In addition to gold, silver, and copper coins, Glen also retrieved from the two of them a number of sundry items, such as maps, pocket watches, and the like.

"Hold on! We can have a talk. We're all werewolves, so there's no need for such hostility!" The leader on the ground seemed to regain some strength and exclaimed loudly.

"We've already witnessed your prowess. You could easily usurp the position of that old werewolf king. That old fellow has clung to that throne for far too long. It's high time for some new blood!"

The leader exerted every effort to persuade Glen, yet Glen continued to search them thoroughly.

"Listen to me! Don't you yearn to be a king? The king of the entire werewolf clan! We can pledge our allegiance to you! Yes, follow you! We could overthrow this kingdom and establish a mightier empire! Just envision that scenario. Don't you long to see it?!"

The leader employed almost all of his rhetorical skills.

Glen seemed to pay no heed to his words at all. After taking stock of the valuables in his hands, as if heaving a sigh of relief, he then addressed the two on the ground, "Be grateful that you carried such valuable possessions with you. Now I can ensure your departure is a bit more merciful."

Sensing the murderous intent emanating from the other side, the leader shouted in a frenzy, "No! You can't kill me!"

With a sickening squelch—!

Glen had no intention of listening to further pleas. He promptly ended their lives with a single swipe of his claw.

Rule over the entire werewolf clan? Hardly. From what I've observed of these werewolves' conduct, they lack any semblance of unity. Selfishness and self-interest are the norm for the majority of them... Glen sneered inwardly.

Tia approached, looking rather woebegone. "Mr. Glen, they've made such a mess of the house. I..."

"I'll give you two silver coins. Clean it up," Glen lowered his werewolf head and extracted two silver coins from his palm, offering them to the little maid.

"I'll do my best!" Tia carefully took the silver coins from the enormous werewolf claw and vowed.

Gotaya also drew near. Gazing at Glen's massive form, her tone tinged with resentment, it was evident that she was still smarting from her earlier humiliation. "I've never encountered a werewolf like you before."

Glen ignored her. He found a spot to sit down and instructed the little maid, who was about to enter the house to tidy up, "Tia, go to my room and fetch a coat for me."

Although he had removed some of his clothes earlier, they had been lost during the battle.

"Very well, Mr. Glen."

Tia's response echoed from within the house.

Glen removed the trousers of one of the werewolves. Suppressing his revulsion, he put them on.

NightRoar came up to him, lay down, with his ears drooping, looking utterly dejected.

Glen could more or less fathom NightRoar's despondency. Having been repeatedly thrashed recently, the poor creature was on the verge of succumbing to depression.

After donning the trousers, he seated himself.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Gotaya observed the werewolf and the otherworldly creature sitting in the yard, lost in thought. After a moment's hesitation, she stepped forward and inquired, "Human, what kind of combat techniques did you employ during the battle? Are they human martial arts?"

Glen's ears twitched. His wolfish eyes swept over the elven maiden. "To be precise, they're my own combat techniques."

"What are they?"

"Martial Arts."

"Martial Arts?" Gotaya repeated the word, committing it to memory. Subsequently, she asked, "May I learn it?"

Glen yawned, his mouth full of fearsome fangs, a terrifying sight. "Why should I teach you?"

Gotaya had anticipated such a response and began to contemplate a strategy.

The sound of the little maid humming a tune wafted from inside the house. The melody was one she had learned from Glen, and she was doing a commendable job of imitating it.

Her voice was rather sweet. Glen nodded in approval as he listened.

Tia pushed open the door, holding a set of brown attire in her hands. She walked briskly over to Glen and presented it to him.

Glen took the clothes and transformed back into his human form to put them on.

He then said to Gotaya, "I'm going to retrieve my deer-drawn cart now and, incidentally, tidy up the pigsty. You don't need to work today. You can either stay here or assist Tia, as you prefer."

Gotaya nodded wordlessly.

After walking a short distance, Glen turned to NightRoar and commanded, "Drag these corpses outside and dispose of them. Try to clean the ground as thoroughly as possible."

NightRoar rose to his feet and let out a low growl to signify his understanding.

Thereafter, Glen went outside the town. First, he brought back the deer-drawn cart that he had left behind, and then he busied himself around the pigsty.

It was around five or six o'clock in the afternoon when he finally finished his tasks.

He made another trip to Dude Town. Disappointed to find that he still hadn't managed to hire anyone, he nonetheless allowed his two employees to leave for the day.

He also purchased another set of ingredients for making a cake in the town. Although he hadn't entered his house to check if the original ingredients had been spoiled, this was a precautionary measure.

Upon returning home with Ravel, he discovered that the little maid and Gotaya had already tidied up the house.

Glen cast an extra glance at the elven maiden, expressing his approval of her initiative.

Gotaya blushed and let out a soft snort.

"Mr. Glen, the cake..." Tia said excitedly.

"After what we've just been through, you're still this enthusiastic?" Glen asked with a smile and a raised eyebrow.

"Didn't you resolve everything, Mr. Glen?" Tia said matter-of-factly.

Regarding the little maid's cheerful disposition, Glen didn't comment further. He merely waved his hand and declared, "Very well, then we'll go to the old man's house to make it!"

"Great... What? Whose house are we going to?" Tia was on the verge of cheering but then realized something was amiss.

"My house lacks many of the necessary tools. I've been to the old man next door's kitchen. It's fully equipped with cooking utensils, and there's even a baking room. It's the most convenient place to make the cake," Glen explained.

However, Tia hesitated. "But will the neighbor lend us his kitchen?"

"He will. Grab your things. Let's go," Glen said, brooking no argument. He picked up the items and pushed open the door.

Gotaya hesitated for a moment but then followed. She, too, was curious to see what kind of cake Glen would bake.

Only Ravel was left at home. He didn't show any signs of objection.

After everyone had left, he retreated to his own warehouse, engaged in some unknown activity.

Glen was the first to knock on the old man's door.

Dong dong...

The door opened a crack, and the old man's face appeared behind it. He curled his lip and asked, "What do you want?"

"May I borrow your kitchen?" Glen said with a smile.

The old man glanced at the girl and the elven maiden behind Glen but still didn't open the door fully. "Don't you have a kitchen in your own home? Why do you need to borrow mine?"

"Your kitchen is more... sophisticated. There are some tools I require that aren't available in my kitchen," Glen said, feigning sincerity.

The old man hesitated for a long time before saying, "Wait a moment."

With that, he closed the door. Glen's acute hearing picked up the sound of the old man rummaging through things inside.

Glen surmised that the old man was probably going to hide the food in the kitchen, but it was of no consequence to him with his keen sense of smell.

However, the old man surely knew this. He did it because he knew that Glen wouldn't search for things in the house in the presence of the owner.

That would be highly impolite.

Before long, the door reopened, and the old man's towering figure stood before the three of them at the door.

"All right, please come in. You're only allowed in the kitchen. I hope you won't venture into any other rooms," the old man cautioned.

...

In the outer forest, NightRoar's body, after consuming several werewolves, underwent a strange and eerie transformation...