Netori Harem: New life as a hunter and gatherer

Chapter 295: Parting ways

"It’s a complete mess, isn’t it?"

Inside a dimly lit room, two men stood facing each other, the tense atmosphere thick enough to suffocate. Concern was etched across both their faces as their conversation grew increasingly heated.

"It’s surprising that even you only found out about it now," one of them said, unease flickering in his eyes.

"That old bastard has started keeping secrets from everyone."

The taller man let out a low growl, his fists tightening at his sides.

"He stopped trusting me a long time ago. I accepted that. But this..." His jaw clenched. "If we hadn’t uncovered it ourselves, our plans would’ve been pushed back for a very long time."

The other man frowned.

"What do you mean, would’ve?" he asked. "We still have to postpone them."

The taller man slowly shook his head.

"No, Manbaru."

His voice was firm, leaving no room for argument.

"We’re moving now."

Manbaru, the very man Luke had nearly captured and the one responsible for sending spies after him, narrowed his eyes.

"What?"

Disbelief flashed across his face.

"That’s far too risky."

The other person shook his head, "But we don’t have any option. We either execute our plan today or never."

Manbaru’s eyes turned cold, "What’s the command, my Lord?"

~~~~

Luke stood in the alley exactly where he had been told to wait.

A short while later, the back door of the eatery creaked open, and Ravia stepped outside.

"Ah, there you are." She smiled as she dragged over the baskets and the bundle of clothes they had brought with them, the same ones they had left in the room for obvious reasons.

"Here." She set everything down against the wall before dusting off her hands. "Haah... these are heavy. Just how long were you all planning to stay here?" A faint smile lingered on her lips.

"Not very long. Definitely not after the warm welcome we got yesterday." Luke replied, folding his arms as a lazy grin spread across his face.

Ravia let out a quiet sigh. "A bad omen followed you here. This village used to be peaceful. People often ended up staying longer than they had planned. There was a time when customers would line up just to eat at our place." Her smile slowly faded. "But little by little, the visitors stopped coming... for the very reason you’re leaving."

Luke gave a casual shrug. "Then the chief should’ve dealt with it long ago instead of letting those thugs run around however they pleased."

Ravia remained silent.

Like most of the villagers, she respected the chief and believed he genuinely cared for his people. Yet she could not deny the truth. Whatever his reasons, he had allowed the situation to worsen, and the consequences had become impossible to ignore.

"Well, not my problem. Once I leave, I probably won’t ever come back." Luke said casually as he slowly straightened and turned to face her.

"So... this is the last time I’ll be seeing you?" she asked, even though she already knew the answer.

For reasons she couldn’t quite understand, the young man had left a lasting impression on her. A part of her had been quietly hoping he would come this morning, no matter how unlikely it had been.

There was something about him that drew her in. She wanted to talk with him a little longer, to spend a bit more time in his company. Unfortunately, life rarely unfolded the way people wished.

Their time together had reached its end before anything meaningful could truly begin.

Perhaps that was simply fate.

"Hey, come here."

Before she could respond, Luke slipped an arm around her waist and gently pulled her close.

A soft gasp escaped her lips, only to vanish as he kissed her.

His lips met hers in a slow, lingering embrace, tender yet filled with quiet longing, as though he intended to leave behind a memory that would outlast their brief encounter.

She had never experienced anything like this before.

No one’s lips had ever met hers. Not even with her mate had they shared a kiss.

Yet she instinctively understood how intimate it was.

Every passing second sent warmth spreading through her body, her heartbeat growing faster beneath his gentle touch. She knew this was wrong. She was a mated woman, and the man holding her was far younger than she was.

Even so, she found herself unable to pull away.

Instead, she rested against him, her eyes fluttering shut as she surrendered to the fleeting moment.

They would soon part ways, perhaps forever.

Just this once, she wanted to be selfish.

"Mmm..."

A soft sigh escaped her as their lips separated for the briefest instant. Before she could catch her breath, Luke tilted his head and kissed her again.

This time, the kiss lingered.

His lips moved against hers with unhurried tenderness, savoring every moment, inviting rather than demanding. Their hesitant responses gradually found a shared rhythm, each growing more comfortable in the other’s embrace.

Luke couldn’t tell whether this was truly her first kiss.

If it was, then she possessed an astonishingly good response, coming back at him with equal passion.

At last, their lips parted.

Ravia drew in unsteady breaths, her chest rising and falling as heat lingered across her flushed cheeks. She stared into Luke’s eyes, her mind still lost in the haze of what had just happened.

"I believe that settles every cost?" Luke asked with an easy smile.

Ravia gave a slow, absent-minded nod.

"Take care."

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze before picking up his belongings and walking past her without looking back.

The strength seemed to drain from her legs.

Leaning her shoulder against the wall for support, she silently watched his figure grow smaller with every step until he disappeared from sight.

They had known each other for only a short time.

Yet somehow, in those brief encounters, he had carved out a place in her memories.

She knew this would not be the last time she thought of him.

For a very long while, she doubted she would ever be able to forget him.

....

Luke returned to the house carrying the luggage.

The place was unusually quiet.

The sun had already climbed high into the sky, its harsh rays pouring over the village. Judging by the silence, he figured the others had retreated to their rooms for some after meal rest.

Even so, he didn’t lower his guard.

As he approached the front door, he subtly sharpened his senses, scanning the surroundings for anything out of place.

Just as he reached the entrance, he caught the sound of footsteps.

Light.

Quick.

His muscles instinctively tensed.

A heartbeat later, the door swung open, and the tension melted from his shoulders as Roxanne greeted him with a bright smile.

"Welcome back."

Luke let out a long breath before asking, "Where are the others?"

Roxanne took one of the baskets from his hands, and the two walked inside together.

"Laila and Monica are asleep," she replied. "As for Thea... well, she’s been holed up in her room ever since she finished eating."

Luke gave a nonchalant shrug.

"Let her be."

He set the remaining luggage beside the room before stretching his arms, easing the stiffness from his shoulders.

"Did you meet the chief?" Roxanne asked.

Luke shook his head.

"I was told he doesn’t arrive at his office until later in the day, so I’ll head there this evening."

Roxanne nodded.

"Well, the chief is getting old. I suppose he has to take care of his health before anything else."

Luke gave a thoughtful hum.

"I heard the Head Chief is arriving tomorrow. He’s probably occupied with the preparations."

Roxanne’s eyes widened slightly.

"Is that so? Then the village’s security will improve overnight."

"That’s true," Luke replied. "Though we’ll most likely leave tomorrow morning."

A trace of guilt crossed Roxanne’s face as she lowered her gaze.

"I feel bad, Luke..."

She let out a quiet sigh before continuing.

"This village used to be a safe haven for travelers and merchants alike. People came here without a second thought, knowing they would be welcomed and protected." Her voice softened with disappointment. "Now... everything has changed so much that I can barely recognize the place I once knew."

Luke let out a quiet sigh.

"None of this is your fault, so don’t blame yourself."

Roxanne gently shook her head.

"I still can’t help feeling guilty. If there were any way I could make it up to you, I would."

He was so excited to come here and spend some leisure time with his family...only for the trip to end abruptly.

Luke was about to dismiss the idea, to tell her she owed him nothing.

But the words caught in his throat.

A thought crossed his mind, causing the corners of his lips to curl into a faint smile.

"Actually..." he said, looking at her. "There is something you can do for me."

~~~~~~

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