I Tried To Be Her Loyal Sword

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240화

“Valuable guests have arrived, so tonight is a banquet!”

With Feisha’s refreshing statement, the wolves began to howl long and loud all around, piercing the air.

Auuuu—

Like a horn signaling a summons, wolves rushed in from every direction. A swarm of shimmering white fur, gleaming in the moonlight, seemed to dye this night into a white night.

“Isn’t it too late? There’s no need for overexertion at this hour.”

It was a time that would be long past the usual bedtime for regular people, nearing dawn. When I glanced back at Feisha, she smiled knowingly.

“Don’t you know? Wolves are nocturnal.”

The eyes of the gathered wolves glimmered a shade of violet. That noble color sparkled like ripples on a lake under the moonlight, with their pupils widened in the darkness, mysterious like a creature of the night.

“Our day starts now. The wolves’ night is far brighter than that of humans.”

Feisha turned and faced the wolves, who were guarding us.

“They must have been quite flustered by the sudden appearance of humans. I know there are those who dislike humans.”

Her pointy ears stood erect above her head and her fluffy tail thumped the ground once. Her sharp fingertip pointed at me.

“But this human is the daughter of our benefactor, Anteia, and my guest. Treat them as you would treat me.”

With a flick of her tail, Feisha grinned widely.

“Start the banquet!”

Auuuu—!

The wolves’ howls echoed through the land.

It was the beginning of a long night.

“…Can we really eat this?”

“Once you taste it, you won’t be able to forget the flavor even in death.”

‘Is it because you eat and die…?’

Despite Feisha’s confident answer, I hesitated to bring the something in the wooden bowl to my mouth. What she had handed me looked like a thick, black liquid, gloppy like a swamp, something only made for welcoming rare guests.

“What? You think we might have poisoned it?”

Feisha chuckled and gestured for me to taste it.

I couldn’t hide my hesitation as I brought my lips to the bowl. The smell was quite sweet, but its appearance raised doubts about whether it was even suitable for a human to eat.

‘But still, it was made with good intentions, so I should eat it.’

The wolves had wildly brought strange-looking mushrooms, herbs I couldn’t even name, and added them to a huge pot over a campfire, boiling it for about an hour, which was the source of this liquid.

Even if I might throw up afterward, I couldn’t refuse in front of the wolves, who were eyeing me with anticipation.

Gulp.

I shut my eyes tight and took a sip of the liquid.

‘Huh?’

And then I opened my eyes wide.

“Delicious, isn’t it? This is our traditional drink, ‘Nectar.'”

Feisha, who had already emptied her fifth cup, wore a proud expression.

“It’s sweet, smooth, and like a honey drink; it’s mysterious.”

Having drained my bowl in an instant, I could only smacking my lips. The taste flowing down my throat was more enchanting than any liquid I’ve ever tasted. Moreover, since becoming a master of nothingness, alcohol never made me drunk, yet this was enough to warm me up at once.

“Drink more, drink more.”

Feisha poured more Nectar into my cup until it overflowed, and I sipped greedily at what she offered. I shouldn’t let my guard down too easily, but with the tension from the war, a little break felt necessary.

“Lenon. Stop squirming over there and come here.”

Then, sitting on one knee atop the highest rock, having drained her tenth cup, Feisha beckoned at Lenon, who stood awkwardly, neither approaching nor retreating.

‘He’s wearing clothes now.’

Lenon, who had shocked Leo and me by suddenly transforming from a wolf to a nude man, thankfully was now dressed appropriately.

Startled by the call, he timidly approached.

“Do you have something to say?”

At Feisha’s question, Lenon fidgeted his lips before glancing at me.

“Uh… I’m sorry. I really didn’t know you were the daughter of Anteia. Had I known, I wouldn’t have acted so rudely.”

“Do you know my mother?”

At my surprised wide-eyed reaction, Lenon’s expression turned slightly heavier as he nodded.

“Any wolf who has reached adulthood would know her. Twelve years ago, when she last visited, she taught us magic.”

It seemed that Anteia had left quite an impression in this place.

“Twelve years ago…?”

I rubbed my chin as I thought about the years.

Anteia had died when I was around seven. I’m nineteen now, so if her last visit was twelve years ago, that meant she visited here in the year she died.

“She had been looking increasingly ill over time… I didn’t expect that to be her last visit.”

‘Illness, you say? So, it was due to declining health that she passed away?’

I tried to rummage through memories to recall my mother’s cause of death, but nothing came to mind. I grimaced.

“Why can’t I remember anything?”

At seven, I wasn’t too young to have no memories, yet I could remember nothing. All that remained of my mother was a lingering resentment as ‘the person who abandoned me and Aria.’

Something felt off.

“Are you absolutely sure you’ve never seen a silver wolf beastman before?”

Feisha studied me intently as I tried hard to recall the past, with her forehead resting on her palm. I shook my head hesitantly, unsure.

“Actually, I’m not quite sure… Memories before I was eight are all hazy. If I met someone before then, I might not remember them.”

I couldn’t even recall what my mother was like, let alone whether I had met beastmen.

It felt like a giant hole had opened in a significant part of my life. Had I looked oddly somber, Feisha, lost in thought, opened her lips.

“It’s just a guess, but something about the wolves’ spell seems to be affecting you.”

“Me?”

I opened my eyes wide at the unexpected remark. Feisha nodded.

“It feels faint, like yellowed parchment. Your aura is so unique it might have mistaken it for that. But it’s too certain to just overlook. If my guess is correct, it would be a spell that activated when you were very young.”

Feisha continued, speaking calmly.

“Our traditional spells are quite powerful. But since they require a soul as a counterbalance, they are much more dangerous than human magic. So rather than learn dangerous spells, we focus on physical training. Yet, one child, unable to resist the temptation of spellcraft… left this place, seeking to learn human magic.”

“Could it be…?”

I gulped, swallowing hard. Feisha sighed as if that alone confirmed it.

“Yes, it’s Leisha.”

The situation was unfolding in ways I had never imagined.

“Over the past 19 years, only Leisha and I have left this forest. Naturally, it couldn’t be me…”

“So, you’re saying I might have met Leisha before, and there’s a high possibility she cast a spell on me then.”

At first glance, it sounded ridiculous, but it wasn’t impossible.

I thought coming here would answer all my questions, but instead, I found myself with new ones. Feisha nodded.

“Then everything becomes clear. That girl never leaves behind a trace after casting spells. It’s understandable that your residual effect is faint.”

I squeezed my eyes shut.

‘Meeting Leisha… Well, my mother and Leisha were friends, so there could have been opportunities to meet. But why would a child under seven cast any dangerous spells on me?’

What spell could Leisha have cast on me? No matter how I retraced my thoughts, I couldn’t recall. I held my throbbing head in anguish. Did I look pitiful, groaning in pain? Feisha gently patted my head, feeling this indifferent gesture was her way of comforting me.

“Will you leave first thing in the morning?”

“Yes. I can’t be away for too long. I plan to set off as soon as I wake.”

“How about meeting one person before you go?”

Feisha raised her head and looked at the moon. The splendid moon cast a gentle glow, making her glossy tail shine silver.

“I’ll introduce you to the last shaman of the silver wolf beastmen. She may be an old lady who spends most of her day sleeping due to using too many soul-binding spells but her insight is still sharp. She will see your condition accurately.”

She turned to me, and her faded violet eyes were earnest.

“So, what do you think? Do you want to know?”

For reasons unknown, the moment reminded me of times when I had talked about Aria and my mother.

Aria had said she didn’t want to know anything about our mother. She preferred to leave the unknown as is, only wanting to resent her.

Aria was a wise person who wouldn’t hastily open Pandora’s box. She knew ignorance could sometimes be a blessing.

Perhaps this situation could also be Pandora’s box. No, a strong intuition nudged me that it would definitely be a Pandora’s box.

I let out a chuckle.

“Yes. I want to know.”

Haven’t I always been the foolish one? Forcing myself to open Pandora’s box, calling trouble upon myself.

Yet, I never regretted opening those boxes over the years. This was my way.

“…Good. I’ll arrange it for you tomorrow.”

Feisha smiled softly. Her gaze upon me for a moment resembled that of a grandmother looking at her granddaughter.

“And do something about that guy.”

With her expression changing instantly, Feisha pointed at my side.

Thump.

Something touched my shoulder. As I blinked at the white hair stirring gently, I soon found my mouth agape.

“……Leo?”

Leo, leaning against me as if collapsing, was swaying unsteadily.

“How many cups have you had?”

I couldn’t hide my unease as I shook his shoulder.

Flicker.

His white eyelashes fluttered, and his eyelids slowly opened. The illuminated green eyes seemed strangely dazed, and his pale cheeks were flushed.

“Heh.”

A bright smile blossomed on his face, and as he giggled, the sweet aroma of Nectar wafted from his breath.

In that moment, I realized.

This guy is drunk.