It took no time to charm Sara and return home.
A heartfelt word here and a few lines there, and Sara sank into the fantasy where she was the only thing Fenrir adored. A girl in love was the easiest to manipulate to one's liking.
But it was also time for Fenrir to stop playing house with these villagers, and he waited for the officials to reach him before he opened the door for them and opened the door for them.
His face was the first thing the officials noticed, and their eyes widened in shock.
'Ah, they fell for the bait.'
Fenrir could tell the second these officials decided that he would be their next victim, and at that moment, he knew that he had won this battle against fate. Still, he could not look too pleased, or his whole plan would fall apart in front of these people.
"Who are you people? And how can I help you out?"
Fenrir asked in an almost timid voice.
He played the role of a fragile young man who did not know the world well. His expression made him look too afraid to venture out and a few officials made a sympathetic face when they looked at him.
But humans were wicked creatures who could do anything when their interests aligned with the end goal, and these people were no different.
No matter how much sympathy they felt for Fenrir, a single look at his face was enough for them to make up their minds about him.
*Cough*
"Excuse me, but is your mother or another adult at home? We would like to have a brief talk with them about your future. We have a career opportunity for you."
The leader of the officials stepped forward and spoke once he was out of the shock.
He sounded sincere, and most humans would have fallen for his trick. But Fenrir could see right into this man's blackened heart and notice the root of desire that he harbored.
"Unfortunately, my mother is sick at the moment. If you want to talk to her, you will have to do it through a curtain between rooms. I do not want you all to get sick as well."
Fenrir made a sad face, showing how affected he felt by his mother's suffering. His acting made even the toughest of people look at him in pity.
"Y-Your mother is sick, huh? Then you must be desperate for money and medicine for her. We can provide it for you if you agree to come with us and work for us."
Another official spoke up suddenly.
Their hearts felt pity for this unfortunate mother-son duo, but their mission came first for them. They could not delay leaving this place any longer.
"I-I see! What you say makes sense. I guess I should think about it a little bit…how long do I have to think about this?"
Fenrir asked timidly, acting as if he was in a bind right now.
The more he acted like this, the more sympathy he was able to garner from these people. Their faces began to turn awkwardly by the second.
Seeing how the other officials were beginning to feel sympathetic toward this child, their leader quickly regained control of the situation as he coughed into his fist and tried to regain control.
"Ideally, we need to leave in a few hours. In the meantime, we can give your mother some emergency medicine, but even our hands are bound by circumstances. If you need more help, you will have to come with us."
The leader made it clear that he was not running a charity case. His fellow officers made a face but could not say anything against their leader. They knew that it would be their lives that would fall in danger if they refused to follow these orders.
"I-I see. In that case, give me an hour. I need to leave someone else here to look after my mother."
Fenrir 's decision seemed final, and it made the officials breathe a sigh of relief when they heard it.
They all felt relieved at the fact that this kid had taken their bait and agreed to become their sacrifice. The relief they felt over this fact overpowered even the guilt they felt at the moment.
Fenrir knew all about these people and their feelings, and he also knew that he could use it in the future to get away with a lot more. That was why he had decided to act a little stubbornly.
His plan had always been to leave with these people, but if he could get a little more out of this deal…then no one would blame him, right?
...
This backward town had a small population and everyone knew each other well. But there was no one more talkative in this town than the local seamstress's daughter.
She was a gossip addict and she was also the source of most news in this town. And that was what made her the right person to carry out Fenrir 's plan.
"Fenrir , are you sure you want to leave me in charge of your mother's health? Y-You know me! I am quite an absent-minded person, and I cannot promise you that I won't mess up while doing what you assigned me.
It would be better to ask Sara or someone else-"
Fenrir wheeled over toward the nervous girl before he grabbed her arm and placed a hand on her shoulder.
His eyes were full of sympathy and support, and it instantly made the nervous female feel calm.
"Take a deep breath, and there you go. Don't you feel much better not?"
Fenrir asked, and the female nodded hesitantly.
She did not know whether she felt calm or not, but she did know that she had been chosen and it felt good to be tasked with such an opportunity.
What was even better was the fact that 'Fenrir ' chose her.
"I know you can do it. I believe that you would do a better job than even Sara at looking after my mother. I am sorry for burdening you with such a favor. If it is too much, then I can-"
"No! It is not too much! Of course, I can look after your mother for you. Just…be a little careful out there and come back often."
The seamstress's daughter spoke softly as she bid Fenrir farewell.
Everyone knew by now that Fenrir had been chosen as a sacrifice this year, but no one tried to stop him.
It was because Fenrir had influenced the town to think that he would be fine. They had forgotten the memory of what happened to the previous sacrifices and how they never returned after being taken.
So, when the time came for him to leave, no one came to bid him farewell. For most people, this was a normal day, and nothing was wrong.
"Kid, are you ready to leave now?"
The official asked, and Fenrir took one last look at the village before he decided to turn around and leave.
"Of course! We should head out now."
Fenrir might have lived in this village for a few years, but he was not attached to it. Then again, this place would no longer be here after a few days.
History was meant to be forgotten, and for a devil like him, a few years were nothing but a grain of dust he was meant to crush.
...
"Woah! He really left. And no one even protested? I was so sure that someone was going to stop this from happening."
Keith looked at his followed at his side with a frown on his face, but in his heart, he agreed with his follower.
He had even expected Sara, or at least Fenrir 's mother, to come running and stop the officials. These villagers loved Fenrir to bits and pieces, so they even hid him when the time came.
"I heard that his mother is sick, and those officials offered him money and support in return for leaving with them. Maybe the temptation got to him and made Fenrir leave. He did feel like a soft kid who would do anything for his loved ones."
With the shorter followed comments, his words made much more sense and gave a clearer picture of what could have happened.
Keith wanted to agree, but something in him nagged and told him that this was not what happened and they were all being fooled.
Usually, Keith would have listened to this feeling, but for the first time, he chose to ignore it.
Whatever reason Fenrir had for leaving the village, it no longer mattered. They would never see that kid again, and life would return to normal soon enough.
"Tsk, I don't have time to bother with you at the moment. I will leave for home now. Mother wanted me back for something. I will see you tomorrow."
Keith quickly left for his home, but that uncomfortable feeling never left him. He reached his house and opened the door, only for his mother's coughing sound to reach him.
"Mom, did you get sick? But this isn't the season-"
Keith entered the kitchen, only to jump back in shock as his mother jumped him. Her sharp fangs tore into his shoulder, and before Keith knew it, he was bleeding out.
He managed to grab his shoulder and throw his mother off himself before he ran out.
But his mother was not the only one who was acting weird.
Most of the villagers that were out on the street turned toward him as one, and their eyes turned red. They all looked hungry, but specifically for his blood.
"W-What is going on here? Why is everyone…"
Keith groaned out, and he tried to run. But in the end, there was no escaping the nightmare he had fallen into. He was eventually caught and killed off as well.
But his death was not enough to sate the epithet of these creatures. They were out for revenge, and no one could stop them.
Soon, the village was turned over, and no evidence of it remained. The zombies also died out due to the lack of nutrition and any life in the surroundings, and their bodies degraded.
In a far-away carriage, Fenrir smiled as he felt the remaining life force of that village fill him.
All those people who loved him had finally become a part of him. It was a feeling that was to be celebrated.
"What are you looking at? Is there something outside the window that is grabbing your attention? Or do you feel cold and want me to close the window for you?"
One of the officials who saw Fenrir looking outside the window asked in a calm voice. Sympathy dripped from his words as he tried to make Fenrir feel better.
But Fenrir just smiled back at him with an amused expression on his face.
"That's not it. I have just never been away from my village before, so it feels a little weird to be allowed out finally. I guess I started missing my village at one point."
Fenrir did not make a big deal out of it, but the official looked uncomfortable before he changed his tone.
"Well, you would have to leave that small village sometime if you want to make something out of yourself. You have looks, charms, and even intelligence, so there is no doubt in my mind that you could be a great leader if you put your mind behind it-"
The leader elbowed the person speaking to remind them to quieten their word down. There was no future for this kid once he reached their destination. No one has survived the sacrifice until now, and no one will do so in the future either.
'God really has no mercy for some people. I pity this kid and hope he lives a better life next time. That will be the only mercy his soul may be shown by the almighty.'