Hina's Pov~

It has been 3 months since the date of my marriage was decided. Tomorrow is my marriage; it is still hard to believe when I was lost in thoughts a voice come from behind

"Hina, today Lana and I will be enough to play with the children. You should head back for today," the Priestess who just arrived from behind me said

"Ahh but it is fine, I already did everything required earlier and am ready to play," I said while making a bodybuilder pose by holding my arms up to show my readiness but she just laughed

"I think you should really go; someone was lost in thoughts when I came," she said as she put her finger on her chin. Everyone is teasing me too much nowadays, I never thought I was an easy target. I spoke with a pout

"It is fine, I was just thinking about what to play" before the Priestess could reply, Lana, who was playing with girls, said

"In bed, tomorrow night? Right, Hina?" she is doing this again, since the day she came to know about confession, I came to know about a new side of Lana she is one hell of a teaser, 'I will reply strongly now so she can't make fun of me further' or so I thought but what comes out of my mouth was

"There will be no plays tomorrow, first night should be gentle" as soon as I said this realizing what I just said, my cheeks feel like they were on fire and both of them laughed

"You should really go home to prepare for tomorrow Hina," Priestess told me, putting an arm on my shoulder holding back her laughter, and Lana on another hand

"Yes, you should. You know it would be bad if you suddenly said anything perverted suddenly while thinking,"

So I decided to head back home 'I will get back on Lana one day for sure!!' I thought on my way home.

Once I was near home, I saw Aiena and Ryu heading towards Geld's house sneakily I asked them,

"Aiena, Ryu, where are you going??"

And both of them turn back slowly in a manner as if the gear on their neck had not been oiled in ages, and then Aiena tried speaking but fumbled and Ryu answered

"Going to Grandpa chief, mom is scary" and then Aiena explained that when she returned from school, Lina big sister asked her to join her in cooking something, but even after making the same thing 8 times she couldn't make it as she wanted it but she still tried again and now with her emotions, she was looking scary with some crimson flames coming out of her although it wasn't anywhere near Aiena or Ryu or at the level of harming them but it still was scary so they tried escaping and come back once she calms down,

'What could she be cooking, I wonder' I wondered as I let Ryu and Aiena go to Village chief uncle, 'I should've asked them' I thought, as I entered the home as soon as I entered even I who wasn't a mage could feel a strong whirl of mana and I turned my face towards Kitchen area

"Again it is wrong!! Why can't I get it right" Lina big sister who had crimson orbs of flames flying near her said to herself not noticing me, 'she seems down for some reason I should cheer her up' I thought and go towards the kitchen jumping and asked her

"What are you cooking, Lina big sister?"

As soon as I said that, the crimson flames disappeared and with a bright red face Lina big sister said,

"Potato salad" her mentioning potato salad brings back a lot of memories and she continues

"No matter how much I try, I cannot make it as you do. I wanted to make it for you so as to remember how far we came"

"We sure came far," I said, remembering the memories of me being given affection, finding a new family, and a reason to be more cheerful when I first meet Lina big sister.

"I can still remember as if it was just yesterday Hina," Lina big sister said

"I can too Lina big sister," I said as I took a scoop of potato salad with my finger and tasted it. I spoke

"Lina big sister it still needs work, but I guess I can keep making it for you forever now, after all even after my marriage we are going to be neighbors" and Lina big sister broke into tears I remember long ago when I used to live with Lina big sister, I used to say who will make you Potato salad if I get married

"You sure will, right?" Lina big sister, asked

"I will forever," I answered her back, and wiping her tears, she spoke

"I was afraid a bit Hina, I thought with this marriage I will lose my cute little sister and you know after losing Ralph I am afraid a bit of losing you but to make my mind I tried making potato salad, so I can show you that you can move forward without care, but I couldn't and I even scared the kids away"

I took crying Lina big sister to the dining table so she could sit, but instead, she made me sit on a chair and put her head on my lap. After five minutes of patting her, she stood up and spoke

"I am energized now; I am going to talk to Village chief uncle about tomorrow's events now," and she was about to leave when she said

"Food is in the kitchen, okay" and left. I wanted to rest a bit with this many memories of the past whirling in my head and as I go to my room to sleep, I saw the past I was remembering in my dream.

-Flashback

Back then I had spoiled my marriage with an old Nobel who was around the age of 50 at church my father told me I will live a life of fortune after his death, but that Old Nobel was a perverted creep who wanted to break me sadistically, I revealed his desire in the Church of Justice Goddess when marriage was in process by saying

"Make a vow you won't touch me unless I give you permission to" in my country we used the method of 9 vows of Justice Goddess for marriage, where the bride and groom each give 9 vows for the other side to follow after marriage is done, usually everyone just uses the template vows commonly used but I ask him to vow this first,

If he lied the thread of visible mana, connecting our bracelet would break, and if he doesn't ceremony won't proceed, he couldn't, instead, he got angry and then followed one thing after another he was humiliated and the marriage ceremony was annulled,

He got angry at this and demanded my father to hand me over to him when he will leave after two days, call it the mercy of my father or one of the few signs of his love towards me, he announced that I went missing from home, making me leave with a merchant caravan he told me

"This is all I can do for you now. I tried doing best for you to live a life of luxury but you threw it away from yourself, again and again, now fend off for yourself."

The merchant caravan stopped at the Dungeon city of Hell's flame dungeon, with only silver coins that would last a month and being grown to marry away one day I knew nothing that I could do to earn for myself, I was left on a road where no one knew me

"What to do?? I should go to the inn for now" I tried thinking optimistically, due to being grown to be married, I was trained in many things like cooking, elegance, and stuff that I leveled up multiple times.

I even had skills relating to that stuff like [Ingredient's appraisal II] one of the few skills I had. I thought this one could be used to get a job at a pharmacy or someplace. I moved towards Inn where the adventurers were going. I had heard before that the Inn adventurers stay at are cheaper

"Welcome…. Wait, are you a Nobel" the confused old lady behind the counter asked, I was about to say yes when I remember and said loudly,

"No… no there are no Nobels here" at that, the old lady looked a bit confused and asked,

"Are you going to stay here tonight Ms. or did you come in asking for directions for somewhere else?"

"I wanted to stay for tonight. How much is the price for a night?" I asked her, remembering my father handed me a pouch containing 30 silver coins and some other things.

"It is 30 copper per night for a single not shared room, and with 20 copper more we will give breakfast and dinner too,"

When I put my hand to my side to get the money, I realized something my pouch was not there, and I panicked without thinking anything else I rushed outside ignoring the shouting old lady behind, my mind went blank I checked the whole way from where the caravan left me to the Inn twice but the pouch was nowhere to be found,

"Hey, Ms. Do you need help??" someone from behind me asked

"Actually I lost my pouch that had all of my money," before I could say any further, he said

"Shush, don't speak more if you help me tonight on the bed, I will help with your money problem"

I ran away after that man said that I realized this not only him but many others there were eyeing my body in a creepy and perverted way as if undressing me with eyes,

I was alone with no money. I was scared. I don't even know where I was anymore. The night was darkening with every passing second. I was sitting at the side of a road, unable to think properly

'Was I wrong to refuse that old creep, why I was approached by that man? Is it my destiny to fall victim to a creep without having true love ever? what do I do?'

While I was lost in despair with no hope in sight, a rough but feminine hand fall on my shoulder

-To be continued

[Author's note- sorry for delay hope you'll enjoy and comment... FuRein will keep goingggg]