There was a time in Irene’s life, too—a time when she was innocent, pure, and incapable of doubting others. A time when she fell for adults’ lies and, even when she realized she’d been tricked, still smiled foolishly. Even she had regrets she despised the most.

—“Irene.”

The village, once peaceful, had turned into a scene of chaos.

Burning hay, the acrid scent of smoke, and the cries of the desperate surrounded her, but the old man with white hair stood motionless. In his hand, he held a lone sword.

—“You can no longer stay by my side… nor should you.”

—“So, this is goodbye.”

The wrinkles at the corners of his eyes curved into a gentle smile.

Even with a storm of nightmares looming close, there was not a hint of fear in his gaze. Only a faint, serene smile crossed his face as he spoke his final request.

—“Please, live on.”

Then, the old man turned his back.

He faced the approaching hunters alone, buying time for the other foxes to escape.

For a long while, the sound of clashing steel echoed under the darkened sky.

The young fox girl fled in tears.

In her hands were younger foxes who needed her protection.

She swallowed her falling tears and ran. Amidst the despair consuming her heart, only a crimson hatred began to bloom.

Those who had turned her daily life into hell—

—“I’m just a businessman from the capital.”

—“I happened to pass by your village on business. Now that I’m here, I’d like to befriend you.”

—“I want to be your friend.”

Humans.

If she hadn’t fallen for that lie, she wouldn’t have lost everything.

The girl was plagued by nightmares every night.

A prison of iron bars that trapped her life.

She scratched at the walls, cursing, and made a vow.

She would never trust humans again.

She swore never to open her heart in a world full of liars.

The fox became consumed by distrust.

—“I trust no one.”

It had always been that way.

The girl was always alone.

---

“How ridiculous.”

Irene muttered.

Was it because she had encountered slave traders again so unexpectedly?

Bitter memories resurfaced against her will.

She bit her lip, trying to dispel the intrusive thoughts and focus on the present moment.

A slight tremble clung to her fingertips. In response, she tightened her grip on her sword, forcing her eyes to stay sharp.

“…”

Irene had already disembarked from the carriage.

When the speed began to slow, she leaped out and quickly hid in a nearby alleyway, observing the situation in silence.

The carriages had stopped at a remote dock.

There wasn’t a soul in sight besides the guards bustling about, moving the slaves.

The occasional cries reached her ears.

Irene held her breath, listening to the shouts echoing around her.

—“Stop whining and move faster!”

—“If you try to run, you’ll die. You’d better behave.”

—“We’re setting sail soon! Check everything again!”

The guards shouted as they organized the area.

The scene was busy, chaotic.

Slaves, chained and being led like cattle, passed by.

Irene calmly surveyed her surroundings.

It looked like they were preparing to leave.

She vaguely heard talk of a departure, which suggested they would be traveling by ship.

If that was the case, a vessel must be waiting nearby.

As she mulled over her deduction, her eyes scanned the dock.

“…Huh?”

There, amidst the dark waters, stood a silhouette that caught her attention.

A colossal shape that was hard to take in all at once.

Even floating on the sea, it exuded an imposing presence.

It was as if multiple luxury liners had been combined—a ship so enormous that it defied belief.

The fox stared in stunned silence.

“What is… that?”

Even while staring directly at it, the sheer size seemed unreal.

Had she not looked closely, she might have mistaken it for a hotel set against the shore.

What was this monstrous ship?

The slaves were all being led aboard.

‘It’s his doing.’

Irene’s instincts told her the answer.

A shadowy figure in the underworld, someone who moved vast amounts of capital through numerous illegal ventures.

Known only as the "Merchant."

She had heard of him once, during the time she was caged.

Eavesdropping on the guards’ boasts, she remembered fragments of their conversations.

There was talk of a vessel used to transport illegal slaves, weapons, and explosives across countries.

—“Didn’t I tell you? I’ve been on that ship before!”

—“It’s the boss’s trading ship. It’s so huge that it looks like a building.”

—“It must cost a fortune. Can’t even compare it to buying a hotel.”

—“Yeah, the boss said there are only three of them.”

At the time, she thought it was just boasting.

But the idiot had been right.

The merchant’s influence was beyond anything she could have imagined.

The boldness that had driven her to act faltered at the sight of this unexpected obstacle.

‘This is… beyond what I can handle.’

Irene was not the type to ignore injustice, but she wasn’t foolish enough to rush in blindly.

She knew how to assess the situation and recognize her limits.

This enemy was insurmountable for one person alone.

And given an operation of this scale, there was likely at least one “hound” aboard.

Withdrawing now was the wisest choice.

‘I need to seek help instead.’

Irene began to back away, ready to retreat.

She kept her breathing quiet as she moved toward the dark alleyway, trying to slip away.

Then suddenly, a presence made itself known.

“Well, well—look who we have here.”

A voice brushed past her ear.

Someone was standing behind her.

“…?!”

Irene turned, drawing her sword, but it was too late.

A powerful blow struck her head.

*Smack!*

Her consciousness began to fade rapidly.

Her body went limp and collapsed.

Through her blurred vision, she saw a figure in a gray robe.

The man had a nasty smirk.

“Look who’s come crawling back on her own, the runaway fox.”

A hound.

Irene realized too late.

‘No way.’

She had been played from the start.

From the moment she boarded the carriage, the hound had known she was there.

The man grabbed her hair roughly.

“Nice to see you again, you little fox.”

Her fading vision turned dark.

Irene lost consciousness.

---

Who knew how much time had passed?

What brought the fox back to her senses was none other than a splash of water.

*Splaash—*

Ice-cold water splashed over her face.

The shock forced Irene to awaken, blinking to focus on her surroundings.

She was in a large space filled with stacked cargo.

It seemed she had been brought inside the ship she saw earlier.

“Feel awake now? A little water does wonders, doesn’t it?”

An irritating voice echoed in her ears.

Before her, the man in the gray robe stood, grinning down at her.

The hound snickered, looking at her sprawled on the floor.

“What a lucky day for me. The runaway fox comes back on her own.”

The man greeted her with a sneer.

“I missed you so much, you wretched fox.”

“…”

Irene recognized him instantly.

The hounds.

They were the merchant’s personal enforcers, tasked with handling the dirtiest jobs.

Bound by ropes, Irene’s body tensed as she glared at him.

“Oh? Still giving me that look?”

Did he find it amusing?

The hound scoffed, then pressed his boot into her face.

“You should be thankful you’re considered high-quality merchandise. If it weren’t for the boss’s orders, I’d have gouged out those eyes of yours long ago.”

“Grr…!”

Even as she groaned, she didn’t avert her gaze.

Instead, her eyes burned with hatred.

This man had turned her village to ashes and led the hunt for her kind.

The mocking voice continued.

“Our boss was furious because of you. No one imagined you’d manage to escape from there.”

“…”

“Honestly, even I’m curious. How did you pull it off? It makes no sense that you could break out alone. I even heard that the iron bars were left open, as if unlocked with a key.”

“…”

“Did someone from outside help you? After swearing off humans so much, did you end up relying on one of them?”

“Screw you.”

*Spit—*

Rather than answer, Irene spat at him.

For a moment, the hound’s eyes flared with rage, but he exhaled slowly, reigning himself in.

It was clear he was following his employer’s orders with effort.

“…Well, it doesn’t matter now. You’re back in our hands.”

No matter how much she struggled, she was within their grasp.

The hound signaled to the soldiers standing by.

“Take this brat to the cage. I have an appointment with a guest.”

“Yes, sir!”

The soldiers responded, lifting the fox and dragging her away.

Her fiery red hair hung limp.

 

 

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TL NOTE: Please don't skimp on the stars for the translation - it inspires me and gives me the strength to write more. Thank you~!

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