Volume 6 Chapter 40 The Wolf Princess’s Stratagem
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”So that’s it. That must be the guard room,” he muttered.
He gauged the distance, careful to keep his scent from drifting too close in the still air. Hidden against the jagged rock of a gouged-out path, he peered at the crude structure ahead.
He had climbed through the Bastili Hundred Pits, up into the Land Layer. The place was a massive vertical shaft, part cliff, part mountain path, and beside it yawned a pit so deep it had to reach the Sea Layer below—an abyss that promised nothing but death to anyone who fell.
Blocking the road ahead stood a ramshackle hut where the wardens gathered.
So he couldn’t advance without getting past it. The Land Layer might sound simple, but it was clearly divided into territories, each one patrolled.
This facility was vast—divided broadly into land and sea strata, but within that, each post was fractured into smaller domains. From here downward was likely under the watch of that guard room. It would be impossible to manage it all from one point. That also meant there were blind spots, exploitable cracks in the system. At least at first. Once they struck, discovery would be inevitable. Then it would be a race against time.
”Hey, big guy. Think you can pull it off?”
The voice drifted from behind him—a woman, sitting in her cell as if it were a tavern bench, watching him with wry amusement. She looked like she could’ve passed for an adventurer once.
”Doesn’t look like we’ve got a choice. Just gotta hope there aren’t too many of ’em,” he said.
”Fair enough. I’ll keep my eyes open when I can. But don’t forget to unlock me too, yeah?”
Her voice carried a carefree lilt, as though it were someone else’s problem. She was locked in the cell closest to the guard room. Ignoring her wasn’t an option—any attempt to slip away alone would end with her shouting down the guards. If he wanted this to work, he needed these prisoners on his side.
The plan had been to leave the rest behind. But walking the rows of cells had shown him the truth—that was impossible. He had already whispered promises: help us, and I’ll free you once we get the keys. Later, he’d have to explain it all to the Wolf Princess and her fox companion.
Not that those two were much of allies themselves. The wolf, especially. High and mighty, convinced of her noble blood, ready to discard anyone who slowed her down. Typical aristocrat. The fox would likely spit a flat refusal at him anyway. Best to keep a card hidden in his sleeve, in case he had to outmaneuver them.
”I’ll lay low for now. Be back,” he said.
”Sure thing. I’ll be waiting,” she replied, flapping a hand lazily.
As he turned away, he caught a flash of her body—she had shifted to show off her breasts deliberately. He averted his gaze, hiding the smirk tugging at his lips.
Beastkin women here were far more direct than those on the Human Continent. The first thing she’d said to him was, “Hey handsome, you let me out, and I’ll help you let something out too. Deal?” It was almost tempting. Almost enough to make him forget the others and just start over with a fresh ally.
But trust was worth less than dirt in this place. Freeing one or two might mean betrayal the moment his back was turned. Free too many and jealousy would breed chaos. Free them all and they’d drown in their own rebellion before the Beast Country soldiers swarmed in.
He descended the narrow spiral path carved into the wall. Dangerous footing for an ordinary man, but his years as a thief—balancing on rooftops and handrails—had honed his sense of balance well enough. He ignored the whispers and stares from the other prisoners as he descended to the lowest level, slipping into a side tunnel.
”Scouted ahead,” he reported. “First strike looks doable.”
”Well done,” the Wolf Princess said.
She sat poised on a rock beside a shallow pool, firestone light glinting off her long white hair, streaked with black markings unique to her wolfkin bloodline. Her body, youthful and lithe, bore fading scars that healed at a remarkable pace.
”Any idea how many?” asked the Fox Princess.
”Two, maybe three. But give it time and there’ll be more,” he answered.
The fox sat in the corner, her long black hair falling like silk over her shoulders. Every time he glanced her way, her ample chest demanded attention. She carried herself with a sharp, regal beauty that even the dark fur on her arms and legs seemed to enhance rather than mar.
This den was one of many—abandoned, its cells empty, its pool formed by sandstone hollows much like those in the Sea Layer. A perfect hideout, for now.
”Now the question is, when do we strike?” he said.
The place offered water, which was essential. But that was all. Naked, they had nothing against the chill but their own endurance, and every moment they lingered meant further weakness.
”If we could, I’d prefer to go now,” the fox said, “but without supplies we’ll burn out fast. So—when will Her Highness move from our waterhole?”
Her hair swayed as she spoke, her eyes flicking briefly to Klock’s bare lower half before darting away toward the wolf. All three of them were naked; there was no stopping the way their gazes sometimes strayed.
”Why should I share with the likes of you?” the wolf princess scoffed. “There was water below. Use it. This spring is mine.”
Silence fell for a beat. Klock and the fox exchanged a look—both thinking the same thing. How do we deal with this arrogant idiot? The tight crease in the fox’s brow spelled out her irritation plain as day.
She really was insufferable. Demand that all food be brought to her first, too. Compared to her, even the fox—who had attacked him once—was starting to look almost reasonable.
The Wolf Princess. The moment she had found the pool, she had declared it hers by right of command. Supplies too, she insisted, must be delivered to her first.
They were supposed to be bound together in this escape, three fugitives tied by fate. Sharing was the only logical path. But she refused to see it that way.
”What’s with those resentful eyes?” the wolf said. “I’ve no wish to torment you peasants. Do well, and I may grant you a reward.”
”Peasants? Who the hell are you calling peasants?” the fox snapped.
”Hmph. You, the defeated, are no better than slaves. Have you forgotten it was only my mercy that kept you from becoming corpses?”
The moment either side let their guard slip, sparks flared. The fox’s fury was more than justified, but even Wolf Princess, playing at commander, had begun to look irritated. This was bad. Hunger made tempers short; if nothing was done, another fight was inevitable.
”Then let’s just get moving already,” Klock said. “Waiting around—”
”Not yet. The moment we attack, this prison will turn into a battlefield. To raise our chances, we must find an opening.”
An opening—for a prison break, not a hunt. But with the way she said it, one might think she planned to eat the guards.
”So what’s the plan?” Klock asked.
”Simple. Princess Kuzuha, you’ll go scout. If powerless humans can return unscathed, then surely you can. Find not only the enemy’s numbers, but their invasion routes.”
”…You want me to waste what little strength I have left as a scout?” the fox princess asked, her voice low.
”One warrior is all this battle requires—me. I have no need for your strength.”
Klock bit back a sigh. She could’ve said that better. The fox princess’s glare made it obvious she was stung.
Both carried titles, and from a political angle, Wolf Princess might well want Fox Princess worn thin. If betrayal came, Kuzuha would be the greater threat than Klock. Perhaps this was all deliberate attrition.
And then there was their history. They weren’t just rivals—they looked like old enemies in familiar roles. If Wolf Princess got her way, she might even arrange for Kuzuha’s end the moment escape was in sight.
With a restrained expression and weary steps, the fox princess moved off. Klock followed her out of the makeshift camp. When they reached the wide, echoing atrium, she turned on him.
”I don’t need a guide. The mission was given to me. If you come along, she’ll make an issue of it later.”
He waved her off. “I’ll be fine. I just don’t want to be stuck alone with the Wolf Princess.”
”She’s worse to handle, yes. But now isn’t the time to resist her. That’s simply how she is. You’d better get used to it.”
”You’re one to talk,” he muttered.
She wasn’t hiding her own irritation well. Klock, on the other hand, had some practice being dragged around by women.
”Wolves live in pairs. It’s their way. The pair hunts, eats first, and raises the young. Even when the pack forms, that never changes. Lone wolves leave the nest to find their mate, then form a new pack.”
Kuzuha rubbed the sore bite on her nape, sighed, and faced him again.
”Whatever her past, right now she’s a lone wolf. By Wolfkin standards, the strongest leads. Her tyranny? That’s their inherited teaching.”
”Yeah, well, don’t shove wild rules like that on me,” he said.
”Not my problem. Defeat her and take the lead if you dislike it. She’ll follow the victor.”
So strength made the leader, and the leader’s word became law. It sounded more like cave men—or children on a playground—than civilization. On the Human Continent, such a system would never hold. Law made life livable.
”By the way,” Kuzuha added, “Wolfkin fight their hardest alone or with a mate. That’s their nature. If you challenge her, go in ready to die and aim for mutual destruction.”
”I’m not doing that. Don’t go planning to kill us both,” he shot back.
She tossed it off as easily as if she’d suggested a stroll. Klock watched her climb the cliffside path, her back straight but her presence diminished. She could talk sharply, but her body was failing her. Hunger and exhaustion dragged her down—him too. But with her wounds from the light-poison battle, she was even more drained.
”Human. Come here.”
Back in the den, Wolf Princess crooked a finger. Klock schooled his face, trying not to let his reluctance show as he approached. Her eyes narrowed, sharp as knives.
”Stay away from that woman. She uses curse magic—an abhorrent art. If you fancy her a cloistered princess, think again.”
Curse magic. A catch-all for spells so vile they’d been banished under that name. Few dared touch such arts, and fewer admitted it.
”She called you an Apostle, did she not? Yet Apostles have always been known to wield curses. More likely it’s she who bears that mark.”
There it was again—Apostle. If it meant a messenger of the gods, then it referred to Cianie. But “Abyssal Apostle”… that muddied everything.
”You’ll have to explain what that even means, or I won’t get it.”
”What, you don’t know? They are said to be emissaries from the Abyss, sworn enemies of the gods.”
Wolf Princess leaned her cheek against her fist, smirking faintly, as if his ignorance annoyed her.
Her tale unfolded: The Grand Cathedral stood against the Abyss. From the Cathedral came God’s Apostles; from the Abyss, the Abyssal Apostles. Both were guides, protectors of their realms—but Abyssal ones turned against humankind. Beastkin and demons loathed them, and the forest tribes hated them most of all.
”Never heard of it. Must be some Beast Country bedtime story. On the Human Continent, it’s unknown. Probably made up.”
”Don’t spout nonsense. My ancestor Beledia was among the hero’s party that struck down the Demon Lord and sealed the Abyss. In the Beast Continent, no child grows up ignorant of it. Perhaps you humans have merely forgotten.”
She carried on—Theocracy elders might still know. With the Grand Cathedral at its heart, perhaps that line of power stretched back to the first hero himself.
Klock stifled a laugh. Once, he too had believed in fairy tales. He remembered what it felt like to be that wide-eyed child, clutching picture books and dreaming.
For all her arrogance, beneath the title of princess, she still carried that same dreamer’s heart.
”Hey. You’re thinking something rude, aren’t you?” she said.
”Nah, not really,” he muttered. “I was just thinking you’re strong because your ancestors were remarkable.”
”Don’t be absurd. I’m strong because I trained. That vixen was weak because she rested on her title. I ran toward my dream. That’s the only reason I became strong.”
The Wolf Princess brushed back her hair. Perhaps it was her stature, but she always looked older than she really was.
”A dream, huh? You got stronger to inherit the kingdom?” he asked.
”Wrong. I told you—I’m the second princess. My sister will inherit. I…” She paused, letting the silence stretch. “I want to join the hero’s party.”
”…What?”
He hadn’t wanted to hear those words spill from the wolf princess’s mouth. He’d kept the conversation going to avoid trouble, but maybe he’d said too much. For a heartbeat, Cianie and Tiet’s faces flickered across his mind.
”The one who faces the Demon King. The legendary figure absent for so long…”
The Wolf Princess, usually stone-faced, let the faintest smile touch her lips.
”Anna the Hero—fated warrior, living legend. When I heard she appeared on the Human Continent, and that the Demon King rose again on the Demon Continent, my heart decided. It was destiny. There is a battlefield meant for these claws.”
Her voice lifted as she stood, excitement spilling out of her. Klock turned his face away, lowering his gaze to the red glow of the magic stone and the grains of sand it lit. His mask of indifference slipped into place.
”You must know this, human. She formed the Brave Knight party—Tiet the holy knight, Hermine the great mage, Oriana the cleric. Their power earned them the rare rank of S-class adventurers. How I envy them. I want to serve at the hero’s side, to be acknowledged, to hear her ask for my strength. That is my dream. Like Duke Beledia of old, I’ll roam the world with the hero while my sister rules the throne. And when the Demon King threatens my country, I will strike him down.”
”…Ah. Yeah. Makes sense,” Klock said vaguely, staring into the distance.
Her sharp gaze cut into him. He scratched his cheek and looked away.
Of course. She’s a hero. Plenty of people admire her. Even a princess can fall into that crowd. Somehow, because of her, the world feels unbearably small.
He decided it was best to keep quiet about his own connection. She’d never believe him, and if she did, she’d be furious. He knew better than anyone that a man like him couldn’t measure up to a hero. Their relationship worked only because she was really Cianie inside.
”Hmph. Speaking with a commoner was pointless after all. Still, cheer for me while you can. I’ll kill the Demon King, and when that day comes, you won’t get to thank me. Opportunities to bow before a flower of the heavens don’t come often.”
What the hell. Talk about ungrateful for someone he’d just saved.
Her arrogance was staggering. Maybe out there she truly was the kind of figure who could make ten thousand soldiers roar from the walls. If so, perhaps her words weren’t arrogance at all, but inevitability.
”…But it displeases me, human. I thought your rudeness was ignorance of etiquette. Yet this? It’s far too disrespectful.”
His casual dismissals had finally touched a nerve. Her frown deepened, irritation rising. He’d let too much slip into his expression.
”Sorry. I don’t always know what to say. Guess my vocabulary’s lousy,” he said.
”That is not the issue. While I spoke of destiny, you were thinking only of that fox princess.”
”…Huh?” His eyes widened.
She sat on a rock by the pond, tapping her claws against the stone, tail lashing with annoyance.
”I spoke of slaying the Demonkin King—the nemesis of humankind. Yet your gaze wandered, as if waiting for that hateful fox princess to return. Do you find her so alluring? Is that deceitful race truly so fascinating?”
So that’s what she thought. He’d only been staring off, half-listening. She believed he’d been longing for the fox princess’s return.
”It’s not like that—”
”Ah, yes. Princess Kuzuha’s breasts are indeed magnificent. If you’re a man, no wonder her charms cloud your judgment.”
”Wait, that’s not—”
”But you carry the key. It would be dangerous if her body swayed your judgment. When the time comes, abandon her. Look only at me. Follow me. That is your best course.”
So she wanted him to stop chasing the vixen and chase the wolf instead. Honestly, if forced to choose, the fox was still the better option. At least with Kuzuha, misunderstandings could be untangled. With the Wolf Princess, this attitude was carved in stone.
”What is your name, human?” she asked suddenly.
”Eh? Uh… Klock.”
He nearly gave a false name but stopped himself. If the guards knew him as Klock, lying would backfire fast.
”I see. Klock. Come here.”
”…What now.”
Her tone shifted—using his name for the first time. She beckoned with a curled finger. With a sigh, he stood and trudged over.
”Closer,” she said.
As he stepped near, she tilted her head, eyes narrowing. “So large, truly. And when it swells, it must become even thicker. Even that troublesome Princess Kuzuha couldn’t stop glancing at it.”
He froze. She was… evaluating him. That directly. Heat prickled under his skin. Still, he forced himself to stand tall, refusing to cover himself.
The Wolf Princess did not flinch. Her gaze fixed on his manhood, sharp and unyielding.
”With such a size, your females must suffer. Yet surely you’ll sire many children. They’ll writhe with pleasure, begging for you night after night, unable to resist once they know it,” she said.
Her lips curled as she looked up through her lashes, tongue sliding slowly across her mouth.
”Human genes may be weak,” she whispered, “but this… this I find worth watching.”
”That’s not true,” Klock said. “I said so before, but even that hero was human. The range of strength among humans is wide, from the weakest to the strongest. And strength isn’t decided by blood alone.”
The princess’s smile floated, light and fleeting, as if to say the man before her might just have a chance. It had to be a lie. She had once said her body was politics itself, that her purity was a matter of state. If that was true, she understood well enough how to wield it.
And yet, before him, she bore the face of a woman.
”Klock,” she said. “Among my kind, once we wed, we remain with our mate for life. But humans… they are different, are they not? Some build harems like cats, some trade women as easily as horses if they tire of them. I hear of words like betrayal, of affairs, of idle fire-play. Tell me—do you have such experience?”
”…Well, I’ve had some, yes,” he admitted. Not that he’d confess just how much.
Her lead pulled him to sit beside her, the distance between them collapsing in an instant. She smiled sharply, rising so that now she stood directly before him. The line of her closed flesh pressed against his vision.
”Good,” she said. “Then teach me what you’ve learned.”
”…Meaning?” he asked.
”Do not make me spell it out. Serve me.”
She followed the line of his gaze, the corners of her mouth bending high. Baring her jagged teeth in a grin, she touched herself, and with a careless spread of her fingers, peeled her flesh open.
Wet folds parted, bare of any hair. Though split wide, her entrance was clenched so tightly no opening could be seen.
”You stray toward that other because you fail to grasp my worth,” she said. “Foxkin are vile and closed. They have spent their lives harassing others—filth fit for nothing. Do not waste your feelings on them. Do not pity them. Klock, look at me.”
Her strange approach left him momentarily unsettled. But he saw it for what it was: seduction, a strategy to pull his gaze from the fox princess and bind his loyalty instead to her.
”Drink my honey. Cultivate your devotion to me. Let yourself grow hard if you must. That fox princess would only bare her claws at the sight of you aroused, would bare her fangs the moment she scented your heat. But I permit it. Ravage me like a beast. Show me a love beyond your measure. I allow it.”
The princess spread herself with unshakable confidence, her tone ringing with imperious command. He had never heard a seduction so brazen, so lofty, so impossible—save that she was a princess, and thus could wear it like a crown.
Look at me.
Let your eyes always chase my hips. Await my whims. When our eyes meet, boast of your strength as a male. If another watches, declare proudly you are my consort. Renounce that woman. Devote yourself only to me.
Not the fox princess—me, the Wolf Princess.
Swear loyalty, and you will be rewarded. Switch your allegiance if you want to touch.
That was her meaning. She declared herself a princess one could touch—an idol in flesh—flashing her sex to rival the fox’s breasts. It was temptation so blunt, so direct, it could only be called a recruitment.
”—Nnn…”
Her muffled voice filled the small chamber.
A wet drip echoed, like water falling from a stalactite. Then came the sound of a kiss, wet and lingering, pressing into the silence.
Notes:
• Cianie – A noble girl with a fluffy white and light blue dress, indicating her high status. She has a hesitant and flustered personality but is kind and courteous. Her relationship with Klock begins as an accidental encounter and develops into a romantic interest. She has a fiancé but expresses feelings for Klock, complicating their relationship.
• Tiet – A companion and friend of Anna. A holy knight from the royal capital. She wears light armor and carries a shield adorned with a dragon holding a sword, indicating her affiliation with the National Military Police. She is concerned about Anna’s well-being and tries to support her emotionally.
• Anna – The legendary Hero, chosen to defeat the Demon Lord. Her past life is Sylvia Croce. She is described as a heavenly being with overwhelming skill and a merciless attitude.
• Hermine – Daughter of the Emperor of the Second Empire of Dusselhelm. A companion and friend of Anna. The mage. She is pragmatic and encourages Anna to focus on her duties as a hero rather than her personal revenge.
• Oriana – A Princess. A companion who assists in explaining the situation to the kingdom. She is supportive and helps Anna navigate her responsibilities. Her appearance is slender, with dark hair and sharp features.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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