Taming The Villainesses

I brushed my fingers over the drawings behind the wardrobe.

Birds, clouds, the sun, and the moon.

Flowers, butterflies, a woman holding a child’s hand. These were familiar images, as if I were peering into an old childhood sketchbook…

No, it was exactly that. These were drawings I made when I was a child.

When I was much younger, I used to doodle like this all over the house.

Yes, as a child, I loved making things and drawing. Since I only stayed indoors, it was about all I could do.

━A tree? That’s good.

No…

It might have been the praise that I enjoyed more. A large hand ruffling my hair…

Seuk.

I knelt on the worn floor. But it wasn’t enough, so I put my palms on the floor as well.

“Just as I thought.”

Moving on all fours like a wolf, I could see much more from the lower perspective. Like the countless drawings etched under the old table.

But the strange thing was that this habit of doodling was a memory of ‘Lee Seong-eum,’ the original me.

Hiding behind the wardrobe and doodling, being patted on the head—all of those were memories of ‘Lee Seong-um.’

But why…?

“Theo-kun, what have you been doing?”

Stella, who had been watching me for a while, asked.

She had been patiently keeping silent as I looked around the cabin for about ten minutes.

As I pondered whether to tell her the truth—that this place resembled my childhood home—I noticed the circle of wolves surrounding the cabin.

Giiik.

I decided to go outside and talk to the wolves.

“What is this place? Do you know who lived here?”

The wolves looked at each other and murmured. Since I couldn’t hear them, it must be an extremely small, secret language that only wolves could understand.

Then the giant wolf, Kubilai, who had been lying down, slowly opened its eyes and said.

━I know who lived here.

“Can you tell me who it was?”

━But I have no obligation to tell you. I heard you met Angala-nim? There must be a reason you returned from her unscathed.

Srrrr.

The wolf raised its massive body.

━Show me the reason.

Its face resembled a crocodile more than a wolf, with an elongated snout. As it bared its fangs, I understood what it wanted.

Even if I didn’t, Stella started to fuss beside me.

“What’s going on? Are you going to fight him? So suddenly? Why?”

But there was no time to explain.

The giant wolf’s front paw was already coming down on me, a weight like a steel beam falling at a weak construction site.

—Fairy Steps!

I leaped back, dodging its attack.

Boom!

The ground trembled as its paw struck where I’d just been standing, shaking the earth in a way that felt anything but exaggerated.

“Theo-kun, I don’t know what’s going on, but we’re fighting, right?”

Srrk, grrind.

Stella leapt onto the roof of the cabin, drawing her bowstring taut. Her sharp elven instincts and experience must have quickly assessed the situation.

“Explain what’s going on after this is over…!”

“Okay!”

━Grrraaarr-!

At that moment, the pack of wolves surrounding us lunged. With more than a dozen of them attacking, I had to focus on protecting myself and activated mana shield.

Kagak, gagak-.

Teeth and claws attacked my shield relentlessly, with other wolves waiting for an opening.

Then Kubilai spoke.

━You won’t call me cowardly for using my pack, will you? Use everything you have, wield everything you can. That’s what survival is.

“Survival….”

The word “survival” sparked my mind. I, too, had done many desperate, degrading things to stay alive.

Surviving sometimes means setting aside all pride and honor.

━Fairies are good prey. Especially nymphs, they are full of nature’s essence. If I succeed in devouring it, my power can increase several times over.

“Your master doesn’t need to eat anything. Seems like there’s a significant gap in your skill levels, huh?”

━You insolent brat! Don’t test me!

Kwaaa-!

Kubilai’s wide open mouth charged towards me.

Gagak, gakgak-!

Though those fierce fangs couldn’t pierce my mana shield, the powerful energy I felt deep in its throat made the hairs on my neck stand on end.

━Wolf’s Flame…!

Fwoosh.

Soon, a hot flame shot up from its throat. It’s already hard to adapt to a wolf being as big as an ogre, and now it’s even breathing fire.

No wonder people fear what lies beyond the barrier.

Clink.

The cracks in my mana shield were increasing. If it stays like this, I might lose all defenses and become a charred snack for wolves.

Just as Calm Thinking triggered, and I began to cast the next spell to escape this place…

Swaeeak-!

I heard the sound of something large slicing through the wind, which soon embedded itself in Kubilai’s left eye.

━Guaaargh-!

“Theo-kun, run for now! I’ve never seen a wolf that breathes fire, but it looks dangerous!”

Stella had fired an arrow to help me. Thanks to that brief opening, I was able to create some distance from the giant wolf using the speed-enhancing spell, Fairy Steps.

━Grrr, m-my eye…! I will not forgive this…!

Kubilai’s brown fur gradually turned crimson. I wasn’t sure what it signified, but it’s definitely not a good sign. In this world, red usually symbolizes bad omens.

I’d better take it down before it does something bad.