We returned to the capital.

It had been three days since Rin collapsed, but she still hadn’t woken up. If she didn’t wake up, there wasn’t much I could do either.

That didn’t mean I planned to waste my days doing nothing. I had other things to take care of.

No matter how prosperous a city might be, wherever there is light, there are shadows, and in those shadows, you’ll find people rummaging through trash bins just to survive.

Bestia was no different.

If humans inhabit human cities, then most of Bestia’s inhabitants are—

“Alright, everyone, please line up in an orderly fashion. Hey, no cutting in line back there.”

Catfolk.

The furred wheels of society, and they were all lined up in front of me in an orderly queue. From splotchy patterns reminiscent of Korean Long-Nosed cats to those with pure white, black, and even a “Hitler cat” look, all sorts of catpeople were waiting their turn.

“Hey, you really gonna give us fish if we sign this contract?”

“Of course. Look over there. The others are already enjoying their fish.”

“You’re not gonna force us into hard labor or anything, right?”

“Not at all. You’ll continue living as you always have, just make sure to show up here at noon every day, and I’ll give you fish just like today.”

“You’re an angel, nyan!”

One of the catfolk grabbed a wriggling fish in their mouth and disappeared into the alley.

One by one, I made contracts with about ten of them. They didn’t seem too cautious, and once they spread the word and brought their friends, the numbers would swell quickly.

All of Bestia’s stray cats would become my slaves.

‘If I’m in Bestia, I might as well rake in the points.’

Beastfolk are like hearty soup.

Compared to the humanfolk, they’re generally of a higher tier.

What that means is that even with minimal care, the points I’d earn when liberating them would be significantly more than what I’d get from humans.

Earn points, save lives.

It’s a win-win situation.

“Have you been feeding the street catfolk again?”

“Haha, I’m just doing what I’m supposed to. No need for thanks—it’s what I do.”

“Sigh…”

Seyra shut her eyes tightly, pressing her hand against her forehead. She let out a deep sigh as if she could exhale the earth beneath her, then shot me a sharp look.

“They’re a nuisance to the city, doing no work and causing trouble whenever they can. If you keep feeding them, they’ll just get lazier.”

“Sounds like the dream life.”

“And the city administrators, like myself, will live a nightmare dealing with the problems they cause.”

Seyra’s eyes were particularly tired today. She had the same look you’d see in an employee trapped in a soul-crushing black company.

I understood how she felt. I, too, am not a fan of cat-ladies.

But these aren’t just any cats. In my eyes, they were cute girls with cat ears and tails.

Seeing them lying dead on the streets would definitely be unsettling.

‘I’ll save anyone I can.’

Sorry, Seyra. But instead of apologizing, I offered her a word of encouragement.

“Hang in there.”

“Haaaa…”

Thud!

Just as Seyra sighed once again, a dull thudding sound came from the inn. It sounded like the little fox had finally woken up.

I hurried up to the room. I’d even practiced how to speak with a fox in preparation for this day.

“Did you sleep well?”

Filled with excitement, I threw the door open.

Whoosh—

The moment the door opened, everything went dark. It was as if the sun had been covered by clouds. Before I could even register what was happening—

Bang!

“Yelp!”

Whatever had blocked my view suddenly fell down. My reaction was so slow that I blinked like a sloth and then looked down.

“Grrrrr…”

There was Rin, sprawled on the floor, and Seyra, who had pinned her down, holding her in place.

Rin’s sharp claws were extended. If Seyra hadn’t acted, my face would have been split into six pieces.

“An untamed beastfolk is no different from a wild animal. Be careful.”

I had considered the possibility she might attack, which is why I’d tied her up with a sturdy rope. But that rope had been shredded and was now lying in ruins.

‘Looks like I’ll need to get some metal chains.’

I’ll also need them for taking her on walks later.

“She’s fine now. Let her go.”

“She’ll just attack again.”

“She won’t. Let her go.”

Seyra gave me a suspicious look, clearly unconvinced. But when I insisted, she reluctantly began to stand, though she kept a wary eye on Rin.

As expected, even after being released, Rin couldn’t move.

I had placed the slave contract on her the moment we first met, and since she was still in her juvenile state, she was utterly incapable of resisting.

“Grrrr!”

She growled like a beast, glaring at me with murderous intent. She knew exactly who was suppressing her freedom, and she looked ready to pounce at any moment.

“So, what are you going to do now? She’s clearly not socialized at all.”

“She can still be taught.”

“Beastfolk aren’t like humans. Even among their own kind, they tend not to mingle unless it’s their original group. And if they’re like the foxes of Baekwoongok, completely isolated from other races, it’s even worse.”

It wasn’t an unreasonable statement.

There’s even a real-life example, The Jungle Book. A story based on a true event.

A boy raised by wolves was later found by hunters and brought to an orphanage, but despite being human, he couldn’t adapt to human society.

Where you’re born and raised makes a huge difference.

Beastfolk, who share both human and animal characteristics, would naturally have an even harder time.

But that’s fine.

“Don’t worry. I can raise her without any problems.”

“Don’t tell me you plan to use violence…”

“What do you take me for? Of course not. Now leave, please. You’re disrupting our bonding time.”

I picked up the motionless Rin, tucking her under my arm, and escorted Seyra out, closing the door behind her.

Then I opened it again.

“By the way, can you bring us some food? The kid must be hungry.”

“What kind of father are you—?”

Thud.

I shut the door and sat down on the bed, laying Rin across my lap. I wanted to give her full freedom, but it was still too early for that.

I’ll have to get some chains and tie her to a post before I can let her roam.

“Let’s see… Most of your wounds seem to be healing well. Your fur is a bit ragged, though. I’ll have to take care of that.”

For now, I’d dressed her in a simple, loose white dress. I wasn’t planning to buy her new clothes for a while since she’d quickly outgrow them during her growth spurt.

“Grrrr.”

“The lady will bring food soon. Let’s play nicely until then, okay?”

“Roar!”

Sigh. She doesn’t seem to understand me.

But no problem. I’ve prepared for this. I memorized some fox language just in case.

“Hati-hati-hati-ho.”

“Grrr…”

“Wapapapapau.”

“Yelp!”

Well, that didn’t work.

‘Hmm, that’s odd.’

What went wrong? My fox imitation should have been flawless. Maybe the problem is that Rin wasn’t properly socialized.

But that’s okay. As her master, I’ll show her patience and understanding.

For now, words weren’t getting through, and Rin’s hostility toward me was still sky-high. Whatever I said, she wouldn’t budge. So, I settled for stroking her tail.

How long did I wait like that? Gradually, her growls subsided, and instead, she started sniffing the air. Her head turned toward the door.

Click.

“I brought food.”

Seyra appeared with plates in both hands, kicking the door open with her foot.

“Thanks. Just set it down on the floor.”

“Do you even realize how low it is to manipulate someone’s basic needs like this?”

“Tell that to the foxes of Baekwoongok. Do you really think these thin limbs could handle anything on their own?”

“…”

Seyra couldn’t think of a counterargument, so she just sighed and set the food down before leaving.

The smell of meat quickly filled the room. It was so appetizing I started salivating, so I could only imagine how Rin felt.

Sure enough, she was instantly glued to the food. Actual drool dripped from her mouth, not just a metaphorical waterfall, but a real one.

If I remembered correctly, Rin had survived in the village by scavenging a few potatoes and sweet potatoes.

Meat? She hadn’t even seen it, let alone tasted it.

While Rin was out luring in the yokai, the villagers ate well among themselves.

Even though foxes are omnivores, eating nothing but potatoes for years must’ve been miserable. Even a potato-obsessed character from Springtime Outing would have asked, “Does your house only have potatoes?”

Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you eat so much meat today that your belly bursts. Though it won’t be free.

“Do you want to eat?”

Flinch.

Rin trembled. Her gaze, which had been fixed on the meat, shifted to me.

She wasn’t growling anymore.

Her heterochromatic eyes, one the color of the sun and the other the color of the moon, gleamed wildly, as if they were ready to explode.

Even without saying anything, she knew. She knew whose permission she needed to eat that food.

“If you promise to listen to me, I’ll let you eat.”

“…!”

“All you have to do is follow my words. That’s it. Simple, right?”

Rin, with her intelligence still at a five-year-old’s level, prioritized her instincts above all. She nodded madly.

“Good. If you behave, I’ll reward you.”

I sat Rin down on the bed and brought the plate over. I was going to feed her myself.

Even though we’d made a deal, I knew better than to trust a verbal contract with a child. If I wasn’t careful, I might lose a hand.

I stabbed a piece of juicy meat with a fork. As I lifted it, Rin’s eyes followed like a magnet, never breaking contact, no matter where I moved it.

Alright, time to stop teasing.

I brought the meat close to her mouth, and with a wide-open “Waaang!” she bit into it.

At that moment, Rin’s eyes widened in shock.

Since she couldn’t move her hands, I fed her little by little, and while she was distracted by the food, I stroked her head with my other hand.

Slowly, so she could get used to it.

So she’d come to accept my touch.

“Remember the taste of this meat well. As long as you listen to me, you can enjoy delicious meals every day.”

“Grrr!”

“Ah, seriously.”

But it lasted only as long as she was eating.

Now that her belly was full, she’s back to being a bratty little fox.