The Baby Isn’t Yours

‘If we consider their size and weight, they are like Lycan wolves…’

Lycan wolves were intelligent, ferocious monsters. Their heads were significantly larger in proportion to their bodies, and when excited, they could evolve their bodies much like humans, making them a highly advanced class of monsters.

They usually moved in packs, and those who strayed from the pack caused chaos and were either expelled or abandoned.

Those wolves who attempted to court another pack’s females or attacked the pack’s leader and lost would wander a bit away, unable to reintegrate into the pack.

Without the pack’s protection, they had to hunt on their own, and mating became more challenging, making them even more vicious.

The stories of rogue wolves who occasionally attempted to raid the village weren’t uncommon.

Considering the number of footprints and the fact that they dared to enter the Fairy Forest, it was likely that they had been expelled from a pack.

In other words, she was talking about only one or two, maybe three of them at most.

Under normal circumstances, taking on a pack of well-fed Lycan wolves wouldn’t be easy, but dealing with just two or three would be relatively straightforward.

‘What’s strange is how these monsters managed to infiltrate the Fairy Forest…’

Kalia shook her head for a moment.

Fairies didn’t like monsters, and spirits were the same. If they were still outside, she wouldn’t think about it, but she couldn’t understand how monsters could infiltrate the Fairy Forest.

“…Is it monster footprints from earlier, Kalia?”

Hemmie, who had been walking quietly behind her, asked somewhat anxiously.

Kalia didn’t deny it and replied casually:

“It’s okay. I’m here.”

Her voice was unwavering, without a trace of hesitation or doubt.

Hemmie stared at Kalia for a moment, her expression changing.

“…But! Right now, Kalia, you’re not the one who has to protect anyone. I, I’m going to protect you, Kalia!”

She firmly gripped the hilt of her sword with both hands, trying to sound brave.

“I might not be that skilled yet, but at least I can act as a shield!”

Her pale trembling hand was clearly visible, but Hemmie tried to appear brave.

“Thank you. Do you feel safer now?”

“Are you making fun of me?”

“Probably?”

“Oh, and I’ll really act as your shield, Kalia!”

With a proud smile, Kalia continued on her way.

She was smiling, but it didn’t mean she wasn’t worried.

The illusions in the Fairy Forest were particularly fond of children. Moreover, for some reason, monsters had infiltrated the forest, and this had made her more restless than before.

It was possible that starving Lycan wolves, after losing their way of life and entering the Fairy Forest, were behind it all.

Lycan wolves ate humans. The younger the human, the more they liked it. 

However, Lycan wolves moving in packs didn’t usually come near places where humans lived. They were among the more intelligent monsters, and the smartest and strongest Lycan wolf in the pack understood very well that there was nothing to gain by going to the human areas.

But with starving wolves who had been expelled, it was doubtful if they had the ability to make the right judgment.

It was natural to hunt wolves that had come near the village when they had been spotted.

What worried her was whether the children would be safe until she found them.

Rustle.

At that moment, a subtle movement was felt.

Kalia’s eyes, as if sliding, quietly moved to find the source of the sound.

She turned her head to survey the surroundings, making a careful examination with her eyes that had moved cautiously.

When her eyes stopped, it was when she found a place where twisted roots were piled up like a grave.

Hemmie, who was watching Kalia with an anxious look, froze in place when she saw Kalia’s strange gaze.

That’s when Kalia took a step towards the tangle of roots.

-Gaaargh!-

A massive Lycan wolf leaped out, howling loudly with a terrifying voice.

Hemmie was the first to shriek, and the forest spirits, who were alarmed by the monster’s howl, fluttered around, screaming.

Buzz- buzz-

However, Kalia’s gaze remained calm as she continued to look at the Lycan wolf that had come close to her.

With a very light swing of her sword, which was so light that even the sound of the wind was inaudible, but where the sword passed, the ground was covered in blood.

The Lycan wolf barely managed to avoid Kalia’s sword.

However, it soon fell back, and its shoulder was severed by Kalia’s blade.

-Gaah!-

The wolf growled and backed away, injured. Its exposed teeth grew even sharper. One Lycan, with its fangs bared, growled at Kalia, who was facing it.

Kalia looked at the monster in confusion.

‘Its eyes… they’ve turned inside out. What’s with those wounds on its chest?’

The Lycan wolf’s condition was quite abnormal. The drool flowing from its mouth and the inside-out eyes aside, what were those strange wounds that looked like it had clawed at its chest in a frenzy?

‘Did it go crazy?’

The Lycan sensed Kalia’s pause, and swung its arm long and attacked her once again.

It was a simple attack, but it was incredibly powerful. Not that Kalia was pushed back.

As if expecting this, Kalia didn’t hesitate and effortlessly deflected the monster’s attack with her sword, her movements so calm that it seemed as if she were playing with the creature right in front of her, free and unhurried, neither too fast nor too slow.

-Grrrrr!-

The wounded wolf that had been groaning staggered and then retreated, as if sensing the threat.

Kalia didn’t bother chasing the heavily injured monster. There was no way it could get far. Besides, it wouldn’t be able to reach the deep parts of the Fairy Forest with its monstrous body.

With one hand gently lifting the hem of her dress, she quietly followed behind the wolf.

Her movement seemed as if running would be a waste.

Behind Kalia, who disappeared into the depths of the forest.

“Huh…”

Left alone, Hemmie sat down with trembling legs, muttering to herself.

“Wow, she’s so cool…”

She couldn’t hold back her astonishment any longer and shivered with emotion as she remembered Kalia’s status and reputation.

Indeed, becoming Kalia’s squire had been the greatest stroke of luck in Hemmie’s life.

‘I did a great job following Kalia. I deserve… all the praise in the world for this!’

Praising herself for quite some time, Hemmie suddenly stood up and went after Kalia, her eyes filled with admiration.

* * *

Slash.

A giant mushroom, well over 2 meters tall, was smoothly sliced diagonally. The fallen half tumbled and thudded to the ground.

“There is a legend about fantasy mushrooms. People see what they shouldn’t because of that spores they expel. You probably haven’t seen them before since they only grow in the fairy forest.”

“Wow… That’s a fantasy mushroom? I didn’t know they grew so huge.”

She had heard of something like this in the fairy forest from folk tales.

She thought it would be something cute about the size of a palm because of the word ‘mushroom’, but wasn’t this almost like a monster?

“There are probably fantasy mushrooms all over this forest. Cutting them down seems to weaken the illusion within a 50-meter radius. Oh, and don’t ever approach the mushrooms out of curiosity.”

“Why not?”

“When you get too close and inhale the spores, your mind gets messed up. If you stay under the mushroom, it seems like the mushroom uses your body as nourishment.”

“Eh… I find mushrooms quite terrifying now.”

Hemmie, intimidated by Kalia’s warning, quickly stepped back from the fallen mushroom, taking a few steps to make sure she was safe.

“It’s fine as long as you don’t get too close. Just be careful.”

“Yes!”

As Hemmie replied bravely, Kalia’s head suddenly snapped up. She felt a piercing gaze from somewhere.

The gaze, like a sharp needle, made Kalia raise her head.

From behind a white tree column near the fallen mushroom, a head stuck out. Following the tilted head, her eyes were drawn to the familiar color of the hair that flowed down.

She was a little surprised when she noticed it.

‘Isn’t that color of hair not very common…?’

Kalia’s gaze fixated on the pale yellow hair, then slowly moved to the face.

The moment she locked eyes with the woman.

Kalia’s heart dropped with a thud.

‘Why was her heart doing this all of a sudden?’

Ba-dump, Ba-dump, Ba-dump!

Kalia felt an abrupt vibration in her heart and was bewildered by the strange signs from her body.

Her gaze was fixed on the woman hidden behind the tree.

‘Is she a fairy?’

The woman had a fair face and pointed ears, like a fairy.

While her hair color was similar to Kalia’s, it wasn’t an exact match. The woman had straight hair, while Kalia’s was wavy.

The woman’s hair was naturally draped around her face, and with a surprised expression, she laughed when their eyes met.

Soon, she even slightly shook her slender fingers hidden behind the tree.

Kalia was staring at the fairy like a fool, her heart inexplicably pounding.

Initially, what felt like excessive excitement had turned into a strange tingling in her chest, making her wonder what was happening to her body.

‘Why am I suddenly like this?’

Kalia felt confused. It was her first experience with such unusual physical sensations, but she quickly regained her composure as usual.

Holding back a clenched fist, she took a deep breath, and then looked back at the place where the woman was.

But for some reason, she had disappeared.

“Huh?”

Kalia furrowed her brow and muttered, her eyes scanning her surroundings. She seemed strange to Hemmie, who was vigilant.

“What’s happening?”

“…Hemmie, did you see a woman standing there just now?”

“A woman? A woman was here?”

Hemmie blinked and looked around, but there was no sign of the ‘woman’ Kalia mentioned.