"He suffered from blood loss," the nurse lady informed after the aid.
Cormelio's wounds are wrapped with bandages, deep cuts have cotton wool for the prevention of bleeding. Just the sight of how pale he is makes my legs shudder. I almost lost him. His life is still in danger. I remember every word he told me earlier. And I don't think I can live on my own. My knowledge is still out of the league.
"We need to fill him with blood again," the nurse indicated, "or else, his heart will suffer and die."
I extended my right arm. "I'm—"
["You can't."]
I halted when I heard the resonating voice again. This time, I look at Acro who's perching on top of the pendulum in this dark room. And her eyes are directly looking at me. Then some thought came into my mind. I can't donate my blood to a human for I am a werewolf. That doesn't prove the logic without experimentation but I prefer not to involve Cormelio with such.
I reason out, "I'm not allowed to be his donor. I wasn't capable of selling these past days because of the flu that affected me. My blood isn't safe."
The nurse nodded. "Then do you know someone else who would like to be his donor?"
"I'll do it," the blacksmith offered.
"Thank you, sir," I said politely. The blood donation was operated on immediately. I look at Acro again but she's dreaming. The medication is over but Cormelio is still unconscious. The nurse declared that he was under comatose but assured him that it'll not take a year or two. Now I'm more anxious about his well-being. I won't let him leave me hanging clueless.
The nurse left the shop, taking the oath of secrecy on what happened here. Once again I thanked the blacksmith. "It's a shame," he said, "didn't Cormelio bother to tell you my name? He's so rude as always but it's not a big deal here." His chuckle lightens the spirit of the macabre inside. "Call me Amos."
"Sr. Amos, I'll never forget your assistance," I admitted. "How did you know Cormelio is in trouble? Or... how did the knights catch him?"
He glanced at the miserable condition of Cormelio and then he told me to follow him upstairs. He's rummaging for something in the drawers of his counter table. Afterward, he lends me an old piece of paper and to my surprise, Cormelio's face is illustrated here with a big prize on his head to anyone who caught him.
"This appeal has permeated for the past years and is still ongoing, especially in Plandreas. He’s a suspect for fostering a silver wolf. He tried to alter the information over the past years but the truth keeps prevailing. If someone reported Cormelio, it might be because of that plea. Cormelio often stays at home and entrusted you with his business to avoid too much exposure. This is why we can't take him to the public clinic now that the knights are alarmed about his presence here."
His service heaped down my suspicions and anger. I bit my lips on the bottom. I'm so stuck in the loop of my life without further awareness around me. And now that the string of that loop is torn, the same world seems new to me. "This incident only means that we can't stay in our house now?" I asked.
"You can stay here for a while with him."
“S-Sir, you now know my identity. It’s dangerous for you to let us stay here.”
“It’s my decision to help. But it’s your decision whether you should leave or not.”
☪ ✧ ✧
I sneaked around until Acro and I reached the garden. Disappointments and sadness are swirling in my chest while I'm full-handed with packing my things in huge luggage. It's hard to abandon the flowers we've made bloom with our hard work. But maybe I can sell them to those with good hands. My sadness is slowly drowning in my excitement.
But of course, I need Cormelio's consent. He would call me pure evil if I did it without his knowledge. And that's exciting me, too!
The ladder creaked when I stepped on it to pack Cormelio's things from his room. That's when someone knocks on the door. "Is anyone home!? We're the authorized knights from the metropolis! Please open the door!" coming from the valiant voice of a man. I remained frozen. There's a battle in my head if I should let them in or run away!
I snatched Acro from my shoulder and held her like a ball in my hands. I mumble, "What should I do?" I shook her and was expecting to hear the resonating voice but she was just blinking her eyes at me. The knights started slamming the door violently and shouting threats at the other side. The luggage thumbs when I threw it under the bed of Cormelio and hung the blanket.
I walk towards the door, watching it move from their violence. And when I opened it, one knight crashed on the floor in front of me—maybe—after he failed to open the door by force. The other knights came inside with their hands on their hilts to inspect the place. I'm partially standing behind the door which is a blind spot for them.
"Hey, knights from the metropolis! How can I help?" I greeted them and that's when they found me. The shameful knight was about to speak to me but I spoke first, "I'm also a caretaker of this garden but this will be open in the market soon. My name is Hessuel! Are you looking for me or someone else?"
"You might be a relative of Cormelio?"
"... I am. He's my uncle."
"Do you know where he is?"
My expression changed. "Your men killed him."
"Then where is his corpse?"
I looked at his narrow eyes, then ended up scratching my nape. I exhaled my frustration. "Just don't kill me. I'll lead the way," I said. None of them attempted to ransack the garden. Their number is less than 20 and they all look high ranked. I led the way to the forest where I buried the slave girl. "I laid him here."
Some of them did tread on the ground to prove if the soil is scraped anew. I can never be mistaken since I've done this recently. The knights are convinced. But that's just what I thought at first because of their nod. They locked my position with the two knights hindering their swords at me; one in front and behind on the other.
"We've seen several schemes," the valiant man said. "We would like to prove your honesty herewith." He told the men to excavate the grave again. That order took us a long time here in the forest. I can't pull back my yawn while watching the men dig. The valiant man has been looking at me from head to toe, and I'm deliberately avoiding his glance. "Young man, from whom are those bloodstains in your coat?"
I looked down at it. "It's from him when I laid him here."
"Hmmm, all of our knights were found dead near your garden. They were the ones assigned to decapitate the wanted criminal. We found their corpses instead of the corpse we were supposed to see. Another concern, their wounds are made not by humans, but by beasts. According to the claws that are marked on their skin, the killer is a werewolf." He asked me with suspicion, "Do you know someone who could be a werewolf?"
"W-What? That's impossib—"
"Then how come you have the coat of the Moon’s Order pack?"
“...” I was literally speechless for a second. I feel framed up! "What's that? This coat is a gift from my uncle."
"Can I borrow it shortly?" He lends me his hand. I know he’s doing this to test me. I unlocked the brooch and gave it to him. In an instant that my power was unleashed, I grabbed the two knights guarding me and threw them on the excavated grave. I kicked and pushed the other knights as well. The valiant man releases his sword immediately when I'm approaching him.
I stepped sideward and slammed his arm down, I heard an internal crack of bones. A mild punch landed on his stomach and my fist dented his armor. He knelt down and I snatched the coat back. 'Twas a good opportunity to escape but I felt an unbearable shuddering from an electric shock.
I grovel, tremble, and frail. The chance escaped from me instead when everything was blocked out from an attack on my nape.
☪ ✧ ✧
The blinding lights made me wince. It's a round circle of light with triple layers above my head. I'm seeing a blurred image of a man—based on the voice I'm hearing. I can't move my body from the heaviness as if the ground is sipping me.
"He's awake."
"Silver wolf, answer my questions, are you aware of who you are?"
Dryness had covered my lips and I felt it the moment I tried to speak. "Who... Why am I... here...?" I mumbled. He’s an old man with braided white hair and magic circles coming from his palm.
"I’m draining your strength right now. Use the residue of it by answering my questions." The same man said. "Or else you want to intensify your pain?"
Two fingertips touched my temple from the person above me. And then my headache became sore. I involuntarily gritted my fangs! The painful sound is ringing in my head, not even my groaning can overpower the noise, then stops in a flinch. My chest races! I attempt to move my hands but my wrists are bound.
"We will be harmless as long as you cooperate," the old man threatened but his grimace was already a threat.
Strange. Ever since the changes in my body, strange things kept appearing before my eyes. Just like how this old man looks like a wizard in the plays! They asked me again, "Admit to us who spared you. How did you survive? Are you a real silver wolf?"
I utter, "... I don't know. I'm sorry." The fingertips on my temple tighten and the headache rings again. My body squirms as a response. "I swear! I don't know... why I became like this..." I pleaded with all the energy they left for me.
They freed me from the pain. And later on, heard their conversation:
"What shall we do?"
"He's telling the truth. We can gain nothing by squeezing him."
"Let's address this to Mraz. Maybe he knows what they'll do to this werewolf."
"He's right. Take this man to the Delta."
Eyes are closed while listening to them. Waiting for even the slightest perfect timing to move. The blinding light finally vanished. The bonds on my arms and legs are gone. And my body feels better little by little—just like my natural strength is rising up. They were not through with their conversation when I snatched the opportunity.
I jump and squat on where I was lying: it's like an altar of the sacrifice made of stone. And I thought it was just a dark, dead room but it's a vast hall of transparent crystals. The knights and an old man wearing a white-furred coat—with almost the same coat as mine—found me on my feet. Everything is clear for my vision now. I ask, "Why am I here?"
"Bind him!" the knight commanded. "Don't let him get away!" The knight formed their shields and swords against me. I raised my hands.
"Hold on. I am a criminal now?" I'm aware I took the lives of their men. However, I can't accept the consequences if they didn't do likewise. And since I do not plan to increase my crime, I ran, bumped them, smashed their swords and shields, and ran again to escape.
I was able to leave the hall and enter the hallway. Bells are rampaging in the air to alarm everyone in this unbeknown place. Knights are charging on my way. The opposite path of the hallway is a dead end. But the wall sure is dead with me. I charged my way there without a single thought of doubt now that the power is overwhelming me.
I leaped then smashed the wall with my feet and the great fall is the sequent! Indeed, this is a dead end. The wall of the outside tower. Together with the shreds of the wall, I fell on a rooftop and got a vast view of the area. Houses are congested, there's a huge castle afar, and the residents are busy with their own businesses outside.
This is my first time setting foot in the metropolis... as a criminal.