New World with Four Husbands-Chapter 239: A friend’s concern

"You caught a good one today as well." Renaldo muttered, his eyes wide in surprise.

Coco forced out a smile as she dumped the dead flying pig on the butchering table with a wet thump, its warm carcass bouncing slightly on the heavy surface.

The table groaned and protested under the weight of the pig, the wood creaking as it took the impact.

There was a wet, squelching and thump sound while the noise echoed in the quiet room, infiltrating Coco’s, Renaldo’s, Jacques’, and Lala’s ears.

The pig was a strange sight for a normal earthling like her, its leathery wings spread out awkwardly to either side, its body not having any sign of being taken down except for the sunken part on its head.

The table was slightly streaked and stained with blood, the result of countless animals slaughtered before it.

The woman sighed, her frustration clear as she stared at the lifeless creature before her because she still couldn’t get over the fact that she has to go to the lair of farming rabbits in the forest just to finish the mission given to her.

"What’s with the long face, Coco?" Jacques asked as she stepped closer to Coco, "You’ve been quite busy for the past few days, haven’t you? You should take an early break today."

Jacques placed a hand on Coco’s forearm, her grip firm, but gentle, a small action that speaks volumes about Jacques’ concern towards her friend.

Coco smiled softly and looked away from the dead creature, her emerald irises clashing with Jacques’ pink ones. "It’s fine. I just have a lot in my mind right now, but I’m doing well. Besides, I can’t rest when I have a group to lead today."

"Group?" Renaldo was quick to ask, stealing the word out of his wife’s mouth.

Coco nodded her head and placed her left hand on top of Jacques’ hand that was on her right forearm. "The village chief asked me to help a trusted friend with his mission in the forest."

"A mission?" Jacques gasped out, her grip on Coco’s arm getting a little tight, "Would you be okay? What if you get hurt?"

Coco shook her head and gave Jacques’ hand a reassuring squeeze. "I’ll be fine. I’m quite stronger than I look, you know? I’m good at throwing punches. How do you think I manage to catch monsters everyday?"

"Throwing punches is different in missions, Coco." Renaldo said, his voice firm and stern.

"I know, I know." Coco laughed half heartedly and shot Renaldo a soft smile, "I get that you’re only looking out for my health and safety, but I’m strong. You don’t need to worry that much."

The married couple exchanged a worried glance, their minds filled with thoughts of their friend who was standing rather innocently before them.

They were both concerned about their friend’s safety, but neither of them could bring themself to say anything else.

They each knew that speaking their fears out loud would only serve to make themselves more anxious, so instead they silently exchanged a look, their eyes locking in a moment of mutual understanding.

They knew that the mission their friend was going to take would be a dangerous one, but they also knew that there was nothing they could do to change the situation.

The fact that Coco asked Renaldo about the forest when they got back to their unplanned hang out a couple of weeks ago didn’t help, it only made Renaldo even more anxious, more concerned.

The thought of Coco getting herself hurt because she doesn’t know how dangerous the forest is made him frown.

Even though they wanted to speak up and stop Coco from doing what she wanted, they could only voice out their concern because they knew that it would not change anything, especially if it was Coco they’re talking about.

"Just.. Just come back safe, okay?" Jacques spoke up, a lilt of worry lacing her voice, "Don’t come back injured like how you came back a couple of times before."

"I will, I will." Coco laughed nervously and squeezed Jacques’ hand one more time, "You really don’t have to worry. I’ll be fine. I’ll have the village chief’s friend with me so I won’t get hurt."

Hopefully. Coco thought to herself, not wanting to say the word out loud because she knew that it would send Jacques into a frenzy.

"I know.. The village chief has good friends." Jacques mumbled as her eyebrows furrowed further, "But you can’t trust all of them.. Especially those who came from the main city, okay?"

"Haha.. The friend I’m talking about came from the main city though." Coco laughed nervously, forcing out a smile.

"What?" Jacques gasped.

The butcher was quiet, but he walked over to the wall where his collection of knives were displayed, his gaze quickly finding the perfect one for butchering.

He reached up and carefully lifted the butchering knife off the hook, the weapon familiar in his grip.

"Looks good enough." Renaldo stated after he gave it an approving scan once, making sure the blade was well sharpened and free of imperfections.

Satisfied, he walked back to his friend as he held out the butchering knife in front of him, his arm extended in a gesture of offering, like a master offering his disciple a weapon crafted for her.

"Here." Renaldo said, catching Jacques’ and Coco’s attention, their heads snapping to his scarred and muscled form as he held out the butchering knife.

"Uh.. Why are you giving this to me?" Coco asked, letting go of Jacques’ hand and accepting the butchering knife, the reluctance and confusion clear on her face, "I don’t know how to butcher any monster meat though.."

Renaldo raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. "Who said that it was for the monsters?"

"Pardon?" Coco’s eyes went wide as her head snapped up to look at her butcher friend, "Where do you want me to use this then?" freeweɓnovel-cøm

"The question is not where, but who."

The 𝘮ost uptodat𝑒 novels are pub𝙡ished on fre(e)webno(v)el.𝒸𝑜𝘮