Chapter 44
Homecoming (1)
Late at night.
Everyone was asleep except for the guards on duty.
“Safe travels.”
At the camp entrance, Besimer extended his hand.
Isaac reached out to shake it, but Besimer grabbed his forearm instead.
“This is how warriors greet each other.”
“Ah. Right.”
Isaac clasped Besimer’s forearm in return.
A gesture of resolve—even if you let go, I won’t.
Their eyes met.
No words were needed.
“Company commander, take care of him.”
“You too. Don’t let the soldiers slack off while we’re gone. Train them properly.”
Besimer and Carlson exchanged the same forearm grip before parting.
“Alright then, captain.”
At Hans’s words from the driver’s seat, Besimer nodded.
Hans lightly flicked the reins, and the carriage began to move.
***
“You’re really going like this?”
“Of course.”
Carlson’s question was met with Isaac’s calm reply.
Snort… snort…
The horses’ breathing was uneasy.
About fifty paces behind the carriage, a black shadow followed.
In the faint moonlight, it took the shape of a massive wolf.
A hell wolf.
“If we go back to the estate, others might not notice—but His Excellency and the steward definitely will.”
“What choice do we have?”
“What are you planning to tell him? That you’ve decided to become a beast tamer?”
“The connection with the wolves isn’t stable yet. If it breaks even for a moment, Vinfelt could turn into a bloodbath again.”
Through the Wolf King’s rune stone, Isaac’s mind was linked to the hell wolves.
But how far that connection could reach remained unknown.
So Isaac had brought along the strongest wolf after the Wolf King.
The bond between its kind would persist regardless of distance.
It was a safeguard—a ritual oath made before they even became hell wolves.
Isaac had confirmed this through the Wolf King’s memories.
***
“It’ll be hard for you to become a well-loved young master at the estate.”
“Sharp observation, Carlson.”
“The soldiers in Vinfelt are already calling you a demon who rides wolves.”
“I like it.”
Isaac’s carefree response made Carlson shake his head.
***
The carriage rattled as it moved.
It was just a supply cart with a wooden frame and cloth draped over it—
not meant for carrying people.
There was no suspension, and every bump was felt directly.
“If you’re bringing a wolf, at least prepare a proper excuse.”
“I have one. I’ll say I got a pet dog because I was lonely in Vinfelt.”
“…Do you think that’ll work?”
“Why not? Keeping pets is a common habit among wealthy nobles.”
“…Fine. Do as you wish. I’m staying out of it.”
Carlson clearly wanted no part in the headache.
***
“My lord… we’re coming back, right?”
Hans asked from the driver’s seat.
“Why? Think you’ll miss Vinfelt?”
“…I don’t know. Maybe.”
Hans’s voice lacked confidence.
“We’ll return. I’m the lord of that place.”
Isaac leaned against the back corner of the carriage.
The faintly lit camp grew smaller in the distance.
In the original history, not a single person survived there.
When the Count of Goethe arrived, only ruins remained.
At night, there had been nothing but darkness.
That was how Vinfelt ended in his previous life.
“…It’s changed.”
Isaac murmured.
There were soldiers there now.
Old men, women, children.
They would live.
They would live well.
He would make sure of it.
***
As they entered the direct territory of the Count of Goethe, the atmosphere shifted completely.
A well-trodden dirt road stretched ahead, with wide plains spreading out on all sides.
Farmland and villages blended harmoniously.
Villagers moved about, carrying tools or pulling carts.
Wild grass and nameless flowers grew thick.
Large oak and zelkova trees stood tall even in the distance.
A once-ordinary scene now felt abundant after Vinfelt.
***
“Hans. Stop here.”
At dawn, Carlson spoke.
“Here?”
It was a fork in the road.
“I have business in Bern.”
“But my lord needs an escort—”
Hans trailed off as Carlson tilted his head slightly.
As the surroundings brightened, the massive wolf became even more visible.
It lingered about a hundred paces away, keeping its distance—
yet its presence alone made Hans’s legs tremble.
“C-couldn’t you just come with us to the estate…?”
“This is Goethe territory. From here on, His Excellency’s soldiers patrol regularly. And if anything happens… we have that.”
Carlson pointed his thumb toward the wolf.
Hans wanted Carlson to stay because of that wolf—
but before he could speak, Carlson had already stepped down.
“…Ah.”
“See you later.”
Carlson strode off toward the city of Bern.
There was no time to stop him.
***
“Yawn…”
Isaac stretched and got up.
He had only meant to rest his eyes—but had fallen into deep sleep.
Wrapped tightly in his cloak, he shivered lightly in the cold dawn air.
“He went to Bern?”
“Y-yes.”
Hans brightened a little.
If Isaac was awake, he felt safer—
at least the young master wouldn’t let him get eaten by a wolf.
“Let’s go.”
“You’re not even going to ask why?”
“I already know.”
Isaac gazed at Carlson’s receding figure.
The atrocities committed by the old church.
Randolph, who died trying to stop them.
Carlson carried guilt over Randolph’s death.
Randolph’s estate had been inherited by his wife,
but his family didn’t want to live in that empty place.
So they had moved to the commercial district of Bern.
“He talks like he’s going to write poems about revenge, yet he cares so much about people…”
Isaac muttered.
“…Pardon?”
“Nothing.”
Carlson was a good man.
Whatever he looked like on the outside, Isaac knew that much.
“Let’s go. I’m going back to sleep.”
Isaac pulled his cloak up to his nose and closed his eyes once more.
Sleep didn’t come easily.
Listening to the sounds outside the carriage, Isaac sank into meditation instead.
***
When the carriage arrived at the estate—
The first servant to spot Hans couldn’t help but be shocked at his appearance.
Leaving aside the dirt caked all over him, there was the foul stench, the tattered clothes.
Dark shadows hung beneath his eyes, and wrinkles made him look years older.
His skin had turned dark from constant training under the blazing sun for over two months.
“Hans? Is that really you?”
“Ah… it’s been a while, Sir Paul.”
Hans responded awkwardly to the greeting from Paul, the attendant serving Jonas.
“Weren’t you sent to Vinfelt with young master Isaac?”
“Well… a lot happened. It’s a long story.”
“And what happened to your face? What on earth have you been through? Never mind—come inside first.”
“Sir Paul…”
Even among servants, Paul was of noble birth.
Despite the difference in status, his warm welcome made Hans choke up.
All the hardship he had endured felt like a dream.
He had finally returned to the estate.
He wanted to run straight to see his children.
But he didn’t forget his duty.
“Before that… I’ve brought the young master back.”
***
“His Excellency has summoned young master Isaac.”
“The young master? Isaac?”
“Yes.”
“Where is he? I don’t see him. Is he arriving later?”
No matter how hard Paul looked, he couldn’t find even a trace of Isaac.
Of course, there was a boy sitting in the empty cart.
Wrapped in a ragged cloak, he had ash-gray hair, sharp eyes, and blue pupils.
At a glance, he resembled Isaac—but he was clearly someone else.
He was taller by a head, more masculine, and carried a rougher aura.
Though his features hinted at noble lineage, his ragged appearance suggested the illegitimate child of some noble house, forced to survive early on by the sword.
Even after deciding the boy couldn’t be Isaac, Paul found his gaze repeatedly drawn to him.
“…Then who is that boy? A soldier from Vinfelt?”
“…Haha.”
Hans gave an awkward laugh.
“It’s someone you know well, Sir Paul.”
“Me? I haven’t left the estate in quite some time—I don’t think I’d know someone like that.”
Paul cast a puzzled look toward the boy.
But the moment he heard his voice—
“Been a while, Paul. Is Jonas doing well?”
“…Young master Isaac?”
The servant answered reflexively.
That tone.
That expression.
It was unmistakably Isaac.
“Yeah, it’s me. Sorry, but I need you to take in a guest.”
“…Excuse me?”
“Behind you.”
Isaac pointed past Paul.
Not recognizing Isaac was a trivial issue.
The real problem—
Was the creature Paul had never seen in his life.
***
“S-Saint Wigbert… p-please save us from e-evil…”
The moment Paul turned and felt the overwhelming presence, he instinctively made the sign of the cross and began to pray.
But his prayer never finished.
He fainted on the spot.
“Sir Paul!”
Hans panicked and rushed to check on him.
“…Was that too much?”
Isaac scratched his cheek.
“He’s actually pretty gentle and cute once you get used to him.”
Isaac stepped down from the carriage and scratched the hell wolf’s cheek.
The beast closed its eyes and let out a low, contented growl.
“Sir Paul! Sir Paul! Young master, do something!”
Hans shook Paul desperately.
***
“A monster!”
“Guards! Guards!”
The Goethe estate’s garden descended into chaos at the sudden appearance of the massive beast.
Guards and soldiers rushed in.
Servants screamed in fear.
Pitch-black fur.
Gleaming red eyes.
Blade-like fangs revealed with every growl.
Unlike the Winterband soldiers who were used to fighting magical beasts,
the estate guards were trained to deal with bandits and assassins.
They weren’t sure they could handle something like this.
“D-don’t be afraid! This is young master Isaac! He left for Vinfelt two—no, three months ago, and has returned under His Excellency’s orders! A-and this wolf is… um… young master, please explain!”
Before long, Isaac, Hans, and the wolf were surrounded by armed guards.
Nervous guards—who might make a fatal mistake at any moment.
“…Right. So. This guy is a pet dog I started raising in Vinfelt.”
Isaac tried to explain.
It only made things worse.
“Hans, it doesn’t seem like anyone believes me.”
“…Yes. That’s how it looks. I told you—it would’ve been better to come up with a more convincing excuse. Sir Carlson said so.”
“That guy… is that why he ran off to Bern?”
“This isn’t the time to admire his judgment!”
***
Isaac glanced toward the window of the count’s private study.
The curtains were drawn.
When the count was inside, he always looked out at the garden—
so closed curtains meant he wasn’t here.
So both Waller and Father are away… this is troublesome.
The servants couldn’t even believe he was Isaac in his current state.
Anything he said would only make things worse.
Whine…
The hell wolf’s ears drooped.
It seemed to realize Isaac was in trouble because of it.
“Identify yourself! Evil sorcerer! Or else—”
“Big brother!”
Just as the captain of the guards was about to issue a warning—
A cheerful voice cut through the crowd.
A blond child burst through the servants and ran straight toward Isaac.
“Y-Young master Jonas!”
The tutor tried to stop him—but it was too late.
The boy had already run right up to the wolf.
“…!”
The servants gasped and squeezed their eyes shut.
Surely, something terrible was about to happen to the beloved second young master.
They could practically see the tragedy unfolding.
***
But—
Nothing happened.
***
“I’m back, Jonas.”
Isaac pulled him into an embrace and ruffled his hair.