Chapter 141: Small Change (3)

“Hand over the money.”

In his childhood, Wolf was a vicious alley boss, summed up by the phrase ‘Hand over the money.’ He’d sit in the back alleys, lure in naive people, and extort money with his natural build and strength. Those who resisted were beaten until they were crippled, and those who didn’t listen were literally smashed to pieces.

In his childhood, he was like a tank. A spiky tank that smashed and ran over everything that came near him. People were so scared just seeing Wolf around that they’d avoid him, and even street vendors couldn’t meet his eyes.

The guards, who took plenty of bribes from him, either turned a blind eye to Wolf’s misdeeds or even hired him to beat up guys they didn’t like.

Wolf’s family lived in a similar way. His father was a con artist who scammed naive country travelers, and Wolf’s relatives ran pickpocketing and begging rackets using children.

Scum.

Everyone who knew Wolf and his family called them that. They lowered their voices quietly, lest Wolf hear them, and held their breath to avoid a beating.

The Wolf who changed was the one who met Angela. Wolf, who had coincidentally gone down to the countryside to collect a debt, met Angela there, who lived with her father. A woman with a radiant, beautiful smile. She offered him fruit without minding Wolf’s menacing appearance, and Wolf, awkward in love, blurted out the question on their first meeting:

“What kind of man do you like?”

Angela seemed to be a woman who knew nothing about romance or relationships either. Because she answered with a smile like this:

“I like someone like a knight. A cool knight in armor, with a flowing cape.”

From then on, Wolf changed. He stopped hitting people and stopped extorting money in the neighborhood. His family worried about the suddenly changed Wolf, but Wolf ignored them and focused on his studies.

For the Wolf family, who handled all sorts of illegal activities, money was overflowing. He officially registered at a training ground, became a knight trainee, and learned swordsmanship.

Realizing Wolf was serious, his family supported him in every way possible, materially and spiritually. They used the crackdown as an opportunity to shut down the potentially problematic begging business. Wolf’s father also quit his scams. They bribed officials to erase records of his petty crimes and hired an expensive instructor for him.

The reality was that even a king in the back alleys was treated like trash outside. As much as Wolf wanted to be respectable for Angela, his family wanted to thrive in the light through him. They wanted to dine in fancy restaurants and wield power, telling people what to do.

Wolf truly wanted to become a good person.

Thus, several years passed.

Wolf continued to meet Angela, striving to prove he was a kind and good person. He rescued Fabian, an unknown slave, and took him as his subordinate, and even showed off his swordsmanship in front of Angela. He cleared out bandits and helped Angela’s parents.

Wolf truly wanted to become a good person.

Because he had skills so excellent that they could ignore the mockery of his low-class family. After quite a long time passed like that, one day, Wolf proudly proposed to Angela, holding his Academy acceptance letter.

Angela blushed and accepted Wolf’s proposal, believing they could live a happy life.

She believed his words that once he graduated from the Academy, he would ride a horse proudly, clad in armor.

Wolf truly believed he could become a good person.

Angela believed she could be happy.

That day, in the Academy warehouse, all those beliefs shattered futilely like shards of glass. Faced with the twisted possessiveness of a noble, an Academy student from a low-class family was nothing. No matter how ‘decent’ his swordsmanship was, or how good his grades were, he couldn’t challenge the authority of a noble.

Angela disappeared like a spring flower wilting.

Wolf truly believed he could become a good person.

And now, all that remained for him was his family.

“Wolf.”

Fabian.

Wolf looked at Fabian. A comrade he met a long time ago. He was like another family member, a close friend, and Wolf’s confidant. Such a man stood in the room with a somber face, as if he had fully absorbed the northern chill.

Since Wolf rescued him from slavery, Fabian had never shown such an expression before Wolf. The worry that had clouded his face during the moments he was bound in chains seemed to echo back. Wolf asked Fabian.

“How did the job go?”

There were rumors that a force threatening Wolf’s family had fled north. The story was that they were trying to execute his friends living in the East, using minor corruption committed by his family as leverage.

Even seeing Fabian’s grim expression, Wolf had no doubt about the job’s success. Because Fabian was always the perfect friend. Because he was a colleague who would do anything for him.

“It failed. They must have fled further.”

Wolf blinked. He mulled over the meaning of the word ‘failure’ that came from Fabian’s mouth in the silence. The fact that a terrible criminal had escaped lingered in Wolf’s mind. Wolf, blinking and thinking hard, opened his mouth.

“But then, why did you come back?”

Wolf couldn’t understand. This kind of job couldn’t fail. Fabian was always perfect. When they were in crisis in the Demon Realm, Fabian always had a hidden ace up his sleeve. He saw through traps to neutralize enemy ambushes and dug up enemy secrets to counterattack.

If it were the Fabian Wolf knew, he wouldn’t report failure. He would have stayed in the North until he succeeded. He should have brought news of success nonchalantly, saying it was an easy job. After that, Wolf should have praised him, had a casual drink, and discussed future plans.

“Wolf.”

Fabian’s somber expression didn’t improve even after admitting his failure. Instead, he called Wolf’s name with an even more pained expression. Wolf asked Fabian once more.

“Why, why did you just come back? Even at this moment, someone is trying to harm my family. Why did you just return? Fabian.”

“Wolf. Let’s stop this kind of thing now.”

Wolf couldn’t understand Fabian. Fabian tried to understand Wolf.

“I understand how you feel, Wolf. But, but it’s over now. The revenge is over, and there’s no one threatening you. We… seem to be going down the wrong path.”

Wolf stared intently at Fabian. A faint anger flickered in his wide-open eyes. Fabian thought this was the first time he had ever met Wolf’s gaze like that. Because the only ones he showed hostility towards were always his enemies.

Wolf’s brow twitched. He tried hard not to show his anger, but every action felt like the word ‘rage’ to Fabian. Wolf said.

“When I was young, everyone feared me. Because I used my fists to crush everyone. I had power, and my family ruled the back alleys. There wasn’t a single guy who dared to stab me, nor anyone who tried to touch my woman.”

When recalling the past, Wolf had a habit of looking at the ceiling with a strange expression, unsure if he was smiling or crying. As if the past were playing out on the ceiling, his eyes would sparkle brightly then.

“And when I decided to live a good life, a stronger force crushed me. Fabian. You know how Angela died, don’t you? You know why she was taken away, and how I lived afterward, don’t you?”

Fabian had nothing to say to Wolf’s questions. But Fabian could tell. That the crimes Wolf’s family was committing now were definitely not beneficial to Wolf. That the only way for him to remain a hero was to cut ties with his family right now and dedicate himself to the country.

“Fabian. In the end, only power can protect us. I felt it desperately after Angela died. Power is morality. Living virtuously means nothing. Those with power get their wrongdoings packaged as good deeds by those around them. Look at my family. My father. My relatives. My friends. Look at those people who comforted me when I was struggling and helped me get into the Academy. You want me to abandon all of them? Just let them all die? Fabian. If I lived like that, do you think the world would praise me? Huh?”

“Still, this has gone too far. The country is heading for ruin. Wolf. You know it too. That this can’t go on like this.”

Wolf shouted.

“Stronger power! Only power! Can protect us! Just like when we lived in those back alleys! Stronger power is the only thing that can protect us! The day I returned. If I had lived quietly, do you think those filthy bastards would have let me live! Angela died! Angela died! I still see Angela smiling in my dreams! I remember the day I swore to live virtuously! What did I gain from that past? Nothing! Now, now I only have you guys! Only my family and you guys!”

Wolf’s face contorted. Hearing the resounding voice, the servants opened the door only to flee in a hurry. Wolf sobbed. Wolf’s mind was continuously wearing down. Unable to escape the repeating memories, he was still living amidst hatred and anxiety.

Unreasonable misfortune breaks people. Wolf said, grabbing Fabian’s hand.

“Fabian…! We need to tighten our grip more strongly. We must squeeze people harder, so no one can look down on us. Just like when I was the king of the back alleys…! This is just a transitional period right now. If we just get past this moment and gain perfect control…! Nothing can stop us anymore. Right?”

Fabian shook his head.

“Wolf. We need to change.”

Wolf looked at him again and ground his teeth. Fabian saw the warrior’s hand, veins bulging. It was clear that if Wolf applied force now, Fabian’s hand would be crushed. Wolf pushed Fabian’s hand away and said.

“…Let’s talk later.”

Fabian nodded and moved away from Wolf. In the dim room, only the sound of the door closing echoed.