Chapter 231

Chapter 231: Separation

While ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the bastard flinched, I knocked away the hand holding the back of my neck and put distance between us.

Archie’s ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍eyes, which had been wavering with rage, soon regained their temperature.

“How ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍much do you know?”

Judging ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍from his suppressed voice, it seemed he had covered his rage with an even stronger emotion.

I ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍looked at the darkness that had risen to the bastard’s waist.

It ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was not as fierce as at first, but the darkness was quietly and steadily growing in size.

It was a movement that felt quite different from the dark and sticky something that had given me a filthy experience in the cave.

I looked back up at the bastard, who remained stiff even with half his body submerged in darkness, and opened my mouth.

“What did you want to hide? That you were planning not to die prettily, but take the Werewolves as your companions on the road to death?”

The gleam of his eyes shining in the darkness twisted.

“That the side you intended to die with was the side that did not think well of humans? Or that you joined hands with Mona and tried to screw over your own son?”

A layer of the calmness that had always covered Archie’s face peeled away.

The bastard’s hand, glaring at me with a twisted face, came close as if it would grab me by the collar at any moment.

But that reaction from the bastard was instead proof that I knew quite a lot.

Seeing as he could not refute me and only got angry, it was no different from saying my words were right to some extent.

That did not mean I had any intention of obediently accepting violence that was like the bastard venting his anger.

“Should I tell you more about what I know? I know you are planning to kill all the bastards who go against your will and shove the leader’s seat onto Adol.”

I knocked away the bastard’s hand, which had stopped in midair because he flinched.

“Your plan will fail anyway.”

“You are the one interfering with me.”

Archie spoke as if grinding his teeth.

“No. It was a plan that would fail from the start. Because Adol can never be happy in this place where you forcibly held humans.”

In the darkness all around, Archie’s ominous gaze shook.

“Do not drag me into your pathetic imagination.”

His effort to still pretend to be calm was commendable.

Though it was not moving enough for me to play along with that act.

“If your purpose was to play around with humans, you shouldn’t have come all the way here. Humans are something you can just capture again anyway. Isn’t it because you don’t have much time left?”

Taking in Archie’s gaze sinking, I continued speaking.

“It had to be ‘now,’ didn’t it? Adol had to kill you and become the leader. Before you died.”

No answer came back, but the look in his eyes as he considered how to kill me was answer enough.

If not for the darkness filling the underground passage, his will to get rid of me, who had become an obstacle to his plan, was blatant.

“I’ll say this in advance, but with a dying body, you won’t be able to do anything to me. My companions will arrive soon.”

“Do you think those companions of yours can sweep away the entire village?”

Archie spoke as if it were ridiculous.

It would not be difficult.

Though that would be after Ratel came out of the holy object, there was no need to explain every detail.

“You think it makes no sense? You would struggle to do anything about me alone, but the humans who will come after me are more monster-like than I am. Erasing one village you worked so hard to hide would not even be work.”

I cut off the bastard as he tried to open his mouth fiercely and continued speaking.

“Though it will depend on how much you cooperate with me.”

Perhaps he did not like my threat, because Archie bared his teeth.

“Do not make me laugh. If you had companions that strong, there would be no reason for you to enter the village alone. What benefit would there be?”

“Well, thanks to that, you let your guard down and left me alone, so now I could threaten you.”

Archie, who had been glaring at me, smiled with a fishy expression.

“Then that means everything will be solved if I capture you.”

“Think again. I’m sure you’ll reach a different conclusion.”

Despite my advice, the bastard paid no heed and glared at the darkness surging at his waist.

“If they are humans that strong, they will not be able to carelessly pass through the cave. You must have intended to help them from the inside. If I capture you, this underground passage can probably be returned to normal.”

“Do you think I’ll stay still until you attack?”

When I asked in disbelief, Archie looked me over like a wild animal examining where to bite.

“There must be a reason you hid even with such a trick. There are restrictions, or you cannot control it. Seeing as your face was buried inside it, drowned, is it both?”

When I did not react much, Archie continued as if probing me.

“I do not know how many of your companions will come swarming like a pack of dogs, but if you do not help them, it seems I can stop them from entering this place. At least you should serve as a shield.”

They would probably be a far more modest lineup than the bastard expected, but I did not bother correcting that part.

“Will you not regret it? The situation might become worse than it is now.”

It was a bit of advice, but the bastard clearly took my words as mere bluff to get out of the situation.

I watched Archie, who did not take his eyes off me, grow larger and larger.

As coarse fur grew over his whole body, his snout lengthened, and his sharp claws flashed threateningly.

After thinking briefly, I looked around.

Right. Since he was saying he was confident he would not regret it, I had no intention of actively stopping him either.

It was not as if I had anything to lose.

When I focused on the form I wanted to change into, a familiar heat spread from deep within my body to every corner of it.

Watching shock spread in Archie’s eyes, I swallowed the words blaming the bastard for not listening to my advice.

Archie’s guess that my ability had restrictions or could not be controlled was about half correct.

Because I had no ability to control the darkness that charged at me stupidly every time it sensed power.

I watched Archie, who was surprised to see me transformed into a form similar to his, being devoured by the darkness that swallowed both him and me.

The bastard, who turned his head toward me too late, seemed to spew out vulgar words with his eyes that could not come out of his mouth.

Like the bastard, before I entrusted myself to the darkness swallowing me, the only thing I could do was shrug.

I told you that you would regret it.

***

Alec looked uneasily at the Werewolves surrounding the humans and at the one blocking them.

He had many questions. Was the commotion that had happened in front of his house annoying him? Or had he intervened in this situation for another reason?

But the tension between them was far too taut to resolve those questions, so all Alec could do was look at him with those questions in his eyes.

As if he had not noticed Alec’s puzzled gaze, the Werewolf’s eyes were fixed on his comrade.

“If my eyes are not mistaken, it looks like you are protecting a human right now?”

The male Werewolf standing at the center of the group surrounding the humans asked while looking back and forth between Alec and him.

There was obvious reproach and mockery in his voice, but the one standing before Alec did not waver in the slightest.

“I know my eyes are perfectly fine, so I can be certain of this. You are trying to disobey Archie’s order right now.”

The other visibly trembled, but soon forced a relaxed expression onto his face.

“Then are you saying we should just leave humans alone when they gather and do useless things?”

“What have these humans done? Merely gathered and chattered among themselves?”

“Do not try to pass this off as nothing. Archie is inside that tent. I do not know what happened, but humans gathered and were about to attack the tent at any moment.”

“This place is my home. There is no reason for them to attack it.”

At the answer filled with certainty, the other let out a hollow laugh as if dumbfounded.

“You must have gone mad after staying only inside the village. Did humans ever need a reason to attack us? These creatures only gather and think about killing us. Swarming like vermin just to gather their pathetic strength......”

He looked around at the humans with an expression full of disgust.

Alec watched as the Werewolf in front of him turned his body and shifted his eyes toward him.

With an expression whose thoughts could not be read, he opened his mouth.

“Is that your reason for disobeying Archie’s order? Because you want to kill humans?”

When the question he had subtly avoided answering came back, the Werewolf’s emotions grew somewhat intense.

“Shut up! Archie went inside there. Humans were surrounding that place. Whatever it was, they were clearly trying to do something useless.”

“That is not a reason.”

At the stubborn answer, the other seemed to realize that the comrade blocking his path had no intention of easily moving aside.

“Fine. Do as you please. If you insist on not moving, then I cannot leave you alone either.”

The one horrified by the sight of him exchanging glances with the surrounding Werewolves, as if he had made a decision, was Alec.

“W-wait! It really is nothing. We only came out because there was a loud sound!”

For a moment, he forgot his fear and stepped forward, but he soon realized that his action had no meaning.

At those endlessly cruel eyes looking at him, he only felt anew that they had decided long ago to kill humans.

Feeling helplessness and fear that made his heart sink, Alec turned his body toward where the humans were gathered.

It seemed better to at least shout for them to scatter and run.

But deep in his heart, there was a self shouting that even this was futile.

He could not imagine these people abandoning the secret place underground and running away.

Rather, the fact that he himself had decided they had to run felt strange.

Even so, he could not simply stand still and die.

As someone had said, perhaps god too might say it was better to live and promise the next time than to die merely because one was offering prayers.

Would he not show that much mercy?

Alec took in a deep breath and opened his mouth.

“Everyone! Scatter and run! If we stay like this, we will die at the Werewolves’ hands anyway! If we scatter and run, some of us might live!”

Alec’s shout spread through the quiet air.

But despairingly, no one moved.

Among the humans looking around with confused faces, not one person easily stepped forward.

At the sight of humans standing blankly like children who had not learned to walk, the Werewolves who had stepped forward to attack them burst into laughter.

“Did you forget how to run away after living trapped inside? You really are no different from livestock.”

At the ridicule coming from somewhere, Alec ground his teeth.

It was frustrating, but he had no words to refute it.

Livestock that had forgotten how to run away. There could be no more fitting comparison.

But that did not mean they could obediently die.

It was the moment Alec desperately racked his head to find another way to flee.

“Wh-what is that?”

Someone’s cry, filled with fear, rang out.

Everyone’s gaze turned toward the tent.

Soon after, screams began bursting out here and there.

Through the people stepping back, Alec saw the tent Archie had entered swelling in an unusual way, and something black beginning to burst out between its gaps as if exploding.

It did not take long to realize that it was the darkness Ran had caused, and that Archie had failed to subdue it.

“Fire! Bring fire to it!”

Alec shouted urgently.

But not a single person listened to him.

The Werewolves began retreating, and the humans still stood there stupidly, watching as the darkness swallowed them.

Perhaps that was the wise choice.

Because the darkness’s speed was too fast, and a running human would inevitably be caught by it.

As the darkness that had already followed up to his calves tangled around his feet and made him fall, Alec thought of the futility of his struggle and Naria, who was in danger outside.

He had set fire to the carving of Sierra, so perhaps, when he died, they might meet in the same place. It was the moment he squeezed his eyes shut while thinking that.

At the grip of someone holding him with fierce strength, Alec opened his eyes wide.

Startled, Alec raised his head to confirm the owner of the hand, then opened his mouth with a dumbfounded expression.

It was that man again.

He stood there holding the woman who guarded the tent in one arm and Alec in the other.

“Wh-what on earth......”

“If you do not want to bite your tongue, shut your mouth.”

The man cut off Alec’s question of why he kept helping humans and began running.

At the frightening speed that made it seem like Alec’s own teeth would cut his tongue if he kept his mouth open stupidly, Alec shut his mouth as the man had told him.

Alec looked over the man’s shoulder at the tent growing distant and the overflowing darkness.

Not far from it, several Werewolves were dragging out other humans who were about to drown.

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