The wolf, holding back my attempts to shove him off, looked at me with ravenous black eyes. Unable to hold back any longer, he gripped my hand, slipping a finger within mine before quickly capturing my lips in another kiss.

His finger, entwined with mine, traced affectionately across the back of my hand. As I gasped for air, he shared his breath with me, stealing even more of my saliva in a deeper, more fervent kiss.

Just when it felt like my head might explode with the escalating sensation, his tongue that had been entwined with mine eventually slipped out of my lips.

“Ha… ha…”

While I was struggling to catch my breath, for some reason, the wolf was smirking and playfully peppering my lips with pecks.

“You’re so beautiful, Lily.”

Yeah, I suppose I earned at least that much lip service for sharing my energy with you. I heard him say something as he held me in his embrace, but I couldn’t fight the wave of sleepiness and fatigue any longer. I succumbed, drifting off into oblivion.

***

“Welcome! Oh, it’s you, Liliana.”

“Hello, Aunt Mazi.”

Seeing me, Aunt Mazi waved three of her arms in delight. The rest of her many arms, each busily stuffing cloth, didn’t pause for a moment. With each smile, Aunt Mazi’s sharp fangs briefly showed before hiding again.

This was the most famous cloth store in the central commercial city of Ordo. True to her monster nature, Aunt Mazi used her numerous arms to craft and sell anything and everything made of cloth. What’s more, this store had a rich history, passed down from Aunt Mazi’s mother’s generation. So, even without a signboard, monsters from afar could easily find it.

I barely managed to sidestep a thin blanket being purchased, narrowly avoiding a collision with the wings of a red moth monster. The red moth looked surprised upon seeing me but then exited the store without a word.

Seeing that monster’s surprise at seeing a human, I realized it must’ve come from quite a distance. The farther you go from the central city into the countryside, the rarer it is to see a human.

“Liliana, what brings you in today? Is it the time to change your bedding? Or is the time for new clothes?”

Aunt Mazi’s eyes quickly scanned me from head to toe.

“I am here for clothes, but not for me.”

At that, all of Aunt Mazi’s busy arms momentarily stilled. She looked at me with a deeply concerned expression.

“Oh, tell me you’re still keeping that wolf boy with you?”

“Yes, I still am…”

Aunt Mazi was one of only two monsters who knew I was sheltering a wolf. The other was her husband, Kunta, the first monster I ever met.

“Wolf-kind can be dangerous. I worry you might get caught up in some peril.”

I know… But it feels wrong to just send him away without his memories. I’m hoping to wait until his owner, the heroine shows up.

I reassured her with a smile. 

“It’s just for a little while. And you know, he’s still young; not that dangerous.”

“Even so… Oh dear, I’m worried. Liliana, your mother would be so shocked if she finds out.”

“Of course, Mom doesn’t know. So, Aunt Mazi, please keep it a secret for a while longer. Like you said, if Mom found out, she’d drag me right back home.”

“Sigh… Ordo is dangerous enough, and now a wolf-kind. If anything happens, you tell Kunta or me right away. We promised Sarah we’d look after you. We can’t have anything happening to you.”

“Of course, Aunt Mazi. If anything comes up, I’ll tell you right away.”

“For the clothes, same size as last time?”

“Yes, maybe three sets.”

“Alright, just wait a bit.”

Aunt Mazi began sorting through various colored fabrics, eventually picking out three neutral shades. Then, she immediately set her many arms to work. Watching her, my thoughts drifted to my mother, alone back in Soma.

It’s been three years since I settled in Ordo, leaving Soma behind. While I kept up with Mom through letters, I couldn’t help but worry about her. After all, in Soma, it was just her and me for human company. While there weren’t many monsters in Soma that posed a threat to humans, life is unpredictable. My worries persisted.

I wish she had come to Ordo with me, but she never wanted to leave Soma. Then again, if it weren’t for the need to earn money, I wouldn’t have come to Ordo either.

Three years ago, right around the time I turned seventeen, our household’s finances took a hit.

The fortress-like house where Mom and I lived had belonged to my grandparents, handed down to her. The only wealth we had were the house she inherited and a small piece of land given as compensation when my granddad was killed.

Before I turned seventeen, we had no financial troubles. The produce Mom grew on that small plot was enough to sustain our modest rural life.

But three years ago, a severe drought struck, worsening the soil condition. The yield wasn’t what it used to be, as the soil lost its fertility.

Our main income, from selling the produce, dwindled. To rejuvenate the soil, we’d have to employ ant-monsters or mole-monsters to turn it over, but the cost was astronomical.

With no substantial savings, Mom began helping out with others’ farming, but the daily wages in the small village of Soma weren’t enough to accumulate.

In the midst of our predicament, Uncle Kunta, who had always maintained a close relationship with us, became privy to our plight. He suggested that we try earning money in Ordo.

He proposed that Mom assist in Aunt Mazi’s store in Ordo while I could help out in his bakery, so we could save some money.

I was immediately on board with the idea, but Mom was hesitant to leave Soma. So, in the end, only I made the move to Ordo. For some reason, Uncle Kunta seemed to understand her reluctance to leave Soma too.

He assured my deeply concerned mother that he’d act as my guardian in Ordo, ensuring I was safe.

Though I felt anxious about separating from Mom for the first time in 17 years, I knew that coming to Ordo with Uncle Kunta was the quickest way to save money. Besides, I’ve known that Uncle Kunta was a trustworthy monster since I was a child.

I needed to save up quickly and return to Soma, hoping for a happier life with my mom there. The money I’d earned over these three years was substantial, and I was close to reaching my target.