Chapter 21 – The Wolf’s Embrace.

Shoot, the sound of rain hitting the ground and trees, and the sound of water droplets dripping thickly at the end of the cave were regularly heard. The rain, which I don’t know when it started, continued to pour as if it had no intention of stopping, and a boring time with nothing to do continued. In this tranquility that seemed to mistake all the events of yesterday as a terrible nightmare, Usher pondered how to live from now on. He wanted to leave the village and travel someday, but he didn’t know what to do when he left the village like this.

Looking back to see if there was anything more to prepare in my nervous mind, the fact that Mac said and the image of the festival full of frenzy come to mind. Even so, I don’t even remember it, it’s a town I’ve grown up in since I was a child. It is where he lived with someone who was like his family and where he met Belka. I couldn’t stop listening to even the smallest affection. Still, I didn’t want to go back to that obnoxious village anymore, but even if I did go back, there was a monster that looked somewhere between a katydid and a grasshopper.

It is unknown how many more there are, but if the village is attacked by such things, it will surely not be safe. He felt a vague feeling of being lost with no place to return or to go, and whenever he was shivering and feeling a cold that he had not been aware of, there was a hand pulling him carefully. Guided by a faint but irresistible sensation, he found himself resting his head on the girl’s lap.

“Belka?”

In her doubtful mind, when she lay face to face with her girl lying on her lap, the sound of her rain that hadn’t been heard before I knew it came back to my ears.

“Sometimes it’s better not to think about anything.”
“But.”
“If you think too much, your anxiety grows and you end up worrying about things you don’t need to worry about.”

Under the golden light of the girl who comforted him, her lost and confused mind calmed down.

“So. It’s okay not to worry about anything now.”

Only the sound of rain echoed in the cave that had regained the silence. It was inconvenient not to know how much time had passed as the sun was swallowed up by dark clouds, but I didn’t get bored just watching the rain fall. The pouring raindrops hit soil, trees, and rocks without distinction, as if trying to wet everything under the sky, and each one was collecting the rain with its own sound. I passed the time with the rain, looking at the sound that I would not have heard or felt normally, the forest distorted by the thick raindrops in the cave where the rain did not reach.

“I think you can eat now.”

Usher could feel the wolf’s questioning gaze when he brought it in, finding the bread had swollen enough to soak in the rain. He looked at me as if asking if this was really something to eat, but he had nothing to say. After all, even to him, the appearance of the bread, which seemed to have swollen and blew because it was soaked in water, did not look very appetizing.

“Ugh, it doesn’t taste good.”

And it was really tasteless. The outside of the bread was swollen with water and it was soft, and even when chewed, it was like chewing after being soaked in water by layering several layers of thick paper. It seems that a little salt was added during the making process, but I did not feel the saltiness of the salt at all. If it had been warmer, it would have been worth eating at least a little, but it was as cold as it was wet with rainwater. Because the fruits I ate for the first time today were so delicious, I felt that the bread was tasteless. The wolf, who was chewing on the bread that had been broken by him, also spat out the mushy bread. Then he saw the girl who was eating it casually despite the taste of the bread.

“How is Belka?”
“They say this doesn’t taste good.”

Usher laughed awkwardly as she belatedly put down her bread. When Belka said that when she was traveling, she needed food that lasted for a long time, he asked Aunt Kate to ask for the bread, which she bought with iron money despite receiving suspicious glances. She had said that the aunt had no taste beforehand, but she didn’t know that he or she could possibly have it. When everyone is at a loss for words at the horrible taste of the bread. A voice came through the raindrops outside the cave.

“Could it be that there was not enough food?”

It was the voice of an old wolf I met yesterday. The gray wolf, who was with them, was startled by the voice and stood up and lowered his head.

“Then they would have brought it to us even if we asked for it. No way would they have been eating something like a wad of paper soaked in water like this.”

The old wolf, who entered the cave through the rain, saw the bread that the gray wolf chewed and spit out and the bread they were eating, and said it was a wad of paper. Usher actually tasted that way, so he couldn’t argue. If there was still an excuse.

“But the adults said they couldn’t make something like preserved food, even if they tried to make it delicious.”

Usher hurriedly averted his gaze as the old wolf turned to look at him. The wolf I had been with so far wasn’t like that, but I couldn’t easily make eye contact with that old wolf.

“I wonder if Erath was using something like that as a preservation food.”

The old wolf, shaking his fur vigorously to shake off the water, smelled the bread on the ground and frowned. And a word.

“Bellichye.”

At the words heard by someone’s name, another wolf appeared, pulling back the curtain created by the raindrops. Bigger than other wolves, with unusually shiny silver fur. It was the silver wolf that guided them last night.

“Bring some food and preserves for Erath to eat.”

According to the old wolf, the silver wolf had been in the cave for a while and disappeared outside in an instant.

“And Hillis, get out of the way.”

At his words, the wolf who was with them also went out of the cave. Then, the inside of the cave was enveloped in a solemn atmosphere that made me wonder if it was the place where they had been. Belka was the first to speak up when he noticed that no one was talking.

“What’s the matter.”

Then the old wolf let out a deep sigh and said.

“As expected, you don’t even seem to have listened to Hillis’ persuasion.”
“Because I don’t need it. I just didn’t listen.”

He and Belka continued to talk, but Usher couldn’t understand the conversation properly.

“Whoa, yes, no matter what we say, it will be nothing worth hearing to you.”
“…”

As if affirming his words, the girl was silent. It won’t be easy to convince Belka, even if he doesn’t know what the wolf said while he didn’t know. Girls aren’t that stubborn. No, it’s rather overly bland, but it’s because there was a stubborn side somewhere in an unknown part.

“But I thought I should do this for you too.”
“It’s a bit of a no-brainer.”

Belka was still so expressionless that she couldn’t understand her emotions.

“Allow us to test that eras.”

Belka seemed to be glaring at the old wolf. Even though the gaze was not directed at him, the momentum approached him so much that he felt a chill. Either way, the old wolf continued.

“I know that no matter what the outcome of the test, your heart will not change.”
“Why are you making such a demand when you know it’s meaningless?”

The girl answered him bluntly.

“That’s how I think I can send you off with a little peace of mind.”
“That’s why it’s meaningless. Your actions are just nonsense. No matter what excuses you make, you don’t deserve to interfere.”

After the story of the test came out from the old wolf, Belka treated him harshly. Between the wolf and the girl, Usher happened to meet the old wolf. As he looked at Belka, his eyes were mixed with complex emotions of pity, sadness, and regret, just like his grandfather worried about his granddaughter. He didn’t know what was so worrying about him, but he seemed to understand why he was worried about Belka.

“If that’s what you mean, why don’t you ask Erath directly?”
“Oops!”

The wolf’s eyes were on Usher, who met his gaze. Then, as if indignant, the girl bit her lip and tried to open her mouth, but the old wolf spoke first.

“At the hour when the sun is completely set… Well, it’s overshadowed by dark clouds right now. If you’re going to take the test, when night comes. I’d like you to tell either Heelys or Belichye. Little Erath.”

After saying that, the old wolf left the cave. The cave the old wolf went through was filled with uncomfortable silence. It was to the extent that the gray wolf, which returned shortly after the old wolf left, and the silver wolf, which returned with food, were rolling their eyes. And at the center of that uncomfortable silence was, of course, Belka. It wasn’t that she noticed or showed any discomfort on her part, but she seemed to know that the wolves probably knew what the old wolf had been saying to them.

What broke the silence was a growl that echoed not only in his stomach, but also in the cave. In the case of bread, it was not something to eat properly, so the only thing he ate was the fruit. I don’t know how much time has passed since then, but when I see it ringing like this, it seems that I haven’t been able to fill my stomach. Hearing that, Belka opened her eyes.

“You must have been hungry, but I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.”
“Oh, no.”

A silver wolf approached him carrying something like a large bundle in his mouth. Unpacking one of the bags, what comes out is a number of dried dark red things and yellowish white powder, the grains of which are a little smaller than wheat grains.

“This, I guess I’ll have to use it as a preservation food.”

When he smelled it, it gave off a sweet and savory scent that stimulated his appetite, but he couldn’t stop the girl from wrapping the bag and putting it back in the bag, saying that it would be better to use it as a preserved food. There was also her preserved food, but seeing her white powder, she let out a sigh and slightly frowned at her beautiful army. What I had to eat now must have been wrapped in a large leaf, like the gray wolf had brought. I opened the bag, which seemed to have grown in size in proportion to the size of the wolf he was carrying.

“Fish?”

I saw fish that were thin compared to their length, but had fairly plump silver scales. Was there a river nearby? The fish were still looking for water, twitching their mouths and gills as if they were alive. Compared to oatmeal or bread, this seems to give less satiety, but they are large and there are four of them, so it seemed to be enough to fill the stomach for two.

“Should I eat this raw?”

However, no matter how much I searched, I couldn’t find anything to light a fire, so when I looked at the silver wolf, I looked at him blankly, as if asking what was wrong.

“Humans can’t eat fish like this unless they’re properly cooked.”

Fortunately, the gray wolf listened to the girl’s words and came from inside the cave with dry twigs to alleviate her worries. He used some of the twigs as fish skewers, and when he piled up the remaining twigs, he had a pretty good assortment. The branches of the trees bent and burned when I set fire to them with the flint I had stored in my bag. It took a while to light the fire because there was nothing like dry straw, but I licked my lips as I watched the fish placed nearby cook to a golden brown in the heat. As he couldn’t stand his hunger, he ate a fish that was well-cooked, and the girl could see that she didn’t touch the fish.

“Don’t you eat Belka?”
“Because I’m not very hungry.”

After all, the girl never touched a fish until he had eaten all the fish. She handed one just in case, worried about the girl shaking her head, but in the end all the fish went into his stomach. Could it be because they spent so much time lighting the fire? Outside the cave, even the sunlight penetrating the dark clouds faded and darkness settled. If it wasn’t for the wood fire used to cook the fish, the inside of the cave would have been immersed in the same darkness as the outside.

“Promise, it’s time.”

His muttering caught his eye as the girl shuddered. The wolves, who had been lying down as if they were going to sleep, also raised their heads and looked this way. There was no one who did not know what the appointment time meant in this place. While everyone is silent. Belka’s voice was finally heard.

“I’m thinking of going.”
“Uh.”

His voice was as plain as usual, but the reason why he felt that his voice was trembling was because he was inside the cave. Usher knew he didn’t even think so.

“It might be dangerous.”
“It’s fine though.”

Even as Belka said that, she already seemed convinced. So when the old wolf brought up such a story. I guess that’s why she was so angry. He was happy about it.

“It’s a test you don’t have to take. There’s nothing wrong with not taking it.”
“I don’t think so.”

But Usher was the first to deny her words. He sensed something from the wolf’s gaze at Belka and the wolf’s gaze at himself, and thought he had to take the wolf’s test. I couldn’t figure out why. It just occurred to him that he might regret it for the rest of his life if he didn’t take his test.

“Then I’ll go.”
“…Huh.”

Belka nodded weakly. Even though she is full of worries about the two golden lights, she can’t say anything, and her affirmation with a single word is pitiful. Said.

“Guide me.”

Then the wolves looked at each other, then looked at him and nodded at him. The rain, which seemed to continue pouring outside the cave, had already stopped.

-Bak-Bak-Bak-Bak

The rain had stopped, but the floor was still a sea of ​​water, and the sound of water hitting his feet whenever he walked. It rained so much that in some places the water rose up to the calves with a splash just by stepping on the ground, even though the ground was clear. It was a night where even the moonlight was covered by dark clouds, so he couldn’t see anything and was guided by wolves who were guiding him.

“What?!”

But perhaps that wasn’t enough, it was the moment when he almost tripped and fell.

“Uh, huh?”

His soft hair supported him as he was about to fall. The body heat beneath it made Usher realize that it was the gray wolf guiding him. The silver wolf was so big that it was impossible to support him, and the gray wolf was big enough to support him if he bent his knees. Not only that, but wouldn’t he just ride him on his back regardless of getting his hair wet?

“Thank you.”

Still, Usher didn’t forget to say thanks.

“It’s no big deal.”
“Who is this?!”

Because he had never imagined that an answer would come back to him, he was startled. He looked around to see if there was anyone else, but it was all dark and he couldn’t see them. The voice came from below Usher as if mocking him.

“I thought that if we saw what the chieftain was saying, we would take it for granted. Isn’t that so?”

The voice was not that of a wolf, but that of a mature woman. Had it not been for the dark clouds to recede just a little bit and the moonlight to shine in to see the wolf talking, Usher might not have believed that the voice belonged to the wolf.

“Was it that surprising that I spoke the words of Erath?”

As Usher was startled and about to fall into the water, the gray wolf, who kept his balance and prevented him from sinking, asked.

“Because it was common knowledge that animals couldn’t talk.”

Even answering her words, Usher trailed off her words. People thought it was natural, but now seeing wolves talking like this, common sense that they took for granted has lost their power.

“I hope you don’t forget that Erath is also an animal.”
“It is, but.”

And until the end of the wolf that follows. He was at a loss for words. If he knew more, he would have refuted why it was common knowledge that animals couldn’t speak, but Usher, who was eager to learn what Belka taught him, couldn’t say anything.

“You guys didn’t say anything until just now.”

But until now, the other wolves, except for the old wolf, hadn’t said anything and had only howled like the other wolves. Because of this, he couldn’t help but mistakenly thought that the old wolf was specially capable of human speech.

“It’s because of our rules.”
“Rule?”
“Yes, the rules.”

I wondered if I had escaped from the rules of the village, so did the wolves have rules? Usher thought he was going to get tired of it, but he wondered what kind of rule prevented the wolves from talking. What he was more curious about was the gray wolf that was talking now.

“Then why are you talking now…”
“I think we’d better keep the small talk like that.”

Just as he was about to ask, Usher was cut off by someone else’s voice. Unlike the gray wolf’s voice coming from below, the voice came from above. He stiffened slightly at the sound of a man’s voice, not a woman’s. It wasn’t long before he recognized the voice as that of a silver wolf.

“The owner of the forest is also the owner of the forest, but Erath, it would be better for you to pass this test quickly, even for yourself.”

Unlike the gray wolf’s voice, which reminded me of a gentle and gentle woman, the silver wolf’s voice was heavy and low. His voice, as if scolding them, was as powerful as an old wolf’s, and Usher shut his mouth tightly.