CH 49

Chapter 49: It’s far away now 2

“You guys should go, I’ll… I’ll just slow you down.”

His voice was more hoarse than he intended, leaking from the corner of his lips. This was really bad. Pain was pounding through his head, and he couldn’t move the upper half of his body.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Your Highness! Of course we’re not leaving you behind! Come on, let’s go!”

Johan circled around Ivan’s left side and supported his shoulder. The black wolf’s profile was stubborn, leaving no room for argument.

“Hey, no. We can’t just leave them behind.”

“They told you to run, didn’t they? Just shut up for a minute!”

Johan barked, throwing away his usual polite language. It seemed like they were moving as fast as they could, and Ivan was barely keeping up. Unable to undo their intertwined shoulders, they just followed the forest trail, and his thought process began to blur.

“You’ve never had enough awareness as a prince! Even though I’m your shield, what good is it if I can’t protect you?!”

“You were angry about that story before, weren’t you, Theo? Sword and shield, you said it’s your job.”

“I took on that responsibility because he’s dead! Don’t you know that?!”

“Haha… I don’t know. I didn’t hear anything like that.”

Although he had told him to shut up earlier, Johan seemed to be deliberately talking about Theo. As they ran, the moon rose in the sky and the time came for stars to shine.

They arrived at a deserted vacant lot, apparently on the outskirts of town. The noise of people could be heard far away. Johan finally released Ivan’s shoulder and made him sit in the shade of a large tree as if hiding.

“Ivan, turn into a wolf.”

“…Okay.”

Ivan changed into a wolf as instructed. It was not hard to imagine what kind of trouble it would be if he were found in his werewolf form by humans.

“To prevent anyone from knowing our whereabouts, I’ll dispose of our clothes. Please wait here while I go get the medicine.”

Johan spoke quickly as he transformed into human form, then quickly disappeared into the darkness.

A refreshing breeze blows on the vacant lot where his friend used to be, making it feel like the scorching heat of the day was a lie. Ivan closed his eyes and sank into his thoughts.

I wonder if my subordinates are safe. It would be good if they managed to escape successfully, whether by defeating the enemy or scattering away.

Even if I manage to overcome this difficulty and ascend to the throne, what will I feel at that time? Will I still be able to aim for an alliance with the human kingdom as we have been doing so far, without getting sidetracked?

Hey, Theo. Are you still watching over me…?

At that moment, light footsteps sounded in the darkness.

It was clear that it was not Johan. The footsteps, which did not convey even a hint of vigilance, came closer and closer to Ivan. He raised his head and prepared himself for the owner of the footsteps.

Rise of Kingdoms Codes: June 2023 [...

Then, a single human girl appeared before him.

The girl seemed surprised when she saw Ivan and stopped in her tracks. His wolf’s eyesight was blurry, but she must have been about ten years old. She had long hair tied in braids and was wearing a dress with a herb basket on her back.

“Wolf-san, are you injured…?”

To everyone’s surprise, the girl took a step forward.

What is this girl thinking? If she really encounters a wild wolf, it won’t end well.

Ivan thought, brimming with caution as he growled from the depths of his belly, intending to chase her away.

“Don’t be scared. I just want to take care of you. Please, I promise I won’t do anything cruel. Look, here’s some water and herbs. I’m glad I had them with me.”

The girl said, approaching the growling wolf and showing him the herbs and leather water bottle.

Is she really planning to treat me? Ivan was caught off guard and couldn’t help but let out a growl.

“Do you know what this is? You’re clever. Good for you.”

Not only did the girl brazenly stroke the golden fur on his head, but she also complimented him, saying he was clever. Prince Ivan was still in the process of growing up and was slightly offended by this, but not overly so.

“Oh, that was rude of me to say ‘good for you.’ Wolf-san is a very brave and intelligent creature.”

This time, she stroked his neck. It was the first time someone other than his parents had petted him, but it felt good.

“How fluffy you are…Wolf-san, you must be the king of the pack.”

He wasn’t yet a king, but he was close enough. As Ivan started to feel scared, the girl opened the cap of her water bottle to show him.

“First, I will wash the wound. It might hurt, though…”

Water was poured onto the wound, causing the pain that had finally subsided to come back. Ivan pretended not to notice, but the girl’s encouragement weirdly gave him strength.

After washing away the redness, the girl took out herbs from her basket and began to apply them one after the other. Ivan was surprised by the quality of the herbs. They were priceless items that could fetch any price on the market.

The girl probably didn’t even know their worth. He wondered how she could possess such exquisite things.

Even though she could be attacked by the wolf in front of her at any moment, she showed no fear in her actions.

Finally, the girl took out a handkerchief, binding the wound and finishing the treatment.

The medicinal herbs had already started to take effect, and the injury had improved greatly.

“Okay, we’re done. You worked hard.”

I don’t understand. Who is this girl? She is completely different from the nobles we’ve seen at the Palace in Bral, risking her life to help a wolf.

“Are you too hurt to move? If so, I’ll stay with you.”

The girl said something irrelevant and sat next to Ivan, stroking his back with a gentle touch.

That’s not it. He was waiting for Johan and didn’t want to move. But he couldn’t say that in front of the girl, let alone reveal that he was a werewolf.

“Look, the stars are beautiful tonight. I’m sure you’ll forget about the pain.”

The girl spoke with a mature tone, looking up at the sky. Ivan was also drawn to look up as he realized the clear sky that spread out on this night.

“Did you know? That brightest star is called Vega. It’s the brightest star in the summer night sky, and the third brightest star overall.”

The girl’s voice was clear and conveyed her love for the stars.

Although Ivan had never cared for stars before, he found himself listening intently to her pleasant voice.

“Vega is part of the Lyra constellation. Lyra is said to be Orpheus’s lyre. Deneb is in the Milky Way next to it, and Altair is beyond that. You can connect them to make a summer triangle… Fufu! I’m quite knowledgeable, aren’t I? My mom used to be an astronomy teacher at the palace, so she taught me too.”

I had heard this story as a piece of knowledge before, but it felt interesting as she recounted it.

The girl proudly puffed out her chest. She must truly admire her mother.

“I love stars. They’re so shiny and beautiful, mysterious, and I can gaze at them forever. Don’t you feel the same?”

I had never even thought about whether I liked or disliked them, but her words about being able to gaze at them endlessly easily slipped into my heart.

“When I’m in pain, I count stars. Compared to the countless stars, my worries seem trivial.”

Her voice had a hint of melancholy. Did this seemingly carefree girl have something to bear as well?

I couldn’t help but wonder what it was. However, since I couldn’t ask her, only her voice disturbed the silence as time slowly flowed by.

In the end, the person who saved Ivan was a human girl who should have had no power at all.

Both humans and werewolves are the same. There are those who pursue only their own interests and those who care for and help others.

Therefore, if you have a heart, you should not speak of your community as one group. Countries and races cannot be the only factors that determine a person’s character.

I should have known that just by looking at my colleagues. It seems that I had forgotten it while immersed in a long war.

Just being able to remember that fact was enough. My clouded mind regained clear intent, and energy flowed throughout my body.

Then someday, we could join hands. No matter how long it takes or how much suffering we endure, I can continue on the path I have chosen.

“…Are you leaving already?”

Ivan stood up without hesitation. He rubbed his head against the soft palm of her hand as a gesture of gratitude. For the sake of the girl who would not return home until the wolf moved, he took a step on his aching foreleg.

——I’m glad to have met you.

“Bye-bye, Wolf-san! Don’t do anything reckless!”

Ivan turned around at the voice from behind and caught a glimpse of the girl.

From that moment on, he would never meet her again.