IBTVGFTWML | Chapter 25

Carnivorous beastfolk in human form were scary enough, but now there’s a massive wolf?!

I ran as fast as I could, pushing my four legs to their limit. I’d never run on all fours before, yet my speed was impressive. Survival instincts were proving to be the most effective way to unlock hidden physical strength.

As I sprinted blindly, a pair of spotless black trousers suddenly appeared in my path. I screeched to a halt, leaving skid marks on the lush green grass of the garden.

I quickly lifted my head to see who had blocked my way. Even against the backlight, the figure’s face seemed to shine—Billy.

“Uncle!”

Ed came running, panting heavily as he called out. Billy glanced behind me, taking in the situation in an instant.

With a faint smile, he walked past me and positioned himself in front of the wolf, which was charging toward me with its tongue lolling out.

Standing at an angle with one hand in his pocket, Billy looked down at the wolf and spoke in a calm, scolding tone.

“This isn’t your prey. Put that tongue back in your mouth.”

His words sent a chill down my spine.

As I looked up at Billy in shock, he reached out with one hand and shut the wolf’s gaping mouth. Then he turned back to me and asked in a gentle voice, “Are you all right?”

I glanced between the wolf, now sitting obediently as if it were a well-trained dog, and Billy, who had handled the massive creature with ease. Hesitating, I managed a small nod.

That’s when a dreaded status window popped up in front of me.

‘Nothing good has ever come from these windows! What now?!’

As I hurriedly read the words on the screen, my expression hardened, and my jaw dropped in disbelief. I stood frozen, staring blankly at the floating window.

 

[Quest Triggered!]

<Befriend the Wolf>

Overcoming your fear of carnivorous beastfolk begins with small steps! Spend some time bonding with a carnivorous animal.

Success Reward: A 10% reduction in the frequency of selection prompts appearing.

Warning: If you fail to complete this quest, you will never overcome your phobia.

Note: The target of this quest, “Jack,” is the gentlest wolf in this area.

 

‘You want me to befriend the wolf that was just chasing me, thinking I was food?!’

As my face turned pale, Billy and Ed approached, looking concerned. Ed reached out and gently cupped my face with his small hands, tilting it from side to side as if checking for injuries.

“She must’ve been really frightened. What’s with that wolf?” Ed asked, looking up at Billy.

Billy patted the wolf’s head and gave a brief explanation. “This is Jack. He takes care of small errands for me.”

Jack, with his majestic appearance and large frame, sat calmly, his cold gaze fixed on me. Despite the fact that he was supposedly the gentlest wolf, his intimidating aura made me nervous.

‘He’s still a wolf, though. Can I really get along with him?’

For the first time in my life—both before and after reincarnation—I was faced with a monumental dilemma. The penalty for not completing the quest was severe, so I wanted to accept it, but my instincts were screaming no.

I closed my eyes tightly, then opened them again, staring at Jack with determination. Jack’s pupils seemed to waver slightly under my intense gaze.

For a split second, my mind raced furiously. Finally, I made a decision.

‘Let’s face it.’

The fear of carnivorous beastfolk was ingrained in Remi’s body. But if my soul was now different, shouldn’t I be as well?

If I could control my body’s reactions, there was no reason for me to avoid carnivorous beastfolk or animals. I didn’t know how long I’d have to live in wolf territory, so I couldn’t keep running away.

“Miss Morton?”

“Lady Remi?”

Billy and Ed called out cautiously as they watched me glare at Jack with fiery determination. I quickly turned my head to look at Ed, whose plump cheeks made him even cuter than usual.

‘Ed, one day I’ll compliment you sincerely without relying on selection prompts!’

Resolving myself, I took a heavy step forward.

“Quite the combative look in your eyes. Are you planning to take that wolf on in a fight?” Billy remarked with an amused glint in his eyes.

I didn’t have the mental capacity to worry about his teasing.

‘Wait, how does one even befriend a wolf?’

I wasn’t in my human form, nor had I ever thought about how to bond with a carnivorous animal. In my current sheep form, dealing with a wolf had obvious limitations.

As I got closer to Jack, I could feel my legs trembling. Billy and Ed, perhaps sensing I was up to something, took a step back and simply observed.

Looking around, my eyes landed on something promising. I approached Ed and grabbed the basket of hay he was holding with my mouth.

“Wha—? All the hay’s going to spill!” Ed exclaimed.

As the hay spilled from the basket, Ed hurriedly tightened his grip, but I swiftly pulled the basket’s handle toward me with my mouth. Then, with all my strength, I flung the basket sideways. The hay scattered, and the basket soared through the air.

“Woof!”

The moment Jack saw it, he launched himself off the ground, chasing after the basket with remarkable speed. I had wondered if this would work, considering wolves are from the canine family, and it turned out to be a success.

‘This is what we call frisbee, you wolves.’

As I watched Jack jump and retrieve the basket before returning, I could feel two pairs of eyes boring into me.

When I raised my head, I saw Ed looking utterly baffled, as if he had no idea what he had just witnessed, while Billy turned his head quickly, his shoulders trembling.

“I’ve never seen anyone handle Jack like that before,” Billy said, clearly trying to suppress the smile creeping up his face.

‘…Did I mess up?’

Panicking, I turned to look at Jack, who was now approaching me with the basket in his mouth. The proud and ferocious wolf I had encountered earlier around the corner was nowhere to be seen. Instead, Jack was wagging his tail excitedly, like a puppy thrilled to be playing.

It seemed no one in the Louvre estate had ever played with Jack like this before. Overly excited, Jack wagged his tail with such intensity as he ran toward me that I instinctively stepped back and bumped into Billy, who was standing behind me. Oddly, that gave me a bit of courage.

‘If Jack tries to eat me, Billy will stop him.’

Surely he wouldn’t stand by and let me, Ed’s chaperone, be devoured by a wolf while in sheep form, right?

Swallowing hard, I focused on Jack as he brought the basket back to me. His long snout came within inches of my face.

“Maa-aah!”

An odd sound escaped my mouth, a reflex born of fear. Still, I continued my efforts to complete the Befriend the Wolf quest.

After playing catch with the basket a few more times and even inventing new games, I finally saw the quest success notification pop up in the status window. Only then did I return to the mansion.

 

***

 

Inside Billy’s office, I sat across from him on the sofa, leaning back as he quietly observed me.

Moonlight streaming through the window fell gently on Billy’s dark blue hair. As he sat with the moonlight at his back, it felt strange watching a wolf beastfolk bask in the glow.

I found myself wondering idly if this was what it would feel like to see a werewolf in real life, like those depicted in various media before my reincarnation. Lost in my pointless thoughts, Billy broke the silence.

“You were running quite impressively earlier.”

Embarrassed, I looked away, pretending to focus on something else. I heard him chuckle softly.

Rising from the sofa, Billy walked toward me at an unhurried pace. I couldn’t help but watch him move, the way his fitted black shirt emphasized the subtle motions of his body.

“You’re staring so openly—it’s making me a bit self-conscious,” he teased, though he didn’t seem embarrassed in the slightest.

He crouched down in front of me, tilting his head slightly to meet my eyes. In the dimly lit office, illuminated only by a few softly glowing magic lamps, the tension rose.

“I liked what I saw.”

“Meh?”

Not understanding what he meant, I tilted my head in confusion. His charming smile widened as he clarified.

“I liked watching you struggle to survive.”

…What was he saying?

He had enjoyed watching me run desperately for my life while being chased by a wolf? That sounded like a seriously twisted sense of humor.

Despite the unnerving nature of his words, Billy maintained an easy smile as he gazed at me.

‘Huh? That expression just now…’

Why did his face look so wistful while saying something so unsettling?!

Thinking I must have imagined it, I blinked and looked up at him again, but his face had returned to its usual calm expression.

Straightening up, Billy walked to the window leading to the terrace, where he began petting Jack’s back.

“You’re afraid of carnivorous animals, aren’t you?”

It seemed he had noticed how I reacted around wolves and other predators. Given how obvious I’d been, it was no surprise.

Instead of answering, I nodded silently. Still stroking Jack’s fur, Billy spoke in a soft tone.

“Yet earlier, you treated Jack like a dog.”

His words were kind, but they sent a chill down my spine. Startled, I wondered if I’d made a mistake and began racking my brain for a way to diffuse the situation.

Just then, Billy stopped petting Jack and turned his head to look directly at me.

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