"And you are…?"
The man dressed as Little Red Riding Hood, initially furious at the "little thief" who'd brazenly barged into his home, immediately composed himself at the sight of the group assembled outside. Their presence spoke of wealth and power.
The leader, a handsome young man exuding an air of distinction, was clearly a young master from a noble family, perhaps even a foreign prince. The woman standing deferentially at his side only solidified that impression.
Though slightly older, her striking appearance, dignified bearing, and elegant attire marked her as someone of importance. She, too, was likely a noblewoman, albeit perhaps from a less affluent family.
And then there were the children – two girls and a boy. The boy... seemed a bit awkward, but no doubt came from a rich family. One of the remaining two girls had the unmistakable air of nobility, and the other seemed less a child of high-ranking officials, given her calm composure.
Good heavens…
Little Red Riding Hood had lived a long life, but never had so many obviously high-ranking individuals crossed his threshold.
He glanced at Harry, the "little thief" he'd been holding. He hadn't noticed inside, but now, in the sunlight, the boy's clothes looked considerably more expensive. Were they all in league?
Thinking this, he set Harry down. He had no desire to needlessly provoke such a group. Besides, although the boy who'd barged in had seemed a bit… "lecherous" (though he wasn't entirely sure if that was just his imagination), he hadn't really caused any harm.
"Excuse me, to whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?"
While he addressed Tom, he also shot a quick glance at Harry, who had scurried back to stand obediently beside him.
"Travelers from a neighboring country," Tom replied smoothly, not a single imperfection in his tone. "We were simply passing through when this beautiful forest captivated us."
As he spoke, Tom affected a slightly tipsy air. Then, composing himself, he sighed deeply. "Alas, being from foreign lands, we find ourselves a little…lost…"
The implication hung heavy in the air: Damn it, we're lost; why don't you just invite us in!
"..."
To be honest, because of the poor impression Harry had made, he'd initially wanted to simply point them in the right direction and send them on their way. But he worried he'd see his own wanted poster plastered around town by the next day. In this era, nobles were known to act like that, and he knew he couldn't defend himself against such power.
In short, he did not want to provoke these people.
Left with no other choice, he stepped aside and, with an overly enthusiastic demeanor, ushered Tom and the others inside.
Following Tom, Harry and the others entered, their eyes darting around the interior. It resembled Hagrid's cabin, somewhat, but unlike Hagrid's, this place lacked any oddities. It was more like a hunter's cabin.
Hermione noticed a hunting rifle and bearskin hanging on the wall and asked Little Red Riding Hood curiously, "Uncle, are you a hunter?"
The girl's clear voice and respectful tone eased his brow. She was far more endearing than the "little thief" from before.
"Just trying to make a living."
He used to be a carpenter, like his father. But since moving here, he'd given that up, acquiring a hunting rifle and becoming a hunter instead. Making a living was secondary; what mattered most was hunting down the wolf that had devoured his grandmother.
Hermione nodded thoughtfully, then pulled Cassandra aside to chat about "girly topics." Of course, that couldn't have been further from the truth, but to Little Red Riding Hood, who hadn't overheard, that's exactly what it sounded like. The two were actually plotting how to get the hat back from the old man when Malfoy barged over. "Uncle, can I have your hat?"
"..."
Wait, so direct? The man dressed as Little Red Riding Hood was caught off guard but managed a polite smile on his rugged face. "Sorry, it's a keepsake from my grandmother."
"Then I can't give it to you… hey!"
Before Malfoy could finish, Harry yanked him back. He glared at Malfoy, his face impassive. The boy really couldn't say anything right; he always offended someone with his first words. Although he had accidentally offended Little Red Riding Hood earlier, he was usually far more self-aware.
Cassandra seized the chance to ask the old man about his grandmother. Of course, they already knew the story, but it was a necessary prelude to their later request.
Faced with the two adorable children, the old man obliged, recounting the well-worn tale. Things would have been different were Harry and Malfoy involved. Whether they would have learned anything was debatable, and they likely would have caused even more trouble.
"So, Uncle, you stay here as a hunter… just to avenge Grandma?"
Hermione's expression was tinged with sadness, as if she truly felt sympathy for the man's story.
Then Cassandra asked the question they'd all been waiting to ask: "If we help you kill that big bad wolf, would you give us your hat?"
"..."
Even though he couldn't fathom why these children were so interested in his hat, he warned gravely, "Don't mess with that cunning thing! It's far too dangerous!"
He'd been hunting that wolf for a long while. Other wild animals, even a massive grizzly, had fallen by his hand, but that wolf had evaded him at every turn. He even suspected that the big bad wolf had become a monster with human thoughts! Otherwise, it wouldn't have eluded him so many times!
And now, a child was offering to hunt that monster?
"But what if we really could help you kill that wolf?"
At that, Little Red Riding Hood turned to face Tom, who was approaching.
"..."
He didn't speak but instead stared intently into those eerie green snake eyes. Those eyes gave him a bad feeling. He'd heard people and families sometimes had… unusual characteristics, but this was too much.
Taking a deep breath and confirming that Tom didn't seem to be joking, he grew serious. "If you really can help me get rid of that cunning thing, you can have anything you want… including this hat."
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