The Human Village (4)
The sun sets, and darkness descends.
As if that darkness had swallowed all sound, a profound silence followed in its wake. Only the chirping of crickets, the soft snorting of horses, and the faint sound of footsteps remained. The noise of laughter, chatter, and shouting felt like a distant memory from a long time ago.
“...Let’s go inside.”
I spoke to Neir while staring blankly at the dying embers of our fire. I set down my empty cup.
Since the incident earlier, a warmer atmosphere had settled between us. Neir, who had been gazing at the moon, nodded at me. We extinguished the fire and left our spot.
Soon, we stepped into the temporary tent the squad members had set up. It wasn’t exactly small, but it wasn’t spacious either. It was just enough that one wouldn’t feel uncomfortable.
“...”
“...”
...However, the bed was narrow.
I couldn't really complain about camping conditions, but at the same time, the squad members' intentions were all too clear. The bed, made of straw spread out with animal furs layered on top, was barely larger than half the size of the bed I’d slept on in the Blackwood estate. If they had wanted to, they could have easily made it wider.
“...Oh...”
Neir opened her mouth, looking perplexed. I already knew what she was worried about. It felt inevitable that we would end up sleeping with our bodies pressed against each other on that bed. To avoid contact, both of us would have to be extremely uncomfortable.
I let out a small, dry laugh. I’d been played. Of course, it was likely their well-meaning attempt to strengthen the bond between a married couple, but I could easily picture the squad members giggling to themselves. If it was my fault for noticing too late, then so be it.
My embarrassment lasted only a moment. I let out a long sigh. In the end, there was nothing I could do. Calling the squad members back to fix the bed would be making a scene, and it wasn’t as if anyone else could sleep on this cold floor.
“Let’s sleep,” I said.
“Pardon?” Neir asked, startled.
I tossed my outer shirt aside as I usually did. Neir looked back and forth between the bed and me.
“U-um... right there?”
“We don’t have a choice.”
I folded my clothes on top of some nearby luggage, looked at her, and lowered my voice. “...I won’t do anything, so don’t worry.”
“No... that’s... it’s not that...”
“You’ve been working hard riding a horse all day. We’ll both be asleep in no time anyway.”
I sat on the bed, relying on the dim light of the lantern inside the tent. The feel of the soft fur beneath me was surprisingly comfortable. I looked at the stiffened Neir and spoke again.
“Come on, hurry. We have to leave early tomorrow.”
I knew this wasn’t a situation she welcomed, but I felt that taking the lead was the only way to resolve it quickly. I wasn’t entirely thrilled with the situation myself, but we were husband and wife, and thanks to the grace she had shown me earlier, I felt no ill will toward her. If it had been any other woman, I wouldn’t have gone this far. Perhaps the vows I’d made to myself when I married were actually helping.
Neir moved her feet hesitantly, then stopped. Her eyes, glowing with a yellow luster, scanned my bare torso. She just stood there, staring for a long time.
“...Are you just going to keep staring at my body?”
I teased her lightly. Neir covered her mouth and nose with the back of her hand, shrinking back in embarrassment. As she took a small step backward, she bumped into the luggage. She looked at my clothes resting on top of it. She looked between me and the clothes, then picked up the shirt I had carefully folded.
“P-please... wear this.”
“...”
“I... I’m asking you.”
At her words, I reconsidered. It was true—it would be uncomfortable to have skin-to-skin contact with someone you didn’t like. I nodded and reached out to her.
“Give it here.”
She handed me the clothes... and at the same time, I grabbed her wrist.
“Ah...!”
I pulled her gently, leading her to the bed. Neir lost her balance and sat down softly on the mattress. During that time, I busied myself putting my shirt back on. Once she was on the bed, she didn’t get back up.
Dressed in my uncomfortable clothes, I pinched the lantern flame with my thumb and forefinger to extinguish it.
Only Neir’s yellow eyes emitted a faint light in the tent.
“I’m wearing my clothes now, so that’s fine, right?”
I lay down at the very edge of the bed, leaving as much space as possible so she could rest comfortably. I created a gap between the tent wall and myself for her to occupy.
Even though she was on the bed, Neir remained frozen for a long time, as if still conflicted. I said to her:
“If those mischievous guys are around, they might come to spy on us.”
“Pardon??”
“If I’m sleeping on the floor when they do, the picture will look strange. So, don’t think too much of it and just rest.”
At my words, Neir looked toward the entrance of the tent. Moonlight leaked in through the gaps in the fabric, which swayed in the wind.
“...”
I turned my back to Neir, facing the entrance. I thought this would be more comfortable for her as well. I even closed my eyes. Falling asleep first might, in a way, be the best thing I could do for her.
Neir watched Berg as he drifted off to sleep almost immediately. Before she knew it, he was breathing steadily in a deep slumber. Perhaps the alcohol he’d consumed had helped. Consequently, Neir felt her heart lighten.
Sharing a bed with someone who was already asleep was mentally much easier than sharing one with someone who was still conscious. She had known he wouldn’t do anything to her, but seeing him prove it with his actions made even the slightest lingering worry disappear.
Slowly, and very cautiously, she began to lie down on the bed. She slipped into the small space created between Berg and the tent wall.
“...”
Neir felt uncomfortable trying to find a position. If she slept with her back to Berg, her tail would touch him. But if she slept facing him, that felt strange, too. She couldn’t help but think that if the bed had only been wider, she wouldn’t have to worry about such things.
Out of habit, Neir placed a pillow between herself and him. She knew it wouldn’t be of any help if Berg had bad intentions, but psychologically, having the pillow there made her feel at ease. It was like a blanket a child hides under because they’re afraid of monsters; it wouldn’t actually help, but she did it anyway.
Neir finally made a choice. She wanted to prevent her tail from touching him at all costs. Her tail was something she only wanted to touch someone truly precious.
She faced Berg and let the tension drain from her body. It had certainly been a difficult day. She had parted ways with her family and ridden a horse all day long—the farthest she had ever traveled in her life. And then, she had saved a life.
Neir’s heart still raced when she thought back to that moment. Could she have ever imagined that the knowledge she’d studied so hard would be so useful?
...And if she had to pick the happiest moment of all:
“...”
To be honest, it was the moment Berg felt happy. She hadn’t had time to think while she was performing the treatment, and when the mercenary named Shaun had stabilized, she had only felt a sense of relief. Therefore, the happiest moment had to be the one where Berg was happy.
For some reason, that sight was pleasant to her. She liked that the stoic man showed his gratitude. Berg had been consistently considerate of her. He was the one who had protected her from her brothers and stood on her side. The fact that she had made such a good person happy felt like she had finally repaid him, and that made her glad.
Neir squinted, looking at Berg’s back. She replayed that moment in her mind. It was a gesture of goodwill and an embrace she hadn’t experienced in a very long time. No, she couldn’t even remember when her last hug had been. Was it when she had said goodbye to her grandmother?
Because of that, she had forgotten just how warm such an action could be. It was a feeling that put her heart at ease. Perhaps she was the type of person who liked hugs.
Of course, that didn’t mean she wanted to do it every day. She just felt it would be nice to share one or two on special occasions like this. Rather than an embrace as an expression of affection, she preferred an embrace to share joy. Such hugs felt burden-free.
Neir didn’t want to fully reveal to Berg that she had been happy. Even though he already knew because she’d wagged her tail, she had no intention of putting those feelings into words. She couldn’t have him getting the wrong idea, after all.
She didn’t like the hug because she liked him. It was just because he was a friend, because she was the one who had received help, and because it had been so long—that was why the hug had been nice.
Neir tossed and turned.
“...Ah...!”
She barely managed to keep from falling off the bed. She had almost tumbled off and hit the tent wall.
“......”
She raised her upper body to the side and looked at the bed where she and Berg were lying. It was definitely narrow. Especially with the pillow stuck in between. Berg was already using the minimum amount of space, and so was she. Because of her own greed, the space the pillow occupied was being wasted.
“...”
Berg was still fast asleep. She hesitated for a moment. She looked at the sleeping Berg again. She gulped.
...And then, she moved the pillow away.
Her heart hammered at this trivial action. At the same time, extra space was created. She laid her body down in that space. Berg’s back touched her forehead ever so slightly. She could smell his scent.
“...Ah.”
For some reason, the act of smelling someone else’s scent felt illicit, so Neir began to breathe quietly through her mouth. As she lay there, the distance had become much closer, but her body felt more comfortable. Now, she felt she could finally fall asleep without worrying about falling off.
Neir tried to calm her pounding heart and drift off to sleep. After all, a pillow was nothing special. That was what she tried to tell herself.
“...Neir?”
I called out to Neir again as she bobbed her head, nodding off.
“...Yes?”
She jumped, startled, and lifted her head. Water splashed out of the cup she was holding in her left hand. The squad members around us giggled at the sight. I could understand their laughter. There was just something about her actions that made people smile.
...But had she not slept well?
“Eat your food quickly.”
“...Ah... yes.”
Neir shoved the bread she was holding in her right hand into her mouth. She chewed on it with her eyes closed. She seemed to be trying to open them, but... it didn’t look like it was working. She was fighting a battle with sleep that everyone could see.
Then, her expression twisted sharply.
“...Sss... ah...”
She let out a groan.
“...Why?”
When I asked, Neir struggled to open her eyes again and shook her head.
“Ah... no, it’s nothing.”
“I asked you why, tell me.”
At my persistent questioning, Neir hesitated before speaking.
“Um... my thighs are sore. And the muscle pain has gotten a little... worse...”
“...”
Worry welled up inside me at her words. We still had a long way to go today. At this rate, she was going to have a miserable time all day long. I looked up at Baran for a moment. He shook his head as if he felt sorry for her. He seemed to have already grasped my intentions. It seemed there were no empty seats in the carriage.
“...”
As expected, this might be a journey too difficult for a noble lady to endure. To be honest, I should be impressed that she’d made it this far. It was a miracle that someone who didn’t even know how to ride a horse had come all this way. I had to come up with another way.
“Right, Baran. How is Shaun?”
Continuing my train of thought, I asked about Shaun’s condition. Baran smiled.
“Shaun is fine. I heard he even opened his eyes early this morning. He’s resting now, though.”
I let out a sigh of relief. I had gone to check on Shaun as soon as I woke up at dawn, but seeing him fast asleep, I hadn’t been sure if he was truly okay.
“It’s all thanks to the Madam, isn’t it?” Baran said with a smile.
I went back to thinking about what to do with Neir. I looked back at her.
“...Neir...”
I was about to call her name, but I burst into a small laugh. She was dozing off again.
.
.
.
We packed up the campsite. After Neir finished washing her face, she looked much more refreshed. She didn’t look as exhausted as she had earlier. However, her muscle pain seemed to have worsened; her gait was strange, and her expression was more pained than before. I finally made my choice.
“This won’t do.”
“Pardon?”
“Neir. Today, you’re going to ride the horse with me.”
“.....”
Neir’s eyes widened. I explained the reason to her.
“You don’t have any strength left because of the muscle pain. It’s dangerous to ride a horse if you don’t have strength in your legs.”
Baran nodded from the side.
“If you can’t grip the horse’s body with your thighs, it can be dangerous.”
“Besides, you’re dozing off.”
“....”
Neir’s face turned red. She’d already shown everyone how she was nodding off, so I supposed she still had the energy to be embarrassed. Her hesitation didn’t last long this time.
“...Then, may I ask you to?”
She had ridden with me once before... and it really did seem like her muscle pain was severe. It was natural for her whole body to ache when using muscles she never usually used. When I whistled, my horse ran over to me.
“I’m going to lift you up for a second.”
Neir nodded at my words. I grabbed her waist and lifted her up. Just as before, I sat her sideways. Then, I climbed onto the horse behind her. This position was actually quite stable. With her body tucked between my two arms, I could respond immediately no matter which way she leaned.
Seeing us sitting like that, exclamations of teasing broke out here and there.
“They look so good together already.”
“It’s a picture, Vice-Captain.”
I shook my head and urged the horse forward. I asked Neir, who was sitting in front of me:
“Any pain?”
She shook her head.
“...This makes it bearable. Thank you, Berg.”
I replied as if it were only natural.
“We’re husband and wife.”
.
.
.
I led the way at the front. Adam soon approached from the side.
“So that’s where you were. Berg, where did you leave your precious wife to come here... oh.”
I looked at Adam as he approached. His eyes were fixed on Neir, who was fast asleep, leaning against my chest. She was breathing softly in her sleep. It was the most comfortable I’d seen her look in the past few days. Adam smiled as he looked at us. And then, he swallowed the words he had been about to say.