Chapter 05 – The Wolf Leader

The leader of the pack looked at the girl as it glared with its red eyes. Louise answered its scowl with a lazy tone.

"I can't understand animal language, and I'm not into a staring contest. If you want to say something, you have to speak. I also don't mind continuing our fight if you insist."

Gerald looked at Louise as if asking, "Can they speak?"

She answered him, "Let me provide you an additional knowledge of this place. Since this is a Mystical Forest, so to speak, it doesn't conform to the standard of normal," she again turned to the leader of the packs.

"Go ahead and talk, you may remain silent if you want, but I can't guarantee that I can do the same. Got it?"

"What an annoying mage," A deep manly voice echoed coming from the leader of the wolves.

"I also feel the same, so you don't have to worry," Louise spoke with some sarcasm.

"Tsk! You barged into my territory, and you want to talk terms? Who are you kidding?"

"What a nice twist of logic." Louise answered him, "Let me refresh your memory because I think you forgot something" She crossed her arms and continued, "We did not invade your place, but you gave us a heartwarming welcome. Your injured packs are proof of it. I don't mind sharing a demonstration again if you want."

Duke Gerald and the other wolves keep on looking back and forth between them while listening to their word fight.

"Hmph! I don't have any enmity on you, but..." the wolf suddenly shifted its gaze towards the Duke.

"This man and his group barged into my territory and took something important to our tribe."

Louise looked at Gerald, inquiring about what the wolf was talking about. But the Duke shook his head and answered.

"I don't know what he is talking about."

"You heard him."

The wolf snorted, "Not specifically you, but among your men, someone took our Mana gem, which is essential to our tribe."

"Then show us the man that you are referring. This Duke here can verify it since they are his guards." Louise suggested, "If you are speaking the truth, that is."

"They all escaped. We happen to bump into you, that is all."

The young mage clicked her tongue, "Ah...How annoying. This is the reason why I don't like negotiating." Then, she gave a cold smile towards the wolf leader and spoke, "You know what? You are starting to get into my nerves."

All presents felt a heavy aura covering the entire area. All of them except for the Duke grimaced from pain, including the leader, as if they were being crushed.

Louise yawned and sat on one of the elevated stones in the area. She signaled to the Duke to do the same. Gerald followed and sat near the mage.

"Do you think they will be fine?"

Louise shrugged her shoulder, "It's none of my business. They don't plan on talking, so I will leave them be."

"O-Okay."

The young girl leaned on one of the trunks and closed her eyes.

"Observe them for the meantime. Then, wake me up if you think that these dogs want to talk already."

The Duke watched as he saw the girl fall asleep without a care. He then turned towards the group of wolves who were still struggling because of the invisible pressure that they were holding.

Fifteen minutes passed, and he saw Louise open her eyes and direct her attention to the group. She placed her cheek on her right palm while sitting crossed leg.

"I guess you can speak now. Where are the people whom you attacked earlier?" Louise asked coldly.

But instead of answering, the leader kept his silence while still staring dagger with the mage.

"Hmmm...not the response that I'm expecting."

Louise smirked as she increased the pressure. All the wolves grimaced in pain. "I have every means to find them, but that would waste a lot of my time. So I'm just giving you a chance, but I don't have that much patience. Now choose: live or die?"

The Wolves continued to grimace in pain. Some of them started to have blood oozing out from their orifice. The Duke looked at them with a look of shock on his face. He then turned to Louise.

"We both know that we don't want to waste time with each other. But I also don't want to waste my magic on you folks. So.."

"They are at the entrance of the Mystical forest. Those people were useless to us. They are weaklings. Whether they are alive or dead is no longer part of our concern. We are leaving." The leader answered with some difficulty.

When the young lady heard this, she smiled and lifted the pressure. Then, the packs started to move their bodies while still struggling to get up.

The leader also struggled to get up. He stared at the mage with his face containing fear and vigilance.

Louise gave them a gentle smile and nodded, "Good. Now you are free. Let's not meet again, okay?"

The wolf leader snorted, then turned and dashed away, followed by his packs.

"Let's go." Louise urged the Duke after they were left behind.

...........................

"Leader, are we going to leave them just like that?"

One of the wolves asked the wolf leader. They were currently running from the two people earlier.

The wolf leader snorted.

"If you want to stay behind, then you can. Haven't you noticed that mage held back earlier? If she's serious, then we were all be dead by now." He stopped, turned his attention to the group, and announced in a loud voice, "You all listen up. Stay away from that girl. My instinct is telling me she's dangerous.

............

After a few minutes of walking, Duke Gerald and Louise arrived at the entrance of the Mystical forest. The twenty-four guards with the Duke were lucky enough just to receive some injuries, and no one died. After that, however, they all lost their consciousness.

"Seems like the wolves were kind enough not to kill them," Louise commented, then she turned to the Duke.

"I don't want any of them to see me." She walked towards the nearby carriage with the Duke's symbol on it before she stopped and waved her hand. A bluish aura enveloped all the guards and slowly healed their injuries. After which, she entered the carriage.