Chapter 69: The Devil That Follows Like a Shadow

It had been less than two months since she left her village, yet to Hitana, it felt like two years.

Everything from being abducted by Count Chishuang to now seemed like a fantastical, absurd dream.

The good, the bad, what angered her, what saddened her, what she cherished, what she abandoned… all of it, because of Anselm’s words, became a heartbreaking void.

Hitana Lansmarlos had been played like a clown, yet time and again, she had felt genuine emotions.

And that man who never lied to her… heh, in the end, he kept his promise with brutal honesty.

But in the days and nights after leaving Chishuang City, Hitana wished countless times that he would deceive her forever.

She had lost her sister and the person who changed her life.

She pondered endlessly, wondering why Anselm had to confess everything, knowing it would drive her away.

After her anger subsided, all that remained was an unfillable loneliness and emptiness.

No matter how she thought, she found no answer—or rather… she didn’t want one.

Because these days, the only answer she could reach was… Anselm had grown tired of her.

He no longer needed her, so, knowing she’d leave upon learning the truth, he told her everything.

This, Hitana could not accept.

Because Anselm had clearly said…

“He said… he wouldn’t abandon me.”

The dazed girl stared at her reflection in the icy lake, murmuring.

Hitana was never one for great wisdom. Her departure was purely from the collapse, anger, and despair of being manipulated.

But letting go of Anselm in such a short time was utterly impossible.

“…Go die, liar.”

The wolf wiped away her weakness and confusion with icy water, her wet, snow-white short hair framing her cold, lifeless eyes.

The road home was long, yet not so long.

With her pace, she reached the village in four days, but the things she encountered along the way made her already guarded, cold heart even more isolated and dangerous.

In those four days, she met not a single good person.

Leaving Chishuang Territory, she took only her belongings, and all her money came from robbing robbers.

Bandits, swindlers, poisoners in food and inns…

These days, Hitana keeps recalling Anselm’s casual chats.

“Hitana, kindness and wealth aren’t directly linked.”

“But often, wealth brings composure, while poverty leaves no choices.”

“When we don’t consider the reasons for wealth or poverty, who’s more likely to resort to unscrupulous means: the composed or the choiceless?”

Hitana had once cursed Anselm’s nonsense, accusing him of blurring good and evil, but he only smiled and said:

“I’m not discussing good and evil, Hitana. I’m just explaining the choices people make based on their circumstances and positions.”

“But you don’t judge good and evil by the outcomes of choices, only by their positions. That might be right for you, but it’s not necessarily a good thing.”

“It’s almost like a beast protecting its pack, heh heh…”

Words like these, and many more… Now, thinking back, Hitana realized he had hinted at this countless times.

But she had never listened, not once.

Even now, she refused to dwell on Anselm’s complicated reasoning.

“Don’t think about him anymore.”

She muttered the words she’d repeated countless times these four days, taking the final steps home.

Her village was near this icy lake, just past a forest.

There were many paths to it, but Hitana chose the longest, walking slowly, laboriously.

How should she explain her return to her parents?

How could she avoid breaking their hearts?

How would the villagers see her?

Hitana had lost enough.

She couldn’t bear to lose these last, cherished things too.

Then she’d truly… have nothing left.

Silently crossing the dense forest, the fresh scent stirred memories, softening the cold expression she’d worn for so long.

She recalled her father teaching her to hunt, the thrill and joy; resting on her mother’s lap under the sun, warm and peaceful; playing with friends in the woods, free and happy. Hitana thought of so much… things she missed, cherished, and couldn’t lose.

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, letting the familiar vitality of family and friends rekindle on her face.

Never before had she done this—the wolf, always wearing her emotions openly, had learned to wear a mask.

“Growth… heh.”

The girl gave a cold laugh, tinged with both mockery and desolation.

Then she slapped her cheeks, striding along the path out of the forest.

One turn around a towering tree, and she’d see her village—

Village… village?

Emerging from the woods, Hitana stared blankly ahead.

There was no familiar village.

Instead, an unbelievable… small city?

With her keen eyesight, she could easily see the once-poor, ramshackle village now encircled by a five-meter-high stone wall.

The dilapidated wooden huts she knew should have been covered by it were replaced by grand, standalone villas.

A towering windmill seemed to proclaim the village’s rebirth; a distant canal, far beyond the villagers’ ability to dig, suggested noble blood would flow through this ordinary place; a wide, smooth road extending from the village entrance, never in her memory, heralded a flat, bright, unobstructed future.

This was her village?

That utterly ordinary, impoverished place, common across the North?

In less than two months, what had happened here?

Hitana’s briefly relaxed heart tightened again. She hesitated, even with the place holding all she had left right before her.

Until an excited bark in the distance made the choice for her.

“Will, wait… Will, why are you running so fast? Wi—Hitana?!”

A plain-looking girl with slightly rough but miraculously healthy, rosy skin—showing no signs of the cold wave’s toll, radiating vitality unlike someone from a rundown village—chased a wildly excited fat dog.

Seeing Hitana standing afar, she covered her mouth with both hands.

Hitana, equally stunned, stared at the girl.

Was that… Ruiyota?

Wasn’t Ruiyota thin and sickly before I left?

Where did those fancy clothes come from?

—After everything she’d been through, Hitana already knew the answer deep down, but even now, she refused to accept it.

“Hitana, it’s really you!”

The girl, tears of joy streaming, ran over as excitedly as her dog.

The frail girl from Hitana’s memory, who’d gasp just reaching the village gate, seemed nonexistent.

“Woof! Woof woof woof!”

The dog named Will wagged its tail frantically, circling Hitana.

Will was Ruiyota’s family hunting dog, essential for a good hunter.

Hitana had a great bond with it, often feeding it for Ruiyota’s father.

But this dog, not robust just over a month ago, was now so fat she barely recognized it.

“Hitana!”

Ruiyota threw herself into Hitana’s arms. “You’re finally back! I missed you so much!”

The village was small, with only a few playmates her age.

Most had left for the city to seek a living, leaving just five behind.

Ruiyota was Hitana’s best friend.

They shared everything, often sleeping in the same bed.

Ruiyota’s father, a friend of Hitana’s, taught her many hunting skills, her second mentor.

“Yota…”

Hitana gently hugged her friend’s shoulders, her doubts and hesitations dissolving in that moment.

Yes, what was there to doubt or hesitate about? The village had changed—so what? Her friends, her family, the people she knew and cared for hadn’t. That was what mattered—

“Mm… Hitana.”

Ruiyota, nestled in her arms, sniffed. “Is there… a smell on you?”

The warm smile on Hitana’s face froze.

“Ah, never mind! You’re back, that’s what matters. Come to my place to bathe! We don’t need to boil water anymore; we’ve got hot water, like nobles use, called… uh, I forgot. You’ve gotta try…”

Ruiyota’s words paused, then she laughed happily again. “Oh, what am I saying? You’ve been in Chishuang City with Lord Hydra—you must’ve experienced it already! I’m so jealous!”

Her words held no jealousy or malice, but their sincere, genuine admiration made Hitana’s heart ache sharply.

“Hitana, Hitana, what’s Lord Hydra like? The people who came to the village said he’s really good-looking!”

Ruiyota clung to Hitana’s arm, looking up with a playful smile. “And you’re so pretty too, maybe, hehe… Hitana?”

The enthusiastic girl finally noticed something off in her friend’s expression, asking softly with concern, “What’s wrong?”

“…Nothing.”

After a brief silence, Hitana forced a smile. “Just thinking about some things, zoned out for a bit.”

Ruiyota let out a relieved sigh, patting her chest. “You scared me! Every time you make that face, you’re super mad!”

The corner of Hitana’s mouth twitched slightly. “Maybe I’m faking it. Maybe I’m actually a little upset?”

Ruiyota froze, then burst into laughter, clutching her stomach.

“Hahaha, Hitana, it’s only been a few days, and you’re telling jokes! The Hitana I know could never hide her feelings! And—”

She turned to look at the village, her tone brimming with envy. “Working for Lord Hydra—what’s there to be upset about? Look, the village is so big and beautiful now. Everyone eats their fill every day, no more starving!”

Ruiyota hugged Hitana tightly. “This is all thanks to you, Hitana!”

“What’s there to be upset about, working for Lord Hydra?”

“…”

What’s there… to be upset about?

Just… just being toyed with like a clown or a puppet, what’s there to be upset about?

Right, Hitana?

The grown wolf looked at the village that raised her, then at her familiar yet unfamiliar friend.

She gave a soft laugh, her eyes lowering as she hugged her friend back.

“Yeah, you’re right, Yota.”

“What do I have to be upset about?”

***

Returning home in glory—Hitana didn’t know the phrase.

But when Anselm first suggested she go home, her heart had been filled with hope and anticipation.

She had dreamed of the village thriving because of her, her family happy because of her.

She had longed for the surprised, admiring looks from her friends and elders, as if saying, “Hitana, you’re amazing.”

And the moment she stepped into the village, she did feel those looks.

Not just looks, but cheers.

Such lively, warm cheers, even in the harsh winter after the great cold wave.

Everything was as Hitana had hoped.

“Why am I back? Well… I just wanted to come back. Hydra doesn’t keep me on a tight leash.”

“Looking messy? What do you mean, messy! This is what I wore when I left!”

“By myself? Marina’s working for Hydra… Huh? Why didn’t I take a carriage? Can’t I exercise?

One punch, and you’d be flat, Carver!”

Hitana bantered cheerfully with the villagers, her vibrant enthusiasm matching the Hitana they knew.

“Lord Hydra must have some patience to deal with your personality,” a young man teased. “Are you really just working for him?”

Hitana shot him a glare, and the young man instinctively flinched, likely used to her beatings from childhood.

Surrounded by the crowd, Hitana walked to the village center.

She could barely recognize the paths now, identifying houses only by their general locations.

She even saw, in the middle of the village, where children used to play, a statue of Hydra.

The statue’s smooth, glossy texture showed it was tended daily.

The wolf, having escaped the devil who toyed with her life and emotions, stood ironically by his side once more.

And with a face full of joy and excitement, she raised her arm and shouted:“Everyone! Your Hitana is back!”

“Wooo—!”

From the scenery, streets, houses, and everyone’s clothes and spirits, it didn’t feel like villagers welcoming a returning child but like a speech in a town square.

A month could change much.

It could teach a wild beast to wear a mask, just as it could turn a poor, rundown village into an enviable paradise.

The villagers escorted Hitana to her home, and the girl stood speechless before a restrained yet luxurious three-story villa.

“What do you think? Shocked, right?” Ruiyota giggled, nudging Hitana’s shoulder. “We were even more stunned! A bunch of fancy nobles rushed to your house, healed Uncle Orlan on the spot, and built this house the next day… Everyone was floored.”

“Alright, alright, let Hitana go home. Disperse, don’t crowd here!”

Ruiyota shielded Hitana, waving her hands fiercely at the crowd. “Wait for Uncle Orlan and Aunt Yarlana to return. Don’t disturb their family reunion!”

“Uncle Orlan and Aunt Yarlana are probably still hunting in the big snow forest behind the village. They’ll be back soon.”

Ruiyota turned to Hitana. “Uncle Orlan’s been amazing since he recovered! In less than half a month, my dad says he’s about to become the village’s best hunter again… Oh, no, you’re the best, hehe.”

Hitana’s dear friend hugged her again. “I won’t keep you from reuniting with your uncle and aunt. You love them most, right?”

She stepped back, waving. “We’re planning a welcome party tonight. Look forward to it!”

Hitana nodded with a bright smile, watching her friend and the villagers leave.

Only when they were gone did she turn, expressionless, to her new home.

“…Should I be grateful that Hydra, for Marina’s sake, might show some mercy?”

The girl tugged at her lips, pushing open the unlocked door and stepping inside.

The interior wasn’t extravagant.

Hitana knew her father’s character—the honest hunter wouldn’t appreciate or accept lavish decor.

But a lack of opulence didn’t mean the furnishings weren’t costly.

The moment she entered, warmth enveloped her.

She quickly spotted a heating lamp like those in Anselm’s manor, though this one looked cheaper.

The whole house likely had the heating spells Anselm mentioned.

For a humble hunter’s family in a rundown village to use transcendent methods only wealthy city merchants might afford was almost excessively luxurious.

Hitana silently climbed to the second floor, where three bedrooms were—likely for her parents, herself, and Marina.

In their old wooden shack, the family had squeezed into one room, sleeping on two beds.

She entered one bedroom, certain it was hers.

Familiar items adorned it—her first hunting trophy, a bone necklace made from ten beasts’ fangs, her first self-made bow, a wooden toy she broke as a child…

As her hand brushed these objects, a genuine, heartfelt smile slowly bloomed on Hitana’s face.

The girl lay on the clean, tidy bed, its faint fragrance pleasant—a scent her old wooden bed and worn quilt could never produce.

Yet Hitana thought of that old scent, not out of nostalgia for past hardships, but because of her friend’s casual remark.

[Why do you smell like that?]

In just over a month, a person could forget the scent they’d known for over a decade.

Hitana closed her eyes wearily.

She didn’t want to think or pretend anymore.

She just wanted to rest in this small, safe haven.

But her vigilance these past days kept her from falling into deep sleep, lingering in a half-dream state.

When she heard movement downstairs, she jolted awake, taking a few seconds to realize this was her home.

Then she panicked, scrambling to recapture the feeling she had entering the village.

She pursed her lips, lifted the corners with her hands, curved her eyes, forcing a happy expression.

“Hitana?”

Two distinct voices made her more nervous.

She answered reflexively, then rubbed her cheeks hard, breathing deeply, deeply.

When her long-unseen parents appeared at her door, Hitana was ready. She spread her arms, smiling brightly: “Dad, Mom, I’m back!”

But her parents, an ordinary hunter couple, stood frozen, silent.

“What’s wrong?” Hitana tilted her head. “Not happy to see me?”

“Hitana…”

The man, initially overjoyed, hesitated. He looked into his daughter’s eyes for a long time, saying softly, “Are you… tired?”

This time, Hitana froze.

The refined, slightly thin woman beside him walked in, sitting by Hitana’s side.

“It’s okay, Hitana.”

A mother comforted her daughter gently, pulling her head to her shoulder, her voice soft and warm.

“You’re home.”

The scarred wolf, silent, hugged her mother tightly.

Clinging to the last, most cherished thing she had.

“…Mm.”

After a long silence, she murmured softly, sinking down as she did as a child, falling asleep peacefully on her mother’s lap.

Yarlana tenderly stroked her daughter’s cheek.

Orlan leaned against the doorframe, his rugged Northland face softening.

“They’re planning a welcome party for Hitana,” Yarlana said.

“I’ll tell them she’s tired.”

Orlan nodded and left.

If Hitana could hear her parents, the happiness melting her loneliness and coldness would have grown even more.

But in truth… Hitana, sleeping happily, didn’t find the peace she sought.

For in this dim dreamscape—

She saw that devil again.

Tap, tap, tap.

The sound of a cane echoed, growing closer in the empty darkness.

The creature Hitana loathed most emerged from the dark, smiling at her.

His radiant golden hair and warm, gentle voice were the perfect irony against his actions.

“Hydra!!!”

Hitana roared in fury. “Why is it you again? Get out! I won’t do anything for you anymore! Get out!”

“Hitana.”

The young Hydra ignored her rage, speaking lightly:

“If I said everything you’ve done since we met was within my plans…”

“Then why do you think your departure wasn’t part of my design?”

A bone-chilling cold pierced Hitana’s heart, spreading to her limbs.

“Speaking of, it’s been a while since I’ve trained your temperament—”

With the upper half of his face shrouded in darkness, Hydra’s playful, gleeful smile stood out starkly in Hitana’s vision.

“How about we take this rare chance…”

He snapped his fingers, and the collar Hitana had cast aside reappeared on her neck.

The devil bowed slightly, extending an invitation to the chained wolf:

“Come, dance with me, my dear.”

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