Chapter 1. The White Wolf

Enne's throat constricted as she stared at a pile of bodies scattered in the snowy expanse of the forest. Her blue eyes unintentionally locked with a pair of golden eyes, copper-colored and not belonging to a human, but to a white wolf with fur as white as snow and a body three times larger than an average wolf. The wolf stood just a few meters in front of Enne.

"Don't look into its eyes! Let's leave this place!"

Enne could clearly hear the disembodied voice. It didn't come from any direction but from within Enne's own mind, a voice that sounded different from her own. However, instead of following the advice, Enne froze in her place. Her legs seemed rooted to the spot, and her eyes remained fixed on the wolf's dominating gaze, which was incredibly terrifying.

This fear was different from the fear of encountering a wild animal alone in the middle of the forest. It was the fear of meeting someone who held complete power over something, a feeling of being oppressed and uncomfortable. Enne's head started to lower slowly as this feeling began to dominate her, disregarding the fact that the surrounding area was filled with bodies bearing bite marks.

"Miss Etienne?! Where are you?"

Enne's ears faintly caught the sound of a carriage driver's voice that had brought her there. Yes, the carriage that had brought Enne had encountered a problem with its rear wheel, which forced her to wait on the road near the forest they passed. Blame Enne's curiosity for the scenery inside the forest, which had led her to reflexively step into the forest and witness the recent events.

"Miss Etienne?!"

A burly man spoke with relief as he saw his employer's daughter. But as he approached, his eyes widened in surprise.

"Blood? Are you okay, Miss?" the carriage driver asked, his eyes fixed on Enne's shocked face.

"I'm fine," Enne replied while returning the gaze of the driver.

"Wolves... There's no doubt, this must be the work of wolves," the driver muttered to himself.

Enne's brow furrowed slightly, but her eyes remained focused on the driver.

"The wheel has been fixed. Your grandmother must be waiting," the driver said, motioning for Enne to walk ahead.

Without saying anything, Enne complied and walked out of the forest towards the carriage that had been repaired.

Throughout the journey to Lady Lyra's house—Enne's biological grandmother—Enne continued to ponder the events that had just transpired, the bodies, the blood, and the white wolf. The dominant aura of the wolf still lingered, leaving a strong impression.

The carriage carrying Enne finally arrived in the yard of a simple wooden house with various shades of brown. A white-haired woman with a wrinkled face, which did not diminish her beauty, was standing in the yard as if deliberately waiting for Enne's arrival.

As the carriage wheel stopped spinning, Enne immediately opened the carriage door and ran into her grandmother's embrace. Lady Lyra welcomed her granddaughter's arrival with joy, returning the hug with equal warmth.

"How was your journey, Enne?" Lady Lyra asked after releasing the embrace, her wrinkled hands adjusting Enne's coat.

Enne remained silent for a moment before finally speaking, "Not bad."

Lady Lyra's eyes glanced at the driver, who was still helping to unload Enne's belongings from the carriage.

"You can put Enne's belongings inside, James," Lady Lyra said.

The driver named James complied, holding two medium-sized and small bags in his right and left hands. The next moment, James ascended the stairs to enter Lady Lyra's house.

"How is your mother doing?" Lady Lyra asked Enne.

"Mother said she will join us next season," Enne replied casually.

"Your mother is always busy with her bread business," Lady Lyra scoffed.

Enne didn't say anything more because, honestly, she shared the same thought as her grandmother.

"It's done, Madam," James returned from the wooden house, his limping leg quickly descending the stairs.

"This is a tip for you, James," Lady Lyra said, pulling out a few bills from her knitted pocket.

"No coins?" James asked, looking puzzled as he received the bills.

"That's a bonus for safely delivering my granddaughter," Lady Lyra's words immediately brought a broad smile to James's face.

"Thank you!" James exclaimed as he walked towards his carriage. He urged his horse onward and left the place.

After James left, Enne's eyes wandered in all directions. The houses in this area were quite distant from each other, but most of them shared the same structure and style as Lady Lyra's wooden house.

"Come in, I will make some soup for you," Lady Lyra said, touching Enne's shoulder.

The grandmother's touch made Enne turn her head. "Grandma... why is this village so quiet?" Enne asked as she followed her grandmother's lead to climb the wooden house.

"This area is naturally secluded. If you walk south, you'll find more densely populated areas, while the houses here are mostly empty," Lady Lyra explained.

Enne sat on a wooden chair while her eyes continued to follow her grandmother, who walked into the kitchen area.

"Aren't you lonely here?" Enne raised her voice slightly so that her grandmother could hear.

"Why should I be lonely? You are here now," Lady Lyra replied, returning from the kitchen. Her hands were carrying a bowl of hot soup, which she offered to Enne.

Enne could see the steam from the soup curling in the air, and her sense of smell was not immune to the tempting aroma.

"Go ahead and eat," Lady Lyra commanded, placing the bowl of soup in Enne's hands.

Without hesitation, Enne accepted it. The smell of the soup was quite appetizing. However, a sudden thought crept into her mind, making her reluctant.

"What's wrong?" Lady Lyra asked as she noticed the change in Enne's expression.

Enne was about to speak, but the words stuck in her throat. She shook her head. "I'll enjoy the soup," she said, taking a spoonful into her mouth.

Lady Lyra smiled faintly and lovingly stroked Enne's hair. "Eat, and after that, rest. If you need help unpacking your belongings, just call me. I'll be at the back of the house, making a fire. We mustn't die of cold."

**

Night fell. After finishing with all her belongings, Enne stood in front of her bedroom window. Her blue eyes could clearly see the moon's glow from there.

Enne was captivated by the moon's charm until her focus was broken by the sound of something falling outside. Her eyes instinctively searched for the source of the sound, scanning in all directions until her gaze halted on the silhouette of someone.