Chapter 15

"Go." Tom said in a low voice.

In that instant, Wolfie's heart went cold as he stared blankly at Tom.

"Uncle?" Wolfie asked confusedly.

"Scram!! Don't let me see you again!!" Tom shouted.

"Why? Was it because last night? I can explain, last night you..." Wolfie tried to explain what had happened last night.

"Shut up! You..." Tom snapped, interrupting Wolfie's explanation. Tom had her back to Wolfie with a disgusted expression. He kept replaying the memory of when he was crushed by the beast, the dampness between his buttocks reminding him of what the beast had done to him. The fear and disgust were far too much for his mind to accept.

"I'm just a dog in your eyes... I don't deserve to like you... I don't deserve..." Wolfie looked away to avoid Tom's hateful gaze. Tears welled up as she covered her eyes, muttering to herself, "...Why am I just a dog... I don't want to..."

'... Hey Uncle, don't go... Don't leave me.' Wolfie continued in his heart.

~~~~

Wolfie was born in a family that works as a hunter.

As a puppy born with snow-white fur, the hunting family loved it very much.

The master would leave the house to hunt during the day as Wolfie spent his time playing in the locust-filled grounds. When the sun went down, he would definitely run to the front of the mountain to await the return of the master.

When his master was in sight, Wolfie would jog happily around his master's feet to welcome him home.

Over time, the white flowers on the locust tree began to bloom in the yard. Years passed in the blink of an eye.

After a few years, the hunting family brought other dogs; some dogs were smarter than Wolfie, some other dogs were better at hunting than he was. Soon, Wolfie's presence slowly disappeared in the hunter's family.

Wolfie didn't know what was wrong, he didn't know what was wrong. He desperately tries to be recognized by the hunting family, he wants to know what his life means to his master.

Then, during a hunting trip, Wolfie is left in the woods.

Wolfie waited in the same place for three days and three nights. He kept reassuring himself that his master would come back to him, to fetch him...

'I'm needed by him...' Wolfie said to himself to reassure himself over and over again.

Finally after so long, Wolfie never saw his master again. But in exchange, he meets the person who will change the turning point of his life - the King of Salem.

Wolfie could still remember it in the blurry image asking him, "Will you be my guard dog?"

Wolfie accepted.

At least now... he's needed again.

The King of Salem gave him the power to transform into a human.

Wolfie planted a locust tree in every corner of the maze because it reminded him of the hunter's yard.

Wolfie spent decades touring the locust forest he had created. The reason why no one would ever be able to leave this labyrinth was because there really was no way out.

Even the dog himself doesn't know, in fact, this place is a reflection of... his heart.

Whenever the locust tree grew, Wolfie would be waiting at the entrance of the maze... It was as if a familiar scent greeted him...

It was as if someone was coming to pick him up.

~~~~

"Please don't continue, will you? I'll be stronger, ten times stronger... Then when I can break the barrier spell, I'll send you back to your world, okay?" Wolfie said pleadingly to Tom.

"You are the beast in charge of guarding this Labyrinth Palace, correct?" Tom asked confidently.

"Uncle..." Wolfie said pleading again to Tom.

"So you've been playing with me all this time? Where's the labyrinth exit?" Tom asked. Now Tom felt irritated and angry with Wolfie. To him, Wolfie had toyed with himself to not get out of this Labyrinth Palace.

"...Please Uncle, don't go to the next palace, you will die..." Wolfie pleaded sincerely, "You have to believe me, the Beast in the next palace is-"

"Wolfie, I don't want to stay with you even if I'm going to die." Cut Tom firmly without thinking about Wolfie's feelings.

With that statement, Tom could sense that Wolfie was silent behind her.

Tom kept trying to walk to find her way out of this Labyrinth Palace, stepping forward and then turning around when she met a dead end. He rested whenever he felt tired and quenched his thirst with water from the lake. This happened over the next few days, to the point where he became more familiar with the forest path.

At the same time, Wolfie quietly followed behind him. When Tom rested, she would guard Tom from a great distance.

However, Wolfie chose not to eat and drink. He was getting weaker every day. As Tom noticed Wolfie's pale color and staggering movements, he felt an indescribable feeling begin to grow in his heart.

The cloudy weather above the labyrinth forest reflected Tom's sad heart.

As the locust flower scent disappeared, Tom finally reached the end of the locust forest.

At that very moment there was a thumping sound coming from behind him - Wolfie fell helplessly on the grass.

Tom turned around, watching the emaciated figure slumped to the ground. Tom hesitated, but kept walking towards the young man.

Wolfie's long eyelashes closed and his breathing began to weaken.

Tom sighed as she wiped away the tears that were floating on Wolfie's closed eyelids.

He knew that Wolfie had never lied to him; Wolfie never said that he was a human or not.

After all, the night the accident happened, it wasn't really either of them's fault. Now that Rey calmed down and started to think about it again, the real factor at fault was the aphrodisiac they ate. Rey realized it a few days later when she rediscovered the fruit and researched it.

He realized the guilt of the young man.

To be continued