"The beasts on the ground shouted that they didn't need God, and God complied, leaving His place."
"An endless light fell, and the stars, the bright moon, and the burning sun all appeared in the sky simultaneously."
"The beasts wailed under the light, begging for God's return."
"When the light cleansed the earth, God came back, shedding tears for the dead beasts, watering the land, and bringing it back to life."
"Those tears were mercy." — "Divine Words: The Age of Desolation"
Adam closed the book in his hands, not continuing to read. He knew what was coming next. He was reading the book only for its illustrations.
Due to limited printing capabilities, the illustrations in the various regional editions of the "Divine Words" differed, typically crafted by the best local artists.
Thus, by looking at this book, he could get a sense of the local level of artistry.
The Bokku family couldn't afford any book, so this one was loaned to him by the monk Fral yesterday. Fral believed that Adam, with some time at the seminary, could become a monk himself.
Adam had politely declined the offer, citing his inability to afford the tuition. Though Fral was disappointed, he still lent Adam the book.
Adam seemed to recall some unpleasant memories and rubbed his temples.
He felt an acute lack of security. In a religious nation like St. Himmel, death always seemed near.
He desperately needed power, but his understanding of this world's power system was far inferior to his knowledge of theology for some reason.
Thus, Adam's extraordinary abilities now were limited to the physical prowess granted by his werewolf transformation. He could handle ordinary bandits, but facing other extraordinary beings might not go as well.
"Tonight's actions must be cautious; Baron Mansela must possess extraordinary powers," Adam thought, recalling some previously gathered information.
Although he didn't understand the supernatural power system, he was well-informed about other matters.
Any noble must possess extraordinary powers. Those who didn't were either impostors or "impure-blooded" nobles who would soon be stripped of their titles and become commoners.
For Baron Mansela to have established a considerable foundation in Roya City, he must wield extraordinary powers.
"It's said that a noble's supernatural abilities are linked to their heraldry?" In Adam's previous world, nobles also had heraldry, which recorded genealogy, honors, and achievements. Here, however, heraldry was also a source of power.
But this power required the corresponding bloodline to cultivate, so Adam hadn't considered it much.
As the sky darkened, Adam said his goodbyes to Alice and Maggie, patted Lina's head, and retreated to his attic room.
Stripping off his outer clothes, he lay on his bed, listening to the sounds downstairs gradually fade. Then, silently, he opened the attic skylight, listened intently to the surroundings, and began his transformation once confirming there were no disturbances.
The moonlight streaming through the skylight illuminated Adam's face.
His skin wasn't pale, and his lean face gave a determined impression. Black bangs partially obscured a scar under his eye that resembled a "<" symbol. His dark pupils, in the next blink, turned into dark red beastly eyes.
Every muscle and bone in his body moved, especially his face. His snout elongated, sharp fangs appeared, his ears became pointed, and his black hair turned white.
In just a few breaths, a giant, furry white werewolf stood in the attic.
The sensation of transforming into a werewolf was peculiar, something Adam found hard to describe.
This time, he felt a bit more restless, likely due to his bloodline maturing. What would happen once it fully matured, he didn't know.
Bending over to avoid hitting the ceiling, Adam's height had increased from 5 feet to 6 feet after the transformation.
Listening once more, Adam silently leaped out of the attic, from the rooftop to the ground, moving swiftly under the cover of moonlit shadows towards his target.
The werewolf's transformation ability stemmed from the bloodline, which wasn't just about blood or even genetics as Adam understood them in his past life. It contained something more mysterious.
Unfortunately, Adam knew more about hiding his bloodline than harnessing its power.
Landing silently, Adam's sharp claws extended, gripping the ground tightly. His strong body shifted from extreme movement to extreme stillness instantly. He concealed himself in the shadows, barely breathing.
The transformed Adam differed from his usual self. Though he retained some rationality, his personality and thought patterns changed.
It was like the difference between being sober and drunk.
As a human, Adam was cautious and thoughtful, meticulously planning every action. In werewolf form, he became a predator.
Contrary to common beliefs about werewolves, Adam was cold, cunning, and decisive in this state, with the powerful and keen instincts of a predator.
Two people with oil lamps passed by, unaware of the hidden Adam. One leap would be enough to snap either one's neck before they could use any magic.
"Are we finally going to catch that evil creature?"
"Yes, hurry, don't let it escape."
They were monks, as their attire showed. Their conversation indicated they had found another evil being.
Adam waited silently until they were gone. He hoped their next target wouldn't be the Bokku family.
Slipping through a street corner, Adam scaled the courtyard wall.
Two fierce dogs in the yard saw Adam but didn't bark. Instead, they wagged their tails and approached him.
This seemed to be Adam's talent. After a few encounters through the wall, these dogs had grown familiar with and friendly towards him.
Patting their heads and sending them back to their spots, Adam scaled the vine-covered wall, embedding his sharp claws into it. The vines helped conceal any marks.
Peering through a second-floor window, Adam sniffed twice, picking up various scents.
In werewolf form, Adam's sense of smell was heightened. He didn't usually rely on it, as many places in this world had poor air quality, with some being downright toxic.
"Still awake?" He noted the lit room, observing further without planning to confront the baron tonight.
He lay silently by the window, sniffing and listening.
Information was crucial. Subtle details could give him an advantage in future encounters.
At 3 AM, confirming everyone in the mansion was asleep, Adam silently entered, scouted around, and left via a different route back to the Bokku house.
Ensuring no disturbances, he re-entered through the skylight, hearing distant commotion unrelated to him.
In the morning, Adam fetched water from the well, planning to clean up. His heightened sense of smell had made him somewhat of a neat freak.
Passing a street corner with a woodpile, it seemed someone hadn't escaped last night. There might be a bonfire later.