim her was alone too.
Yet most village men prepared extravagant gifts to win her favor and even monitored her to keep her from leaving the village.
It was only natural Selnia lost interest in men after seeing that—and conversely, developed interest in women. It was a natural flow.
Especially Elsia, her friend of the same age, was an object of admiration.
Even as a young girl, she was composed; when merchants came, she led the deals better than anyone; her cold calculation of profit and loss without being swayed by men was cool even to another woman.
Perhaps that's when the crack formed in their friendship.
Admiration should have stayed admiration, but Selnia developed romantic feelings for Elsia, and Elsia used them, seeing it as experience.
That was the secret affair of rural virgins, but it didn't last long.
Elsia married the miller for a better life as usual, and Selnia, feeling betrayed by Elsia and pressured by her family, married the kind Jace.
Thus, the two women's affair remained a youthful passion.
But now they met again.
Through one man.
"I didn't know you'd be such a pervert."
"Really?"
Sian had Selnia completely pinned. He slipped his arm between her thighs from behind and held her head in place with his hand.
If he violated her like this, she'd be helplessly ravaged countless times.
But he didn't. He simply exposed her bare pussy to his concubine and gave the order.
"Elsia, lick Selnia's pussy."
"Yes, if that's Sian's command."
Elsia, cold to everyone, obediently began licking Selnia's pussy.
Selnia panicked and resisted at the long-forgotten sensation, but she couldn't escape Sian.