Keck Bloodfire

Kas was a little dazed. He'd thought his dead father had countless enemies in the Black Ash Tribe. After all, even a nobody like Blackheart had dared to provoke him.

But he hadn't expected their leader—the War Chief Kaike, who should have been countless times more ruthless than Blackheart—to seem like an old friend of his dead father.

"You and my father?"

"..." Kaike fell silent for a moment. Seeing Kas's bewildered expression, he could only explain helplessly:

"Looks like he never told you anything. Damn him...

"Malik Axe-Breaker, Oji Bearheart, and I were blood-sworn brothers."

That brief explanation made Kas understand the close relationship between his dead father and the Black Ash War Chief.

Blood-sworn brothers was the Rishiman People's highest expression of friendship. They swore their bond in blood, commemorated their comrades' great deeds with their lives, and proved their valor to Pierce, until the day they finally joined the ranks of the Ancestors.

Kas's buried memories gradually grew clearer. He looked at Kaike, who seemed inexplicably saddened, and asked in surprise:

"Keck Bloodfire, is that you?"

"That's right. Looks like that fool at least knew to pass our friendship down to his children. Hah!"

Kaike looked delighted. He gave Kas's shoulder a hearty slap, completely oblivious to the awkward expression on his blood-sworn brother's son's face.

Oh, my God, my arm's about to break... Is this guy a monster? He looks so skinny, but he's stronger than me.

Kas endured the sharp pain in his shoulder and forced a smile.

"I just... kind of forgot."

Kaike froze. Realizing he'd hit too hard for a child who hadn't yet been marked with a battle tattoo, he eased up a little.

He nodded respectfully to Morse Ironbone, who had drifted above Kas's head.

"I hope you still remember me, Ironbone. Thirty years ago, I was fortunate enough to enter Zagwell's ancestral hall and pay my respects to the Ancestors of the ancient clans."

"Hmm... You've become quite strong, lad." Ironbone appraised him. The fire in his eyes dimmed, a sign that he accepted Kaike.

"Kas, I have a lot I want to say to you. I want to invite you to join the Black Ash Tribe's raid south, and take Malik's place in teaching you to become a true warrior."

Kaike's gaze shifted to the werewolf not far away. "But first I need to understand why you chose a werewolf for a wife. It's a disgrace to your clan, to my blood-sworn brother, and even to me."

The talkative Ancestor didn't intervene. He seemed to think Kaike might be able to help, and that his doubts came from concern rather than slander.

So the biggest problem is still Miss Seneya...

Kas glanced around and noticed countless blades and crossbow bolts seemingly aimed at the werewolf behind him. They might hold back in Ironbone's presence, but their fear and prejudice couldn't simply be erased.

"Maybe we should find somewhere else to talk, Kaike."

"I'm very glad you came, but I won't allow a cursed monster into my tribe."

Scorn flared in Kaike's dark gray eyes. He was like a furnace fueled by hatred, and made no effort to restrain his murderous intent toward the werewolf in front of Kas.

"When your father and I were young, we killed plenty of werewolves. Every last one was a lunatic who'd begged witches for power and fulfilled their desires. Their filthy, stinking bodies couldn't be cleansed even in the Blood-Ash Furnace. Maybe it used witchcraft to bewitch your mind..."

"This is the Great Shaman's will."

Kas cut Kaike off and brought up the old pervert Hadi.

The whole thing had indeed started with finding a wife for the shaman. It was just that the client had changed—the old bastard had replaced himself with Kas.

"The Great Shaman..." Kaike stopped speaking, his stern gaze flickering.

He raised a hand to signal the guards to stand down, then gestured for the crowd to move away. No one else was needed here.

Kas thought Kaike wanted to hear what the Great Shaman's will meant. But instead, Kaike said without hesitation:

"If this is the Great Shaman's will, I'll believe it for now..."

"Seneya."

"Seneya has suffered an unjust curse, but her movements within the Black Ash Tribe will be restricted. That's my bottom line, Kas."

"..." Kas considered it for a moment. He was willing to accept Kulan's invitation mainly because he wanted to visit the Black Ash Tribe's shaman.

By tradition, Kaike would likely hold a feast lasting eight days, and as a guest, Kas would have to attend.

Drinking himself into a stupor by day and drinking again by night, he didn't know much about the Black Ash Tribe. Even with the assurance of his father's blood-sworn brother, could he really be sure Seneya would be safe?

Kas couldn't guarantee that until they returned to Ferode Canyon.

As he was thinking, he suddenly felt the weight lift from his head. The old bastard seemed to have guessed his concerns and hopped onto Seneya's shoulder.

"This is already good enough."

Kaike was pleased. He ordered someone to bring over a cloak wide enough to cover her, then handed it to Kas.

The cloak was plain, made of smooth, lightweight velvet. Faint, indistinct glimmers rippled across its surface. It didn't look like something from the Sorrow Mountains.

"Something from the southerners. Once, a thief wearing something like this tried to steal my Blood Song from my tent. He almost succeeded."

Kas held the cloak, curious about where it came from, and asked:

"What happened next?"

"Next? I was drunk at the time. I thought the shadow drifting around in front of my eyes was one of Pierce's handmaidens, sent to celebrate my glorious victory. I stripped off his cloak, and then..."

Kaike's gaunt face curved into a smile. He ran his tongue over his lips, his expression savage and sly.

"He had a pretty golden head of hair and a pretty face. I fucked his ass raw, then used a little trick to get him to tell me the cloak was a prized creation of an alchemist. I took my clan's warriors to find that alchemist and made him whip up another one before he died.

"This thing is great. I can meet women without their husbands finding out, and it works as a blanket in the mountains. It's soft and light to lie on, too.

"Put it on Seneya. She's so ugly she'll scare the children into crying."

The bizarre story made the cloak feel a little too hot in Kas's hands. Couldn't you have left out the second half and just told me the beginning?

He examined the black cloak carefully, making sure there weren't any strange water stains or bloodstains on it.

Then he stepped over to Seneya, pressed his head against her furry triangular ear, and whispered:

"We'll stay in the Black Ash Tribe for a few days. Kaike promised me you'll be safe."

"Awoo~"

"Mm... I need to visit the shaman here and ask a few questions."

"Whimper~"

"Don't worry. We'll leave soon. Once the Great Shaman lifts your curse, no one will look at you like that."

Kas rubbed Seneya's neck, soothing her disappointment.

She was sensitive, and had kept her head down the entire way, not daring to look at the cold, murderous stares.

Compared to Little Red Riding Hood, who had been so friendly to her in the forest, the Rishiman People's attitude was a disaster.

Kas fastened the cloak around Seneya. Its black shadow covered the werewolf's body, making her look like a misty blur beneath the dazzling sunlight.

But Kas was satisfied. Now Seneya's werewolf identity would be hidden...

Although having a misty blur that looked like a ghost following him around was strange, it was still better than a werewolf.

"Be good."