Suddenly, Dad ground his teeth and clenched his fists.
He squeezed them so hard that his fingertips turned white.
“They’re all clearly out of their minds. They don’t even think about fighting back, the fools! No wonder people are calling Yang Soo-in a coward!”
Mom grabbed Dad and tried to calm him down.
“Honey, the kids are listening.”
At that one sentence, Dad closed his mouth tightly.
It was only then that he realized we were watching him.
Mom hesitated for a moment, then carefully spoke up.
“Over half of them want to hand you over to Hamillon. They didn’t even try to understand the situation.”
This, too, was something I had expected.
I never thought they would be willing to fight the wolves just to save me.
Seeing the darkening expression on my face, Mom whispered gently.
“Of course, not everyone thinks that way. There are people who believe there’s been a misunderstanding, people who want to hear your side of the story.”
“So… what do we do now?”
“We do what we can. The truth is… we don’t have much time left. The wolves of Hamillon want you brought to them by tomorrow.”
A day.
It was both short and long.
Honestly, I had been wondering why the impatient wolves hadn’t moved yet.
I suppose they gave us some leeway.
“In this situation, wouldn’t it be better for me to face them directly? It might be the best choice for everyone.”
At those words, Mom, Dad, and Cherrybell simultaneously shouted.
“No! If you do that, we’ll be tossed around endlessly. We can’t just become their prey as they want!”
“How dare they ask me to hand over my precious daughter to the wolves? No way, even if the world falls apart!”
“Are you seriously saying something so stupid? Have you completely lost your mind?”
At their intense reactions, my body flinched.
Logically, if I sacrificed myself, Medderland wouldn’t suffer any further.
But if I said something like that now, I’d probably get an earful from my family.
In this situation, there was only one thing I could do.
“I’m sorry… for making everyone worry because of me…”
I couldn’t look at my family’s faces because of my guilt.
As I lowered my head like a sinner, I felt a warm hand on my back.
When I looked up, I saw Dad gazing at me with warm eyes.
“No, Mei. That kind of talk is only for when you’ve really done something wrong. The headmaster spoke on your behalf, too. He said someone must have interfered. It’s clear that someone is behind this, and we need to find the culprit and understand their intentions. So for now, just stay strong and focus on holding out. It’s going to be a very difficult night for us.”
At that moment, one of the servants came rushing in, looking flustered.
He spoke to Mom and Dad with a bewildered expression.
“Madam, Sir…! There are people outside the mansion…!”
I had felt a strange unease since earlier, but it wasn’t just my imagination.
At the servant’s words, I looked out the window.
Beyond the garden, through the iron gate, a crowd had gathered.
Through the torches they were holding, I could see faces trembling in fear.
At that moment, Dad quickly drew the curtains and pushed me behind him.
“If you show yourself to these excited people, it will only provoke them. It’s best if you stay inside the mansion for now.”
Then, a new disturbance came, not from outside the mansion, but from within.
The panicked voice of a servant could be heard.
“No matter how important the head of the family is, you need to inform the master first! If you just barge in like this…!”
“Given the situation, how could I possibly stay silent? You didn’t think I’d just wait and do nothing, did you?”
The person who appeared was the head of the Pavelopi family from Medderland, one of the influential families in the region.
His face clearly twisted into a frown when he saw me.
His gaze lingered only for a moment before he turned toward Dad.
“As expected, you’re still awake, Beran.”
“In the middle of the night, what brings you here? You know we’re not that close, don’t you?”
Arriving unannounced in the middle of the night was a clear breach of etiquette, especially without notifying the servants.
So, Dad’s sharp reaction was understandable.
“Given the situation, I couldn’t just sit idly by. You don’t really think I’m going to just wait and take it, do you?”
“Why would you think that? I made my opinion clear during the meeting. I’ve even sent people to the International Beastmen Association to raise awareness about this. They should arrive by tomorrow morning without issue.”
At those words, the head of the Pavelopi family’s face distorted into a grimace.
“Are you out of your mind? No beastmen who’ve crossed the wolves have survived! And especially when it involves the Emperor Argon!”
“Would you say the same if this were your family?”
At that question, the head of the Pavelopi family gritted his teeth.
He lowered his gaze and nodded slightly.
“If sacrificing my child will save everyone else, then yes.”
“Well, that’s unfortunate. We clearly don’t see eye to eye on this. I’ve said all I need to, so don’t waste your time and go back.”
But the head of the Pavelopi family was just the beginning.
One by one, other heads of families and their attendants began to arrive.
“You need to make a decision as soon as possible, Beran! Angering the wolves won’t bring anything good!”
“If you have a grievance, why not go directly to Hamillon and speak to them?”
“That’s right. No matter how cruel the wolves may be, surely they wouldn’t kill someone right in front of us?”
As those words were spoken, the other heads of families agreed and raised their voices in unison.
Dad, unwavering, stared at them, his gaze cold as ice.
“The so-called brave problem-solvers of Medderland seem to be nothing but a bunch of cowards. All of you are pitiful.”
Then, in a low voice, he gave an order to the head servant, Ed.
“It’s late, so please escort the heads of families outside. Even if something unpleasant happens, I’ll take responsibility for it, so do it under my name.”
“Yes, leave it to me, master.”
Ed, accompanied by other servants, came and began to push the shouting heads of families out of the mansion.
Some of them resisted, trying to block the exit.
“Is this how it’s going to be, Beran?”
“How dare you treat us with such disrespect…!”
“I won’t forget this, Beran!”
Dad shot back with a sharp remark.
“Who’s the one being disrespectful here? It’s a shame that you can’t even be self-aware anymore. It’s about time for all of you to step down from your positions as heads.”
The faces of the heads of families turned a mix of red and blue.
Those who had been shouting the loudest were now dragged out in a pitiful manner.
I was worried about Dad’s firm stance.
Now that they had turned their anger toward us, I knew it would be directed at the family.
“They won’t stay quiet about this.”
“There’s nothing we can do about it. Unfortunately, we don’t have time to sweet-talk them into joining our side. At this point, it’s better to show them with action. Then the other heads of families will decide which side they’re on.”
I couldn’t shake the feeling that this might not be the right way.
My unease only grew as the night deepened.
The torches outside the mansion multiplied, casting flickering shadows.
I briefly peeked outside, but quickly closed the curtains again.
In the meantime, Dad, Mom, and Cherrybell were each preparing for what was to come.
Mom put on the outfit she used when she was active as a problem-solver, and Dad was sharpening his armor and weapons.
Cherrybell carefully inspected the potions I had prepared and filled her pockets with them one by one.
Even the servants of the mansion were moving busily, but I found myself with nothing to do.
“Is there anything I can help with, Mom?”
“No, Mei. Right now, more than anyone else, you’re probably feeling the most exhausted. Focus on keeping your mind clear. It’s okay to rest a little in your room.”
“Your mother’s right, darling. Even endurance requires energy,” Dad added.
With their repeated encouragement, I had no choice but to head up to my room.
But the truth was, this situation was completely wrong.
Even if I had fallen into someone’s trap, I was still the one involved.
It felt unbearable to think that everyone was suffering because of me, while I was just resting in peace.
Noticing my discomfort, the maid, Veriel, cautiously approached me and asked.
“Would you like some chamomile tea, Miss Mei?”
“…Thank you for thinking of me, but I don’t think I’ll need it this time.”
Once back in my room, I began to seriously think about the situation.
The more I hid in the safety of my family’s arms, the more peaceful Medderland, the land of the gentle sheep, would be stained with blood.
Even if I survived this, the price for my life would ultimately fall on our Slimela family.
I can’t stay like this.
At the very least… If this is happening because of me, I should take responsibility for it.
It didn’t take long for me to make a decision.
Once I had a direction, the tasks I needed to do became clear.
First, I shaped a doll into a human figure and tucked it under the covers, buying a little more time.
Then, I left a brief note.
My family would likely be shocked to find I had suddenly disappeared.
“Should be good enough.”
After changing into my activity outfit and gathering the necessary supplies, I was ready to embark on my long journey.
By the time dawn broke, I quietly left my room.