EnCoffin Me Chapter 13
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 13
The recollection stopped. Alexio's breakfast was simple, just some bread and fried eggs, with the salad a fresh, vibrant green. Morning was when his appetite was weakest, so he usually avoided meat. He tore open the bread, soft and fluffy with the scent of wheat. The wolf cub beside him let out two tiny howls, front paws on the table, trying to climb up.
“Down,” Alexio said without lifting his eyelids.
The wolf cub withdrew his paws, looking a bit wronged, and licked his lips.
He was hungry.
There was no meat he liked, but the fried egg was pretty good, especially the piece the vampire was cutting now. The cub let out two more whimpers, clearly asking for food.
“What can he eat?” Ellie asked Dalph, worried about feeding him something harmful.
Dalph had raised this little furball for years and knew his diet well. Upon hearing the question, she stood and prepared to get some food.
“Mostly anything, but he prefers meat. I'll get some meat now, while he's interested.”
Alexio stopped cutting his fried egg. He reached out, pinched the wolf cub's fleshy face, making him open his mouth to look at his teeth. At the same time, his own dark power flowed through the wolf cub's body, examining it. He fell into thought.
He was no different from the werewolves of his own time.
So why couldn't he shift into human form, always picky and so fragile, panting after just a few steps…
Alexio quickly answered himself. It was because he was spoiled.
“No need to prepare special meals for him. He can eat anything.” Alexio released the wolf cub's face. The cub shook his head dizzily, then started howling again for food, focusing especially on what Alexio was about to eat.
“Eh? But…”
“The physical exam didn't show any special allergies, right?” Alexio asked. When Dalph shook her head, he grew even more certain.
“Then there's nothing he can't eat. Werewolves can eat anything.”
In Alexio's time, werewolves lived in the far north, where snow fell for nine months of the year. Every living thing there was tough and resilient, and werewolves were among the strongest. They survived by hunting and accepted all kinds of food — meat, plants, even insects. They could almost be called the creatures with the widest diet.
Alexio fetched an empty plate and piled bread, fried eggs, and some salad cut into small pieces onto it, placing it on the table at a height the wolf cub could reach. Dalph saw the abundance of green vegetables and felt a mix of happiness and worry.
“He really hates green vegetables…”
Before she finished, the wolf cub opened his mouth wide and stayed still, waiting to be fed.
He actually wanted to eat! Dalph was thrilled. Today was amazing. Not only was the little furball moving, but he was willing to eat so many green veggies. It was his healthiest day ever! If only she could feed these bite by bite into his mouth...
Alexio ate his own food calmly, showing no sign of wanting to feed the wolf cub.
The cub kept his mouth open like a hungry fledgling begging to be fed, but his jaws were getting tired. The vampire's breakfast beside them was nearly finished, yet not a single bite was offered to him.
“Awoo! Awoo! Awoo!”
Alexio finished the last soft piece of bread, then lifted the still-warm thick soup, admiring how useful the self-heating plate was.
The wolf cub was forced to close his mouth and began to face the severe test on his own. He stared warily at the plate in front of him as if it were an enemy.
He put his front paws on the table again and sneaked a look at Alexio. This time Alexio didn't stop him. The two times the cub touched the table were different. The first had been a willful breach of table manners, but now he was just bracing himself to eat on his own. Like a child gripping the table and clutching utensils while learning to feed themselves, Alexio wouldn't fuss about this.
Tilting his head, the cub struggled to bite off a piece of bread and swallowed it in a few quick bites, then moved on to the fried egg. Crumbs stuck to his fur, but he ate happily. When his mouth couldn't reach more food, Alexio used a fork to push the remaining pieces closer to him before Dalph could help.
Although slow, the wolf cub eventually finished his meal and drank the thick soup from the shallow bowl. Proudly, he let out a triumphant awoo and looked over at Alexio.
Alexio roughly ruffled his head.
The breakfast stretched on for over an hour. Ellie had worried Alexio would lose patience, but to her surprise, he was unusually calm. Alexio noticed her doubt, so he simply said, “I have old acquaintances among werewolves.”
“Werewolves from ten thousand years ago?” Ellie grew excited and exchanged a glance with Dalph. “What were they like?”
They walked along the path to take the wolf cub back. The cub stubbornly trailed at Alexio's feet, trying to bite his pant leg. Occasionally, he would roll and tumble, but he didn't care at all and would get back up to continue chasing excitedly.
Alexio thought for a moment, somewhat surprised that he could still clearly remember things about the werewolves. Following the command of his vampire father, he had traveled to the far northern lands to confirm the next moves of the Holy Temple. That was where the tenacious and valiant werewolves lived. He still remembered the first time he saw their leader on the snowfield—
Silver-white ‘arrows’ shot at him from all directions. They were packs of silver giant wolves running as one. The blizzard could no longer hide the full moon of the werewolves. Under the vast silver light, Alexio witnessed the grand procession of the wolf king.
【Vampire.】
The wolf king and queen bared their sharp teeth at him.
【Why have you come to our snowfield?】
“Once you've seen that scene, you'll never forget it. Those werewolves weren't running. They were… flowing,” Alexio said softly. He looked down at the round, fluffy wolf cub at his feet. His deep rose-colored eyes flickered slightly.
He thought that perhaps the wolf king could never have imagined that one day, the descendants of the werewolves would show such innocent expression, be pampered by many, and live happily doing whatever they wished.
So he always felt this world, ten thousand years later, was like an overly beautiful daydream.
“We can't go any further. Beyond a thousand meters, he will shut down again.” Alexio was talking about Lucius. He knew the lunatic must hate the feeling of his body being out of control, so since that time, he hadn't left more than a kilometer away.
Ellie and Dalph listened with longing. The werewolves in the center numbered barely a hundred. The image of packs of silver wolves running together had to be magnificent. They wondered when they might ever see it. Ellie, being more familiar with Alexio, shared her thoughts excitedly on the way back.
Alexio glanced away from the overly lively human girl.
“You will see it. Take good care of him. Werewolves grow fast.”
“Dalph just invited me too. If you're free tomorrow, do you want come to the cafeteria again? Helgodon ate a lot of vegetables today.”
“…What did you say his name was?” Alexio suddenly turned, startled, looking at the caretaker behind him.
“He-Helgodon.”
Alexio closed his eyes. He hadn't expected that after ten thousand years, he would still hear that werewolf king's name passed down through generations. The name originally referred to a small island in the northern sea. The werewolves adopted it as the king's name, passed down alongside the queen's name, Kossinia.
He looked at the human's worried and confused expression and realized his reaction had been excessive. Hearing two familiar names in one day had unsettled him. The feeling of standing guard over a piece of history alone was far too lonely. The people and events he remembered, the grand scenes and bloody wars, he had no one to share them with now. He even doubted whether the things he remembered were real.
But—
The saint pushed open his door and sent out two men in sharp military uniforms. When Alexio appeared at the corner, the saint immediately looked up, sharply catching the vampire's subtle movements.
He keenly sensed that the vampire was… a little downcast.
“I will come to the military headquarters tomorrow to discuss things with you in detail.” Lucius hurriedly ended the conversation, shifting most of his attention to the vampire.
“Eh? Why are the military people—” Ellie was puzzled, but recognizing the two visitors from the military, she immediately stepped forward respectfully.
“Greetings, Marshal. I am Ellie, the vampire's caretaker. This is the resurrected vampire prince, Prince Alexio.”
She then introduced Alexio, “Alexi, this is Marshal Olsen, commander of the northern front.”
The man called Marshal Olsen was a human, with a stern face weathered by over fifty years. Every wrinkle told of discipline and toughness. He stood with his hands behind his back, his adjutant following close behind. His gaze shifted lightly toward Alexio, carrying the quiet authority of a military man.
Alexio remained motionless and gave a nod as a greeting.
The old marshal's eyes flickered slightly.
Alexio, seeing the marshal's hesitation, lifted his head and asked him, “Is there something you need?”
The old marshal's stern expression reminded Alexio of the ancient high priests of the Holy Temple, and that was not a pleasant association.
But soon, the marshal's deeply furrowed brow unusually softened. He reached into his pocket, then swept back his cloak and handed something to Alexio.
Alexio looked down just as the marshal spoke—
“Candies? Want some?”
Alexio: ……
Alexio: ???
He hesitated, his doubtful eyes shifting from the box of candies to the marshal's face. Thinking his expression and tone were too harsh, the marshal immediately tried to adjust himself, but instead…
He only looked more severe.
The adjutant had already turned his face away, unable to bear the sight. Aside from a few exceptions, he had never seen a dark creature that wasn't afraid of the old marshal. Although it was pitiful, he still had to consider the fragile hearts of dark creatures. He tried to keep the old marshal away from this precious, newly resurrected vampire.
Still not giving up, the marshal softened his tone with stiff effort.
“Caaandies, want some?”
Alexio paused for a moment before reluctantly accepting the box of candies, his expression complicated. But the old marshal instantly beamed with joy, giving Alexio a thumbs-up, presumably meaning ‘great job, needs praise,’ and then strode off with imposing steps.
Alexio held the box of candies, speechless, then he noticed the lunatic across from him covering his mouth quietly, looking thoughtful but actually mocking.
Alexio was so angry that his fangs came out.
“You met a werewolf,” Lucius changed the subject, wanting to avoid a fight with the vampire here. Alexio immediately recalled the two familiar names he'd heard today.
“His name is Helgodon, and he's still a wolf cub.”
The saint hummed in response.
“Werewolf King Helgodon.”
Alexio suddenly looked up sharply at him.
He suddenly realized that he wasn't the only one carrying the history of the past in solitude.
“I have something I want to discuss with you.”
The saint said, and saw the vampire respond with what seemed like a happy sound, his previous dejection completely gone.
Alexio cheerfully decided that as long as it wasn't excessive, he could agree to this lunatic's requests.