chapter 223

Chapter 223

After that, Gio had to insist for quite a while that he was human.

“Do I still look like a ghost? I don’t even smell like a corpse, my heart is beating, and even if you can’t see it right now, if you prick me I’ll bleed—do I really not look human to you?”

“Kind of, yeah.”

“How can you be that firm.”

He didn’t believe him to the end, though.

“...Fine, if it really is that hard for you to believe.”

Gio was a diligent adult who acknowledged all the diversity in the world. Judging by the reaction, it seemed humans had been extinct for quite some time, and if so, he could understand this kind of reaction to a degree.

Instead, he wanted an explanation.

“I’m curious what happened up until this place was destroyed—could you explain it to me? If you become my companion to talk with, I’ll make sure your compensation is certain. Just in case, I’ll ask—do you like food?”

“Compensation... is it food?”

“I know this black forest, once called the Avilas Rainforest, very well. It seems some parts have changed while I wasn’t looking, but if we have provisions it would be a big help, wouldn’t it? What do you say?”

“Depending on what you’ll give, I feel like the sincerity’s going to differ a bit...”

“I thought you were young, but you even know how to look out for your own profit. How admirable.”

Argio grabbed the wolf’s huge head in both hands and vigorously rubbed and scratched it. When Gio first grabbed its face, the wolf had flinched and frozen, but under Gio’s dazzling handwork it grew tame, marveling.

“Oh, there. There. That feels good. Whew, that’s refreshing.”

“This is the taste of human hands, Wolf.”

“How do you find the itchy spot so well? Is it magic?”

“I’ve got ability for that, too.”

For all that he looked like this, Argio had, since childhood, steadily lived under one roof with beast family. As for where and how to scratch to make animals feel good, he could be called an expert beyond anyone.

‘And this guy can even talk, so it’s even more intuitive.’

After receiving petting for a while, the wolf, looking satisfied, slipped away.

“This doesn’t count as compensation. You did it first.”

“Trying to act firm with a face that loose doesn’t make it very convincing.”

“Ahem, anyway, no means no.”

“Sure, go on and try to gnaw me down to the bone.”

Argio liked crafty beasts very much.

“Then can I hear the explanation now?”

“You mean the story up until extinction, right?”

Perhaps the anxiety that he might be a ghost had eased after talking and receiving touch; the wolf plopped down before Gio with a much more relaxed face. Even though its huge body sat down, the black forest remained quiet.

‘It wasn’t originally such a polite place, though.’

Whether it knew Gio’s question or not, the wolf said,

“To be fair for a proper deal, I should tell you in advance that I don’t really know the time when it was destroyed, either. I only heard the story passed down from the ancestors. Strictly speaking, I don’t even know exactly what point ‘destruction’ refers to.”

“Sounds like there were many times of destruction?”

“The first destruction would have been around the time beasts like us were born.”

It seemed to mean the time when the human Argio died, and the beasts gained intelligence and reason equal to humans.

‘It feels like the heroes who visited from time to time brought up a similar topic...’

But those memories were somewhat vague to Argio now. It was because in that era he wasn’t in his right mind, buried in anger and hatred. Perhaps it felt that way because he hadn’t fully blended, too.

‘More than anything, I don’t really know the story after I was sealed, either. Other than that they fought amongst themselves and got destroyed...’

He felt he might be able to hear the more detailed parts through this chance. He was curious about the history the descendants would recite. With interest, Gio listened attentively to the wolf’s continuing story.

“They say the wolf tribe like me also branched off then, but to me it doesn’t really hit home. Even in the time of my ancestor’s ancestor’s ancestor, we were a wolf tribe not that different from now.”

“Do you distinguish ordinary wolves and the wolf tribe separately?”

“That’s right—if we compare it to humans, wouldn’t it be the difference between humans and monkeys? Of course, there was also a monkey tribe, but that, too, is only a species left in history. I heard they went extinct after waging frequent wars with humans.”

“Oh dear. Then how many species remain now?”

“What exists currently is...”

After a moment of silence, the wolf continued.

“Only three species.”

The wolf tribe, the crow tribe, and the fox tribe.

“By Mother’s words, the wolf tribe valued family, the crow tribe was wise, and the fox tribe was good at swindling, so they could survive until now.”

“The last one is kind of strange.”

“If you meet the fox tribe too, be careful. They’re all just swindler bastards.”

“You’re even baring your teeth, and your way of speaking got oddly rough, didn’t it?”

At least, he could tell well that the wolf tribe didn’t like the fox tribe. From the tone, it seemed the wolf tribe and fox tribe often clashed, while the crow tribe maintained neutrality well.

The wolf snorted.

“If those guys didn’t start yapping first, we wouldn’t have had to bare our teeth. Anyway, unlucky bastards—they think they’re the smartest in the world. Beast bastards with no honor...”

“I said your way of speaking is rough?”

“The destruction after that was, as expected, the birth of the evil god.”

“Hm.”

“They called him the god of wrath and war, but almost no information about him remains. They said the story of the time when the evil god threw the whole world into chaos was so horrible and cruel that they didn’t record it.”

He remembered the appearance of the evil god “Argio” being fairly well-known. Red-braided hair, wealth and bone ornaments decorating the whole body. Beast fur. Even facial features that stood out at a glance—there was no way you could not know.

But somehow, even when seeing “Argio” me, it only said nonsense about ghosts.

‘So the records about me were erased.’

A wise decision. If information spread that humans had stepped up and brought about catastrophe themselves, even greater chaos than before would come to the world. Well, aside from that, it seemed they self-destructed anyway...

“I know the story of the evil god. They say he caused plagues, abducted innocent ones, and was a monster that tore people apart and ate them alive, right? They also said he granted toothless beasts authority equal to humans and threw the world into chaos.”

“The last part is something to be grateful for, since it gave birth to our species. That’s why we didn’t have great aversion to the sacredness called the evil god. He’s our parent god.”

“A parent god... that’s a unique perspective.”

Suddenly, paternal affection surged.

‘The fact that this new species came into being may be because coincidence and inevitability lined up, but still, hearing the word ‘parent’ directly makes me feel pretty good. Right, I’m their father as well...’

Argio smiled.

“Even now, do you have no aversion to the evil god?”

“If we had to face that catastrophe directly, it would be different, but it’s just... like an old tale.”

“I see.”

Only now, the story of the evil god Argio seemed to have become a legendary tale. It didn’t seem like it didn’t know it was something that truly happened, but maybe it felt so unrealistic.

“But I heard the evil god was sealed.”

“There was another destruction related to that.”

As the story grew long, perhaps it was uncomfortable to keep sitting upright; the wolf slowly lay down. Then it placed its huge head on the ground and lay there. Argio, too, sat beside it and stroked the wolf’s head.

Perhaps the touch wasn’t bad; with its eyes gently closed, the wolf continued explaining.

“Even though the evil god was sealed, the wisdom and authority granted to beasts didn’t disappear, and the humans who had poured resources in without thinking, believing everything would go back to how it was if only the sealing happened, were flustered.”

“They were foolish.”

“Yeah. Who exactly said, ‘If we just seal the evil god, it’ll all be over,’ anyway?”

The wolf, too, seemed to find the extinct human species pathetic, wrinkling the bridge of its nose. Since he liked the shallow fur-skin feel of the squirming, crumpling nose bridge, he gently stroked it, and it soon relaxed.

“The good and strong humans had already died in the process of sealing the evil god, and those who didn’t die were branded as monsters among the weakened humans and ostracized. The heroes who scattered like that were commonly found as corpses, or else went missing entirely.”

“Pitiful, aren’t they?”

“I think they’re stupid.”

Both the heroes who were abandoned by humans after offering everything to seal the evil god and being weeded out, and the humans who couldn’t even gather around a strong hero but instead chased them out without knowing their place.

“Besides, even though the evil god died, the plague that flowed out of the black forest didn’t scatter again and was only busy spreading. All life gradually soaked in poison, shriveled up, and well... anyway, they said it became a dreadful wasteland with nothing to eat, right?”

To the wolf, the environment now was very familiar, but to the living beings of that time, it must have been a great calamity. At last, as small conflicts piled up, humans and beasts began a massive war.

“A war?”

“I heard it was to eat each other.”

“Hm, even though they used the same language?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s... interesting.”

Wasn’t it a story of beasts that thought they were human finally finding their identity? He really regretted not being able to see that cute spectacle himself. It seemed there were so many amusing things.

“And after that?”

“They said the war continued the whole time. After countless wars, great and small, so many that it was hard even to record as history, humans and beasts realized, ‘Ah, we can’t live here anymore.’”

“Because the environment grew that devastated. It would be due to the poison from the black forest, and also because resources were consumed through the war.”

“Yeah, so...”

The wolf lifted its eyelids and looked at the ceiling.

“They said they killed a god.”

“...A god? Are you talking about the evil god you mentioned earlier?”

“No, the creator. The very first god who made this land and sky.”

“I never even thought that would be possible.”

“I don’t really know. I only heard that such a history existed.”

“Why did they say they killed a god? They should have been on their knees begging for salvation, if anything.”

“They said no salvation came down no matter how much they begged and begged, so they wanted to obtain salvation even by killing him. They said as a result the land and sky were separated.”

Humans tried to remake the world with the authority gained by killing a god.

“Because he was the god of life and creation.”

They believed it was possible.

“So they wanted to bury the existing broken, filthy world underground and build a new world above it. If they erased the existing dimension completely, humans would have nowhere to stand while creating a new world, so they said it was an unavoidable judgment.”

“So they couldn’t erase it completely, and hid it under the ground?”

“That’s what they said.”

But they failed.

“As you can see, the world above ground is unfinished.”

How humans killed the god to steal that authority, and how they skillfully handled that vast power to try to make a world—these were things even the wolf didn’t know.

It only knew that it happened, that it failed, and that this was the result.

“Since the creator died, the true sun and moon disappeared. Humans tried to create even that anew with the stolen authority, but failed. In the first place, they couldn’t even create the moon’s shape, so only the sun is floating.”

“So that’s what you meant by the sun being fake.”

“The sun up there isn’t the same as the ‘sun’ from before destruction. Unlike the one that bloomed life merely by existing, it’s only an empty shell that imitates it. It feels like sunlight comes down, but it isn’t warm. Sometimes it’s cold, and sometimes it’s hot. That’s not an environment living things can live in.”

“No wonder there wasn’t even a single blade of grass.”

“They would have frozen to death long ago or burned to ash.”

The wolf snorted.

“As if angered that those without qualification dared to meddle with a god’s authority, the world started getting narrower and breaking apart. They said now, the only ‘surface’ left is this black forest.”

Gio understood what that meant.

‘It seems dungeonization began.’

It was the process of the world turning into a single gigantic game board.

“Is everything else besides this forest gone?”

“Yeah. Now it’s to the point that only this place looks like underground, and up there looks like the surface.”

“Then are there truly no other living beings at all besides your three species?”

“There are those that originally inhabited the black forest.”

The wolf closed its eyes again.

“We had no choice.”

“...”

Gio felt like he now understood why the creatures of the “ruined Avilas Rainforest” had been invading beyond his frame all this time. It was because these three species, to protect themselves, had driven out or killed all the animals that originally lived here.

‘So the animals that were driven out or fled would end up, once in a while, coming to my cabin. Then it also explains why they were in a state far too frenzied even for black forest beasts.’

Having their home taken, being driven out, and fleeing—there was no way they could feel good; and above, a fake sun floated, wearing down and impoverishing living things. It would have been strange if the beasts that crossed over after barely clinging on in such a place were in good condition.

“...Mm...”

Well, he had at least sent them off in one blow without pain.

‘That is the law of nature, pitiful beasts.’

For a moment, the sensibilities of gentle Seo Gio and Giovanni surged and he thought, ‘Huh? Then did I eat guys who had their homes taken, wandered dangerous streets, and finally found a peaceful place?’—but what could he do, he had already eaten them.

‘And I already lived like that in the black forest—what is there to feel sorry about now?’

Besides, the beasts that had invaded Gio’s home back then were all mad, not looking like they could recover. If Gio cared for them devotedly, maybe it would be possible, but, well.

‘Why bother?’

They were neither Gio’s family nor friends.

“...Haha.”

“...Why are you laughing?”

“I’m in the middle of making excuses.”

“Out of nowhere...?”

The fact that he was rambling like this inside his head meant he felt quite guilty and sorry. Argio thought, ‘Why should I care?’ and yet also ended up thinking, ‘Ah, but they were pitiful.’

‘Will this gap only keep growing from now on?’

He hoped that the “Gios” he would serve in the future would come to smooth agreements.

“...”

However.

‘Then who on earth was it that called me?’

There were two possibilities. Either one of the beasts that now shared the authority of language fairly had called him, or humans had dwindled to the point it could be called extinction, yet an extremely small number remained.

“...Well, fine. Do you have nothing you’re curious about regarding me?”

“...”

“Silence is also a wise answer.”

Nodding, Gio went, “Ah,” and turned to the wolf.

“There’s something else I’m curious about.”

“What is it.”

“Have you ever seen a deer?”

“...A deer?”

The wolf blinked.

“At least, I haven’t seen one.”

“It was an ordinary deer that only made the cries of a beast.”

“Then all the more I don’t know. I’ve heard there used to be a deer tribe, but they went extinct long ago. Other than the deer in this black forest, I haven’t even seen one.”

“Is there a creature among the species besides yours that doesn’t use language?”

After thinking for a moment, the wolf answered.

“...It’s not that there aren’t. Language is, in the end, the product of learning, so if no one teaches it, then no matter how intelligent a beast of a species is, it won’t learn the language.”

“So young beasts wouldn’t be able to use language.”

“That’s the same with human offspring too, isn’t it?”

The wolf rose from its spot.

“Then now give me food. It’s not like I have the place to demand much after only reciting an old tale, but. My kids will eat together too, so I’d like you to pay a generous price.”

“My goodness, you have children?”

“I don’t know why you like it, but... of course. If we can’t breed, our species can’t be maintained. Even though in this environment it’s hard to protect pups from poison, reproduction is an important duty of the species.”

“If that’s the case, you needn’t worry, friend. Even if I look like this, my hand is quite big. To think you’re the youth head of household you were doubting and doubting—my heart truly races...”

“Who decided I’m a youth head of household?!”

“So how old are you?”

“...”

In a very small voice, the wolf said,

“...Seven...”

“My goodness!”

Gio was moved.

(To be continued in the next part)