Alkin already had the record of slaying her own "Grandmother," and the ancestors of the other families were no stronger than her.
Though they were called Ancient Ones, after ages of wear and repeated rebirths, the Wolf Ancestors were already riddled with holes. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they were seeking death, so they were naturally no match for Alkin.
Having awakened her own innate authority as a 【witch】, the white-haired girl was already well-versed in subjugating Ancient Ones, and the restrictions of the witches' feast would not allow her to suffer defeat.
After slaying a Wolf Ancestor, Alkin would immediately offer the achievement to sustain the stagnation of the night of the hunt and the continuation of the celebration.
In this way, even if they disagreed, the Wolf Ancestors could no longer be resurrected. All the wolf-kin were forced to join the tide stirred by Alkin, and in the entire kingdom, no one could remain a bystander.
Sylvia gave this a high evaluation, calling it a masterstroke that struck at the root of the problem, avoiding internal slaughter among the wolf pack while unifying the long-divided families under a single will.
"Congratulations, Alkin. You have now achieved something no one in the wolf pack has accomplished since the dawn of our civilization."
In a border town of the Fog Moon Kingdom—the very first city Faust had arrived in—Sylvia reported the situation to the white-haired girl in her family's manor.
"Every family and every hunter troupe has expressed their willingness to join the hunt. Whether they truly want to or not, they no longer have a choice. Alkin... your fantasy has become reality. The entire kingdom is going mad with you."
Alkin sat on the sofa, her long boots crossed, resting her cheek on one hand as she sighed.
"Sigh, in the end, one still has to use pure violence to establish authority. I didn't intend to do this, but if beasts only understand power, then I won't shy away from using swords and fire to tame them."
"After all, my ambition isn't to be some tyrant or to rule over anything. I just want enough fun to keep me happy."
Sylvia frowned and said, "We have burned almost every forest in the kingdom to the ground, but the mist at the border still hasn't dispersed. Once this wave of fanaticism passes, if the isolation remains, the entire kingdom will have no way back."
In the past, the Wolf Ancestors maintained the crumbling order, but now all of them had been slain by Alkin, leaving no one to sustain the kingdom's existence.
As a result, even if the forests were cleared, the next night of the hunt initiated by the blood moon would be more terrifying than ever before.
It was no exaggeration to say that if the kingdom's isolation did not end soon, the despair of the eventual backlash would be as intense as the current fanaticism.
Beneath the surface of this blazing, oil-fueled prosperity lay a bottomless abyss.
From Sylvia's perspective, knowing the truth, the pressure had already reached its limit, and she was practically breaking out in a cold sweat.
Unfortunately, Alkin was immune to pressure. She shrugged upon hearing this and turned her head.
"I am powerless in that regard. That will depend on Faust."
The reason she chose such an aggressive way to destroy the old order was that she believed in the solution Faust provided: slaying the Great Moon.
The prince nodded and said, "It's about time. I've received word that they should cross the mist and arrive here tonight."
Faust was timing it precisely, intentionally letting Viviana and the others enter at the very end.
This was because the moment that could best confound the wheel of destiny was the instant the three witches met for the first time. The longer time dragged on, the greater the variables became.
"Then, we must hold a ritual at the boundary between the forest and the city to summon the blood moon. At that time, I will have a way to pull the Moon Deity down and... grant it release."
The wolf-girl stroked her beast ears and sighed. "Slaying the Moon Deity... what a sorrowful thing. Yet, it must be done."
Alkin truly did respect the deity, but her intent to kill was equally genuine. There was no conflict between the two; after all, her personality was very similar to Faust's, and she would never truly worship any idol.
If an idol of the past stood in her way, she would kill it all the same.
Sylvia, listening to these two extraordinary people talk, was starting to lose her composure. She had always considered herself elegant and composed, but compared to these two, she felt like a mere court jester.
"Why do you both talk about deicide as if it's something so simple? Setting aside how shocking it is—though the Great Moon is indeed frenzied and decaying—how can you be sure you can win?"
"Well, we can only give it our all. I wouldn't dare say I can look down on a god, but there's always a way."
Faust's reliance lay with Mephistopheles. If the shielding effect was strong enough, Emperor Mephisto could simply crush the Moon Deity.
If the effect was poor, Mephisto could at least provide appropriate suppression and guidance.
Seeing how relaxed both of them were, Sylvia couldn't help but bury her face in her hands and sigh, feeling that her life was truly over.
She left the room, but returned shortly after, speaking to Faust with a serious expression.
"I've received intelligence that more foreigners have entered. It seems the reinforcements you sought have arrived."
"So soon? Wait a moment, we'll go to meet them now."
Faust and Alkin shared a look, and the latter stood up, brushing off non-existent dust from her clothes.
"Very well. Since they are here to help, I have an obligation to welcome them."
The two left the family manor, passing through streets still caught in the grand celebration, and met Viviana and Selena at the boundary between the town and the forest.
Both witches were traveling light, wearing very ordinary brown travel cloaks.
The black-haired, snow-skinned princess removed her hood upon seeing Faust, revealing a beauty so stunning it felt like a curse.
Then, the habitual bickering began.
"The situation was explained clearly in the letter, Faust. You've gone and caused another massive scene without a word."
Selena crossed her arms and smiled, glancing at Alkin.
"Frolicking about like a wolf-dog who can't control his lower half was within expectations, but what's this about deicide? Are you planning to ride a dragon next?"
You don't say, I actually do plan to ride a dragon! How did you know?
Alkin's gaze met Selena's, and both felt a thick sense of mutual repulsion. However, for the wolf-girl, this kind of discomfort and scrutiny was as refreshing as a spring breeze.
She simply shrugged with a smile.
"The sisters aren't being very kind, are they?"
"It's just Selena's way of showing affection, don't mind her," Faust said.
The princess simply enjoyed being sharp-tongued and almost never fully admitted defeat.
The prince quite liked this about the black-haired beauty, especially when listening to her sharp-tongued mockery during their private intimate encounters. It was truly an exquisite pleasure.
I wonder if anyone else understands that this is top-tier stuff?
Rate on N.U.
