Chapter 208

Chapter 208: Not Wanting to Wake

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍one who entered the tent approached Adol with a rather leisurely stride.

Adol ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍kept both eyes closed and waited for the midnight visitor to come closer.

Three ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍steps, two steps. The moment the distance between them became one step, Adol opened his eyes.

Then ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍he used the pillar as an axis and thrust his foot out, aiming for the other party’s leg.

Tap.

Though ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍before the attack could even land, the enemy easily caught him.

When Adol swung his foot once more to shake off the hand holding his leg, the other party let go of Adol’s leg more readily than expected.

Thanks to that, Adol kicked empty air and glared at the uninvited guest of the night with resentful eyes.

“Why are you here? Where did you dump Ran?”

“You seemed to get along rather well with that insolent human.”

At Mona’s odd question, which showed no intention of answering his own, Adol furrowed his brow.

“So what? Are you saying you killed him because I got along with him?”

Mona looked down at Adol for a moment with unreadable eyes, then rolled his eyes.

“There is no need to worry. That bastard is not as weak as you think.”

That is the problem.

Mona, muttering that, reached out toward Adol, who still had not loosened the force in his eyes.

Adol followed Mona’s hand reaching toward him with wary eyes.

And just before his hand touched him, he bared his teeth and lunged.

Though it ended only as an attempt because Mona quickly pulled his hand away.

“Try touching even the tip of one finger. Even if all my teeth fall out, I’ll tear off at least one of your fingers.”

Looking at Adol’s venomous eyes, the corners of Mona’s mouth rose.

At that face, clearly full of ridicule, Adol ground his teeth.

“You seem to think my words are funny. Then try......”

“The more you talk, the more you show the size of your fear. Shut your mouth.”

Mona cut off Adol’s desperate struggle.

Adol opened his mouth again to say who would ever be afraid of someone like him, but at Mona’s low voice that followed, he had no choice but to shut his mouth again.

“Seeing how you rampage without fear, it seems certain that our blood is mixed in you.”

Adol looked at Mona as he felt his heart drop with a thud.

Adol was too inexperienced to know that if one wanted to hide a secret, one had to lie until the very moment the secret was exposed.

Dozens of thoughts surfaced and sank again in the flustered child’s mind.

This bastard Mona seemed to have known Archie for a long time.

Then does Archie know I’m his son too?

What happens to me now?

After briefly falling into confusion, Adol gathered his wits.

Even if that fact had been revealed, nothing changed.

He intended to risk his life to kill Archie.

“Have you calmed down now?”

Mona, who had waited while Adol’s face repeatedly turned white and blue, asked.

Adol rolled his eyes and glared at Mona.

“How do you know that? Did Archie tell you?”

At the child’s guarded yet cautious question, Mona slightly raised the corner of his mouth.

“There was no way not to know. I know your mother, whom Archie abandoned.”

As he threw out the perfect bait to hook a child who had lost his mother.

***

Adol knew that believing Mona’s words was foolish.

But the word mother, coming from the mouth of an unexpected person, was enough to fan the child’s impulse.

“You know Mom?”

Adol, who had stopped thrashing as if by a lie, asked blankly.

A smile drew itself on Mona’s mouth.

Pushing aside the thought that the smile appearing on his usually expressionless face looked unnatural, Adol struggled to raise himself.

“What do you mean she was used by Archie?”

“It seems you know nothing.”

Adol slowly grew irritated at Mona, who seemed to be testing his condition without giving a proper answer.

Before the child could growl again, Mona opened his mouth.

“That human woman was used in Archie’s experiment.”

“Experiment?”

“Whether a child could be made between a Werewolf and a human.”

At Mona’s simple answer, Adol stopped breathing.

“Then I...... am a child Amy was forced to give birth to?”

Adol asked blankly.

“It was more surprising that she raised you until you grew this much. I thought she would naturally have abandoned you.”

Mona’s inconsiderate words split through Adol’s lungs.

The child did not think Amy had not loved him.

But he could not be confident that he had not been in pain and anguish to her.

“Th-then Archie forced Amy to......”

When Adol trailed off, unable to put the horrible fact into words, Mona nodded.

“She was a smart and vicious human. She escaped this place well with that damaged body of hers.”

“Don’t lie. Are you saying Amy climbed that cliff?”

The child’s last remaining suspicion turned toward Mona.

But Mona only opened his mouth calmly.

“I helped her. I carried that human outside.”

At his unexpected answer, Adol lost his words.

“You...... why would you?”

“It was not as if I helped a human because I liked it. I simply thought Archie had gone mad.”

As if checking whether Adol was properly listening to his words, Mona did not take his eyes off the child’s face.

“The current Archie has lost his mind. He tries to lure humans in here. And he is trying to forcibly mix blood.”

“Why on earth would he do something like that?”

At Adol’s question, Mona lowered his voice.

“Because with our numbers, we cannot defeat humans.”

“What does that mean?”

“The number of Werewolves does not increase quickly. We do not reproduce like humans.”

Adol had never thought deeply about their numbers until now.

They always slaughtered humans in small numbers.

Having lived only in a small village, Adol had not felt in his bones the fact that a very large number of humans could defeat monsters.

“Archie believes that if our numbers increase, there will no longer be any need to fear humans. That is why he is locking humans up and trying to make them bear children. The humans who are once trapped cannot escape anyway, so they choose to live on like this, but well, how is that different from you humans raising livestock?”

Adol recalled the humans who had been mixed among the laughing and chatting Werewolves.

Humans who lived among Werewolves that devoured humans.

Adol raised his head and glared at Mona.

“......What do you want from me?”

“I want to join hands with you.”

At Mona’s answer, Adol sneered as hard as he could.

“What do you want from a kid like me? And do you think I’ll join hands with the bastards who killed Amy?”

It was an answer that said he could not trust either side, but Mona did not reveal even the slightest change in emotion.

At that silence becoming uncomfortable, Adol was just about to open his mouth again.

“We did not kill Amy.”

The moment he heard the next answer that would come from that mouth, Adol had a strong feeling that he would no longer be able to turn back.

He wanted to cover that mouth immediately, but Mona was not someone who would grant such a wish of Adol’s.

“The one who killed Amy that day was Archie.”

As if he had been drugged, Mona’s voice grew distant.

Adol felt the blood inside his body boil and seethe.

As if each drop of blood flowing through his veins had gained its own will, it felt like it was piercing through his skin.

Adol knew what this meant.

Teeth would grow, teeth hard enough to pierce human skin.

Sharp claws would split soft human bones.

And the monster created that way always disappeared only after seeing blood.

***

Amy and her young son lived happily in a house that suited them perfectly, neither lacking nor overflowing.

Compared to where they had lived before, it was far from the village, but still, Adol liked the house.

It did not matter that there was no father.

Adol liked the house so much that Amy, unable to keep watching, had to suggest to her young son rolling around on the floor that he go outside.

-Adol, go out and play. Children your age are supposed to play while seeing the sunlight.

At those times, Adol would answer with a sullen face.

-I’m not going out.

-Why? Are you scared? I told you. The Werewolves won’t come this far.

-I guess they won’t. There’s already another monster here.

-Wow~ Then I’m the person who gave birth to a monster? Maybe I’m not a person either, but a monster.

Even though Adol had said it on purpose, when Amy stopped speaking and quietly looked at him, he glanced at her with a startled face and checked her mood.

-Why do you say things you’re going to regret anyway?

-......

In truth, the reasons were ultimately, first, to draw Amy’s attention, and second, to confirm Amy saying without concern that he was a monster, so Adol had nothing to say.

Amy, who had been working after receiving sewing to do, stopped her busily moving hands and approached Adol, whose spirits had fallen a little as he closed his mouth.

Then she hugged the child tightly from behind.

-My cute Adol! Who did you take after to become this prickly and timid?

Adol knew from experience that if he spouted something like “I must have taken after Dad,” Amy would truly be hurt.

Even while enduring the hard work of raising a child alone, she did not curse Adol’s father.

Not that she praised him either.

Amy did not seem to like talking about his father.

When he was very young, she had occasionally answered his questions about who his father was.

What his face looked like.

That the name Adol had been taken from his father.

That they would probably never see him again.

As his head grew larger, Adol no longer asked about his father.

Because he had learned that it made Amy sad.

Since Adol did not ask, conversations about his father disappeared between the two of them.

After a little more time passed, she began acting as if his father did not exist.

As if such a person had never existed from the beginning, as if a family was originally made up of only two people, a mother and a child, she acted that way.

Adol was in no position to dare break Amy’s stubbornness.

Because the reason she had abandoned the house she had lived in and settled somewhere far from the village was all because of him.

Of course, even if that had not been the case, there was no reason to deliberately break Amy’s principles of childrearing.

Rather than such things, Adol would focus his attention on every action of the person called Amy.

Because she was an unpredictable person.

Amy was someone who could smile as if nothing were wrong in difficult situations, but at the same time, she was someone who could make an expression frightening enough to send chills down one’s spine.

On days when something happened in the village, Amy would look outside the window with an expression sharpened to the limit.

Adol guessed that it was related to Werewolves, and further, to his father as well.

But whenever Adol asked Amy what was going on, she would brush it off by saying, “I’ll tell you when you’re a little older.”

At those times, Adol imagined a version of himself that had grown a little older and was talking with Amy.

He did not know well, but he thought that if he got older, he would understand why she laughed, and when she became anxious, and things like that.

At least until she died.

Until she lost her life before his eyes at the hands of a monster.