Chapter 502: In the Meantime
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 502: In the Meantime
“Where’s Yoora?”
“Still in her tent.”
“Seriously… What is she thinking… still cooped up in there? Why didn’t you call me sooner?”
“Y-Yoora seems really heartbroken… I-I thought she’d come out after a little while…”
“I knew she was dense, but… it looks like she's genuinely hurt. Those Southern Orcs have no taste. I don't know what they see in a little kid like that, talking about warcries and marriage… If she showed them this side of her, all those Orcs hitting on her would back off… Can't exactly take her all the way to the South, though…”
“W-Well…”
“The Coming-of-Age Ceremony is just around the corner… As someone helping with the preparations, it's so draining to see the main star acting like this. What does that make the people who worked so hard? Of course, everyone's a star… but we're pretty close… You know what I mean?”
“Sh-She'll probably pull herself together. If we just wait a little longer…”
“And how are we supposed to know when that'll be? I'm not waiting. Thanks for calling me, Nicole. If it weren't for you, I might not have known until right before the ceremony. Everyone else is celebrating… and what is she doing?”
“Shakara! B-But… Y-Yoora said not to come in!”
“I don't know how long she plans on playing the part of a heartbroken heroine, but this doesn't suit us.”
Shakara was brimming with confidence as she strode toward the tent. Nicole watched her, her eyes trembling. The long-awaited Coming-of-Age Ceremony was almost upon them. Considering how much time had passed since Yoora had last emerged from her tent, Shakara’s judgment couldn’t be called wrong.
Still, Nicole couldn’t shake the feeling of guilt. Though they shared the tent like real sisters, she still remembered Yoora telling her a few days ago that she wanted to be alone. Entering someone's tent without permission was incredibly rude. Her heart pounded at the thought that Yoora might hate her after today.
But she was also incredibly curious about her friend’s condition inside. They had spent so much time together, but the way Yoora had acted that day was still so unfamiliar. She didn’t respond even when called from outside. Nicole wondered if she had eaten, wondered how she was holding up.
“…”
“…”
“Yoora?”
“…”
When the tent flap opened, the sight of Kim Yoora sitting quietly, wrapped in a cloth, was quite unexpected. The usual confident, proactive Kim Yoora was nowhere to be found. Her eyes were swollen shut, and seeing that the food someone had slipped inside was untouched, Nicole swallowed hard.
“Yoora, are you okay?”
She had expected it, but this looked more serious than she had thought. Her face was a mess, and she was still wearing the same clothes from that day. It was a truly difficult sight to take in. Shakara stepped into the tent first, and Nicole heard her mutter.
“Ugh. What is this smell? Your tent never really felt like a girl's, but now it's no different from a monster's den… Even the Great Tribe Leader would take one step in here and bolt right back out. You haven't eaten, and you haven't washed. You should definitely never become a housewife…”
“…”
“How about you air this place out and clean up a little?”
“Nicole… I…”
“Y-Yoora… I-I’m sorry.”
“…”
“I-I'll wash my clothes properly and return them. I'm sorry, Unni. I'll attend the ceremony. So please, just go. I want to be alone for just a little longer.”
“Do you really think I came because I was worried about the ceremony? It hurts to hear you say that.”
“…”
“First, let's get you washed up. Nicole, heat up some water.”
“Ah! O-Okay! I will!”
“Un… Unni!”
“Hurry up and take them off. Or I'll strip them off you myself.”
“W-Wait a minute. Kya… Kyaak! You can't just…”
“Don't resist.”
Nicole had never imagined Shakara would just barge in and start stripping Yoora’s clothes off. Entering the tent without permission was already rude enough. The sudden scene made her wonder if bringing Shakara along had been a mistake. But despite herself, she couldn't help but watch.
Yoora was resisting, but she seemed to have trouble getting her body under control and was quickly becoming completely defenseless. It was only natural that Nicole’s face flushed. They had bathed together before, but seeing her like this was hard to get used to.
“Nicole, is it getting warm?”
“Ah! Y-Yes… It is!”
She chanted a spell, filling the washing area with magically summoned water and then heating it. It was a simple task, but the voices she kept hearing made it difficult to concentrate.
“Un-Unni, st-stop…”
“Whoa, you have a pretty nice body, don't you? You used to be such a little pipsqueak.”
“Ah… ugh… S-Same to you, Unni.”
“Me? I've been big for ages. I didn't really notice since I see you all the time, but you've definitely grown a lot. Humans really are slow growers.”
“…”
The sounds kept distracting her. When she glanced over, she saw Shakara walking toward her, holding Yoora. The shocking part was that Shakara was naked, too.
Though Shakara was aiming to be a shaman like her, she was a Troll, so she was naturally tall and incredibly strong. She could probably overpower a low-level Goblin Warrior, so lifting Yoora by herself was no surprise. But what stood out more was her beautiful blue skin, large breasts, and hips. Nicole held her breath without realizing it.
“Gasp.”
“Puhahahaha! Look at Nicole's eyes go wide. First time seeing breasts like these? Well, I guess I am pretty hot. My popularity dropped a bit when my face started looking more human, but I guess this look is in style these days, so it's not so bad…”
“P-Please let me go. I-I’ll get in myself.”
“And how am I supposed to trust you? How do I know you won't just wrap yourself in that cloth again?”
“Ughhh…”
“Nicole, is the water warm?”
“O-Of course.”
Though young, she was treated as an executive, so her tent was quite large.
“What are you doing? Aren't you getting in, Nicole?”
“Me? Me too?”
“It's spacious, so hurry up and get in.”
“Ah… Ah! Okay. It doesn’t seem that… spacious, though…”
“You’re small, Nicole, so it’s fine.”
The situation had become strange. The tent was large, but the bathtub wasn't. It was big enough for Yoora to use alone, but it was an awkward size for three people. As they somehow squeezed their bodies in, they ended up in a peculiar position: Shakara holding Yoora, and Yoora holding Nicole.
It felt like they were all stacked together in a line, in order of height. For some reason, it made her sad that she was first in line. It was enough to make her regret her decision to remain a goblin. Thankfully, Ratga likes it… Wait, I got sidetracked.
“…”
“…”
But once she soaked her body in the warm water, all her various thoughts vanished in an instant.
“Ugh…”
A sound escaped her lips as her body grew languid. When she glanced back, Yoora had a look on her face as if she couldn't comprehend what was happening. But it seemed she didn't mind the bath, her first in a long time. If she had known, she should have pushed her way in sooner.
Her eyes also caught Shakara, who was silently scooping up water with her hands and letting it fall onto Yoora’s unsubmerged shoulders. Just as she was getting used to the quiet, Shakara’s voice echoed through the tent.
“Are you sad?”
“…”
“Hic… sob…”
“Sha… Shakara!”
It was only natural for Nicole to be flustered; it felt like Shakara had just ripped open a wound that was only just beginning to heal. Getting her into the bath was a good thing, but the timing of her words was terrible. Anyone would want to cry when comforted. Having cried herself when she was defeated in her first children’s battle and comforted by everyone, Nicole felt she understood Yoora’s feelings better than anyone.
“Sob… sob…”
“Well, it’s only natural.”
“Hic… sob…”
“In human years, you're twelve. In Green Skin years, that's like seeing you when you were one… Do you really think he'd see you as a woman?”
“Sha… Shakara!”
“The rumors that he would have adopted you if Laveua, Lapura, and Ratga hadn't been born were probably true. They must have been. He might even still want to adopt you now… I’m in a similar boat, but you’ve been stuck to his side since you were tiny. It's only natural that Lord Blood Dagger thinks of you as a daughter.”
“Th-That's too! Harsh!”
“It's not harsh, Nicole. I'm just telling her the reality of the situation. Did you think I was telling her not to get hurt for no reason?”
Nicole couldn’t help but keep glancing back. She could feel Yoora’s arms, wrapped tightly around her from behind, trembling.
“You should be glad you're not related by blood, at least.”
“…”
“So, have you given up?”
“N-Not really, but… hic…”
“What do you want to do now?”
“I… I don’t know.”
“Do you remember what I said a long time ago?”
Nicole didn’t know if Yoora remembered, but she certainly did.
‘I'll never give up.’
‘Once I come of age, I'll try again.’
They hadn’t talked for long, but what Shakara had said that day had left a strong impression.
“I-I remember.”
“So what are you going to do?”
“I… I don’t know…”
“Are you just going to give up like this and run away, saying, 'Oh, yes. I was wrong'?”
“Th-Then what am I supposed to do? Sob… I don't want to be like this either. You don't understand, Unni.”
“Of course I can't understand you; I'm not you. And likewise, you can't understand me because you're not me. You're not the only one with a handicap… I just didn't like seeing you act like such a fool. Do you remember when you were handed the flag during the conquest of the East? Do you remember what you said then?”
“Th-That was…”
“It’s a little embarrassing for me to say this, but what have you learned in the seven years you've been here? You may be about to have your Coming-of-Age Ceremony, but in my eyes, you're still a child.”
“…”
Nicole couldn’t explain it exactly, but she felt like she knew what Shakara was talking about. It was the same for all the other Green Skins, but there was something everyone learned first when they joined the Blood Dagger Clan. It wasn’t how to fight, nor was it how to use your head.
It was the driving force that made the Blood Dagger Clan what it is today, and it was the value that the adults still held most dear.
“Ah…”
“What you choose to do is your own decision. Just don't be pathetic. It's disrespectful to everyone, but especially to the one who raised you. You're an adult now. Stop acting like a child.”
“Yes… Yes, Unni.”
“That’s all I have to say. I’d like to stay a little longer, but I have a lot to do, so I’m getting out. You two have a good time.”
“Th-Thank you.”
“This is the third time now. You're going to owe me big. If things work out for you later, don't you dare forget it. I'll chase you to the ends of the earth to collect.”
“Ah… Okay.”
As Shakara stood up, baring her fangs, she looked incredibly alluring. It wasn't just that her body was pretty or her face was beautiful. Even before, Shakara had seemed like an adult, but now that she had truly come of age, she seemed no different from the other adults of the tribe.
“I guess we're still just kids, Yoora.”
“Yeah…”
It didn't feel like a conversation that Green Skins on the verge of their Coming-of-Age Ceremony should be having.