Chapter 50: Coping with change

‘There is no need to ask. Her tail is showing me all I need to know.’ Vincent thought while he raised his hand and patted her head. Then he said, “You’re a good girl. I will reward you later.”

As these words entered Lupa’s ears, she dropped what was on her skirt, lept on Vincent, and hugged him with joy. Ester stared at the two with a frown. She felt her heart throb feeling a bit jealous of the cheerful wolf.

[Looks like Ester might come around after all, hehe.]

Kazumi noticed Ester’s actions and decided a harem might be possible for Vicent. All she needed was to persuade him to act accordingly and create one.

Lupa stopped her excited hug, picked a few of the food she brought, and showed them to Vincent with a proud grin. On her hands were four white mushrooms of the same kind, but one had a yellow hue.

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[Name] Skor Mushroom

.....

[Condition] Fresh/Damaged

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[Name] Skor Mushroom

[Condition] Fresh

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[Name] Skor Mushroom

[Condition] Fresh

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[Name] Skor Mushroom

[Condition] Spoiled

[Effects]

historical

*Minor Stomach Ache

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Vincent inspected the four mushrooms. The system told him two were of fresh condition. One was cut with her sharp claws, and it showed as damaged while the one with a yellow hue was spoiled.

Vincent turned his gaze at the few other mushrooms on the ground. There were three in fresh condition and five in a damaged condition.

“This is spoiled and will give a stomach ache. The other eleven mushrooms are safe to eat. Well done. We can have a good mushroom soup tonight.” Vincent said while he could feel his stomach about to growl from thinking about food.

“Hey. What about the meat you found?” Lupa didn’t let the forgotten word of meat pass by. Vincent told her how inside the wrapped cloth was meat.

“Ahh... yes, that meat too, I guess.” Vincent raised a forced smile. He wondered what faces both girls would make after discovering the snails for food.

Some time passed as the crescent moon stood above them. Barely any cloud was in the sky showing the moon complemented by stars.

The three of them prepared the pot stuffing all the mushrooms chopped in tiny pieces. Then it arrived for the moment of truth. The moldy slimy snails with the relaxation buff.

*Growl

Lupa’s belly growled at the aroma of the mushrooms cooking, but the meat still didn’t make its appearance yet. Brimming with curiosity and hunger, Lupa asked, “Where’s the meat? I’m hungry.”

Vincent pointed at the wrapped cloth filled with snails standing beside his sitting rock. He did his best to keep a poker face, but a slight smirk appeared on his face. However, Lupa was too excited to notice.

“AHH!” Lupa screamed in a terrified tone. She sounded more frightened than the two deadly fights which threatened their lives. Lupa fell on her back while her body shivered in terror, soon she started crying.

[What?]

Kazumi became confused by all this. How could a brave and courageous wolf get this terrified from harmless snails.

‘A yelp from the surprise or disgust should’ve been the most common reaction.’ She thought

“Lupa, I’m sorry for the prank.” Vincent rushed to hold Lupa. When she felt his touch, she clung on to him as if her life depended on it.

Ester rushed as well, but all she could offer was a few gentile rubs on the crying Lupa’s back.

A few minutes later, Lupa calmed down, and her tears stopped. It felt as if Lupa cried all the tears she kept piling all her life. She then released her embrace while Vincent cleaned his shirt from all the snot and tears.

Ester sat on the ground and offered Lupa a lap to rest on. As if Lupa switched to a different tune, she rested her head on the warm, caring lap.

“What happened that a courageous sister became so scared? They are harmless snails, one step, and they would be no more.” Ester tried to pry further into what the problem was while trying to help. Lupa had her life devastated by the Great Gray Wold and not a snail.

“One time, I had to lure some hunters. They threw a bottle at me, and what was inside covered my head. It was something sticky and slimy. I could bearly breathe, see, open my mouth, or smell. I could only hear my fellow wolves as they guided me away.” Lupa was about to cry again.

Ester gently brushed her hair easing Lupa from the tension and fear the traumatizing memory brought with it. Lupa remained quiet for a minute before continuing her story.

“I felt like I was about to die. I was suffocating, but that wasn’t the end of it. Soon a barrage of arrows was shot towards us. A few grazed me while one got stuck in my thigh. The Leader kept enjoying the show while the female wolves acted as bait. I lost a few friends that day.” Lupa retold a part of her past. One which she wanted to forget. A trauma from the sticky bottle that almost killed her.

[I’m sorry for Lupa, but that sticky bottle could prove a problem if we encounter a hunter. We better be careful as it seems there is some level of alchemy in this world.]

Vincent nodded as this story also worried him. But currently, he felt guilty as from a harmless prank; it turned into something which brought terrible memories.

“I’m sorry for what I’ve done.” Vincent lowered down, held her hand with a reassuring hold, and continued, “But, do you want to stay like this? What if we have to fight a strong slimy enemy? Want to try again? This time, we will be next to you.”

Ester stared with a frown at Vincent for suggesting this. Kazumi didn’t think it was the right time to ask for this, either. But the words were said, and they couldn’t be taken back.

Lupa, on the other hand, gazed at Vincent. She tried to understand his true feelings from his expression. She could see it was one that cared, encouraged, and wanted her best.

Lupa then turned her gaze at Ester. However, Ester showed worry and a bit of anger. Lupa smiled at the two who wanted only good things for her.

Lupa gently nodded while raising a light smile. Soon the pair of golden eyes blazed with the courage to overcome her fears. The words “we will be next to you” resounded in her mind.

Lupa pulled herself up, grabbed Vincent and Ester’s hand, and said with determination, “Please help me win.”

Vincent nodded with an energetic smile while Ester nodded with a light smile. Ester wasn’t sure this was the best way to do things but couldn’t say no to the determined wolf.

Lupa turned, facing the Moldy Snails as they tried to escape. However, they were too slow to go anywhere.

Try as she might, her body didn’t move. The courage and burning spirit to overcome this trauma weren’t strong enough for her body to touch them.

Vincent understood the problem. Baby step were necessary, a thing he forgot Kevin did to him.

Kevin first showed Vincent the comic. As the door of opportunity and change opened, Kevin slammed his foot down for the door to remain open. Only with insistence did he managed to touch the frozen heart of the Young Vincent.

Vincent picked one Moldy Snail. Then took a small step every few seconds. As he did this action, he said, “Point your finger at me. I will hold this snail and take a small step every ten seconds. Ester will hold your other hand to share her courage with you. Do you accept this challenge?”

Ester swiftly understood his intention. She held Lupa’s hand with a reassuring firm grip while raising a warm smile at her.

Lupa could feel how much they cared for her. Her ears stayed tilted down, but her tail gently swayed along with the hope to win against her fears.

Lupa felt her heart tumping while hearing Vincent count the seconds. Lupa became wet from a cold sweat as her body urged her to run away, but Ester’s reassuring hand made her resolution to stay.

[How about you say a quote from the green-eyed Hero. The one where he saves a damsel in distress would do the trick.]

-Then I need to edit a few parts. It felt a bit corny, but I hope it can work.-

“Lupa, you are not about to touch a terrifying slimy sticky snail. You are about to touch an insignificant snail your Hero is holding. Believe in the me, that believes in you.” Per this motivational speech exiting from the encouraging Vincent’s mouth, Lupa didn’t tremble her arms anymore.

Vincent thought now was the best time to hype Lupa like how drill instructors hype soldiers aggressively, but something strange happened.

Vincent felt a sudden rush of anger at the snail, making his retainer shiver at its sight. He felt like it should die for what it’s doing to Lupa. While his browns started to reveal and angered frown, he said with a raised voice, “It’s sticky, but so is blood. Are you afraid to get doused in the blood of your enemies to save what you care for?”

Vincent felt his heart race at the sight of the snail in his hand even more. His eyes had a strange gleam on them as if they faintly glowed.

Suddenly, he couldn’t take this strange feeling of anger any longer and squished the snail while shouting, “Show me you are not afraid to get dirty! If you need cleaning, I will wipe you later till the last stain!”

“Are you afraid of this insignificant thing?” Vincent splattered the snail on the ground with all the strength he had. He started acting violently, which made all of them feel a bit afraid.

Kazumi became surprised as this was the third time Vincent got angry in his life. The other two times where the fights against the wolf and the boar. It also was strange how his eyes had a sheen to them as if faintly glowing.

“Why weren’t you afraid of your Leader or the Great Yok Boar, HUH? I need answers now!” Vincent picked another snail, swiftly paced towards them till stopping in front of Lupa and Ester.

[Vincent, are you ok? You feel different as if anger has taken control of you? Calm down. Take a breather, and let stop this. This world sure has changed you for the better or the worst.]

“I won’t calm down. No one hurts my girls. They will all pay...” Vincent kept shouting until he punched himself in the face. Such action made the others understand something was wrong with Vincent. His anger felt too much and out of character.

“I’m sorry.” Vincent returned to normal and his eyes as well.