“I guess you and Trash are both single?”
Garbage snorted with his snout.
“Don’t lump me with Trash. It was my choice not to have a mate. Trash became alone after being rejected by a male she was seeing, which is different from my situation.”
Leon momentarily lost words at Garbage’s casually mocking tone about other people’s painful past.
Come to think of it, Trash mentioned earlier that she was rejected by her mate. Even if their relationship was hostile, was it right to pry into someone else’s fatal wounds?
“Why did you choose to be single? I heard that wolves value their mates.”
“Valuing them too much leads to separation. Even in death, we are together with our mates, so I’m not afraid of death.”
So, there was a tone of displeasure.
“I don’t have such irrational thoughts. If I can live, I should live.”
“What…”
Leon had no intention of romanticizing death, but for some reason, he found it hard to agree with Garbage’s words. While idly petting the wolf, someone intervened.
“For us wolves, mates are the meaning of life. What’s the point of a long life without love?”
When he turned around, several wolves were gathered. Seeing Trash sitting right next to them made it clear which faction they belonged to. They overtly guarded against Garbage, exchanging a few words of caution.
“Garbage, please step back now.”
Trash, who had returned unnoticed, dropped a cabbage leaf in front of the wolf. Garbage, occupying her spot, responded with a low, throaty growl.
“Since when did you have the right to command me?”
“I’m telling you to go back to your place. Stop bothering Adis and Everia’s son.”
“Me? Am I bothering Adis and Everia’s son? Shameless!”
“You’re the shameless one!”
Instead of watching them, Leon noticed how strangely quiet the surroundings had become. All the wolves were holding their breath, fur bristling, observing Trash and Garbage’s dispute.
“Sigh. Eat a lot.”
While sighing, Leon gently stroked the wolf’s head. The quarrel finally ended as Garbage growled and left, and Trash regained her original seat.
“Trash.”
The wolves that had sided with her welcomed her with smiles. Trash also nodded to them with a familiar and unashamed attitude.
“Thanks, everyone.”
Clearly, she had favor among them. While Leon was tapping the wolf’s chin, Trash turned her head towards him.
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.
“Because of Garbage, there was no chance for quiet. Are you hurt anywhere?”
“Not at all.”
“I’m worried about how that side will turn out. Stay close to me as much as possible.”
Instead of answering, Leon threw the cabbage seedling left by the wolf far away.
“By the way, I heard that silver wolves have a ritual when they turn one year old.”
“That’s right. Have you studied a lot?”
“Some perform a mating ceremony at that time?”
“There are cases like that, but many don’t. Even I only had the coming-of-age ceremony and didn’t welcome a mate.”
Hmm, Garbage mentioned being abandoned by her intended mate. Leon suppressed the emerging thoughts.
“How is the coming-of-age ceremony conducted?”
“Leave the child to me. I will serve as the guardian for the coming-of-age ceremony for that child. Of course, that is if the lake returns to its original state.”
Trash blinked her worried eyes. Ignoring the suggestion to entrust the child to her, Leon continued to pet the wolf.
“It seems a guardian is needed for the coming-of-age ceremony.”
“That’s right.”
“Does the guardian have to be another silver wolf?”
“….”
Trash twitched her front paws and wriggled her body.
“Why ask about that?”
“I was wondering if I could be the guardian without entrusting it to you or Garbage.”
Leon casually made the statement. Trash and even Garbage across from them glanced at Leon. If the intensity of their eyes momentarily surpassed the campfire… perhaps it was just an illusion.
Leon looked at Trash, petting the wolf that was peacefully chewing on cabbage, and tilted his head slightly.
“Is that not allowed?”
“… No, of course not. Only fellow silver wolves can be guardians.”
“But what if I insist on trying?”
Crack, crack. The surroundings became so quiet that you could hear the sound of the crackling campfire. Look at these guys. Pretending not to know anything, Leon asked again.
“Then, are you going to kill me?”
Trash did not respond.
“I have no weapons, and I’m just a fragile human.”
As Leon spread both hands, pale skin and slender fingers were revealed.
“You can easily kill me.”
An uneasy silence followed as if something was about to happen. Yet, Leon waited. He waited for a few more seconds. Perhaps a minute… Somehow, the slightly distant parent wolves seemed to be sending secretive glances to Leon…
“Hahaha!”
Garbage burst into laughter. Following her, the wolves around also burst into laughter. When Trash and the wolves next to her started to make noise and laugh, the surroundings became chaotic in an instant. Only the parent wolves, uncomfortable, didn’t laugh.
“Foolish human, sees us as primitive beasts. We are a noble tribe chosen by the World Tree. If we kill any human just because things don’t go as planned, what would be the difference from beasts corrupted by the black smoke?”
Having stopped laughing, Garbage looked at Trash.
“Isn’t that right, Trash?”
“You’re right, Garbage. The human guest misunderstood us.”
Trash closed her blue eyes and smiled.
“You brought the son of the deceased leader as a benefactor. Why would we kill you?”
“Is that so?”
Leon widened his eyes. Then, like a boy, he showed a pure smile.
“Thank goodness. So, would there be no objections if I perform the coming-of-age ceremony as the wolf’s guardian?”
“…Of course.”
“…Certainly, we should respect your intentions.”
Leon played dumb, pretending not to notice the extremely suspicious 0.5 seconds of silence.
Soon, the feast began. Curious about what might be special about the Silver Wolf Tribe’s feast, it turned out to be more like a kind of play. Many wolves emerged from the forest and danced, while fluffy young ones played tail-tag among themselves.
Trash also jumped forward and joined the other wolves. The fur of the Silver Wolves, dancing with lifted front paws and wagging tails, turned red as it caught the light of the bonfire. Seeing many wolves around Trash, it was clear that she was definitely more friendly and influential than Garbage.
Leon picked up his food in silence and played with the wolf’s necklace.
“Is the food enjoyable?”
Trash, who had just returned from dancing, asked in a very excited tone. Before Leon could respond, she sat down on her back and suddenly changed her tone and whispered.
“That was a risky move. You should have said such things where Garbage couldn’t hear.”
Leon glanced briefly at Garbage. He was quietly discussing something with the other wolf sitting next to him when his eyes met Leon’s. He didn’t know if it was an illusion or not but fangs were briefly revealed and then hidden beneath the lips.
“Since I know I can’t convince you, Garbage will start his actions tonight. I’m sorry, but I don’t have the strength to stop Garbage and his gang.”
She poured out her words at rapid fire.
“I’ll secretly help you escape. Meet me at the cliff where we first met. Before the moon hangs directly above. If it’s later than that, Garbage will move first.”
Pausing for a moment and taking a deep breath, she looked at Leon with desperate eyes.
“Remember, human guest. Let me protect my friend’s son.”
Leon just lowered his eyes slightly, not responding.
Yeah, I don’t believe a word you guys say.
***
After the feast, Leon returned to the den with the wolves. The wolves lay on the straw mat, yawning, but Leon was still wide awake with a clear mind.
He sat near the entrance, listening to the sounds outside, where the wolves were returning to their homes. The rustling of leaves and the playful sounds of young wolves soon subsided, leaving a quiet atmosphere.
“Good.”
Leon turned his body to face the wolf. The wolf twitched its snout with its long tongue.
“Now, we need to make an important decision. Did you hear everything with your sharp ears? Both of them seem suspicious. There’s no one we can trust.”
The wolf stared at Leon without nodding or shaking its head. Actions were unnecessary; they had to believe that they understood each other now. Leon picked up a twig and drew two circles on the dirt.
“This is Trash, and this is Garbage.”
The circles were given names. Leon closed his eyes, seemingly with the most serious expression on his face, and threw the twig into the air.
The twig, bouncing in the air, eventually fell back down. Leon opened his eyes and spread his fingers, examining the outcome.
“Hmm. It seems we have a result.”
Leon cleared away the twig and brushed the dirt with his foot, erasing the circles.
“Garbage will come first. Let’s wait for him here.”
The wolf yawned again, lowering its head between its front paws. Leon sternly shook his finger.
“Our lives are at stake. Take it seriously.”
Snort. The wolf, having let out a snort, looked at the half-erased circles and twig. It wasn’t a very serious decision-making method, but that was the kind of look it had.
“I’m serious. This is a very traditional and surefire method.”
Adis and Everia, the leader couple, said that it would be difficult for the whole tribe to kill them even if they rushed in. Such a formidable existence had died under the fangs and claws of their kin.
And today, their son might face the same fate. Leon, determined, stroked the wolf.
“Don’t worry. We will be safe.”
“That’s a lot of confidence.”
Leon, who had stood up, looked back.
Six wolves, slightly smaller than Garbage and Trash, entered the den in pairs. These were the parent wolves who had tried to send secretive signals to Leon at the bonfire.
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