Red Riding Hood - Chapter 4
Cinq poured herself a cup of tea brewed in a kettle by Old Lady Vinya. Warmth spread from her stomach, soothing her mind.
She felt as though nothing could surprise her and that she could accomplish anything.
That was fortunate, as there was much to be done despite the late hour.
First, Cinq sorted through the contents of her basket. She placed the milk, buttercream jar, and pork by the window, wrapped the cheese in a clean cloth, and stored it on a shelf.
The remaining items were taken to the pantry. It seemed unlikely that she would be roasting the pork tonight.
Returning to the kitchen, she poured milk into a small pot and hung it over the fireplace. While waiting for the milk to warm, she sliced large pieces of bread and cheese thinly. Soon, small bubbles began to froth along the edge of the pot.
She poured the heated milk into a cup, paired it with the bread topped with cheese, and began her light meal, glancing around the room as she ate.
The sight before her hadn’t changed.
Both Vinya and the wolf still lay on the floor.
Cinq didn’t care for either of them, but she despised Vinya more. Frankly, she no longer wished to share a space with her.
Thus, after finishing her meal, she decided to deal with Vinya first.
Dusting her hands off, she approached Vinya, grabbed her legs, and dragged her like one would pull a cart. With her arms flung upward, Vinya was hauled along, her face contorted and eyes bulging wide as though frozen in anger.
Panting, Cinq muttered,
“Don’t be mad at me, Vinya.”
She flung the door wide open and dragged Vinya out of the house.
Backing down the stairs, she said,
“You really shouldn’t have tormented Six so much.”
Perhaps it was a belated sign of repentance, or maybe it was just the loud thud as her head smacked the stairs, but Vinya gave an emphatic nod.
“You didn’t even let Six rest when she was sick.”
Another nod, accompanied by another loud thud.
“And even when I begged you to sell me to the priest, you refused. All because a diseased harlot wasn’t worth a single coin, and you preferred to squeeze more money out of the priest by driving up my price.”
Finally reaching the middle of the yard, Cinq let go of Vinya’s legs.
The old woman no longer moved.
Breathing heavily, Cinq said,
“Your death is entirely your fault, Vinya. If only you’d been kinder, Six wouldn’t have died. If Six were still alive, maybe she would’ve helped you.”
Having dealt with Vinya, Cinq returned inside alone.
Now, all that remained was the wolf.
Standing beside him, she gazed down at his massive form.
The wolf was enormous, larger even than the tallest priest in the village. Unlike the priest’s slender frame, his entire body was thick and broad, resembling the trunk of a mighty tree. His gleaming black armor made him appear even more menacing.
A thought crossed her mind.
‘The Black Wolf?’
Could this be the black wolf the villagers so feared?
If so, what should she do?
Should she run to the priest and inform him?
Or should she strike the wolf’s head with a fire poker immediately?
Before acting, Cinq decided to examine him more closely.
The wolf wore armor that shone with a pitch-black luster and a matching black cloak.
On the chest of his armor was an ornament shaped like a wolf’s head baring its fangs.
Crouching beside him, Cinq’s gaze wandered to his face.
“……?”
Upon closer inspection, she realized the wolf wasn’t actually a wolf!
Cinq let out a small gasp.
“Ah!”
What she had mistaken for a wolf’s head was a metal helmet shaped like a wolf’s face.
Beneath the gleaming fangs, she could see a human face.
Excited, Cinq tugged at the helmet from different angles, finally managing to pull it off with a pop.
A man’s head emerged.
A human.
The wolf was, in fact, a man…!
He was a rugged-looking man with coarse features, his face akin to a landscape marked by protruding tree roots.
Thick, dark eyebrows rested above his pronounced brow bones, and his deep-set eyes and high cheekbones added to his imposing appearance.
His nose and jawline were solid and sharp, while a dense beard, like tangled cedar branches, covered his cheeks and chin.
Although relieved to encounter another human, Cinq couldn’t help but feel a bit bewildered.
