Chapter 23 : When in doubt, follow your heart

The Tale of Badugi and the Wounded

A Wolf’s Care

The wolf, Badugi, knelt beside Lena, pouring a glistening ointment onto her still form. It dripped like mucus, thick and deliberate, as he spread it across her body with surprising precision. He had learned its purpose during his time with Lena, watching her tend to the Lady Knight’s wounds. Mimicry came easily to him—his paws moved diligently, smoothing the salve evenly over her skin.

One might marvel at a wolf acting with such human-like care, yet for Badugi, it was second nature. Lena’s habit of making him earn his meals had sharpened his instincts and skills. He even stripped her tattered clothes away, attending to the task with meticulous focus. Only when the emergency treatment was complete did he pause, exhaling a ragged breath. Never before had he seen her so gravely injured, and the sight had rattled him.

She’s a monstrous master, he mused. She’ll shake this off and rise soon enough. With the work done, he left her fate to the winds and turned his gaze to the Lady Knight, crumpled nearby. If that human is hurt, why doesn’t she just lie still and heal? Groaning like that wastes strength. Perhaps she’d struck her head battling the Lizardmen—a reasonable guess, given her odd, insect-like squirming. Badugi regarded her with a flicker of pity.

The Lady Knight’s Bewilderment

The Lady Knight, meanwhile, lay dumbfounded. A monster—a wolf—wielded tools and paws with uncanny dexterity, tending to the girl as if it understood healing. It defied every shred of her common sense. At first, she wondered if this was some prelude to a meal, a predator preparing its prey. Yet she knew the ointment’s power firsthand—it had soothed her own wounds. This was no feigned act; the wolf was saving the girl.

“Is it… fattening her up to eat her?” The thought slipped from her lips, half-formed and absurd. Could this beast be raising Lena like livestock, nursing her to plumpness for a later feast? No, that couldn’t be right. Monsters were impulsive, driven by primal urges, and the Great Forest teemed with easier prey. The deeper she pondered, the more her mind sank into a mire of confusion.

Enough, she decided, shaking her head to banish the tangle of thoughts. The motion sparked a dull throb—her recovery was far from complete. The wolf’s pitying stare stung, yet it steadied her. Knights don’t overthink. Mages and clerks can wrestle with riddles; I press forward. Resolute, she approached the girl and the wolf.

“Grrr!” Badugi growled, a low warning rumbling from his throat. But the Lady Knight found it bearable. She had crossed death’s threshold once already; this felt trivial in comparison. If this was growth, so be it. Ignoring the threat, she knelt beside Lena, inspecting her wounds. They were severe but not fatal. With the ointment’s potency, she’d likely awaken within a week. The wolf, it seemed, truly meant to save her.

“I don’t know your game, monster,” the Lady Knight murmured, eyes narrowing, “but I’ll watch you closely. No tricks.” Her resolve hardened. She would guard them both—ensuring Lena’s safety and the wolf’s intentions remained benign. Badugi tilted his head, his gaze almost mocking. Did she hit her head after all? Still, she stood firm. Amid this tense air, Lena slept on, her soft snores a quiet counterpoint.

A Path of Destiny

Lena’s Triumph

“Look, it’s finally taking shape,” Lena said, her voice brimming with pride. She stood at a crossroads where dozens of paths branched, one now aglow with a permanent shimmer. Above, clusters of stars bathed her in celestial light. Once a dark, desolate place, it now bore the fruits of her labor—crude, perhaps, but a foundation to refine with time. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, she thought, savoring the moment.

Yet a shadow crept over her joy. “What should I choose this time?” The Wild Destiny had reached its end, and a new beginning beckoned. She recalled her first visit to this place of choices, a memory both distant and vivid. Back then, she’d known her needs and acted swiftly. Now? Nothing stirred. The Great Forest was her domain—she could thrive there indefinitely, a confidence born of Wild Destiny’s gifts. But abundance breeds complacency, and Lena felt its pull.

“I don’t know,” she muttered, slumping to the ground. Pondering yielded nothing, so she rose with a spark of resolve. “If I’m unsure, I’ll trust my gut.” Overthinking clashed with her nature—each choice birthed new worries. Better to follow instinct and dodge regret. She marched forward, a lone general on a stubborn charge. Relief washed over her, echoing the day she’d claimed Wild Destiny. As the path blurred around her, a knight’s silhouette emerged ahead—cloak billowing, sword staked in the earth.

[The player awakens the Knight’s Destiny!]

Awakening in the Forest

Lena stirred at dawn’s edge, a habit etched into her bones. Light seeped through the ruined roof, painting the Great Forest in golden hues. Untouched by civilization, it was a paradise of raw beauty—stars piercing the night, vistas stunning by day. She’d traded a concrete jungle for this green embrace, and though its charm had faded to routine, it still held a quiet allure.

“Hwaaam.” A yawn stretched her jaw, but her body resisted. Glancing down, she saw ointment caked over her skin, hard and unyielding. She tore it free with a grunt, longing for modern salves or peelable bandages. This status window—useful at times, flawed always, she grumbled inwardly, her daily ritual of silent complaint. Yet her body told a different tale: limbs nimble, wounds mending fast. [Wild Destiny (Awakened) hastens recovery in Mother Nature’s embrace!] The forest’s blessing pulsed within her.

Badugi slept curled behind her, his warmth a lingering comfort. He’d carried her here—her old home—after the Python’s defeat, applying the ointment with care. Her gaze shifted to the Lady Knight, cocooned on the floor despite the bed Lena had left her in. Rough sleeper, she mused, amused by the contrast to the knight’s sharp demeanor. “She’s healing well,” Lena noted. The ointment glowed faintly, her breathing steady. She’d awaken soon—a knight’s resilience shining through.

Tiptoeing out, Lena planned her day: food, snake wine from the Python’s core and Lizardman heart, a visit to the Orc tribe. She’d completed their request—time for a drink and a return. Her steps quickened with purpose.

A Clash of Trust

Hours later, Lena returned to chaos. “You monster! You couldn’t resist your nature and ate a human!” The Lady Knight raged, sword slashing as Badugi dodged with fluid grace. Lena froze, caught between disbelief and the unfolding scene.