Chapter 500: The Wolfman

“Hold on. You want me to what?”

“My brother and sisters—the three other Empyrean-“

“Yes, yes, I know who you’re referring to,” I interrupted. “Ignis, Aquira, and Aerim, right? But what I mean is… how do you expect me to do that, and why? You gods trying to overthrow the world or something?”

“No, no, nothing of the sort,” Terrarim reassured. “I just… wish to see them again. They have been asleep for so long now that they might as well be dead. If they could, just like me, rest within your soul and observe the world we had created so long ago, then I am certain they will be very happy. Of course… if you refuse, I cannot, and will not force you. But you mentioned risk and reward earlier, and allow me to just say… the reward for this will be great. Awakening my brother and sisters will involve inheriting the powers they left behind in this world. Each is an extraordinarily strong ability, and when you collect all four… you shall be bestowed a great gift from the four of us.”

“A great gift? What is it?”

Terrarim gave a laugh, then said a word like it was nothing at all.

“… Immortality.”

“… You’re kidding, right?”

“I most certainly am not, kiddo.”

“You mean… nothing can kill me?”

“Oh, no, that is called invincibility,” Terrarim chuckled. “By immortality, I mean your aging will stop, and you will be forever young, at the age you currently are in. Of course, this benefit will extend to your lovers around you as well, so long as they wish for it.”

Ah… right. Invincibility would’ve been a little bit too overpowered, though I would have liked that myself. My luck wasn’t that great though. Still, immortality was a great boon. I mean, living forever? Who the hell hasn’t dreamed of that before at one point in their lives?

“… That is certainly a tempting offer,” I said at last. “But… from what I’ve gathered from your little lair, each of the Empyreans are looking for a certain trait for the person to obtain their respective powers they left behind in this world. You were looking for someone with thrift, Aquira was looking for someone who was kind, Ignis was looking for someone worthy, or courageous, and Aerim was looking for someone clever. I don’t know about the last two, but I’m certainly not kind.”

“Is that truly so?” Terrarim said with a crafty snicker. “You have shown much kindness in your past, kiddo. Maybe not to everyone, but to those close to you, you are certainly kind, and protective too.”

“…” I fell silent, deciding not to confirm nor deny that. Terrarim, however, was not finished, and merely gave a sigh.

“Regardless, all of that was only written as a formality. In reality, that poem was just something Aerim wrote when she was bored. We do not seek any particular personality traits in the person who inherits the power we left behind. Rather, when they accept the power, we will judge whether they are worthy. The person you fought just now… he was not worthy, hence why I prevented the power from fully merging with his body.”

“And I am?” I arched an eyebrow. “If we’re talking good and evil, I’m not the right person. I don’t give a damn what happens to this world, so long as I and the people I care about our safe and sound.”

“That is alright. Both you and I know when it comes down to it, you will protect this world. For you accepted a deal, and are now bound to your duty.”

“Ah, right… you know about the Library of Infinite Beginnings and all that… man.”

“Indeed. So? What is your answer, my chi-“

Suddenly, Terrarim’s voice stopped, and I frowned.

“What’s wrong?”

“… It would seem, you have a visitor in the real world. Return to your consciousness for now. We will speak again.”

With that, the fog faded away, and the world around me faded to black before I had time to ask questions.

*****

Suddenly, my eyes opened, and I returned to reality.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“… What’s going on?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

“Lorelei was just about to wake you, master,” Lorelei said in my head. “How did you… never mind. There is an intruder, it seems. The presence is quite strong.”

“Is that so…” I smirked and stood up from the ground. “I wonder who it is… for now, let’s hide.”

Mei Gui and Amane nodded, and we entered invisibility—Mei Gui and I via spells, and Amane via a magic artifact. I stuffed Silver’s body into my Space Locket, and then, we waited.

Very soon, a figure emerged from the entrance to the long staircase leading upwards, and we heard a sigh.

“God dammit… the hell’s up with that staircase?” The newcomer growled in frustration, then suddenly stopped and sniffed the air.

“Hm? Heh… if you already know I’m here, then there’s no point in hidin’. Come on out.”

He doesn’t seem to be bluffing, so he knows we’re here with just a sniff… I see. A demihuman.

Of course, we weren’t just going to listen to him, and remained invisible while we waited. I peeked around the corner, and saw that it was a wolfman.

But not just any wolfman—this guy, was the same one who had been in Fragment that night. One of X’s direct subordinates—in other words, a Cardinal. But the question was… what was he doing here? How did he find out about our location? And if he’s here, then does that mean the village…

“Come on already,” the wolfman rolled his eyes, resting his hands on his hips. “I don’t want to hurt you if possible, so just stop hiding.”

After some debate, I decided to step outside my invisibility—alone. Amane and Mei Gui stayed right where they were just as I had ordered, and I stepped up to the wolfman.

“… What do you want?”

“Nothin’ much. My boss wants to see you. You want to see him too, don’t ya? It’s a win-win situation.”

“… Why?” I asked. “Why does he want to see me?”

The wolfman shrugged. “Dunno. Couldn’t ask, either. Boss is a scary dude. He’ll kill me if I asked any unnecessary questions. The least I can say though is he won’t hurt ya. After all, I’ve been specifically ordered not to touch a hair on your head… that is, if you come along nice and easily, anyway.”

So… X wants to see me, in particular? But why… well, no matter.

“And, how, exactly, do I know this is not a trap?” I continued, raising an eyebrow.

“Well, if it’s some kind of proof you want, I don’t got any,” the wolfman said blatantly, opening his hands as if to show there was nothing in them. “But if it’s any comfort, there’s the fact that I could beat you unconscious right now and drag you over to my boss, but haven’t done so yet.”

“Awfully confident, huh?” I chuckled. “Oh well… fine, I’ll humor you. But before that…”

Suddenly, I raised one of my katanas to my own neck.

“W-Whoa, hey, what are ya doin’?!” The wolfman cried in shock, hurriedly dashing closer to knock the weapon out of my hand, but I merely teleported back and narrowed my eyes.

“Not another step. Your boss wants me alive, doesn’t he? If you don’t tell me what I want to hear… I’ll kill myself right here, right now.”

“Ha… not bad, kid. But you’re just bluffin’. No way you got the guts to do that.”

“Hm? Then why’d you panic so bad there?” I smiled wistfully. “Do you really want to take that risk? Your boss is a ‘scary’ person, isn’t he? If he finds out you got the person he wanted alive killed, what do you think he’ll do to you?”

“G-Guh…” the wolfman gritted his teeth and froze on the spot, then lowered his tone.

“… Fine. Whaddya want?”

“First of all, the village at the base of this mountain with foxhumans inside. Did you touch them at all?”

“Huh? Why would I do that? I got no desire to beat up weaklings, or kill for no reason.”

Hm… the lie detector spell is saying he’s not lying.

“Did any of your subordinates touch them at all?” I continued, just in case.

The wolfman scowled.

“… Kid. Is that an insult? I work alone.”

“But aren’t you supposed to be a wolf? Wolves travel in packs.”

“Yeah, well, no one’s good enough to be in mine.”

This guy… he’s got one hell of an ego, that’s for sure. But at the very least, it seems the village is okay. That means the girls are too.

“Alright,” I said at last, sighing and lowering my blade. “I’ll go with yo-“

“Heh.”

Suddenly, the wolfman whizzed past me into the room Mei Gui and Amane were in.

My eyes widened.

“What are you-“

I began, but it was too late.

“Whoa there, kid… don’t try anything now. If you move, I’ll kill this… thing.”

In his hands held a tiny fox with beautiful pink fur—Lorelei.