Inside the storage house,
Saito searched through old records of Lorum Village.
Dust-covered files stacked high around him.
"…There has to be something," he muttered.
After a while, he found it—
A report about the wolfbeasts.
He took it and headed back to the mansion.
Inside his office,
Saito sat down and opened the file.
"…Alright. Let's see."
He read through the pages carefully.
"According to this… they were found guilty…"
He paused.
"…but…"
His eyes shifted to another document attached.
"…they were also mocked for years."
Saito leaned back, letting out a quiet sigh.
"So that's how it started…"
The door opened.
Kaito stepped in.
"You good, captain?"
Saito nodded slightly.
"I'm trying to figure out how to stop this."
He looked out the window.
"If we fail… this village is going to suffer again."
Kaito crossed his arms.
"The interrogation didn't give us anything either."
He shrugged.
"But you always figure something out."
Saito gave a small, tired smile.
"…I hope so."
Kaito clicked his tongue.
"Tch… where's the calm guy I met before?"
He smirked slightly.
"The one who annoyed me, then treated me to food."
Saito let out a small breath.
"…I don't know."
"Being the protector of a village… isn't easy."
Kaito turned toward the door.
"Like I said," he replied,
"You'll figure it out."
Saito walked through the village, hands in his pockets.
As he passed by, he overheard people talking.
"The wolfbeasts are going to attack again…"
"They've always been aggressive."
"The previous mayor should've wiped them out completely."
Saito slowed his steps.
"…Sometimes it's our fault for treating them that way," he muttered quietly.
After a moment, he turned and headed toward the jail.
At the entrance, the guards straightened.
"Sir Saito."
"How are the prisoners?" Saito asked.
The guards exchanged glances.
"…Uh… sorry, sir."
Saito frowned slightly. "What's wrong?"
"One of the villagers came in earlier…"
"…Tina."
Saito blinked. "She's still inside?"
The guard nodded nervously.
Saito sighed and walked in.
Inside the cell area—
He stopped.
Tina was sitting on the floor… playing with a wolfbeast's tail.
The wolfbeast looked extremely uncomfortable.
"Kid… my tail is not a toy," he said, trying to pull it away.
"But it's fluffy!" Tina replied happily.
From behind the bars, the female wolfbeast smiled faintly.
"Let her play, dear."
Another wolfbeast nearby chuckled.
"Looks like you've become a human toy."
The wolfbeast let out a tired sigh.
Tina tilted her head.
"What's your name?"
He stayed silent, avoiding her eyes, gently trying to move his tail away.
The female spoke instead.
"This grumpy one is Takeru."
She smiled softly. "I'm Feina. What about you?"
"I'm Tina!"
"Such a nice name," Feina replied.
Just then—
"I hope I'm not interrupting."
Saito stepped forward.
The wolfbeasts immediately tensed.
Tina turned and waved excitedly.
"Sir Saito! Look! His tail is really fluffy!"
Takeru's eyes narrowed.
"Don't expect us to answer anything."
His voice was firm.
"You'll get the same answer your friend did."
Saito pulled a chair and sat down calmly in front of them.
"…Mocked. Treated like criminals."
He rested his arms lightly on his knees.
"That's why you've become like this… right?"
The wolfbeasts said nothing.
Saito continued, his tone steady.
"I was like that once."
Takeru frowned slightly.
"I got mocked for being weak. Looked down on by everyone."
A pause.
"But I didn't let it break me."
His eyes sharpened slightly.
"I used it as fuel… to get stronger."
Feina shook her head.
"That's easy for you to say."
"…You're human."
Saito didn't argue.
Instead—
"Guard."
The guards straightened.
"…Open the cell."
They hesitated.
"Sir… that's—"
"Don't worry," Saito said calmly. "Just open it."
After a brief pause, the guards obeyed.
The cell door creaked open.
The other wolfbeasts immediately backed up, tense.
Takeru stepped forward, shielding Feina.
Saito didn't move.
He just sat there.
Calm.
Then—
Tina slipped inside.
"Yay! I can play with the tail again!"
Takeru's eyes widened slightly.
"…You don't care about this kid?"
He looked directly at Saito.
"What if we hurt her?"
Saito met his gaze.
"I know you won't."
A pause.
"If you wanted to… you would've already done it."
His eyes shifted slightly.
"…But your wife chose to hug her instead."
Takeru turned.
Feina was gently holding Tina, smiling softly.
"Aww… you're so cute," she said.
Tina giggled.
Takeru let out a quiet breath.
The tension in his shoulders eased—just a little.
He looked back at Saito.
"…What do you want?"
Saito's voice was calm.
"It's simple."
A short pause.
"Help me end this."
His gaze didn't waver.
"For your people… and for this village."
Takeru stared at Saito for a long moment.
"…And if we help you…"
His voice was low.
"…you'll help us?"
Saito didn't hesitate.
"Yes."
The answer came instantly.
One of the other wolfbeasts stepped forward.
"Takeru, we can't trust him!"
Takeru didn't look away from Saito.
"I know."
A pause.
"But this conflict…"
He clenched his fist slightly.
"…it's never going to end like this."
The other wolfbeast frowned.
"But our leader—"
Takeru cut him off.
"This hatred started in his era."
His voice grew firmer.
"Why should we keep carrying it?"
Silence fell over the group.
No one argued this time.
Takeru finally looked back at Saito.
"…Fine."
At the village gate—
Takeru and the other wolfbeasts stood waiting.
Saito and Kaito approached, ready to move.
The atmosphere was tense, but different from before.
Not enemies.
Not quite allies either.
Somewhere in between.
Footsteps echoed behind them.
"Wait!"
Takashi ran toward them, slightly out of breath.
Saito turned.
"Mayor? What are you doing?"
Takashi straightened himself.
"I'm coming too."
Saito frowned.
"This could be dangerous."
Takashi didn't back down.
"I'll go as the representative of this village."
A brief silence.
Saito studied him—then nodded.
"…Alright."
He turned toward the forest.
"Let's go."
Without another word, Takeru began walking.
The wolfbeasts followed.
Saito, Kaito, and Takashi moved with them—
Crossing the gate…
And heading into the forest.
As they moved deeper into the forest,
Kaito walked slightly behind Saito.
"…What if they betray us?" he asked quietly.
Saito didn't stop walking.
"They won't."
Kaito frowned slightly.
"You sound pretty sure."
Saito's voice stayed calm.
"We have to trust them."
Kaito looked at the wolfbeasts ahead… then back at Saito.
He said nothing more.
Meanwhile—
Inside the wolfbeast camp.
Jackal stood before the large tent.
"Our preparations are complete, my lord."
Inside, Orun sat in silence for a moment.
"…Good."
His voice was low, controlled.
"Make sure every soldier understands their purpose."
Jackal lowered his head.
"Right away, my lord."
He turned and left the tent without hesitation.
Orun remained seated.
His eyes slowly shifted toward the direction of the village.
"…This ends soon."
The convoy moved deeper into the forest.
The trees grew thicker. The air quieter.
Soon—
They came across a group of carpenters working along the path.
One of them looked up—and froze.
"…Wolfbeasts?"
The others turned.
"Oh no…"
Their eyes widened.
Then one of them noticed something else.
"Wait… look behind them…"
"…Humans?"
The carpenter grabbed his gun and stepped forward.
"Are you being held hostage?"
Takeru stepped forward calmly.
"We're not here to cause trouble. We're just returning to our camp."
The carpenter scoffed.
"Yeah right. That's what your kind always says."
"We mean no harm," Takeru replied.
The man shrugged.
"That's what the last beastman said too."
Before things escalated—
Saito stepped forward.
"Is there a problem here?"
The carpenter looked at him.
"…Kid. Are you being kidnapped?"
Saito shook his head.
"No. They're my friends."
The carpenter blinked.
"…Your what?"
"You must be hallucinating," he muttered. "They're beastmen."
Saito's expression didn't change.
"…And?"
A brief silence.
Takeru turned slightly.
"We should keep moving. We're almost there."
The carpenter raised his gun.
"Oh no. You're not going anywhere until we get answers."
Another carpenter smirked, staring at Feina.
"…That one's got nice fur."
Takeru's eyes darkened instantly.
"…What did you just say about my wife?"
Before anything could happen—
Slash.
The gun split clean in half.
Kaito stood there, knife in hand.
"If this keeps going," he said coldly,
"…we'll be late."
He glanced at them.
"Go home."
"…Weaklings."
The carpenters froze.
Fear crept into their faces as they saw his expression.
Without another word—they ran.
Silence returned.
Kaito turned slightly.
"There. Problem solved."
Then he looked at Saito.
"…No need to release that much Auris."
The wolfbeasts shifted, noticing it.
A faint yellow aura flickered around Saito.
Takeru narrowed his eyes.
"…So that's your power…"
Takashi stepped closer.
"Sir Saito?"
Saito blinked—then the aura disappeared.
"…Ah. Sorry."
He rubbed the back of his head with a small laugh.
"Got lost in thought."
Without another word, he continued walking.
The group followed—
But now, the wolfbeasts looked at him differently.