episode_0022

“Wear this.”

I took off the outer layer of my butler uniform and draped it over Arin.

Then, I lightly drew my palm across the blade, drawing blood.

“And now, I’m going to sprinkle this blood on your head. If you don’t want it, say so now.”

“I don’t want it.”

“Noted. Doesn’t mean I’ll listen, though.”

As I let the blood from my palm drip onto Arin’s forehead, I explained the details.

“Even with the best eyesight, finding us in this blizzard will be nearly impossible. Unless the snowstorm stops occasionally, even a yeti wouldn’t be able to spot or track us. Sound is out of the question, and vibrations are absurd to even consider. That leaves scent. These enhanced yetis are hunting me using their unnaturally sharp sense of smell.”

“Yeah. I figured as much.”

Arin’s face was streaked with blood, yet her expression remained blank—though for some reason, she seemed slightly annoyed. Must be my imagination.

“We’ll use that against them. We’ll trick them. But before that…”

Best to settle the terms upfront.

“What do you want?”

“…Huh?”

“Honestly, there’s no real benefit in this for you. In fact, if you ignored me and kept moving forward in this situation, you’d be guaranteed first place.”

“…?”

Arin tilted her head, as if she had no idea what I was talking about.

I sighed and explained more patiently.

“Name your reward. I’ll grant it.”

Not to brag, but I’m loaded.

…Thanks to Firnea raising my salary by about 30 times.

Not that I just accepted it outright. I stubbornly refused until it was only 30 times—originally, she’d offered 100.

As a result, I now have a fortune that most butlers couldn’t even dream of.

A carriage, a house, elixirs? I was ready to put anything on the bargaining table.

But Arin shook her head.

“I don’t need anything. You helped me too.”

“…”

Is she serious?

Even if there had been two hundred more mages and knights, they wouldn’t have stood a chance against Arin.

I frowned and replied,

“Doesn’t look like you were about to lose to them anyway.”

“Before that, you gave me a ride and didn’t take any money.”

“That was just a whim. And what you’re about to do for me isn’t worth just three fairy tales.”

“You braided my hair.”

“I was bored.”

“Hmm…”

Seeing my insistent expression, Arin hesitated before answering.

“Then, promise me one favor later.”

“That’s all you want?”

“Yeah.”

“…Fine. Within reason.”

“Thanks.”

Arin smiled faintly.

“…”

For some reason, that smile filled me with unease.

Back when she lived deep in the forest,

Arin once heard her grandmother say this:

“What do you think is the difference between beasts and humans?”

“…”

Arin couldn’t answer. Her grandmother slowly threaded a needle and continued.

“Beasts live to avoid death. Humans live despite knowing they will die. That’s the difference.”

“…?”

Not understanding, Arin tilted her head. Her grandmother gently stroked her hair and explained.

“A lion hunts a deer to avoid starving. A wolf fights another wolf to avoid being killed. A rabbit drinks water to avoid dying of thirst… They live by instinct, fleeing the death that stalks them. That’s why they’re called beasts.”

“Humans are different?”

“Yes. So—”

Still wearing that kind expression,

“I want you to live like a beast.”

“Okay. I will.”

Arin answered.

Even if the villagers called her a witch, she loved her grandmother.

There was no reason not to listen.

“You’re ignoring me.”

Michelini muttered coldly.

The Bloodline Dominion not only enhanced the senses of the controlled monsters—it also allowed synchronization. Pain reception was naturally blocked, of course.

Meaning, the scent the yetis picked up, Michelini did too.

And there had been three human scents mixed in earlier—the target included.

Naturally, there was no reason to attack those who were already destined to fail, so he ignored them, but…

The target seemed to think differently.

The scents had mingled. Then, not long after, only one remained.

The target had eliminated two examinees in an instant.

There was no reason to do that. Their paths were different, there was no motive, and by now, the target should’ve realized they were being hunted. Yet they wasted energy on another fight?

Michelini was certain. This was a declaration of war.

They didn’t even consider the yetis a threat. I can still handle this much—bring more. A taunt.

“…Tch.”

For the first time in a while, he felt his blood boil as he suppressed his anger.

This was familiar to Michelini. Ever since he was treated as a noble in name only just for being a sorcerer from a fallen house—since the days no social gatherings would invite him, when lesser nobles who couldn’t match his family’s history, wealth, or power would look down on him like he was trash.

Entering the academy would solve that.

But before that—

“I’ll crush you first.”

Now, the blizzard had grown so fierce that even with enhanced vision and binoculars, not even silhouettes were visible.

He synchronized further with the yetis’ sense of smell. The scent grew stronger.

Oddly so.

“…?”

Michelini sensed something was off.

This—it was definitely the scent of blood.

After a moment’s thought, his lips curled into a deep smile.

‘This bastard screwed up!’

The target was bleeding.

He’d assumed they’d ended the fight so quickly because of overwhelming strength, but no.

They’d been wounded while taking down the other examinees.

Even a minor wound would be a huge advantage for tracking.

But this wasn’t minor.

Given the intensity of the scent, it was a significant injury—enough to hinder proper movement.

“…”

Michelini calmly assessed the situation.

A knight of that caliber wouldn’t lack a way to heal themselves.

They’d probably create some distance first, then treat the wound. The injury would remain, so sending the yetis slowly would—

“No…”

This was an opportunity.

The chance was slim, but if that mysterious opponent managed to take down all the yetis attacking nonstop for two days?

The odds were less than one in ten, but it was possible.

On the other hand, if he gathered… fifty yetis and ambushed them now?

Could that bastard, in their current state, take down fifty yetis and Michelini himself?

He agonized over it. Assuming the target could cut down a yeti in one strike, he thought long and hard.

Then reached a conclusion.

“All units, charge.”

There wasn’t even a sliver of a chance.

He was certain of victory.

Mounting a yeti, he ordered an immediate full-speed advance.

—GROOAR!

The yetis resisted at first. Not outright defiance, but close—they judged advancing in this blizzard too dangerous.

But Michelini had no patience for disobedience.

“Shut up and run.”

When an opportunity came, he seized it.

That was what he did best.

The scent grew closer. Drawing his sword, he pushed through the last of the blizzard—

“…Huh?”

Instead of the target in a butler’s uniform,

there stood a strange girl.

Barely dressed, perched on a small rock.

She should’ve frozen to death, yet the snow around her was melting.

The odd part was…

‘No sorcery?’

Not magic either. But no mana signature either.

The girl noticed his presence and turned to look.

Naturally, their eyes met—Michelini’s bewildered, hers empty.

‘…’

A chill ran down his spine at those lifeless eyes.

She didn’t shape her own mana—just grabbed the natural mana in the air and cast spells.

A witch. One destined for the deepest pits of hell.

Instinctive revulsion rose, but something far more important caught his attention.

Dripping from the girl’s forehead was blood—not yet dried.

And it was the same scent he’d been chasing.

“…You bitch!”

Michelini immediately dispersed twenty yetis to search the surroundings.

“Find them, no matter what!”

If the target’s blood scent had split into two paths, he would’ve realized this was a decoy immediately.

But it hadn’t. The scent came only from this girl.

‘I should’ve paid closer attention…!’

Whatever trick they’d used, they’d shed blood to sprinkle it on this girl, then completely erased their own scent.

…How? Shedding blood would mean they were injured—

As Michelini racked his brain, the girl muttered curiously.

“You really came.”

“Get lost. I don’t have time for you.”

He forced down his rage.

He wanted to slaughter the decoy that had tricked him—

But wasting energy on an unknown enemy now was inefficient. He had to be pragmatic.

Leaving just twenty yetis behind for minimal security, he sent the remaining ten to circle around—

—GROOOOAR!!

Thud. Before he could finish the thought, a yeti collapsed with a dying roar.

“…”

Only one thing could do that.

Michelini glared at the decoy with murderous eyes.

“…What the hell are you doing?”

The girl, who had just cleanly beheaded a yeti in one stroke—just like the target—murmured softly.

“Sorry, Grandma.”

“…?”

The words had nothing to do with the situation.

Stunned by the abruptness, Michelini couldn’t respond before she continued.

“I know you’re not her. But…”

“…Kill this bitch first!”

“I wanted to believe.”

Her sword blackened with soot.