Chapter 240

Chapter 240: Archie’s Story (6)

Seeing ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍how well they knew the circumstances, the man seemed to be something like a distant relative of Amy’s, or at least from the same village.

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍thought suddenly came to him that if the bastard knew her so well, he should have stopped the girl when she was on her way to die, but Archie had learned far too much of the rules of human society to spit out whatever came to mind.

-If ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍I had known she was a woman who ran away from the Temple, I would not have helped her either. She told me she had merely been abandoned by her family.

When ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Archie answered while pretending to be surprised, the two briefly exchanged glances and let out a sigh.

-We ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍suspected you might be in league with that woman. So you were only deceived after all.

Though ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍they said that, a faint wariness still remained in their eyes.

If he had shown even the slightest suspicious sign, the two men would have gathered people to punish the criminal.

However, Archie wondered why they had left Amy, who was relatively easier to capture, at the cabin and had followed him all the way to the village.

-Then why did you leave a criminal like that woman alone? Should you not catch her at once and offer her to the Temple?

-That is something her family should do.

At the bearded man’s rambling, Archie recalled Amy’s father, who had left three years ago after telling Amy to choose a faithful death.

He had been a funny human, unable to bring himself to dirty his own hands.

-That family is pitiful too. The day it is discovered that Amy is alive, the whole family will not escape death. Since they seemed not to know anything, before it is too late, they must at least offer the criminal with their own hands.

The man, who could not possibly know that it had been Amy’s father who abandoned her in the forest, pitied him.

Seeing the two spout insane nonsense, Archie felt boredom and irritation rise at the same time.

Amy was out of her mind all the same, but at least listening to Amy was entertaining.

Judging that there was no value in listening any further, Archie cut off their words.

-Then we should help that poor family.

-Wh-what?

-There is no need to make it troublesome. We can just catch that vicious criminal ourselves and hand her over to the pitiful family.

Lying calmly, Archie thought of the vicious criminal who would have finished her vicious fieldwork by now and would be viciously cutting cloth.

It was so frightening just to imagine that his chest grew stiff and laughter almost came out.

Perhaps Archie’s expression was too bright, because the bearded man looked at him suspiciously.

-It cannot be, but if you are protecting that woman, remember that you too will become a criminal.

Archie quietly stared into eyes that held not even a drop of goodwill, then soon rose from his seat.

-If you are that suspicious, shall we go together?

-You want us to go with you to the forest?

-To go to the Temple, I must go to the next village and then come back again. What will you do if the woman notices something is strange in the meantime and runs away? Besides, I do not know where that woman’s family lives, so I need a guide.

Archie answered the beardless man’s blank question and raised the corner of his mouth.

-Or do you intend to just watch as a criminal who dared turn away from god’s words lives perfectly well?

At Archie’s reproachful urging, as if asking whether they could call themselves faithful servants of god after that, the two watched Archie’s reaction as if troubled.

-Fine. Let us go at once. But rather than just us, it would be better to get a few more people and go. As it happens, there are about two people in this tavern who can help me.

The beardless man spoke firmly.

It was probably a kind of warning that they did not completely trust Archie.

But at this, Archie’s smile deepened.

-Yes, the more people the better. We are on our way to catch a vicious criminal, after all.

-E-enough. Two will be enough.

The two men watched Archie’s back with their eyes as he said he would wait outside and left the tavern.

If the two had been even a little wiser, they would have seized this moment, their last chance to get away from him.

But as always, their god guided them toward the path with hardship and danger, so the two men chose to persuade two other men in the tavern and follow after Archie.

Four men followed behind Archie.

With steps neither slow nor too fast, Archie led them into the forest.

During that time, the bearded man and his companion poured personal questions at Archie as if conducting a household investigation.

As a result, by the time they reached the center of the forest, Archie had become a wanderer who had lost his family to monsters and lived day by day through hunting and mercenary work.

Thanks to that, they seemed to lower their guard against Archie somewhat.

-It seems you have lived a harder life than I thought. To have grown so well despite that, you are quite admirable.

The beardless man praised Archie.

-Looking at you, you are still young, and it seems you were deceived by that criminal because you knew nothing. You must be careful. If something comes up in the future where you need help, tell me anytime. You may ask if you are curious about anything too.

It was a tone as if he were bestowing kindness.

Archie was certain there would never be a time in the future when he asked them for help.

But instead of words of refusal, Archie decided to resolve his small curiosity, just as the man had said.

As it happened, he needed to make some effort to pass the time until they arrived at the destination.

-What happens to that woman if she is captured by the Temple?

-She will die, of course.

The bearded man answered as if asking why he would ask something so obvious.

-She is a criminal. Trash that deserves to die. The only reason we do not kill her ourselves is for the sake of her innocent family.

-Then what if the woman resists?

-It does not matter. If she does not know her place and thrashes about, we will drag her away by force even if we have to break both her legs. But if that woman has a conscience, she will repent for the years she lived shamelessly preserving her life and accept the price of her sin.

As if giving a demonstration, the bearded man punched the air with all his strength.

Archie moved his feet without answering.

Thanks to that, a strange silence began flowing between the four men and Archie.

The one who broke it this time too was the bearded man’s nervous voice.

-Hey, is this really the right path? The way to the cabin was on the other side.

The bearded bastard, feeling something was strange, looked around and questioned Archie.

Archie slowly stopped walking.

-Of course. This place is far from the cabin instead, so even if you scream, it will not reach there. It means no matter how much you scream, Amy will know nothing and sleep.

The men had not yet grasped the situation and merely looked around.

Archie approached the shadow made by the thick bushes and continued speaking.

-Still, you chose well. If you had not followed me and had gone straight to the cabin, you would have lived half a day less.

-What is this bastard saying right now?

The man, unable to understand Archie’s praise, grabbed Archie by the collar.

But even at the man’s rough hand, Archie stood in place and did not budge.

Only then did the man seem to feel something wrong with Archie’s rock-like body.

Archie looked down without emotion as fear rose in his eyes.

Thanks to that cold gaze, the man seemed to notice that Archie truly intended to kill him.

-You monster-like bastard......!

Not monster-like. I am a monster.

While Archie thought calmly, the bearded bastard’s companion also seemed to notice something unusual and approached the two grappling men.

But the moment the two tried to join forces and charge at Archie, monsters whose eyes had been shining in the darkness pounced on them.

-Ugh......!

The two humans collapsed without even being able to properly scream.

Archie watched with cold eyes as the humans’ lives went out, as living, breathing creatures turned into lumps of meat.

The excited monsters butchered them.

Before the last life went out, the two men stretched their hands toward Archie as if seeking help.

Archie, who had been watching, reached his hand toward him.

Archie’s hand passed the man’s pitiful hand and touched the neck of the human who still had breath left.

-Do not worry. Once you die, you will meet your god. If you plead that you risked your life to punish a traitor, he will probably let you eat and sleep happily in his world.

Archie whispered without taking his eyes off the man’s eyes as they became stained with despair.

Archie separated his body and neck as they were.

Archie threw the man’s head onto the body that no longer moved.

Archie, who had been about to deal with the remaining parts as well, flinched at the thick pain he felt in his chest.

Even though three years had passed, Archie’s injury had not yet completely healed.

The wound looked as if it had fully healed from the outside, but that was all.

No, rather, because of that, it made Archie even more uneasy.

Because he could feel it festering inwardly, yet there was nothing he could do.

But no one knew this condition of Archie’s.

Because of that, none among them noticed his small disturbance, so Archie lowered his hand as if nothing had happened.

-Do it moderately and clean up the area. We are returning to the village.

At his order, the monsters grabbed the human corpses without another word.

Archie removed his gaze from those following behind him and moved his feet.

If they returned after capturing humans, there probably would not be any reason to come outside for a while.

About a week later, he would visit the cabin again and learn about humans again through a conversation with Amy that was not boring.

Imagining Amy, who by now would be asleep without knowing anything, Archie felt the discomfort in his chest ease a little.

He briefly gave his gaze to the distant direction where Amy’s cabin stood, but soon turned his body.

Yes, he would forget about his injury, exchange trivial conversation with Amy, then catch humans again and return to the village. Peaceful daily life would continue.

Because everything was perfect, Archie led his comrades with a comfortable heart.

His steps were light, hard to believe they belonged to someone who had separated a human body and neck moments ago.

Truly, everything was perfect.

***

The four humans completed their use by becoming food for the Werewolves.

The Werewolves were extremely excited by the human hunt after so long, and the leader gladly allowed them to rampage in excitement.

After their comrades had been horribly defeated in the Imperial Family’s monster hunt, the Werewolves had learned to protect their bodies, and they had shrunk back that much.

Thanks to that, the dissatisfaction of the Werewolves whose pride had been hurt piled up day by day.

In that sense, the human hunt Archie thought up, in other words, the method of deceiving and luring humans, helped soothe their dissatisfaction at least a little.

Thanks to that, Archie became the most important one in the pack after the leader.

Everyone in the pack thought the next leader would be Archie.

Archie himself did as well.

However, it did not move him as much as before.

For some reason, exhaustion rushed over him, and Archie left behind his comrades eating humans and returned to his tent.

He did not know since when, but Archie no longer particularly felt inclined to eat humans either.

***

Archie’s steps were impatient as he walked between the quiet Werewolf nest and the dawn twilight.

He hoped that no one would wake up and cause the annoying situation of questioning where he was going, and he also simply felt hurried.

He did not know why, but his chest felt stifled, as if he had to get outside quickly.

And when Archie entered the path leading up to the cliff, he noticed the cause of the unpleasant feeling that had been urging him.

-Where are you going in such a hurry at this hour?

Archie furrowed his face, displeased by the black heart of the leader, who asked as if probing him despite already knowing everything.

-I am only going out to scout for a while. Since some busy person entrusted me with the hot-blooded bastards who are mad to hunt humans.

Even while saying something rather insolent, that he was going out to deal with the troublesome work the leader had shoved onto him, Archie knew the leader would not reproach him.

Though he had never given an exact reason, over the past three years, the leader had never called him separately to reproach him.

In truth, this was the first time they had faced each other alone like this since the night he had barely returned alive from the Imperial Family three years ago.

Archie still clearly remembered the leader’s face as he had sneered that he looked forward to the day Archie became leader.

And he was certain that the leader of that day had not looked at him with such a grave expression as he did now.

-Yes, the task I entrusted to you was to capture humans together with the bastards who cannot wait to devour humans.

-Have I ever failed to properly carry out your order until now?

Archie asked while staring directly into the leader’s eyes.

Archie thought that the act of entrusting a human hunt again to someone who had nearly died once while hunting humans had been an order meant to drive him to death.

At least until now.

-Yes, you have carried out my orders well until now. Everyone follows your words well. You are an intelligent bastard, so you have been capturing humans well without getting hurt like that day.

Then what are you dissatisfied with?

Archie felt his patience slowly run out at the leader’s indirect way of speaking.

Or perhaps his heart had grown a little hurried.

He knew Amy’s dawn began a little earlier than other people’s.

-If you are not trying to thank me for taking over the work the leader should be doing, then I will go now.

Replying as if annoyed, Archie passed by the leader to go outside.

No, he tried to pass by him.

He would have, if the leader had not caught up to his steps and grabbed him.

Thinking that he did not want to see that unlucky face, Archie tried to pass him again, but the leader had no intention of letting Archie go.

Irritated by that persistence, Archie was about to argue with him, then stopped.

He had no desire to wage a war of nerves with him as he had before.

When Archie glared at him, the leader, who had been silent for a while, finally opened his mouth.

-You no longer want to become leader, do you?

For a moment, Archie had no choice but to stare stupidly at the leader in shock, as if the back of his head had been struck hard.

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