Chapter 238

Chapter 238: Archie’s Story (4)

Archie ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍did not visit Amy’s house for a while.

His ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍pride had been wounded by the fact that a human had noticed the state of his body, but more than that, whenever he recalled the look in her eyes as she looked at him, the discomfort inside his heart grew larger and larger.

But ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍that did not mean he had changed his opinion that his race could no longer survive by living hidden in the cave as they did now.

Yet ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍foolishly, every time he recalled the face of the woman who had worried about him, displeasure surged up and became unbearable.

He ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍considered looking for another human instead, or simply gathering information in a village where humans lived, but soon gave up.

He ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍did not want to set foot in a place where humans swarmed disgustingly, and he did not think he could still move among them without a sense of wrongness.

The human in the forest lived alone, was naive, and trusted him.

Could he find another human as suitable as this?

His head told him such luck would not come again, but strangely, his heart felt uncomfortable.

Even as he agonized, Archie had already headed toward the cave entrance leading outside.

Fortunately or unfortunately, as Archie was about to step out of the tent, he ran into Mona, who had been about to come in.

-What?

When Archie furrowed his brow, Mona glared at him in return.

-I heard people say you were captured by humans. Did you really get weaker?

The nerve-grating provocation was a bonus.

-If you’re so curious about the state of my body, challenge me whenever you want. If you’re prepared to die, that is.

Though Archie stared into Mona’s eyes while pretending to be relaxed, he was injured, just as Mona had said.

Even now, the wound in his chest, which was not healing despite a monster’s recovery ability, throbbed.

But Archie faced Mona as if he did not feel such pain at all.

After examining Archie’s complexion, Mona soon stepped aside as if losing interest.

-If you are not injured, were you out of your mind? You did not notice me approaching, and it seems you did not hear the leader’s order either.

In exchange for deceiving Mona, Archie received news he very much did not want to hear, and furrowed his brow.

-An order? What order all of a sudden?

Even though Archie did not hide his displeasure, Mona said nothing else and gestured with his eyes toward the leader’s tent in the distance.

-The leader called you. It will probably be something like hunting diligently to prepare for winter.

After making it clear that he had definitely delivered the order, Mona left Archie behind without hesitation.

If it was a meeting to prepare for winter, then as Mona said, it was obvious it would be no different from last time.

If it were the usual him, he would have avoided the boring meeting under the pretext of hunting, but Archie turned his feet toward the leader’s tent.

It was partly because he had not faced the leader since their strange conversation, and partly because of the ominous feeling that even if he went outside, he would end up heading toward the human’s house.

***

Archie regretted his choice immediately.

-Winter is coming, and if we do not store enough food before then, we will have no choice but to go on human hunts more often.

Just as he had expected, the leader looked around at those gathered near the tent and repeated his stale words.

Archie let the leader’s words, no different from usual, pass through one ear as he recalled his strange advice.

He is waiting for me to become leader?

Does he want to die quickly?

Or is it merely provocation, or a final struggle before death?

Had not attacking his exhausted self that night been a step back for the sake of defeating a candidate for leader in front of everyone and solidifying his authority?

There were parts neither side could subtly explain.

-Can we not just hunt humans? Humans do not hibernate in winter anyway.

Someone’s sulky voice drew Archie’s mind back to reality.

Archie could feel anew that the day when the current leader’s throat would be cut was not far away.

To think someone would openly rebel against the leader’s opinion like that.

No matter what, it did not seem the leader had weakened enough to have his position stolen yet.

Archie turned his body to confirm who had such courage that his liver had leaped out of his belly.

What entered his eyes was a Werewolf he did not know.

Archie realized the Werewolf had not been born from the cave for very long.

Come to think of it, a few more had been born not long before they went hunting.

Though calling that being born might be a little inaccurate.

Archie had little interest in other Werewolves unless they were strong.

Among the bastards born this time, there was not a single one who could take the leader’s seat.

-You should have already seen it in the last hunt. Hunting humans is different from hunting other bastards. Now, the Imperial Family does not even hesitate to use their own kind as bait.

The leader answered calmly.

But the young Werewolf did not seem to intend to back down here.

-They are still humans, are they not? Just because their leader is strong...... or are you now afraid even of humans?

It seemed the bastard did not know his place.

Archie expected that his reckless bravado would earn him a hierarchy lesson from the leader, perhaps by losing a finger.

But the leader showed a tolerance Archie could not even have imagined.

-Yes, if you want to hunt humans that badly, I have no intention of stopping you either.

Has that bastard gone mad?

Archie glared at the leader, who was spouting nonsense that did not even sound like words.

He had thought the leader’s strength seemed to be weakening, and now there was no doubt his time to die had truly come.

Most of the Werewolves gathered there seemed to have thought something similar to Archie.

Because the leader’s attitude of obediently affirming his words was so unexpected that even the Werewolf who had voiced his complaint closed his mouth in surprise.

As if uninterested in his reaction, the leader looked around at the pack gathered nearby and muttered.

-But I cannot leave you to die when I know you will be caught. Especially at a time like this.

The moment Archie sensed something ominous in that movement, his eyes met the leader’s.

The vague ominous feeling immediately took shape.

-In the last hunt, there was only one who survived the Imperial Family.

Because everyone knew the leader was pointing to Archie, every gaze instantly focused on him.

Archie glared fiercely at the leader, but he ignored Archie as if seeing nothing.

-Those who wish to hunt humans, go out with Archie. If you follow his orders, I will permit the hunt.

Archie barely endured the urge to charge at him at once and tear out his throat.

If not for the wound that had yet to heal, he would have done so immediately.

At the leader’s unprecedented order, most fell into confusion.

Thanks to that, the meeting ended vaguely, and the moment the leader left, Archie also left his place.

No, he tried to.

If only several foolish Werewolves, overflowing with nothing but spirit, had not gathered around him.

-Archie, we can leave whenever. Just give the order.

Archie looked at the fools gazing at him with expectant faces and the leader’s tent, then ground his teeth.

Idiots. The leader is trying to deal with you together with me.

He gave that order to get rid of the bastards who do not listen to him and me all at once.

Archie had been about to snap that, but soon changed his mind.

Even if he refused the leader’s order here, after that, he might be bound up in something even more annoying.

In any case, the problem of the Imperial Family and the humans they commanded was something he had to solve before becoming leader.

If he took these idiots around until his injury healed, the leader would think he was diligently carrying out his order.

It might become an opportunity to come and go outside without being interrupted.

If he was discovered going in and out of the human’s house, it would be a little troublesome, but he could quickly kill the woman and make an excuse that he had only gone human hunting.

Archie opened his mouth without erasing his annoyance.

-There is some distance, but there is a forest where humans go in and out of at night. If you want to hunt humans so badly, follow me tomorrow.

***

After a long time, Archie knocked on the door of the worn-out cabin.

Before long, the door swung open and the woman popped out.

Surprise spread in the woman’s eyes.

-What? I thought you would never come again.

The woman, who had grown a little thinner in the time he had not seen her, greeted him gladly and stepped aside.

He had thought about it.

Having the poor state of his body discovered was quite wounding to his pride, and through it, he had also realized that the woman had a sharper side than he had thought.

Archie had decided that if she showed any sign of doubting him, he would kill her, but Amy’s face as she greeted him held nothing but gladness.

Archie stepped inside and placed the two rabbits he had brought on the table.

-Why rabbits? Did you catch them?

-Yes.

He had caught them with special care so teeth marks would not be left.

-Make something edible with these. I feel like I’m going to die of hunger.

Swallowing unnecessary words, Archie added.

Amy, who had been pressing the dead rabbits, looked at Archie in surprise.

-What? You feel like you’re going to die of hunger? Did you starve for a long time?

-Yes, about four days.

-What?! You didn’t eat anything for four days?! If you’re this good at hunting, you should have just caught something and roasted it!

Seeing her horrified, it seemed humans could not starve for four days.

-No, I meant I could not eat anything proper during that time.

Archie quickly changed his words.

Even so, perhaps she was not very reassured, because Amy quickly poured water into the pot and began preparing to cook.

Amy handed him a dull knife and asked him to dress the rabbits while she prepared.

While she moved busily, Amy’s nagging did not stop.

-No, what were you doing that you couldn’t eat properly for four days?

-I was returning from my hometown.

Archie observed Amy’s reaction.

-You went all the way to your hometown and then came back here? Why? Ah, well, it does take a lot of money to enter a city. Living under God's protection is the life everyone dreams of, after all.

Archie silently listened to Amy as she raised her own question and then accepted it on her own.

The information mixed into her trivial nonsense was more useful than expected.

The owner of the arrow that had pierced his chest was an Imperial Family member named Renin Abalan, and he occasionally hunted the nearby monsters to “save” humans.

Humans felt gratitude toward him for that and voluntarily offered tribute.

Amy had worked at the Temple as payment for failing to pay that price.

Amy seemed unwilling to tell him what had happened afterward and changed the subject.

But the information Amy was trying to hide was merely something trivial that Archie already knew.

She was here because she had failed to perfectly carry out the order to become bait for catching monsters. Something like that.

Archie did not question further.

He had no intention of saying anything strange to her and having his identity exposed.

Well, even if it was exposed, he could simply kill her.

-But you plan to live in the city, and yet you deliberately stopped by a place with so few people? Alone, at that?

Amy, who had been muttering nutritionally worthless words to herself, suddenly offered a question difficult to answer.

Archie judged whether perhaps now was the moment to kill the woman.

Narrowing her eyes, the woman examined Archie with a suspicious gaze.

Perhaps it was fortunate for the woman.

Because she would die at the hands of a monster, just as she had wanted.

-Could you perhaps......

The moment words doubting his identity came out, Archie resolved to bite off her throat and kill her, and waited for her next words.

-Do you perhaps like me?

It was a question that drained the strength from his entire body.

Right, this human was not in her right mind.

At the question that made him feel pathetic for being wary of the woman, Archie answered with a face that said he had heard something he should not have.

-Right? I even thought that was a bit much.

Amy immediately accepted it.

-If you thought it was too much, why did you ask?

-Just looking at your eyes makes it clear you don’t like me, but I couldn’t think of any other reason. People don’t usually walk around alone because of monsters, you know. If you’re not a monster trying to eat humans, there’s no need to deliberately come and go from such an isolated place.

-......

At the strangely misaligned reasoning, Archie could not tell whether the woman knew something and was probing him, or had simply said it without much thought.

-......So you really do like me?

She was simply an idiot.

As if he felt no value in answering, Archie continued dressing the rabbits.

Amy, stirring the pot to help him, watched his reaction and quietly opened her mouth.

-What I mean is, if that’s the case, then give up on it. From what I see, you’re a good person.

Ignoring advice that did not have a single correct point, Archie threw the dressed rabbit meat into the pot.

Because he felt no value in answering nonsense.

-I just stopped by. Because I thought a bastard who did not have the courage to fall off a cliff might try to starve to death.

-I told you I wasn’t trying to die that day.

Ignoring Amy’s timid objection, Archie threw the rabbit skins out the window.

At the same time, Archie realized his action had not been human-like.

-Huh? What are you doing?

Startled, Amy stopped stirring the pot and looked out the window.

-You caught them so cleanly, so you should sell the skins too. Weren’t you trying to save money and enter the city?

It seemed rabbit skins could become money among humans.

-How much money could you get by selling such small things?

-How large are the things you usually catch that you say that? Since it’s winter, skins will fetch a very good price. Rabbit fur should sell well too, right? It’s soft.

Archie let Amy’s nagging pass through one ear and recalled the clothing of the humans he had caught until now.

Thinking about it now, in winter, they seemed to be covering themselves with things like fur skins.

They cannot molt, so they steal skins and cover themselves with them.

At a glance, they seemed similar to him on the surface, but unlike his skin, humans’ hides seemed unable to endure even the cold.

The Werewolves, who mainly wore clothes from the luggage of humans they had eaten, had never thought deeply about the different materials of clothes.

They knew as much as humans wore thicker things in winter than summer, but they had no need to know any more than that.

As he shoved the newly learned knowledge into his head, Archie suddenly realized the woman’s clothes were no different from his and were thin.

It was her own business if she wanted to freeze to death, but Archie did not yet intend to let the woman die.

After thinking briefly, Archie opened his mouth.

-Then are rabbits better?

-Well, usually bear or wolf pelts would be worth more, right? Because they’re hard to catch. Actually, I don’t really know either. My family farmed.

Amy’s brow furrowed as if squeezing out the few pieces of knowledge in her head.

He had not asked because he specifically intended to sell pelts.

It was not as if he was going to do business with humans.

He had merely thought this human seemed to need fur clothes if she was not going to die, and since her hide looked fragile, he had only asked if softer rabbit fur would be better.

-That is not what I meant. I am asking if you like rabbit skins better.

-......

Even after he asked again, no answer returned.

Archie, who had been about to urge her to answer, furrowed his face when he saw what rose on Amy’s face.

Amy was smiling.

-Why are you laughing?

Was this question somehow strange too?

While Archie wondered what part of his question had been unnatural, Amy shook her head.

-No, you always asked what people were like.

So what?

He still could not understand the reason for the laughter.

Archie glared at Amy as if telling her to hurry up and answer.

-Today, you asked about me. What I like.

As if she were so pleased, Amy’s smile deepened.

Archie, who quietly stared at her, felt the usual discomfort growing greater and greater.

His mood turned filthy.

It was probably because he had spent too long with a human.

Archie thought it seemed his hatred for humans was growing by the day.

Or perhaps the wound in his chest, whose surface had barely healed, had festered inside.

If so, everything would be solved by eating this woman, but not yet.

Archie intended to keep the human alive for the time being, until he had drawn out all the information he could obtain.

But Archie’s grace period grew longer and longer.

In the end, until his “for the time being” became three years, Archie’s visits never stopped.

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