Direwolf
Direwolf
A year has passed since then.
It was a time that could be considered short, or long, depending on how you looked at it.
It had been one year since I started searching for and hunting down the Demon Beast King who led the monsters.
It had also been exactly one year since I met Anna.
I recalled the things that happened with Anna during that time.
I ended up teaching Anna how to cook.
It started when she grabbed a ladle, insisting she would cook while I was away, and turned the house into a complete mess.
At first, we took it step by step, starting with her just reheating the food I had made.
She learned to reheat, then helped me cook, and now, a year later, Anna can make simple dishes all by herself.
The taste was just so-so, but it was edible.
As for me, exhausted after work, I cared more about the convenience than the taste.
I don't let the kid handle fire, but since spirits are by her side to protect her, I didn't have to worry about fire.
A lot happened with Anna.
As a fairy who used to wander outside even on rainy days, Anna would sometimes go out on days when it rained naturally.
She would walk along the village roads in the drizzling rain with an umbrella, stepping on the mud with her bare feet.
I didn't know what she was thinking, but she would blankly take walks on rainy days.
On such days, sometimes when I returned home after hunting, a mud-covered Anna would greet me.
Every time that happened, Jake would double over laughing.
I sometimes took Anna on monster hunts.
I received Anna's help when Jake wasn't in good condition or when we had to hunt a large number of monsters.
We hunted monsters by borrowing the power of spirits, and every time we did, the villagers' gazes and attitudes toward Anna changed.
Fairy.
A sacrificial offering that had to be lonely.
A plaything for spirits.
As the villagers became convinced that Anna could control spirits, they started dressing her and providing her with food.
Offerings no longer piled up on the Altar.
Then one day.
Since we didn't know Anna's birthday, we decided to celebrate it on the day we met.
Anna, who had to be lonely because she was a fairy.
I let her know that her being born was a joyous thing.
Happy birthday, Anna.
That was how a year passed.
Together with Jake, we hunted monsters one by one.
The ones caught in traps, the ones put to sleep by Anna's detection, the ones distracted by bait. If they were in good condition, we caught them; if not, we put in a bit more effort.
By the time the monsters, which numbered over ten, were reduced to two, the trails went cold.
They didn't leave a single trace, not in the range Anna's spirits could detect, nor in the traps I had set.
One month.
Two months.
Three months passed, and we couldn't catch the tails of the remaining two.
As the individual believed to be the Demon Beast King wasn't identified, Jake started to get anxious.
Seeing that traces were occasionally found, it meant they hadn't left.
'That Direwolf bastard.'
We couldn't find the Direwolf.
"Another bust today?"
"Yes."
Jake took off his helmet and gave a hollow laugh.
"I'll change the trap locations. I'll let you know if I find anything, so Sir Jake, you should go inside and rest."
"I'll do that."
Returning home, Jake sighed with a sense of dejection.
The key to monster hunting is Jake.
If a knight's Sword Aura strikes, the monster dies. No matter how well I set traps, I can't hunt monsters as well as a knight.
It's best to let him rest when he can.
I went out on reconnaissance alone today as well.
'I want to at least know what that Direwolf is doing and what its goal is.'
The Demon Beast King is probably the Direwolf.
The reason is that there are no traces of other wolves, and the Demon Beast King usually starts when a social monster leads a pack.
I don't know why it let me go, but there are many ways to deceive a Direwolf's nose.
That was when I found footprints.
I found a single footprint pressed into the bushes.
I knelt and examined it.
Feline.
It was quite large. It was a similar species to the ones we caught before.
I followed the direction of the footprints.
Judging by the tracks, it was one beast.
No other footprints were mixed in.
It was a trace of it wandering around leisurely.
What was it doing alone?
There was a trap in this direction.
I looked around.
I checked the wind direction.
"...."
I carefully pushed through the bushes and reached the location where I had previously set a trap.
I found a monster.
Clink. Clink.
A feline monster was tied to a tree branch with a chain.
It was sleeping, looking exhausted from trying to twist its body to escape but failing.
Every time it mumbled in its sleep, it twisted its body, making the chain clink.
Should I call Jake?
I thought about it for a moment.
If I go back and forth from here to the village, the sun will set. If the Direwolf comes to help, it will be freed. I'll miss the chance to catch the monster.
I looked down at my hands.
I learned a lot.
I don't have any exceptional talents, but I had a way to kill the monster even if it took time.
Fire is a very useful tool.
I carefully rummaged through my backpack and took out a small bottle.
An oil bottle.
I secretly gathered dry firewood, placed it under the monster, and poured oil on it.
When I struck the flint to create a spark, the oil caught fire.
As soon as the small flame spread from the oil to the firewood, the monster snapped its eyes open and began to glare at me fiercely.
"Krrraaaagh!"
The monster howled and thrashed its body.
I threw the other oil bottle I had into the monster's mouth, and it shattered as it bit down.
The beast, with its mouth full of oil, caught a spark from the growing flames below and began to burn from its head down.
The fire spread.
The monster rolled around like crazy, but both the chain and the branch held firm.
I hid nearby, watching for the Direwolf to appear, and waited for the monster to breathe its last.
The struggling monster stopped moving before long.
Now, only one remained.
Only the Direwolf was left.
But that guy, where did it go, leaving its subordinate behind?
Meanwhile, in the village.
Anna was sitting in front of the house.
After Dane left for the forest, only Anna and Jake remained in the house.
Jake was sitting at the table, polishing his armor.
Clink. Clink.
The metallic sounds filled the quiet house.
Anna didn't open her mouth.
An awkward and heavy silence settled in.
Even though a year had passed since she met Jake, Anna's guarded attitude toward him hadn't changed.
When Dane was around, Anna would tug on his sleeve, nod, or say at least a few short words, but when it was just the two of them, she really didn't say anything at all.
Even when Jake awkwardly asked her something, she just turned her head away.
Anna thought.
After that person came, Dane started going into the forest longer and more often.
Anna hated that.
It was like that today, too.
If only he would just stay in the village, why did he have to come to this house and still not leave?
If it weren't for him, I would have secretly followed Dane.
If that person is there, he catches me the moment I try to approach.
"Anna, do you want some water?"
"......"
At Jake's question, Anna looked out the window.
She had no intention of answering.
When will Dane return?
Anna's head was filled only with that thought.
Just then, a spirit slapped Anna's cheek.
The spirit's words spread silently.
Anna's eyes widened, and she jumped up from her seat.
"Hey, hey, you can't just go out as you please. Dane told you to stay home quietly."
Jake quickly grabbed Anna.
Anna opened her mouth.
"...A monster is coming."
"What?"
"To the village. It's coming right now."
Jake immediately put on his armor, grabbed his sword, and opened the door.
"Where is the monster!"
"That way."
Anna pointed toward the village.
"Well done! You stay inside! If anything happens to you, I'll get scolded by Dane!"
Jake kicked off the ground and ran toward the village.
Left alone, Anna puffed out her cheeks slightly.
"Dane told me to protect the villagers. I'm going to listen to Dane."
Anna left the house and headed to the village with the spirits.
Screams erupted from the village.
"Aaaaargh!"
Village women ran while holding their children. Men ran out holding sickles and axes, but their faces were pale.
Trampling the village fence, a massive beast covered in gray fur entered.
Jake ran.
He cut in between the villagers and the monster.
He drew his sword and aimed it at the monster.
Noticing the blade imbued with Sword Aura, the monster glared at Jake with wary eyes.
Jake's expression hardened.
He gripped his sword tighter.
Having confirmed the monster's intelligence, he honed his Sword Aura a bit sharper.
"Are you the Demon Beast King?"
The monster was a wolf.
A giant wolf.
The Direwolf's eyes, filled with intelligence, glared intensely at Jake.
A massive Direwolf with its gray fur standing on end.
Jake aimed his sword while blood poured from a gash on his forehead.
"You cowardly beast bastard!"
Rough profanity burst from Jake's mouth.
His sword tip only trembled slightly, unable to rashly advance.
A person was pinned under the Direwolf's massive front paw. It was Hans. Sharp claws were pressing down on Hans's throat, as if to tear it out at any moment.
It was a hostage.
The bastard was cunning.
As soon as it realized Jake was being careful not to let the villagers get involved, it took a villager hostage.
The moment the Sword Aura swirling on the blade loosened, the Direwolf lunged and slammed down with its front paw.
Bang!
"Ugh!"
With the sound of silver-white armor crumpling, Jake rolled on the dirt floor.
Jake threw off his dented helmet, spat out blood-mixed saliva, and staggered to his feet.
A blue light gathered on his Sword Aura again.
Jake kicked off the ground and put his back to the villagers.
The Direwolf shook its head and sharpened its gaze.
Dodging Jake with agile movements, the beast blocked the retreat of the villagers he was protecting.
"Tsk! You cowardly bastard!"
The Direwolf bit the fallen villager with its mouth.
The screaming villager's voice cut off abruptly, and blood poured from the beast's mouth.
"Stop it!!!"
Jake lunged, but the beast recognized the sword strike that lacked proper form.
The Direwolf snatched Jake out of the air with its mouth and threw him to the ground.
Thud!
"Kuh-ack!!"
Jake tried to push off the ground to stand, but his elbow gave way and he collapsed.
The Direwolf stomped on his back with its front paw.
The wolf's teeth touched his head, which was now bare of its helmet.
"I haven't even fulfilled the role entrusted to me by my master...! Do you think I'll be defeated in a place like this!!"
Just as Jake was drawing up his magic power to push away the front paw.
Flash!!!!
Along with an ear-splitting explosion, a spray of water burst from the Direwolf's flank.
"Yelp!"
The house-sized beast screamed like a puppy and rolled on the ground.