Chapter 48: Two Of The Most Dangerous Creatures In Great Eagle Forest
Ever since the White-Haired Gorilla said that he was delicious, Koko started to talk about the Magical Beasts in the forest that he thought tasted good.
The young man could tell that the Gorilla was really tempted to eat him, and if possible, he wanted to be as far away from Koko as possible.
Chloe, whose head was resting on his shoulder, had woken up a few minutes ago. But after seeing the White-Haired Gorilla sitting beside them, she fainted again, making Koko laugh out loud.
All of a sudden, Luna, who was seated opposite Ethan, asked a question that made Koko frown.
"Have you faced a strong Monster that even you can't defeat in this forest with the exception of the Giant Eagles?" Luna asked.
Every member of the Dud Manor was very amazed at the angelic beauty because her shyness, when talking to Humans, was nowhere to be seen.
Perhaps, because Koko is a Magical Creature, Luna doesn't feel any embarrassment when it came to asking him questions.
"Well, it's not like I'm invincible," Koko replied with a smile. "In this forest, because we don't add the Giant Eagles to the equation, there are two others who I will have a hard time fighting against. One of them is located deep in the heart of this forest.
"We call her, Broodmother, and she is a Giant Black Spider. She only hunts at the center, and rarely goes to the outskirts. If you happen to face her by accident, you only have two choices. The first one is to become her meal, and the second one is to crack a joke.
"For some reason, she has a funny bone, despite not having one because of her race. If you are able to make her laugh, the chances of her sparing your life will rise drastically. Professor Rinehart and her are bosom buddies because the Headmaster is a joker."
Koko chuckled before continuing his explanation.
"As for the second oneā¦ you can find him at the Northern edge of this forest," Koko stated. "While you still have a chance of surviving Broodmother, your chances of surviving this one is zero.
"It is one of those creatures that you never want to meet if possible. Even I don't even want to have anything to do with that thing. The only reason why it still hadn't made its way to the Academy is due to the barrier that the professors of Brynhildr Academy placed in the North, specifically to contain it."
Koko's expression became solemn, which proved how dangerous this creature was.
"It goes by the name Wendigo," Koko stated before spitting on the ground as if he had said something disgusting. "It brings out your greatest fears, breaking your mind before it slowly consumes your body and soul. Only when its victims have fallen into utter and complete despair will it begin to feast on them, making them scream until they breathe their last.
Getting killed by me is comparably more merciful than dying at the hands of a Wendigo."
Koko became silent for a bit, and only the faint crackling sounds of the campfire reverberated in the surroundings, making Ethan feel as if his ears were ringing due to White-Haired Gorilla's silence.
"I will go now," Koko declared before it stood up on his haunches. "You can enjoy your stay in my Domain. However, the next time you visit me don't come empty handed. Make sure to bring me gifts. Food is fine. Although I like to eat my meat raw, those cooked meals that you Humans enjoy are good as well."
Koko then glanced at Luna and Ethan before walking away from the camp. Although he had already eaten, he felt like eating once again because his hunger was rekindled due to the delicious Humans that he was not allowed to eat.
After taking a few steps, Koko turned his head to look at Ethan with an amused smile on his face.
"You can tell that girl that she can stop pretending to be unconscious," Koko smirked as he used his chin to point at Chloe, who was resting her head on Ethan's shoulder.
An amused chuckle escaped his lips before he walked away without another word
Everyone watched him go with steady gazes.
Only when the White-Haired Gorilla could no longer be seen did everyone, including Luna, breathe a collective sigh of relief.
"It's fine," Ethan said as he lightly patted Chloe's head. "He's gone now."
Chloe, who was pretending to still be unconscious, opened her eyes and pulled back from Ethan's embrace.
Her face was beet red due to embarrassment after being called out by the White-Haired Gorilla.
Truth be told, she did faint twice, and only woke up as Koko was giving his explanation about the two most dangerous monsters in the Great Eagle Forest.
She only pretended to be still unconscious because she was really afraid of the White-Haired Gorilla, and Ethan's embrace made her feel safe and warm.
'When was the last time we hugged like that? I stopped visiting him when I started my magical training,' Chloe thought as she tried to recall her childhood memories. 'I wish it had lasted longer.'
After that nerve-wracking incident with Koko, everyone decided to rest early with the Third and Fourth Years swapping for the Night Watch. They had to protect their juniors, at all cost.
Although the White-Haired Gorilla had given them permission to stay in his Domain, that didn't change the fact that they were in a very dangerous place.
Wild beasts were everywhere, and if they didn't have someone to keep watch, there was a high chance that all of them would get attacked in their sleep, which was something that they didn't want to experience.
Especially after meeting the White-Haired Gorilla, whose intelligent eyes hid the nefarious thoughts in his mind.