'Elves?!’

  Arthur froze in place, his sharp eyes scanning the two strange girls, noticing many signs that something was off about them.

  First, their clothes were torn and tattered, and broken iron shackles clung to their bare feet. Their bodies were frail, dirty, and covered with scars.

  The older girl’s condition was worse; her injuries were severe, and her aura fluctuated wildly, as if her D-Rank could drop back to E at any moment.

  'Are they escaped prisoners, or maybe slaves? I’m not sure, but it’s clear they’re going through some serious trouble. What a strange situation I’ve gotten myself into this time.'

  A thoughtful expression crossed his face as he seriously considered what to do. Their state was pitiful, evoking a faint urge to help them.

  After a short moment, he shook his head in annoyance. 'Alright, this isn’t really my business. Helping them could drag me into problems I won’t benefit from. Maybe it’s better if I just leave and pretend I saw nothing.'

  In truth, he felt deeply conflicted and couldn’t make a clear decision. It wasn’t as easy as it seemed.

  His emotions clashed: on one side, his logical mind warned that interfering in others’ affairs wouldn’t end well; on the other, his human heart refused to leave weak, small girls to face a grim fate.

  'Thinking about it, this young elf girl is really attractive, but she doesn’t compare to the Spider Woman in her human form. Her beauty is unmatched. Wait, why am I thinking about that savage again?’

  He furrowed his brow in anger, pushing the image of the Spider Woman out of his mind, and redirected all his focus to the two girls hiding among the bushes.

  He had noticed earlier that the older girl had been pointing her hand at him and moving her lips silently. Now that he could sense mana after his ascension, he realized she was casting some kind of magic spell.

  The reason he hadn’t reacted was simple: he didn’t sense any killing intent from her. The spell was weak, non-aggressive, and seemed more like a defensive or mental skill. Honestly, he just wanted to see what she would do.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  'Tsk, I’m lowering my guard way too much here. Let’s hope I’m not wrong and end up dead,' he thought.

  He let out a short sigh, bared his teeth and claws, and like a proud, noble predator, he slowly prowled side to side, showing off his imposing presence.

  Amaryllis’s hands trembled as she felt the massive wolf toy with her in some way. She couldn’t think or say anything; all her mental energy was focused on controlling her magical spell and managing her mana.

  After a full minute, she finished chanting her spell. Even though she faced no obstacles, she didn’t feel relief—instead, her anxiety grew. She cast Arthur a wary glance.

  'This wolf is acting very strangely. Am I hallucinating, or is he waiting for me to finish my skill? No, that’s impossible. Even with some intelligence, he wouldn’t act with mercy or recklessness like this.'

  The more she thought about it, the more hesitant she became. She wasn’t sure whether she should cast her spell at him or not.

  In the midst of her hesitation, she stole a quick glance at her sister, and her resolve returned.

  She gritted her teeth and, without wasting another moment, stood and shouted loudly: “O Free Spirit of Nature, heed my call and bend to my will!”

  At that moment, a strange green symbol appeared above her outstretched hand and shot quickly toward Arthur’s forehead.

  Across from her, Arthur stared at the symbol coming at him. He didn’t even try to dodge; he let it hit him.

  Instead of causing any damage, the symbol stuck to his forehead like a mark—or more precisely, a seal—and he felt a strange power invade his mind, trying to assert control.

  He winced in pain and slightly bowed his head.

  Amaryllis froze for a moment, then a small, happy smile appeared on her face. She murmured in doubt, 'Did it really work, that easily?'

  She could feel a strong mental link forming between her and the wolf, which gave her a sense of relief. To be certain, she reinforced her mental control over the green seal and commanded firmly: "Sit."

  The strange spell she cast was a rare magical skill possessed by some elves, called "Seal of Will." It allowed them to tame beasts and assert control over them.

  But contrary to Amaryllis’s high expectations, nothing happened. The wolf didn’t move a muscle.

  Crack!

  Suddenly, the seal pulsed with force, cracked, and the wolf staggered powerfully, radiating a terrifying aura that showed the extent of its strength. It slowly raised its head and stared at her.

  At that moment, Amaryllis’ face turned completely pale. She staggered a step back, trembling. Hope left her eyes as she muttered in despair,

  “It’s over… I failed. We’re going to die. No… I don’t want this. At least my sister has to survive.”

  She pushed Aveline out of her arms and said,

  “Run. Save yourself.”

  “No!” Aveline clung to her tightly and cried, “No, I won’t leave you behind!”

  Amaryllis’ eyes filled with tears. She tried to push her sister away, but it was useless. In the end, she gave up and hugged her tightly, whispering into her ear,

  “You idiot… why didn’t you run?”

  The two sisters no longer had any will to struggle. Wrapped in each other’s warmth, they silently waited for the end.

  But what they expected did not happen.

  Instead, in an unbelievable turn of events, Amaryllis suddenly heard a cold, unfamiliar voice.

  “That’s enough crying. Stand up. I’m not going to eat you.”

  Amaryllis froze. Slowly, with her eyes wide open, she raised her head and looked at the savage wolf standing nearby, staring at them indifferently.

  She couldn’t believe what she had just heard. Her lips moved as if to speak, but fear and shock stole her voice.

  The wolf let out a short sigh and said,

  “Do I have to repeat myself?”

  All her doubts vanished. She pointed at him with a trembling finger and stuttered,

  “Y-You… you can talk?”