The real beginning of raising her had started. No, calling it “raising” felt more like “parenting.”

Bathing her. Teaching her how to speak. Feeding her by hand.

On top of that, she constantly watched for opportunities to escape, and at times, even seemed to be plotting my demise. Not even the most troublesome children could compare to her.

But was it difficult?

‘Absolutely not.’

After all, foxes are cute. When something is cute, you can forgive anything. I finally understand why people become doting fathers.

“Yip!”

Rin barked at me.

After spending so much time together, I could roughly tell why she barked. This one meant she wanted food.

“No. You just ate.”

“Yip!”

“I said no. I’m not raising a pig.”

“Hmph!”

Rin snorted, curling up as if to say she had no more use for me. She lay down, grooming her tail with her tongue, ignoring me completely.

She only pretends to listen when it’s time to eat. As soon as she’s full and warm, she acts like she doesn’t know me.

‘What a cheeky little fox.’

I had expected this behavior, but that didn’t make it any less annoying. There were times I almost wanted to give her a little flick on the forehead.

‘But I must hold back.’

If I resorted to violence, our relationship would be ruined for good. But leaving her be would make all the money I spent on her food feel wasted. So, I decided on a little revenge of my own.

“Yip?”

I picked up Rin, who had curled up on the floor, and placed her on the bed. Hugging her from behind like a back hug, I buried my face in her fluffy tail.

“Sniff… Ohhh… what a heavenly smell.”

Her tail had that deep, concentrated scent.

Was this what people meant by “tail addiction”? The smell was so intoxicating it was almost dangerous. I inhaled deeply like a vacuum cleaner, drawing in every bit of the aroma.

“Yip!”

Rin panicked.

She tried to make an emergency escape, but it was no use. My arms and legs were wrapped around her like an octopus.

This was the punishment for daring to bare her teeth at her master.

Her tail quivered. Her cheeks were soft and squishy.

“Grghhh…!”

Her little paws were tender and pliable. I gently slipped my fingers between her toes.

Rin struggled, thrashing about in my arms, but it was a futile effort.

“Yipppp!”

No chance.

Nyohohohohooo.

 

‘Ugh, even playing with her is exhausting.’

After finishing up a playful tussle with Rin, I left the inn to take care of some other business.

Even when there are tasks that absolutely need to be done, having at least a little personal motivation makes the job more enjoyable. That’s what leads to job satisfaction.

When you handle tasks solely for public reasons, without any selfish interest, you don’t realize how grueling it can be. Playing with Rin was exactly that kind of task.

Sigh, I’d better start planning out my to-do list for later.

‘Gotta squeeze her sides and calves… and get in some belly raspberries too.’

Work has to be done thoroughly, after all.

“Oh, young man! You’ve come again today?”

I stopped by the market.

It was a fish stall run by a bear beastfolk. I came to buy fish to feed the catfolk.

“Haha, yes, I’m here again.”

“The fish are piled up in that bucket over there. Since you’re buying so much, I’ll give you a discount. Just 10 silver.”

“Thank you.”

“Thank me? It’s all good. You’re buying fish for the catfolk, right?”

Even the bear lady knew.

After feeding the cats so often, I’d become something of a famous "cat-mom" in Bestia.

“That’s right. Is it strange?”

“Not at all! It’s a blessing for me. Those cats used to steal from me like stray thieves, but now that you’re buying fish for them, I have a steady income. I won’t even need to prepare for the winter this year.”

Do bears hibernate?

At this point, this bear lady feels more like a circus performer than just a beastfolk shopkeeper.

“Young man, why don’t you just settle down here in Bestia?”

“I’d love to, but I have too many other things to take care of. I’ll keep buying from you until I leave, though.”

After telling her I’d be back tomorrow, I took the bucket of fresh fish and headed toward the alley where the catfolk gathered.

Sure enough, the catfolk were already lined up. I didn’t even need to say anything; they knew the drill by now.

“You’re late today, nyan!”

“That’s how it is, Zho-Nyangi. But it looks like we have more cats today than yesterday.”

The line stretched down the alley and around the corner. Just from a rough count, there were about 30 of them.

“Word’s gotten out that a human is handing out fish for free, nyan.”

Just as planned.

I smiled warmly at them.

“Come on in, everyone! If you make a contract with me, the fish is free!”

 

Once again, I succeeded in raising my popularity with the catfolk.

If I ran a shop, I’d hire them to give cat massages or something. That way, I could print money. What a shame.

“Buy a newspaper! News from the Kingdom of Bestia and the Kingdom of Traul!”

A dog beastfolk was walking around, selling newspapers. His white hair had pink-tinted tips at the ends of his twin tails.

“Poppy?”

“Huh? How do you know my name… Do I know you?”

I had a hunch, but it really was Poppy.

Of course, in a game world like this, there’s no way they wouldn’t have included a character like Poppy.

“Poppy is so famous in the human world! There’s no one who doesn’t know your name.”

“R-Really? I’m that famous?”

Poppy looked at me in disbelief, but it was true. Anyone who hears the name "Poppy" immediately knows what they look like, right?

If the image of a yordle wielding a hammer came to mind… I’m sorry.

“Poppy, I’ll take a copy of the paper.”

“Ah, sure! It’s 30 copper!”

“I don’t carry copper with me. Keep the change, and buy yourself some dog treats.”

I handed over a silver coin.

Poppy stared at the silver coin in his hand, dumbfounded.

“T-Thank you, sir! May you be blessed!”

“Haha, don’t mention it. And be careful during the summer.”

After exchanging some warm pleasantries with Poppy, I sat on a bench and unfolded the newspaper.

The headline article on the front page read:

– Lady Huba of the Unseol Family Engaged to the Barrenhar Family of Traul Kingdom.

Lady Huba, who was leaving her territory, tearfully declared, “I am the precious jewel of the Unseol family!” The people were so moved by her noble sacrifice that their tears formed a river…

“Hmm.”

An arranged marriage between a noble of the Traul Kingdom and a noble of Bestia.

The fact that it involved a human and a beastfolk was intriguing, but not all that surprising. Arranged marriages to foster alliances between kingdoms were common.

Next article.

– Elves from the Great Forest Entering Society?

Recently, young elf girls from the Great Forest have been shedding their veils and making appearances. Reports have emerged that these elves are working in human taverns, serving drinks and socializing with patrons, causing a major stir…

What?

Elves working in taverns?

Who on earth…

‘Whose brilliant idea was this?’

Elves, dressed up and serving drinks—of course that would rake in the money. Whoever came up with it must be a genius.

‘But why are elves working in taverns?’

Elves, of all people, serving humans? Given their pride and sense of superiority, they wouldn’t do that willingly.

What kind of wind is blowing through the elven world?

There was more to the article, so I kept reading.

The elves were spearheading a new trading company called the Reaper’s Company.

Again with the "Reaper"?

Whoever came up with that name has no sense. You can tell a lot about a person’s future just by the names they choose, and this company was doomed from the start.

While some of us are running around collecting slaves, others are sitting comfortably, making easy money.

I hope their business crashes and burns.

With nothing else in the paper catching my interest, I folded it up. Time to go give Rin some belly raspberries.

Rumble…

Thunder rumbled in the distance.

Looking up, I saw dark clouds rolling in from the horizon.

It looked like rain was on the way.

 

The wind and rain lashed against the windows.

Lightning flashed, followed by the crash of thunder.

When Karamir asked Rin, “Are you scared of the thunder? Should we sleep together tonight?” she responded with a snort of disdain and curled up in the corner of the room.

Around her ankle was a chain, the one Karamir had procured. It was slightly loose, and padded with fur so it wasn’t uncomfortable.

Rin coiled her long, bushy tail around herself, using it as both a blanket and pillow. From above, she formed a perfect circle.

“Yawn…”

The sleeping conditions were completely different from what she was used to. The environment, too, was unlike anything she’d ever experienced, so it was understandable if she had trouble falling asleep.

But her belly was full from a meal unlike anything she had ever tasted.

In the village, the other foxfolk had made her sleep outside, and she often had to leap up in the middle of the night to lure away yokai.

Having lived in such harsh conditions, the change in her environment only made it easier for her to sleep now.

“…”

Rin stared at Karamir, who was sleeping on the bed.

She didn’t understand why he was being so kind to her. Sure, she was grateful for the delicious food, but she still didn’t trust him.

Just as humans warn their children, “Don’t follow strangers,” the foxfolk taught their young, “Humans will skin beastfolk alive.”

Rin had never been formally taught this, but she had overheard such lessons passed down through the generations. Even with her young mental age, it was natural for her to have internalized the idea that humans were dangerous.

So there had to be something suspicious about Karamir. Even if he wasn’t acting on it yet, he would eventually betray her when misfortune struck and throw her out.

But Rin didn’t mind. It wasn’t like she was born pink by choice.

Until he inevitably drove her away, she was determined to eat as much delicious food as she could.

She closed her eyes, hoping to dream about eating more meat.

Saaa…

A breeze stirred.

A cold, eerie breeze.

Something was off. All the windows were closed, so there was no way wind could have entered the room. Rin opened her eyes in confusion.

“Yip…?”

The air in the room had changed.

It felt like an invisible force was twisting the space, warping it with a deep, cold indigo mist that spiraled in a reverse helix.

Out of the dense darkness, a shape began to emerge.

It had no clear form, like a shadow. An enormous scythe was gripped in its bony hand, and an ominous indigo light spread from it, filling the room with an otherworldly glow.

It wasn’t easy to see in the dark, but—

Boom!

Lightning flashed, and for a brief moment, Rin saw it clearly. Just for a second, but it was enough for her to capture the image in her mind.

The Reaper.

It was the Reaper.

The skull under the hood flashed with a ghostly blue light.