Chapter 245

Chapter 245: Archie’s Story (11)

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍woman, like a dried branch, carried a tray as large as her body, with water, dry cloth, and small pieces of bread to fill the stomach placed on it.

It ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍seemed she had come on an errand for the human who was now lying unconscious on one side of the room.

Amy, ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍who looked somewhat absentminded, did not notice Archie until she entered the room and closed the door.

Archie ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍approached the staggering Amy and took what she was holding.

Perhaps ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍surprised by the unexpected kindness, Amy’s gaze, which had been fixed on the floor, turned toward Archie.

Archie’s ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍attempt to help ended in failure.

Because the miscellaneous items that fell from Amy’s hands rolled noisily across the floor.

-Uh...... what is this? A dream?

Amy reached out and felt Archie’s face as he came closer to her.

Archie could not decide whether he should be surprised or angry at the fact that Amy could become even closer to a corpse in only a week, and held her thin fingers.

-It is not a dream. Nor an illusion. You are too sane to see things like that.

-No. If you’re saying that, then it must be a dream. You always think I’m a little crazy, after all.

As Amy spoke playfully and hugged him, joy and delight swirled in her eyes.

Archie thought that he himself might not be all that different.

But the emotion of their reunion did not last very long.

A low, threatening beast’s breath from behind pulled Archie back to reality.

Archie looked at the leader like a fish forcibly hooked out of the water.

The leader was deliberately making a growling sound as he glared at Archie.

What he was conveying was clear.

If you do not bite off my neck right now, I will expose your identity to that human.

It was a fairly brutal warning, and irritatingly, it was a quite effective threat.

Because Archie had no intention of revealing his identity to Amy yet.

At least not until he found out how she had remained here without being dragged into the Imperial Family’s hunt.

Deep inside his heart, his conscience seemed to shout that the reason he did not want to reveal his identity was not only because of such a rational judgment, but Archie ignored it.

Instead, Archie set Amy, who had been half-floating in the air, down on the floor.

And then, in order to make the somewhat unreasonable proposal that she wait outside, even if only for a moment, he guided her toward the door.

But as with all things in the world, only a very small portion went as one had resolved.

Archie was not particularly imaginative.

Because of that, when he found Amy, the reactions he had expected from her amounted to only two things at most.

Either she would insist she would stay here and wait for death, or she would be glad for a moment, then refuse once she realized he was trying to take her outside.

Neither direction was positive.

In other words, this situation where Amy seized his hand and rushed outside in the blink of an eye was far beyond Archie’s expectations.

Unable to take his eyes off the hand caught in Amy’s thin hand, Archie ran after her.

To be precise, it was no different from walking quickly, but his heart was beating faster than when he ran at full speed, so there seemed to be no point in separating the difference.

Amy stopped only after she dragged Archie into a small staircase hidden inside the wall.

Archie quietly looked down at Amy, who sat on the small stairs that seemed fit only for a child to move through, breathing hard, and waited for her to catch her breath.

No, perhaps what he was waiting for was not for her to calm down, but for himself to calm down.

Because even if Amy became capable of conversation, he honestly did not know what he should say.

Fortunately or unfortunately, Amy solved this worry of Archie’s.

-What happened? Why did you come all the way here? Are you all right?

Because thanks to the questions Amy poured out, Archie took on the easier role of respondent rather than questioner.

-......I am all right. I came here because I heard you had been dragged to the Temple.

It was not wrong.

He had only left out a little of the process where he had been hunted by the humans’ god and captured.

Amy, who had no way of knowing this, had her expression change strangely.

Archie could not tell whether she was happy or angry.

It seemed the same was true for Amy herself.

She chewed her lip and chose her words for a long while before opening her mouth.

-You came all the way here to find me? Why? Didn’t you see what I wrote down?

-I do not know how to read.

When Archie answered calmly, a sense of dismay appeared on Amy’s face.

It seemed she had not thought of the variable that he might be unable to read.

-That...... I didn’t think of that. It wasn’t anything much. I only wrote that you shouldn’t look for me. Anyway, for now, follow me. One Werewolf must have escaped. There was only one in there earlier, so......

Only now did Archie understand why she had dragged him out so urgently, and what misunderstanding she was having.

Thanks to that, his heart became a little uncomfortable, but Archie ignored it.

Because there was a more important question left for Archie than why she had tried to save him.

Archie came to his senses and grabbed Amy’s hand as she tried to climb the stairs again.

Without taking his eyes off her questioning face, Archie asked the question he had been curious about ever since the moment he met her.

-I am curious why you remained here.

For some reason, this question seemed enough to stop Amy’s steps.

The problem was that it was also enough to drag her mood to the floor.

-What do you mean? Are you saying I should not have been here?

Amy asked sharply.

-No. I only want to know the reason. Whether the fact that you survived here and are standing before my eyes is by your own will, or whether it is nothing more than coincidence.

Though he was pretending to be calm, Archie desperately hoped that Amy had chosen to survive by her own will.

If she had shown even the slightest will to oppose God's will, no, if she had merely expressed some small dissatisfaction, Archie could place hope on that small possibility.

Because he would be able to dream of the futile future of escaping this mad empire and living with Amy.

But Archie’s expectation was brutally shattered.

-Luck...... My luck was bad. I thought I was being dragged to the castle like last time, but suddenly a guest came, so the schedule changed. So apart from the people dragged away to the hunt, the rest of us are staying at the Temple for a while. I don’t know why, but they say we’ll go to the castle later.

Archie looked at that pale face calling survival bad luck.

Amy had not changed in the slightest.

She would probably never escape the shadow of the Imperial Family for the rest of her life.

Feeling an emotion closer to despair than disappointment, Archie felt the pain in his chest flare up again.

How unlucky. Of all times, the old scar had to act up again now.

As if his senses were striking his mood down to the floor, Archie breathed heavily.

As old pain tended to do, sharpened nerves made everything irritating.

That included Amy’s face, still looking at him with worry without understanding what was going on.

If she had the leisure to worry about someone else, she could look back on her own situation, yet Amy acted as if her own death was merely one of the everyday things that happened daily.

At that foolishness, something hot surged from deep in Archie’s heart.

-After you return to the castle? Are you going to die there after playing the role of bait in that Imperial Family bastard’s hunt again?

At Archie’s rough rebuke, Amy widened her eyes.

Archie was certain the reason Amy was shocked was not because of his tone, but because he had called the bastard called god an Imperial Family bastard.

He did not even like the fact that she was shocked by something as small as this.

That bastard is worth less than a rotting animal carcass in a field.

Even wild dogs would not be able to endure the stench he gives off.

If it is a life you will throw away because of that bastard’s order, then rather......

All sorts of words circled inside his head, but only one thing wanted to come out.

-Can you not throw away a god like that and live?

It was not as if saying it aloud would make it come true.

Archie looked up at Amy, who was looking down at him blankly from several steps above.

She did not look angry.

But there was a change that would trouble Archie even more than that.

Archie read the sense of betrayal and shock in her eyes, and a fear that surpassed them.

Perhaps it was because the blade-like realization had stabbed her.

-......Have I ever told you how I ended up living in the forest?

Because it was a question he already knew the answer to, Archie did not answer.

-There were two Werewolves in the room...... so, that means you...... no, that can’t be......

Amy repeatedly asked and answered herself, trying somehow to find another answer.

Archie watched for a moment as she turned away from the answer placed before her eyes, then climbed one stair.

At even that small movement, Amy flinched and trembled as if he had shouted loudly.

Ignoring the pain in his chest that had begun throbbing again, Archie met her eyes.

Then he straightened the body he had lowered in order to meet Amy’s eyes.

Amy’s gaze followed him upward.

But the height difference, which would usually have ended with her raising her head slightly, grew wider and wider, and the transformation stopped only when Amy’s head was nearly bent vertically.

Before the truth forced right before her eyes, Amy’s breath stopped.

Archie grabbed Amy’s arm as she stepped backward and caught her foot on the stair’s edge.

As soon as he straightened her swaying body, Amy tried to shake off Archie’s hand gripping her arm as if she had touched grass.

But Archie did not obediently let go of her arm.

-Nothing will change.

At Archie’s low whisper, Amy looked up at him with terrified eyes.

-You can live as you have until now. You only have to pretend you know nothing and quietly breathe in your house.

-Wh-what does that......

-It means if you want to live, ignore your god and listen to me.

At that curse-like sentence, Amy seemed to forget to struggle.

Archie thought Amy might burst into tears, but Amy was braver than that.

-......You can just kill me now. Why go out of your way to keep me alive?

Or perhaps death was simply easier.

Feeling his mood grow rapidly filthy, Archie twisted his mouth.

-You have to make the reason I should keep you alive. If you do not want to die, it means you must help me get out of here safely.

Archie did not take his eyes off Amy as she grew pale.

-First, guide me somewhere with clothes I can wear. If I walk around like this, humans will see me as suspicious.

He pointed to his blood-soaked clothes.

-And think carefully about what excuse there might be for me to leave the Temple. You should know well enough what kind of situation would let two humans go outside without anyone suspecting anything.

Amy, who had been trembling, finally opened her mouth.

-After that? If I go outside with you, what happens to me after that?

-You will be used by me until the day you die.

Archie answered calmly.

-This incident made me understand very clearly. I cannot defeat the god humans serve by charging head-on.

-So? Are you going to imitate humans like you did with me and eat us?

-Yes. Slowly, without your god noticing, we intend to expand our territory. Whatever method I use, that will be more beneficial than killing you here.

Archie spoke while recalling the past plan that had somehow been forgotten while he spent time with Amy.

-Do you think I will obediently help you?

-If you seem truly worthless, killing you then would be fine too.

Imagining Amy’s blood-soaked corpse made his insides seem to twist, but Archie deliberately ignored it and continued speaking.

-But if you reveal our identity to other humans, then you had better be prepared too. I will chase you until the day you die and make you pay the price.

-You are saying you will chase me until I die?

At the quiet question, Archie nodded.

-Yes. Until the moment you die.

Perhaps she was frightened, because Amy closed her mouth tightly after that.

Archie, who had changed back into human form, held Amy, who had become much more obedient, and began climbing the stairs again.

Amy followed him without any particular resistance.

At Amy’s attitude, which at a glance seemed obedient, Archie swallowed a bitter laugh.

He knew Amy would not obediently follow his words.

Because he knew death could frighten Amy, but it could not rule her.

Amy would probably expose his identity, and she would tell the Imperial Family everything.

Archie had known from the beginning that threats would not work on her.

He merely wished Amy’s value would rise even a little more.

The Imperial Family member seemed to be a man with strong pride.

He would probably try to recover his pride somehow if he let a Werewolf he had nearly caught escape, and if many humans he could not kill all learned of that.

He would persistently chase the Werewolf he had missed.

If he learned that the Werewolf held a grudge against Amy, then he would surely use Amy as bait to catch him.

As long as Amy had use to the Imperial Family member, she would no longer die meaninglessly.

Archie intended to begin a game of tag with him, one whose defeat was already decided.

In doing so, he hoped she could live even a little longer.

Even if that was no different from leaving a pig in the slaughterhouse to grow a little larger.

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