Seeing a guest I did not know, I had a dumbfounded expression, as I couldn't understand the situation. I just continued watching until the dog – I mean wolf pup suddenly looked at me. As it looked at me, it suddenly growled at me.
Yukino, who saw that, scolded the pup for growling at me gently. Though I wish she had scolded it more harshly, though. However, I have an opinion of that wolf pup for growling at me.
Must be a dog, definitely a dog.
"Just because it growled at you?" Wraith muttered calmly.
Why are you speaking so quietly? Also, regarding your question, yes.
Although it was growling at me, I looked back at it with a cold gaze, wondering if I should kill this pup and have it for lunch instead, but looking at its current injured state, I dismissed that thought, and it would be gross to eat a dirty pup.
"I believe eating it would be a good try," Gluttony exclaimed.
No, I was kidding about eating it for lunch. I do not wish to eat it.
I observed its features, trying to guess what type of wolf pup it was. Looking at its bright orange fur and pure white fur, which was glowing with a subtle reddish-orange glow around its fur, as if it was just absorbing it. It was also around 0.9 meters long. Listing all these thoughts, I believe I had a clear understanding of what kind of creature that was. I recalled a certain description from a book I read in this life, which I now know what it was.
"So, what was it?" Wraith snapped.
That's a Sunchaser Wolf, aka Solaris Wolf. It's a wolf that grows stronger by absorbing heat or sunlight from its surroundings. It could also emit heat or sunlight from its body. It can use two types of elements, light and fire. It could also grow into a huge size once it is raised properly, and could be a proper combatant as your partner or companion or guard dog. They could even walk or run on air once they matured. Though it is nice to see one here, it leaves me with many questions.
"What kind of questions?" Pride enquired.
Why is a Sunchaser wolf that only belongs and roams around in a heated environment in a cold environment here right now? It just doesn't make sense. Also, they should be in packs right now. Right now, since it is winter, they should be migrating to a warmer environment rather than being in a cold environment like this. So, considering that it is the only pup here and in that state. I believe that their packs must have either not known one of their kind was left out or...
"Or what?" Wraith insisted.
They were taken down by something stronger in the forest, but that would be hard, as Sunchaser Wolves are recorded to be strong when in packs, even if they are fighting one on one.
"WOOF WOOF!" The dog, I mean wolf pup, barked at me ferociously, baring its small, supposedly threatening teeth, but it looked ridiculous.
I bet it is a male wolf pup.
"Actually, it is a female wolf pup," Lust asserted confidently.
No, I doubt it. Definitely a male.
"Wrong, it is a female. I can tell due to my Authority," Lust asserted confidently again.
I know that. Just play along with me for once.
"No," Lust declared.
"Hmm? A female wolf pup that grows stronger from heat and sunlight as well, and can walk on air. Doesn't that sound like the counterpart of Nyxaris?" Pride reflected.
Yeah, like the counterpart of Nyxaris, but that one is weaker.
Aurelia, who realised that she had never introduced the wolf pup to me, introduced it to me and explained how she met it. She also said that it was like that to Yukino at first, but they got along after Aurelia told Yukino to feed it some meat to earn its trust.
"By the way, young master Ragnar. Can we keep it?" Aurelia exclaimed with a bright smile and excitement.
"I believe we can. The manor has a lot of space, and it will be nice to have a lovely companion at home. I can convince Madam Cesline about keeping it, and I believe Chef Seraphina would not mind feeding another member. It could also be our guard," Yukino spoke softly with a calm expression.
You want to keep that dog? Hell no!
I came up with many possible excuses that I could think of. After thinking for a bit, I came up with one plausible excuse.
"I believe it would be best to leave it alone. This wolf pup is of the Sunchaser Wolf breed. So I believe that it would be wise not to keep it, in case any of its pack is looking for it." I replied calmly, trying to find an excuse not to keep it.
"Woof woof woof," the wolf pup barked at me.
Yukino and Aurelia looked at the wolf pup that was being held by Yukino's arm. I also looked at the wolf pup. I bet that it is just barking because it knows that I want to leave it alone and let it survive on its own.
"But it looks injured, though," Aurelia confessed softly.
Understanding her worries, I went back to the tent and went to my bag. I rummaged through my bag for a while till I found an ointment and a bandage roll that I brought in case of an emergency.
"You prepared an ointment and bandage roll but did not prepare extra clothing?" Wraith quipped dryly.
That was a mistake on my part. Did not expect the situation to go like this.
After I went out with the bandage roll and ointment. I walked towards the wolf pup that was being held by Yukino. Yukino, who saw this, held the wolf pup tightly, trying to ensure it did not move much. Aurelia, who also saw this, passed me a wet cloth.
I am not going to question what the wet cloth was used for before, and I am just going to use it.
"Woof woof woof," the wolf pup barked at me as I got near to it.
I calmly clean its wound with a wet cloth, then open the ointment and use my finger to scoop a little bit of it onto my finger and try to apply it to its wounds. Though as I applied it to the wound, the wolf pup whimpered in pain and bared its teeth at me by biting my arm. Feeling its sharp teeth, my arm bled at the spot where its teeth pierced through the flesh of my arm.
"Young master!" Yukino and Aurelia cried out in shock, as they did not expect the wolf pup to bite my arm and make it bleed with its sharp teeth.
"Grrrrrrr!" the wolf pup growled at me, still having its teeth gnashing onto my arm.
I miss Nyxaris. He was a good boy. When I summon him, I am going to pamper him a lot. Unlike this ungrateful pup, I tried to tend to its stupid wounds.
"Do not worry about me. Just hold the pup firmly." I responded with composure as I focused on cleaning its dirty wounds and then proceeded to apply more of the ointment onto each of its wounds, and then used the bandage roll to cover the applied wounds to prevent any infection, despite the pain in my arm sending signals to my brain of the pain that is being inflicted by the stupid pup.
Yukino, who was holding the pup, nodded her head and focused on holding the pup firmly, although the pup was still biting onto my arm, and her expression was worried as she was worried about me.
As I finished cleaning and applying the ointment to all of its wounds and covered it with a bandage, I do not know when it stopped hurting, as the pup had already let go of biting my arm as it realised the healing effect of the ointment that I was applying to its wound.
Yukino slowly and gently lowers the pup onto the ground. Doing so, she grabbed a new wet cloth from somewhere and slowly cleaned the wound on my arm. After that, she grabbed the ointment from my hand and used it to apply to my wound and slowly wrapped the bandage roll around it.
Though her efforts were meaningful, it was quite useless to do this for me, as I could use Sloth's Authority to heal my wound, but it is best that I do not reveal it. So I just patiently let her tend to my wound. The wolf pup, however, felt gratitude towards me for tending to its wound as it nudged its head towards my leg.
Yeah, you may try to do that to buy my favour, but it isn't going to happen. Considering you bit my arm till it bled, making me lose a lot of blood.
"Let's discuss our next plan. Should we head back to the manor and try again next year when it's winter, or do we still proceed?" I posed the question serenely, wanting the opinion of the two women.
Last night showed us how unprepared we were. If we continue, we will keep replaying the event of last night. Not only that, but we will also have to head back, replaying even more of the events of last night.
Yukino and Aurelia looked at each other in the eye, and then both looked back at me. Looking at them, I believe they would choose the former option.
"If we head back and try again next year, the young master would waste one year to be able to catch up to the children around your age, right?" Aurelia asked with gentle concern.
"I would, yes. But what matters to me is the two of you's wishes to proceed or try again next year," I replied calmly.
"We will proceed," Yukino and Aurelia spoke together. Yukino had a calm smile, while Aurelia had a bright smile.
"Alright, let's hea—" I replied calmly as I nodded my head, but stopped as I thought I did not hear it correctly.
I looked back up at them, feeling that I may have misheard something.
"You did not mishear anything," Lust drawled.
In response to Lust's words, the two who noticed my reaction spoke their words again.
"We will proceed," Yukino and Aurelia spoke together again in their same expression.
"Are you sure about this?" I asked calmly.
"No worries, young master. You do not need to worry about us. We will still proceed," Yukino assured firmly.
I nodded my head with a smiling expression. Happy to know that the two are willing to continue this expedition with me.
"Alright, let's pack up and continue the expedition," I voiced steadily, lips curved into a smile.
Though outside, I was happy. Inside, I was not. As that means we will have to repeat those night events again and again. I mean, they will get used to it, but this body's mentality would not. I expected to head back, but since they are alright, we may as well proceed with the expedition.
After deciding on my decision, Yukino helped to prepare the tent into its folded state and put it into my bag. Aurelia focuses on cooking the leftover deer meat, as we have not had any breakfast yet.
Once everything was finished and packed, we all ate the cooked meat, especially the wolf pup, as we had some to spare to feed it. The wolf pup looked at us with a joyful expression, making Yukino and Aurelia feel guilty, as we were planning to abandon it. Though I ignored its joyful expression as I focused on energising my body with the deer meat that I am eating.
After finishing our meal, we stood up and continued the expedition. The wolf pup, seeing us move, followed after us.
Yukino and Aurelia, who saw the wolf pup, followed us, tried to tell it that it could not follow us. But, as you'd expect of an animal, it could not understand the two women, as the language barrier of species separated our communication.
Sighhh...
"Maybe it should follow us in case that while we are gone, it could encounter some danger and would probably enrage an adult Sunchaser Wolf that is looking for its child," I spoke in a measured tone, concealing my irritation with its presence.
Hearing my replies, Yukino had a gentle smile, while Aurelia had a bright smile. Feeling joy that she gets to keep the Sunchaser Wolf for a long while. The wolf pup, probably sensing the good news, barked cutely.
"You are too soft," Wraith mocked.
What's wrong with being soft?
"There's nothing wrong, just that some females love their males being hard instead," Lust quipped slyly.
"..." the other devils and I, including, remain silent on his dirty joke.
"Alright, I will stop." Lust drawled.
"By the way, what should we name it?" Aurelia asked warmly with a bright smile as she squatted down to pet it.
Yukino lifted her hand to her chin and thought seriously, as her expression shows how serious this was. I looked at them dumbfoundedly. I wonder why they would want to name it when we will abandon it later on? Seeing that they took a while to think of a name for it, and suggested some out loud. Though, despite their suggestion, the wolf pup did not like it, as most of the names refer mostly to male names, as they do not know its gender. The wolf pup who whimpered sadly, as it could probably guess that the name that they suggested did not fit it.
I decided to suggest the name for it on my own, as I do not wish to waste time.
"What about Dawn?" I suggested calmly.
The two women looked at each other, wondering if that was a good name. Making me feel that I have a very bad naming sense. Seriously, am I that bad at naming?
"Yes," Wraith mocked.
Though, despite my bad naming sense, the wolf pup barked cutely at my suggestion, feeling that it was a good name for it. The two women who saw it decided to call it Dawn.
"Well then, Dawn, let's get along during the expedition", Aurelia remarked cheerfully with a bright smile as she petted it and then stood up to continue walking.
"Arf arf", the wolf pup barked cutely in response to her words.
All three-no, all four of us continued our expedition. Walking far away from our old campsite.
------
At our old campsite, the air began to crackle, as if space itself was forming fissures in the atmosphere. Soon, those fissures form a huge hole, showing a green-like space beyond the huge hole that seems like an entrance between both worlds.
Soon, a being that resembled a demon emerged from it. It had a humanoid body covered from the soles of its feet to the torso with black shards that appeared to form its own armour or clothing, obscuring any view of the skin beneath. While its body was well protected, its neck and head were exposed, showcasing pale, corpse-like skin.
Its veins were visible, but unlike normal veins, they were black, and its eyes glowed red. The creature also had black hair that seemed lifeless, lacking any vitality. Additionally, two sharp, short horns protruded from both corners of its forehead.
The being that stepped out of the huge entrance suddenly fell to its knees, having both arms to support it from completely falling flat to the ground as it panted for breath heavily in its knees.
"Damn that bitch, Evangeline Anastasia!" It screamed in fury, and its voice sounded hoarse.
The being then slowly looked around its area, then slowly tried to stand, though as it tried, it was staggering on it feet, and it dropped down a few times, but soon after a while, it managed to stand upright and looked up at the sky, no, to be precise, it was looking at the huge shimmering barrier that is veiling the entire world.
"Weird, I do not see the sunchaser pup... Did I perhaps come too early or too late? No, it should have been here. It has always been here. Unless that bitch came here first and saved it. Damn it, if she saved it, then I will need to change my plans." It snapped.
It looked at the huge shimmering barrier with its red eyes. Trying to guess when the time of the world is currently.
"Current time of the year should be... Year 5044, almost Year 5045, which means we should be in the current year when they should be four years old right now. The time of the year should be near the winter season. Judging by the sun's position, it should be almost at the end of the year, which means this is the day when the sunchaser wolf pup that the bitch had as a companion had fallen and sustained injuries when the sunchaser wolf's pack migrated to the south. So where is it?" The being calmly theorised and posed a question to itself with a curious expression.
After a long period of thinking, the being's body was suddenly enveloped in green sparks around its body.
"Damn this stupid fucking Law of Fate, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh", it curses with fury as it fell to its knees and screamed in agony.
It raised one of its hands that was enveloped in dark mana with a colour of black and red, and extended it towards the entrance of the fissure. Soon, two beasts emerged from the fissure. They resembled dark shadow wolves, enveloped in a red glow around their body as their outline, with their eyes also shining bright red. Their bodies emitted a black mist, and each had two small horns on their foreheads.
"I need you two dogs to find and kill a wolf pup. Oh, and if you find a human girl, kill it, if you can. If you cannot, just focus on killing the wolf pup. REMEMBER, THE WOLF PUP! AHHHHHH!!!!" The being commanded and also repeated its demand to the two beasts that it had summoned, as well as screamed in agony at the end.
The two beasts that it had summoned soon gallop away as it followed the order of finding and hunting down the sunchaser wolf pup. Seeing that its summons had galloped away, the being slowly staggered in pain towards the fissure and muttered its last word before disappearing with the fissure.
"This time, we will win..." it said hoarsely before it returned to the fissure.
The fissure soon patches itself up, and the cracks started disappearing, making everything that happened just a mere illusion.
------
On the night of the day.
We had a couple of fish for dinner as we found a good camping spot with a river that did not freeze, luckily. We also did not encounter any monsters today, which was a good thing. If there were monsters, it would signal that their hibernation period is almost finished.
After we set up the tent, Yukino was hugging me and caressing my head as we were covered with a blanket in the tent. Yukino was naked while I was in my briefs again. Luckily, in between us, there was a wolf pup that joined us today, due to its traits of a sunchaser wolf, its fur was emitting heat inside the blanket. It also serves as a barrier for both of us, as I did not have to be cuddled towards Yukino's naked body and felt an erection again due to the lack of heat for that night.
You know, having this wolf pup as a barrier has made me change my mind about whether to keep it or not. After this expedition, I am definitely going to keep it as a source of heat and light for gardening.
"..." All the devils did not say anything as they felt that my thoughts from wanting to abandon it had changed into keeping it now, were expected.