Chapter 9: Driving Away the White Wolf
Cedric had messed up. He had attacked a young White Fenrir without realizing it was just a juvenile.
(Seriously… is he an idiot?)
From a nearby thicket, Rest felt a chill run down his spine. The White Fenrir, while fierce, was also intelligent. It wouldn’t engage in unnecessary killing, and as long as one didn’t intrude on its territory, there should be no danger.
(But still… I never thought someone would be foolish enough to step on a wolf’s tail…)
It was hard to excuse Cedric for his ignorance about the White Fenrir. This was a habitat for monsters; one should be on high alert here.
(And of course, it’s Cedric who would make such a blunder… He probably thinks he’s the center of the universe…)
Rest had been watching them for a while. He had seen Cedric desperately trying to impress the sisters, putting on a show for them. The sisters, however, clearly showed no interest in him, yet Cedric seemed oblivious to it. It was painful to watch, almost making Rest want to look away.
“That said… I can’t just leave this as it is.”
The sisters were about to be attacked by the White Fenrir. With no other choice, Rest decided to intervene.
“Wind Ball!“
“GYANNN!”
He unleashed a gust of wind magic against the side of the White Fenrir that was lunging at the sisters. The blow didn’t kill; it merely sent the creature tumbling sideways.
“I’m sorry for Cedric’s blunder. You don’t need to worry anymore; everything’s fine now.”
“Ah, who are you…?”
“Fuh…?”
Viola and Primula stared at Rest in shock. To ease their fear, he placed a hand over his heart and offered the most gentlemanly smile he could muster.
“My name is Rest. I’m… well, I’m Cedric’s half-brother.”
“Your brother…? But I’ve never heard that he had siblings…”
Viola asked cautiously, her voice trembling. Rest lowered his eyebrows slightly, appearing troubled as he explained.
“I was born as a bastard child, and my existence has been kept a secret. I apologize for the trouble my brother has caused.”
“Behind you!”
Primula shouted. Just then, the White Fenrir lunged at Rest.
“GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”
“Oh, sorry! I forgot about that.”
“GAH!?”
The White Fenrir tried to bite Rest’s shoulder but was repelled by an invisible barrier. It was a defensive wall created by magic—Barrier.
“I’m sorry for intruding on your territory and for injuring your child.”
“GRRR…!”
“This is my apology… Healing!“
Rest activated healing magic directed at the White Fenrir. The various wounds on its body vanished without a trace.
“What…!?”
Viola gasped in surprise, but Rest reassured her with a look that said, “It’s okay.”
“I’ll heal your child too. Healing!“
“KYUU…”
He cast healing magic on the young wolf that had been slashed by Cedric and was now lying on the ground. The pup stood up, looking bewildered, and let out a small whimper.
“How about we call this even? Neither of us wants to get hurt, right?”
“GRRRRR…”
The White Fenrir growled, slowly backing away. It seemed torn between retreating and fighting, its eyes wavering in uncertainty.
“If you refuse to back down… then I have no choice.”
Rest raised his hand, releasing his magical power. A massive aura of magical energy radiated from his entire body. Like steam bursting from a heated pot, a blue magical energy erupted from Rest.
“KYAN!?”
The White Fenrir yelped in surprise, sounding like a frightened puppy. Normally, magical power is invisible. One could only measure it with specialized items, as Rest had done in the Temple during his childhood. However, Rest possessed an almost limitless reservoir of magical power. It was so vast and dense that it became visible.
“KYAN! KYAN!”
The White Fenrir, picking up its pup in its mouth, fled in a panic. With that much fear instilled, it wouldn’t dare come down to the human settlement.
“I’m sorry; that must have been terrifying for you.”
““Uh…””
Rest turned to the sisters, who were still sitting there in shock. Viola and Primula stared at him with wide eyes.
“I’ll escort you out of the Forest… and I’d appreciate it if you could keep today’s events a secret from your father and brother.”
“Well, that’s fine, but…”
“That magical power was greater than that of my father, the Grand Court Magician. Who exactly are you…?”
Viola and Primula asked, but Rest couldn’t provide an explanation. He decided to brush it off with a smile.
“I’m just a mere stablehand, not even a noble. Please, don’t worry about it.”
Afterward, Rest led the sisters out of the Forest, despite their lingering curiosity. Cedric and the two baron’s sons had been knocked unconscious by the White Fenrir, but their injuries seemed to be minor, likely just fractures. Using the Floating spell, he levitated the three of them and carried them out like cargo. Personally, he could have left them behind, but he restrained himself in front of the sisters.
Thus, Rest had encountered the Rosemary sisters, but this was not the end of their relationship. Little did he know that he would soon deepen his bond with them even further.