Hybrid Fusion
My footsteps were cautious as I stepped on the dry, rustling leaves. The sound of the foliage whipping in the wind sounded like the low growl of a beast. This was the medium-sized animal zone, a territory typically inhabited by creatures like wolves, deer, and tigers. If you were to ask what on earth lived in the large-sized animal zone if these were merely medium-sized, the answer was simple: that was where monsters went to hunt—or rather, humans who barely qualified as human. It was the stomping ground for beasts like the giant bears or werewolves the First Prince had brought back from the last hunting festival. It was the deepest, darkest part of the forest, a place you only entered accompanied by professional hunters and beaters. It certainly wasn't a place for someone like me, who might get torn to shreds if a single wolf pounced. Even being in this medium-sized zone was enough to keep my nerves stretched taut.
"Squeak."
A creature that had probably never felt a shred of tension in its entire life was right there with me, doing its absolute best to completely ruin my focus.
"Get back inside. If you get snatched out here, I'm not risking my life to save you," I muttered, shoving the squirrel back down as it tried to poke its head out of my bag.
Yes, the squirrel had tagged along. We had been together for a few days now. For reasons I couldn't fathom, this tiny creature insisted on following me everywhere. Constantly. And today was no exception. Back in the small animal zone, there were only creatures of its own size, and even if a predator did appear, it would have been small enough for me to handle. But today, I had tried to make it understand that we were entering real danger. Yet, despite usually acting as if it understood human speech perfectly, this time it played dumb—or rather, it stubbornly ignored me as if my warnings were none of its concern. In the end, I'd had to distract it with an acorn before slipping out. Or so I thought. It was only when I reached the border of the medium-sized animal zone and noticed my bag wriggling that I realized I'd been tricked again.
"How do you even do this every single time?"
Since this wasn't the first or second time, I had thoroughly searched the bag before leaving today.
"Are you some other transmigrated soul who ended up in a squirrel's body?"
Despite my suspicious glare, the creature merely twitched its ears, busily looking around at its surroundings.
"I don't care if there's a human inside you or what, but you absolutely cannot come out today." I shoved it back down and zipped the bag shut.
Based on my experience so far, no beast had launched a sudden attack on me. However, I couldn't guarantee that a predator wouldn't get distracted by such a tiny, delectable snack dangling right in front of its nose. I couldn't exactly leave the little guy behind at the entrance of the medium-sized zone either, so I had no choice but to bring it along. Well, it's a wild squirrel after all. It should know how to keep its head down in front of a predator.
With that thought, I cautiously followed a trail of footprints left by what seemed to be a fairly large beast. It didn't take long before I spotted my target.
"Squeeeak! Squeeeak! Squeeeak!"
Though, the fact that a very familiar face was already there was a bit of an unwelcome surprise.
"Grrr."
A wolf with glowing yellow eyes glared at me, and beneath its massive paw, a very familiar squirrel was flailing wildly, its tail pinned to the ground. This was definitely not the scenario I had envisioned.
"When did you even get out?"
Knowing it was pointless to check my bag now, I let out a heavy sigh and locked eyes with the agitated predator. It was a gray wolf, easily three times my size. Whether in my past life in modern Korea or since transmigrating into this world, this was my first time seeing a real wolf up close. It was far larger than I had expected. Its head alone looked big enough to fit three of mine, which was honestly a bit intimidating. Perhaps it looked even larger because it was baring its fangs and bristling its fur in anger. Whatever the case, it was abundantly clear that this was not an opponent I could recklessly mess with.
Slowly, I tossed the crossbow I was holding in one hand far to the side. Then, I raised both palms to show I had no intention of attacking.
"See? Nothing. I'm not here to attack you. I didn't mean to trespass on your pack's territory either."
Its dark pupils scanned my empty hands. I stood as still as a stone statue, giving it ample time to assess the situation. As the huffing wolf gradually calmed its breathing, I tried to soothe my own hammering heart.
"Grr."
Seemingly satisfied, the wolf retracted its fangs and adjusted its posture. Though, the poor squirrel remained pinned under its paw.
"Squeak! Squeeeak!"
The squirrel squirmed, clearly in pain from its squashed tail.
"Grrr."
The wolf growled lowly, its temper flaring again the moment it looked down at the squirrel. It didn't seem like it was holding the tiny creature just to eat it. Besides, now that it had calmed down, the wolf appeared surprisingly reasonable. It didn't seem to be raging blindly. Perhaps I needed to hear the wolf's side of the story. Given my tiny companion's track record, I had a strong suspicion that the squirrel had thrown the first punch. I slowly approached the tense duo.
"Both of you, calm down. You're as big as a house; picking on this tiny thing can't be good for your pride."
When I spoke softly, the wolf flicked its ears as if in agreement. It let out a heavy snort and relaxed the pressure on the little troublemaker. Man, the animals in this world really are good listeners. Now, if I could just coax it a bit and stroke its neck, today's roundabout journey would end in a resounding success.
"Squeak!"
"Grrr!"
"Wait—!"
They say a cornered rat will bite a cat. The squirrel, possessing courage far too grand for its tiny body, lunged forward the split second the weight lifted and bit the wolf's forepaw. The wolf's eyes widened with shock, a hint of betrayal directed at me, and then pure, unadulterated fury. It happened in a flash. Enraged, the wolf flung the squirrel off its paw and snapped its jaws open, intending to swallow the creature whole.
Maybe I had a softer spot for animals than I realized. Or maybe I was remembering the yellow chick I had bought for 500 won as a kid, hiding it from my father. That chick had been beaten to death, and I had been beaten half to death. I scooped up the tiny, tossed creature with one hand, while flinging my other hand forward to push against the wolf's scruff and chest—an effort that was bound to be utterly useless against a massive wild beast.
What do I have that can stop a wolf? The only things I can transform into are small rodents, a fox at best, or a crow. If I could turn into a wolf, that would be perfect, but I don't even know if I touched its neck properly. Should I turn into a crow first and snatch this damn squirrel away? My mind raced, but I only had a fraction of a second. The wolf's fangs were inches away. Unable to sort through my chaotic thoughts, I reached a completely absurd conclusion.
Dammit, just let me be a winged wolf or whatever!
And then, a heat incomparable to anything I had felt before surged through my entire body.
"The Fides Duchy has launched a charity project to establish shelters in the central district of the Capital," a middle-aged man with graying hair reported stiffly.
Seated at his desk and staring out the window, the Second Prince, Ditto Abaran, hummed softly as he spun an empty crystal glass by its rim. A smile never left his lips.
Thud. Even when the crystal decanter he had been idling with flew across the room and struck the man's head with a dull crack, Ditto's smile didn't waver for a second.
"How irritating."
"My apologies." Denied permission to wipe away the blood, the man stood perfectly still, even as the crimson stream trickling down his forehead seeped into his eye.
"Who is currently sitting as the acting head of the Fides Duchy again?"
"Tollin Crysa, Your Highness. He is the third son of Count Crysa and served as the aide to the late Agoni Fidus for thirteen years."
"Ah, so a pair of pests are making things difficult for me."
Muttering with that same pleasant smile, Ditto Abaran picked up an eagle-shaped paperweight from his desk. He wound up as if to hurl it like a shot put straight at his aide.
"..." Staring at the man who remained motionless with downcast eyes, the Second Prince let out a deflated sigh and set the ornament down. "You're no fun. You don't scream or even flinch when you get hit."
At his bored remark, the aide bowed his head. "I apologize."
"Whatever. If you're going to be boring, at least be quick. Investigate the Crysa family's tax records for the last five years. The moment you find even the slightest discrepancy, lock the Count up."
"Understood, Your Highness."
"And clean up that mess on your way out."
The Second Prince gestured with his chin toward the blood-stained crystal glass rolling on the floor. His loyal aide bowed deeply once more, carefully picked up the glass, and left the office.
Ditto leaned back in his chair, gazing out at the bright, clear sky. It wasn't because he found it beautiful. In fact, it annoyed him that the sky remained so pristine when his mood was so foul. Lately, a nagging sensation that something was off had been grating on his nerves. It felt as if a perfectly oiled gear had hit a tiny snag and shuddered. The gears hadn't stopped turning, but the sense of deja vu was persistent. Everything was progressing toward his ultimate goal exactly as planned, yet these unexpected variables kept irritating him. It had started with the First Prince, whose body had seemed to break down much faster than anticipated. The way the First Prince had suddenly bounced back as if it had all been an illusion was strange, but that could be dismissed as a mere side effect. The real issue was his subtly altered attitude. It wasn't that he had become a different person. He was still the same foolish, simple-minded idiot drowning in his own delusions, completely oblivious to the fact that he was sinking into a deep abyss. Yet, occasionally, his actions deviated from Ditto's expectations.
Does this mean... someone is pulling the First Prince's strings?
If so, were the sudden death of Agoni Fidus and the Fides Duchy's charity work connected to this shadow puppeteer?
The Second Prince tapped his fingers on the desk. The probability was minuscule. For someone to intrude upon a script meticulously crafted over more than a decade... There was no reason, nor any opportunity, for such a variable to exist. But what if a completely new player had entered the board? Despite knowing how unlikely it was, Ditto Abaran allowed himself to imagine the possibility. Wouldn't that make for a rather entertaining playmate? Smiling cheerfully once more, the Second Prince sank back into his plush chair.
Meanwhile, the candidate for the Second Prince's new playmate was standing dazed on all fours in the middle of the forest, flapping a pair of pitch-black wings.
Looking down at his own body covered in coarse gray fur, and then casting a glance back at the ridiculously tiny black wings sprouting from his back, the Seventh Prince, Ran Abaran, let out a hollow laugh. Though, the only sound that actually escaped his throat was a low, rumbling growl. Still, it was more than enough to celebrate this new discovery.
So... I can actually customize my forms?