Irena

"Stop..."

Lin Luo patted Torrent's head, and the horse slowly came to a halt.

After several hours of travel, Lin Luo had finally arrived at the Weeping Peninsula.

It was already getting late. He would spend the night at the merchant's site of grace before heading to Castle Morne tomorrow. After all, this was no longer a cycle. Even with his high physical attributes, Lin Luo could still feel tired.

"Is someone there...?"

Just after crossing the Bridge of Sacrifice, a woman's voice interrupted Lin Luo's thoughts.

"Oh?"

Lin Luo turned around. Wasn't this the blind daughter of Castle Morne's lord?

Lin Luo patted Torrent's back. Torrent whinnied twice before dissolving into specks of starlight.

"May I ask who you are...?"

Though he knew who she was, Lin Luo still asked.

"Ah..."

The blind girl did not answer.

Instead, she asked, "This may be rather abrupt, but may I ask who you are...?"

"My name is Lin Luo. I am a Tarnished."

Lin Luo answered patiently.

"A Tarnished..."

"My name is Irena."

"Could I ask you for a favor? I will reward you..."

Irena said apologetically, "This is sudden, but I truly have no other choice..."

"Hmm..."

"Tell me about it first..." Lin Luo rested his chin on his hand. Though he knew the reward would not be much, helping this blind girl could still count as a good deed.

"Thank you in advance..."

The girl stood up and gave him a deep bow.

"I escaped from Castle Morne over there. The servants in the castle have risen up in rebellion."

"My eyes have been impaired since birth, so I cannot describe what happened to you. But I heard terrible screams and frightened cries for help. Father told me to flee."

Irena's voice carried a hint of tears. "My father is the lord of Castle Morne. He is very stubborn. He said it was the duty of one in power."

"But I want Father to survive, even if he has to bear the name of a coward who abandoned his castle..."

"Hmm..."

Irena took out a letter. "Please, could you give this letter to my father? I think that once he sees it, he will surely change his mind..."

"I can..."

Lin Luo looked at the blind girl before him and answered.

"Thank you. Then, please accept it..."

"What about you?"

Lin Luo looked at Irena and asked, "Come into the castle with me. Of course, only if you trust in my strength..."

"Can I?"

Irena sounded doubtful, then worried. "No, I shouldn't. My eyes are impaired. If I follow you, I will only become a burden..."

"No..."

Lin Luo refused.

"There are not only many demi-humans and wild beasts nearby, but also plenty of bandits."

"I do not want to come back later and find only a corpse..."

"But..."

"Do not refuse. If you die, who am I supposed to ask for my reward?"

Lin Luo interrupted Irena.

Although Lin Luo's words were a little harsh, he truly was thinking of Irena. If he left her here alone, then by the time he returned, there would only be a corpse and a bloodstained greatsword left behind.

"Then... I will trouble you, Tarnished."

Irena bowed to Lin Luo again. Lin Luo helped her up and guided her onto Torrent.

"It is getting late. There is a nomadic merchant ahead. Let us rest there for a while first."

Lin Luo led Torrent forward by the reins, clearing out the demi-humans along the way.

"Did you hear those demi-humans howling? If you had still been there, then I suppose..."

"I am sorry..."

Irena said softly, "I just did not want to become a burden..."

"No need to apologize... Being a burden is only something weak people need to worry about."

Lin Luo waved his hand and handed the torch to Irena.

"If you want to do something, then help me hold the torch. The road ahead is quite dark..."

"Mm..." Irena felt around and took the torch, gripping it tightly in her left hand while holding Torrent's reins with her right.

Before long, Lin Luo spotted a yellow point of light. If he was not mistaken, that should be the location of a site of grace.

The two of them and their horse stopped at the site of grace. Lin Luo helped Irena down, while Torrent obediently lay down on the ground.

"Rest here for now. I will deal with the trouble ahead."

Lin Luo spoke to Irena as he activated the site of grace.

"Wife, are you there?"

Lin Luo called out into the void.

...A flock of crows flew past.

"Uh, Melina? Are you there?" Lin Luo scratched his head awkwardly and asked again.

"Hmm?"

Melina slowly appeared.

"Were you calling for me just now...?"

"Is wife some kind of special nickname?"

Melina asked in confusion.

"Uh... not exactly. You can think of it as a nickname for someone inseparable from you..."

Lin Luo said it without blushing or missing a beat.

"Oh... Then what does wife need me for?"

Melina said seriously, "These runes do not seem to improve your strength much anymore, do they...?"

"Pfft..."

Lin Luo could not help laughing. "Well... men are called husbands, and women are called wives..."

"Hmm... Then husband, what do you need?"

Melina still believed him.

"Uh... wife, I want you to help protect Irena. She is my employer..."

Lin Luo held back his laughter until his face turned red.

"You... seem a little strange..."

Melina gave Lin Luo a puzzled look but did not press the matter further.

"Mm... I will help you protect her..."

"Thank you, wife..."

With a smile on his face, Lin Luo waved at Melina, then walked toward the nomadic merchant nearby.

"Ah... Tarnished, are you here to trade?"

The old man glanced at Lin Luo, then added, "I hope you will not make any unnecessary moves..."

"..."

Lin Luo looked at the old man speechlessly. He was in a good mood and could not be bothered to argue with him.

"Here are the runes. Give me the Stonesword Key."

Lin Luo tossed ten Golden Runes to the old man.

"Hmm..." The old man counted the runes, gave Lin Luo a wary look, and handed over two Stonesword Keys.

"Though you do not look like a good person, thank you for doing business with me. After all, nomadic merchants like us can only make a living through people like you."

"If you cannot speak properly, then do not speak..."

Lin Luo's eye twitched. He took the Stonesword Keys and turned to leave.

Melina, who had witnessed the scene, could not help smiling.

Irena had also heard the commotion over there.

"What a gentle voice..."

"Is that Lord Lin Luo's wife?"

"Ah?"

Hearing that, Melina became inexplicably flustered. "...No... I am merely his maiden..."

"Is that so..."

Irena asked in confusion, "I am sorry. I just heard Lord Lin Luo say that you were an inseparable part of him..."

"So I instinctively thought that you were his wife."

Those words jolted Melina awake, and she immediately understood.

Her face flushed with shame and anger as she glared resentfully at Lin Luo.

Seeing that things were going badly, Lin Luo hurriedly ran away.

He left behind only one sentence.

"Husband is what people in my homeland call their spouses, Melina. Since you called me that, you have to take responsibility for me..."