Creature Farm Chapter 11: Full Moon

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Sulo

 

“Mr. Augusta, there is something I have which is hard to say. I hope I can get your permission…”

That afternoon, Kyfayar came to Augusta’s study, anxious and in distress. He looked nervous as if he were afraid that his request would offend the great magician and he would be swept out of the house.

Augusta, with a book in his hand, turned a page without looking at him. “Do you want pocket money?” He asked him casually.

Kyfayar froze.

“What’s so hard to say. How much do you want? Or I’ll leave the shopping to you. It used to be done by Quentina. You can keep the rest of the money.”

“No! My Lord! How could you think so?!” Kyfayar felt it was incredulous, “I don’t want money!”

Augusta propped his left elbow on the desk and supported his forehead.

“What do you want?”

“I want to take a few days off.”

“Why?”

Kyfayar’s face turned red. “Because the next few days are special days once a month for me. I have a little personal trouble to deal with…”

The magician put down his book and squinted at the werewolf. “Why don’t you just say ‘the night of the full moon is here’? Why are you talking about it like it’s a woman’s period?”

“… For us, it’s almost the same as the, a period!”

Augusta remembered what Cavaldien said in his letter, ‘If you can handle this kid’s monthly troubles, I promise he’ll be the perfect house guard.’ Oh, the monthly trouble was here so soon. No wonder Kyfayar and Quentina got along well. Werewolves and women shared something in common.

“What are you going to do?” He asked, “Well, I’m neither a werewolf nor a woman. I don’t know what to do with your ‘once a month special days’.”

“I want to find another place to spend the days before and after the full moon. At the full moon, I’ll transform uncontrollably, and,” Kyfayar said sheepishly, “During the full moon, I’ll… I’m impulsive, fanatical, and more aggressive… If I stay in this house, I’m afraid I’ll hurt you.” He took a peek at Augusta for fear that the other would get angry.

Augusta smiled instead of being angry. “You? Hurt me — Master Augusta?” He let out a snort from his nose.

“I know you are powerful, sir, but you have to admit that there is always a chance something will happen. I can’t stay here at any risk of hurting you.”

“Where are you going on the full moon night?”

Kyfayar thought with his head tilted. “There’s a forest nearby, and I can stay in it. If I can get more contact with nature when changing, I will feel more comfortable.”

Augusta imagined Kyfayar running freely in the boundless forest, grabbing vines and swinging among the towering branches, thumping his chest and making a cry of, “Oo, oo, oo…”

Can I still say ‘no’? The magician sighed. “Of course, of course, no problem,” he replied wearily. “I’ll give you three days off. You can go anywhere.” ¹

“Thank you, sir! I’m going to leave tonight, but you can be rest assured that I’ll get everything arranged before I leave!”

Kyfayar meant to give Augusta a piece of paper after dinner with detailed instructions for Augusta’s three meals a day for the next three days, as well as placing specific instructions on the refrigerator, saying how long the food needed to be in the microwave before being eaten. Augusta appreciated Kyfayar’s thoughtfulness, then promptly crumpled the note into a ball.

“Kyfayar, I’m not an idiot.” He told the werewolf, “I know what to eat and how to use the microwave. How do you think I survived before you came to my house? Did you think it was by cutting my thighs every day?”

“Wasn’t Miss Quentina feeding you every three days?”

Augusta threw the ball of paper at Kyfayar, and Kyfayar went scurrying away.

“Get out of here! Get out now! I don’t want to see you in front of me for the next three days!”

“Yes, yes, yes, sir!” Kyfayar ran to the front door and opened it, but remembered something and closed the door again.

“What are you doing?” Augusta asked, puzzled to see him return.

The young werewolf took off his coat and showed off his strong upper body. He tossed his hair, folded the clothes neatly, and put them on the floor.

“Ai, ai, stop!” Augusta yelled, “Why are you undressing?”

Kyfayar put his hands around his waist and stopped unzipping his pants, “Ah? Because I’ll tear my clothes when I change. I don’t want to ruin such good material.” He rubbed his nose with his forefinger and added in a low voice, “You chose it for me, my lord.” He took off his trousers and his underwear, which left him completely naked.

Augusta covered his eyes in frustration. “Damn it, you don’t have to take it off in front of me! Can’t you go out and find a place to do it?”

Kyfayar turned boldly to the magician, with no intention of covering up his bare and important parts. “What if the clothes get stolen outside?! We are all men. You also have something I have. I’m not afraid to be seen by you. Besides, everyone was born with nothing on. Isn’t it good to be honest with each other?”

What an idiot! What strange customs do you have in the werewolf society?! You are not afraid to be seen by me, but I don’t want to see you!!!

“It’s dark and nobody’s here, get out of here! I don’t want to be gossiped about in the paper with people saying, ‘person running naked near his house’.”

“Okay!” Kyfayar was full of confidence. “Please don’t worry. I’ll leave for three days. If there is an emergency, you can ask Miss Quentina!”

“I said get out of here!”

Finally, Kyfayar said good night to Augusta and happily left out the door. Augusta didn’t know whether Kyfayar was happy because he would be able to transform or that he was getting rid of him? It should not be the latter… I hope it’s not the latter.

He looked at Kyfayar’s neatly arranged pile of clothes, and then glanced at the empty room. Kyfayar was not there. He felt that there was something missing in the room, which made him feel a little lonely. He walked around in a few circles, picked up the ball of paper that had been written by Kyfayar, unfolded it, and pasted the crumpled note in the kitchen.

The next day, Augusta got out of bed as usual. After washing, he came to the kitchen and found that there was no one there. According to past experience, at this time the table should have a hot breakfast. It immediately occurred to him that Kyfayar had asked for leave. He had to arrange his own breakfast. Well, although it had been less than a month since the werewolf came home, he had become completely used to the days when Kyfayar served him. Without him, Augusta was not at ease.

He took the milk, eggs, fruits, and vegetables from the fridge, following Kyfayar’s ‘First day breakfast’ note. Then he heard a bang on the window. The kitchen had a window that opened out. Augusta pushed open the window and the unicorn thief came in.

“Augusta, did you hear anything suspicious last night?” He asked, “It’s coming from the direction of the forest, like a wolf howling. It’s strange since there have never been wolves in our area. Did some wolves migrate here? Or is it a harbinger of disaster? It is said that before an earthquake, all animals will react in an abnormal manner…”

No, I think you are still quite normal now. Augusta took a carrot from his breakfast and fed it to the unicorn. The unicorn readily accepted it.

“You may have heard Kyfayar.” He said, “He took a day off yesterday and went to the forest to prepare for the full moon night. You know, a werewolf, the full moon, the call of the wild…”

The unicorn gasped, “You mean he’s going to, has already, become an ugly, evil, bloodthirsty and cruel werewolf?”

“…You can remove the long list of attributes in front of the word werewolf.” Augusta broke an egg and put it in a frying pan.

“That’s terrible!” The unicorn screamed, and the sound even overshadowed the crackling of the fried eggs, “You have such a terrible pet! Augusta, I’ll take care of you after all. In the end, you are a small, humble and fragile human being. As a higher creature, I need to protect the weak like you to maintain the diversity of the earth’s biosphere — but I don’t want to take care of the terrifying, monsterous werewolf!”

Kyfayar must think the same about you! You’re lucky the noble you has not yet been kicked to death by my humble foot! I really want to thank you for your noble self!

“If you don’t want to, you don’t have to look after Kyfayar. He is an adult and can take care of himself.”

“Oh, it’s so hard to be a man!” The unicorn made a high pitched cry, which was not like normal speech but more like singing, “Do I have to choose between personal feelings and justice in the world? Is it to follow the call of the heart, or to sacrifice for something higher? Ancient tragic heroes are no more than this! I’m going to cry for myself!”

“Shut up.” After frying the eggs, Augusta poured himself a glass of milk.

“Oh.” The unicorn was sullen. “I want oats. Where are my oats?”

That’s what you really wanted!

“Can’t you wait? I’ll finish my breakfast first, and then I’ll get yours.”

“But I am hungry! Are you finally going to start abusing me? You are not well-bred, and have never been kind-hearted!”

Augusta was indifferent to his protest and took a sip of milk. “You can go eat grass.” He suggested, “It’s spring, and the grass is growing vigorously. Create different shapes in the grass, and make ‘crop circle’ patterns. Maybe it can become a new tourist attraction in the town and boost GDP.” ²

“Fuck off!”

The unicorn retracted his head. There was a click.

“Ah, ah! My horn is stuck! It’s stuck in the window! Help me!”