It was when I was about to close my business.

“Hey.”

Behind my back, from whoever grasped the amount of herbs left, came a very disorganized voice. I turned my head towards there. A man with magpie-hipped hair approached me, fiddling with his mustache.

I frowned and put on a higher mask. It wasn’t a “normal” customer.

“What’s going on?”

“I’m in a hurry, do you have anything good?”

“…..”

A sigh came out of my mouth. It seemed that another drug user rolled in from somewhere. I was a person who thought money was quite important, in fact, really important. However, I kept my own standard. If I had made money by doing dirty things, I would have done it earlier. I wouldn’t have hidden away like this and sold herbs.

It was really inefficient to dig medicinal herbs overnight and stand tall and wait for guests all day long. So, I really hated the things that kept my mind like this. Usually, these weak men couldn’t hide their wolf instincts. It’s like the feeling of being drunk and turning into a state that’s neither human nor wolf.

‘You’ll have to listen to the hybrids once before you come to your senses.’

I openly clicked my tongue.

“There’s nothing like that here. Go back. You’re in the wrong place.”

“No…. He said he was wearing a black cloak ………?”

He repeatedly hung his head and hiccuped. Every time he spoke, his mouth smelled bad. The smell was strong enough to penetrate the mask.

“No, go away.”

I shook my hand and frowned.

“Sir…”

My determined attitude had the man reeling with irritation.

Then the man’s loose eyes spotted my hand.

“Hey, that ring looks expensive. It doesn’t look like anything someone like you should have. Will you give it to me instead?”

“Get out of here, I’m not selling it to you.”

“Won’t  you won’t sell it?”

“No, I won’t sell it. 50 million gold. I’ll give it to you if you bring that much.”

“That doesn’t make sense.”

It means I won’t sell it. I tried to hide the contemptuous look, but–

^{_{PR/n- she tried to pretend to sell the ring for a high price, in the hopes that it would put off the junkie from buying, since she’d only sell at a high price}}

“Are you ignoring me? You’re a drug dealer. How dare you? How’s the business going?”

The druggist came to Eve mumbling on a whim. Here we go. The crazy guys unique nitpicking. I looked around just in case. There was no one because it was a deserted area.

‘Then, you can just leave. They’re crazy anyway, so you’ll be confused whether something is real or not.’

I put down the basket first. I need to get rid of this annoying thing so I can go back home.

I hated people who did drugs the most. The reason is simple and clear. First, they were out of their minds, and second, they always bothered my eyes by showing such disheveled appearances, and the third is most important.

“Okay. I have a good deal , but you don’t want to sell it to me?”

It scratched my mind with words that didn’t make sense.

‘Oh, I hate troublesome things.’

I looked around once more. Well, after all there is no one around. I pulled out my hand that was hiding in mycloak. Then, a very little force flowed.

“Ugh!”

The man groaned in pain.

Why, hasn’t it been like that before? The experience of having his head puffed while eating something cold.

His  pants were torn and his underwear was visible.

‘Oh, my eyes····.’

I wanted to go back home quickly to see Zion and Rachel, then get an eye treatment.

“I hate junkies*.”

_{^{PR/n- a “junkie” is English slang for someone who used drugs}}

I didn’t even try to hide my dislike feelings. Then the man gasped and glared at me.

“You ….”

“Eat this and go to sleep. I’ve given you only the best.”

I dropped the remaining herbs by his side. It was one of the best herbs for insomnia patients. It was when I was about to turn around and go on my way after I laughed at him.

“Oh, and.”

I stopped at a sudden thought.

“I don’t plan on selling this ring. It’s very precious. Well, I’ll think about it if you bring 50 million gold.”

50 million gold was money that I couldn’t touch even if I worked my whole life. No matter how much of an enemy Rachel should be , it was the first gift I had received from the child. Why would I sell it? I will never sell it.

I snorted and walked away. As expected, it was dangerous outside the house. Let’s go back.

* * *

On my way home, I was thinking hard about what to feed her today.

‘Then, how many days has it been since Rachel came here?’

It’s been quite a long time.

‘Shouldn’t the dragons already be in the north?’

Even if it was slow, it was too slow. In the novel, my brother said he considered Little Red Riding Hood to be terrible, but it felt like a lie now.

‘No, since I’m hiding in the woods, I might not be able to find more information.’

Uh, wait a minute. Didn’t I look more like a kidnapper?

Thinking so gave me goosebumps. I climbed the mountain thinking that I should be a kinder sister to Rachel.

The further I went, the more my feet were buried in the snow. The snowstorm has been raging today.

The wind made my hat come off. That was when I lowered my head while holding the tip of my hat.

“….”

Suddenly, I felt an unfamiliar gaze.

‘In a deserted forest, a long gaze.’

I rolled my head again, pretending to be fine. Is Red Riding hood’s  brother finally here to find Rachel?

‘No, he won’t just stare at me like this.’

Rather, it would be cleaner for them to take Rachel after attacking me.

‘If it’s not a Dragon. What is it?’

_{^{PR/n- Dragon as in a Dragon from the Dragon clan, rather than a real dragon}}

In the eyes of the enemies of the North and the South, I must have been the most suspicious person here.

“I heard there was a missing child in the South. She’s the younger sister of the head of the South.”

I recalled the words of a passerby. If the passerby is aware of it, other people will already know.

‘There’s at least one shameless being that wants to make some money by kidnapping.’ 

So the purpose of this gaze would be towards my home, not me . After you find the house, you take Rachel and you’re trying to make some money.

How the hell did they find out? I retraced my actions.

‘That doctor …!’

No matter how much I thought about it, he was the only one. I can’t believe you’re going back on my trust! I decided not to make a deal again, so I turned to a vigilant attitude. Now that it’s like this, I should abduct him first.

The safety of the children comes first.

I picked up an apple that was put in the basket. The cold magic that was hovering around me reached the wet apple and froze it with a loud noise. I said, picking up  a piece of stone that could easily break a person’s head.

“Come out right now.”

***

Rachel slowly opened her eyes. The sound of the clattering bonfire was gradually decreasing.

‘It’s time for you to come home.’

Thinking so, Rachel lifted herself from the bed. Her older sister is an ice wizard, but she was vulnerable to the cold.

‘Let’s increase the fire.’

A creak was heard from the hard wooden bed. Then at the time when Rachel tried to spread her hand tightly to the burning embers.

“·······!”

In this cold place, she felt the energy of fire. It wasn’t a familiar red fire, rather, it was a blue fire. Rachel quickly lifted herself up. It was when she was about to kick the door down.

“Ruby …?”

Zion, who just woke up, called her name. Her gesture to open the door stopped.

“Where are you going? My sister said you shouldn’t go out without permission…”

“I have to go.”

“Huh?”

Zion asked like a fool. Rachel turned her head toward him.

“I have to go to save my new sister!”

Rachel said so, and she ran out somewhere.

A blizzard poured through the open door.

“New sister …?”

Zion looked blankly at the blizzard. The winter forest seen through the door was still dark and quiet.