Rampage

“Oh, you’re heading to the Imperial Capital, right.

Go in this direction.

In about two days, you’ll reach a relay station.

Follow the station’s carriage and you’ll be able to get to the Imperial Capital.”

The old man pointed toward the distance and spoke with a thoughtful expression.

I shouldn’t be mistaken.

I only went there once ten years ago.

He himself no longer clearly remembered whether this was the correct road.

“Ah! Thank you, Grandpa!

I’ll be leaving now!”

Inside the black, tattered cloak was a lively young girl.

She even seemed quite well-mannered.

If it were another young person, they might have called him an old geezer instead…

Before long, the girl vanished from sight.

How strange.

He himself had been heading toward the outskirts of the primeval forest to gather branches for firewood,

yet this girl seemed to have walked out from within it,

as though she were a forest goddess descending from the depths of the ancient woods…

Sigh, all things pass…

When will you return after leaving me…

He thought again of his own child,

who had left the village and never returned.

Only the money mailed back each time proved that he was still alive…

Sigh, little did anyone know that compared to money,

what he truly wanted was for his son to return,

to spend more time with him.

For he himself could already sense a strange odor emanating from his body,

as though one foot had already stepped into the grave…

Life is like a dream…

Without realizing it, he had already reached his twilight years…

Gradually, he sank once more into deep thought…

Then he suddenly realized something was wrong, shook his head, and walked straight into the forest.

His steps were unsteady,

as if he could collapse at any moment…

He traveled westward all the way,

following the banks of the Bodo River that ran through the entire country.

Without realizing it, a whole month had passed.

Eating roasted meat and wild fruits every day,

another month passed without noticing.

She had grown sick of it,

but she had no choice.

Food was precious,

and every meal had to be taken with gratitude.

That was what her master had taught her…

Following her master’s teachings—

that was her one and only creed.

Under the cloak, two protruding shapes bounced constantly.

Her body was trembling.

Mm…

A powerful monster.

She felt it.

The relay station required coins to take her along,

and she had none.

So she could only follow the general direction people pointed out

and press forward without hesitation…

She lowered her cloak.

The cloak, once exquisitely engraved with beautiful patterns,

had its hem worn down by long journeys.

Yet because of its excellent quality,

it could still keep out the cold and wind.

“Master, I’m going to find Ailen now…”

“Wait for me…

You must wait for me…”

“Whoosh!—”

A fierce wind blew,

and the monster appeared…

Wind Demon Beast — Gale Wolf.

Seems like a wolf king…

What a hassle…

Gale Wolves are known for speed.

When they run, they are even faster than birds of prey.

And usually, Gale Wolves appear in packs.

For an ordinary warrior,

encountering a group of Gale Wolves is nothing short of a death sentence…

Yet this Gale Wolf King was traveling alone…

Perhaps it was hunting food for its cubs…

Because Gale Wolves only act alone when raising their young…

“Wolf meat for dinner today…”

She lifted the ink-black cloak and tossed it beside the campfire…

“Eightfold Shadow — Punch.”

Between her hands burst blazing afterimages like raging flames…

The duel between the hellhound and the wolf king…

had begun…

………………

“Where is this…?

It’s pitch black…”

The silver-haired girl wandered in the darkness.

“Your heart.”

A crisp, pleasant female voice immediately replied from the darkness.

“Who are you…?”

Ailen asked toward the source of the voice…

“I am you…”

Suddenly, a girl identical to herself appeared before her…

“Or rather, Ailen…”

In an instant, a blond boy appeared behind the silver-haired girl…

There was a hint of heroic spirit between his brows…

“Who… are you?”

Ailen asked the boy.

This person felt extremely familiar,

yet she could not recall who he truly was…

“You’re tired…

You need to rest.”

The boy said.

Suddenly, she found herself lying on a bed.

“Sleep…

We’ll take care of them for you…

You’re really tired…”

The two voices overlapped…

Gradually, they faded away…

“No…

I can’t just fall asleep like this…”

She forced her eyes open…

Blood.

It was blood.

The ground was covered in blood,

as if I was… chewing on something?!

Meat…

It is… human flesh.

Why does it taste like this…

The smell of blood…

So sweet…

This nectar-like sensation…

Once you taste the first drop, you can never stop…

Is this what addiction feels like…

No… no… stop…

I can’t drink anymore…

Ugh, it’s so disgusting…

I want to vomit,

but it’s so sweet… so sweet…

So red… so sweet… so red…

Like the color of roses…

Yet it emits the stench of rusty iron…

My mind feels like it’s breaking…

Disgusting, yet nauseating…

“Ptoo…”

The man in black spat a mouthful of saliva onto my face…

The man in black…

No…

I want to run, to find someone for help…

Eh, I want to run…

But…

Wasn’t I already dead…?

That hateful gaze…

That gaze as if looking at a disgusting monster,

was shown clearly on his faceless visage…

His face was terrifying, and disgusting…

“Ailen is not a monster…”

I wanted to say it…

But no sound came out…

Only…

“Grrrrrr…”

This strange laughter escaped instead…

“Clang—”

The iron sword was drawn…

Pointed at me…

“W-woo…

I’m really not a monster…

Don’t point that at me… w-woo…”

She wailed…

Yet she could explain nothing…

From his raging fury came a pleasant scent,

like syrup…

I really like this smell…

Hehehehe…

Ah!

What’s wrong with me…

This isn’t me!

The iron sword swung down,

and my hand involuntarily reached out…

Aaaaaaah!

It hurts! It hurts!!

Uwaaaaah!

So painful!

Helper, I’m not—

Clang…

The iron sword was bitten clean in half…

Impossible…

That’s impossible…

I… I really am…

a monster…

But… but…

“Thwack—”

A throwing knife pierced my forehead,

stabbing straight into my brain…

My consciousness vanished in an instant…

As expected,

it’s better for a monster like me…

to die…

“W-woo…

I actually became a monster…

W-woo…”

I…

I’m still alive…?

“Aaaaaaah—monster! Monster!”

The faceless man stared at me in terror.

My sharp crimson nails pierced through his chest…

Touching something warm and pulsating…

So hot…

Snap…

I crushed it myself…

Scalding blood…

Burst forth like a fountain…

Spraying into the air…

“Hehehe…

So red… so sweet…”

I really can’t control myself, can I…

Then I just won’t control it…

I collapsed onto the ground like mud…

And began licking the blood…

It’s amazing…

Anyway… anyway it’s your fault…

It’s fine, right…

You were the ones who attacked them first…

It’s fine…

It must be fine…

They…

They are…

They are…

My… my older brother…

And my father…

Hehehe…

They must be…

Very delicious…

No!

That’s my father and brother!

I can’t… I can’t…

Just one bite…

Just one bite and then I’ll stop…

Drink, drink, drink, drink!

Aaaaaaaaah—!

My arm trembled as it lifted…

Raising Charlotte’s arm…

W-woo… don’t…

No…

After everything… why… why!

I don’t want to become a monster…

I don’t want to drink my family’s blood…

My canine teeth tore open a strip of skin,

then four fangs bit down…

His brow furrowed slightly,

and soon he forcibly woke up in pain…

“Hissss…”

Big brother’s blood…

Tastes so good,

like flower nectar…

He gradually came back to his senses,

and saw the person kneeling before him…

Drinking his blood…

……………

“W-woo…

I’m not a monster…

Ailen is not a monster!”

He stared at himself in disbelief…

This was…

This was the little sister he had bribed earlier today with a pineapple bun…

He didn’t activate madness.

He simply looked into her eyes…

As if peering into the depths of her heart…

Suddenly,

she noticed a trace of elusive light deep in his gaze…

As if it were sympathy…

He raised his right hand…

Was he going to push me away…?

Unexpectedly…

He placed his right hand on her blood-stained silver hair…

Gently stroking it…

My heart…

It felt like it was melting…

My uncontrollable body…

Actually…

Started crying…

Tears flowed from my eyes,

sliding down my cheeks…

No sobbing…

Yet tears fell endlessly…

My eyes were smeared with crimson…

That was blood dissolved by tears…

Blood and tears mixed…

Becoming tears of blood…

So this is the mythical —

Ghost’s Cry…

“Good girl…”

He stroked her forehead,

wiping away the blood and tears from her face with his sleeve…

Thump-thump-thump-thump…

Thump-thump-thump-thump-thump…

Their heartbeats…

Clear and distinct…

Like a small drum beating in perfect sync…

Her teeth…

Loosened…

“Waaaaaah—!”

Tears burst forth uncontrollably…

“Ugh, it’s so disgusting…

Corpses are so disgusting…

Aaaah…”

Ailen cried out.

“It’s okay…

Big brother is here…”

He said, his face pale…

He had lost quite a bit of blood…

“Ailen…

Ailen is not a monster…”

Ailen cried, hugging Charlotte’s waist and burying her face against him.

“It’s… o-okay…”

He replied softly…

Thud…

Soon after, he collapsed from exhaustion…

He had truly lost far, far too much blood…

“No… no… don’t…!”

“…………”

She had to save him…

If teeth could draw blood…

Then they should also be able to inject it…

“Chhk…”

She gently bit the same spot again…

Trying to control this new thing called fangs…

Injecting the blood she had drunk…

It seemed to work…

Drop by drop…

Gradually, Charlotte’s expression no longer looked pained…

A hint of color slowly returned to his face…

It really… worked…

Thud…

She fainted…

…Let go of the past…

Forgive them…

In the darkness, the boy’s voice sounded once more…

Don’t abandon them just because they failed you…

Family will be your shield…

Goodbye…

I’m going to a very distant place…

Goodbye, Ailen…

He disappeared…

Goodbye…

myself…

Ailen waved to the illusion…

And bid farewell…

…………

“W-woo…”

As expected…

The little wolf cub really is too small…

Like a puppy,

the Gale Wolf cried inside the cave…

The one who came wasn’t its mother…

It cried and cried…

She tore off a strip of dried venison

and fed it to the cub with water…

From now on…

I’ll raise you…

The wolf cub without a mother,

all because of her…

A mistake she had made herself

should be borne by herself.

Taking responsibility was her creed.

She would definitely make it strong,

as strong as its mother—

no, even stronger.

Rest easy, little one…

She brushed aside her flame-like red hair

and thought silently…

Ailen…

Hold on.

I’m coming… very soon…

Master will definitely…

definitely bring us back…

Without Lilith…

She herself was like this little wolf…

Ultimately unable to live on alone…

This was the bond between master and servant…