Chapter 24: Chapter 24

"Why?"

When I look at Dandeline, her eyes are enraging even from the sound of her voice. She's looking intently at Matheo while chewing the steaky meat.

"I don't have a precise reason. But whatever reason I have, I'd like to keep it to myself. Is that the reason why you came here?"

This man isn't informative like we needed. The only information he can't keep from me is the smell of his wolf. But Zaeramil isn't a werewolf just like his father. It could be the same case between me and Cormelio but vice versa. The two of them are looking at me as they wait for the answer. I take the spot.

"We're looking for the pond of the Moon's Order Pack. We are hoping to find the direction through the help of your wife... but all we got is bad news. We're sorry to hear that."

"The pond? Isn't that the content of fairy tales?" He made a short chuckle. "Why are you looking for it? I don't think I can help you with that."

"I see..." Everyone believes the same. But I know it's true! The residues are existing and that includes me! "How about your son? Could it be that he knows something in relation to our concern?"

"I doubt it. Why did you say so?"

"B-Because he figured that my owl has the power of an Eldar. What was that supposed to mean?"

Dandeline answers the question, "Eldars are the smartest mage. They excel in everything, the power they use is unfathomable, and they are few nowadays. Most mage students can only achieve scholar, which means being a smart mage too but not as perfect as the Eldars." She propped up her chin above her right palm. "It's a shame that I didn't achieve that."

"I think you're already great."

Matheo tells us, "Zaeramil is an aspiring Eldar. Only Lanasia taught him enchantment and he nurtured that talent ever since. So, I can't blame him if he got excited sensing the essence of the Eldar's power."

"Not a bad ambition for a thief," Dandeline rebukes. Matheo fakes a laugh and I tried to convince Dandeline to be more sensitive but she raises an eyebrow at me. I can't deal with her, or I'm the only sensitive one.

Later on, they started toasting wine! I try to snatch the ale from her and she stretches her arm away from me. "Have some drinks! It's free, and our inn here is sponsored tonight. Let's relax for now!"

"We just did it in the airship."

Matheo asks me, "You don't drink ale?"

"Yes, he does." Dandeline answers before I do. "He just wants to watch over me once I get drunk."

"What a man! I'll do it for both of you. It always happens with our customers, that's why we have the inn for rent, too."

"You heard that?" She talks to me and offers the ale. She already invested her trust in this man. "Please?"

☪ ✧ ✧

My head and whole body hurt! The beauty of the moon is shining again. I expected I would find myself in a room lying down on a bed. But not half-naked! Dandeline had just come out from the bathroom when she found me. "Hey, how are you feeling?"

"A lot of pain." I warm up my right arm. "What happened?"

"You got drunk and you were the merriest dog I've ever seen."

"Hah... I'm sorry." I feel so drained. And this room isn't relaxing either. "Acro, what happened to me? Did I have a fight or something?"

"Wait, you can talk with your pet, no?"

"Yes, I can."

She gives a warning to Acro out of the blue. "Don't. Tell. Him."

"Why?"

"It's our secret~"

My eyes narrow. She screams when I catch Acro and interrogates her. "Tell me what happened!"

"No, don't tell him!!"

"After all we've been through... Be honest with me!"

She only hoots.

"Traitor. Aw—!"

It's Dandeline, hitting me with a pillow. I grab mine as well and fight with her. She stands above the bed for greater advantage. All just for fun. But my body pain couldn't take it any longer. I crash her down to the bed through her waist like a wrestler, and I lie down beside her.

"Okay!" she gasps. "I will tell you what happened after you tell me what happened in the airship, deal?"

So it's her smart move of blackmailing me. Acro knows our secrets. I need that perfect timing to talk with her. "Nevermind."

"Case closed~"

It's shivering outside because of the snowfall. I wear my clothes and coat. I'm still lying down on the small bed as I contemplate the results of today's search. "It's all fiction..." I concluded. "What shall we do next?"

She's combing her hair in front of the mirror. "Things are getting complicated. If we ask the other Moon Priests and Priestesses, I doubt they'll help a silver wolf, or they'll tell us the same thing. Plus, the distance will consume too much of our time and could be tiresome for the same result. This mystery is like roaming around the deep ocean for empty treasures."

This day left us hopeless.

She left the comb on the table, then rummaged in the drawers. "But cheer up! I have a clever idea but success is not guaranteed. The nearest and fastest way for us to figure out the truth is to inquire to the Moon Goddess herself— AAAH!" Her screech penetrated my keen hearing, then chills me! She came rushing behind me on the bed while cringing. "What a glorious day it is to touch a huge cockroach."

"Where?"

She points at the vanity cabinet but I don't see it there.

"Why won't you enchant it?"

"Not until it could fly!" She shivers.

I laugh at her while tapping my lap! A tough girl like her is scared of multiple-legged creatures. I guess that's their common weakness. Or I'm just happy to have discovered a reason to protect her... from cockroaches.

"So, where were we? About summoning the essence of the Moon Goddess, right!" she continues. "To respond or not is her choice but I'm confident that we should try it now. In order to do that, I have to perform the supplication under the widest view of the moon. Let's leave this cheap inn for a while." She's walking out of the room without further ado.

"You just want to run away from the cockroach."

"Shut up."

I follow her lead to the door, and suddenly, she screams again from surprise when a boy appears in front, panting.

"Zaeramil?"

"Why is everything shocking me today!?"

"Please," he leans in the doorway, "help! My father... He was attacked by the pack of wolves in the woods!"

But Dandeline folds her arms. "You're asking for our assistance just like nothing happened?"

"Where is he?" I asked right away.

"Why are you so humble—!"

"This way!"

I run following Zaeramil's lead while Dandeline doesn't have a choice but to come along. The wind converging on our skin is chilling up to the bones. But the snowfall isn't hindering. We've been running in the woods, stepping on the heap of thin snow, but there's no sign of wolf tracks. "Are you sure he's here?" I questioned.

His voice is shaking as he speaks, "I... I'm not certain where. But the pack abducted my father here."

I look above and smell the scent of blood in the air. ["Hessuel,"] Acro called. She flies to the west. I lift the two on both of my shoulders to chase after Acro as fast as only I can do among us.

"Again?" Dandeline complains, "You shouldn't lift a woman like this!"

"I cannot carry two brides."

Afterward, we finally found Matheo lying down in his own blood, snow tainted with scarlet. Zaeramil runs towards his father while wailing and weeping, no matter how much he shakes his father, he isn't showing any sign of life. Wolf tracks are all around. Even the scent remains. But the sight of a child crying beside his parent's body pricks me.

It's something intimate.

There's something I should remember.

"Hessuel, I leave that to you," Dandeline instructs before she came rushing towards the casualty, then used her enchantment for remedy.

The pack of wolves is all glaring at me. "Here we go again," I murmured to myself. I'm always put into this kind of situation. I bent down slowly as I shifted into a big silver wolf before the battle began. Like the wind, I disappeared, then attacked them one by one; breaking their bones and tearing their skin with my paws and claws. It's quite disgusting to bite!

One of the werewolves turned into a human to wrap me around his arms and stop me. That's when I turned into a human to nudge him on his stomach. Another werewolf is coming after me and I knelt on the ground, sways a leg on his ankle to lose his balance, and kneed him with my other knee before his face touches the ground. I lean my knee on his chest, then stick the sharp edge of my claws to his neck. "Who's behind this?" I asked in pure calmness and resentment.

Instead of a proper response, I was startled when his skin stretches, then explodes! I was thrown to the ground when another explosion happened after the other and it all started with the werewolves busting themselves!

The heat, sound, and impact is shocking my senses, leaving me squirming to protect my head but I doubt that will suffice! Eventually, I survived those explosions after I realized I'm covered by giant wings. Behind me are soft feathers. I almost thought an angel descended to save me but no.

It's Acro.

I rose up and beheld her size... or did I become small!? She's a giant owl. And my mouth is stuck open. She twirls in the air as she shrinks. ["Go up,"] she said, then flew above.

"What? I can't fly!" I looked around, I found not a single piece of gore save only white dust and burning trees around me. Is it possible or were the bodies just fake? Yet Acro is right, the only way out is above. "You should've let me ride on your back!" I exclaim above but I can't see her up there.

I was about to leap as high as I could when something hit my right cheek powerfully that crashed me into a burning tree! I'm still crawling on the ground when I caught the swift movement of a werewolf. He was about to land claws on me so I spun sideward but lost my balance. Eventually, I got kicked and my back slammed on a tree again. He grasps my cloth and lifts me against the tree. His fierce eyes match the bloodlust grin he wears.

"We finally met, pureblood."