During a moment of silence, he fumbled through the contents I had read in the book.
“One must undergo a coming-of-age ceremony, find a companion, and even wolves have a lot to do to become adults.”
There may come a time when they have to part ways. When the wolf returns to the embrace of its pack, the cabin will become quiet again.
Grandma will probably murmur about how it’s nice that fur isn’t flying everywhere, but every time she sees an empty food bowl that won’t be filled with cabbage piled high, she’ll feel a sense of regret. Leon himself will get used to wandering the forest alone with a basket in hand once again…
It would be nice if that day wasn’t too close.
The wolf curled its body roundly around Leon’s feet. The fur-covered insteps warmed up. Settling into a crouch, the wolf lifted its head once, making eye contact with Leon.
‘I’m not leaving.’
It seemed to say that emphatically.
Even though Leon thought it was just his imagination, he smiled.
Worrying about the future is meaningless. All they can do now is face whatever comes with composure.
“We’ve arrived.”
Unnoticed, they had reached the entrance of the path leading to the cabin. Since it was late, most of the villagers had already gone to sleep, and the surroundings were silent. Leon descended to the ground with the wolf, nodding slightly to the grandma.
The cabin was not far away. Whether Grandma was still awake or not, the window emitted a yellowish, soft light. It felt warm as if he had just sipped on a cup of hot cocoa.
“Grandma-.”
As they entered, Grandma raised her head. She absentmindedly tut-tutted as she set aside her sewing work on her lap.
“Did you sleep well?”
“Why sleep in someone else’s house when my house is right here?”
Whatever Grandma mumbled wasn’t clear.
“Dinner?”
“I’m starving. I only had soup with wilted broccoli. And this one-.”
Leon murmured, stroking the quiet fur bundle.
“He didn’t eat anything the whole evening.”
The wolf, whimpering weakly, crouched under the dining table. Grandma’s eyebrows wriggled like angry insects. She pushed aside her sewing work, propped herself up with her knees, and stood up.
“Calling me ‘Milady’ and not even providing dinner? Those rascals, anyway.”
“Grandma, I’ll take care of it.”
“Oh, sit down! Don’t wander around with no energy and end up eating something weird.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Wilted broccoli! Grandma, who was shaking her head, began to heat up the pot of soup she had prepared, filling the cabin with a delightful aroma.
“And what’s wrong with your wrist?”
Leon looked down at his hand. The marks from the rope still hadn’t completely disappeared. They were probably quite tightly bound, so they might stay bruised for a few days. He casually lowered both hands under the table, scratching his head.
“I tripped.”
Grandma remained silent for a while, then ladled a spoonful of the simmering soup. Instead of withered broccoli, the soup was filled with chunky, softly crumbling potatoes. As soon as he tasted a spoonful, even his weary heart melted away.
***
Leon slept as if he were dead until the next day. Grandma didn’t wake him, even though her tongue was clicking, and the wolf stayed close to Leon’s side, pressed against his bruised wrist.
Another day passed. Leon probably slept throughout that day as well.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The rhythmic sound of chopping wood from outside could not be heard.
Leon, slowly opening his eyes, stretched while lying down.
“Hwaa-.”
The wolf playfully attacked him, wagging its tail and licking his face. Even with a face not fully awake, Leon chuckled and pushed the wolf away.
“It tickles. Why is it so noisy outside again?”
Heung. The wolf, familiarly snickering, bounced out from under the bed. Standing by the window, the wolf rested its front paws on the windowsill and looked back at Leon.
“Looks like someone’s here.”
Leon stood up without haste and lowered his head to wash his face. Even while wiping his body dry and searching through the wardrobe for a long robe that reached his wrists, the sound of chopping wood continued.
When he opened the front door, Grandma was standing there with a satisfied smile, carrying a load on her back.
“You’re strong for your age. Thanks to you, my worries have decreased.”
“Thank you, Grandma.”
“I should pay you. How much should I give?”
“No, it’s just a form of exercise, really.”
The man who had been laughing heartily discovered Leon. He froze, still carrying a load of firewood on his broad shoulders.
“Oh, hello.”
Leon nodded briefly at Kedil. Frozen, he struggled with the firewood, unable to put it down.
“Well, I arrived this morning, and it seemed like you were about to call for a worker. I didn’t want to disturb you. I apologize.”
“Disturb? Nonsense!”
Grandma clapped her hands.
“I feel sorry because it seems like I assigned work to the guest. Just wait a moment; I’ll get some money for you.”
“No, really, the money is unnecessary.”
Ignoring the two arguing people, Leon grabbed his straw hat and basket. Despite having collapsed for an entire day, he moved lightly.
“Grandma, I’m going into the forest with this person for a bit. Take care of the wolf.”
Approaching Kedil with the basket in hand, Leon gestured towards him.
“Shall we?”
“Oh, yes. This is the last load, so if you wait a moment…”
Kedil rushed to the warehouse and set down the last load of firewood. Afterward, he brushed off his hands, covered with wood splinters, and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He stood behind Leon, glancing at Leon’s wrist, on which a purplish bruise was visible due to the sleeve sliding down when he hung the basket on his elbow.
“I should have brought some medicine, but I didn’t think of it. Are you… in a lot of pain?”
“Not at all.”
Even after Leon pulled the sleeve to cover the wound, Kedil’s expression didn’t improve. Leon’s kindness in hiding the injury seemed to trouble him more.
Leon sat on a suitable rock. He tried to act as if he were nonchalantly taking a stroll to avoid worrying Grandma, but he was still somewhat tired. Feeling a bit feverish, the cool touch of the rock was welcome.
“You came quickly. I thought it would take a week.”
“…Yes, Hero.”
Kedil immediately knelt on the ground. Because of his large size, he adjusted to Leon’s eye level.
“First, I applied for relief for the debt my father owed. We’ve adjusted the repayment period to pay it off over a long term, and we’ve promised to allocate a portion of the estate’s profits each month.”
“Hmm.”
“And currently, my father and the butler are being investigated by the authorities. Since there’s a contract drafted, employing mercenaries for illegal activities, they might face consequences.”
Leon’s eyebrows raised slightly.
While he had instructed him to handle it well, he didn’t expect Kedil to report his father to the authorities. He thought it would end with a distant transfer to some remote estate, but Kedil acted more resolutely than expected.
“The verdict hasn’t been reached yet, but it seems they might end up in a forced labor camp.”
Even if his father was not particularly close to him, family was still family. Kedil’s heart couldn’t have been at ease.
Sunlight filtered through the branches, casting its warmth upon the two. Leon scrutinized Kedil’s dark face under the straight rays of light and sighed.
“Little Winderton.”
“…”
“I’ve been harsh on you.”
Kedil seemed like he wanted to say something in response, but his throat tightened, and no sound came out. Instead, he tilted his head to the side, swallowed hard, and took off a ring from his left ring finger. The two hands, soon cupping the ring, conveyed a sense of reverence.
“I understand that you’ve shown me mercy… Here, I return the item you entrusted to me.”
Leon accepted the ring and held it up, letting the sunlight illuminate it. The turquoise gem refracted a dazzling light that reflected in his black pupils.
“If you transfer the estate to me, where do you plan to go?”
“I am young and healthy. I can work anywhere.”
“In that case, I guess I’ll have to hire you.”
Before Kedil could comprehend his words, the ring was extended toward him. Beyond the gem shimmering brightly in the sunlight, Leon grinned.
“I have no talent for management. I avoid touching any of the many estates given to me by the royal family. It’s because I dislike bothersome tasks. So, let’s have you stay in Winderton Castle as my representative.”
Kedil’s pupils shook mercilessly. Tears filled his trembling eyes.
“I, I don’t deserve to receive this…”
“If it makes you uncomfortable, consider it a substitute for wages.”
“…”
“There’s no money in the cabin. So, take it as payment with goods.”
To further refuse would be impolite. Kedil, despite trembling, accepted the ring and clenched it tightly.
“…I will submit reports every quarter.”
“If that makes you feel at ease.”
“I will not make any unnecessary expenditures. I will never forget that everything in Winderton belongs to you.”
“That’s up to you. Still, hire a cook.”
Kedil paused and looked at Leon. The pale warrior playfully smiled with a mischievous demeanor.
“The broccoli soup was really the worst. Enjoy it, Little Winderton.”
Kedil swiftly wiped the moistening corners of his eyes.
There might be no one who dislikes you. However, how many are qualified to like you? Now, he couldn’t be one of them, but perhaps, he could be of assistance to the warrior.
“There’s one more thing to tell you, Warrior.”
“Speak.”
“It seems I’ve found the dwelling place of the Silver Wolf tribe.”
How helpful! He’s quite efficient, to get so much done in a day!