TCCIO 20

Chapter 20. A Wolf!!

Aaron realized his mistake and quickly turned on his heel, storming out of the barracks. Dyke and his men, who had already returned, were waiting outside for the commander’s orders.

“Commander, what’s going on? Should we call off the search for the prisoner?”

“No. Continue the search, but change the direction.”

“What? Then where should we be searching?”

In response to Dyke’s question, Aaron lifted his head and looked around the camp. A chilly night breeze brushed against his cheek. The enormous Tarenz Mountains still lay dormant in the deep darkness, absorbing all light and sound, as if the entire mountain was asleep. Aaron clenched his fists tightly. Since the prisoner had fled without a word, she couldn’t have gotten far. He couldn’t let himself lose her so easily—not without a fight. He had to retrieve her.

Just as Aaron prepared to issue his next order, a sharp gunshot rang out from the mountains behind the camp. It was not a shot one would fire while secretly fleeing in silence. It was the kind of shot that should never be heard—but it shook the mountain. Everyone, including Aaron, turned toward the sound in unison.

<30 Minutes Earlier>

The command tent was silent, devoid of movement. Since all the Imperial soldiers had been mobilized to search for the prisoner, the camp was eerily quiet. Beneath that heavy silence, something stirred. Like a sinister ghost crawling across the ground, a figure slithered out from beneath the bed.

“Ah. What a madman.”

Delia stretched her cramped limbs and clapped the dust off herself. She shook her tangled hair loose with a sigh.

“If you’re going to leave, do it quickly. Why drag it out so long?”

She grumbled while glancing around the tent. The insane Commander had left with his men to search for her.

“Didn’t even realize I was still here.”

Thanks to that, the tent was now filled with a silence too heavy for one person to bear. Short as their time together had been, traces of the two lingered everywhere. He was her enemy, here to take Iorenti—but his touch had been delicate and gentle. The strength with which he parted her lips, the hand that caressed her hair, the gaze that examined her wounds… She often found herself submitting to him and then startling at her own reaction. Just the memory of his touch made her heart ache. She hated how easily she was swept up by him.

“But now, you’re done.”

Once she left this place, she wouldn’t have to think about him again. Or at least that’s what she told herself. Though… maybe she’d remember his touch from time to time. Just a little.

“Goodbye, Commander. Let’s never meet again.”

As if shaking him off, Delia moved toward the exit, but her eyes landed on the chair where he used to sit. Hanging there was his uniform, and her gaze lingered. The uniform carried his cool scent. It was something that felt as solid as his presence. She walked over and cautiously touched it before boldly snatching it off the chair.

“I’m taking this. Think of it as payment for everything you put me through.”

The forest nights were bitterly cold. With the warmth of his coat, she might survive the night. Besides, it was black and covered her white shirt well—perfect for hiding. Why his jacket instead of a cloak? She wasn’t sure. But by then, Delia had already left the tent wearing Aaron’s black uniform. She melted into the shadows of the empty camp. With the place nearly deserted, no one was around to block her escape—except for a stray guard.

“Huh?”

The guard squinted at a shadowy figure flitting through the dark. It looked like someone wearing an Imperial uniform. Who was running up so cheerfully?

“Huh?!”

Then, flowing golden hair shimmered in the moonlight.

“Ugh!”

Realizing who it was, the guard received a punch to the jaw and collapsed backward. His head hit the hard ground, and he blacked out.

“Wow. You even came out to see me off.”

Delia bent down and snatched the guard’s gun, then unbuckled the sword from his belt and took it. She patted his chest and found a hidden dagger in the inner pocket. Considering all she had suffered, this much was fair—more than fair.

“Thanks for the parting gift,” she whispered, checking the gun. Powdered and loaded—it was ready to kill. Slinging it over her shoulder, she glanced around. She had to escape before the guard woke up or someone else noticed. But where should she go? Naturally, the royal capital.

She had to get back quickly and warn them about the Empire’s new weapons. But that mad commander had likely predicted this—he already had soldiers posted on the road to the capital. She had no choice but to take the long way around.

Gripping the sword tightly, Delia began to climb the mountain behind the camp. The rough branches scratched her cheeks, and the thorny shrubs tore at her legs, but she had no time to worry. She had to get as far away from the camp as possible. Though his coat felt unusually heavy, pulling her down, she clutched the collar and pressed on.

Panting hard, she raised the gun toward the moonlight. The barrel reflected the moon like a blade, and for a moment, she could almost see his sharp eyes flashing in the glint. The Empire’s guns—she had seen one earlier at the hunting grounds. They looked similar to Iorenti’s guns on the outside, but the difference in performance was chilling. The Empire’s guns fired with just a small pull of the trigger, and the time between ignition and firing was much shorter. They had long ranges, able to shoot deer far beyond where she could detect them. Their accuracy was beyond imagination. That kind of difference could decide the war.

The thought filled her with urgency. She couldn’t waste any more time as a prisoner. She had to get back and formulate a plan against the new weapon.

Delia’s sprint slowed. A sudden chill crawled up her spine.
Grrrrrr.
A low growl echoed through the quiet forest.

Wild, feral bloodlust thickened around her. Glowing eyes pierced the darkness in front of her.
Wolves!!
As she backed away in alarm, more glowing eyes appeared. One, two… soon, she was surrounded by over a dozen wolves from the Tarenz Mountains, baring their teeth and stalking their prey.

“Hey, guys…”

Delia cautiously addressed them, tightening her grip on the sword.

“I’m really busy right now. Can we fight later?”

Her voice trembled slightly. Wolves in front of her. The silver wolf surely chasing from behind. Surrounded on all sides, her breath tightened.

“There’s a real scary wolf chasing me from down there.”

Moonlight glinted off sharp fangs as the wolves inched closer.

“If I get caught by that lunatic, both you and I are done for.”

She looked for an escape route, heart pounding.

“If you let me go now, I swear I’ll never forget it.”

Snap!
A branch cracked under her foot. The sound triggered an attack—a wolf leaped at her from the right. Delia hurled her dagger into its face. The blade sank between its eyes. Another wolf lunged from behind, and she rolled to dodge it just in time. As she got back on her feet, another charged from the front.

Delia crouched and gripped her sword tight. She had to escape. Compared to the real wolf down the mountain, these were nothing—nothing at all.

The charging wolf lunged for her. She twisted her body and plunged her sword deep into its neck. Blood sprayed like a fountain. Two wolves down in an instant made the others hesitate.

“Let’s end it here. It’s better for both of us.”

She wiped the blood from her face and glanced around. Still seven or eight wolves stalked her.

“We’re on the same side, you know. You’re Iorenti wolves—I’m an Iorenti princess.”

She controlled her ragged breathing and gripped her sword again. Her injured arm throbbed.

“We all live under the same Iorenti sky. No need to fight like this.”

Despite her plea, the wolves growled and kept advancing. Delia glanced at the gun on her back. She could shoot them—but the noise would bring him. She couldn’t afford that. And yet, the snarling wolves left her little choice. Her hand crept toward the gun.

“The real enemy’s down there. Let’s not fight among ourselves.”

Grrrrr.
As if they understood the word “enemy,” two wolves charged her at once. She ducked, slashing the first one’s leg, then twisted her sword to stab the second one in the gut. She yanked her sword free, but another wolf lunged before she could react.

She really didn’t want to fire the gun… but the fangs were too close.

She pulled the gun off her back, aimed, and pulled the trigger—just like she’d seen him do.

Bang!
The sharp crack rang out. The lunging wolf collapsed mid-air. The dead beast still had the barrel of the gun between its jaws. A moment later, that would’ve been her in its mouth.

Delia’s lips were dry from tension.

“Damn it… I really didn’t want to go this far.”

She forced herself upright and looked at the remaining wolves. Unlike her, they were not tiring. Their growls only grew more vicious.

She couldn’t retreat. The standoff thickened with tension.

How would she take down the rest?

Her eyes darted. Three steps ahead—her sword still stuck in the body of a fallen wolf. Her eyes sharpened.

As if reading each other’s minds, Delia and three wolves leapt toward the sword at the same time.