Chapter 209

Chapter 209: The True Purpose

Adol ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍already knew to the point of exhaustion that he could not deal with monsters alone.

He ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍waited for his body to grow enough to face them.

After ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍he learned that people were being gathered not far away to take down the Werewolves, the child’s goal became to punish the monsters together with them.

But ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍every situation flowed in an unexpected direction.

The ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍despair he felt when he learned that Mona, whom he had followed while risking his life until the end, was a Werewolf.

And ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the bewilderment he felt when he discovered that the man exactly as Amy had described him was the leader of this place.

The hollowness given by the emotion resembling longing that he felt through his deep rage.

Adol knew he had experienced and confirmed too much in a short period of time.

Those gathered here were more human than he had expected.

It was a strange thing to say, but there was no other way to explain it.

That may have been why he let his guard down for an instant.

Maybe the Werewolves gathered here had nothing to do with Amy’s death.

Maybe he did not have to hate Archie.

At the self-loathing brought on by that pathetic illusion, Adol willingly decided to let himself go.

Because there was nothing left that could stop him now.

The sound of his teeth grinding rang through his head, and it was agonizing, as if the muscles of his whole body were being remade.

But he could endure this much pain.

Between his blurring vision, Adol watched Mona leave the tent, leaving him behind, then closed his eyes.

When he opened them, he did not know what result would be waiting this time.

But this time, he was not afraid.

Because anything would be fine.

Thinking that perhaps this time, it would be all right if he never opened his eyes at all, Adol closed them.

“Adol, come to your senses.”

But nothing in this world goes the way one wants.

A voice that interrupted Adol, who wanted to become comfortable, called his name.

Adol turned his head and looked at the owner of the voice.

Black hair, black eyes, an irritating expressionless face.

It was Ran.

He saw him reach out his hand.

Adol blankly stared at the old, thin blanket held in his hand.

***

Adol, who had become half-human and half-beast, was rampaging with a body so large that Mona’s tent looked cramped.

The worst possible scene had unfolded among the many situations I had expected from the moment Mona took Adol away.

There were two choices.

Try to make him return to normal, or leave him like this and go.

The former would be a little troublesome, but the latter would be going along with Mona’s wishes.

“Kgh, krrgh......!”

While I briefly deliberated, the bastard found me and drooled from his mouth.

It probably was not because he was hungry.

Even in the original work, there had been no mention of him eating humans.

Besides, from my experience, wolves did not miss prey they could eat.

It seems he has not completely lost his reason yet.

I looked at the scraps of rags scattered on the floor that had been the bastard’s upper clothing, and then at his bag.

If I have what’s inside that, I think I can do something......

“Kgh! Krrgh......!”

The moment I calculated the distance, Adol charged at me as if he had read my mind.

It seemed he attacked even if he did not eat.

If he had been a real wild wolf, I might have tried talking to him, but the bastard was closer to a monster.

I quickly threw my body aside to dodge the bastard’s arm.

Then I rolled and stretched my arm beneath his right leg.

“Krrgh!”

Adol’s sharp claws barely grazed the top of my head.

The chill sensation of the wind splitting made goosebumps rise on my skin.

“Damn it, should I have turned into a bear?”

I said it because I had nearly had my entire neck ripped out, but considering the bearskin spread across the floor of Archie’s tent, that would not have been a very good choice either.

Thinking that if the moment came when this bastard entered a state like that again, it would be better to turn into a small animal instead, I tore open Adol’s bag.

Along with various small belongings, the item I was looking for appeared.

It was the small blanket brought from the house where Adol and Amy had lived.

When I gripped the thing with burn marks left on it, I saw Adol hesitate.

It seemed to be working.

In truth, even in the original work, Adol could not bring himself to burn this old blanket until the end.

Instead, he hid it deep under the floor of the house and came out.

The house where Amy and the bastard had lived was the place where Adol met his end in the novel.

The grave chosen by that young and foolish bastard was the dirty floor of the house where he had lived with his mother.

In a way, I had brought his gravesite with me, but thanks to that, I could now interfere with Mona’s plan.

I slowly approached the bastard, whose movements had briefly stopped.

Adol stood still, his head lowered and his brow furrowed like someone dizzy.

“Adol, come to your senses.”

When I said it slowly, the bastard slowly lifted his head.

Then he blinked and tried to focus his eyes.

I let out a small sigh.

If the will to come to his senses had appeared, there was no need to stay tense any longer.

It also meant Mona’s plan had been ruined.

“Krrgh, ugh......!”

Adol rubbed his snout a few times with his hand.

And soon, as if blaming me for having let go of my tension, he glared this way.

“If you’ve roughly come to your senses, turn your body back to normal. Mona will be bringing other bastards here soon.”

The moment I wondered whether he understood my words, the bastard’s body slowly began to shrink.

His long snout withdrew, his nails grew smaller, and his sharp teeth turned blunt.

Adol leaned as if collapsing.

Then he buried his face in the old blanket in my hand.

Flustered by Adol suddenly rubbing his face against it like a spoiled child, I tried to shake him off.

“Ugh, hhk......!”

Adol, who had returned to his original body, was crying while holding back his voice.

Now even more uncomfortable, I eventually had no choice but to quietly watch the bastard until he stopped crying.

Because nothing in the conversation I had with Archie before running to him was something I could tell the bastard.

-I have never thought of him as my son. Besides, that thing has served its use now.

Shaking off the illusion that Archie’s cold voice was still circling around my ears, I quietly settled down and sat beside Adol.

***

After entrusting Adol to Enil, the place Mona brought me was the bastard’s own nest.

When he opened the tent, which was smaller than Archie’s and located in an isolated place, and we entered, the one who greeted me was Archie, standing upright without any sign of human presence.

-Go outside and check the surroundings.

The bastard, who did not know the basics of receiving a guest, said that to Mona while leaving me standing there blankly.

Mona exchanged gazes with Archie for a moment, then nodded and left the tent as he was.

Once the owner of the house disappeared, the only thing left between the bastard and me was silence.

In the end, I was the one who decided to open my mouth first.

I did have some sense, so I possessed at least the bare minimum of social ability to offer suitable words in this sort of situation.

-That bastard is probably regretting that he couldn’t land even one blow on you, blaming himself, and being dragged away by your subordinate to lose sleep around now.

Though I had no intention of showing the consideration to choose my words carefully.

-Did I ask for such an answer?

-Really? That’s strange. I thought you would obviously be curious.

At my certainty, a faint crease appeared between Archie’s brows.

-Do you think I would feel affection for that bastard?

That was an answer I had not asked for either.

-What is funny?

It seemed the corner of my mouth had risen slightly without me realizing it.

Archie tilted his head sideways and asked.

His face was unmoved, but I could tell he was not calm on the inside.

I could also tell he was perfectly willing to tear my mouth apart with the corner still raised like that, if needed.

Just as he had choked me the moment I first opened my mouth.

I did not know whether the reason he did not immediately carry that out was because he now thought I was not an opponent he could kill that easily, or because there was another reason.

Whatever it was, seeing as he had been quietly waiting for me here, it was certain that he too wanted something from me.

That meant I still had a little more time left to run my mouth while scratching the bastard’s nerves.

Pretending not to notice Archie staring at the trace of laughter that had not disappeared from my face, I opened my mouth again.

-The place I stopped by for a while before coming here was an orc cave.

-Seeing as you arrived here with all your limbs intact, it seems those bastards’ brains have degenerated even further in the meantime.

Even though I had abruptly brought up my experience, a more normal reply than expected came back.

-While traveling with those bastards, I learned one thing too. Things like the behavioral habits of you monsters.

The question of what that had to do with anything appeared on the bastard’s face.

-Normally, a leader has no choice but to be wary of an opponent who attacks him. Especially bastards like you whose lives don’t have long left. No matter how weak the opponent is, instinctively, you try to eliminate the enemy.

When I confirmed that the ease left on Archie’s face was gradually disappearing, I belatedly realized that my mood had been quite sunken until just now.

Otherwise, seeing the bastard shaken would not feel this refreshing.

-There was only one the orc leader made an exception for.

That stupid orc with a dull side.

He was probably the first being who held a meaning similar to family for the leader.

-Since you didn’t kill him in front of everyone, it must be one of two things. Either that kid has a use I don’t know about, or your personal feelings are involved. But you said you weren’t curious about anything regarding him. Then doesn’t that leave the latter?

When I showed him a smile that would surely look like a sneer, Archie’s eyes grew a little more fierce.

-Besides, the excuse you gave without even being asked was only that you don’t feel affection for him. If that isn’t funny, what is?

After finishing my answer to the bastard’s question about what was funny, I examined Archie’s reaction.

However, the Werewolf leader once again did not show as much agitation as I wanted.

-I see that your delusion is more amusing. So is your narrow-mindedness in thinking of everything with humans at the center.

-If I’m mistaken, why did you bother keeping Adol alive? Was there any need to show me the nest of that female Werewolf and human?

-As you said, I do not have much life left. But that does not mean preserving my position as leader for the remaining time holds much meaning to me.

Archie, who calmly confessed his limited lifespan, slowly closed the distance between us.

-Do not delude yourself into thinking you have learned the principles of the world just because you briefly mingled with a few stupid orcs.

His large body pressed down on me threateningly despite the single step of distance between us.

-The future I desire after my death is the continuation of our race.

The reason I did not take my eyes off those bright eyes, which would not have been strange if they immediately bit off my neck, was not because I had that much courage, but because the face of a young bastard similar to him overlapped with them.

-So your son is only a being created in that process?

-I have never thought of him as my son. Besides, that thing has served its use now.

Feeling my brow naturally furrow at the answer that came so quickly, I took one step back from the bastard.

It no longer seemed meaningful to ask about Adol.

It did not seem like I would hear a different answer by digging either.

Then asking questions that strayed any further from the topic would be a waste of time.

-......Then I’ll ask one last thing. Are you certain that was the wish of your race?

At the flow of the conversation changing topics, or to be precise, returning to the original topic, Archie paused briefly.

-The wish of my race?

-Yes. I’m asking about the content of the “promise” between you Werewolves and humans. If you’re confident you’re smarter than orcs, you should have known that much.

When I asked again, the clarity in Archie’s eyes blurred, and the bastard completely closed his mouth.

Right. I knew this would happen.

Because the orc leader whom this bastard so mocked had shown a similar reaction.

Even after coming to his senses, this bastard would not remember much.

However, if there was one difference from the orc leader, it was that Archie was not regaining consciousness quickly at all.

Unlike my expectation that he would soon come to his senses, Archie’s half-comatose state was lasting far too long.

What? Why is this happening?

I waved my hand in front of the bastard’s eyes, but Archie’s unfocused eyes only stared into the air.

It was just as I was wondering whether this moment, when Archie’s consciousness had dimmed, might be a chance to land one blow on him.

At the sound of someone running toward the tent, I lowered the fist I had raised and stepped away from Archie.

Thanks to that, fortunately, the owner of the house who opened the door roughly and entered did not catch my impure intention.

-Archie, you should go to that human kid. That bastard is......

The words he hurriedly spat out before even confirming Archie’s state were more important too.

Ignoring Mona’s fierce face when he discovered Archie standing blankly, I passed the bastard and ran outside.

I did not need to hear an explanation to know what situation that kid was in.