Chapter 20 : Werewolf Princess III

Following Ham’s Fist, we were guided around the camp for quite a while.

Despite having toured all the areas within the camp, Hwanggu’s memory didn’t seem to return.

“Do you really not remember anything…?”

“Grr…!”

Hwanggu only showed hostility in response.

Ham’s Fist turned his head to secretly wipe away tears.

I folded my arms and looked at the large cage located in a secluded corner.

I didn’t know where they had gotten it, but inside the sturdy iron cage were naked humans, cramped together.

They were barely breathing, looking lifeless with lost will.

Just as humans used to raise pigs or cows like livestock, werewolves had started raising humans.

However, since human growth is very slow, they didn’t yield much meat for the time invested.

Therefore, the werewolves here chose a very efficient method.

“Charlotte?”

At that moment, I heard Ham’s Fist calling.

When I slightly turned my head, Ham’s Fist continued with an awkward smile.

“It’s almost meal time. Would you like to join us?”

“Ah…”

I nodded unconsciously.

As the werewolves began preparing the meal, they bustled about.

Some carried red potions, while others brought sharp cleavers and buckets.

Seeing the werewolves move, the humans trapped in the cage started reacting too.

“No, stop!”

“Please, no!”

“Save us!”

Cries of despair.

Those who had been limp began reaching out through the bars, frantically.

The werewolves watched without blinking.

They even licked their lips, anticipating the meat they were about to eat.

A werewolf with a large cleaver walked into the cage and locked the door behind him.

Then, the cleaver began to move.

“Aaah!”

The targeted human struggled, but there wasn’t much he could do.

Flailing his arms and legs, screaming was all he could manage.

With each swing of the blade, red blood and meat fell into the bucket.

How much time had passed?

When the human, foaming at the mouth, stopped reacting, the werewolf poured a red potion over his body.

The potion’s effect was immediate on the wounds.

Just like replenishing lost strength, the severed body parts began to regenerate.

It felt like watching a vampire’s body regenerate.

“Aaah!”

The targeted human struggled, but there wasn’t much he could do.

Flailing his arms and legs, screaming was all he could manage.

With each swing of the blade, red blood and meat fell into the bucket.

How much time had passed?

When the human, foaming at the mouth, stopped reacting, the werewolf poured a red potion over his body.

The potion’s effect was immediate on the wounds.

Just like replenishing lost strength, the severed body parts began to regenerate.

It felt like watching a vampire’s body regenerate.

The werewolf marked the healed human’s arm with an X using a marker and threw him into the corner of the cage.

“Wow… Is the blood for us?”

It was Aurel’s question.

She seemed unfazed by the scene, merely licking her lips.

“Yes, of course.”

Ham’s Fist nodded confidently.

I watched the scene with a bitter expression.

I thought I had adapted to the changed world, but witnessing this scene firsthand felt strange.

It wasn’t that the werewolves’ methods were wrong.

Weren’t they a species that had to eat human meat to survive?

It was likely an unavoidable choice for them.

If they supplied meat in this way, it meant other humans wouldn’t have to be sacrificed.

It was merely the sacrifice of the few for the many.

At least, that’s what I wanted to believe.

“Let’s go, Charlotte.”

Even as I followed Ham’s Fist to the dining area, I couldn’t take my eyes off the cage in the corner.

Another scream of despair echoed.

The meal took place inside a large military tent.

The werewolves had put some effort into the interior decoration.

Luxurious-looking chairs and tables, and candlesticks adorned with skulls.

Even the tableware looked quite upscale.

The wine glasses prepared for Aurel and me, as vampires, were no exception.

As we sat and waited, a female werewolf approached, pushing a cart into the tent.

Judging by the smell, the cart was likely filled with human meat and blood.

As expected, the werewolf woman began setting the table with food.

When the bright red meat, dripping with blood, was placed on the plate, Ham’s Fist and Hwanggu licked their lips.

The werewolf woman took out a large bottle and poured blood into the wine glasses in front of Aurel and me.

The warmth indicated it was freshly drawn blood.

I rested my chin on the table and swirled the wine glass.

The rich scent of blood wafted gently as the glass swirled.

Though no one announced the start of the meal, Ham’s Fist and Hwanggu had already begun eating.

Ham’s Fist used a knife and fork to cut the red meat.

In contrast, Hwanggu used only a fork to devour the meat.

His mouth bulged, and red blood dripped from his lips.

Is it really that tasty?

I narrowed my eyes and continued to swirl the wine glass.

The scent of blood grew stronger.

The vampire instinct kept stimulating my salivary glands.

“Aren’t you eating?”

“Um…”

I paused at Aurel’s question.

Despite her excited expression, Aurel hadn’t touched the blood yet.

It was as if she was waiting for me to drink first.

Since waking up in this world, I had never tasted human blood.

During battles, it was the shadow that devoured the opponent’s body, so I never had the chance to taste it.

“Is there something you don’t like…”

“No.”

Ham’s Fist watched me anxiously.

In the end, I had no choice but to tilt the glass in my hand.

The blood began to flow slowly.

The warmth of freshly drawn blood touched my lips.

One sip.

The blood spread slowly across my tongue.

“Ha”

The first thing I noticed was that I had let out a short exclamation.

I hadn’t even realized I had done it.

The initial taste my tongue registered was sweetness.

It felt like melted chocolate gently enveloping my tongue.

Blood, which should have tasted metallic, felt sweet.

A vampire’s tongue must have a peculiar structure.

The second taste I noticed was a subtle bitterness spreading.

Without this bitterness, I might have drowned in the sea of sweetness forever.

It was a taste that seemed to stimulate all the taste buds on my tongue.

Every cell in my body began to heat up as if dancing.

Just one sip, and I felt this good.

What would happen if I drank the entire glass?

I finally understood why Aurel was so enthusiastic about human blood.

Anyone who tasted this would be ecstatic.

The small worry that had been occupying a corner of my mind vanished instantly.

Of course, that worry was about the human cage.

Now, I didn’t care at all.

The only thing I cared about was the wine glass in my hand.

Unable to suppress a faint smile, I tilted the glass.

There was no alcohol in the blood.

But I started to feel giddy, as if I were drunk.

My legs, which had been still, began to swing back and forth slowly.

When I glanced down, I saw that Aurel and Hwanggu were also swinging their legs.

I suddenly realized that the atmosphere had softened.

I took a sip from my glass and casually asked a question.

“Ham’s Fist.”

“Yes?”

“I have a question. Can you answer it?”

Ham’s Fist nodded eagerly, with a fork in his mouth. Despite his massive size, his actions were quite delicate.

I savored the blood in my mouth and chose my words carefully.

Hadn’t I decided to ask what I was curious about when meeting a werewolf?

“The full moon-”

Bang-!

Just as I was about to start speaking, a sudden gunshot rang out.

Hwanggu’s ears, sitting next to me, perked up.

As soon as I recognized the gunshot, the pungent smell of silver began to fill the air.

The mix of silver and blood smells indicated that a werewolf outside had been injured.

Guns and silver bullets.

Only human users could use both.

“This is…!”

Ham’s Fist stood up abruptly, looking furious.

“Humans! It’s a human attack! Everyone, fight!”

Bang! Ratatatatata!

The werewolves’ shouts and gunfire echoed from all directions.

Aurel, looking very startled, crouched and hid under the table.

“Charlotte! Please take care of the Princess!”

Ham’s Fist shouted as he rushed out.

As he ran out, Ham’s Fist transformed into a half-human, half-beast form by the time he exited the military tent.

“Cha, Charlotte…”

I nodded at Aurel’s call, leaning my sluggish body against the chair.

Was it because I drank the blood? My body felt limp, as if I were drunk.

However, all my senses were heightened.

The smell of human blood drifting through the air told me how many attackers there were.

Twenty.

A lot.

The pungent smell of silver indicated they had prepared a significant amount of silver bullets.

Aaaah-!

The desperate screams were indistinguishable.

“Hwanggu, what do you want to do?”

“Pardon?”

“This is your home, isn’t it?”

Hwanggu might not remember, but this was definitely her home.

If she wanted help, I wouldn’t refuse.

“I don’t know…”

Hwanggu replied, her tail drooping.

She looked at me with a confused expression.

“Then I’ll do as I please?”

“Yes!”

I gulped down the contents of my glass and stood up.

Flutter-!

The moment I thought I needed wings,

a pair of massive shadow wings spread out behind me.

However,

their size was unusual.

“Gasp…”

“Wow…”

Aurel and Hwanggu gasped in amazement at my wings.

The wings that spread out now were about twice as large as usual.