“Well, that’s it.”

Min Ah-rin took her hand off my shoulder.

The scar on my shoulder and the scar left by the whip, which had been deeply cut by a weapon wielded by Abel’s doll, disappeared without a trace.

“Thank you.”

As expected, Min Ah-rin, like Woo Seo-hyuk and Park Geon-ho, freely used her ability even in a state of mental control.

The reason why the fairy tales that existed before and now were different… Was it because Abel, who created this space, touched something? Or was this also affected by my intervention ability?

“Your complexion is much better.”

“Thanks to you.”

Min Ah-rin not only healed the wounds but also lent the remaining clothes. I didn’t have any clothes, so I was able to change into a shirt thanks to the fact that I was wearing a coat thrown by Cheon Sa-yeon.

Hearing my answer, Min Ah-rin sat down opposite with a soft expression on her face.

“There aren’t many people who roam this forest. So we reacted a bit harshly.”

“No. We were attacking as well. Besides, these wounds didn’t come from this fight.”

“May I ask why you came here?”

When she asked the question, I looked back at Cheon Sa-yeon. When I looked into Cheon Sa-yeon’s eyes, who was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, it was immediately clear that he was thinking similarly to mine.

For a moment, I organized the situation in my head and answered as calmly as possible.

“We are looking for colleagues. I found this house on the way to the city that goes east from here.”

“People?”

“Yes. They are very important people. They’re like… family. I came here because I thought that if the house was empty, I might be able to rest for a while. Of course, if it has the owner, we tried to pass quietly.”

Two of them were here. I sighed inwardly and looked at Min Ah-rin and Park Geon-ho alternately. Hearing the explanation, Min Ah-rin carefully opened her mouth with a complex look.

“It’s okay here. It’s safe because it’s where I and my grandmother lived in her lifetime. But I recommend you not to go to the city.”

“You told us earlier that we weren’t the witch’s subordinates. Does it have anything to do with it?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Can you tell me who the witch is?”

Min Ah-rin, who had quietly blinked her eyes and stared at me, soon nodded her head and began to explain.

“I don’t really know the identity of the witch either.”

According to what Min Ah-rin said they had a special power to heal people and those with such power were called ‘chosen ones’. In the city lived several people called the ‘chosen ones’.

“But not long ago, someone called the witch attacked the city.”

The witch and their subordinates dragged the chosen ones into prison, locked them up, and watched over the city. Min Ah-rin said that she met Park Geon-ho while she was running away from the witch’s subordinates that came to her.

“Oddly enough, they tried to kill me, while others were in prison. Maybe it was because of the healing power I have… If it hadn’t been for Mr Hunter’s help, whom I met by chance outside the forest, I would have died.”

“I wouldn’t have been able to heal my arm injury if it wasn’t for Maria-nim, so you don’t need to be grateful.”

Park Geon-ho added a word in a light voice. She would call him Park Geon-hon even if he was a hunter. Min Ah-rin didn’t seem to know Park Geon-ho’s name.

“The Hunter… called you Maria. Is your name Maria?”

“Yes.”

Not only did she freely use her ability, but her name was different too. Then Woo Seo-hyuk, who followed us, might have a different real name. I asked Park Geon-ho for exact confirmation.

“What is your name?”

“Are you curious?”

“I’m curious, so I’ll ask.”

“What will you do if I tell you?”

“……”

In any case, that annoying personality was still there even when he was in mental control. Ignoring Park Geon-ho, who was smiling, I touched my lips.

‘I think we should go to that city.’

The ‘chosen ones’ Min Ah-rin spoke of were clearly the team we were looking for. The city people must be visitors to the art museum.

Fortunately, Min Ah-rin and Park Geon-ho were unharmed, and although the other team members were also imprisoned, it was fortunate that they were still alive.

“How did you know we weren’t the witch’s subordinates?”

“The dress. The witch’s subordinates are all covered in black clothes and masks. And there’s something… unnatural about the movement. It’s different from you in many ways.”

If it was black clothes and masks, were the dolls we encountered in Rapunzel’s Tower even in the city?

“Thank you for letting me know. But the people we’re looking for seem to be in that city, so we should go.”

“I guess that the people you are looking for are the ‘chosen ones’.”

“Yes.”

The big framework of fairy tales was now meaningless. It was said that the witch who imprisoned Rapunzel Cheon Sa-yeon was a doll, so it was very likely that the witch who took over the city was also a doll.

Even if there were no team members in the city, there were definitely Abel’s traces, so I had to go there.

‘But to enter the city…’

My and Cheon Sa-yeon’s head turned to Woo Seo-hyuk at the same time.

Woo Seo-hyuk, who was lying on his stomach under my feet, was tired and yawned long with his big mouth open. Thus he couldn’t enter the city as a big wolf.

There were some clothes left in this house, so if possible, I’d like him to release the transformation now. I asked Min Ah-rin.

“May I take a rest here for a while before going to the city?”

“Of course.”

Let’s solve Woo Seo-hyuk’s problem first. I should think about how to get into the city and how to find and rescue the team members who were imprisoned.

* * *

I took Woo Seo-hyuk out of the house with Cheon Sa-yeon. Then I sat Woo Seo-hyuk down and opened my mouth.

“Woo Seo-hyuk-ssi.”

“……”

“Come back as a human. Woo Seo-hyuk-ssi can do it.”

Woo Seo-hyuk, who blinked his eyes a couple of times, asked my hand for playing. It seemed to mean to not say anything weird and just play.

He wasn’t even a dog… While holding both of Woo Seo-hyuk’s front paws, I demanded seriously.

“No, Woo Seo-hyuk-ssi. You have to come back as a human being.”

In the meantime, Woo Seo-hyuk’s soles in my hands were very soft to the touch. This was the first time I touched Woo Seo-hyuk’s feet because he didn’t transform much. I didn’t expect these to be so squishy.

As if I was possessed, I pressed down on Woo Seo-hyuk’s front foot, and Cheon Sa-yeon, who was watching from behind, bruised me.

“If we go on like this, the day will be over.”

“Then do you have any good ideas?”

“He needs to feel the need to become a human being before he can transform.”

The need to be human. When I thought about it, Woo Seo-hyuk’s wolf appearance helped me in many ways. However, now that the treatment had been completed, I hoped he would return as a human.

I had no idea what to do. While fiddling with Woo Seo-hyuk’s front feet, someone else suddenly intervened.

“Isn’t it enough to appeal that human is better?”

“You’re surprised me.”

When I turned around, Park Geon-ho was sneaking around with excitement. Woo Seo-hyuk, who was quiet with his front paws on me, growled immediately when Park Geon-ho appeared.

“Werewolves have been rumoured to exist, but I didn’t expect they actually exist.”

“Please erase that interest.”

“You’re so cold-hearted. I’m trying to help here.”

How could you help me without even giving your name. Unlike me, who tried to ignore him, Cheon Sa-yeon immediately agreed.

“It may not be a bad way. Han Yi-gyeol, come here.”

“Do you have any plans?”

Cheon Sa-yeon was more reliable than insane Park Geon-ho.

Cheon Sa-yeon gave a deep smile as I let go of Woo Seo-hyuk’s feet and approached. What are you doing like this?

“Your eyes look over there.”

“……?”

Cheon Sa-yeon, who turned me around to face Woo Seo-hyuk, hugged me from behind while wrapping my waist. What was this really?

As I frowned at the completely incomprehensible behaviour, Cheon Sa-yeon whispered in my ear.

“You have to pretend to be happy. We have to show behaviour that a wolf cannot do so that he will change his mind.”

“This crazy…”

I was going to curse Cheon Sa-yeon for being crazy, but I stopped when I found Woo Seo-hyuk staring at us with a shocked expression.

This… did it work? Why was it working? I couldn’t figure it out, but I was in a hurry to release the transformation, so I awkwardly raised the corners of my mouth.

“Wow. Ah. Being human is really. Comfortable.”

“Pfft…”

Park Geon-ho, who was watching with interest what we were doing, burst into laughter at my words and covered his mouth with his hand. After being laughed at, I had no choice but to feel warm on the nape of my neck.

“Now, we can hold hands like this.”

Cheon Sa-yeon grabbed my hand and lifted it up as if to ask for it, regardless of whether Park Geon-ho laughed or not. His cold fingers and mine got tangled.

I had to say I was glad that Ha Tae-heon wasn’t here. Mental control was causing all sorts of weird things.

Woo Seo-hyuk, who had been restless since Cheon Sa-yeon hugged me, finally started whining like a dog whose tail was stepped on. He jumped up and even pushed his face in to separate Cheon Sa-yeon from me.

‘This isn’t bad?’

I liked the clear effect more than ever, but Cheon Sa-yeon suddenly bowed his head. Cheon Sa-yeon’s hair touched the nape of my neck exposed above the collar of the shirt and I felt a tickling sensation.

“Uh, wait…”

This far? His lips touched just below my ear with a squeaking sound. It was then that I was terribly surprised by the creepy sensation.

Woo Seo-hyuk, who shed a harsh cry, quickly became smaller and his fur disappeared and his skin turned white. Woo Seo-hyuk, who quickly released his transformation and returned as a human, looked at me with his usual blunt face.

“It’s working!”

I hurriedly shook off Cheon Sa-yeon and threw the clothes that I had brought in advance to Woo Seo-hyuk. Woo Seo-hyuk, who had just recently made a transformation, was too burdensome to face because he was naked and not wearing anything.

“That’s too much. Doing that to my affection so coldly…”

“Let’s go right away. We need to meet other people as soon as possible.”

Cheon Sa-yeon, who was pushed by me, stopped complaining and pretending to be pitiful, and decided on the next plan. It became clear that the person holding the team members was Abel’s doll, so I didn’t want to make this weirder.

Cheon Sa-yeon nodded his head as if he had the same opinion as me.

“To do that, I have to convince those two here first.”

Of course, those two were Park Geon-ho and Min Ah-rin. If I talked to Min Ah-rin properly, there was hope that she would follow, but Park Geon-ho…

I swallowed dry saliva and turned my gaze to Park Geon-ho, who was smiling all the time. I couldn’t believe I had to convince Park Geon-ho, who I didn’t know what he was thinking. I sighed already.