Things were escalating quite fast, I’ve quite accepted and digested the information that Krus was the biological daughter of Regolius, the chief of the whole forest itself. But… still it’s still quite leaving me a shock up until now.

It’s a massive coincidence, not only that I found Krus 2 months ago, and she’s located in a town that’s extremely far away from the mist forest. At that time I used the mist forest to make retrieving Krus easier.

Going to a beastman village filled with those that worship the god of hunting, would get me attacked by 500 beastmans armed with sharp weapons.

“Oh dear! My daughter! Wahhhhh!!!” The chief cried once more like a baby while I could only sweatdrop and scratch my head. But really, it’s nice to see a happy reunion like this before I go and leave Krus. It's nice to know that there’s someone that will take care of her while I'm gone.

I guess I am really softening up, having her as a companion was both stressful and a great joy. Though I’d say most of it was great joy, but those honestly come second to the stressful things her curiosity compelled her to do.

“Mr. Regolius, I’ll be taking my leave, I’m sure Fyuma is waiting for me outside.” I said, while the smiling Regolius turned his head to me.

“Is big brother Krux leaving me?” Krus’ innocent and depressing voice came out. Before I’d even realize it she was already right next to me, tugging my clothes while I stared down at her. Her eyes seemed like they would tear up any second now, her lips were trembling, while her eyes were furrowed.

Although it’s a painful sight to see, I need to do what I need to do, I don’t plan on taking a child with me to hell. Especially, when said child had finally reunited with her true family.

“Big brother? Then, Krux. You’re an orphan, correct?” The chief inquired, before approaching me, gently placing his hand on Krus’ ears and hair. “As for taking care of my child, I have the deepest gratitude for you.” Regolius said before bowing his head.

“I did nothing special. Krus is a very good child.” The smile Regolius gave to me was bright, but that same smile is something I can never return. Fyuma, Krus, I do feel guilty for having the inability to return their smiles.

“Then I shall propose something for you. As the chief of the forest, I’m quite busy all day you see, and since my wife is gone… I’d like to hire you as the babysitter for Krus.” Regolius’ suggestion made my eyes wide.

“Huh!?” I gasped audibly. “I’m a human, it’s better for me to leave.”

“Please!” Krus exclaimed out loud in a joyous tone, her voice filled with ecstaticness just by those words. “Please, big brother Krux accept it!” Krus then clasped both of her hands while gritting her teeth in hopes for my acceptance.

With a wavering heart, and reluctance in my mind. I glanced at both Regolius and Krus. A life here? In this city? My mind flashed back to the mutilated and mangled bodies in the great war, the soil soaked by red blood, the peaceful faces of the people I have killed.

My hand gripped a sword covered in blood, the mutilated bodies, a man whose every limb was cut off, a woman burned to a crisp by my fire magic, a valiant general of the warriors, sliced and diced into multiple pieces.

The cries and screams of help filled my ears, yet at that time, the me who was filled with rage went deaf to their cries. Those people who begged and ordered me to stay away, only to meet the end of their story by the cold steel blade that reflected the eyes of a murderer who had no reason to fight.

“Krux, right? I don’t know what you’ve been through, but all you need is rest. I want you to accept the offer, and see this life and experience it through your own eyes, and when that time comes, I want you to make that decision.” Shakti’s voice chirped at the side before placing his palm on my shoulder, a very bright smile in his mouth.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

“That’s true. I can tell on your face, you’ve been through the hardest of hardships, I won’t pry, but I’ll give you the offer to rest.” Regolius too, also commented while I could only stare at them with widened eyes.

And before I knew it I was shedding tears, my eyes were wet, and I could feel salty tears run through my cheeks while my vision started to blur.

Throughout all this time, all I’ve thought was the presence and the malice that people had. THe absolute evil that they possessed. I can never deny that I too was evil, even though the discerning wolf said I was a being of extreme purity, I find it hard to believe that.

A killer, like me? The tears on my eyes won’t stop. Why? I wondered why? What was this feeling inside me, those answers that they had, the smiles that they gave me, why do I feel like this? What was the reason why?

It felt like I was given kindness for the very first time in my life, a chance to be reborned. Was this what all I was wishing for? Was this what my heart told me to seek for? To live a second life, a life that Arthur and the others would be proud of? Was this that life?

Throughout all this time, I’ve ignored the fact that there are people who were kind. Fyuma’s kindness, Krus’ innocence, those are things that I’ve ignored, those things that were granted to me, that I’ve ignored.

“The tears… won’t stop.” I raised my elbow and started to wipe away the tears, yet they won’t stop. This feeling in my heart, it felt nice, it felt so nice, I felt like crying. What I’ve ignored all this time… was the innocence of a boy who wanted to feel hope again.

“In the end, you’re still a child, aren’t you?” Regolius said with a hearty laugh, his palm also gently placed on my shoulder. “I’ll entrust Krus to you. Though I don’t even need to say that, I can see you’re someone that wishes to protect, and to never destroy.”

The wish to protect? And if so, then if this offer was real, if this second chance in life was real, then I’d like to set everything right once more. I stared at Krus’ innocent smile, and I gently placed my hand over her hair. “Right, then if possible, I’d like to accept.”

“Not “if possible” say that you will accept!” Shakti’s voice scolded me, but not in a bad way, a soft scolding.

“I’ll accept… then.”

“Yay! Big brother Krux will be here with me!”

…

“Krus… is the biological daughter of… the chief!? You can’t be serious!” Fyuma’s voice erupted into one of confusion, her face extremely perplexed and shocked.

“You’re too loud!” I exclaimed in an annoyed voice, my face cringed at the volume of her exclaim while I looked away and covered my ears, even Krus cringed too. “Stay calm.”

“As if I can stay calm!”

“Like I said you’re too loud, you’re bothering the child.” I commented at her volume once more while she paid no attention to my sentence and immediately placed both of her hands on my shoulder, before rapidly shaking me back and forth.

“But atleast I’m glad, I’m glad you accepted the offer.” Fyuma’s shaking stopped before she retracted her hands, stepping a few studs away from me. “Take care of Krus okay, I’ll come visit you from time to time.”

“Right, I’ll be visiting you too.” Although I know the citizens wouldn’t welcome me at first, if this was the first step of my life, then yes, I would bravely take it on.

Fyuma’s lips melted into a graceful smile, a smile befitting someone like her. I only did the natural thing to do, the edges of my lips curled upward, while I closed my eyes. Now that I can do it, I’ll return the smile.

I gently opened my eyes again and saw the widened eyes of Fyuma. “Your smile. It’s beautiful.”

“That so…?”

…

Extra Scenes! -

“Arthur, good boy! What do you think of big brother and big sister Fyuma’s relationship?”

“Arf arf!”

“You think they would fit as a couple! Yeah I think so too!”

“Arf!”

“Arthur, you’re a wolf right, how are you barking?”

‘Arf! Arf! Arf arf!”

“Okay then! Anyways, our time is over Arthur. Anyways I’m Krus, and this is Arthur! Goodbye!”

…

…

…