《Arum: Reconquering the Dungeon World》


 Prologue

    Prologue


    How do you want to die? I¡¯ve always asked myself this question. Should I simply wait my days and die a peaceful death, or should I die a violent but instant death. I¡¯ve asked this question several times already and I still don¡¯t know the answer to it. But, one thing is for sure¡­ and that was the fact that I¡¯m dead. Yes, I died. I don¡¯t remember how¡­ but I knew that I was dead.


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    You¡¯re probably wondering how I¡¯m talking to you right now? Well, I don¡¯t know. Then again, am I even talking to anyone? I¡¯m probably just talking to myself. Am I crazy? Maybe¡­ huh? Do I¡­ have regrets?


    ¡­ I do. There¡¯s no one in the world that won¡¯t have regrets. Whether you succeed or not, you¡¯re bound to always have regrets. You would always think, ¡°what if I did this? Or what if I didn¡¯t do this?¡± It¡¯s human nature to regret¡­ well, in my case, it is. I regret many things. But the one thing I regret the most is leaving those I loved behind. Maybe¡­ just maybe, I can say goodbye to them one more time¡­ well, like that¡¯s going to happen.


    *weak chuckle*


    Remember¡­


    ¡­ I¡¯m dead.

 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1


    ¡­Or so I thought.


    Pain began to seep into my brain forcing my entire body to jolt up. I was panting, my breath exhaling small bursts of cold steam. I looked around me only to find myself in a forest. Actually, I should probably call it a tundra. With dead looking trees and the ground filled with ice and snow, there¡¯s no other way of describing it than saying that it¡¯s a tundra.


    Wait, the location really isn¡¯t important. What¡¯s more important is¡­ why? Why am I still alive? Also, why am I on all fours?


    I stared at my arms only to find a furry white paw. I tried to say something, but only barks could be heard. I was very confused¡­ until the headache continued. I placed my head on the snow, hoping that cold could make it better. It didn¡¯t, but the headache did help me sort things out. Images began to flow inside of me, completely mixing in with my memories.


    I¡¯m¡­ a wolf. One of the images that passed into my head had the wolf staring into a pond. There, the reflection of a graceful and beautiful wolf could be seen. Though, it looked young, you can tell that it¡¯ll be a formidable beast once it grows in a couple more years.


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    Just what in the world is going on¡­


    I laid my head on the ground, partially relieved that the headache was gone. But now, the situation was strange. I am a wolf. But how did I become like this? Just how could this have happened? Am I actually just dreaming? I stared at my paw and bit down as hard as I can. Pain seeped through my bones, but I didn¡¯t relent. After a couple of minutes, I stopped biting myself knowing that I wasn¡¯t dreaming. I sighed.


    What should I do now?


    I stared at the surrounding much more. There really aren¡¯t any signs of life. Furthermore, the sky was very grey, so a snowstorm may be coming. I need to find somewhere to lay low. Suddenly, an image of a den popped into my mind.


    I forced myself to stand up. Luckily, I can move just fine. Is it because I have memories as a wolf that I know how to walk or run? Hmm¡­ I pondered a bit as I dashed towards the den. Soon, the familiar snowy hill could be seen. I immediately plunged inside and was instantly met by the dry and cozy cave. It really felt comfortable. Before I knew it, my body suddenly felt tired. If I think about it, I ran all the way here. I must be really tired. I haven¡¯t felt like this in a long while and completely welcomed the pleasant feeling. Soon, my eyes closed, and I pleasantly went to sleep.


    Suddenly, I felt something on my nose. At first, I tried to move my nose hoping that the feeling would go away, but it didn¡¯t disappear. Soon, my nose began to itch. Unable to take it anymore, I finally opened my eyes to see the cause of the problem. It was a butterfly. A yellow and black butterfly. It looked beautiful as it illuminated the cave. Yeah, it was actually illuminating the cave. Noticing that I woke up, the butterfly immediately got off and flew to the upper part of the room. I couldn¡¯t help but stare at it in wonder. Then, I finally noticed the light that was coming from the cave.


    I curiously walked up to the front and noticed that the grey clouds were gone. There were still clouds in the air, but they were lighter. Furthermore, I could also feel the suns ray shining down though it wasn¡¯t enough to melt the snow. I instantly felt rejuvenated and had a complete desire to go out in the world. Well, I am already here and although it¡¯s weird, I should probably explore the place a bit.


    With that thought, I didn¡¯t even hesitate to take my first steps into this world.

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2


    Several days had passed since I¡¯ve been here. Of course, I spent most of my time exploring so I had actually been pretty busy. For the most part, this forest really was dead. Or, I guess you can say that it was in a state of hibernation. Makes sense seeing that it was winter. Also, the snow¡­ was pretty unique. Unlike the snow from Earth, the snow here felt like cotton. Not only that, every time my feet sunk to the very bottom, a small portion would fly away like dandelions. It was honestly mesmerizing.


    The snow was pretty deep though, so I had to jump in order to move from one spot to another. Thankfully, I had the strength to do it. Slowly moving through the forest, I managed to chart the majority of the area. First of all, I was in a mountain. It wasn¡¯t a normal one though. Normally, mountains were rugged areas with no flat areas for you to stand on. But, this mountain can be considered as a high cliff point. The base of it sloped down to the bottom but the uppermost area was completely flat with some areas extending upwards. It¡¯s hard to explain it, but think of it like this. Imagine a mountain that¡¯s been cut horizontally. That would be the closest way I can explain it.


    What? Tundra? Yeah, I did say tundra at first. But, after inspecting the trees, I realized that they were only sleeping. Once the snow disappeared, they should be back alive and well. That¡¯s why, I went back in describing it as a forest. Also, I found life. Yeah, there were animals here. The only reason I couldn¡¯t find them yesterday was because they were hiding from the storm.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Also, there were some pretty strange creatures. On one, I saw a deer with six legs and three eyes. Is that normal? Well, based on the wolf¡¯s memories, it was¡­ so it really caught me off guard. That means, there¡¯s two possibilities. Either, I¡¯m completely dreaming. Or, I was somehow sent to a different world. If it¡¯s the latter, then I couldn¡¯t help but shake a bit. I used to read a lot of books about the main characters being sent to another world. As enjoyable as they were, I couldn¡¯t help but feel that they downplay the gravity of it. I feel as if the other world would actually be dangerous to live in and not as fun as the books portrayed.


    Speaking of which, I managed to find some hints of civilization. At the base of the mountain, I saw a small town. Of course, it was surrounded by a vividly lush forest so it actually made it easier to spot. You could even see small bonfires from time to time and smoke coming out from the chimneys.


    Well, aside from that, there was one more thing I found. I quickly bounded towards the northern side of the mountain. Finally, I reached my destination. There, sat a beautiful set of aged architectures. To make it simple, it was a ruin. Columns were sprawled all over the place, but it didn¡¯t take away from the beauty of the entrance. Ancient carvings were etched on the side of the entrance, nothing like I¡¯ve ever seen before. At the time, I didn¡¯t get the time to explore it since I was hunting, but now, I can finally explore it.


    If I can remember, I also loved exploring ruins back in my world. But now, I feel even more excited since the ruins back in earth can¡¯t compare with this one. Alright, today I will unveil your secrets. No ruins can keep anything from the likes of me!


    I then took a step into the darkness, the unknown waiting to be found.

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3


    The first thing that hit me was the cold. It was already cold outside, but inside took it to another new level. If it wasn¡¯t for my fur, I knew that I would have frozen to death. Looking around, I noticed that the walls were pure white. Maybe¡­ marble? No¡­ these are way too white. Marble, as white as they are, still had a murky color. But, these were pure white. I wonder what they are.


    I kept walking deeper and deeper into the ruin. There were several corridors and rooms that I went through. Nothing really popped up though. Everything was empty, almost hinting that the ruin was vacated at the time. I wonder what happened to the people that occupied this ruin. Then again, something told me that this was a temple. So it¡¯s likely that not many people lived here in the first place.


    Then, I suddenly felt a draft of wind. I couldn¡¯t help but shiver at the cold. Even if I do have a coat of fur, cold is still cold. I honestly can¡¯t wait to go back to my den. But, with that draft, that means there was an opening somewhere. I instantly followed along, the cold air being my guide. Soon, I found an entrance¡­ rather, what in the world is this thing doing here?


    I stared at the familiar looking metal structure. It was a bank vault, the iron gate slightly opened. On it, ancient letters were etched on the handles. You can see that time has taken it¡¯s toll as the iron gate had a greenish color to it. Aside from that, it was practically good as new. I wonder if it can still function in preventing people from entering.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    As I thought this, I went to opening and slipped right through it, only to find another gate. What is this? They must be really trying to hide something. I walked up to the next gate, curious at its appearance. Then, I noticed that the roof of this room had an opening. At the very top, I could see a light. That must be leading towards the surface. I wonder why it¡¯s there though.


    I then stared at the gate. Like the previous one, it was also a vault type door. But, this one was surprisingly fresh. It still had an appearance of an iron gate, as if it was polished every single day. It really blew away my breath to see something like this in a ruin. I then studied the door and couldn¡¯t help but put my paw at the very center of the vault. Suddenly, a light green light began to go back and forth from my paw. In surprise, I took my paw away. A blinding light then hit me and forced me to close my eyes.


    [Configuration set 1. Code #: 5682, Xr_84 alpha level 1]


    I suddenly felt sluggish as my entire body collapsed to the floor. I couldn¡¯t help but be afraid since I couldn¡¯t move my body anymore.


    [Proceeding with identification]


    Even though my eyes were close, I saw a tinge of red mixing in with the bright light. I tried to get up, but my body wouldn¡¯t respond. Am I¡­ going to die again? I couldn¡¯t help but think this as I fearfully waited. But, nothing happened. Instead, the light disappeared and I felt strength returning to me.


    [Identification confirmed: Welcome Young Mistress]


    Huh? I opened my eyes, only to see that the door had opened inwards. There, a new room was waiting. I couldn¡¯t help but freeze a bit, seeing that I had just gone through a rather fearful moment. But, before I could even think, my body began moving on its own.


    I guess I really just want to explore the unknown.

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4


    A long corridor greeted me. Unlike the white walls from before, this one was surrounded by metal plating. Though, the metal plating was polished to the point that I could see my own reflection. What surprised me though was the fact that there was light glowing on the path. It¡¯s as if there was electricity here. If I recall though, I couldn¡¯t see any hints of electricity from the town at the base of the mountain. So, electricity shouldn¡¯t be possible¡­ unless, it was lost technology. Honestly, this ruin is giving me more and more questions that I want answered. I should probably visit the town soon if I want some of my questions answered.


    Arriving at the doorway, I instantly sucked in my breath. What greeted me beyond it was an amazing image. A gigantic chamber could be seen. On the walls, pictures and images were carved on the stone. Yes, the metal plating was not used in this room. But, I didn¡¯t care about that. I was shocked by the images I saw. Many were mixed together, almost forming a chaotic picture. But some showed clear and peaceful images of people and¡­ animal people? Oh, this must be the so called demi humans! I wonder if I¡¯ll be able to meet some in the town.


    But, the images on the walls wasn¡¯t the main focus of this chamber. It was the beautiful marble tree at the center. This time, I knew it was marble, seeing that it had a murky appearance. It was beautiful and was highly detailed. If I didn¡¯t look close enough, I would have mistaken it for a real tree. Even its withered branches had leaves carved on the stems. It was truly a beautiful carving. Not only that, there were light blue lines crisscrossing around it, leading to the base of the tree. Looking closely, you could see that the light was moving. It was water, illuminated by some sort of light. It truly gave the place a peaceful ambience.


    Looking at the roof, I also noticed an opening. Light was coming through it, but the light didn¡¯t diffuse to the surrounding. Instead, it only focused on the tree in the middle.


    I began walking towards it, my curiosity being piqued.


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    A clear faint sound reverberated throughout the room. It was a soft mechanical voice that was pleasant to hear. It almost tickled a sense of maternal instinct that shouldn¡¯t even exist within me. But, I wonder who¡¯s saying this. Looking around the room, I couldn¡¯t find the source of the voice. I then walked up to the tree, its brilliance shining over me.


    [May the gods watch over you and your kingdom]


    Suddenly, I heard a huge crack. To my amazement, the white tree began to crumble before me. Soon, small pieces began to chip away. To my shock, a huge piece was falling towards me. Of course, I immediately jumped back avoiding it.


    Just what in the world is going on? I stared at the crumbling tree and soon, nothing else remained of it. Before it collapsed though, I was sure the voice was saying something else. I wonder what it was? I pondered for a bit, before something caught my eyes. Where the tree used to be, I saw a small blue medallion. The gem on it was beautiful, the rope seemingly made from tightly coiled gold.


    I suddenly perked my ears. Hmm¡­ I thought I heard something. Almost like a young girl¡¯s voice. It was barely audible though, and seemed to be a short laugh.


    [hee¡­]


    There it was again? Just where is this coming from. Suddenly, I stared at the medallion. Was it coming from there? I walked up to it, curiosity once again taking over. Is it this? Was this thing making the sound? I slightly touched the medallion with my paw. Nothing happened. Putting my head close to it, I tried sniffing it. Suddenly, another blinding light appeared.


    This one was the worst of it since it gave me a piercing headache. I began rolling on the floor, the pain getting worse with each roll. To my relief, the pain began to subside and I managed to regain myself. As soon as it fully disappeared, I then noticed that the entire room was shaking. My face began to pale as I saw tiny bits of the room collapsing. This¡­ is not good!


    I instantly jumped upwards, not even daring to look back at the amulet. It caused me enough pain, so I really don¡¯t care about it. I quickly bounded back to the corridor I came from, out the gate and into the ruins. As this happened, the pillars holding the place were collapsing. Even the floors were beginning to give out. With my speed, I managed to make it to the opening hallway of the ruins.


    Safe! I¡¯m almost safe!


    Suddenly, I heard a loud thud. I looked behind me to see a huge boulder running towards me. I didn¡¯t even wait as I quickly bounded forward. I ran as fast as I could, unwilling to die in this ruin. I really can¡¯t help but regret going here! Why is there even a trap like this? Looking back, I saw that the boulder was right behind me. It was so close that I felt it touching my tail.


    NOOOO, I REFUSE TO DIE LIKE THIS!


    With another burst of speed, I pushed myself towards the exit. To my surprise though, the floor from beneath me gave in and pushed itself into an angle. As soon as I pushed off from it, I felt myself flying to the outside. I must have been going so fast since I didn¡¯t even register the sudden change from inside the ruin to the outside. Before I knew it, I felt something hit me in the head and soon, my consciousness faded into the darkness.

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5


    Headache¡­ I¡¯ve been getting that a lot lately. Is my time in this new world only going to be filled with headaches? I hope not¡­ I really don¡¯t want any brain damages.


    With this thought, I opened my eyes and groaned as I tried to move around. Ugh¡­ my body feels as if it was rammed by a car. To make it worse, I felt that my entire body was confined in a small space. I instantly pushed forward, and soon, my body reached the light. Turns out, I was surrounded by snow. It must have snowed a lot when I lost consciousness.


    I stared at my surroundings. The light blue sky greeted me. No longer were there clouds covering the sky. Is it possible that it disappeared after snowing a lot? I thought about this before turning my gaze over to the ruins. The ruins¡­ were ruined. No pun intended, it was literally destroyed. Before, the beautiful entrance greeted you with an air of solemnity. Now, none of that appearance could be seen. Rather, you can see that the entrance had caved in. To tell you the truth, I sort of felt guilty, knowing that if I hadn¡¯t entered the place, then it would still be standing. At the same time, I couldn¡¯t help but curse the ancestors who built it for rigging it with traps like that. Honestly, a boulder. A boulder! They should have known better.


    Suddenly, I felt my stomach growl. I wonder how long I¡¯ve been unconscious? Well, by the sound of my stomach, it¡¯s probably been several days. I really shouldn¡¯t do anything rash for a while. With that thought, I started looking for food. Seeing that the sky cleared up, the animals should be coming out more frequently.


    I started my hunt, erasing my presence completely. Slowly, I began to stalk a deer. I¡¯ve tried out several types of animals already. The best tasting ones were the deer. It¡¯s probably because their meat were a bit firmer, unlike the rabbits who had a lot of fat on them. Plus, more meat. They¡¯re the best choice of food compared to the rest.


    Soon, I managed to close in on one. Slowly, I crept up, using the snow as cover. I¡¯m really glad that I had a white fur coat. Then, with one slash, I managed to take down the deer. Of course, I quickly went to work, savoring every single bite.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Huh? What was that? I¡¯m an animal for not cooking it? Well¡­ you¡¯re not wrong. As a wolf, I really don¡¯t mind doing this. Also, I would cook the deer, but¡­ I have no hands. How am I supposed to properly cook? Use some kind of magical power to drag the deer and make fire out of magic? Hah¡­ that¡¯s only in fantasy. What? You¡¯re in another world? Well, I can¡¯t deny that. But, I¡¯ve already tried doing magic. And let me tell you, I felt like a complete fool.


    I actually tried saying out long phrases and words to see if I can do magic. It took me five minutes to realize that I was only making myself look stupid. I¡¯m really glad no one was there to see it. But then again, they probably wouldn¡¯t even notice me. I am a wolf after all and not a human.


    As I casually ate the deer, I suddenly felt a piercing gaze. I instantly moved to the side, dodging the attack. Where I used to stand now stood a big black panther. It eyes were fiercely fixated on me, like a hunter hunting for its prey. Looking at the panther though, I couldn¡¯t help but think¡­ WHAT THE FUCK IS IT DOING HERE? Isn¡¯t it a panther? You know, those big cats that live in the jungle? Why would one be in a snowy environment?


    I couldn¡¯t even ask this as the panther immediately pounced on me. Of course, I dodged again but the panther seemingly knew that I was going to do this. It immediately changed directions midair. Soon, its claws were right on me. I panicked and swiped away its claws with my body. Of course, I was still hit as I felt a searing pain on my side. You little!


    In my anger, I jumped from a tree, using it as a platform. I landed right on top of the panther and instantly bit down on its neck. It screamed in pain as it tried to shake me off. It even managed to land another swipe at my back, which really hurt. Of course, it only made me clamp down tighter. Seeing that I wasn¡¯t getting off, it tried to bite at my feet only to bite my tail. I instantly let go as pain went through my body. It¡¯s as if my entire body cramped up. It really, really hurt. I felt myself fly as the panther tossed me away. As soon as it released my tail, I felt a lot better.


    I immediately jumped back as the panther lunged for me again. This time, I couldn¡¯t help but see a small formation underneath it. Magic¡­ there¡¯s actual magic in this world! More like, an animal was using it! As surprised as I was, I still managed to gather myself together and ducked. Of course, the panther followed suit as another formation appeared above of it pushing it towards me. I smiled. I instantly curved my body and managed to find its neck. The panther noticed its mistake and tried to back out. But, it was too late. I bit down hard and tore its neck to the side. The panther instantly dropped to the side, its breathing became gurgles. Soon, its body twitched before it finally died and was still.


    I sat on the snow, a sense of achievement going over me. I¡­ I actually lived. Also, magic huh. It actually existed¡­ but I wonder¡­ just how did it do it¡­


    I soon fell back to sleep, the adrenaline finally leaving me

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6


    A month has finally passed since I first appeared here. The weather¡­ wasn¡¯t any better. Although the clouds never returned, the snow didn¡¯t leave either. But, the sun did give a comfortable heat. Combined with cold snow, it made for perfect conditions for sleeping. Of course, I love to sleep. I am adventurous, but if I¡¯m in a place that had perfect conditions for sleeping¡­ well, I would sleep.


    Not only that, I was in a perfect place. I was on the edge of the mountain, watching the town below. I don¡¯t know, watching the rustling trees and flying birds. It gave me a sense of ease. Also, I¡¯ve been wanting to go to the town¡­ but I¡¯ve been really lazy. Plus, I really just want to sleep now. I haven¡¯t managed to this back in my old world so I¡¯m trying to gain all the days I¡¯ve lost now.


    Suddenly, an image briefly went through my mind. Hmm¡­ I wonder what they would think if they see me now. I remembered their smiles for a bit before the memory disappeared back into my mind. Well, might as well keep sleeping. Or so, I wanted to.


    In the middle of my sleep, I started to hear something. I opened my eyes and looked around. Nothing seemed to be here. Rather, there shouldn¡¯t be anything here since I killed all the high leveled bosses. If you¡¯re wondering what they were, well. The first one was the panther, the second one was a lion with a snake¡¯s tail, and the third was a seven-headed lizard that breathed out fire. How did I managed to kill them? Well, it¡¯s simple, I simply ate their heart¡­ aside from the panther. It took a while, but I managed to persevere. Also, I did use a bit of magic. Yeah, magic actually existed. But, it¡¯s not like those types where you need to say it. Rather, the magic I use is completely imagination. As long as I understood the principles behind it, I can use any type of magic.


    But, aside from this, I started to look for the source. I noticed that it was right below me. I cautiously peered over and was surprised to find a group of people. They all wore various winter clothes, but what surprised me were the weapons on their side. From swords to bows, they had an assortment of weapons. Right now, they were all connected to one another with a rope. Each one had a pick and were using it to climb up.


    I wonder who they are?


    ¡°Are we almost there?¡±


    A female voice rang out. Oh, so there are females in the group huh.


    ¡°Almost, just a bit more!¡±


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    The lead man replied with a gruff. He stared at the cliff as he took a short breather. The man then tried to pick another area. I instantly felt something wrong, but before I could do anything, the man shouted in surprise. He had picked a weak spot on the side of the mountain and immediately slipped. Not only that, the rocks from his area actually began to collapse and fall on his group. This caused some of the members to also lose their footing. One even fell and was now dangling dangerously on the side.


    ¡°ERIK!¡±


    ¡°GET YOUR FOOTING AND TRY TO GET HIM BACK UP!¡±


    One of them managed to find a strong spot to pick. He then removed the rope on his waist and connected it to the pick. Taking another rope out, he tied that to his foot and gave the rope to one of his comrades.


    ¡°Here¡±


    The person took hold of the rope and the man jumped. Eh? He actually jumped! Soon, the man was face to face with the dangling person.


    ¡°Sometimes you can be a pain you know¡±


    ¡°Oh, shut it¡±


    The man instantly tied another rope to the man¡¯s waist. He then tugged the rope on his foot and his companion began reeling him in. As this happened, the lead person managed to find another strong place to put his pick in. Soon, the entire group regained their footing and once again started their trek upwards. Honestly, I was impressed. Their teamwork was impeccable.


    I instantly retreated from the cliff side and hid behind some snow. I waited and after about 30 minutes, I finally saw a hand reach over the cliff. Soon, the group got up one at a time and collapsed on the floor.


    ¡°Phew¡­ I thought I was going to die¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ same¡±


    ¡°Hey gramps, you trying to kill us or what?¡±


    I was curious at this group. Even when they went through that predicament, they seem to be creating a pleasant atmosphere.


    ¡°Alright, alright¡­ settle down. Amanda!¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Start looking for it. Remember, it¡¯s a white temple, so you should be able to find it easily¡±


    ¡°Gotcha. Don¡¯t forget our deal¡±


    ¡°Just go already!¡±


    The girl stuck out her tongue before disappearing into the clearing. Eh? She disappeared? Into thin air? How is that even possible? I couldn¡¯t even tell where her presence went! Suddenly, I felt something behind me. I jumped up to the clearing where everyone was staring at me wide eyed. But, I focused on the person that was just behind me.


    With short blonde hair, she was a beauty that had a tomboyish atmosphere. In her hands, she held two kukris which glinted sharply at the sky. Those, looked really dangerous.


    ¡°Wolf?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s an actual wolf!¡±


    ¡°Oye, what are you guys doing! Get the equipment!¡±


    Suddenly, the people behind me began to shuffle.


    ¡°Who knew we could be lucky. With this little fella, we can make a fifty coils easy¡±


    As soon as they heard that, they all rushed themselves even faster. Eh, fifty coils? What does that mean? The girl took out a bottle from inside her clothes. She then poured the liquid on her blades. I smelled a sweet fragrant from it and immediately realized¡­ that bottle had something that can make you fall asleep. I also heard a loud thud behind me and saw that they now had a cage.


    Just where in the world did they get that cage?


    Suddenly, the girl lunged forward. I immediately invoked wind magic which made me move faster.


    ¡°MAGIC!¡±


    ¡°What!¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡±


    The group became confounded. Of course, I used this opportunity to escape. Suddenly, I felt something hit me on my thigh.


    I looked back and noticed a blade was protruding from it. It hurt¡­ but at the same time, it didn¡¯t. It was a strange feeling. As I kept running, I felt a small sudden pain. The blade was pulled out. I looked at the girl and noticed her pulling on a very thin string. She also had a smile on her face as she seems to be calmly waiting.


    Scary! She was really scary.


    I kept running, as fast and as far as I could. Soon, the group could no longer be seen. But, I kept running. But as I kept running though, I began to feel tired. My body began to relax. Before I knew it, my consciousness disappeared and travelled to the world of dreams.

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7


    I think I¡¯ve felt like this before. You know, that groggy feeling. I slowly opened my eyes and noticed that my mouth was on a muzzle. I stood up in surprise only to hit my head on something. I was in a cage, a metal cage to be exact. There were also sheets of paper attached to the eight corners of the cage. I rammed myself on the cage, only to feel pain. I then laid down, suddenly feeling a sense of fatigue.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s finally awake¡±


    A girl walked up to me and crouched. She then poked through the cage bars. One of the men ran to her, taking back her finger.


    ¡°Oye, you want to lose a finger or something?¡±


    ¡°Eh, isn¡¯t it fine?¡±


    ¡°No its not. Even if it is like that, you can¡¯t lower your guard ok? Remember, it can use magic¡±


    ¡°eh¡­ but didn¡¯t we seal it already?¡±


    ¡°Well, we did. But you never know. That¡¯s why, don¡¯t do something dangerous ok?¡±


    The girl sighed.


    ¡°alright¡±


    Accepting her reply, the man also sighed as he went back to doing what he was doing. If I look, I noticed that I was in a camp. Tents surrounded a bonfire in the middle. The man was currently cooking while two other people were finishing making their tents. As for the rest, they weren¡¯t here. Also, the girl from before was also not here. I wonder where she went.


    ¡°Mr. Wolf, are you feeling any better?¡±


    I stared at the girl in front of me. Was that¡­ English? I didn¡¯t really pay attention before, but it really did sound like English. Although, there were some words I didn¡¯t understand.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ¡°Would you like to eat something Mr. Wolf?¡±


    The girl looked at me with pure eyes. I somewhat understand that she was asking me if I was hungry. Of course, I nodded as my stomach grumbled. She smiled and took out a small piece of meat and stuck it through the cage. Even though I had a muzzle, I could still grab something that small. So, I nibbled the edge and grabbed it. It was cooked. I finally managed to eat something cooked. Although I managed to cook most of my food, this one actually had a good taste to it. That¡¯s why I was happy. Even though she couldn¡¯t hear me, I couldn¡¯t help but thank her in my mind.


    Thank you


    The girl jumped back in surprise. Eh¡­ did something happen? Containing her surprise though, she crept back to me.


    ¡°You¡­ you can use telepathy?¡±


    Telepathy?


    ¡°Yes, you know, talking with your mind¡±


    Suddenly, I noticed that I could understand her clearly. It was really strange, but what surprised me more was the fact that I was using telepathy. Is it possible that my magic came out since I wanted to thank her?


    I¡­ guess I can use telepathy


    ¡°So Mr¡­ I mean, Mrs. Wolf didn¡¯t know she could use telepathy huh¡±


    Mrs?


    Then, I noticed that my voice sounded like a girl when I used telepathy. Hmm¡­ Well, I¡¯ll think about this later. Rather, for now, I really want to get out of these bonds.


    Girl¡­ can you please remove these?


    ¡°Sorry, but I can¡¯t¡±


    Please¡­ it¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to escape anyway


    ¡°Eh¡­ but¡±


    She gave a glance towards her companions. It looks like she doesn¡¯t want to do it¡­ or that¡¯s what it seemed. Before I knew it, she took out a knife and cleanly cut the muzzle and the rope that entwined me. I became free, though I was still inside a cage. But you know what, it felt great.


    Thank you


    With that, I faced the bonfire and started sleeping. I suddenly began hearing commotions. I yawned as I opened my eyes. Around me, six people carrying spears could be seen. Huh?


    ¡°Why would you let it go like that! You want to get killed Carla!¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°What if it killed you while we were away? Do you want your father to die in grief?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°As a medium, you know your important to the group. As a daughter, I can¡¯t afford to lose you¡­ especially after¡­¡±


    The group had a solemn air around them. I raised my head which was noticed by the group. They tightened their formation around me, though I only lied down calmly. The father and daughter duo then saw me. The daughter had a smile on her face while the father looked at me with a complicated look.


    ¡°Anyway, we need to tie it up again. After that, we will continue our se¡­¡±


    I know where it is


    Everyone was instantly silenced. They all stared at me with wide eyes.


    You were looking for the ruins, right? Well, I know where it is.


    The old man had a complicated look on his face. But, the daughter then went up to me. Before anyone knew what was happening, she unlocked the door and burned the seals. Yeah, she had magic too.


    ¡°CARLA, WHAT ARE¡­¡±


    Settle down already gramps. Not like I¡¯m going to hurt any of you


    I simply walked out of the cage and jumped over the spearmen. I saw fear in their eyes as they tried to surround me again. But, before they could¡­


    Well, you following or what?


    They all froze and turned to look at the gramps. He also bore a complicated look as if he was weighing the pros and the cons. He then sighed¡­


    ¡°Lead the way¡±

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8


    ¡°Neh, Mrs. Wolf¡­ how long have you been living here?¡±


    For a while


    ¡°Ehh¡­ so what kind of place is this?¡±


    Haven¡¯t you seen it? It¡¯s just a nice snowy place that¡¯s perfect for sleeping


    We were currently heading towards the ruins. Even though I destroyed it, I should at least show them where it was. Who knows, with the equipment they have, they should be able to find something. As we walked, I couldn¡¯t help but hold a conversation with the girl Carla. She was sixteen years old and really had an outgoing personality. You can say she was the pure type who also had a hint of shyness and modesty to her.


    As for the father, well¡­ let¡¯s say he¡¯s the complete opposite.


    ¡°You better not try anything funny¡±


    How many times do I have to tell you I won¡¯t


    ¡°How can I easily believe the words of an animal!¡±


    Oye¡­ even that hurts me you know


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    Well, our conversation usually went like that. Anyway, our trek continued a bit longer, but soon, the ruins were in sight. The man instantly had a complicated look on his face.


    ¡°This¡­ is the ruins?¡±


    Yeah¡­


    ¡°What¡­ what happened to it?¡±


    Traps¡­ I may have set them off, so the entire place collapsed


    ¡°YOU DID WHAT!¡±


    I instantly regret saying that as I felt pressure around me.


    Hey, you can¡¯t blame me. I was only exploring the place. I almost died too


    ¡°WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU EXPLORE IT ALONE! At most you could have¡­¡±


    What? Bring companions to help me? Bring necessary equipment to help me explore?


    I gave him a judging look which he immediately noticed. He choked on his words, finally realizing that he was talking with a wolf. I sighed.


    Anyway, there it is¡­ so what are you guys going to do?


    ¡°Simple! We excavate what we can. We make camp here¡±


    Everyone soon began to work. There were a total of twelve people in this group. Six of them immediately began working in opening up the entrance. The rest began setting up camp. Since I didn¡¯t have much to do, I simply laid down by a tree and watched them do their work. As soon as the camp was finished, Carla ran towards me with a smile.


    ¡°Mrs. Wo¡­¡±


    Fer¡­ just call me Fer for now


    ¡°Ah¡­ ok. Fer, thanks for showing us the way¡±


    It¡¯s not a problem. Rather, by showing you the way, that was the only way I could earn your groups trust


    ¡°ah¡­¡±


    The girl immediately realized that I had used her. But, she didn¡¯t seem upset. Rather, she smiled even more. Yep¡­ she was the pure type who understands people¡¯s logic. I can also tell since I¡¯ve been good at this even in my previous world. I instantly sent a link to her dad.


    You better protect this girl from danger


    The man instantly looked around him in surprise. His gaze then fell on me and I actually saw a small grin. Oh¡­ so he¡¯s the protective type huh. Well, I guess this girl has a bright future. Soon, night fell upon us. Everyone gathered together by the bonfire eating, singing and having a merry time. As for me, I was actually allowed a spot beside Carla and the dad.


    ¡°It took us two days, but we¡¯re finally where we need to be¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s only thanks to the young wolf right¡±


    ¡°Hah, even without the wolf, we would have found it¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ in a month or so¡±


    It seems that me helping them out had mix feeling. Some felt that their pride were hurt, while the rest were thankful. Only shows how each person is different from the other. Soon, they all began to sleep though two of them were up to stand guard. As for me, well¡­ I was about to find a good place to burrow, but I was instantly led into a tent by Carla. From there, she didn¡¯t even hesitate to use me as a pillow. She felt warm¡­ and soon, that warmth also made me fall asleep.

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9


    Two weeks¡­ it took them two weeks to excavate anything. Who knew they had magic that can detect hidden treasure. Such a thing. Anyway, they now carried several bags filled with them. Surprisingly, they didn¡¯t find the vault room. I had asked them if they found anything interesting. They told me all the rooms they found and the treasures they¡¯ve gathered. Though, they didn¡¯t say anything about the big chamber I had found nor the medallion that I saw. I wonder what happened to that.


    So, what are you guys planning now?


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Of course, were going back¡±


    Is that so¡­


    Even though my first meeting with them was bad, all of them were wonderful company. Each had their own set of stories and it was fun listening to them. I really am going to miss them.


    ¡°Say¡­ I¡¯ve always been wondering. But, are you actually a human?¡±


    Human¡­ well, I have memories of being one


    ¡°Really!?¡±


    They suddenly clamored over me. It was kind of intimidating.


    ¡°Do¡­ do you remember who you were?¡±


    Y-yeah¡­ why?


    ¡°oh¡­ is that so¡­¡±


    Suddenly, the group quieted down. It¡¯s as if they all had the same thought. I wonder¡­.


    Did you guys think I was¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t say it, rather¡­ to think that you used to be a human. Say, why don¡¯t you come with us to the town?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but scoff.


    And get shot by the guards. Yeah, I rather not


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    ¡°Ahh¡­ true, there was that¡±


    He had an awkward look on his face. I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Out of all the people I¡¯ve met, he¡¯s one of the awkward people I have ever laid eyes on. At first, I thought he was the strict type who does anything he can to achieve a goal. But, he wasn¡¯t that at all. Rather, he was an amicable man who also had an awkward disposition. Almost like his daughter¡­ almost.


    ¡°Well¡±


    He gave a slight look at his daughter who in turn nodded towards him.


    ¡°You can do magic, right?¡±


    Yeah¡­ what of it?


    ¡°Here¡±


    Suddenly a book appeared out of nowhere. He must have gotten it from his spacial storage. I would really like to learn that magic soon. He then opened the book and placed it in front of me. After that he gave a snugged grin. I looked from him to the book.


    Ok¡­ so?


    ¡°Huh, do you not know what this is?¡±


    ¡­ no, I don¡¯t.


    ¡°Strange. I though you said you remember who you were¡±


    Yeah, I do remember who I was. But, I never said anything about being from this world right


    ¡°¡­ What?¡±


    I sighed¡­


    I¡¯m from a different world. Simple enough to understand? Ok¡­ so mind explaining what this is?


    I didn¡¯t allow him to dwell on the question. Soon, he began to explain. This was a transformation spell. Basically, it¡¯ll allow me to turn into a spirit. An ethereal being that has no form. With this, I would be able to slip past the guards and enter. All I need to do is find either him or Carla who would then try to accommodate me into the town. Hmm¡­ alright, simple enough.


    So¡­ all I need to do is place my paw on this right?


    ¡°Yeah. So, how about it?¡±


    ¡­ how can I trust you?


    They all gave me a confused look. Of course, even though I¡¯ve been with them for a while. And even if I did manage to figure out their personalities, I still can¡¯t really trust them. The man scratched his head.


    ¡°Well¡­ alright, if you don¡¯t trust us, then I can simply form a contract, right?¡±


    Contract!


    I instantly backed away. In my opinion, contracts can dictate a person¡¯s life. This was a hard lesson I¡¯ve learned time and time again back in my world.


    ¡°Whoa, don¡¯t be so against it. Ok, instead of a contract, how about we make a pact. All it is really is to ensure that neither person harms the other. Of course, this also ensures that promises and oaths are fulfilled, meaning you can fully trust me¡±


    I thought about it for a moment. I really don¡¯t trust this¡­ but. I stared at the town below us. I want to see it¡­ not just the town, but also this world.


    ¡°Let me warn you though¡­ once you get off this mountain, you will see many things¡­ the good and the bad¡±


    I laughed.


    I¡¯ve seen a lot of things in my life. I think I can handle what this world throws at me


    With that, he began writing things on the ground. After he was done, a complicated series of symbols could be seen. In these, two circles could be seen. He stood on one and then beckoned for me to stand on the other.


    ¡°Mind helping me out¡±


    Carla smiled. She stepped forward alongside the kukri wielding girl. They then began to chant and soon a blue light emitted from the symbols. I then felt something enter within me. After that, it was done.


    ¡°Now then, do you feel anything?¡±


    Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t feel anything weird


    ¡°Alright¡­ then¡±


    I suddenly felt something within me and moved to the side. I stared directly at the man who smiled.


    W-what¡­


    ¡°You would feel that if I had any notion of betraying you. Now, you understand?¡±


    Yeah¡­ that was really not a good feeling


    ¡°yeah, I know¡±


    You sound like you¡¯ve had experience


    He laughed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you all about it later. Now then, here¡±


    He once again placed the book in front of me. I felt nothing from him so I willingly placed my hand on the page. Soon, a light enveloped me which covered my entire body. Soon, I felt my body getting bigger? Huh? Wasn¡¯t this supposed to turn me into a spirit? Instead, I feel more¡­ alive. Rather, my vision was also getting higher. Eh? Soon, the light died down. I felt myself wobble before I finally fell to the floor. Of course, my butt hurt from the landing and I gave out a soft moan.


    I¡¯m confused. Just, what just happened? I stared at my hands¡­ HANDS! I have hands? Eh? I stared down at my body and soon found two huge things on my chest. What? Are these¡­ breast? Eh? EHHH?

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10


    I couldn¡¯t help but shift a bit as I felt the gaze coming from the men. Noticing me, both Amanda and Carla gave piercing gazes to the guys who immediately shifted their gaze. Right now, we were walking through the forest. If you were wondering what happened, well¡­ I actually became a human. No one knew how, rather, they kept looking through the book over and over again. Till now, they still couldn¡¯t figure out how I became a human. Oh, oops¡­ I meant demi-human. Yes, I became a demi human. That was inherent by the wolf ears and the tail that is in back. Not only that, I became a girl¡­ A GIRL. Somehow, I felt as if a part of myself had disappeared.


    I couldn¡¯t help but sigh as I swore to myself to move on. If I think about it, I was never the type to always delve on the same problem for a long time. Rather, it¡¯ll probably fix itself with time¡­ maybe. Ugh¡­ I really don¡¯t know how this is going to work, but, if I¡¯m a girl now, might as well work with it. Anyway, I told the two girls that I used to be a guy, so I¡¯m really banking on their knowledge to teach me the ways of being a female in this world. Of course, they happily agreed to it¡­ though, I somehow felt I was in danger. It¡¯s like, they have this flame in their eyes that were suddenly lit.


    But, to make it worse, my transformation also changed our pact. Now, it was a master and servant contract. Yeah, you didn¡¯t hear wrong. MASTER AND SERVANT. Raymond was the master and, guess what. I¡¯M THE SERVANT! Ugh¡­ I knew I shouldn¡¯t have trusted him. PERVERT! LEECHER! My body suddenly began to feel hot, indicating that the contract was working against me. I breathed in and out, hoping to control myself. Soon, the feeling disappeared and I was back to normal.


    ¡°Fer¡­ I know your angry¡­ but, can you control yourself for a bit?¡±


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    ¡°Eh, how did you know?¡±


    ¡°¡­ well you started to moan a bit, meaning that you were probably thinking about negative things about father¡±


    I instantly blushed as I tried to hide my face. This is the worst! Carla sighed¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s ok, we¡¯ll get that fixed Fer. Plus, it¡¯s not like any of this is your fault¡±


    She suddenly gave Raymond a sharp look. Of course, the man looked distraught, knowing that his own daughter was looking at him as if he was a pervert. Soon, before we knew it, we finally arrived at the town. Of course, we first had to stop at the front since I had no identification. The Lancers vouched for me, saying that I was a traveler who lost her family. The guards immediately gave me pity and allowed me to enter, though I didn¡¯t mistake the lustful look they gave me. Anyway, going in the town, I was excited. I couldn¡¯t help myself as I ran inside looking at the town.


    Beautiful buildings with a venetian vibe coming from them. Not only that, people who wore medieval type clothing were walking outside. Truly a beautiful place. I suddenly smelled fresh bread and meat. My stomach immediately grumbled.


    ¡°Looks like the princess is hungry¡±


    The group laughed. Of course, I couldn¡¯t help but be embarrassed. Carla and Amanda immediately reproached the group. Blessed their hearts. Their like the light in the darkness¡­ even though Amanda scared me at first.


    ¡°Well, I know your hungry right now, but first. Clothes¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we need to give you something to wear first¡±


    Oh yeah, forgot about that. If I think about it, I was only wearing a jacket that reached to my knees. Aside from that, I wasn¡¯t wearing anything underneath. So, getting clothes should be fine. Suddenly, I felt my shoulders being grabbed.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll be borrowing her for a second. You guys reserve a spot for us to eat¡±


    ¡°Expect something good¡±


    The two girls immediately pulled me to the nearest store they could find. There, I saw an assortment of clothing. The front receptionist came up to us with a smile.


    ¡°How may I help you¡±


    ¡°We need clothes for this girl right here¡±


    ¡°Cute ones that suit a beauty like her ok?¡±


    The receptionist¡¯s eyes were instantly lit with a flame. Eh¡­ for some strange reason, she has the same looks as Carla and Amanda.


    ¡°Um¡­ do I have a say in this?¡±


    The three turned to look at me. I instantly shivered. This feeling. It¡¯s the same as before when I was being hunted by the lion. I took a step back but before I could, the three of them grabbed me.


    ¡°Now then, let the dressing begin¡±