Chapter 64

There was some silence for a while.

As I pretended to be innocent and grinned with a teacup in my hand, the three sloppy paladins exchanged looks and soon began to cough and elbow each other.

What are you doing, guys?

It was surprisingly Sir Camu who was determined not to be able to endure it any longer.

Sir Camu opened his mouth with a somewhat displeased expression on his face, and asked in a blunt tone, “My lady, do you know about the frost wolf?”

“I’ve only seen it in illustrated books.”

“I see. Books... I don’t know if it was common knowledge, but it does not come out of the woods. It’s pretty smart for a monster, so they rarely attack humans first.”

It was also in the province. The frost wolves, which live in the frost forests of Britannia, were quite rare, along with dragons.

In the hierarchy, the average monster leaves only the stone when it dies, while the frost wolf leaves a corpse just like a dead beast. A dragon leaves behind a heart and a stone.

To get the magic stone, you have to split the corpse.

“But now they’re......”

Lord Camu, who vaguely trailed off, looked back at his colleagues.

Sir Ivan, who was waving his arms to chase butterflies hovering around his shoulders, quickly spoke up, “To give you a rough idea, they’re cubs who live in their own burrows and do little harm to us. There is also a saying that killing a frost wolf before a jubilee event is unlucky, a superstition. But you know, my lady, this is a jubilee year, and there’s going to be an international event called the gladiatorial match soon.”

“Yes. I didn’t know there was such a superstition.”

“It’s a terrible superstition that only native people know about. Anyway, the problem is that the cubs are doing things that they didn’t usually do, whether they were excited about the frost wolf or if they picked up the medicine that poachers spilled and ate it up....those f*cking poachers really deserve to have their throats slit....”

“Ivan.”

“What is it, you b*stard... Oh, right. Anyway, the frost wolves suddenly flocked into people’s houses and aren’t moving back. According to the circumstances, they have been doing that since last night, but fortunately, there have been no casualties yet. The problem is, they are so fierce that people don’t know when they might get attacked. We’re here because it’s hard to catch and kill them.”

After a lengthy explanation, Sir Ivan licked his lips in a slightly awkward manner.

Sir Camu and Sir Galar were just staring at me.

So, the frost wolves, who never left their homes, suddenly swarmed in and threatened them, and with the superstition above them, they came to me?

“What am I supposed to do...”

“Well, I was wondering if you’d find out why those b*stards were here.... we thought you may know.”

You’re asking for me to be an interpreter?

On the other hand, I felt relieved. I was so glad it was not about Popo.

Besides, they were not asking me to help kill, they were just asking me to find out why they refused to move out.

“I’d be happy to help you, but... I’m not sure it’ll help. I’ve never met a frost wolf there. It’s hard to be sure that every monster can communicate with me.”

“We are also fully considering that possibility. I’m just asking just in case. Above all, we’ll defend you thoroughly so you’ll never be in danger, so you don’t have to worry.”

“Is my husband there too?”

As soon as I asked the question, an awkward silence immediately fell.

Ugh, they must have come secretly.

Instead of Sir Ivan scratching his head, the feisty Sir Camu replied sarcastically, “No, if he knows we’ve come to visit you, he’ll probably cut our throats and make us the wolves’ meal.”

“Hey, you...”

“What? It’s true. If you don’t want to, I don’t mind your refusal, my lady. I’m not really looking forward to it.”

Kang!

The tea table shook. My eyes opened wide. Sir Camu and Sir Ivan were also taken aback.

“Let’s fight.”

“...What’s wrong with you all of a sudden? Are you crazy?”

“Pull out the sword, Camu.”

“What’s wrong with him? Hey, don’t you bring your sword out! We’re indoors, you idiot!”

After a brief scuffle, Sir Galar put in his sword and sat back.

While Sir Ivan was cursing him, Sir Camu wiped the sweat off his forehead.

I was just staring at them in a daze.

“I apologize if I sounded rude. Anyway, we’re in a hurry...”

“I’ll do it.”

“What?”

“I don’t know if it’ll help, but I’ll give it a try.”

They were the ones who found out my secret in the frost forest that day, and they remained silent no matter what.

I was sort of in debt.

As such, it was not an unreasonable request, so it was right to grant it. No, there was no way I could refuse.

In addition, these were Izek’s colleagues and old friends.

If I was helpful in this way, some bad suspicions may disappear, and I felt I’d be able to meet Popo or other monsters someday.

“Well, it’s a little....”

They came here to ask for a favor, but now they were staring at me blankly. Soon, Ivan began rummaging through his pockets. What, did he bring a purse?

“I heard my lady likes chocolate very much, so....”

Who was spreading that rumour? I’m not a kid, you jerks!

***

“Your horse riding skills are extraordinary.”

The place where I arrived on horseback with the people who gave me chocolate, was an eerie area where blacksmiths and weapons dealers could be seen.

Perhaps because it was close to the forest, it felt particularly wet and dark even though the day was sunny. I grinned at Sir Ivan, clasping my hood around my head.

“I just sit back.”

“You seem to be better than I am. I mean it from the bottom of my heart. The more I see you, the more amazed I feel.”

They were surprised just by the horse riding.

When I looked around, the whole area was empty.

Except for a few of the city’s security guards on guard, everyone seems to have locked their doors and hid.

I heard that if someone recognized me, it would be difficult in many ways, so they probably blocked it in advance.

“That way, my lady. Don’t be scared.”

There was a spooky vibe from the river bank, where fog was rising.

The slower I approached them, the closer I got to the angry cries reverberating.

Sir Ivan and Sir Galar were on my sides while Sir Camu led the way with a sword.

Over the fog, pairs of red eyes flashed violently.

I thought the dragons were the only ones that were different from the other animals, but the frost wolves didn’t have fluorescent green eyes eithers.

“Grrrrrrrr....”

We stopped about 20 meters from the swarm of frost wolves. A moment of silence held out.

“My lady?”

“Yes, Sir Camu?”

“C-Can you hear anything?......”

Why was this feisty-looking man so stupid?

I don’t know how to translate, they just understand what I’m saying!

Holding a sword in one hand, Sir Galar silently took out my chocolate in the other hand, and opened his mouth. It reminded me of the scene where a bear ate from a honey jar.

“I think we need to get closer.”

“Really?”

Going about five meters further, a group of angry wolves appeared just around the corner.

The white-furred wolves loitering around the riverbank looked really just like normal wolves except for the snow colour.

“My lady, are you all right?”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Yes, it’s okay.”

I think you guys are more nervous than I am.

Feeling their stressed gazes concentrated on me, I edged ahead past Sir Camu.

There was a frost wolf standing at the head of the group and staring at this side.

He was especially bigger than the others. Was he the leader?

I saw all kinds of monsters in the frost forest and experienced being chased by a dragon, so I didn’t feel that it was scary or threatening. Rather...

“Grrr...”

His blood-stained eyes glistened wildly. Did all the monsters have fluorescent lights in their eyes?

I swallowed and gently opened my mouth, speaking to the leader.

“Hi.”

“.....”

“You’re so handsome, aren’t you? I feel like you’re a prince.”

The alpha frost wolf didn’t say anything. He was very quiet. What was he thinking?

“My lady?”

Behind my back came Sir Ivan’s cautious voice.

I stood motionless and stared at the haughty wolf looking at me.

He looked sad.

I didn’t know why, but I felt like he looked sad. And very angry.

It felt like he was trying to suppress his sadness even though he was about to explode.

“Uhn..”

“Huh?”

“Uhn, uh...”

As soon as something flew at my feet, someone quickly grabbed my shoulder.

“My lady, at this point......”

“Wait a minute.”

I rubbed my wet eyes and tried to look closely at the object at my feet. And then, I freaked out. I tried to stop myself from screaming.

“A-Agh...!”

“What? Are your feet in pain?”

“Oh, no, not my feet...!”

Sir Camu, who had been staring at me as I was talking in panic, hurriedly picked up what had fallen to the floor. He immediately threw it back.

What the hell was he doing?

“What’s this?”

What the Alpha frost wolf spat at me was none other than a severed foot.

Almost the size of my palm, foot of a giant monster with damp fur.

—