In the wake of the Fenrius assault, the city of Kronatia, though still tense, found its atmosphere rapidly changing. Whispers from the unknown continent had traveled far, and now, a flood of adventurers began to pour into the city. They came seeking new experiences and challenges, drawn by the tales of the werewolf attack. The city streets grew loud with their boisterous energy, each one eager to make the battle against the Fenrius their own tale of glory.
Among them, one figure stood out: Alexis. As always, he was more interested in the opportunity to burnish his name than in any real danger. He strode into Kronatia with his entourage, his purpose clear—to earn the title of hero for defeating the Fenrius.
"There is only one thing for us to prove in this city," Alexis declared grandly to his followers. "The Fenrius will meet their end at our hands!"
His crew was already swaggering through the city, showing off their strength. They sought the thrill of fighting werewolves and promoted themselves to the people of Kronatia as "the ones who have come to save this city."
Lian sensed that this situation could be turned to his advantage. With the city now bustling and chaotic from the influx of adventurers, a window of opportunity might open for him to achieve his own goal.
"With the city in such an uproar, we must use this chaos to our advantage," Lian said quietly to Kairen.
Kairen agreed. "Indeed. This chaos provides the perfect cover to proceed with our plan. To 'borrow' the Mirror of Souls while no one is watching."
Lian's expression was firm as he nodded. To help the Fenrius, he had to obtain the Mirror of Souls. And the city, celebrating its recent victory, was preparing for a festival.
That day was his chance. His plan was to borrow the mirror amidst the chaos of the festival. This 'borrowing' was, in truth, an act of theft, and it presented a moral dilemma. But Lian had made his decision. This was the only way to save the Fenrius, and the Kronatian elder, Tiovan, had no intention of handing over the artifact.
"The festival, when the city is at its loudest—that will be our moment," Lian said, his voice laced with conviction.
A few days later, the city of Kronatia was consumed by a festival celebrating the victory over the Fenrius. Splendid decorations and fireworks filled the city, and adventurers and citizens gathered as one to revel. The streets were alive with music and dance, and merchants selling food and drink heightened the festive atmosphere.
Lian and Kairen had been waiting for this moment of chaos. This was their time. Their goal was to slip away with the Mirror of Souls while Elder Tiovan was otherwise occupied.
Kairen spoke softly, "We are merely trying to give them a chance. If we do not save them, this fight will never end."
Lian gritted his teeth. "You're right. If the Fenrius can return to their human forms, this war can end. We have to ensure they do not remain monsters."
The two men, amidst the city's clamor, began to move toward the place where the mirror was kept under the protection of the Kronatian elder.
**
Episode : The Influx of Adventurers (Part 2)
The Kronatian festival raged on, growing ever more vibrant. Music and cheers filled every corner of the city, and adventurers boasted of their heroic deeds, their stories weaving through the crowd. But a dark shadow lurked beneath the festive fervor. Among the adventurers who had crossed over to this continent were not just those seeking honor. Some were fugitives from Luminaria and Celesta, and con artists and thieves were mixed among them.
Lian and Kairen were moving to execute their plan to borrow the Mirror of Souls amidst this influx of people. But they soon noticed unexpected figures nearby. A suspicious group was lingering close, their movements suggesting a purpose different from Lian and Kairen's.
Lian whispered to Kairen, "I don't think these men are here just to enjoy the festival. They might be after the same thing we are."
Kairen's gaze swept the area. "Something is certainly amiss. Some of them pretend to be focused on the festivities, but their eyes wander. Still, I don't believe they've noticed us yet."
Because they had concealed their presence, the others had not yet detected them, but Lian knew he needed to complicate the situation further.
A cunning smile touched his lips. "What if we make things even more chaotic to divert their attention? If we can make them fall into their own confusion, the situation will be to our advantage."
Kairen tilted his head. "How do you propose we do that?"
Lian explained his plan. "We need to make them believe there are other treasures to be found, not just the Mirror of Souls. To keep them from focusing on one place. I'll leak some information and make them search elsewhere instead of for the artifact."
Lian decided to exploit the adventurers' thirst for information. Using the festive atmosphere, he began to subtly spread false information and the locations of hidden artifacts. He pointed out a few secluded back alleys and abandoned places in the city, hinting that treasures were hidden there. Of course, some of this information was entirely fabricated.
Some of the adventurers soon caught wind of the information Lian had spread and began to pass it on to others. The city was plunged into an even more complex state of chaos due to the rumors. Groups, each trying to claim the treasures for themselves, began to move busily, and their objective made Lian and Kairen's plan even more likely to succeed.
As a result, bandits suddenly appeared in unexpected places throughout the city, and con artists began to swindle each other. A few adventurers clashed with one another, causing a commotion, while others began to desperately search in the places where they believed treasures were hidden.
Lian calmly observed the chaos and said to Kairen, "Their attention is now divided. Now is our chance to borrow the mirror."
Kairen, taking in the situation, smiled. "I didn't think that would actually work. Now, no one will be paying any attention to us."
The city fell into greater chaos, and the adventurers moved busily for their own gain. Lian and Kairen, using the confusion, stealthily approached the place where the Mirror of Souls was stored, unnoticed by anyone.
The guards protecting the mirror were distracted by other problems, and they did not notice Lian and Kairen. The two prepared to carefully take the mirror, confirming that everything was proceeding according to plan.
"We have to take this artifact to help the Fenrius," Lian said, his expression resolute.
Kairen nodded. "Yes. This is an essential step to change their fate."
Lian and Kairen carried out their plan step by step and were now about to overcome a crucial hurdle on their journey to help the Fenrius.
**
Episode : A Relatively Easy Acquisition
The city was still in chaos. Adventurers and bandits were rampaging everywhere, competing to claim treasures for themselves. Lian and Kairen, using the confusion, finished their preparations to obtain the Mirror of Souls as planned.
The two approached the place where the artifact was hidden, slipping through a gap in the dispersed security. Only a few guards remained near the artifact, and their vigilance had been loosened by the aftermath of the festival and the commotion. Lian and Kairen carefully knocked them unconscious and, unnoticed by anyone, took the Mirror of Souls.
"That was easier than I thought," Lian said quietly. He held the mirror in his hands, his eyes scanning their surroundings.
Kairen nodded and took out a fake artifact he had prepared, placing it where the real one had been. "This should cover our tracks for a short while. Let us hurry."
They rushed back to the hideout where they were protecting the young Fenrius with the artifact. They decided to use the Mirror of Souls on the Fenrius children while the moonlight was weak. As Kairen carefully raised the mirror, the image of the children reflected in it began to illuminate their inner selves.
In an instant, their werewolf forms began to fade, and in their place, human forms were revealed. Their coarse fur and sharp claws transformed into soft skin and hands, and their red, glowing eyes returned to a clear, warm light.
The first young Fenrius to notice the change looked at himself and then laughed out loud.
"My hands… they're human hands!" The child looked at his own two hands in disbelief and burst into laughter. Hearing his voice, the other children looked at themselves and smiled, taking each other's hands and cheering.
The other children, too, realizing they had turned back into humans, began to hug each other and laugh with joy. Before long, they started to play and run around, and they looked just like innocent human children. Freed from the Fenrius's instinct, they ran about freely, savoring their joy.
Lian watched them and whispered, "We really did it."
The children's laughter grew louder and louder, and their own private festival began. They played tag, running here and there, holding hands and spinning in circles, and looked up at the sky, rejoicing as if they had been newly born. One of them began to sing a small song, and the other children joined in, sharing the moment of joy.
Kairen also smiled. "Just seeing them this happy makes me feel that we made the right choice."
Lian nodded, watching the children. "These children are no longer monsters trapped in a curse. They've been given a new life."
As time passed and the moonlight returned to the sky, this time, the children did not transform back into werewolves. They remained in their human forms, and even after several days, they were able to maintain their intellect, free from the moon's influence. But when the day of the full moon arrived, they returned to their werewolf forms. But this time, it was different. Their eyes still held human emotions, and they were able to speak.
"We did it," Lian said, smiling at Kairen. "The Fenrius are no longer simple beasts, but beings who have reclaimed themselves."
Kairen nodded in agreement. "Even if these children change back into werewolves, they will now be able to live as intelligent beings. Thanks to the artifact."
Lian and Kairen, to prevent the children from ever returning to their monstrous state, decided to return the Mirror of Souls to the Kronatia. The moment the children had laughed and played had become a symbol of salvation for them, and they resolved to continue helping the Fenrius in the future.
The children were still playing joyfully, and their laughter echoed through the woods.
Lian and Kairen watched the children play and let out a brief sigh of relief, but soon, a heavy worry crossed their faces. Though they had succeeded in saving the Fenrius children with the Mirror of Souls, the fact that they had secretly stolen the artifact remained a heavy burden on their minds.
Lian spoke first. "Now we have to figure out how to return this… We can't just quietly put it back. Elder Tiovan already knew we were interested in the artifact."
Kairen nodded in response. "You're right. And the Kronatians are highly likely to have realized we stole it. They'll suspect something as soon as they see the unconscious guards… Quietly putting it back won't be easy."
Lian sighed and leaned against a wall. "It's true that we needed to use this artifact to save the Fenrius… but morally, it was the wrong thing to do. There has to be a way to set this right."
Kairen thought for a moment, then made a suggestion. "What if, when we return the artifact, we sincerely apologize for what we've done and show them the proof that the Fenrius have been saved? If they see their human forms for themselves, I think even Elder Tiovan might open his heart."
Lian was lost in thought for a moment before answering. "That might be a good way. If we can show them that the Fenrius children have returned to their human forms, it's possible Elder Tiovan will be persuaded. But what if he doesn't accept our apology and tries to punish us?"
Kairen said calmly, "That is a risk. But we have a sincere desire to set this right. If the elder sees that, I believe he is more likely to seek a solution than a punishment."
Lian still looked uneasy but nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we have to admit we handled this the wrong way. But saving these children was still the right thing to do… We'll just have to convey that fact persuasively."
The two sat in silence for a while, carefully considering how they could persuade the elder. They sought a way to emphasize that the Fenrius children could now be free from the werewolf curse and to convince him that the Kronatia would no longer be threatened by them.
Kairen spoke again. "When we return the artifact, it might also be a good idea to have the children go to the elder themselves and show him their changed forms. They are the best ones to explain that they have regained their human intellect."
Lian smiled and nodded. "Yeah, that's a good idea. The most persuasive proof would be for the children to demonstrate it themselves."
They finally reached a conclusion. The best way was to return the artifact and to show the elder the transformed, human forms of the Fenrius children, thereby convincing him of their sincerity and the results. But they knew the process would not be easy, and they had no intention of evading their responsibility.
"We'll be able to prove that what we did was right," Lian said, his expression resolute.
Kairen nodded, ready to move forward with him.