Leon entered Mirakiki Village without his sword. The hunters seemed to have gathered in the forest, as none to his sight were visible; however, as it was market day, there were still quite a few people sticking around.
“Leon!”
The village chief, attempting to arbitrate an intense row between the townsfolk, was the first to spot Leon. Leon looked pale and wan, much like when he first arrived in Mirakiki Village. The chief’s mouth widened as he noticed the silvery puppy Leon was holding.
“What on earth is going on?”
“His leg is broken. His ribs, too. I need a vet.”
“Isn’t this a silver wolf? Could it be from the lord’s castle? But how in the world… Why do you look so pale? You seem like you might collapse at any moment.”
“A vet, Village Chief.”
Though weak, Leon’s voice remained firm. The chief, uncertain of what to do, led Leon by the arm.
“Let’s go to Demis for now. He used to run a livestock clinic.”
The puppy blinked its large eyes, licking Leon’s chin, but he seemed to be in a state where he couldn’t feel anything. As the chief knocked on Demis’s door, Leon struggled to lift the corners of his mouth into a forced smile, looking at the puppy.
“It’ll be alright.”
Soon, the burly Demis came out. His expression turned grave as he saw the injured puppy in Leon’s arms. The three entered Demis’s kitchen, where a white cloth-covered table was set. Demis tapped the table.
“Place it here. It looks quite injured.”
“Yes.”
Demis examined the injured hind leg and ribs with a serious expression. The puppy lay quietly, looking at Leon instead of growling, just as it did with the blond doctor. Thanks to this, Demis could examine the wounds and take his hands off the puppy’s body. When he raised his head, Leon, who was barely able to lift his arm, made a weak attempt to smile.
“Leon, do you know when the leg was broken?”
“I’m not sure. Either yesterday or today.”
“The ribs are okay. Resting will help since there’s a fracture. But the hind leg doesn’t look so good. I’ll put a splint on it, but I’m not sure if he can walk like before…”
Demis, with his skilled hands, fixed a leather splint on the puppy’s hind leg. Instead of growling, as compared to receiving painkillers, the puppy lay silently looking at Leon. Thanks to that, Demis could examine the wounds and remove his hands. When he straightened his head, Leon, who was attempting to reach out to the puppy, staggered. The chief who stood nearby, quickly grabbed his arm, but Leon completely lost his balance and collapsed on the floor.
“Leon!”
“For heaven’s sake, wake up!”
Beyond blurred vision, he visibly saw the outline of a barking puppy. Blue eyes pleaded. Leon sought to say he was okay and tried to get up, but before he could exert strength into his legs, his thread of consciousness snapped.
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.
***
Demis swiftly picked up Leon’s lean body and placed him on a bed in the room. The limping puppy followed him. Demis briefly hesitated when he saw the puppy, but he didn’t force it out when it settled down next to the bed.
“How is he?”
“I don’t know. He suddenly collapsed, but he should regain consciousness soon.”
“For now, let’s contact the cabin….”
As the door closed, the voices of the chief and Demis grew distant.
The puppy whimpered as it circled around under the bed before leaping up. Even as the bed sank with the puppy’s weight, Leon didn’t even twitch an eyebrow.
Whining.
The puppy lay on the bed, feeling the sullen air and the soft texture of the blanket as he stared intently at Leon.
The sunlight streamed through the curtains, casting a pale line across his ashen skin. Cold sweat gathered beneath the disheveled, grayish hair on his forehead. Clasping his hands on his abdomen, he appeared as though he rested in a coffin, yet, leaning close, one could faintly hear the sound of his breath.
“We cannot raise you.”
Leon’s words echoed painfully.
“Even if you don’t like it now, going back to your homeland is for your own good…”
I don’t want to go back to my homeland. That’s what he wanted to say, but he couldn’t articulate it.
He waited in front of the cabin for a long time. He scratched the door until his claws hurt and howled until his throat ached. Even as he circled around the cabin, searching for a way in, he hoped desperately for Leon to come out.
When the metallic scent of blood seized his hands, putting them in the pouch, he thought it was over. With his blunt claws, he couldn’t tear the pouch, and with his immature teeth, he couldn’t kill the hunter. Unlike Leon’s well-woven basket, the old pouch shook roughly back and forth, rendering him dizzy.
Even when he reached the castle and met the lord, he could only bite his plump fingers; escaping was impossible.
When he glared at the approaching doctor and got tied in a rope, he sensed death. The doctor emitted the scent of antiseptic, and the syringe he took out was filled with transparent poison.
No one.
‘No one is here.’
It was all over when the door opened.
Beyond the door was Leon. The moment he saw him, sparks flickered in his darkened heart.
Silently approaching, almost as if floating in the air, Leon’s long gray hair fluttered as though gently caressed by the wind. The moment seemed like it would last forever. However, the movement he hit the doctor’s face with the raised sword was so swift, it was almost invisible—and those sunken eyes were so emotionless, as if blind.
“… Is it broken?”
At that moment, when those vivid emotions surfaced within cold eyes, it felt like the instant dewdrops burst and leaves sprouted from a fragile twig.
“Sorry. I’m sorry.”
I thought you wouldn’t come. You abandoned me. You didn’t answer when I called.
“Let’s go together.”
Throughout untying the leather strap from his mouth, I stared at him.
A being that picked him up, treated him, abandoned him, turned away, yet came to save him in the final moment.
A gentle breeze swept through, brushing against his heart. The inside of his stomach churned and his red mouth dried up. Impatience arose, the feelings akin to thirst or hunger. That strange sensation persisted even until now, lying on the safe bed.
Approaching hesitantly, the puppy licked Leon’s pale cheek. A strange thirst seemed to shift very faintly.
***
Moisture tickled the back of his hand. Leon’s fingertips, lying on the old bed lifelessly, trembled slightly. His eyelashes quivered, and as his eyelids slowly lifted, the view became clearer.
It was a dim night. He had to lie down for a while, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. Leon blinked while stroking the head of the fur-covered puppy beside him.
“Are you okay…?”
Kiing.
The puppy licked the back of Leon’s hand and then eagerly approached his face. Even though he wore a leather protective brace and moved deftly, Leon was cautious to touch him, afraid of accidentally aggravating his injuries.
“What time is it now? Grandma would worry.”
The puppy rubbed its silvery head against Leon’s cheek. An almost imperceptible smile appeared on his face as if he knew he was expressing concern.
“I’m fine. Just exerted myself for a long time.”
As the door opened, a burly man entered with a basin and a towel. His eyes, now accustomed to the darkness, could discern Demis’s bearded face. When Leon struggled to sit up, Demis approached with large strides.
“Leon, you’re awake!”
“Sir, I’m sorry. I caused you trouble.”
“Don’t say that. I was really surprised, thinking you might have some nasty illness. You haven’t opened your eyes since yesterday.”
“Ah…”
Grandma must be worried a lot. Leon bit his lower lip and Demis lowered his hand.
“Don’t worry about the cabin. I sent someone to deliver the news. Why did you suddenly collapse when your leg isn’t even broken?”
“My body has always been weak.”
“Even if that’s the case, you’re so young.”
Demis clucked his tongue and then handed Leon a towel soaked in the basin. Leon wiped his sweaty face and gently scratched the back of the puppy’s ear. Demis’s face, which had been standing tall, darkened a bit.
“Hmm, Leon. About this creature.”
“Yes.”
The puppy looked back and forth between the two people, its blue eyes shining. It looked at them as though it knew its story was unraveling before its very eyes.
“It might look like a small puppy now, but in my eyes, it’s not a dog.”
Leon stroked the puppy from its head down to its neck, instead of answering. The puppy flattened its ears every time Leon’s hand reached its head.
“It’s most likely a wolf. I’m sure of it.”
“Yes…”
“I don’t know how you came across a wolf cub, but it’s better to send it away soon. When it grows up, its wild nature might show. It might eat livestock or even kill people. Of course, wolves don’t often harm humans, but it’s better to be cautious when living with an animal that could.”
“That’s true.”
When Leon didn’t object, Demis nodded.
“But it seems to follow you well. It hasn’t left your side since it got here. Anyway, the sun will rise soon, so make sure to eat breakfast before you leave. I don’t want you to collapse again on the way to the cabin, understand?”
“Thank you.”
As Demis left, the room fell silent again. Leon, while absentmindedly examining the room with almost no traces of use, grew lost in thought.
He had suspected it was a wolf, not a puppy, ever since their time at Winderton Castle. Even though he knew it would be difficult to live together with such a dangerous beast, his body had moved out of its own volition.
It might be too late to let it go. However, Demis was right. He had to consider his old grandma…
“However, will your leg be okay after the injury?”
Muttering to himself, Leon glanced at the puppy. His pale face looked even more fragile and wan at dawn.
“Get better quickly, huh? If you act like this, I’ll worry too much and won’t be able to send you off with much certainty.”
As if pondering something, the puppy’s blue eyes gleamed, soon nuzzling its head into Leon’s palm like an innocent young creature.
Gaspppp, so maybe Leon is really frail as they keep saying 👀 Wonder what’s going on with that 🤔
The puppy at the end was like, okay, so you want me to take a while in getting better and act weak and pitiful so you can’t send me away, got it!
😂😂😂😂
Thank you for the translation!
thanks for your support😍💛
Bet he’s got some kind of backlash from whatever power he used to seal the rift
That holy sword must have drained his life force in the last battle