The Beasts Flee from the Heavenly Demon
Enly's grumbling about feeling like she was going to throw up turned out to be nothing but an act. She successfully kept down whatever was in her stomach all the way back to our shelter. Still, the nausea must have been real, because the moment I set her on the floor she collapsed like a corpse.
“Skeleton bone powder, enchanted tools you can farm in the labyrinth, and even this many gold coins! Jackpot!”
When I showed Pipi the items we had gathered after she came outside, her eyes sparkled with life. From what I had heard from Enly, she had been playing this game for quite a long time. Did new scenery still excite her? I asked out of curiosity at the sight of her overflowing enthusiasm, and her answer was unexpected.
“No! It’s always fresh and fun every single time?! So Enly! Hurry up and empty that bag! Stop just sitting there!”
“Wait… just a second… my stomach… ugh.”
After the commotion settled, Enly told me she needed to rest for a while. She was in no condition to keep playing. Normally the viewers would have exploded at her for saying something like that, but this time everyone accepted her break. Her complexion was so obviously terrible that anyone could see it.
“The car we rode in Dawn Escape would have been better…”
Of course it would. There was no way a vehicle designed with passenger safety in mind could compare to one that ignored everyone else just to run faster.
Judging that Enly’s condition would not improve anytime soon, I told her I would explore the island alone and return. She nodded, saying she would rest here, and Pipi waved me off with a smile.
“On the way back, please smash a few houses and bring some basic resources like wood and stone.”
“Understood.”
Once outside, I opened the map. The island was quite large; touring the entire place would take a long time. Since I had come for sightseeing rather than surveying, visiting a few notable spots would be enough.
“Dear viewers. What places in Thread are worth calling tourist attractions?”
“Transportation?”
As I had mentioned earlier, because the island was quite large, Thread apparently offered various means of convenient travel. Viewers explained that one could buy a wyvern and fly, tame griffins or small dragonkin, ride horses of course, and that countless other options existed.
Among them, one option caught my interest. A wolf. If I headed north from my current location, I would reach a snowy forest where I could find a white-furred wolf. After subduing the creature and taming it with food, it could be used as a mount.
“Dear viewers. Enough with the trivial details. There is something far more important. So, is the wolf’s fur soft?”
Speed, strength, none of that mattered. Those were areas I could handle myself. But fur softness was different! That was not something I could fix with my own power! Answer me! When you stroke them and hold them in your arms, can you feel true happiness?!
“That’s nonsense.”
Long, snow-white fur that is rough and reeks of beast. How tragic. Do the developers of this game have no sense of animal fantasy whatsoever?! How could they make a beast’s fur anything but soft!
“…Details. Give me the details. I am losing my composure.”
So according to the viewer, if I gather the necessary ingredients to create a magical shampoo, wash the wolf, and brush its coat, I could enjoy a softness like that of a doll. The roughness was simply because it was a wild beast; proper care would change everything.
“Therefore, today’s task is to enter the forest, tame a wolf, and groom it properly.”
I did not know much about the process, but with Pipi’s and the viewers’ advice I would manage somehow. For now, let us go tame a wolf!
Not long after, the snow covering grass and rocks appeared, and cold air enveloped me. Seeing the white vapor rise with each breath, an old memory surfaced and I let out a small chuckle. This used to be everyday life when I was in the North.
While walking across the snow that crunched beneath my feet, I spotted a building someone had constructed in the distance. It was small, but it gave off a similar feeling to the one Pipi had built. I decided to raid it on the way back after taming the wolf. After memorizing the location, I continued toward the forest.
How long had I walked? At some point I sensed a living presence. It was not a wolf—perhaps a bear. A bear would not be bad. Its slightly bristly fur would be satisfying to stroke vigorously, and its fat-layered soft flesh would feel pleasant to knead. It might not be suitable as a mount, but it was a perfect creature for satisfying my desire for fluffy fur.
Thinking it was good fortune, I headed toward the bear’s presence. The creature had been scratching its back against a tree; the moment it saw me, it froze solid. What will you do? Attack the stranger you see for the first time? Or approach out of curiosity? Whichever you choose, I will welcome it.
The bear chose a third option I had not considered. The moment it saw me it panicked and chose to flee into the forest. No. What is this behavior? Is a bear not supposed to be a ruler of the forest? Why does it run away the instant it sees me, as if it has witnessed something it should never have seen!
“Just where exactly am I dangerous!”
What an unfair accusation! Where in this body of mine is supposed to be so terribly dangerous! Look! At this frail physique I possess! I could understand running from the real me! I could even understand running from me in Hwaryong Muin to some extent! But this is different! With no accumulated bets and almost no demonic energy, where is the danger in this body! No matter how you look at it, I am harmless to both humans and beasts!
“Haa.”
How lamentable. Why is there not a single person among those watching my broadcast who agrees with me? The more chaotic the world becomes, the more traitors should run rampant, yet why does my broadcast contain nothing but loyal subjects?
I wanted to say that could not be true, but the words would not leave my mouth. Memories of being rejected by various animals in the past had surfaced. Even logically it made sense. If even a bear had a seizure the moment it saw me, what would a weaker wolf do? I had not met them yet, but guessing their reaction was not difficult. I had experienced it before.
First they would desperately flee, as if they had seen a dangerous beast. If I pursued them, they would scatter in all directions to ensure at least one survived. If I caught one I liked, it would flip onto its back in submission, begging for its life. Even if we spent time together afterward, to that wolf I would forever remain an object of terror. That was what my experience told me.
As a doll it would not be a bad relationship, but forming the close bond I shared with Baru would be difficult. I had finally obtained a frail body and wanted to raise an affectionate pet, but it seemed such a thing was not permitted for me.
It could not be helped. I would have to be satisfied with touching soft fur like a doll.
“Let us attempt it anyway.”
The scene that greeted me as I entered the forest was exactly as I had imagined. Whether small or large, every beast in the forest took one look at me and immediately chose desperate flight. A profound silence always followed chaos in my vicinity.
“Because none of them have caught my fancy yet.”
The wolves living in this forest were larger than real-world wolves, but that was all. None were suitable for me to ride. If any had approached me first, I would have gladly shown them affection, but expecting that in the current situation seemed difficult. If affection was not possible, I would at least choose one whose performance pleased me.
With that thought, I watched the fleeing creatures with a picky eye. Then I sensed one approaching. It was not a human presence but that of a four-legged beast. A wolf? For a wolf, its size was considerable. It would be more accurate to say it was closer to an elephant than a wolf.
I stopped and waited. Soon a massive wolf appeared from the distance. Oh. It is quite charming. It looks fast, large enough to carry plenty of cargo, and above all, its fur is luxuriant.
The moment the wolf saw my face it let out a low growl. Haha. So you are the master of this place? Have you come to deal with the threat to your territory? You have courage. Good. I like it. From now on, you shall become my pet.