Reborn As A Maid

Chapter 86: Chapter 86 - Wolf And The Girl ( Part 2 )

The valley was absolutely silent.

All that could be heard was the sound of snow falling between frozen cliffs.

Jennie was standing in front of the captured white wolf and examining the black crystals enveloping him.

And the closer she got...

The less pleasant they became.

Dark veins were pulsating under the surface of the crystal just like living arteries.

Each pulse took more mana away from the wolf.

And he was getting weaker with each passing second.

Jennie’s expression tightened.

"This is no natural mineral."

"It has been made."

Excalibur immediately answered.

"Black crystals of Abyss."

Jennie’s gaze fell on her sword.

"What do you mean?"

The holy sword’s voice became much colder.

"Abyss Crystals."

"They are weapons made by Demon Generals during the Great Demon War."

Jennie’s gaze darkened.

And the voice of Excalibur became even colder.

"They are unlike normal crystals because they absorb mana from everything they come in contact with."

"The more powerful their victim..."

"...the more painful experience."

Jennie silently looked back at the wolf.

The beast probably spent several days in this prison...

Maybe, even weeks.

Every second of it was slowly draining his life away.

She clenched her fist.

"...Cruel."

Very cruel.

Jennie started to circle around the crystal prison.

And she did not draw her sword.

Not yet.

Instead...

She was carefully observing.

Every crack.

Every sharp edge.

Every place of crystal’s contact with the fur.

The wolf watched her carefully.

Never taking his eyes off her.

"If I simply cut through everything..."

She shook her head.

"No."

"The shock would shatter the whole formation."

"And pieces would pierce his body."

She closed her eyes.

Breathing deeply.

Lub...

Dub...

Lub...

Dub...

She slowly opened her eyes.

Hundreds of tiny flaws inside the black crystal were reflected in the silver pupils of Jennie.

The faintest smile appeared on her lips.

"Found them."

Finally, Jennie placed her hand upon the hilt of Excalibur.

She did not draw the blade completely.

Only a few centimeters.

Golden glow faded away under the surface of the white scabbard.

The wolf immediately flinched.

Jennie looked at him.

"Don’t worry."

"I will not cut you."

She smiled gently.

"But I will cut everything but you."

One step forward.

She slowed her breathing.

Mountain.

Snow.

All the world.

Only crystal.

One vulnerable spot.

Then another.

Then another.

Her body was moving.

One draw.

Almost invisible silver trace was crossing the first crystal.

Click.

Another.

Click. freewebnøvel.com

Another.

Click.

Jennie barely touched the ground.

Dancing around the huge crystal prison with incredible accuracy.

No useless movements.

No excess of power.

Only dozens of microscopic cuts.

One hundred.

Two hundred.

Three hundred.

The air around them was trembling.

To everybody who was looking...

It would seem that she was only walking around the wolf.

However...

Every step was a new perfect hit.

Several minutes passed.

Finally, Jennie stopped.

Returning Excalibur to the scabbard.

"...Done."

Silence.

Nothing happened.

The wolf blinked.

Then...

Crack...

Tiny cracks were appearing all over the surface of black crystals at once.

Crack...

Crack...

Crack...

The huge prison was collapsing into harmless black dust.

Not a single piece touched the wolf.

The corrupted mana vanished into the air.

Valley became peaceful once more.

Freed at last...

The huge wolf tried to stand.

Trembling all his strong legs violently.

One step.

Another step.

His body finally gave up.

Thud.

He fell right onto Jennie.

Jennie’s eyes widened.

"Oh!"

She quickly stepped forward and caught his huge head before he could fall on the frozen ground.

"...Easy."

Her voice became softer.

"Now you are safe."

The wolf stared at her.

Still breathing heavily.

He tried to growl.

"Grrr..."

This was meant to be scary.

Instead...

It sounded weak and pitiful.

Second later...

His eyes rolled up.

Thump.

He fainted.

Jennie watched him for several seconds.

Then sighed.

"...At least, you tried."

Several hours later...

The wolf opened his eye.

The first thing he saw was the thick white bandages wound around his hurt leg.

His ears twitched.

Jennie was sitting next to him and preparing medicine.

"Oh."

"You are awake."

The wolf quickly looked away.

Trying to pretend that he did not see anything.

Jennie smiled.

"I still have to bandage your shoulder."

The wolf moved his head even farther away.

Refusing clearly.

"..."

Jennie blinked. freeweɓnovel.cøm

"Do you..."

"...want to argue?"

The wolf lifted his proud chin.

Jennie could not stop giggling.

"Alright."

"If you don’t want my help..."

"I won’t try to force you."

She silently stood up.

Taking her backpack.

Then walked away.

The wolf was not moving.

Five seconds passed.

Ten.

Twenty.

His ears suddenly rose up.

Peeking secretly behind his back.

But Jennie was walking away.

Wolf’s eyes widened.

"She’s leaving?"

He immediately jumped up.

"Woof!"

He followed her.

One step.

Two steps.

Three steps.

And...

His wounded front leg gave way.

Flop!

He landed face-first in the snow.

Jennie turned around.

"..."

The wolf lifted his head slowly.

There was snow on his nose.

Jennie walked back.

"...You are being stubborn."

She crouched near him.

"And pretty unconvincing."

This time...

The wolf did not resist her help.

By sunset...

Small campfire was burning under the rock overhang.

Jennie was carefully roasting strips of dried meat over the fire.

The delicious smell was filling the mountain air.

The wolf tried not to notice it.

He looked away proudly.

"I am a majestic beast."

"Food cannot tempt me."

His stomach growled loudly.

Jennie looked at him.

"...Are you hungry?"

The wolf immediately looked at the sky.

Trying to pretend nothing had happened.

Jennie smiled.

She handed him a piece of meat.

"Here."

The wolf hesitated.

For three whole seconds.

And then...

Nom!

He swallowed the piece in an instant.

Jennie blinked.

"...So fast?"

She handed him another piece.

And another one disappeared.

Another one.

Disappeared again.

Jennie giggled softly.

"So..."

"Your pride has its limits."

The wolf froze.

Lifting his head away slowly.

If the wolves could blush...

He definitely would.

Night fell over the mountains.

Snow continued to fall outside the shelter.

Jennie quietly poured herself some warm tea.

The wolf was lying several meters away.

Watching the fire.

And Jennie.

Fire.

Very slowly...

He was moving closer.

Just a little bit.

And then after several minutes...

He was scooting closer again.

Jennie noticed.

Trying not to show that she noticed.

Once again...

Closer.

Closer.

Until...

His big fluffy head was resting softly next to her shoulder.

Jennie looked at him.

The wolf immediately closed his eyes.

Trying to pretend that he was always planning to sleep there.

She could not help but smile.

"So..."

"You finally admitted that you like warmth."

There was no answer.

Only a slight twitch of his ear.

Jennie reached out.

Her fingers were running through his fluffy white fur.

"So fluffy..."

The wolf opened one eye.

And Jennie scratched behind his ear.

"...Good boy."

Everything froze.

The wolf froze completely.

His bright blue eyes became impossibly wide.

And then...

Without his permission...

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

His fluffy big tail started wagging in the snow.

Jennie watched him silently.

The wolf slowly turned his head.

And saw his tail.

Instantly...

It stopped.

He quickly sat up straighter.

Trying to recover whatever dignity he had lost.

Jennie covered her mouth.

Then giggled softly.

"So cute."

The wolf turned away.

Trying not to admit anything which had just happened.

Outside...

Snow was continuing to fall across the silent mountains.

And inside the little shelter...

For the first time in many months...

Jennie was having dinner not alone.

Neither of them knew it yet.

But that silent winter night...

Lonely traveler and lonely white wolf became a family.

There was a slight crackle from the campfire.

Flames flickered in the corners of the rocks, fighting against the eternal winter outside.

Jennie tossed another piece of wood into the fire.

"There."

"That will keep us warm till the morning."

The wolf observed her without making any sound.

His blue eyes tracked each of her movements.

Jennie noticed.

She smiled.

"What?"

The wolf quickly turned away.

As if he had been looking at the flames all along.

Jennie chuckled.

"He’s quite readable."

She dug into her travel bag.

After a brief search, she pulled out a thick wool blanket.

The wolf cocked his head.

Jennie opened the blanket.

And then...

Without uttering a word...

Gently draped half of the blanket on the wolf’s broad shoulders.

The wolf tensed up.

His ears twitched in bewilderment.

Jennie arranged the blanket to fit him.

"The nights are colder here in the mountains."

She said with a smile.

"You can catch a cold."

The wolf blinked several times.

For a creature who had spent thousands of sleepless nights in the freezing wilderness...

It felt strange to be covered with a blanket.

He lowered his head slowly.

Neither from fear,

Nor from tiredness,

But just because he didn’t know how to react.

Jennie misunderstood him.

"Too heavy?"

She began to lift the blanket.

The wolf quickly grabbed one of its corners with his huge paw.

"...Oh?"

Jennie blinked.

"Do you want to keep it?"

The wolf nodded quietly.

A soft smile spread across Jennie’s face.

"I knew it."

She put the blanket on herself too, leaving themselves under it together with the fire between them.

Outside...

The snowstorm strengthened.

Strong gusts of wind whistled across the mountain peaks, but inside the small rock, everything remained peaceful.

Jennie gazed at the dozing wolf.

"Good night."

She whispered the words so faintly they could have been carried away by the fire.

His eyes were closed.

Though...

He flicked his fluffy tail once with happiness and froze again.

Jennie smiled quietly.

"He’s adorable."

Smiling to herself, she closed her eyes without realizing that for the first time in centuries, the ancient white wolf fell asleep without feeling lonely.