I had tried to pass off that she was a friend of mine, but the girl didn’t seem to get the hint, and she immediately threw it in my face. The guards were now looking at each other, just a bit confused by that interaction. When the girl glanced up, I was finally able to get a good look at her face. She was surprisingly young. If I had placed her, she was only about fifteen or sixteen. While her features were youthful, the look in her eyes felt different. She gave the feeling of a vicious animal, someone who had to fight to survive.

She was a white wolfkin, and that immediately made me feel some nostalgia. The only other white wolfkin I had ever met was Raissa. In some ways, this girl looked a bit like her, but there were some noticeable differences, especially with her body shape. She wore robes that tried to cover her body, but it was undeniable that she had a large chest and voluptuous body. Her chest was about the size of Celeste’s chest despite her youthful age, and she had a very pretty face even if it was twisted with anger.

“I’m trying to help you out.” I hissed. “Just play along.”

“I don’t have time to deal with someone like you.” She responded, glaring at me. “I am here to complete a mission. Anyone who gets in my way can die!”

I couldn’t help but feel my eyebrow twitching. What was with this girl? The soldiers also shifted awkwardly. This little girl had just threatened them all. She might be a wolfkin, but when it came to the atmosphere, she couldn’t be more different than Raissa. Raissa was docile, submissive, and kind. This girl gave off an angry, aggressive aura. If Raissa was a loyal dog, then this girl was a starving mangy wolf that had been backed into a corner.

“It’s pretty clear that you and this woman have never met each other before today.” The soldier spoke quietly. “If you don’t mind, we will be apprehending her now. She will be questioned and then imprisoned. We will send a missive to Lord Duran. If he wishes to negotiate her release, you can speak to him.”

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“N-no! I do know her.”

I didn’t know why I felt like helping her. She had clearly already shown that she didn’t want my help. If there was a reason, it probably had to do with Raissa. She looked enough like her that I couldn’t just leave her alone. I had never managed to find the mother of my child, and it was something that still caused me stress until that day. In some ways, helping this lone wolfkin felt like giving her the help I failed to give Raissa.

“Really…” The guard looked at me dubiously, and the woman only glared at me.

“It’s true!” I quickly came up with an excuse. “C-can’t you feel the miasma on her? She’s been hit with a karmic infection. Her behavior right now has startled me as much as you. She’s not in her right mind. Thankfully, I am a white mage adept at such things. As long as she comes with me, I should be able to treat her.”

I had scanned the girl, and my words weren’t completely false. She did have a lot of miasma in her. She wasn’t a miasmic creature yet, but she gave off the impression of someone who had been in a dungeon a lot. It only made me more curious about her.

“Is that true?” The soldier looked suspicious, but even he could tell that some of my words were true.

My reputation as a dungeon expert seemed to proceed me.

“It’s no-” The girl began.

“On my honor!” I declared. “I, Earl Deek Deekson of Aberis, ruler of Chalm, verify that I am speaking honestly.”

As I said this, the girl suddenly spasmed. So many emotions seemed to spread over her face in an instant, but then her expression disappeared, and she looked on expressionlessly.

“H-he’s right.” She declared. “I must travel by his side!”