Chapter 282: Dogs And Wolves (7)

After guiding Kwon Oh-Jin’s group to the empty cabin, Leoru lightly bowed and turned away. “Then, please rest well.”

The vacant cabin looked quite small and old, but had been tidied with great care and remained impressively clean.

Song Ha-Eun plopped down onto the bed after unpacking her things. “

Phew!

So we didn’t make it to the kingdom today after all.”

Even though the bed felt more like a wooden slab, it was still a welcoming change after camping in the forest for several days.

Lying flat, Song Ha-Eun began pulling off her shoes like a cocoon shedding its skin. “

Ugh

, I’m so tired.”

“Unnie, seriously? Don’t be so sloppy.”

“

Ahh

, come on. I’m too tired to move.”

“Still, this isn’t right. What do you think Mr. Oh-Jin will think of you?”

“I bet Oh-Jin would like it, actually.” Song Ha-Eun tossed off her socks and stretched out her long legs, lazily poking Kwon Oh-Jin in the thigh with her toes.

Her completely defenseless posture made the corners of his lips twitch up almost involuntarily.

“Ha-Eun, your feet stink.”

“What? D-Don’t lie, you jerk! I washed them every now and then—”

“I’m serious.” Kwon Oh-Jin grabbed her bare foot and brought it close to his nose.

Truthfully, it didn’t smell much for someone who had been in boots all day.

Still, he teased her playfully. “See? It smells just like aged fermented soybean paste—”

“You crazy bastard! What the hell are you doing?!” Song Ha-Eun screamed and kicked him in the face.

Her face flushed red and was practically steaming. She sprang off the bed and stormed outside.

“I-I’m going to go wash up!”

“Ah, unnie! Wait, I’ll come too!”

“I must bathe as well. Hiding in your pocket this whole time has left me covered in dust,” Vega said.

The run-down cabin didn’t have a bathroom or shower, but a stream flowed nearby. Washing up wasn’t a problem.

Just before heading out with a change of clothes, Song Ha-Eun glared at Kwon Oh-Jin. “If you peek, you’re dead.”

“Haven’t we already seen everything there is to see?”

“T-That’s totally different, okay?!”

When he chuckled and nodded, Isabella slid up beside him. Pressing herself close, she wrapped her arm around his and whispered seductively with a captivating smile, “You’re welcome to peek at my body if you’d like.”

Her sweet voice sounded ike melted sugar. She licked his neck lightly and gently traced her finger across his chest.

“Cut the crap and move it, girl.”

“

Ah!

U-Unnie!”

Song Ha-Eun dragged Isabella away.

“Wait for me!” Vega grabbed a bath towel too, which was really just a handkerchief, and went after them.

Now, only Kwon Oh-Jin and Riarc remained in the cabin.

Once the noisy women left, an awkward silence settled over the room.

Riarc broke the silence first. “Kid...”

“Yeah?”

“Weren’t you afraid when you regressed and received another chance?” He sounded conflicted.

Kwon Oh-Jin looked at Riarc, staring blankly at the old wooden floor with his head lowered. The usual fiery spirit couldn’t be seen in his troubled eyes.

“Is this about what happened before?” Kwon Oh-Jin asked.

Even if he wasn’t a Regressor, something had obviously been off with Riarc ever since they entered the Demonic District. It wasn’t hard to guess why.

“Yes...”

“It’s not like you to be so conflicted.”

“S-Shut up, brat! What do you know—?!”

“I know.”

Riarc’s eyes narrowed. “Is that because you’re a Regressor?”

“Even if I wasn’t, I’d still know what it is you’re hesitating over.”

Riarc was terrible at hiding his true feelings.

“You asked earlier if I was afraid,” Kwon Oh-Jin said.

He never actually regressed, but had been given another chance.

“Of course, I’m afraid. I’m so scared that I could lose my mind.”

If he were to repeat the same mistakes and fail all over again, it would be irreversible this time.

“Even so, it’s not like I can just do nothing, right?”

“Obviously...” Riarc said.

Kwon Oh-Jin shrugged. “Just because something is obvious doesn’t mean it’s wrong.”

Riarc looked at him with trembling eyes. With his head lowered, he squeezed the words out. “How can you be like that?”

He recalled the first time he met Kwon Oh-Jin—the image of him staggering to his feet after being brutally beaten and trampled on. Despite injuries that should’ve killed him, he picked up his spear again like nothing.

“Just how the hell...?” Riarc thought back to the battle between Kwon Oh-Jin and Deneb’s apostles.

That alone had been more than enough. Kwon Oh-Jin had no need, no reason, to go through any more pain. Even though he was covered in blood and barely able to open his eyes, he stood up once more.

How could he do that? It wasn’t that he couldn’t feel pain, nor that he couldn’t feel fear. Then, how could he rise again?

Kwon Oh-Jin smiled bitterly on the edge of the bed. “Because it’s nothing if it’s something that can be solved by enduring. You can just endure pain and suppress fear. No matter how hard or painful it is, it’s fine as long as I’m the only one who suffers.”

That kind of thing meant nothing. Throughout his life, he’d only faced problems that couldn’t be solved by simply putting up with them.

“So, you’re saying that you don’t even care about yourself to get what you want?” Riarc asked.

“It’s hard to protect what matters if you’re too busy worrying about yourself.” Kwon Oh-Jin dryly chuckled and gently placed his hand on Riarc’s head. “What will you do?”

Riarc scratched at the floor with his clawed toes. “I used to be the Khan who led the beastkin.”

“I know.”

Kwon Oh-Jin had more or less guessed it from watching Riarc talk with Leoru.

“We fought against the demonkin invasion, but I couldn’t protect anything in the end, and we lost.” He recalled a blood-soaked wolf sobbing, saying he hadn’t protected anyone. “Because of my stubbornness... because of my ridiculous conviction to live as a wolf... Do you know how many of my kin died?”

Kwon Oh-Jin could only remain silent.

“All of them. They all died.”

His family, his lover, his comrades... All of them had followed him and died.

“The ones who survived now live in fear and starvation.”

It didn’t take much to see the Silver Mane Tribe’s miserable state. Living in decrepit cabins, each day was filled with hunger and fear.

“If only... If only I had admitted defeat that one time.” Tears dripped from Riarc’s eyes as he looked at the floor. “If only I had backed down just once...”

Many more would’ve survived, and the lives of these survivors wouldn’t be so wretched.

“If I had just kneeled!”

If he had just chosen to be a dog instead of a wolf—

“Did they ever say that they regretted it?” Kwon Oh-Jin asked.

Riarc’s expression froze as he recalled Leoru smiling proudly and saying,

“We are proud wolves.”

“It’s all... my fault.”

Because he taught them a worthless conviction and filled them with a delusional ideal, they couldn’t even resent him while continuing with their miserable lives.

“Then, Riarc...” Kwon Oh-Jin looked at him with sunken eyes. “Right now, are you a dog or a wolf?”

Riarc flinched. “I-I’m...”

As he hesitated, the three women who had gone out returned.

Bang!

“

Whew!

That was refreshing!” Song Ha-Eun declared.

“A bath really does wonders, doesn’t it?” Isabella added.

“I feel so fluffy and clean now!” Vega said.

“Huh? What’s going on? Why is it so serious in here?” Song Ha-Eun asked.

“Nothing. How was the stream?” Kwon Oh-Jin replied.

“It was cold as hell, so I warmed it up a bit.” Song Ha-Eun plopped down beside Kwon Oh-Jin and rested her foot squarely on his thigh. “See? My feet don't stink now, right?”

“Let’s see. I’ll check just to be sure—”

“Don’t actually sniff it, you freak!” Song Ha-Eun scowled and kicked him in the stomach.

“Anyway, Mr. Oh-Jin. Don’t you think it’s about time we ate something?”

“Ah, I guess I am kind of hungry.”

Come to think of it, they hadn’t eaten anything since they left the first forest.

“Just a moment, please.” Isabella rummaged through her backpack and took out some ingredients.

Thanks to the gift from Kim Si-Hoo, the backpack not only featured expanded storage but also preserved ingredients without spoiling them. Isabella could cook fresh meals even in the Demonic District.

“Today, I’ll make some pasta,” Isabella said.

“I’m craving Korean food, though.”

“Oh my, would you like to cook, unnie?”

“

Ahem.

I’ll have rose pasta, please.”

Isabella set a pot of water on the fire and began chopping vegetables.

Of course, the rundown cabin didn’t have a convenient gas stove, but Song Ha-Eun easily took care of that issue.

Delicious smells began to fill the kitchen.

Knock, knock.

The cabin door creaked open, and a small beastkin girl entered.

“Riru?”

When they first met, she had been covered in dirt from head to toe. Now, she looked clean and fresh.

“S-Sorry for coming so late at night!”

“What’s the matter?”

“

Um

, well...” Fidgeting with the basket in her hands, Riru glanced shyly at Kwon Oh-Jin. “I picked some fruit.”

The basket contained fresh fruits that had just been plucked. They looked similar to raspberries or blueberries.

“For,

um...

Oh-Jin oppa to eat.” Her cheeks flushed pink as she kept sneaking glances at Kwon Oh-Jin.

“Just for Oh-Jin?” Song Ha-Eun asked.

“O-Of course, for everyone else too!” Her ears perked up as she quickly corrected herself in a fluster.

“Oh my, how cute. You picked these for Mr. Oh-Jin, didn’t you?” Isabella approached Riru with a sweet smile while holding a kitchen knife in one hand.

“Hey, hey! Hold up!” A startled Song Ha-Eun rushed to Isabella and snatched the knife out of her hand with a sigh. “Y-You can’t do that. She’s a kid, for crying out loud...”

“Unnie, seriously. What are you imagining? I just forgot I was holding it while cooking, that’s all.” Isabella shrugged with an innocent smile.

“Thanks. I’ll enjoy it.” Kwon Oh-Jin accepted the basket and gently patted Riru’s head.

Her cheeks turned red like raspberries. “Y-Yes. P-Please enjoy, oppa.”

He picked a fruit from the basket and popped it into his mouth. The sweet juices burst in his mouth. “It’s good.”

“I’m glad you like it.” Riru smiled brightly as her tail wagged. “Oh, and one more thing,” she said.

“

Hmm?

”

“There’s something I want to tell you all.” Riru clenched her fists tightly with a tense expression.