The affection level maxed out this fast? (ﾟ⊿ﾟ)
Noel felt like she was dreaming.
Even in a game, it wouldn’t be this easy.
Well, maybe Leinata’s past was just that tragic.
“Noel… I know this might be rude to ask, but I still want to confirm: were those words of yours just now true?”
Leinata wiped her tears and looked Noel in the eye, her gaze serious.
This answer was very important to her.
[A Decisive Moment!]
[Your answer is…]
[A. Agree.]
[B. Betray her. Tell her you were just lying, that you actually think she’s a disgusting monster too, and that her past experiences were all her own fault. (Unlocks the worst ending for this dungeon.)]
Noel: ‘How did it turn into a choice between god and demon? Σ( ° △ °|||)︴’
The worst ending sounds terrifying.
Of course Noel would pick A…
“Of course it’s true. I…”
Before Noel could finish, Leinata hugged her and left a kiss on her forehead.
“Wow… (〃д〃)”
Even though she had been forcefully grabbed before, Noel was still a good girl at heart and had never experienced such a sudden situation.
“Thank you. I’ll remember this forever.” Leinata said with a smile.
♡♡♡
After Leinata’s affection reached MAX, Noel and this wolf-girl sister lived a rare, peaceful life in the forest.
No alchemist hunters. No traps. No bizarre multiple-choice questions.
They just lived together like that.
Soon, Leinata’s wounds healed completely.
This kind of warm daily life made Noel somewhat indulgent.
…But deep down, she knew she was ultimately a “player.”
If she couldn’t complete the quest and earn those 1000 points, she would never return to her original world, nor escape the control of Monü Weiran.
She couldn’t live here forever.
Maybe it was time to think about how to end this…
…
“Leinata…”
Early one morning, Noel sat at the entrance to the tree hollow, gazing at the forest’s edge in the distance, and finally spoke.
“I have to go now.”
Would she head to the town in the north, or the village in the east… She had to make a decision.
But at that moment, Leinata, who had been wiping a small knife, suddenly stopped mid-motion.
She put down the knife, walked over to Noel, and tightly grasped her fair little hand.
Leinata shook her head. “No…”
Noel smiled bitterly. “Thank you for your hospitality these past few days. I’m really happy, but… I can’t just live in the forest forever.”
Leinata: “No, I’m not saying you can’t leave. I wouldn’t keep you here by force. What I mean is…”
“Don’t go east.” Leinata’s voice carried a rare note of pleading.
“Please, Noel. Don’t go there.”
“Huh? Why?”
Leinata’s gaze turned cold. “Because that man-eating wolf… that bastard werewolf ancestor of mine, is active in that area. It’s his territory.”
“…Ah. (°ー°〃)?”
Noel’s heart skipped a beat.
Man-eating wolf? Ancestor? The east?
What came to Noel’s mind was the ferocious big bad wolf from the previous loop, who had disguised itself as Grandma and bitten her in one go.
But because her affection with Leinata had been too low that time, Leinata hadn’t given her this information.
…Could it be that that “Wolf Grandmother” and Leinata’s man-eating wolf ancestor were actually the same person?!
If that old monster was Leinata’s ancestor, then didn’t that mean…
Noel’s eyes went wide as she stared intently at the golden-haired, blue-eyed wolf-girl before her.
With werewolf blood, cursed to be unable to touch sunlight, hunted by that old monster…
“Could it be that… Leinata, you’re the real Little Red Riding Hood? (*ﾟﾛﾟ)!!”
“? “
Leinata was taken aback, clearly not following Noel’s train of thought.
Noel: ‘That’s it!’
If Leinata was Little Red Riding Hood, then taking her there would trigger the good ending!
As if sensing what Noel was thinking, Leinata quickly shook her head with a bitter smile. “Sorry, I don’t know what Little Red Riding Hood you’re talking about. But I carry that bastard’s curse. I can’t leave this forest.”
“Uh… what if we leave at night instead?” Noel asked. “There’s no sunlight then. You could get out.”
“It won’t work.” Leinata shook her head. “This forest is sealed with a barrier. It appears every night. Only when the sun shines during the day does the exit truly open.”
“To be honest, I’ve long wanted to kill that bastard.” Leinata clenched the small knife in her hand. “It’s his bloodline that gave me these ears and caused me so much pain… I want to end it all with my own hands.”
“But I can’t even leave the forest…” Leinata gritted her teeth, looking extremely frustrated.
“I see…”
Seeing Leinata’s pain, Noel felt a pang of sadness.
It was indeed an almost unsolvable deadlock.
For Leinata to leave, she would have to face the sunlight. But facing the sunlight, she would be burned.
“What should I do… What should I do…”
Noel paced anxiously on the spot. Just when it seemed like she was making some progress, she got stuck again…
“So hot…”
The more she thought, the hotter she felt. On instinct, Noel raised her hand and took off the red hooded cloak she had been wearing, trying to fan herself for some cool air.
But as she held that deep red cloak in her hand, her movement suddenly froze.
“…Huh?”
Her eyes locked onto the clothing.
What was the system’s description for this piece of equipment again?
Noel checked the panel again.
[Special Effect: Superb sun protection. No matter how fierce the sunlight, as long as you wear it, you won’t get tanned~!]
Sun protection… superb?
Noel: ‘Could it be… ∑(❍ฺд❍ฺlll)’
A flash of lightning struck Noel’s mind!
This seemingly ordinary, even slightly useless starter equipment had an absolute sun protection effect.
In other words, it could block sunlight.
“Leinata!”
Noel spun around abruptly and grabbed Leinata’s hand, her eyes shining with excitement.
“You said just now that you can’t go out because of the sunlight, right?”
Leinata, though confused, still nodded. “Yes… As soon as sunlight touches my skin, it burns.”
“And if… the sunlight can’t touch you?”
“Ah?”
The next second, Noel lifted the red hooded cloak. “Try putting this on!”
“This?” Leinata looked at the small hood, utterly bewildered.
“Noel, don’t joke around. This is just ordinary fabric. The moment it touches the sunlight, it will burn to ash along with my skin.”
“Trust me, please! (˶˃ ᵕ ˂ )”
Noel shook Leinata’s hand. “This cloak… it’s different! It’s got to work!”
Seeing Noel’s serious expression, Leinata’s cheeks flushed slightly, and her heart softened a bit.
“Alright… since it’s you saying this.”
Leinata sighed.
Even though she thought it was pointless, she was willing to try anything impossible for this little one who had saved her.
She unfastened her own tattered wolfskin cloak and tossed it to the ground.
Then, somewhat awkwardly, she took the red hooded cloak Noel handed her and draped it over herself.
The garment felt a bit tight on her tall frame, but the red hood surprisingly fit perfectly, covering her golden hair and wolf ears completely.
“Ready?” Noel clenched her fists nervously.
Leinata nodded, took a deep breath, and closed her eyes.
She took a step, then another, slowly walking toward the bright sunlight outside the tree hollow.
One step. Two steps.
Sunlight hit her!
…
…The expected burning did not happen.
“…Huh?”
When Leinata was fully exposed to the sunlight, she froze.
Warmth.
A long-missed warmth, without the sting of burning, gently fell upon her.
Trembling, she extended her hand, watching the sunlight land on the back of her hand. No white smoke. No smell of scorching. Even the areas of her body not covered by the clothes seemed to be protected by some force.
“This… this is…”
Leinata touched her face in disbelief, then looked up at the sky.
This was the first time in her life she had truly stood under the sun.
“It really… didn’t burn…” Leinata turned her head to look at Noel, her eyes instantly reddening. “Noel, I…”
“Wahhhh QAQ” But Noel broke down first, tears streaming down her face.
She rushed forward and hugged Leinata, who was now wearing the red hooded cloak.
“Thank goodness… thank goodness (*꒦ິ⌓꒦ີ)”
She had finally found it!
At the same time, the system emitted a new notification.
[Congratulations! You have completed the hidden quest: “Find the Real Little Red Riding Hood!”]
[Prerequisites for the Perfect Ending have been met!]
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.