Chapter 33 _ The Chain of Affection, and Graduation from the Mire
The massive silver form cut through the curtain of night as it moved ahead of us.
On the path toward the God Wolf’s den, our conversation continued—
quiet, unhurried, yet heavy with meaning.
“Mario,” the God Wolf said.
“Do you know why I waited so long for your arrival?”
“…No,” I admitted honestly.
“I can’t even begin to guess.”
“As expected.”
She spoke without disturbing even a single fallen leaf, her steps utterly soundless.
“I possess far-sight.
From the very day my daughter met you,
I have watched your path unfold.”
“…From the beginning?”
“Yes.
That child has always been painfully clumsy with others.
She longs for warmth more than anyone—
yet has never known how to ask for it honestly.”
Her voice softened, overflowing with deep affection.
“But since becoming your friend…
tell me, what do you think I saw?”
She paused, then continued quietly.
“Today, for the first time in two hundred years since I took her in,
I saw my daughter smile from the heart.
Not out of duty.
Not out of pride.
But simply… because she was happy.”
She turned her golden gaze toward me.
“Mario.
Can you even imagine how grateful I am to you?”
“I didn’t do anything special,” I said quickly.
“If anything, Frey has always been the one helping me…”
As I watched her silver fur sway in the night wind,
a thought crossed my mind.
“…You know about Iris too, don’t you?”
“Yes.
My daughter’s beloved disciple.”
I nodded.
“She was never blessed with natural talent.
Still, she struggled desperately and mastered every school of magic.
Yet she kept losing—over and over.
After meeting Frey, though… she changed completely.
So truly, God Wolf… we’re the ones who should be thanking you.”
“…Humans are curious creatures,” she murmured thoughtfully.
“Respect gives birth to further respect.
What a gentle chain that is.”
She chuckled softly.
“…No. Enough of this.
There’s no need for an old mother to ramble on about her pride.
I will leave the rest to you.”
She narrowed her eyes slightly, as if pondering something deeper.
“And the blonde girl—
Iris, was it?”
“Yes.”
“She is not lacking in aptitude.
It is only her excessive caution and lack of confidence
that have delayed her awakening.”
She paused, as if about to say more.
For just an instant,
a sharp glint of foresight passed through the eyes of the divine beast of the mind.
“…Her true talents will bloom when the time is right.
For now, that knowledge alone is enough.”
I chose not to ask further.
At the foot of a towering peak that seemed to pierce the heavens,
we found the others gathered around a crackling campfire.
“Mother!”
In her cat form, Frey ran toward us, tail held high.
Gone was the arrogant master mage—
she looked like nothing more than a child seeking comfort.
“I kept you waiting,” the God Wolf said warmly.
“May I partake as well?
I have long wished to experience human food.”
Faced with the mountain-sized deity,
Iris stood frozen, like a statue.
With trembling hands, she offered a wooden bowl.
“P-please… help yourself.”
The God Wolf studied her carefully.
“…Grilled bird and mountain greens, then simmered.
I see.
Yes—this is quite good.”
“Th-thank you…!”
“You have skillful hands, Iris.
Are you fond of cooking?”
“Yes… my mother taught me, when I was little.”
“…A mother, hm.”
For a fleeting moment,
a complicated shadow crossed the God Wolf’s expression.
Then it was gone.
As we ate, I shared what I had learned about the Substitute Orb with the others.
Roger, who had pretended indifference until now, stiffened.
“The Substitute Orb…
the God Dragon’s relic,” he muttered.
“It’s the ultimate dream of every treasure hunter in this world.”
“Then it’s something worth chasing, even for you, right?” I said.
“Someday, when we’re stronger—”
“…Don’t be foolish.”
Roger’s cold words sliced through the night air.
“You can’t even approach the God Dragon’s domain in your current state.
You nearly died against two ogres.
That place isn’t a goal—
it’s a delusion.”
“…I know.
But I’m serious.
If it’s to save Frey, I’ll do anything.”
“Then be prepared to bleed twice as much as you have so far,” he replied flatly.
“As long as you’re wasting time juggling side jobs like a scavenger,
that dream will never become reality.”
Harsh words—
yet beneath them lay the advice of a professional.
I stared into the flickering flames.
“…I understand.
Tomorrow, when we return to town,
I’ll tell Arabes I’m quitting.”
The scavenger work.
The job that taught me the weight of labor
and the reality of survival in this world.
The work that Arabes had offered me
when I was nothing.
But this was no longer a path I could walk halfway.
“You really mean it, don’t you, Mario?”
Iris looked at me anxiously.
“Yeah.
…Wait for me, Frey.
I’ll free you. I promise.”
Frey snorted softly, embarrassed,
her face lit by the fire’s glow.
I closed my eyes.
Beyond the darkness, I imagined the royal capital—
and beyond it, the God Dragon reigning at the world’s summit.
The true adventure of a former shut-in
was only just beginning.
