Chapter 500 - 498: You Don’t Want to Take Responsibility?

Chapter 500: Chapter 498: You Don’t Want to Take Responsibility?

Outside the carriage.

Nerida stood with her back to the carriage.

The memory of that wild night with the man was still replaying in her mind. Though she appeared calm, she couldn’t help but blush faintly. She gave a soft cough, trying to act as if she wasn’t bothered by it.

A day and a night had passed. It was now early morning, and the first light of dawn was breaking outside.

"CHIRP CHIRP..."

The chirping of birds echoed from the trees along the road.

She turned slightly to look at the carriage behind her and spoke. "To the... friend... in the carriage... ahem... What happened last night was an accident. Let’s just pretend it never happened."

’As she said this, Nerida felt a pang of guilt. These words... they make me sound just like some heartless jerk who gets what he wants and then refuses to take responsibility. No, wait, I’m the woman. He’s not the one at a disadvantage in a situation like this.’

She was just about to say she was leaving when the man in green robes appeared before her in a flash.

He grabbed her arm, his beautiful eyes boring into hers. His gaze was a complex mix of disappointment, hurt, and a flicker of anger.

"So that’s all I am to my wife? Just some ’friend’?"

His voice was soft, yet it carried immense weight. It put Nerida under an inexplicable pressure—or perhaps it was simply because she had done something she shouldn’t have.

Seeing her silence, his expression turned to rage. "I told you, when I commit to someone, it’s for life! I also said that if you touched me, you had to take responsibility for me. And now you’re telling me it was an accident and that I should just pretend last night never happened? What is that supposed to mean? Are you trying to get what you want and then just walk away? You... you woman! You don’t want to take responsibility?"

’Responsible?’

Nerida froze. ’He wants me to take responsibility? He’s a man. It’s not like he’s at a disadvantage in this kind of situation, is he?’

"This... It’s not like you’re losing out, right?"

Hearing this, the man named Aeron’s expression changed, and his grip on her arm tightened. "Nerida, what is that supposed to mean?"

He had learned her name while they were together. He had asked for it himself. ’After all,’ he’d thought, ’she’s going to be my wife. I can’t not even know my own wife’s name.’

He tightened his grip on her wrist.

"Who... Who do you take me for? What do you mean, I’m ’not losing out’? I am the Young Master of Silvanis! Am I someone you can just toy with and cast aside?"

’Toyed with? Cast aside?’

Nerida was stunned.

’What is he talking about? When did I ever do that to him? And for that matter, while I may have been the one to start it, he was the one who wouldn’t let me go afterward. My back is still aching. If anyone was getting taken advantage of, it was me! The man has absolutely no self-control.’

"Hold on. I may have initiated things, but I asked if you were willing. If you truly hadn’t wanted to, I’m not the type to force someone. Of course, I admit I was in the wrong to begin with, so I can compensate you."

"Compensate... You’ll compensate me."

He stared at her, gritting his teeth.

His eyes were turning red.

"You... How dare you."

’He thought he’d finally met the Taoist Companion he would spend his life with. He never imagined she had no intention of being with him at all. And now, she was really going to just leave after sleeping with him, with no plans to take responsibility. He was the Young Master! If word of this got out, how could he ever show his face again?’

’Just as I thought.’

’No woman is any good.’

’Not everyone is like his parents, and not all Taoist Companions are as devoted to each other as they are.’

He let go of her.

His hands were trembling with rage.

"Get out... Just get out."

"Before I decide to kill you."

’If it were anyone else who dared to humiliate him like this, he would never have let them go. The dignity of the Young Master was not to be trifled with. But when he faced this woman, he just couldn’t bring himself to act.’

He spun around, turning his back to her and pointing away. "Go. And don’t ever let me see you again."

Nerida stood rooted to the spot, silent.

’She felt like her brain wasn’t working properly.’

’So, am I supposed to leave or not? What is with this man? Does he really want me to take responsibility just because we slept together for one night? Is a man’s chastity that important? He’s so... innocent.’

’Whatever!’

’He probably just hasn’t met many other women. He’ll learn eventually that I’m just the first person to pass through his life. He shouldn’t give up the whole forest for a single tree. After all, faithful men are a rare breed.’

’This isn’t a place to linger. Finding the Madam and the others is more important. Still, thinking of the mess she’d made, she felt she ought to offer some compensation.’

With that in mind, she said, "I’m leaving. This is for you."

She held out her hand, and a sword materialized in her grasp.

She plunged the sword into the ground.

Nerida’s weapon was a whip, so she had no use for a sword. It would be perfect for him. But feeling that still wasn’t enough, she waved her hand again. Several boxes materialized in the air, filled with countless Elixir Pills. "Take these, too."

’She’d done something wrong.’

’She had to admit that.’

’But taking responsibility was out of the question. As a female demon who had been in Cultivation for hundreds of years, she had no interest in finding a Taoist Companion. Better to just give him more compensation. That way, they would be even.’

Young Lord Aeron glanced sideways at her, seeing she was really about to leave without a shred of hesitation. He lowered his head, his eyes welling up. "If you’re going to go, then go! Take your things and get the hell away from me! It’s not like you’re the only one in the world!"

Nerida looked at him one last time.

"Aeron, take care of yourself."

After a moment’s thought, she casually placed a Bone Whistle down as well. "This is a Bone Whistle consecrated with my blood. If you ever run into trouble and need help, you can blow it. I’ll be able to sense it. I’m going now."

’Not even when she was chasing The Exalted One to give him a spanking had she ever felt so flustered. This was the first time she’d ever felt so completely in the wrong that all she wanted to do was run away.’

After saying her piece, she took to the air and departed.

She left the man standing there alone in silence.

If Nerida had returned, she would surely have seen the proud, noble man standing there, wiping away tears.

"She really left... just like that."

"You just left."

"You faithless woman... don’t you ever let me find you again. If I do, I swear I’ll chain you up and whip you myself!"

He didn’t leave right away.

He stood there for a long, long time.

In the end, the woman did not come back.

His gaze swept over the sword plunged into the earth, then to the boxes floating in the air. Every single one of them was a priceless treasure. That sword alone was even better than the Green Defect Sword of the Silvanis Royal Family.

’Her identity must be extraordinary,’ he guessed. ’Perhaps she’s even nobler than I am.’

He gritted his teeth at the thought.

"Does she think my status isn’t worthy of her?"

’Thinking about it, someone who could produce such things must come from a country far greater than Silvanis. That was the only explanation he could come up with.’

He looked at the sword and the other treasures.

With a furious expression, he turned to leave.

After a few steps, he turned back and collected everything.

"Why shouldn’t I take them? This is what I’m owed!"

’Even if I don’t want them later, I can always throw them back in her face.’

’And if I just leave them here and they’re lost or taken, how will I ever return them to her?’