Chapter 131: Why Quiet?
Sunnie sat down on the floor on a wretched-looking animal skin cloth that had been placed there for seating. The woods around looked old and shabby as though they’d be collapsing anytime soon.
She stared up at the ceiling, wondering if it would leak if it rained. Little Maren lay beside her, sleeping soundly on the animal skin.
"How can the kid sleep in this condition? It’s not conducive at all," Azure sighed, looking around. "I think we should go and meet them to see what can be done."
But Sunnie shook her head. "No. They won’t do anything. It’s obvious they did this intentionally. Meeting them would only bring more issues," she explained.
They stood with their arms folded, nodding.
Sunnie sighed as she ran her hand through Maren’s hair. "It’s only for a few days. So let’s just manage and get what we came here for. When we’re done, we can leave."
Little Black slowly nodded as he scoffed. "They’re so annoying. I just want to smash their faces into pieces!"
Sunnie hushed him as she stared at the little one sleeping. "I don’t think she’ll be waking up anytime soon. She’ll probably sleep all night. At least she ate something before sleeping off; it should carry her through."
They slowly nodded as Little Black said, "These people won’t give us anything to eat at all. So we shouldn’t even bother asking them."
Sunnie nodded. "Let’s manage. Okay?" She smiled at them.
---
And they did manage like that—managing on the few fruits they had plucked on the way there and water from the streamside. It was already evening, so they all went to sleep that night. Tomorrow would be the beginning of the competition.
Sunnie and Maren slept on the animal skin cloth. Little Black slept close to them while the beast husbands managed the floor. Some sat down, sleeping while leaning against the wall, while others lay on the floor like that.
Sunnie felt bad about the condition of things, but she didn’t know what she could possibly do. All she could strive for was to make sure she won the competition so they could get all that. At least it would compensate for all this.
---
It was late at night. Everywhere was quiet, and everyone was sleeping. Sunnie had her eyes open as she stared up at the ceiling.
At that moment, she noticed someone get up from the ground and leave the room. Sunnie turned to see Luka.
She guessed he was also bothered by something and couldn’t sleep. So Sunnie got up from bed and went out to see him.
"You can’t sleep?" Sunnie arrived outside to meet Luka sitting close to the wooden house where they were staying.
He was sitting on a rock, and he turned to see her. Luka blinked as he watched Sunnie with a smile come to sit beside him.
"You’re still awake?" he inquired as Sunnie smiled.
"Yes, apparently," she said, staring up at the sky he had been looking at. "Why are you awake? Anything on your mind? Feel free to tell me."
Luka was quiet as he stared up into the sky. He shook his head. "Nothing... it’s nothing..."
Sunnie smiled. "Is that so? Well, if you don’t feel like it, you can leave it. I won’t force it." She stared into the distance.
The two of them sat there quietly for a while as Luka finally spoke up. "It’s just that... I didn’t expect to see them around here at all..." He hadn’t expected himself to speak, but he found himself opening up.
Sunnie stared at him, listening.
"...I... it’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other. So I didn’t expect to see them here at all. I was just shocked... that’s all."
But Sunnie sighed as she said, "I’m sorry. I guess it was because of me that you had to meet them here."
He shook his head. "Don’t blame yourself at all. You didn’t know either."
They were quiet as Sunnie added, "Why are you so scared of meeting them again? Because they don’t like you?"
Luka hesitated and then continued. "Maybe..."
He hesitated again and then continued. "I grew up there when I was young, and right from childhood, they made me know that I was a demon. A monster of some sort. I was always discriminated against by everyone... even my peers... It never felt like I was part of them."
"And then when my parents died... they took that opportunity to justify that I was a monster. They blamed me for killing my parents... and said I was also the reason why the harvest was terrible. They said I was cursed and a monster."
Sunnie listened quietly.
"...I lived among them for years like a monster hated by all—one whom everyone wanted dead. No matter how much I tried getting along with them, it all went bad. And one day, they decided to cast me away." He said, "Even though I pleaded with them... I had nowhere to go. But they still sent me off."
"Sometimes I think it’s my fault that everything happened. Why does it have to be me? Maybe if I hadn’t been born, Mama and Papa would still be alive and happy. Maybe everything would still be okay. Maybe it’s my fault."
He bit his lower lip as he said, "I don’t even know why I’m telling you this... Maybe I just feel like sharing it with someone."
[Ding!]
[Husband Taming System]
[Congratulations Host! You’ve successfully won over his heart enough for him to share such a story with you!]
[This proves that the bear husband is comfortable with the host now.]
[Reward: + 3,000 heart coins!]
Sunnie stared at the system for a while as she turned to Luka. With a soft smile, she placed a hand over his shoulder and said, "It’s not your fault. It’s never your fault, and it’ll never be your fault. So don’t ever blame yourself for it. Okay?"