Fox (4)
"Won't you let me tame you?"
A voice echoed against the dark background.
At my suggestion, Irene frowned.
"······What?"
Perhaps it was because they had been driven to their limits just moments ago.
The girl glared at me with a somewhat fierce look, but I smiled understandingly.
It was important to ease her guard first.
After all, they were going to be my people from now on.
"I will take you in. I will get you out of this hellish place."
"Take us in··· I don't know what you're talking about."
"Take it literally."
"You're saying you'll get us out of here···?"
"That's right."
I nodded my head reassuringly.
The fox's face was painted with confusion.
Her black eyes were filled with tension.
Of course, it would be disconcerting if someone who had been radiating killing intent just moments ago suddenly turned friendly.
Did I overdo it with the intimidation?
"Please forgive my rudeness earlier."
I offered a light apology.
Irene, hearing this, shrugged her shoulders and then asked a few questions.
"······I don't understand. Why are you helping us?"
"Let's just say it's a personal interest."
"Interest."
Irene let out a hollow laugh.
She showed strong hostility and hid the collapsed children behind her back.
"You're thinking of making us slaves. You're in league with those disgusting auction house bastards."
"Well, slaves aren't really my thing."
"Then··· taxidermy?"
"Oh my. You have a dangerous imagination."
I denied it lightly.
"I just need some friends."
A sinister smile spread across my lips.
I was trying to restrain myself as much as possible, but the effect of the trait was greater than I thought.
I was already a perfect villain.
Wouldn't it look like this in the eyes of others?
A boy reaching out to the heroes of the future.
The primordial darkness that corrupts noble souls.
Perhaps Irene also sensed something ominous, for she hesitated in her answer.
"It's good to be cautious, but unfortunately, we don't have much time left."
"······What do you mean?"
"The soldiers who were guarding the auction house will be here soon."
I had tidied up the surroundings, but it was only a temporary measure.
It wouldn't be long before the auction house noticed.
We had to get out of here before things got messy.
"It's time to choose."
"······."
"Will you remain in this abyss of sorrow··· or will you take my hand and escape?"
I spoke as if to say choose, but in reality, there was no choice.
Fate was cruel to the girl.
This was the worst auction house in the Empire, the Apple Tree.
Even the future Sword Saint was still a bud that had not yet bloomed.
For such a young girl to face countless guards and attempt to escape with the children was nothing short of suicide.
"······Ha."
The fox laughed dejectedly.
Had she faced reality?
If she didn't choose me, all that awaited her now was death.
"There was no choice in the first place."
After a moment of bitter self-deprecation, the girl cautiously held out her hand. A sign of acceptance.
"I don't trust humans. I know how vile and cruel your kind can be."
"Hmm. Speaking from experience?"
"······It's a forgotten past."
Irene bit her lip.
As if recalling a painful memory, her eyes were filled with venom.
It was a lingering hatred.
Although she seemed to be controlling herself so as not to offend me in a situation where her life was at stake, such intense emotions were not easily hidden.
Actually, I didn't find this reaction strange.
Even in the early parts of the original story, Irene suffered from a severe distrust of humans.
So, just because she didn't fully believe the kindness I was offering, there was no reason for me to hold a grudge against her.
"It's okay to be wary of me."
After all, taming takes time.
I was willing to wait.
The fox, who had stiffened at my agreeable attitude, finally hesitated as she took my hand.
"I hope I don't regret this··· this choice I'm making now."
"I'm sure you won't."
What I live for is your dawn.
As each day passes and your star shines brighter, we will form a bond in a wider wheat field.
I left a short promise.
I embraced the girl generously.
Though her hand trembled pitifully, it was a shard that would one day cut through the heavens.
"You really··· You won't hurt the children, will you?"
"I'm a man of my word."
"If you're lying······."
"If I'm lying?"
"I'll get my revenge. Even if it takes my whole life."
"Haha! Now that's something to look forward to!"
I chuckled playfully.
As we were having a little small talk, a flurry of noise came from outside the passage.
The clattering of armor. It sounded like soldiers were coming.
"It's time to go."
"But how are we going to escape? I know you're strong, but breaking through all of them···."
"Shh."
I cut off Irene's question.
With an air of mystery, I winked lightly.
"It's a secret."
It's no fun if I show you too much on our first meeting.
With a nonchalant remark, I snapped my fingers.
Click!
Immediately, the darkness that had been covering the entire passageway began to writhe.
The shadows, twisting like living creatures, swirled at my gesture.
A thick blackness engulfed us.
And then, in the next moment.
The snake and the foxes were gone.
Only a wisp of shadow remained where they had been standing.
The escape was a success.
***
Even such an intense dawn passes.
At the end of the night, a new day dawns.
As the morning wore on and the sun rose high in the sky, I sat still in my chair.
"Hmm."
A familiar scene met my eyes.
It was the lodging where I had been staying for the past few days since I had come down to take the Academy entrance exam.
It was as spacious and comfortable as any mansion.
It was no different from the day before.
"Uhhh······."
Except for one thing.
"Sister··· I'm scared."
"Did, did they sell us to bad people? Are we, go, going to die···?"
"Sob, sniffle······."
The foxes were huddled together in a corner.
The children were all terrified, each hiding themselves as best they could.
They had been like this for a while now.
"I wonder what the problem is··· They looked like angels when they were sleeping."
When we returned to the lodging immediately after the escape, they were all sound asleep.
Perhaps it was the exhaustion from their harsh life at the auction house. The children fell asleep as if they had fainted.
Even Irene, who had seemed to be holding on, passed out before long.
It must have been hard on them.
'Still, it's a little disappointing.'
I had carried them all to bed and even tucked them in myself.
But as soon as they woke up, they looked around cautiously.
The children who met my gaze even had tears welling up in their eyes.
Do I really look that shady?
I felt a little sad.
To judge someone by their looks. What a dirty world.
"······Sorry. The kids are being loud. I'll quiet them down."
Irene soothed the children as she spoke.
Her voice trembled, as if she were conscious of my presence.
It seemed I was being treated with caution.
It wouldn't be easy to get close to them right away.
"Why bother trying to calm them down?"
"If their cries bother you··· I'm afraid you might kill them."
"Huh? What do you take me for?"
"······A psychopath."
A more straightforward word than I expected came back.
That's a little harsh.
Well, I can't argue with that, considering what I showed them yesterday.
I laughed bitterly.
"Just let them cry their hearts out. Let them calm down on their own."
Suppression only intensifies emotions.
Since feelings don't always go as planned, I stopped Irene from scolding them further.
Poor children.
They were stars that should have been shining innocently, but couldn't because of the greed of adults.
They had walked a thorny path for so long, unable to shine.
I wanted them to cry their hearts out now that they were free.
"Just wait a little longer··· They'll get tired and quiet down."
"Alright."
Irene quietly backed away.
Her eyes were somewhat confused.
Perhaps because of my kindness, she was frowning.
As if she couldn't understand my intentions.
"Hehe."
I chuckled softly.
After a moment of waiting, the crying subsided and a new sound reached my ears.
Growl-.
It was the sound of the children's stomachs rumbling.
Were they starving?
Come to think of it, they wouldn't have been fed properly in that underground prison.
The foxes probably hadn't had a decent meal in at least three months.
"Sob··· Sister, I'm hungry."
"Me too······."
"What should we do? Sister, I'll go out and get something."
"Isn't it dangerous···?"
"I don't want you to be in danger······."
Bits and pieces of their conversation reached me.
Even though they were starving, they were worried about Irene. They were kind-hearted children.
With a slight smile, I intervened.
"Seems like you need a meal?"
"······Yes. We've been hungry for too long."
Irene flinched slightly, then nodded.
Behind her, I could see the children slumped over weakly.
"Hmm······."
I hummed thoughtfully, stroking my chin.
After a moment of silence, I snapped my fingers with an indifferent look.
"Maybe I shouldn't have brought them with me."
"What···?"
"I guess kids like that are··· a bit of a nuisance."
As I spat out the lines, the air around us turned cold.
"I think I need to take care of them."
"······What are you going to do?"
Irene glared at me, tense.
Even the crying children, realizing that the situation was serious, held their breath and trembled.
I smiled cruelly.
"I didn't want to go this far··· but this is what happens when you bother me."
I was bored anyway. This was perfect.
Should I play with them for a bit?
I muttered to myself and opened a nearby drawer.
Then, with a leisurely hand, I carefully took something out.
"······!"
"······?!"
The foxes' eyes widened as they saw the object that emerged from the drawer.
Their eyes were filled with shock and fear.
But even amidst their reactions, I just smiled cruelly.
"Don't worry, everyone. I'm sure you'll enjoy this."
The snake whispered softly.
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