“(Do you realize what you have done?!) exclaimed the hellhound after he returned to his senses. “(Your enemies are relentless! They won’t stop hunting you down!)”

“(Oh, that’s how you say thank you?)” said Ifrit. “(I saved you and your family from them and you come to me and tell me I’m not supposed to be the good hound?)”

“(They did not know who you are! They know I once served the Schelkz family as their guard! The fact that I still carry my armor around bearing your family’s insignia is what put me there! This has nothing to do with you, Ifrit Schelkz!)”

“(And what? Let your children see their father being hanged to death for supporting my family? You’re supposed to throw those away the moment you got the chance, not clinging on a family that’s long gone!)”

“(They’re not gone, Schelkz! You being here is the proof I need! I’d rather die supporting the right ones than…).”

Ifrit punched the hellhound in the face.

“(You don’t want to finish that sentence),” said Ifrit with a growl. “(You still have a family to feed and protect. Your child has nothing to do with me or my family, so don’t tell me you’re ready to die for a cause that’s already dead to begin with! I don’t want another death on my family’s name, not while I’m alive!)”

“(Is that it? You’re just going to throw away your legacy?!)”

“(I do not want to get others in danger because my name is Schelkz! You said you have allies on the surface. Go with them, and don’t cling to the past. Don’t die in vain for my name. The Schelkz family you know is long gone).”

The hellhound was soon convinced that Ifrit was right. As he returned to his senses, he stood up, helped by Ifrit.

“(You’re right),” he said while shaking his head. “(I…don’t know what to say. To be lectured by a prince who can protect himself…what am I thinking?)”

“(You just feel like you have a hope because a royal hellhound came to you. Just don’t get it over your head).”

“(But would it be better if you just leave me? I mean for you. Now, they know a Royal hellhound is out here and they won’t stop until they get you).”

“(Not if you put me out of the picture. I don’t know anyone up here, but you might know, so…).”

“(I got you).” He rubbed his fur-covered head. “(Thanks).”

“(You can thank me by not telling them who saved you. I hope you can do that, for both of us).”

The hellhound nodded and told his wife to take care of the children while he contacted his ally by phone. While Ifrit contemplated on what just happened, the hellhound’s wife walked to Ifrit and said, “(Thank you for saving us, Ifrit, but…)”

“(Look, I know you want to help me, but don’t. You all expect me to be someone I don’t want to or even able to. I had enough people dying because of me. I lost my parents, I caused Lilac to lose her village, and now you lost your quiet life, all because of me).”

“(Yes, I know. Kasker’s just…he is trying to protect us the way he can. However, he still believed that royals will make things right, and he was willing to die for it. He’s a good husband, but he can be a little too…clingy to a better past).”

“(I…don’t even know what made him that way. I don’t know who my real father is except his name and his deeds. Do I deserve a hound’s sacrifice?)”

“(That’s alright. You knocked the sense out of him),” she said. “(And don’t you worry about us. We have allies who can help. Not sure if they will be able to help you without asking the same thing Kas asked you, though).”

“(Just…one thing),” said Ifrit. “(Who is the white furred hellhound? Why did he ask for me? I don’t remember ever meeting a white furred hellhound before. Is he working for your allies?)”

“(Maybe so),” she said. She then put her hand on Ifrit’s shoulder. “(Go and live your life, Ifrit. We’ll protect our children as we always do. As for you…maybe you need time to understand the situation before you can join us. I know you want to stay out of this, but I’m afraid you’re already involved when you were born. That is your burden, Ifrit Schelkz. Oh, and what you say to Kas applies to you, too. You befriended them, right? The surface dwellers?)”

Ifrit knew she was talking about Lilac and Albert, who were talking to the children and tried to distract them from the argument. Inside the carriage.

“(I should’ve just left. They got into trouble because of me).”

“(No, I don’t think that’s what they think),” said the hellhound. “(Talk to them).”

“(But my Tragorian…)”

“(Language is not a problem if they want to help you. It’s something I learned from the kind Lycans who helped me and Kas when we escaped topside. There are many surface dwellers that are kind and helpful if you ask. You happened to find them sooner than us).”

Ifrit thought about this as they travelled in the direction of Morran. Ifrit’s pondering caught Lilac’s attention, who noticed him just sulking while they waited for the family to prepare. They already traveled at least four hours halfway towards Morran when the family asked them to stop near the carriage stop, which was partially built into the mountainside. They bid the three farewell, once again assuring Ifrit that they would be okay. Albert, who understood, wished them good luck and rode away.

Lilac wasn’t sure how to process everything. She could start from the fact that Ifrit was not just any hellhound, but a hellhound prince wanted by all sides, dead or alive. All of them would be against what Ifrit wanted: a life of relative peace and quiet, something that Lilac took for granted. She was still appalled by the violence that seemed to go with Ifrit despite of her watching her brother hunt and skin his prey almost essentially every morning he went out hunting, though now she found that maybe Ifrit was not trying to find the violence; the violence found him.

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Before Ifrit could notice, Lilac sat beside him, startling him. When he noticed who it was, he calmed down. His slit pupils did not change, though, which was still making Lilac uncomfortable. She knew how a cat’s eye worked, not a hellhound’s.

“Sorry,” said Ifrit. “I overreacted.”

“I know,” said Lilac. “I’m still quite jumpy after that mess, but I’m glad we got out of it without a scratch.”

“Oh. Good, then.”

“I heard your argument with that hellhound. I don’t understand what you’re talking about, but I got the general idea. I suppose being a royal is not as good as having a ball and dance like nothing’s wrong with the world. Sorry, it’s what I know about royal life. It’s just…the royal family of Tragoria is no longer involved with the government. I know a bit about that.”

“But they still alive?”

“Not sure, but I believe they are.”

“It’s…complicated,” said Ifrit with a sigh. “And I do not understand. I just want to live peacefully, but no one want that. I just a tool or an enemy.”

“You’re not a tool, Ifrit,” said Lilac. “You’re you. You chose your own life. Maybe one day you cannot escape from that life, but for now, you’re no longer part of that game.”

“Lilac….”

“Now, why don’t you tell me what’s on your mind, hmm? I have a feeling it’s not about your royal status.”

“I…am thinking.”

“About your decision for this matter?”

“No, not that. Allies I don’t know. And that white fur. He…looked for me.”

“Is that why the hellhound knew who you are?”

“Yes. Maybe,” said Ifrit, unsure. “I don’t know who that white fur is.”

“Where did he go?”

“I don’t know. Maybe other region?”

“I never thought I’d even travel to another region, let alone to a different town than Wayfer. Not sure if Albert’s going your way, though, but it never hurts to ask.”

“I don’t care,” said Ifrit. “I live my own life. He too.”

“Maybe you should consider this opportunity instead of brushing it off. Trust me, it’s for your own good. You are curious, aren’t you?”

Ifrit was curious about the white-furred hellhound asking for him. He really hoped it was just a trap so he could shrug it off and move on trying to live a life of relative obscurity. But part of him wanted to know why the royals were hunted and killed. No one really knew what happened during the Uprising years ago except those who lived through it, like his foster parents did. It happened when Ifrit was just a cub, and it was almost 20 years since the uprising. That hellhound might know what happened, or maybe not. He was only asking for Ifrit, but with no stated reason.

So, until they met, Ifrit would keep all his questions for himself. He would even consider it a coincidence if he happened to be around the neighboring region and was waiting for Ifrit. Ifrit might end up getting the answer sooner than that if he chose to actively find out about the white-furred hellhound.

He really wanted to know why his life could not get any easier.

***

Albert sighed, knowing that things progressed as he had feared. He managed to send a telegram out, given that the stop had a facility to do so. He knew he could not just stay out of trouble and pretend things would be alright, especially not after seeing what the hellhounds did in Snohand.

The trader wondered what would happen next. They were ready to lynch one of their own in public seen by humans, Lycans, and possibly hellhounds just because the family supported the royalty. Albert had no qualms with kings, queens, and their princes and princesses. Dusdolf and Tragoria were still kingdoms and their royal families were still the topic of discussion among the commoners. Yes, there were dissidents, but the royal family of Dusdolf was still as famous as ever. He couldn’t tell the same for Tragoria since he didn’t follow the region well. He wondered what would happen if something that befell Ifrit would happen to them. Would they be as well-trained as Ifrit was? What Ifrit did and how he fought the hellhounds were things that a royal would not do, because Ifrit was fighting dirty and focused more on survival than chivalry. If he wasn’t, he would call the hellhound and challenge him head-on. Instead, he snuck behind him and break his neck. Even worse, he used the dead body in such a disrespectful way, showing how pragmatic he could be.

Albert could not comment on that because life in the Underworld was clearly different from humans and Lycans of Ternor. He had heard about it and he did not wish to live through it. Being human was hard enough. He sympathized with the Lycans who in some places were victims of inequality and prejudice simply because they could transform into a beast, or simply because they were cursed to be werewolves. He had seen how humans treated Lycans who could not or unwilling to change into their human form, and he also saw how people treated those suspected to be one. While he had not seen something as extreme as blaming Lycans and lynching them, he heard that it was still practiced in many parts of the continent where the Lycan population was significant, especially in the Tragoria region where Lycans were once considered dangerous beasts. Albert was fortunate the Dusdolfians had sorted those differences three generations before him.

He did what he could to protect Ifrit from that by intentionally staying away from towns and cities that might give them both a hard time. Well…now that he knew what Ifrit was capable of, it might end up him saving them from him. Ifrit did not hesitate to kill those threatening him. Even Albert hesitated to kill the hellhounds. He knew they were not demons, just denizens of the Underworld who were mistaken for the real ones.

Trying to shake off the feeling of dread, Albert returned to the group and told them of what to do next: He couldn’t find any jobs, so the only way to find one was to go to the city of Sandorf, near the borders of Adaline. Ifrit agreed on this, partially because he was going to convince Albert to go to Adaline region next. Lilac was simply on the road for this.

While they were buying supplies for the trip (Sandorf was a whole day travel from the stop), Lilac approached Albert and asked him about what he said to the constable.

“You seem to make them leave us alone,” said Lilac. “Are you a police officer?”

“I told them that I’m a cargo hauler and I wish them no harm. It’s better that they don’t mention us in case we got into trouble again.”

“Really? A hauler who said, ‘We’re not having this conversation’ sounds like someone with authority,” she said. “Are you undercover?”

“Let’s just…keep it that way, alright? I don’t want you or Ifrit to get involved.”

“We’re already involved with his problems, so why is this more important?”

“He’s a hellhound. We’re both not. Whatever his problem is does not mean it has something to do with us.”

“Not going to tell me about it?”

“Maybe someday.”

But Albert did not account for Lilac’s now piqued interest. While Lilac would not ask Albert for some time, the issue would linger in the Lycan’s mind, though not enough to become an obsession. Albert had his own secrets, and Lilac wanted to respect that. She did not want to lose her job. She had a feeling snooping around something she wasn’t sure of would not work for her, especially if it was about her employer.

Though considering what she knew of Albert, it wouldn’t be something that would land her in trouble. Still, he knew more than he let on, especially regarding Ifrit and the hellhounds. Her only hope was that Ifrit was not in more trouble than he already was.

Because Lilac had a feeling he might be.