Unholy Player

"This is just one of the wolves I found during the expedition. I’ll attack the nest later. But first, I need to sleep," Adyr said to Vesha, ignoring the many eyes turned toward him.

"Of course," she replied with a smile, then added, "But eat first. They’ve prepared a feast to celebrate your safe return."

Adyr didn’t refuse. He could’ve logged out and had something better at the headquarters cafeteria—but eating what the villagers had prepared made more sense. Strategically, it was the right move.

The floor mat he sat on alone was filled with all kinds of dishes. Clearly, the villagers had each brought what they did best, using their finest ingredients. It was their way of honoring him.

As he ate, he noticed a few curious eyes watching him. Some of the children were old enough to grasp what had happened, while others still saw it all as nothing more than a game.

Adyr smiled and gestured for them to come closer, offering them food from his plate.

He’d always had a strange connection with children. They were the only ones around whom he felt... normal.

The survival instincts that had shaped him—the constant observation, the unspoken threat assessment, the guarded posture—none of it applied to them.

There was no need. Because they all shared one thing he had lost long ago.

Innocence.

Something life had taken from him long before he was allowed to grow into maturity.