At The End Of The Hidden Greenery

Chapter 82 - A Formal Marriage Proposal

“Haha… I guess that’s how it is.”

Somehow there was no sexual contact now. It was nice to listen to the sound of rain while talking lightly together.

“We like getting rained on. Like you said, it must be because we’re plants.”

“But it’s not like that now?”

“Because you’re a human… you shouldn’t get rained on or your body temperature drops.”

“I’m an Akarna.”

“Nevertheless.”

Leaning on the shoulder of the man expressing affection by touching her forehead and cheek, Jiwoo relaxed her body comfortably.

A rainy day. After the carriage accident that turned her world upside down. Jiwoo met them.

“Yes… I think I’ll like rainy days too.”

It didn’t take long before she fell back to sleep, listening to the sound of rain in a dark place.

* * *

The rain finally stopped after pouring down all morning.

Today, as soon as she woke up, they didn’t continue their very long night together. Instead, Jiwoo was washed clean as she was sleeping, and the men were attending to her in a noble and deliberate manner.

A light, rustling fabric like the wings of a butterfly covered her body. Things like tender plant stems entwined around her wrists and ankles. The hand that had been fiddling with the ear confirmed that there was no piercing in the ear, and attached a small, cold accessory to it. Their hands while braiding and arranging the hair seemed to be dealing with the most precious and fragile craft in the world.

That evening, Jiwoo was able to remove her blindfold. The moist and refreshing air after the rain greeted Jiwoo.

It was a fairly dark forest with dense trees, but the last fireflies at the end of summer gave off a soft light. There were also clusters of flowers that glowed alone. It was probably what they had grown.

They were all neatly dressed, like they had never rolled around like animals. Even Jiwoo, who was not familiar with their clothing style, seemed to know that they were being quite polite.

Jiwoo slowly looked down at her body.

It was fairly… pretty.

It’s not how they dressed her up, it’s how they looked at her.

They were sitting on small chairs around her. The chair was made of grass and wood, but it looked very old-fashioned.

As she was doing this, she felt as if her position had been reversed.

A human who met a fairy in the forest after a long journey. That was Seo Jiwoo. But doesn’t this atmosphere feel like they met her while walking around the forest?

“… Has it already been five days?”

She was worried if she would endure that time, but she felt a little regretful.

“No, it took more than… a week.”

They didn’t seem to exactly know how long it took either.

Jiwoo laughed at Lanceil’s words. However, the men who had lightly exchanged jokes and laughed until the morning were rather quiet. It was a bit of a tense atmosphere.

Closest to Jiwoo were five familiar faces.

Lanceil, Helkainis, Callandein, Enciertes, and even Tevon… They always put those she was closest to in front of her when making important decisions.

Even though they won’t have to do that now.

“You could have removed the blindfold earlier in the day. We could have watched the rain together.”

“We’re supposed to remove it at night. If you suddenly see sunlight, your eyes will find it to be too stimulating.”

“I see…”

Lanceil, who was at the forefront, spoke in a quiet whisper. His voice was unusually slightly trembling. And the others were just quietly listening to this conversation.

“So is it over now?”

“There is still… one last thing.”

Lanceil pulled a ring from his chest.

It was different from the engagement ring that they had made together in the past. This seemed to have been made from the twigs of their revived Elandos and was carved.

It was a ring that was so pretty and divine, with more elaborate engraving and dense jewels than the one she had received in the past.

“Will you accept it?”

Jiwoo held out her hand without hesitation, but rather, Lanceil was trembling nervously.

“Until our lives wither, we will love you.”

“…Yes, I accept.”

A slight cold sensation wrapped around her fingers. Pressing his lips on the top of the ring and on the back of her hand once, Lanceil lowered his head.

Even though they had entwined their bodies like that, when his trembling lips and tongue mixed together with her, Jiwoo closed her eyes. She couldn’t see anything, but even that was familiar and comfortable now.

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