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Chapter 46: Willing to Sleep Peacefully in Reiner’s Arms

“Do you think the Pierre Craig we’ve been looking for all this time is already dead?”

Junice leaned in for a look, then decisively kicked the 2 rotting corpses aside, saying, “Reiner, this thing isn’t human; it’s a ghoul.”

“A ghoul?”

Martina removed her helmet, sweat beading on her forehead, “I forgot to mention, the thing just lunged at me, but I didn’t think much and chopped it down.”

“Then it’s fine.”

Reiner crouched by the corpse and, mustering his courage, turned it over.

Although the body had been gnawed beyond recognition, he could vaguely tell it was a middle-aged adventurer in his 30s or 40s.

“He’s not the one we’re after.”

Junice nudged the corpse with her staff and felt it still give, “He doesn’t look like he’s been dead long, so the person we’re looking for might be close.”

She immediately ignited the corpse with a Fireball, “Inside a ruin, you need to dispose of bodies or they’ll turn into ghouls after a while.”

Reiner quietly took mental note of her words, then took Nora’s small hand.

The heaps of bones all around made her so uneasy that her body trembled uncontrollably.

“Don’t be afraid, I’m right here with you.”

“I’m not afraid.” Nora still refused to admit it.

She had no idea her inner thoughts were popping into Reiner’s ears like beads from a slingshot.

“Can you still pick up the scent of any other adventurers?”

Nora shook her head, “I can’t, but I can keep searching around.”

Reiner looked around.

The place was pitch-dark, and he had no idea what time it was outside.

He felt that after all this running around it was probably night by now.

“Junice, should we rest for a bit or keep searching?”

“I’ll follow your lead.” She shrugged.

Reiner did want to find the adventurer and go back for the reward.

But seeing Nora in poor shape, he worried something might happen if they continued, so he chose to rest for a while.

The 4 of them found a fairly sturdy old stone shed nearby, checked that it was safe, and sat inside to recover their strength.

Nora had little appetite; after gnawing a few bites of black bread she put it back in her pouch.

“Still feeling sick?”

Nora remained stubborn, “I’m fine.”

“Just tell the truth; I don’t like people forcing themselves.” Reiner said a bit sternly.

Nora paused, her voice softening.

She said pitifully, “I do feel a bit unwell.”

Reiner looked to Junice and asked, “Will sleep ease her condition?”

“It would, but can she fall asleep in a place like this?” Junice looked around; the ceiling, long uncleaned, was thick with cobwebs.

Now and then palm-sized bugs scurried through the shadows.

If she remembered correctly, Nora was actually not afraid of insects.

But after her Spirit was disturbed she had somehow become afraid of them.

“Master, I don’t really want to sleep…”

Nora muttered quietly, and then her thoughts drifted over.

(If I sleep here, these bugs will bite me.)

Reiner narrowed his eyes, removed his bracers, breastplate, and mail shirt in turn, then patted his chest.

“Take off your breastplate and sleep here with me.”

Nora shook her head, “I… I won’t be able to sleep.”

(Martina and Junice are watching; it’s way too embarrassing…)

She was just naturally contrary.

He needed to coax her a bit more before she’d listen.

Reiner helped her remove the breastplate and then lifted her straight into his arms.

“M-Master!” Nora cried in panic, her skin flushing.

“Shh, we’ll be in trouble if you attract skeletons; you need rest now.”

“I can’t fall asleep…”

“How do you know unless you try?”

Reiner cradled the soft Nora, gently stroking her cat ears.

If the others weren’t present, he would surely seize the chance to give Nora a thorough massage…

At first Nora resisted lying in his arms, but soon she curled up involuntarily, drowsiness filling her eyes.

(Master is so warm, he always makes me feel safe… I wish he would hold me like this forever.)

The 2 of them snuggled in a corner, while Martina and Junice sat properly across from them.

Suddenly, Junice, sitting opposite, called out, “Nora.”

“Yes?”

“How did you fall in love with Reiner?”

The moment she said that, Nora’s body grew hot.

She stayed silent for a long time, then finally spoke under their gaze, “I haven’t…”

Junice put away her half-eaten black bread and fed more mana to the fireball on her staff. “There’s nothing shameful about it, so why can’t you say it? The first time I saw you was at the Adventurers’ Guild. You took a quest and left, and I watched you from a corner. Back then, you looked at Reiner with extreme wariness, like a hedgehog bristling in fear. Yet in just over two months, the way you look at him has changed, and you rely on him more and more.”

Nora covered her ears, trying not to hear Junice’s words. In her heart, she was cursing Junice relentlessly.

(Stop talking, stop talking… alright, I admit I like Master. He saved my life, feeds and clothes me, and treats me so gently… who could fail to like a man like that?)

Listening in on Nora’s thoughts, Reiner felt a little embarrassed. The root cause was still how harsh life was for beast-eared girls in this world. Even treating them as mere commoners was considered kindness.

Martina tore at her black bread and mumbled, “Nora won’t admit it; she’s too stubborn. In my opinion, only a really strong man is attractive, and Reiner is too weak. He does nothing for me.”

Reiner was left speechless. This horse girl was particularly infuriating. In a few months, when his magic was fully mastered, he would have to give her a good beating.

Just then, Nora spoke up. “Martina is a muscle-head idiot… she doesn’t know anything.”

“You’re the idiot,” Martina shot back. “Why want so much? I only ask to be fed and clothed, and if I get the chance, to have a kid with a man stronger than me.”

“Muscle-brain idiot,” Nora muttered again, wriggled in Reiner’s arms, and closed her eyes.

Reiner soothed her in a soft voice, and Nora soon fell asleep. The three who remained awake fell silent together. After a long while, a scream shattered the calm of the ruin. It was a man’s scream … and it was not far away.

Nora woke with a start and exchanged looks with the others. “What the hell was that? Creepy as heck.”

Martina put on her helmet. Reiner and Nora hurried to don their armor.

“No idea,” Reiner said, “but let’s go take a look. It might be the person we’re looking for…”

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