A girl half his age glared at him out of the corner of her eyes.
“It doesn’t matter. I know you just think I’m like an ermine, running around in the hills and fields.”
She was cute and nimble. Ermines certainly had particular characteristics, like sneaking into food storage sheds searching for this and that, that resembled Myuri’s.
“But if I hadn’t told you now, I don’t think you’d ever notice, so I guess it’s okay. Once you save the blondie, you’ll leave me behind and go to the Kingdom of Winfiel anyway, right? Because it’ll be dangerous once the fighting starts or whatever.”
Myuri firmly stroked her head to hide her ears, putting away her tail, and stood up.
There was no way to trick her. He could not logically consider taking her to the Kingdom of Winfiel. Once the war started, the strait would be blockaded, and he could not imagine what horrific tragedies awaited them if they lost.
“You’re…right.”
The intelligent Myuri glanced at him sideways, then snorted.
“I liked you! Stupid.”
She spoke in a way that sounded like her age, and it was cute.
“So? What’s happening again?”
Myuri could change tacks quickly if she slept well. Or perhaps she simply understood that nothing would come of anything if they stayed standing here. Much like how he knew her from when she was a baby, she had been looking up to Col ever since she was born.
But he felt like a very thin film had formed between them.
Col felt like that fine barrier was cutting off her voice, her actions, even her warmth—everything that was precious to him.
It would be selfish of him to feel sad.
Life was a journey, and journeys were a series of meetings and partings.
“Um…According to Heir Hyland, Mr. Stefan from the Debau Company was going to come collect us. Then, we must negotiate.”
“How confident are you?” she asked coolly, but Col preferred that to her clinging to him with hot tears streaming down her face.
“Not at all. The Debau Company is an organization of merchants. If we don’t have anything to offer them, they may not heed our proposals.”
“Why not tell them to save blondie, and if they don’t, we’ll die?”
“That’s the best I can think of, too, but is that possible? I’ve heard it’s just a myth that you can die from biting your tongue.”
He did not even have anything like a short sword.
“…I don’t even want to do anything like that for blondie in the first place.”
“I can easily imagine that Mr. Stefan will already know we want to save Heir Hyland. Even if we stubbornly insist, the most we’ll manage is getting stuffed into sacks and taken back to Nyohhira. That way, Mr. Stefan can say he was fulfilling his obligations. We have to bring something, something to negotiate with.”
The Debau Company was a profit-seeking organization. It was clear that there was no point in appealing to them with nothing but faith and conscience.
Conversely, he knew they would pay attention once the conversation became about concrete gains and losses. That was the only thing they were frank about.
However, Col of course did not have any worthwhile ideas or assets to barter.
He did not have any means.
“Oh God…”
He gripped the crest of the Church that hung from his neck and groaned. Myuri was staring at him blankly, but she would not insult God or faith right now.
He exhaled deeply again and was about to again examine anything and everything that came to mind.
“If we’re just going to be saving the blondie, then I can manage that,” Myuri said, still expressionless.
“And that’s…?”
Myuri sighed, rustled around inside her shirt, and fished out a small pouch that was tied together with string.
It was the pouch stuffed with wheat that her mother, Holo, had given to her.
“Didn’t I say that as long as I had this, I could help you whenever you needed it the most?”
“Don’t tell me…”
Myuri’s mother, Holo, was the avatar of a wolf who lived in the wheat, and she could freely change between her girl and giant wolf forms. But Myuri should not have been able to transform into a wolf.
Col looked at her with eyes widened in surprise, and Myuri spoke with incredible distress on her face.
“I practiced really hard…so if I don’t do it right, Mother will get really mad at me.”
There were legends about lions that dropped their young into bottomless ravines.
Perhaps wolves were the same.
“But it’s all because I want to protect you, Brother, and not to help that blondie. Okay? I’m doing this for your dreams. Because when people like you have their dreams destroyed, they get so depressed and end up wasting away. It’s hard to watch. I don’t want such a gloomy person in a village as small as Nyohhira. So I’d prefer it if you chased your dreams and had your stupid fun somewhere far away. Understand?”
Myuri was being overtly condescending, but her expression made it clear that she was saying these things more for herself. As a romantic herself, she probably did not want to use her trump card in a situation like this. There was no mistaking she had imagined using it in a different situation, one where they had been driven into desperate and dangerous straits, when the knight would rush in to fight the dragon that had captured the princess.
And even still, she had a tool in her hand that would open the door, and she was helping him, even though what lay beyond was an outcome she did not wish for.
Her affection for Col reached him through her actions.
Myuri’s eyes filled with drive, as though she was enduring some trial. Col gazed into them and said, “I understand. Myuri. Really…truly, thank you.”
More pain crossed her face, but she turned away in a huff.
“I don’t mind…if you reconsider falling in love with me again, you know.”
She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, but he could not determine if she was serious or not. Perhaps it was both, and he had no choice but to take it as a joke.
“I have reconsidered. You are a very selfish person, but a nice, kind girl who can save people.”
“Hey!”
She was obviously angry, but also sad. Still, her ears and tail did not show.
He could tell she had made a clear decision in her mind.
He had to do the same.
“But what will we do after we break everyone free and get out of the manor? Are we just going to run? I can’t give people a ride like Mother can.”
Apparently, Myuri could not transform into a giant wolf who could swallow people whole. The best option would be to escape to the Kingdom of Winfiel by sea, but it would be difficult to procure a boat. It took considerable manpower to operate a vessel hardy enough to cross the strait.
Beings such as demon possessed or sprites existed on this earth, but they had their reasons for trying their best to conform to the human world and living unnoticed. The society that humans created was a complicated one, and sheer brute force was helpless against much of it.
“I want to get to the Kingdom of Winfiel, preferably by boat.”
“Then, should I give Sir…er…I mean that Stefan guy a little nip in the butt? I’m sure he can at least prepare a boat for us.”
The errand boys at the company must have called Stefan “Sir.”
“No…Even if we manage to coerce him to get a boat for us, there is no way we will go unnoticed by the archbishop and the papal officer, and that won’t do. Mr. Stefan is innocent, and if things go poorly, then the problems may affect the Debau Company itself. The wagon that brought us to this place is still here, so let’s escape with that. We can get to the kingdom from any town, as long as Heir Hyland’s connections are there. As for you, we’ll send a letter to Nyohhira and ask Holo and Lawrence to come get you.”
“…Okay. So right now, we just need to rescu
e blondie and friends, who are all being held here. The sun has set, so that’s perfect.”
Beyond the barred window, he could see the faint glow of the city center and the silhouettes of the tall buildings against it.
“Let’s go.”
“Okay.”
Myuri opened the little pouch she had received from Holo, retrieved some of the wheat inside, and put it in her mouth.
She swallowed it like a bitter pill and suddenly looked at Col.
“Brother.”
“What is it?”
“…Look away.”
Myuri seemed embarrassed. Though she did not seem to mind him seeing her naked, apparently watching her turn into a beast was another story. Col had no reason to refuse, so he turned his back and virtuously covered his eyes.
Then, he recalled that she was still wearing borrowed clothes and whirled back around, but the silver wolf was already before him.
“…I didn’t tell you to turn around. I wanted to do some grooming first…”
Myuri was always self-conscious about her appearance, and her red eyes bored into him. She was certainly smaller than Holo, but she still dwarfed the wolves normally found running about the forest. If she stood on her hind legs, Myuri would easily be taller than him.
“…I was just about to remind you that you were still wearing your clothes.”
“They ripped, didn’t they?”
Fragments of cloth were strewn about her.
The pouch from Holo was also on the floor, so he picked it up and placed it in his shirt.
“But I’m glad you’re not scared, Brother.”
“I’ve seen Holo’s wolf form many times.”
“I know. She said you really liked her tail.”
He found embarrassment creeping over him, and he cleared his throat.
“And priests do not fear wolves. The ancient saint Hiero calmed the rampage of a ferocious wolf by removing the thorns stuck in its feet, and he then became the patron saint of livestock and hunting. He is always depicted with a wolf in art.”
“That argumentative tendency of yours is your biggest flaw.”
Her tail whacked him in the face.
“What should we do about the clothes I left at the company?”
“Cough…your clothes? I’ll send a letter later for those.”
“Well, that’s fine. It’s not like I have anyone to show them to anymore.”
She regarded him spitefully, and he could only shrink back.
“It’s a joke. It’s not your fault.”
Then whose fault was it?
As he wondered if he should retort with that question, Myuri shivered.
Then, she bit into the latticed door to distract herself.
“Grrrrr…”
Accompanying her distinct, earth-rumbling growl was the creak of wood, and she crushed the latticed door like soft cheese.
“Peh!”
She shook her head at last, and with a series of cracks, the hinge burst off the latticed door. Myuri removed the fragments of wood stuck in her mouth with her front paws and glanced back at Col.
“Aren’t you going to praise me?”
“Well done.”
“That’s all?” she said. Her large frame crept toward him, and she rubbed the rigid nape of her neck. Apparently, this was a demand that he pet her. Her form was a frightening wolf, but on the inside, she was still Myuri. And though she was large, she was still a realistic size, so nothing prevented him from bringing her around town. For a moment, he imagined Myuri waiting by his side as he preached, scripture in one hand.
He rubbed at her fur as if to erase the image.
“What a beautiful coat.”
He spoke absently, and Myuri’s red eyes turned to him, her teeth on display.
He could tell she was smiling contentedly.
“Take care of the rest.”
“Leave it to me.”
Her tail flicked to the side, and despite her great size, she slipped out into the hall without a sound. The hallway was dark now that the sun had set, creating an especially surreal scene.
Myuri sniffed the floor and set out without any hesitation.
Suddenly, she broke into a run around the corner ahead, and Col immediately heard a yell.
It became quiet again soon after, and Myuri returned with a key ring in her mouth.
“…And the guard?”
“Delicious.”
His eyes unwittingly darted her mouth to check if there was blood.
“I licked his face the moment we ran into each other. I think he heard the noise and was coming to investigate.”
Even the hardiest of mercenaries would faint at a sudden encounter with a wolf’s tongue in the darkness.
“Most of the soldiers are gone from the manor. I wonder where they went.”
She lifted her head, and her great nose sniffed the air.
“I think the blondie’s room is upstairs.”
When she did not say “downstairs,” relief washed over him. He had imagined torture occurring in the basement.
“Then let’s go.”
Quietly, quickly, Col followed after Myuri as she proceeded with her head low. He wondered if their audacious progression would be all right, but the halls were empty and the whole manor was quiet. When she ascended the stairs, he could hear muffled cries and groaning coming from above, but then they fell silent. After he reached the top, soldiers lay collapsed on the floor, their eyes blank. A handheld candlestick holding a still-burning candle lay on its side nearby, so Col picked up the light source and took it with him.
Myuri was already at the end of the hall, sitting motionlessly in front of one room.
When he cast the light on her, she resembled a statue even more.
—Is this it?
He whispered and pointed to the door. She raised her tail once, then quickly lowered it as confirmation. He placed his ear on the door, and he could hear voices inside. Perhaps Hyland was being interrogated at that very moment.
“When I knock on the door, I want you to get them when they come out.”
In lieu of an answer, she rose to all fours and leaned forward, ready to pounce at any time. Then, just before he knocked, he suddenly froze. Myuri sent him a questioning gaze.
“Heir Hyland might be surprised, seeing you like this.”
She waited for his next whispered words.
“But I will most definitely defend your honor.”
Her red eyes slowly closed, and she resumed her previous stance.
He took a deep breath and rapped his knuckles on the door.
“We’ve received news! It’s urgent!”
He knocked again, feigning urgency. For a few moments, he could sense their hesitation on the other side of the door, and after another knock, he heard someone rise from a chair. Then, the moment the bar on the door was lifted, Col and Myuri forced their way in with all their strength.
“!!”
Everything happened in an instant. By the time Col saw Myuri slip into the room like so much smoke, she was already pinning the soldier down with her paw.
“Heir Hyland.”
He passed by Myuri to enter the room, and Hyland finally recovered from the shock.
“C-Col?”
“I’m glad you’re safe. We’ve come to rescue you.”
The room was bleak, with only a simple table in the center of it. Hyland was not even tied up, and a single flask and two cups rested on the table.
“Am I hallucinating?”
Myuri sat obediently beside the door. The candlelight cast stark shadows that gave her the appearance of a delicate painting.
“God has graciously allowed me to make use of this animal.”
To be fair, it was the truth. Hyland nodded in understanding, though he seemed confused still as he rose from the chair. But he was a valiant and intelligent person. Once his surprise settled and he studied Myuri without faltering, something caught his attention.
“Those red eyes�
�”
A chill came over Col, but Hyland shook his head.
“No, I won’t ask. Our Kingdom of Winfiel was also led by a golden sheep when it was established.”
In the Kingdom of Winfiel, where sheep were abundant, there was a legend of a giant sheep covered in golden wool.
If Col told Hyland that they had met that sheep once on a journey, he would laugh.
“And I was raised among scoundrels. I can tell most things by others’ eyes.”
Hyland bravely approached Myuri and extended his hand.
“You have good eyes.”
Myuri lowered her head, slightly embarrassed, and allowed Hyland to pet her fur.
“Well then, I have been saved by a miracle. God is ordering me to complete my mission.”
“I have the keys. Let us retrieve your companions and escape this town. Then, we’ll prepare a boat at another…”
Col stopped mid-sentence and closed his mouth because of Hyland’s countenance.
There was no joy at the occurrence of a miracle or the prospect of escape.
His face was instead painted in heroic resolve.
“I cannot leave this town. Run with my subordinates, Col. They’re all good people who have dedicated themselves to my house.”
“That’s, ah…Heir Hyland, why?”
“On your way to this room, did you come across any guards?”
The sudden question startled him, as perhaps Hyland had information that they did not.
“There are no guards in the manor because they’re all headed to the city center. The people from the Debau Company haven’t come yet, either, have they? That’s because they don’t have the time to be rescuing us. Everyone gathering there was ordered to surrender the names of the Kingdom of Winfiel’s sympathizers, for the sake of the townspeople.”
Col glanced back at Myuri, and she eyed the unconscious guard by the door.
“It seems there are a great number of Church critics turning up at the town square with the translated scripture. The craftsmen and commercial associations I convinced seem to have risen up right on schedule. Several of them used rather unpleasant methods to stoke the flames of the craftsmen’s passions before tonight, but that bright, red fire you see now is an inferno of anger.”
They noticed it from the room. The town atop the hill was boldly burning.
Wolf & Parchment, Volume 1 Page 18