17: Recollection 2
We werewolves, considered vicious monsters in legend, became exactly the werewolves they imagined us to be. And we took revenge on the humans.
We attacked our pursuers under cover of darkness, and sometimes aimed to cause confusion by blending in among humans.
Suspicion bred more suspicion, and humans began executing other humans over trivial doubts of “might they be werewolves?” It was a sight that cleared our hearts, and a world that was unbearably ugly.
If only they had trusted each other, none of this would have happened. If they hadn’t suspected us, they wouldn’t have needed to kill each other. We had been coexisting and prospering together just a short while ago – why had things come to this? Was being a werewolf truly such a sin? It’s not like we were saints and gentlemen. But then again, neither were the humans. We were the same. The same.
Humans called us hideous monsters. Well then, wasn’t the sight of you humans killing werewolves – killing other humans – just as hideous? If you’re going to call us ugly, shouldn’t you at least try to be beautiful yourselves? Aren’t you the real monsters?
Our revenge seemed to be going well, but the end came abruptly.
One of our companions was discovered to be a werewolf, captured and tortured, and he told them everything about the rest of us.
Receiving the mercy of an easy death as reward.
My companions were hunted down one by one.
I, who happened to be away from town, managed to escape first, but even so, I was pursued relentlessly. I wanted to go somewhere else. To a different world—not this ugly, despicable world.
But there’s no such place. Even the afterlife is probably similar.
At least there are more humans than werewolves.
–I wish there was a separate afterlife prepared for each race–
While thinking such things, I fled. My companions were no more. I wouldn’t have minded dying, but ironically, my sturdy werewolf body wouldn’t allow it.
In desperation, I decided “I’ll kill as many people as possible before I die.”
I ambushed the knights and mages who pursued me relentlessly, picking them off one by one.
As they died, they cursed me: “You demon!” The more they said it, the colder my blood seemed to become. It’s not like I wanted to live this way either. I should have been blessed at birth by those around me, had family, had friends, and lived just like humans. It was you people who arbitrarily made me into a demon one day!
Screaming this, I fought and fought and fought, until finally I collapsed.
To the very end, humans never tried to understand. They never had any intention of listening in the first place.
Covered in wounds, unable to even return to human form, I collapsed in the forest in my wolf shape.
It was beneath a large, magnificent tree.
It wouldn’t be so bad to die like this and become fertilizer for the tree.
However, despite my peaceful resignation to death, a person came.
A small girl with reddish-brown hair and green eyes.
She carried a basket in her hand, so she must have been picking medicinal herbs.
I knew what would happen next. The girl would scream and run away, then a crowd of adults would be called.
Then I’d be surrounded, tormented, killed, and have my pelt stripped away.
Mine would sell for a high price especially. After all, it was my pride—a pelt that shone like silver.
What terrible luck.
But the girl didn’t scream—instead, she came closer.
It wasn’t that she hadn’t noticed. Our eyes met clearly.
“Does it hurt?”
“As you can see.”
With my whole body bloody and wounded, of course it hurt.
“Then I’ll put medicine on it.”
The girl took out a small cylindrical ceramic container from her pocket. It probably contained healing salve.
“…Listen, what do I look like to you?”
I said something unnecessary. I could have strangled her when she got close, but I couldn’t bring myself to feel that way toward someone without malice.
“A wolf-san.”
The girl’s answer was simple.
“Did your parents properly teach you what to do if you found a wolf—a werewolf?”
For some reason, I was worried about the girl.
“Long ago, Mama also helped a wolf-san once, she said. She said there’s nothing to be afraid of.”
“That’s… an unusual mother. Aren’t you afraid of me?”
The girl nodded. But that was a lie. There was no way she wasn’t afraid. Because both her hands and feet were trembling.
“You don’t need to force yourself. No one would blame you for not being kind to a wolf.”
I said something unnecessary again.
But the girl shook her head.
“I want to become a good person like Mama.”
Saying this, she began applying medicine to my wounds with trembling hands.
…Ah, what terrible luck. I wanted to become a complete demon and die hating people.
I didn’t want to see hope in humans.
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Claude slowly opened his eyes.
There was almost no pain in his body. When he carelessly peeled off one of the bandages wrapped around his body, the wound that should have been there had completely disappeared.
“…No wonder they call me a monster.”
Claude twisted his face sardonically.
He peeled off all the bandages, rolled them up and threw them away, then clothed himself in the prepared leather garments.
Opening the room’s door and descending the stairs, he found Murakumo and Yuri just finishing their breakfast bread.
“You’ve recovered already? Impressive as always.”
Murakumo’s eyes widened. Yuri glanced at Claude once, then immediately returned his gaze to the grimoire placed beside his bread. The bread probably wasn’t very tasty. This mage had the bad habit of reading grimoires while eating when he was dissatisfied with the food.
It was a bad habit he’d rarely shown since Emma started cooking.
“Of course. Could a thief just lie there quietly after having his treasure stolen back?”
With a fearless smile, Claude put one of the breads on the table into his mouth.
It was hard and tasteless. He immediately filled a cup with water and forced it down into his stomach.
Next he threw some cheese into his mouth and bit into some smoked meat.
Satisfied with the taste that matched its appearance, Claude began drinking directly from a bottle.
“You sure can drink, Claude. Won’t your wounds reopen?”
Ignoring Murakumo’s concerned words, he continued eating and drinking, then finally expelled air from his stomach with an exaggerated sound.
“So, did you find out where Emma is?”
“No change. Since there’s been no movement, she’s still in the imperial capital.”
Yuri answered curtly, his gaze still fixed on his grimoire.
“Then I’m going to get her back.”
Claude declared.
“Are you sane? That’s the Empire’s stronghold! No matter what, that’s reckless.”
Murakumo suspected their leader, having just woken up, wasn’t capable of calm judgment.
“More than reckless, it’s impossible. The Emperor’s control is thorough. The imperial capital at his feet has no openings. It’s even blocking my magic. Even if we could infiltrate, we’d just be discovered immediately and killed.”
It was rare for the genius mage, who was the picture of arrogance, to praise anyone. That same Yuri was praising the Empire’s Emperor. Indeed, that Emperor was known as a person overflowing with talent.
“I’ll just go, secretly snatch her, and come back. Nothing to it, really. Are you two scared?”
Claude spoke as if to provoke them, but both Murakumo and Yuri just shook their heads.
“You should wait a little longer.”
Without warning, the building’s door opened. Claude and Murakumo tensed, but the one who entered was Laksh, the owner of the house. Murakumo showed a regretful expression at not being able to sense her presence. Apparently, she had been eavesdropping on their conversation from in front of the door.
“This time it seems Garnets went too far, and apparently even the Emperor is angry with him? Information is leaking like crazy from the anti-Garnets faction. Even if you don’t rush, there’ll be movement soon enough.”
Laksh had bases in the imperial capital too and customers among the Empire’s nobility, so she was in a position to obtain decent information.
The blue-haired merchant waved her hands in a swimming motion, suppressing Claude’s impatient feelings.
TLNOTE
While waiting for the next chapter, I encourage you, dear readers, to explore other masterpieces written by Daken-sensei :
- Monster Meat Led Me to the Throne
- Who killed the Hero?
- The Wicked Princess and 12 Eyes – The Strongest Squires and the Legendary Evil Woman, the Second Time in Her Life
- The Suspects of Necromancy
- The Exiled Merchant Saves the World with the Power of Gold (translated by my friend meerkat)
- The Last Magic (translated by my friend narwhal)
Also check out my friend Localizermeerkat for more LN translations!
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