《I Raised a Nine Tailed Fox Wrongly》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve made a blunder this big!¡± Scylla, who was standing still, was startled out of her daze, an old woman had suddenly got excited and approached her. ¡°¡­Yeah?¡± ¡°Look at this! It¡¯s a baby fox monster with nine tails!¡± The old woman, who had just recently settled in the West, opened her eyes wide and pointed to the fox. Scylla looked down at the injured fox. Nine shimmering silver tails. The reason why Scylla, a knight, inquired about the woman from the eastern continent was because of her tail. ¡®It seems to be a monster from the East, but it didn¡¯t feel okay to kill him immediately.¡¯ Thought Scylla demonstrating her good-naturedness as a knight. The old lady¡¯s expression grew serious, perhaps this fox cub was not a normal monster. ¡°A fox monster is born with one tail and grows another every hundred years. The number of tails is the same as the age of the fox ¡± ¡°A hundred years? Then nine tails¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a 900-year-old fox monster. They call it the Nine-Tailed Fox.¡± Silia shook her head. ¡°But this fox is a cub.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s a problem, so take it!¡± The blotched face of Roh, the old woman, started to show how deeply troubled she was. ¡®If a little fox is born with nine tails, what would be the identity of the beauty who gave birth to it?¡¯ Scylla shut her mouth. She had no idea. She was already troubled by the issue of animals being smuggled into the West from the East. The worst of them was this monster, foxes were one of the products prepared to be sold to eccentric aristocrats. Because monsters were able to transform into humans, nobles sexually harassed them without it being considered harassment. It was also the reason why the general knights couldn¡¯t interfere, they didn¡¯t have the resources to endure the nobles¡¯ wrath, hence couldn¡¯t act if Scylla was exposed for harboring a monster. ¡°There¡¯s no way a baby Gumiho can be conceived without the womb of Cheonho. Meaning the mother is probably a Cheonho.¡± [T/N: Cheonho-is a thousand years fox.] ¡°What is Cheonho?¡± ¡°A Cheonho is a thousand-year-old fox, usually associated with heaven. It¡¯s a spirit animal.¡± Scylla¡¯s face gradually became more confused as the series of strange words were thrown at her. The old woman clicked her tongue and changed her words to fit the Western culture. ¡°Like unicorns.¡± Celia¡¯s eyes became round. ¡°Unicorns? You mean the guardian?¡± ¡°Yes. What if you mess with the animals of God? You are punished by Heaven!¡± ¡°Then what do we do? Do I have to let it go?¡± ¡°That¡¯s stupid talk!¡± The old woman became frightened at Scylla¡¯s words. ¡°He comes from the womb of a spirit, but he¡¯s basically a monster! If you let him go, he¡¯ll mercilessly eat the people of the Western lands!¡± ¡®The more she talked, the more I felt a splitting headache coming on.¡¯ ¡°If you kill it, you¡¯ll be punished by Heaven, but if you let it go you¡¯ll die, what will you do? ¡°That¡¯s why I said I caught it wrong.¡± Scylla was lost for words and shut her mouth. The old woman looked into Scylla¡¯s green eyes and sighed. Scylla tried to encompass her spirit, and inhale clean, clear air into her lungs to determine if what she was seeing was real. Suddenly, the old woman¡¯s face seemed to distort. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± asked. The old woman who was once a divine woman who communicated with the Divine Spirit, but was deported from the East for her sins. Even though she was a newly reincarnated woman, she could not resist the old voice that asked for her name. ¡°I¡¯m asking. What¡¯s your name?¡± Roh asked She answered reluctantly, ¡°Scylla.¡± ¡°I see. Scylla. Listen carefully to what I¡¯m going to say from now on.¡± The old woman said meaningfully, looking down at the nine-tailed fox while wheezing. ¡°Educate this fellow until he becomes an adult and take him to the East.¡± ¡°¡­Take care of it?¡± ¡°This monster, who can take the form of a human being, is a very mysterious creature. It holds a meaning similar to that of the Dragon of the West.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s up to you to take care of it, and raise it as the God of heaven or the devil of hell.¡± As she said this the old woman¡¯s eyes flashed with a curious light, then continued. ¡°Listen carefully. You¡¯ll have to go to the East, and leave him there before coming back if you want to keep living as easily as you are now.¡± ¡®Is my life easy right now?¡¯ The old woman¡¯s words sounded mysterious, but Scylla¡¯s interest was elsewhere, ¡°Then the people of the East will suffer.¡± The old woman laughed ironically. She seemed to know what to ask. ¡°No, I will find the Thousand Age Fox who went up to heaven. Then his mother will come to pick him up.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Scylla.¡± Scylla met the woman¡¯s bewitched gaze, her clear eyes shone, reflecting Scylla like a mirror. ¡°This fox must be raised by you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to see Cheonho¡¯s cub become the devil of hell, follow what I say. Do you understand?¡± ¡®I wanted to ask why it must be me, who raised the cub but I couldn¡¯t.¡¯ Thought Scylla, unable to reply. The old woman lifted the cage containing the Nine-Tailed Fox and carried it in her arms as if she knew he was meant to be taken away. She draped a veil over the iron spear embedded in the nine-tailed fox, careful not to irritate the wound. They stood in a stinking alleyway void of rats; however, if you were lucky you could meet just the right people. ¡°Thank you.¡± Spoke the old woman. Scylla, who was concealed within her cloak, turned around with precision. ¡°This job must be rewarding¡­¡± A voice resounded in the alley. Scylla opened her eyes wide without speaking. There was no one else in the alley, she stood still, and looked around trying to find the voice. The old woman was nowhere to be found and only Scylla remained in the alleyway. She unknowingly trembled, somehow it had become creepily cold. The spirit of the old woman entered her body like she had been there all along. *** That night, Scylla had a strange dream. She dreamed a man was hugging her from behind. One hand was around her waist, and the other which had a strangely blue vein, held her body. No, Scylla could say it wasn¡¯t simply a dream. The man held her tightly, he was at least 170 centimeters tall, making Scylla fit perfectly inside his arms. She twisted herself to escape his hold, but he didn¡¯t budge. His size was such that Scylla could see him hugging her breast like a thin needle. It wasn¡¯t human strength, that was for sure. ¡°You taught me.¡± Baritone¡¯s voice from the dungeon resurfaced from the back of her mind. Scylla unknowingly trembled. Hot breath dissipated at the nape of her throat. She could feel a timid smile on her lips. ¡°I have instinct.¡± The man spoke. His enchanting red lips formed a thin line, it was the expression of an agitated man. ¡°Even a well-trained dog has an instinct. What about me?¡± ¡°Y-you¡¯re mistaken.¡± Scylla stuttered. ¡°Where¡¯s the beast that¡¯s mistaken for its appearance?¡± The man whispered affectionately. ¡°I¡¯m more of a spirit than just a mere animal. You know that Scylla , right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You taught me well. So I won¡¯t do anything dangerous.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°But you can¡¯t run away.¡± He tightened his grip on her forearm. ¡°Help me to keep being nice, Scylla. Stay by my side.¡± Forever. Scylla woke up from her dream soaked in sweat. Chapter 2 Scyllia has always been alone. As soon as she was born, she was abandoned on the outskirts of the Holy Land with her umbilical cord left intact and uncleaned. A priest eventually saved her from becoming a monster¡¯s meal and brought her to the nursery. It wasn¡¯t such a bad environment. The nursery was old and shabby, but the atmosphere was harmonious. Sometimes she was hungry, but it wasn¡¯t a place where she should be hungry for affection. But there was a problem with Scyllia. Only Scyllia, she was the only flaw. ¡°Priest! Scyllia is about to become a monster again!¡± Bright sunlight-like hair, milky skin, and deep, tranquil eyes like a light jade. Scyllia easily won people¡¯s favor because of her lovely appearance. And as much as she easily gained favor, she was quickly hated by many too. It was because of the stigma surrounding her due to the curse on her left shoulder. The people in the nursery murmured that her beautiful appearance was meant to bewitch people and carry the curse. ¡°She must be a witch or a monster.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I heard that witches have pretty faces. She¡¯s trying to kill us with a curse.¡± When she heard her friends whispering, little Sycllia thought: ¡®Right. That¡¯s why my parents abandoned me.¡¯ Scyllia felt sick at the hands of the priest who was nice to her, although it was against his own will. She knew it wasn¡¯t true, that¡¯s why she felt her heart breaking. Especially on days when a seizure came to her, they made a fuss, saying that Sycllia was finally trying to become a monster. ¡°Scyllia!¡± The priest screamed, calling her name. The children¡¯s buzz. Scyllia wanted to hide under her bed every time. If it weren¡¯t for the burning pain in her left shoulder, she would have hidden. But it was so painful that all she could do was nothing but struggle. Not only did the curse somehow hurt others, but it also hurt Scyllia herself. ¡°Argh! Arghhhhh!¡± Her cute face was hideous, and her limbs convulsed violently like an upturned spider. The pain was expected. But no one knew the pain. Nobody. Both the priests and children just found Sycllia¡¯s flounder gross. When Scyllia began to ruffle, the adult priests clung and harshly persecuted her. They crushed her head relentlessly on the floor, suppressing her wet body with force, and took off her torn top. Then the scar of the black curse was revealed on the left shoulder. ¡°It hurts! It hurts so much!¡± The priests ignored Sycllia¡¯s tearful appeal and poured holy water into the curse. Sycllia thrashed even more, like a bug struck with an insect repellant. Dozens of pairs of eyes would peek at her squirming down the window. ¡°Look at that.¡± ¡°Oh, I feel bad.¡± Scyllia understood her friends who hated her. Even the priests who could not hide the contempt from their faces also understood this. Those who tried to spread bad rumors about Scyllia or were mean to her must have been angry, as some did fall down the stairs or worse, died from her curse. The curse is real. Sycllia is really a cursed child. Thus it was natural to hate her. ¡°Scyllia is a cursed child. You must take her evil life away.¡± ¡°Sycllia has holy powers. It is our duty to raise all children with holy powers safely and send them to the Holy Land.¡± Although the priest insisted so, Scyllia knew. They are just afraid. They are trying to close their eyes on the pretext of her possessing holy powers, in fear of Scyllia¡¯s curse harming them. ¡°Scyllia, you¡¯re a curse, but the merciful Solar gave you his power. We, who are members of his will, do not know his will, but we shouldn¡¯t be complaining about His power. If you want to protect your life to the end, behave yourself.¡± She thanked the priest for not kicking her out anyway. ¡°If we won¡¯t let you join us in playing tag, will you curse us?¡± ¡°It was very gruesome when you received the holy water. The struggle! You were like a crushed caterpillar!¡± Even if Scyllia was teased and harassed, she was grateful to her friends who tried to put up with her anyway. Hate and more hate, even if dagger-like words were shot like a swarm of bees¡­ she can still live. Because she wanted to live. ¡°I don¡¯t have to play tag. I¡¯ll play with dolls instead.¡± She just wanted to live. Scyllia realized early that she was in no position to grieve. So, she was grateful that she could live. The power of Solar, the God of the West, was used as a shield to withstand evil. She was naturalized in the Holy Land because she didn¡¯t want to die, but she didn¡¯t feel safe, so she became a knight. The nursery on the periphery where she grew up was shut down shortly after, because it was situated in a difficult area to raise children. Those who remained tight-lipped in fear of her curse, spread throughout the Holy Land and disappeared like a mirage. Scyllia, who became a knight, hid the curse by covering her body with armor. She put on a cold mask and didn¡¯t let anyone in. So until then, she was alone. Never cried, never leaned on someone. Never fallen down, never made a weak sound. Alone. Only by herself. All she knew was to hang in there, so she¡¯s just ignorant. Loneliness was repressed by training, sadness by monster subjugation, and pain was suppressed by gags. That¡¯s how she lived. ¡®Raise this little fox.¡¯ How suffocating. There was a moment of silence as Scylia looked at the iron cage covered with cotton cloth. She woke up in the middle of the night and proceeded doing this. The beautiful blond hair was tangled like a straw, but she was not in the right mind to tidy herself up. It was because of the strange dream that made her feel restless. ¡®Who is that man?¡¯ A dream with her being tightly held by a man. Scyllia was a person who had no history of being held by anyone since her days in the nursery. Even the man¡¯s appearance was not easily forgotten because he looked like a beautiful woman that she could cry. ¡®I¡¯ve never seen a man like that.¡¯ She had never seen such a man that looked so alluring with his hair down. Throughout her life, she has only dealt with monsters and knights. She has never seen such a bewitching man, ever since she was born. ¡®I don¡¯t have a good imagination. I can¡¯t believe that such a person appeared in my dream¡­¡¯ Scyllia came to her senses and shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not the time to be like this. I have to think about what to do.¡± She sat for long, then eventually faltered and approached the cage. ¡®Should I look at its condition?¡¯ When she took off the cloth, she found the gumiho, who was severely injured, unconscious. Scyllia was stunned when she saw that. ¡®How can I cure it?¡¯ Treatment. She¡¯s the cure. ¡®Oh my God¡­¡¯ How can a cursed human cure a young life? She would have died if she were in her own hands. The fox was on the verge of running out of breath. If Scyllia didn¡¯t take action, it was going to die tomorrow. ¡°Grrrr¡­..¡± A tearful cry broke Sycllia¡¯s panic. ¡°I¡¯m- I¡¯m sorry.¡± She awkwardly apologized and pulled the gumiho out of the cage. ¡®You¡¯re a monster, so holy water won¡¯t work right?¡¯ She covered the wounds with the herbs from the healing priests, but she was not sure if she had done it properly. Looking down at such a sick fox, she was mesmerized again. ¡°Woo, eung¡­..¡± The fox started grunting while unconscious. Animals and monsters seemed to have nightmares rather than crying in pain, because they hide their spirits when seriously injured. ¡°Shhh¡­¡± Scyllia held the gumiho wrapped tightly with a bandage in her arms. The warmth of the skin gave her goosebumps. The energy of life other than her own was strange and awkward. ¡®What should I do with you?¡¯ Scyllia sighed and fell into agony when she suddenly thought of a healing priest. She was eccentric and outspoken, but she¡¯s not a bad person. ¡®If you leave it like this, the gumiho might die. I have to ask for help.¡¯ The healing priest would be displeased, but she would not be able to ignore a life hurting. She was a woman who had a sense of duty in her job and had no lies in expressing emotions. Everyone avoided her because of her rough personality, but she¡¯s trustworthy because she¡¯s honest. ¡®Besides, for some reason she seemed to like me.¡¯ Scyllia wondered about that quite a bit, but it was a relief that the situation had come to this. ¡®I¡¯m sure it¡¯s okay to get help.¡¯ It was her first time asking someone for help. She felt a sense of skepticism as she was about to do something she hasn¡¯t done in her life. ¡°I¡¯m gonna have to raise you and get you out of here. So grow up. Huh?¡± Sycllia whispered like a song, scurrying over the little fox in her arms. ¡°When you grow up, you¡¯ll become independent. When you become an adult, I will let you go. Then fly like a butterfly.¡± Freely. Unlike herself who can¡¯t get out of this curse. ¡°You¡¯re a monster now, but since you¡¯re a child of heaven, you can be a spiritual creature if you train.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Become a spiritual creature and be loved. Make a lot of friends. Meet a pretty fox and share your love. Be free and happy.¡± Scyllia sang a lullaby, telling the fox all the dreams and wishes she had. Meanwhile the fox, who had nightmares, fell asleep. It happened that moment when Scyllia put the quiet fox back inside the cage. ¡°Ugh!¡± A sudden stabbing pain began from the scar on her left shoulder. Scyllia, accustomed to groaning, went deep into the bedroom and muzzled her mouth. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± Now she knows how not to cry and how to hold back the groans. She knows everything, but¡­ This pain. She hasn¡¯t gotten used to this terrible pain that eats her life. A quiet night while the fox is asleep. Scyllia¡¯s distressing time to repress her pain began to flow quietly. The next morning, Scyllia finally called the healing priest because of the feverish fox. As soon as the priest heard Scyllia¡¯s request, she replied, ¡°What¡¯s going on for the Captain to request something?¡± Nevertheless, she took her things and followed Scyllia carefully. She had a rather excited face. ¡°Are we finally getting a little closer?¡± She mumbled something alone, but it was far too fast for Scyllia to understand. Anyway, Scyllia showed the fox, thinking it was relief that she was in a good mood. The priest stopped humming excitedly and grabbed her cheek. ¡°Monster!¡± It was a scream equivalent to that of a dolphin¡¯s. Chapter 3 Chapter 03 TL-Mechatronic The healing priest, Shula, was a woman everyone avoided due to her eccentric personality. She did not discriminate whether the opponent was ordained in a higher level or lower level than herself. Therefore, even though she had excellent healing powers, she was stationed at the Holy Paladins camp in the Empire, as if exiled. Not even Scyllia escaped her harsh remarks. ¡°Are you crazy, Commander?¡± Looking at her momentum, she was about to grab Scyllia by the collar and shake her senseless. ¡°Take it and throw it away!¡± ¡°Shula.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just any fox! It¡¯s a Nine-tailed-fox! It is said that they bewitch people and suck their energy!¡± Shula was so frenetic that she didn¡¯t even notice Scyllia¡¯s embarrassment. Normally, people would have looked at Scyllia with wide-open eyes, saying that it was rare to see such a face on the Commander. Needless to say, she was a paladin with a solemn atmosphere akin to a moving sacred statue. Thin waist, tight sleek muscles and firm legs that seem to never end. An emotionless mouth that is tightly closed in a straight line. Even those who persecuted women for holding a sword, saying it was unfaithful, shut up in front of Scyllia. She, who seemed to have cold ice water flowing through her veins, was the perfect example of a holy paladin itself. The body, which had been forged all her life, was as slender as a rapier, and her graceful jade-colored eyes had never lost her composure. Upon closer inspection, she had gentle eyes, but few noticed that fact. It was because everyone avoided her gaze when she looked at them with her expressionless face, as if all, their filthy thoughts were being exposed. However, such Scyllia was visibly embarrassed. ¡°Priest Shula. Can you do something about it?¡± That¡¯s all. She couldn¡¯t possibly stay away from the little fox because she was worried it wouldn¡¯t make it. Shula walked over to the nine-tailed fox. Scyllia was surprised and followed her, worried about the healer¡¯s true intentions. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°What do you think? I¡¯m going to throw it away! This peculiar thing must have bewitched the Commander!¡± The fox, who had been suffering a high fever inside the cage, raised her head in the loud commotion. The splendid silver fur reflected in the light penetrated deep into the eyes of the viewers and shimmered. Shula was surprised and hiccupped while frowning. It was because the little fox was looking at her with bright sparkling eyes. ¡°Kyuuung.¡± ¡°Hip.¡± ¡°Kyuu?¡± The nine-tailed fox flickered and blinked its bright yellow eyes that looked like a full moon. Shula couldn¡¯t even speak properly at its dazzling appearance. Her lips twitched like a carp, and after a while she closed her eyes tightly as if she was out of breath and shouted. ¡°Damn it, hip! That thing! hip! That cunning fox! hip!¡± The fox¡¯s large, pointed ears drooped downwards. ¡°Look at this! Even if it¡¯s a tiny little bud of a fox, it¡¯s definitely trying to seduce me! It¡¯s a very cunning nine-tailed-fox! That¡¯s what it is!¡± Shula covered the iron cage with a cloth to prevent the nine-tailed fox¡¯s gaze attack. ¡°I was happy that the Commander came to me first for some reason, but it was because she was bewitched by a monster!¡± ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m bewitched?¡± Seeing Scyllia¡¯s expressionless face, Shula was silent as if speechless. Well. It¡¯s none other than Scyllia. The leader of the Silver Lion Paladins, was also called Ice Statue, because she didn¡¯t reflect anything human like in her face. She handed water to Shula. ¡°I brought it here because I didn¡¯t feel like killing it.¡± ¡°What do you mean you didn¡¯t feel like killing it?¡± ¡°You know my instincts.¡± Shula¡¯s eyes narrowed suspiciously. ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°This is not an ordinary monster. It feels different.¡± ¡°It does look like it.¡± ¡°It does look unusual. What¡¯s with that silver hair that shines so brightly.¡¯ Shula nodded with a very serious face. She seemed to have interpreted the words in a different sense, but Scyllia didn¡¯t bother to point it out. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t it be more dangerous then? It¡¯s not an ordinary monster¡­¡± ¡°The old priestess said we can trust it. Because it has the blood of Guardian Deities.¡± ¡°A priestess? A priestess who worships the gods of the eastern continent? If she¡¯s here in the Western Continent, then she was exiled. Can we trust her?¡± When Shula protested, the little fox whined from inside the cage and interrupted the conversation. He seemed to understand what they were saying Shula turned her head and yelled. ¡°Shut up, you cunning fox!¡± ¡°Kyuu¡­¡± Even though the little fox was close to dying, Shula didn¡¯t kill her temper. ¡°You dare to talk back to a priest!¡± ¡°Kyunng!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think you are falling for her tricks.¡± (Shula) ¡°What?¡± (Scyllia) Scyllia sighed and repeated her words. ¡°She had traces of divine power. The old woman was still a priestess after all.¡± (Scyllia) ¡°Still, it doesn¡¯t change the unfairness. Why does the Commander have to raise that monster?¡± Shula gasped for breath in anger. ¡°We are Solar¡¯s servants. A goddess from the West Continent. That cunning fox is a child from the land of Danwa, the god who rules the eastern continent.¡± ¡°If this has to be raised by someone, shouldn¡¯t it be raised by the priestess who came from the East herself?¡± Shula¡¯s point was reasonable. Scyllia also questioned it again, but now even if she manages to find the priestess once more, it didn¡¯t seem like the situation would change. The old woman said that this nine-tailed fox must be raised by Scyllia herself. If you don¡¯t want to see the cub of a Heavenly Beast turn into a demon of hell¡­¡­¡¯ When the old priestess spoke those words, she had unwavering eyes, like an old sturdy tree. Even if Scyllia had objected, she would not have changed her opinion. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m worried about the Commander.¡± Shula sighed and muttered. Scyllia was an emotionless and reserved Commander. It was more worrying when such people do things they usually don¡¯t do. What kind of personality does she have? She was such a talented person that no one could stop her from being chosen as the Commander of the Holy Knights to be stationed in the Grenia Empire. By the way¡­¡­. I was finally delighted to be able to pay her grace for saving my life, and of all things, she asked me to heal a monster.¡¯ Shula rubbed her distorted forehead. Honestly, if Scyllia hadn¡¯t saved her from a monster she wouldn¡¯t have been this invested in the Commander. She wanted to repay the favor, so she was looking for an opportunity while spying on her, but Scyllia had no flaw, it was to the point where Shula started to worry whether the Commander was even human. Shula, who has a personality of not being able to live in debt, had a fire inside her stomach. ¡°I was so excited that I followed you unknowingly¡­¡± ¡°Do you not wish to do it?¡± ¡°I will take a look. Do you have any special requests, ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°Keeping it a secret¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t tell others even if you tell me to spill the beans!¡± She was furious. ¡°If I say that the Commander is raising a nine-tailed fox, everyone will treat me like a crazy person.¡± ¡°Even now, I¡¯m being treated like a half-crazy person.¡¯ Shula shrugged her shoulders and looked at the condition of the nine-tailed fox. ¡°But is this a male?¡± ¡°Hmmm?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a male nine-tailed fox all right. Look at this. It¡¯s nothing more than a cub and it already has a solid ¡°Kyuuuanng!¡± The little fox pricked all its fur and puffed out its eyes. ¡°How can you say something like that without hesitation.¡¯ Scyllia, who was far away, touched her forehead. Shula murmured as she stretched the wrinkles on her forehead. ¡°It must be difficult for the Commander to raise him.¡± ¡°Are there any serious problems?¡± Scyllia approached until a certain distance and asked. It was a habitual distancing she took from other people. ¡®It¡¯s uncomfortable¡­¡­. Anxiety tightened her throat. Monster! You must die!¡± Scyllia clasped her wet hands drenched in cold sweat and closed her eyes tightly. She then asked in a stern voice as if terrified of the answer. ¡°Is the fox in a very bad condition?¡± Shula, who was looking at the strange sense of distance with narrowed eyes, spoke her words naturally. ¡°It¡¯s not that. The problem is that it¡¯s not a normal monster.¡± ¡°I just need to raise it for a year, so it¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°A year? Does this sprout of a cub become an adult in only one year?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what the old woman said.¡± Shula tilted her head. ¡°In one year, the Commander will be 24. Do you have any plans of getting married?¡± ¡°I am not interested in marriage.¡± Marriage was not even a possible dream to have, ¡°If you make a mistake, you will have to live with a nine-tailed fox attached to you for the rest of your life.¡± There was no such possibility. She will unconditionally return this nine-tailed fox to the eastern continent. ¡°What about dating?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested.¡± I couldn¡¯t do it, so I didn¡¯t care. I thought I¡¯d be greedy for more. Love, friendship¡­. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to have any special friends¡­ aren¡¯t you lonely, Commander?¡± She looked at Scyllia with eyes that saw a strange person. Scyllia answered without blinking her eyes. ¡°Solar gave me life, so that¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°You mean that just being alive is enough? How do people live like that? It¡¯s a life worse than death.¡± ¡°Okay, the treatment is over.¡± Shula continued to babble and unintentionally scratch at Scyllia¡¯s weaknesses. ¡°I have never seen anyone as strong as the Commander.¡± ¡°But if your heart is too hard, one day it will break.¡± Shula sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that the Commander who looks at others closely is being so gullible.¡± ¡°¡­are you talking about me right now?¡± ¡°Yes, leader. You don¡¯t know that you¡¯re naive, do you?¡± Scyllia rolled Shula¡¯s bizarre nonsense into one ear and out of the other. Shula¡¯s sigh deepened. ¡°Of all things, it¡¯s a male nine-tailed fox. Isn¡¯t this completely like offering fish in front of a cat?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.I¡¯m going to raise it before I go back to the Holy Land and send it to the East. It¡¯s a simple thing to do.¡± Shula shook her head. ¡°The Commander thinks that you will simply raise a male fox? You have never even dated before.¡± ¡°What does it have to do with no dating experience?¡± ¡°When a nine-tailed fox is hungry, what will you do to appease it? It is a monster that seduces people and sucks their energy. Besides, it¡¯s a male. A m.a.l.e, Commander.¡± Chapter 4 Chapter 04 TL-Mechatronic Scyllia shut her mouth, but couldn¡¯t stand Shula¡¯s intense gaze and answered in a small voice. ¡°I must feed the fox with the spirit of a living beast.¡± ¡°A Nine-tailed-fox eats humans as a main dish.¡± ¡°As long as I¡¯m raising it, humans are not an option.¡± Shula suddenly burst into laughter, and said the next thing with a stiff face ¡°Oh my God, Commander. I¡¯m not worried about other people right now.¡± ¡°Then what?¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried about you!¡± This time, Scyllia laughed. ¡°The fox skills don¡¯t work on me.¡± ¡°You already failed at the part where you thought skills would be everything.¡± Will a nine-tailed-fox attract people using only its power? They are creatures born with the intention of attracting people with their face, hair, tone, and even body odor. It was clear that he would grow up to be seductive and decadent, with every glance and gesture. ¡°Do not underestimate their instincts. You¡¯ll get hurt someday.¡± Shula, who warned casually, gave a simple goodbye with a nod and left the house. I was finally alone. ¡°Phew¡­.¡± Exhausted, Scyllia went back to her room. As she removed the cloth covering the iron cage, a droopy nine-tailed-fox raised his head. Scyllia looked through the wounds on the fox¡¯s body. Adding a little exaggeration, he seemed to have better resilience than trolls. It was almost healed. ¡°Are you bored?¡± ¡°Kyurung.¡± It was a pity that the nine-tailed fox was trapped in a cage. It reminded me of my childhood, when I was locked up in a room all day. ¡°I¡¯ll release you, so stay quiet in your room. Otherwise, you will go back to the cage.¡± The fox blinked as if understanding. She opened the cage without hesitation. At the same time, the nine-tailed fox, which had been stretching it¡¯s body because of its poor condition, shot itself through the window. It was like an arrow bouncing off from a bowstring pulled with all his might. Scyllia did not panic. She followed the movement of the nine-tailed fox with her peripheral vision, which she often used while dealing with three or four monsters single handed, and reached out her hand at the exact spot. Her eyes were sharp, different from when she looked at Shula. Tung! The nape of the fox cub came into her grip. ¡°Kyuuunnnnn!¡± The little fox struggled and howled violently as if it had never been sick. ¡°Were you pretending to be innocent? Guess it¡¯s a fox after all. Scyllia reached out to get the fox safely back to the cage, and he did not miss the opportunity. He erected his teeth and mercilessly bit off her forearm. Scyllia frowned, but that was all. Compared to the pain in her shoulder blade, this much was nothing. He was so frightened a bubble-like saliva flowed out of the fox¡¯s snout. ¡°Hey, little fox.¡± ¡°Kaag! Kyaaaag!¡± ¡°Calm down. Yes?¡± The little fox kept groaning softly. I need to calm the frightened cub. When she thought about it, a soft voice came out easier than she expected. As if it was her original voice, it was a slightly high-pitched, clear voice. Compared to her usual low and overbearing tone, her throat was also comfortable. ¡°Shhh¡­¡± As she waited quietly, reason returned slowly, very slowly, to the cloudy eyes of the little fox. ¡°Why are you so scared? It¡¯s okay. I won¡¯t hurt you.¡± Scyllia smiled softly, sweeping the foam off the little fox¡¯s snout. As she smiled, her icy, cold face became surprisingly soft and pretty. It was her original face. The cub looked up at her with rounded eyes. ¡°Your fur is all wet from the saliva.¡± When the strength in his snout was released, Scyllia released the fox safely into the cage. ¡°I won¡¯t let you go today. You broke your promise. Don¡¯t you agree?¡± The fox, of course, did not answer, but Scyllia didn¡¯t care. ¡°But you have another chance tomorrow. If you don¡¯t run away, I¡¯ll release you.¡± ¡°You will have a chance every day. The choice is yours.¡± Scyllia, who taught neatly, closed the cage. Tak. The second night of the little nine-tailed fox together with the second best, and saddest Paladin, in the eastern continent, passed like this. (Note: Note sure if Scyllia is the second best yet, this line took me quite a while. But we will see in the future) The little fox rarely trusted Scyllia. After he showed his true color once, he knew that acting won¡¯t work, and was now very wary of her. Although he was a nine-tailed fox that enchants people, it was clumsy in hiding his inner feelings because it was a cub. ¡°Did he get abused?¡¯ Scyllia read traces of past abuse amid the fox¡¯s extreme vigilance. If he had lived for 19 years in the Eastern continent, according to the words of the priestess, he would have been with humans for at least two months before reaching the trading ground in the western continent ¡­¡­ ¡®Was he captured by humans in the eastern continent?¡¯ I don¡¯t know what happened, but it was certain that the little fox¡¯s aversion to humans did not develop overnight. Her heart was heavy as if she had found an abused little child. No, it was akin to a baby in the meaning that he still has infinite possibilities. Knowing what the pain of abuse was like made her feel even more disgusted. Unknowingly, she sweated and her hands trembled. ¡®I am strong.¡¯ Scyllia grabbed her sword from her waist and calmed her breath. ¡°Now no one threatens to kill me.¡¯ She obsessively devoted herself to training. After bringing the little fox into her house, the intensity of training was increasing day by day. Then, the Vice Commander jokingly tried to stop her, saying she would collapse, but it didn¡¯t work, ¡°I¡¯m a person who has to die, but I¡¯m trying to live, so I have to do this much. This is how I can protect myself. Scyllia thought so as she swung her sword. ¡°But, in a situation where it¡¯s too much to protect only me, will I be able to raise the little one?¡¯ The fox was a monster, but neither good nor evil. He was different from her cursed self. The cub was an existence in a gray zone, and the outcome depends on how he grows up. If it becomes a demonic beast, Scyllia must eventually kill the child. She just wanted to avoid it. Killing an abused child with her own hands¡­. To prevent that, proper education was necessary Be calm, be kind and do things right. So that he doesn¡¯t think about seducing and eating humans, ¡®The child¡¯s life and death are in my hands. As soon as she thought of that, she came to her senses. The more she thought about it, the more unusual it was. ¡°In what did the priestess believe in to entrust me with the little fox?¡¯ I couldn¡¯t understand why the future of a nine-tailed fox cub was left to a Paladin of the West. The old woman even told me she used to serve beings and worship Gods and Heavenly Beasts on the Eastern Continent. The baby nine-tailed fox is not yet a heavenly beast, but is it not a creature with its feet on the edge of such a realm? Such a precious existence¡­. ¡°It would be useless to think about it now. Since then, the priestess has completely disappeared¡­¡¯ Scyllia shook her head and headed to her Commander¡¯s residence. In the living room, fishy air mixed with the smell of the fox and blood, was stagnant. She opened the window to ventilate and then walked over to the cage, ¡°Kyaaaaaah!¡± The fox immediately raised its fur and stood on guard, ¡®I can¡¯t let it go on like this.¡± Scyllia crouched down in front of the cage. The little one was growling in the shadowy corner, covered in darkness. A pair of golden eyes flashed. He was as small as a two-month-old kitten. ¡®This little guy is a 19-year-old monster.¡¯ Crouching in a corner, it looked like a lump of cotton wool. ¡°Little fox. Are not you hungry?¡± The fox inflated his body and took only a rough breath. ¡°I think you should drink water¡­¡­¡± ¡°Kyaaaah!¡± The fox revealed his teeth and howled. Don¡¯t try to bullshit me! It sounded like it was screaming such things. ¡°You have to drink water. You bled a lot.¡± I heard that if a precious animal is rescued, it is sometimes forced to be saved. I couldn¡¯t wait for the boundaries to be lifted. Even if the fox died of starvation, it seemed that he would not change his mind. ¡°His personality it¡¯s not normal.¡¯ Scyllia opened the cage. Realizing that she was not an easy human being, the fox did not move hastily and chased her movements with its eyes. Scyllia felt her muscles tense as if she had gone to a subjugation battle. It¡¯s not the kind of energy a baby can have. It was a great spirit. ¡°The moment I show any gap, my neck will be torn.¡¯ Scyllia spoke to the little fox with a calm face, ¡°Little Fox.¡± She turned her hand over, lowered it under her, and carefully reached out to the little fox. The moment her fingertips were about to touch the shimmering silver fur, the fox swung his claws. ¡°Ugh!¡± She forced herself to endure the pain of her skin being torn apart and grabbed the fox¡¯s body. To give a lecture, he had to go out of the cage. ¡°Kyanng! Kyannng!¡± When his body was forcibly grasped, the fox¡¯s howls changed. Previously, it was a threatening growl, but now it was more of a terrified scream. ¡°Shh, be nice, huh?¡± As the fox struggled, scratches appeared all over Scyllia¡¯s body. Even though it was small, it was still a monster, and his claws were terribly sharp. Scyllia¡¯s cheeks were scratched and blood dripped from her forearm. It was a disaster because she had never dealt with animals. It would have been nice to cover the fox¡¯s body with a towel, but Scyllia had no such trick. She endured the injuries and simply held the little fox in her arms. ¡°Shh. I won¡¯t hurt you. I won¡¯t hit you. Please don¡¯t be scared. Uhn?¡± She soothed the little fox with a soft sound that she had never made before. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t be scared. You are a cute fox. How can I hurt you when you¡¯re so lovely?¡± It was easier to make a warm, tickling voice the second time she tried. It wasn¡¯t difficult for her to come up with kind words. All she had to do was tell the fox what Scyllia had wanted to hear her whole life. The words she hoped the priests or her friends would tell her. Words of affection that she so desperately wished for She gave it to the little fox. Scyllia opened her pink lips. ¡°Those who didn¡¯t recognize your loveliness are foolish. You¡¯re from the East continent, but Solar will love you, too. Because you¡¯re such a precious child.¡± Chapter 5 Chapter 05 TL-Mechatronic The more she talked, the more Scyllia¡¯s original atmosphere came out. The low, sunken eyes sparkled with a lovely light green color like a fresh sprout, and blush appeared in her cheeks. Her hair, as if woven by sunlight, shone with a brilliant golden color. When she added a smile, her sweet and kind heart was fully revealed. An image that feels clean, delicate, and even fragile That was Scyllia¡¯s true nature. ¡°Kyuuuuuu!! Pyuuuuuuu!!¡± ¡°Okay. You don¡¯t like it. Do you want me to let you go ¡°Kurreung!¡± ¡°If you drink water¡­¡± Scyllia¡¯s voice was cut in the middle. It¡¯s because the fox, who struggled without getting tired, eventually caused trouble. Claws that easily ripped through human flesh cut Scyllia¡¯s throat, and blood gushed out. After he himself did it, the fox opened his eyes in surprise. Scyllia hurriedly pressed down on her neck to prevent more blood from pouring out. Her whole neck and hands were wet. She felt hot blood running down her forearm. ¡®It was a deep cut. ¡°Un¡­.¡± As Scyllia¡¯s eyes distorted, the fox¡¯s frightened eyes became damp with water. He cut a human¡¯s neck. When he had a major accident like this, the punishment was worse than the mistake he had made. It was not uncommon for all of his toenails to be pulled out. His stomach was numb and his heart was beating like it was going to explode. The little fox rolled into its belly, and the unusually large ears drooped on both sides. Scyllia, feeling the fox¡¯s trembling, stretched out her hand. The fox¡¯s eyes closed tightly in anticipation of the ruthless violence. But even after a while, the pain did not come. Instead, he felt a soft and careful touch sweeping away his eyes. The fox carefully opened one of his eyes. Scyllia was staring into the little fox with worries in her sprout-like eyes. ¡°Why are you crying? Did you hate it that much?¡±, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for forcing you. I was afraid you would get sick. You have to drink water.¡± Exhaling a ragged breath, Scyllia closed her eyes tightly, feeling dizzy. Fixing the frozen fox in her arms, she went into the bedroom and searched the shelf. A vicious blood mark was stamped everywhere her hand touched. Only then did the fox examine Scyllia¡¯s condition. There was no place that didn¡¯t bleed from scratching and biting. ¡°Why isn¡¯t she angry?¡± While the fox wondered, Scyllia sprayed emergency hemostatic agents down her neck. It was effective because it was an item with holy power. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, fox.¡± Scyllia was not angry. Rather, she had a genuinely sorry face. ¡°I locked you up, forced you to be touched, and made you sick.¡± ¡°I have a situation, too. I can¡¯t let you go right now. I swear to you that this is not a decision just for my convenience.¡± I swear. The Paladin in front of him was the first person to talk to a fox like this. The fox was startled in another sense and only his eyes were wide open. ¡°I don¡¯t want to kill you. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± I didn¡¯t do anything wrong? No. The fox knew very well that it was his fault. He was born.. Born as a monster. That was his fault. He was rational even if he was a monster. The divine blood of a heavenly beast flows through the body of a mere monster. Understanding people¡¯s words, not knowing his place as a monster. Born a monster, lived a monster and was treated as a monster, breathing in the mask of a nine-tailed fox. Being alive in itself was a sin. Every human I¡¯ve ever met has treated foxes that way. Everything was the fox¡¯s fault. ¡°You did nothing wrong. It¡¯s all humans¡¯ fault.¡± Scyllia patted the fox¡¯s head and whispered as if singing. When she comforted the fox, she would speak in a sweet voice, as if she was singing. It was like that even now. ¡°Because humans don¡¯t recognize you, they acted recklessly and treated you like a monster. That is why you were harmed.¡± The tears didn¡¯t stop. Even though the paladin in front of me wasn¡¯t scary now, couldn¡¯t stop the tears from flowing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, little fox. Don¡¯t be hurt. It¡¯s embarrassing.¡± ¡°You have to be healthy and happy. Yes?¡± Scyllia hugged the fox and headed for the kitchen. She then dragged a bowl of water directly into her arms. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a nice kid?¡± Scyllia¡¯s kissed the top of the fox¡¯s head and held out a bowl of water. ¡°Would you like to take a sip?¡± The fox, who was quietly staring at the bowl, looked at the wound on her neck. ¡°Huh? Just one sip.¡± She comforted the fox and eagerly held out a bowl of water. The fox reluctantly licked the water and began to drink it. It wasn¡¯t that the paladin¡¯s request was granted. The smell of blood from her wounded body was so bad that his head, was dizzy. I don¡¯t want to smell blood anymore. That was all. ¡°Thank you.¡± However, the eccentric paladin smiled brighter than ever and was delighted. The paladin worked outside all morning and afternoon and came home late at night. She sometimes ran out late at night to subdue monsters, When she came back, she always had something to eat. Live chickens or ducks were often brought in so that the fox could eat the spirits. She had a cold expression as if she wouldn¡¯t bleed even if she was stabbed, but she knew how to make a very kind face when dealing with the fox. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean that the fox was released. This is because the fox did not stop running away ¡®If you don¡¯t run away, I¡¯ll release you.¡¯ She was a person who was terribly strict with what she said. I have seen a lot of humans spill empty talk like that out of their mouths, but there weren¡¯t a lot of people who were strict with themselves like her. ¡°Are you late again today?¡¯ The fox lay bored and thought so. He was locked up all day, all he could do was sleep. He was still a cub, so he¡¯s supposed to be lucky that he sleeps a lot¡­ When he fell asleep for a short time. ¡°Damn you fox cub!¡± Suddenly, the sound of a whip hitting the floor resounded in my ears. Splack-! The sleeping fox was so startled that he opened his eyes, A rugged pirate with messy hair covered in a hood was voicing his anger with his yellow teeth exposed. One of his eyes was covered in blood. It was the trace of being hit by the claws that the nine tailed fox branded against him. ¡°I won¡¯t let you go!¡± A leather whip coated with glass powder exploded on the back of the little fox. ¡°Kae-gaeng!¡± In an instant, his flesh was torn apart and his bones were exposed. He didn¡¯t die with this much, because he was a monster. The pirate reassured himself and swung his whip in succession with confidence. ¡°Kae-gaeng! Kae-gaeng¡± He let out a vicious scream, but no one felt sorry for the fox¡¯s painful screams. No one noticed the fox¡¯s pain. There was no one to save him. His mother died by the hands of people who were more well groomed and looked more luxurious than the pirates in front of him. Who was it? I didn¡¯t remember. I felt like I heard something weird from someone, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for that request, I would have burned the bones and flesh!¡± The pirate complained. The fox constantly ran through the open passage behind the cage, and the pirate chased after him with a vicious laugh. The whip turned into a giant serpent and flowed like a stream of water to devour the fox. ¡°Kkyuu! Kkyuu!¡± He hung his tongue out of his snout and ran. His pink soles were hot as if on fire. The fox was running on the lava field of the horribly hot volcano. ¡°Little Fox.¡± His body shook frantically from side to side. ¡°Little Fox, wake up!¡± His eyes opened wide. The dark gray sky disappeared, and the bright sunlight spread like an aurora. No, it was not sunlight. It was the hair of the paladin. A blonde with the smell of sunlight that waffled out as if she had been basking all afternoon. The sticky vision of hatred and anger was wiped clean, and the paladin¡¯s eyes filled his insides. Scyllia blinked her worried green eyes. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I think you were having a nightmare.¡± She held the exhausted fox in her arms. Her arms were hard because of the armor, but it was moderately warm because of Scyllia¡¯s heat. She smelled of sweat and dirt from running around. It smelled similar to, his mother, the Heavenly Fox. The fox¡¯s eyes blinked slowly. ¡°You seem very surprised.¡± Scyllia gently stroked the trembling back of the fox. It was the back that the pirate¡¯s whip had torn apart. It healed without a trace, but the scar still remained in the fox¡¯s heart. ¡°What nightmare did you have that made you scream like that?¡± The fox¡¯s scream was not heard by anyone. If he cried, it would be noisy, and more violence would pour out. And¡­. ¡°When you grow up, tell me who did it. I¡¯ll punish them.¡± Scyllia spoke with a joking face, and then she immediately held out her other hand. There were uncooked chestnut and sweet potatoes. ¡°It makes me feel better when I eat sweets. Do you eat sweet potatoes too? I went to the village today to subdue monsters, and the villagers gave me chestnuts.¡± She cut the sweet potato into easy-to-eat pieces and shoved it into the fox¡¯s snout. It smelled sweet and fresh. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Is it not good? Do you want me to cook it for you?¡± She tilted her head to the side, and headed to the kitchen while hugging the fox. ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you after it is cooked and then cooled.¡± ¡°What if you burn your tongue?¡± Scyllia mumbled as she boiled water. The fox was suddenly angry at himself who was calmly held, in human arms. Struggling with his feet as he tried to escape, Scyllia panicked and clamped the fox¡¯s body, ¡°Look out. I¡¯m boiling water. You can get burned.¡± ¡°Growl.¡± ¡°Good boy.¡± As Scyllia returned to the living room, she comforted the fox. ¡°Little fox. I named you today. Do you want to listen to it?¡± ¡°Growl!¡± ¡°Listen just once. When I thought of you, this name immediately came to my mind.¡± The fox struggled without pretending to hear it. At that moment, Scyllia¡¯s warm voice gently penetrated into the fox¡¯s ear. ¡°Ran.¡± It was a name that contained a strong impact as if piercing the eardrum with an awl. Chapter 6 The fox¡¯s eyes, which had been wrinkled in a rebellious glare, grew as large as a lantern. ¡°What do you think? Do you like it?¡± ¡®Ran¡¯ A forgotten voice came to mind. ¡®There will be a human being who can call your name.¡¯ Ran. It was the name that the Heavenly Fox, his deceased mother, engraved directly on his soul. Scyllia gave Ran his name back. ¡®If you meet a person who calls your name, never lose them. Because it¡¯s someone who can see your true nature. ¡® ¡®What if it¡¯s a coincidence that they guessed my name?¡¯ ¡®Whether it¡¯s a coincidence or not, your soul will tell.¡¯ ¡°Ran. How is it? Do you like it?¡± Scyllia looked deep into Ran¡¯s eyes and asked. He couldn¡¯t deny it. He couldn¡¯t say he hated it. It was the name of his soul. It went deep into his heart and spread inside. ¡°You seem to like it.¡± What the hell are you? She was weird from the start. How did a mere paladin notice the power of the spirits flowing through the blood of a monster? Being neither a goddess nor a saint of the western continent, how on earth could she do it? ¡°I thought it suited you. I don¡¯t think anyone would match this name but you.¡± ¡®It¡¯s a coincidence. It must be a coincidence.¡¯ Ran gave strength to his eyes and refused. But In Scyllia¡¯s eyes, the kitten looked to be sulking with a pout as he kept his mouth shut. ¡®Why is he sulking?¡¯ She cooked the sweet potato the villagers gave her and cooled them down before pushing it in front of the fox¡¯s snout. Ran turned his head quickly, but¡­ ¡®His nose is twitching.¡¯ After Scyllia bit into her mouth to hold back her laughter, she mashed the sweet potato together on the tip of her finger. Then she shoved it into Ran¡¯s snout without notice. The fox groaned. ¡®Crazy Human!¡¯ Although still a cub, Ran is a monster. If he puts pressure in his snout, her fingers would be cut off clean. Ran, who had been cursing inside while reproaching that she had no fear, licked Scyllia¡¯s finger involuntarily. Slip. Slip. Slip. Sweet. After the fox licked it frantically, her fingers smashed the sweet potato and went into his mouth again. ¡°Whing¡­whung¡­whau¡­¡± Ran grunted in dissatisfaction and licked her fingers, pretending not to win. Eventually Scyllia burst into laughter. ¡°How can you be so lovely?¡± She muttered with a fluffy, loosened face and kissed Ran¡¯s head and snout. ¡°Why are you so cute?¡± ¡®What is she saying now.¡¯ Phump! Blowing his nostrils hard, he chewed on the sweet potato chunks. Scyllia wanted that little sweet snout to lick her mouth instead of the sweet potato. She didn¡¯t know that she would like the fox this much. It was as if a dam of affection that had been stagnating up until now, was waiting to freely burst and overflow only for this little fox. I don¡¯t know what to do because it¡¯s lovely, pretty, and precious. I felt like I was holding a small nugget of silver in my arms because of his silver fur. Ran¡¯s eyes are also such a splendid golden color. Inside the golden goblet, diamonds seemed to glisten. There were no golden bars or jewels who twinkled such a lively color as his eyes did. The thought of letting him go someday already made her heartbroken. ¡®But I have to let go. What if he gets hurt because of me? If that happens¡­¡¯ Scyllia forced a laugh. ¡®I¡¯m overwhelmed just protecting myself.¡¯ She put all her anxieties and fears behind her. ¡®Let¡¯s love him to the fullest now. So that I don¡¯t have any regrets when we part ways, plenty of¡­¡­.¡¯ ¡°Cute. Pretty. Lovely.¡± As Scyllia rubbed her cheek against Ran¡¯s fur and muttered in happiness, Ran struggled as he ate all the sweet potatoes. He was captured by humans and abused for nearly 20 years. If he collapsed like this, he couldn¡¯t forgive himself. Ran rejected Scyllia with determination. It was hard to accept the fact that it was getting harder and harder to push her away, and that it was nice to hear her call his name. She couldn¡¯t have come into my heart so easily. It can¡¯t be. ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± Scyllia asked in a sullen voice, but Ran just struggled. She decided to put Ran back into his cage and closed it with upset eyes. Although it was a cage, it was quite comfortable as there was a soft duvet made of high-quality fabric inside. Ran retreated to the corner and crouched down. ¡°Good night, Ran.¡± She said as she put the cage down near the bed. ¡°If you have a nightmare, I will wake you up. So don¡¯t worry.¡± Ran didn¡¯t even pretend to listen. However, Scyllia was a paladin who always kept what she promised. She woke Ran from his nightmares all night, gently petting his back and putting him back to sleep over and over again. ¡°Shh, it¡¯s okay. No one will hurt you once again. Sleep well¡­.¡± With her sweet, singing-like voice. So much so that Ran¡¯s refusal was overshadowed by her gentle touch. * * * As Celia headed for her garrison, she was troubled. ¡®What¡¯s the matter?¡¯ Ran, who seemed to open his heart, had become strange these days. He reacted wildly, just as if he was doing it on purpose and didn¡¯t hesitate to attack. It was no use in teaching him not to do so. ¡®Will it get better at some point?¡¯ Scyllia told herself not to rush. She was sure it was a wound in his heart. It wasn¡¯t something to be solved for a day or two even if she puts all her heart into it. There was nothing she could do but treat Ran with a consistent caring attitude. Ran needed time. ¡®The problem is the wounds on my body.¡¯ As the scratch wounds were increasing day by day, the eyes of the other paladins were unusual. Scyllia was a cold commander and the rest couldn¡¯t talk easily to her, but they couldn¡¯t manage their puzzled faces. ¡°Captain!¡± Shortly after she left the leader¡¯s quarters, a tall man found Scyllia and ran to her. She opened her eyes wide. ¡®Eric?¡¯ ¡°Sir Eric. What¡¯s going on here?¡± Erik¡¯s eyes narrowed as he glanced over her body once. Not only her neck, but also her cheeks and the back of her hands were covered in bright red lines. Not knowing that there was a deep frown in Eric¡¯s forehead, Scyllia calmly opened her mouth. ¡°Aren¡¯t you speaking? What is going on?¡± ¡°Captain.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What are you doing these days?¡± In the end, the question fell. Scyllia was perplexed and kept her silence. On the inside she was startled, but on the outside she looked as cold as someone who had heard a presumptuous question. It goes without saying that Eric was very nervous. Her pale jade eyes gleamed. Swallowing the dry saliva, Eric added hastily, like a thief with numb feet. ¡°Don¡¯t you keep getting hurt these days? All the members are worried.¡± ¡°Did you come all the way here to say that?¡± You don¡¯t have to worry so much. That was what she meant, but it sounded like this to Eric¡¯s ears. Dare to come near my office for such a business? If Shula was nearby, she would have said that anyone who saw her right now would think she was trying to eat Eric. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± A blunt answer fell. Eric wanted to give up, but he put strength into his feet. ¡°But you also have a lot of scratches on your face? It¡¯s worse than yesterday.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you go to a doctor?¡± As Scyllia stood still like a stone sculpture, Eric¡¯s voice became desperate. ¡°Aren¡¯t you overdoing it because there are still monsters in the Empire?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to mind it.¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t do that. Huh?¡± When Eric quickly noticed, two large knights who were wandering nearby cautiously approached. Viliato and Launer looked into Scyllia¡¯s eyes and swallowed dryly. It looked like they wanted to quit right away, but Eric was glaring. ¡°Aren¡¯t we all vessels of the Holy Power that Solar has bestowed on us?¡± Eric, who put oil on his tongue, rushed with sweet talk. ¡°The bodies of the ordained priests are all temples, so how could the commander¡¯s temple be this devastated?¡± ¡°The foreword is long.¡± ¡°Have you ever had a fight with Priest Shula?¡± Viliato and Launer looked at Eric with startled bunny-like eyes. It was a gaze wondering if he was truly crazy. But Scyllia was one who would usually took care of her body. No one knew where the hell she was getting hurt like that. They had never seen her injured in battle, so it seemed like a personal matter. ¡®Are you raising a wild animal or something¡­¡­¡¯ Scyllia was a capable and strong commander, but she was sometimes strangely vulnerable and kept drawing attention. Anyway, he couldn¡¯t pretend he didn¡¯t know. The hierarchical order of the Paladins was milder than that of ordinary knight orders. This is because the only being they swear loyalty to is Solar, the god of the Western Continent. It was thanks to that fact that Eric was able to take care of Scylia like this. ¡°It¡¯s been more than a week since you¡¯ve been to the priest.¡± Either way, Scylia had no intention of moving from her seat. ¡®I¡¯m uncomfortable with Priest Shula.¡¯ She had never shared a secret with anyone, because she endured all her difficulties alone. But when the little nine-tailed fox came, Shula was the first person she ever shared a secret with. Whatever it was, she was uncomfortable and awkward. ¡®What should I say when we meet? Should I just pretend I don¡¯t know?¡¯ Shula is the leader of the Healing Unit. When the Commander stopped by the treatment center, the healer priest in charge of Scyllia would unconditionally be Shula. Even just thinking about it made her feel choked, but Eric didn¡¯t delay any further. ¡°Villiato, Launer.¡± The two knights trembled and grabbed Scyllia¡¯s left and right arms to force her to the treatment center. ¡°Forgive me, Commander.¡± ¡°You know, I¡¯m doing this because I¡¯m worried, right?¡± They feared she would be angry, but Scyllia was surprisingly unresponsive, like a large wax doll. ¡®She¡¯s surprisingly gentle.¡¯ Eric thought it was unusually strange, but hurried his pace. Maybe it was because they were in a hurry, but the blue-haired Launer missed his step. ¡°Ahh!¡± Scyllia was startled and tried to balance him. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Huh! Y-Y-Yes! It¡¯s okay¡­¡­.¡± As Launer answered in a panic, he looked at Scyllia who was too close and took a deep breath. Chapter 7 It was the first time he had seen the Commander this close, as her atmosphere was usually like an ice cube. She was born with natural white skin. Her blonde hair that seemed to smell like sunlight when touched was shining warmly in front of his nose. Her surprised, round eyes were so gentle that he wondered if they were the Commander¡¯s. Although she returned to her expression face right away, Launer had a look on his face that had seen a ghost. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Viliato asked while stabbing Launer¡¯s side with his elbow. ¡°W-Was the Commander supposed to look like that? I originally knew that she was beautiful, but¡­¡­¡± ¡°Crazy guy.¡± Viliato shook his head and walked away. ¡°I¡¯ll go by myself, you two can go back.¡± Scyllia sternly ordered. It was said out of concern for both of them. Of course, the two didn¡¯t know what she meant. As expected, they bowed their heads in fear and disappeared. Eric followed her to the end. ¡°Priest Shula. Are you there?¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Fortunately, Shula was at the treatment center. ¡°I think the Commander was seriously injured. Can you take a look?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± As soon as the permission fell, Eric ran away. There was a heavy silence in the treatment center. ¡°Why are you standing like that?¡± Shula was annoyed. ¡°Come here and sit down. Why didn¡¯t you come to me until it became like this?¡± ¡®Because it¡¯s uncomfortable.¡¯ Scyllia thought to herself. ¡°Did you avoid it because it was uncomfortable?¡± This time, no matter how much Scyllia had a poker face, she couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. Shula grinned and grinded the medicine. As far as Scyllia knew, Shula was a woman of the same age as herself, but she was like an old man who enjoyed telling bad jokes to young people. ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s nothing? Your neck is almost cut in half, it wouldn¡¯t be strange if it slipped and your head was hanging around your neck while fluttering in the wind.¡± Shula glanced at the wound on Scylia¡¯s neck and casually continued to talk. ¡°Did the nine-tailed-fox do this?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It must have hurt a lot. You would be dizzy if you bleed this much.¡± Scyllia was silent. As she always did. ¡°The main armor of the Paladins has a collar in the clothes worn underneath, and they are very sturdy.¡± Shula continued her words as she tapped the fingers on her neck. ¡°So every time you turn your head, the collar would have dug into the wound.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Dozens, thousands of times. It rubbed on the wound again and again, but the Commander put up with the pain.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It seems that our Commander likes to endure pain.¡± Shula mixed her medicinal herbs at a speed that Scyllia couldn¡¯t keep up with, wrapped them in a paper in an instant, and then threw them at her. She received a dark green envelope and looked at it. It had a pungent scent. ¡°You go to subjugation with that body~ just swing a sword~ you are doing a fine job anyway, so you leave it as is, right?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry¡­can you stop getting angry?¡± ¡°Come on, sit here.¡± Shula pointed to a stool in front of her and commanded with a smiling face. Her mouth is smiling, but if you look closely, you can see a tendon sprouting from her forehead. ¡°Right now.¡± It was a face more terrifying than a monster. Swallowing dry saliva, Scyllia crouched down on a low stool. ¡°You are scratched all over the place. Don¡¯t be patient in the future and come right away. Do I eat people?¡± She still felt half eaten, but Scyllia did not speak. Even if she said it, it seemed that she would not get a positive reaction back. ¡°Take the medicine I gave you after meals.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s anything else that¡¯s uncomfortable¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± Scylia cut off Shula¡¯s words, who was about to strip her from her clothes with resolute force. Shula didn¡¯t mind. ¡°Our leader is a lone wolf. You push everyone away while drawing a line. The iron walls are just like an imperial fortress.¡± Of course, her always troublesome mouth didn¡¯t stop. Shula¡¯s excellent healing power that was praised in the Holy Kingdom went nowhere. However her mouth wasn¡¯t going to get better and if felt like she would eventually be sent flying to a further isolated outpost at this rate. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°From what I can see, the Commander seems to be very shy. Should I say it¡¯s a bit extreme?¡± ¡°¡­.What?¡± ¡°If you look closely, you¡¯re cute.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re going to keep raising it while getting hurt like this? What if something went wrong and the monster killed you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to kill that nine-tailed fox. Of course I¡¯m not going to get killed either.¡± Scyllia shook her head and put on her coat. ¡°It would be better to keep him nearby and watch over him.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because of your ghost-like intuition, right? That gives you a sense that you can¡¯t kill him.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Scyllia¡¯s ¡®intuition¡¯. That feeling has always been a problem. Maybe it was because Scylia¡¯s intuition sent her a red signal that she went to the old priestess without killing the nine-tailed-fox. Rather than an irrational premonition. It acted as a firm fact binding Scyllia. As long as Scyllia felt that she shouldn¡¯t kill it, there would be no reversal of her actions. This is because her ¡®intuition¡¯ has never gone wrong. Just like a Saint¡¯s ¡®revelation¡¯. Rather, she was giving a more accurate revelation than the Saint himself, who descended upon the Holy Kingdom. Shula, who thought that far, shook her head in surprise. This thought was blasphemy and she shouldn¡¯t have them. She sighed and said. ¡°Tell me how it¡¯s going sometimes. I¡¯m in charge of treatment, right? I feel relieved when I know what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, tell me. What are you doing these days that you get hurt like this?¡± Scyllia, who was speechless, pondered for a long time before opening her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m focused on teaching etiquette, and It became particularly wild.¡± Shula had an incredulous face from the words that went in her ears. ¡°Etiquette? To a nine-tailed fox?¡± *** ¡°Little fox.¡± Scyllia entered her house and called the fox. Since it didn¡¯t respond, she tried calling the name she had given her this time. ¡°Ran?¡± From afar, an unsatisfied cry was heard. It was a cry mixed with boundaries, as if not to call it by that name. Scyllia walked to where Ran was. It seems he was sleeping in bed. Last night, Ran didn¡¯t try to run away for the first time. So Scyllia put a barrier on her house and released Ran as a reward. She laid a soft cushion on the floor, but he eventually gets up on her bed like he¡¯s doing right now. ¡°You don¡¯t like the cushion?¡± Ran growled. ¡°Come here.¡± Strangely, Ran understood her words. It was said to be a monster born of a heavenly creature, so she expected that he would be different in every way, but Scyllia did not know that he would understand everything. Isn¡¯t this the western continent? ¡®He must have come from the East, did he learn our language this fast? Or is it because he is a child of a heavenly being, it doesn¡¯t matter which language we speak in?¡¯ She shrugged her shoulders and set the cage of chickens down on the floor. ¡°Come here, Ran. Huh?¡± As soon as she urged, Ran slowly crept over. His silver coat shimmered dimly like the moonlight flowing down in the night sky. He was walking smoothly, but as soon as he came close, he rushed into her arms. Scyllia tried to defend herself with holy energy, but when she noticed the fox¡¯s front paws were charred, she stopped. Gnaw. When he bit her arm, the corners of her eyes were distorted. He didn¡¯t bite too hard though, so she didn¡¯t bleed. Just a little scratched on the skin. ¡®Looking at this, I think he really doesn¡¯t want to hurt me.¡¯ She was puzzled and called the fox. ¡°Ran. You were trying to get out of the house while I was away.¡± ¡°Growl¡­¡± ¡°You touched the barrier and your fur got burnt.¡± Ran swung his claws as she poked her head out to examine it. Scyllia lightly dodged his attack before she inspected the affected area. Fortunately, only the fur got burned. Scyllia was relieved, and put on her stern face. ¡°Ran. I told you not to bite people.¡± ¡°Crowl¡­¡­¡± ¡°What did I say I would do if you keep doing the same thing?¡± Ran cried defiantly. ¡°I am not your prey. Let go.¡± Ran stubbornly grabbed her forearm and didn¡¯t let go. ¡°If you keep doing that, I will have no choice but to push you away with holy power.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Then your beautiful fur will burn. I don¡¯t want to hurt you.¡± Scyllia persistently persuaded. ¡°Let go, Ran.¡± She was never angry. No matter how he attacked, she did not respond with violence, and persuaded with words to the end. After about a week, her body was covered with scars. It was an opposite situation than the rebellious little fox, whose wounds would heal just fine by itself. ¡°Ran. What¡¯s the reason you are getting angry on purpose?¡± In an instant, Ran¡¯s small body flinched. Scyllia lowered her head and looked deep into Ran¡¯s golden eyes. ¡°Huh? Little fox. No matter how angry you are at me or how many times you attack me, I will never hate you.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°So, can you tell me why?¡± His golden eyes, which were trembling, were wet with water. There was no way he could speak with a fox¡¯s body. Scyllia wasn¡¯t asking for an answer either. She just wanted Ran to understand her heart. ¡°I will ask you one last time. Let go.¡± The fox released the arm he was biting. ¡°Good boy.¡± She patted Ran¡¯s head carefully, rummaging through the luggage bag she was wearing. Ran looked at what she was doing with moist eyes. ¡°Ran, do you also eat dead things other than alive ones? I brought this because there was good quality jerky in the supply.¡± Scyllia, who was bitten and had a swollen red arm, pulled out this and that. She then pulled out a jerky and held it out, slightly smiling. It was not only once or twice that she was bitten like that, and she smiled so innocently that his heart was uncomfortable. The little fox¡¯s heart was broken in pain. Strangely, however, he didn¡¯t hate that pain. The fox did not know that the sensation was due to the prickly joy of tenderness, so for him, it felt painful. It was a feeling he would come to know only when he gets bigger. Chapter 8 Ran sat down and looked into Scyllia¡¯s eyes, then put his nose to the jerky and sniffed it. ¡°What do you think? It¡¯s okay?¡± Ran began to chew on the jerky and Scyllia got up from her seat and headed for the kitchen. She had a flustered look, never seen on the face of the Commander when she was on duty. Scyllia brought all of the jerkies she had sored in a separate place and poured them out in front of Ran. ¡°This is pork. This is duck. This is chicken. This is rabbit meat.¡± She pointed at the jerky one by one and explained. Her face was flushed red with genuine pleasure. Ran stared at Scyllia¡¯s face like that. ¡°Oh, you might be thirsty.¡± Scyllia ran back to the kitchen and when she returned, there was a bowl of rice with clear water held in her hand. ¡°Go on.¡± She also held out the rice bowl. She was a strangely frugal person and had only one bowl of rice in her house, but she brought it to be used as the fox¡¯s water bowl. There is a separate water bowl in the bedroom that she had bought for the fox, but she forgot that all together. ¡°Eat a lot, you are too thin. You must gain weight.¡± Ran couldn¡¯t understand Scyllia at all. ¡®Why are you so kind to a monster?¡¯ Ran was not a being whose good or evil was different depending on how he behaved. Everyone saw the fox as evil from the beginning. Didn¡¯t even the woman named Shula threaten him because he was a monster? However, this easy-going person in front of him is training Ran like teaching a child who was learning good and bad things. From one to ten, she cheered for him and believed in Ran¡¯s infinite possibilities. Scyllia was the first human to take care of Ran ignoring the fact he was a monster. It was a miracle for Ran, a nine-tailed fox, to meet someone who purely looked after his essence. ¡°You can eat a lot of this. It is dried without salt, so it¡¯s not salty.¡± On her forearm, the teeth marks Ran had bitten were still intact. With a sore arm, Scyllia still explained everything softly. The fox continued to glance at her kind face. For quite a long time. *** ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± The staff at the pet supply store looked up at Scyllia with a blank face. She was cold to the point of numbness and beautiful at the same time. When a paladin, who appeared to have been carved out of plaster, entered his shop, at first the staff thought she had entered the wrong place. Therefore. ¡°This is a pet supply store.¡± He said anything that could work without hurting her pride. ¡°Do you sell shampoo too?¡± But why is she asking this question!? ¡°Sha-shampoo?¡± Scyllia¡¯s cheeks softly reddened when asked back. She lowered her yellow-green eyes and murmured in a small voice. ¡°Shampoo for animals¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Recently, there was a pet craze in the Empire. Naturally, stores dealing with pet supplies also popped up one after another. This store was also built on the current trend. It seems like even Paladins were unable to avoid trends of the material world. ¡°What kind of species are you raising? Is it a dog?¡± Scyllia ponders over her serious face. She said yes. ¡°It¡¯s a canine.¡± ¡°AHA! Cani¡­¡± The staff, who rolled his eyes and struggled with how to react to her reply but skillfully led Scyllia. ¡°Then how about this product? It has a rich rose scent, making it a popular product among aristocrats.¡± Scyllia, who smelled it, twisted her forehead. ¡°The scent is too strong.¡± ¡°Do you want a different scent?¡± ¡°Is there anything without scent?¡± ¡°Without?¡± The staff made a surprised face. ¡°My animal has a sensitive nose. Strong scents will stress it out.¡± ¡®Oh¡¯ Surprised inside, the staff smiled broadly and led her again. ¡°Then this product is for you. There is no added fragrance. It does not foam well, but it is mild, so even picky animals can adapt well.¡± Scyllia examined the product for a long time even after listening to his explanation. She smelled it, saw what the texture looked like¡­Then she walked around the store and swept necessary items into the basket. Comb, towel, bed, toys, snacks, rice bowl, water bowl¡­¡­. Seeing the basket overflowing with items, the employee was speechless. ¡°You seem to love your pet a lot.¡± ¡°I just bought what the child needs.¡± Scyllia replied sternly. ¡®She must be a shy person.¡¯ The staff happily smiled and packed her things. ¡®How can she be so kind and have such a cold face? She would be popular if she smiled a little.¡¯ Ironically, the eyes of the staff she saw for the first time today were more accurate than the members she spent the whole day with. ¡°Come again!¡± The staff took great care of the service, hoping that she and her pet would be happy. * * * As Scyllia turned on the light in the living room, Ran, who was crouching under the table, raised his head. As soon as she saw Ran, Scyllia, with a remarkably loose face, pulled out a small bone-shaped cotton doll. ¡°You¡¯re alone for a long time. I bought it because I was afraid you would be bored.¡± The fox, who had been staring at the bone doll with annoyance, bit it with insincerity. Pop! In an instant, the fabric was pierced and the cotton came out. Scyllia looked down at the badly torn toy with confusion. ¡°I should have bought a stronger one.¡± ¡°Kyun!¡± Ran snorted as if saying it wasn¡¯t even funny. Either way, Scyllia was serious. ¡®Next time, I¡¯ll have to buy a wooden toy with meat flavor.¡¯ Leaving the garrison required the permission of the Empire. It wasn¡¯t easy to stop by the pet store today, but Scyllia decided to try again soon. ¡°There are many things I want to show you. Do you want to come out?¡± Ran, who had been squinting a side gaze at Scyllia¡¯s huge shopping bag, took a slow step, pretending to be unwilling. ¡°It¡¯s all yours.¡± Ran sniffed at the lump of luggage. Now, the fox only attacked Scyllia from time to time. Although the number of times decreased, she knew Ran was on the lookout for a golden opportunity. Of course, the opportunity was never to be given. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. I bought a shampoo today.¡± Ran raised his head curiously. ¡°You should take a bath, Ran.¡± Thus, the prelude to the war had risen. ¡°Kiing!¡± Ran screamed as he struggled with his legs. Perhaps It was the first time he was going to take a bath like this, so the resistance was great. ¡°Ran, look here. Look at the duck. Aww, you¡¯re cute.¡± ¡°Kyuannnn!¡± Scyllia, tried to divert his attention by moving the duck toy around the water, but Ran was not even in the mood to look at her duck. ¡®I can¡¯t.¡¯ She decided to change her tactics and end it with a quick turnaround. She squeezed the shampoo and vigorously washed Ran¡¯s fur. She thought it was somewhat clean because the fur was already beautiful, but shining moonlight-like fur gradually showed itself with each rinse. ¡°Kuung! Kuung!¡± ¡°Right, good boy.¡± ¡°Kang!¡± ¡°Oh, scary little guy. Here, duck.¡± Scyllia put the duckling toy inside Ran¡¯s ferocious open mouth. Ran nervously shook his head and spat the duck out. His eyes were burning with anger. ¡°I can¡¯t help it. You have to wash it so you don¡¯t get sick.¡± ¡°Kyuuuuuu!¡± ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m sorry, huh? It will be done soon.¡± His bubbly body was ridiculously smooth and Ran eventually slipped out like a loach. A fox with foam all over his body rushed out of the bathroom. Ran¡¯s body, like a bundle of white clouds, rolled over the living room like a cotton flower hit by a gust of wind. It was slippery because of the foam, and at that moment, his four paws slipped in different directions around ten times. Scyllia who was soaking in water and foam from her hair, neck to even her pants, burst out laughing. ¡°Ran!¡± Eventually, Scyllia followed Ran. The fox paused for a moment, turned around, and snorted with a pang! At Scyllia who laughed at him. This lowly human. It was as if his eyes were saying that. ¡°You looked down at me, didn¡¯t you?¡± Scyllia started picking up her pace. Ran saw Scyllia narrowing her distance horribly fast, and ran away in astonishment. Scyllia, who was half chasing after him as a joke, suddenly opened her eyes wide and shouted. ¡°Look out!¡± The accident happened quickly. Ran, who was quickly running to avoid her, slipped at some point. He slammed his body into the empty showcase at the same speed he had been running with all his might. Bang! It was an old piece of furniture with disproportionately worn four legs. The head of the showcase tilted downwards. Scyllia rushed out and slid her body over the foam that had been splashed on the floor. Then, she reached the place where the Ran was to be crushed and pushed him out with all her might. Thump ¨C A showcase made of solid wood slumped over her shoulders and body. Her cursed scar also received the impact. It was a place where the skin was usually sensitive, so even just brushing by it would cause her hair to stand up. Cold sweat dripped and her body trembled like convulsions, but Scyllia quickly regained her composure. She had lived with the curse for 23 years. ¡®It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s not like a seizure really came. I was just shocked because of the impact. Don¡¯t need to be scared.¡¯ After she clenched her teeth and supported the display case with her forearms, she wriggled out from under it. In the quiet house, only the harsh breathing of Scyllia resonated for a long time. When she found her reason, Scyllia hurriedly checked Ran. ¡°Ran!¡± The fox cub was trembling with his ears hanging down. Suddenly, Ran stared tenaciously at Scyllia¡¯s pale face. Her chest sank down as if for some reason, the pain of the curse was caught by the little fox. ¡®Ran is young, isn¡¯t he? Even if he saw something, he wouldn¡¯t know anything.¡¯ She erased her thoughts and looked at the fox¡¯s condition. ¡°Are you all right? Where are you hurt?¡± Chapter 9 Ran, who was shaking like an aspen, bowed his head. There was a large puddle of urine underneath. The little fox was only a little larger than the palm of her hand. The collapsing showcase must have felt like a collapsing mountain. Scyllia didn¡¯t say anything, and hurriedly searched the shelf near her. Then she pulled out some fabric and carefully wrapped the shocked fox¡¯s little body around it. The urine collected underneath it was absorbed and wiped away. So that no one could see it. ¡°You¡¯re not hurt, are you?¡± Scyllia, who had buried the yellow-dyed heavy cloth in her arms, asked carefully. Ran looked up at her in a bewildered way. Scyllia, who was rubbing Ran¡¯s body here and there, was relieved to find out that he was okay and exhaled her breath. ¡°Thank God.¡± Without hesitation, she went to the bathroom, embracing the damp cloth and Ran. When she unfolded it, the cloth that wrapped Ran turned out to be a wool sweater she had bought for the winter. ¡®I can¡¯t use it anymore.¡± She took it off lightly and adjusted the temperature of the water. Foam, which had swelled abundantly, had long since disappeared. His thin and skinny body was trembling, and she felt regretful. ¡°Is it cold?¡± Scyllia started rinsing Ran¡¯s silvery hair with lukewarm water. His fur, which had sunk in urine, was also rinsed with water by squeezing out water with her hands. Ran hardened and did not rebel a finger. ¡°Good boy.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Here.¡± Scyllia placed the toy duck in front of Ran. Ran looked down at the duck. While the fox stared intently at the little duck, Scyllia finished the last rinse and wrapped the fox in a fluffy towel. ¡°Do you like ducks?¡± She put the duck in the towel Ran was wrapped in, and took a brisk walk. ¡°Ugh.¡± At the same time, a short moan broke out. Ran¡¯s ears, which had been drooping beneath, stood at once. The fox turned his head and looked at Celia. She had closed her eyes tightly so Scyllia didn¡¯t notice that Ran was staring at her. Cold sweat was forming on her forehead as if she felt excruciating pain. Scyllia opened her eyes with a white face, and after she dried the seemingly anxious Ran with a towel until he was dry, she went into the bathroom to take a shower. After a while, Scyllia came out with only her gown on, and her ankle was puffy like a pufferfish. ¡°Of all things, my ankle.¡± Scyllia, who muttered in an annoyed tone, laid her exhausted body on the couch. As if it was nothing. Ran sat in the middle of her living room, looking at Scyllia. For a long time. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you bored?¡± Until now, Ran and Scyllia have been fighting in a really messy fight. Scyllia was a tough person that never got tired. She consistently talked to a beast, no, monster, who couldn¡¯t communicate and only attack her. He wondered how a person could be so consistent as a pine tree. ¡°What is it?¡± Ran¡¯s multicolored golden eyes returned to Scyllia. She looked into Ran¡¯s eyes with a squinted look. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You must have eaten the life energy of the beast today¡­ Are you still hungry?¡± Scyllia, who tilted her head, got up from her seat and limped to the kitchen. ¡®If you meet the human who calls your name, treat them dearly. You have to protect them. Do you understand?¡¯ His mother¡¯s voice rang in his ears, that¡¯s what she said just before she died. ¡®Don¡¯t miss it, Ran, don¡¯t miss it¡­¡­¡¯ Ran was puzzled by that. Why did his mother say it was a ¡®human¡¯? The being who calls Ran¡¯s name may not be a human being, it could be a spirit creature or a monster, right? It was as if she knew in advance that Scyllia and Ran would meet¡­¡­ ¡°Hm¡­¡± Ran, followed Scyllia who whinnied around. She was contemplating which of the many kinds of snacks she had kept would be good to give now. She took out a dried beef and limped back into the living room. Suddenly, Ran cried a short sound, as he followed her back. Just stay put. Don¡¯t move. That¡¯s what he meant, but¡­¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you soon.¡± Scyllia thought it meant something else and eagerly tore the meat apart. Then she smiled, holding out a snack with a childlike face. ¡°Come on. Would you like to smell it? It smells sweet.¡± Ran only looked into Scyllia¡¯s eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t like it? That¡¯s weird. They said they used good meat¡­¡± Scyllia sniffed the meat with a disappointed look on her face. She seemed more concerned about the snack being refused than her injury. Ran¡¯s gaze slid over Scyllia¡¯s swollen ankle. It was an injury she got while trying to save him. Her hands still smelled a little fishy. It was because she wiped Ran¡¯s urine with her bare hands. without any change in expression. The fox sniffed Scyllia¡¯s ankle with his pointed snout and licked the swollen skin a couple of times. Ran, the little nine-tailed fox, showed favor to Scyllia for the first time. Small, but clear. It was an emotional moment. But Scyllia¡­ ¡°As expected, do you find people more delicious?¡± Ran stopped licking and lifted his head. It was an absurd thing to conclude, and even Ran eyes were blank. But the tactless Scyllia took it as an affirmation. ¡°Humans are a no.¡± Would he have come and licked your flesh to eat you? He made a negative cry in that sense, but Scyllia became cold in her own accord. ¡°No. If you hurt someone, I have no choice but to lock you up.¡± ¡°Aung!¡± ¡°Are people really that tasty? Maybe it¡¯s because you don¡¯t have enough energy?¡± Scyllia rose from her seat, shaking her head with her darkened face. Her face grimaced at the sharp pain that climbed up to her thighs. Ran, who had been anxious hovering around her seat, raised his head and cried out. ¡°Keang!¡± Now he was making all sorts of weird noises. ¡®You must be hungry.¡¯ Scyllia, who became even more serious, moved her steps with enthusiasm. Ran followed her like a leech and cried out something like a nagging tone with every step she took. ¡°Waun, wong, woong, waung.¡± Sit quietly in your seat! ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯ll give you some food.¡± ¡°Waun, wong. Uuungg.¡± Your ankle hurts! Rest! ¡°All right, I got you. Why are you rushing me?¡± She tried to lift the cage in the corner of the room, as it weighed on her ankle she chewed her lower lip. ¡°I have to go to the clinic tomorrow.¡± Ran was so frustrated that he was about to go crazy. ¡°Waunggg!¡± ¡°All right. Let¡¯s eat here today.¡± Scyllia removed the animal from her cage. When the chicken found the nine-tailed fox, it was startled and screamed in horror. ¡°Eat chicken, not people.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± At last, the brilliant monster, Ran the nine-tailed fox, finally realized. That Scyllia common sense was beyond despair, it was around the hopeless level. A cohabitation between a witty male, more precisely, a nine-tailed male fox monster, and a tough but senseless Paladin, was akin to a storm ready to hit. * * * ¡°She got a baby nine-tailed fox.¡± The man, dressed in white from head to toe in a uniform, rolled up the corners of his mouth without looking out the window. He was a man like snow, his tie, vest, and buttons were all white. His hair was as white as his complexion, so anyone who didn¡¯t know the man could guess that he was a high-ranking clergyman. He continued, tapping his forearm with his white cotton gloved hand. ¡°Then that nine-tailed fox is truly the monster with the power of a Heavenly Beast.¡± ¡°It was the right decision not to kill him along with his mother the Heavenly Fox.¡± ¡°Yes. If Scyllia recognized him, it¡¯s certain that it has Holy energy.¡± The mysteriously shining silver eyes of the man became hazy as if recalling the past. ¡°Scyllia is now twenty-three.¡± The man returned to his seat, sat down at his work desk that was clean and dust-free, and held up a quill. ¡°How can she survive for 23 years? She¡¯s a real tough cookie.¡± The man muttered with a sullen face. ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel good that she preservers like this trying to live.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°In the end, she will die, not knowing it was all in vain.¡± The man beckoned to the giant full-length mirror by the window, and the mirror that had been reflecting the man reflected Scyllia. ¡°Look. Didn¡¯t she even become a paladin to live? Coward, that¡¯s why I hate her even more.¡± The man¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Isn¡¯t fate too harsh?¡± At that moment, Scyllia in the mirror picked the fox. The wrinkled golden eyes of the fox, who was held in her arms, suddenly looked at the man beyond the mirror. Jikingking. A golden spider web-like rupture spread across the mirror reflecting Scyllia. The smiling man¡¯s lips closed in straight line. The shards of the broken mirror went black for an instant, then immediately reflected his distorted figure. ¡°The young fox¡¯s power is quite impressive.¡± ¡°Did he sense it?¡± ¡°What can that little thing know?¡± The man calmly murmured. ¡°That nine-tailed fox must be killed when it becomes an adult. Scyllia will raise him well, by then he will surely become a Heavenly Beast.¡± The man wrote with a quill and ordered. ¡°It¡¯s going to get annoying when he grows up.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The prostrated attendant vacated his seat like the wind. The man who had been checking the documents for a while suddenly rolled his eyes at the broken mirror. He opened his thin lips to let out a sigh. ¡°Isn¡¯t life difficult? Scyllia.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s easier for you to die. Fool.¡± He whispered quietly ¡°Don¡¯t hold on like a beggar and die by yourself already.¡± Don¡¯t let my hands get bloody. Then, I¡¯ll bury you in a sunny place and give you lilies every year. Don¡¯t worry about leaving your holy sacrifice in writing and passing it on to the next generation. Therefore¡­. ¡°You¡¯re going to die, Scyllia. Do you understand?¡± An elegant smile hung on the man¡¯s thin lips. Chapter 10 Scyllia worked in the Paladin¡¯s garrison and studied about nine-tailed foxes in her spare time. ¡¸¡­¡­The little fox monster can transform into a young human from the year it turns 10, and becomes an adult at the year it turns 20¡­¡¹ Scyllia lowered her head as if piercing her nose in a book and read through it. It was a very precious book that she had obtained from the Eastern continent. She read the parts about the Nine-tailed fox until it was worn down, but there was a question that was not solved. ¡®The Priestess said that Ran will become an adult in a year. Then he must be around 19 years old¡­ Why isn¡¯t he humanizing?¡¯ It¡¯s been quite some time since she has been with Ran, but Scyllia had never seen him transformed into a human. ¡®Strictly speaking, Ran is not a fox monster cub.¡¯ Ran was a baby nine-tailed fox. The only one in the world. ¡®Is that the reason? I wonder if it¡¯s something different¡­¡¯ She rubbed her temples and moved on to the table of contents describing the nine-tailed foxes. Compared to the normal fox monster, things about the nine-tailed fox covered a far shorter amount of text. Because very little was known. She slowly turned the page. ¡¸¡­..Nine-Tailed foxes have a habit of obsessing over having only one companion in their life, so you should never touch their mates when dealing with them. If you accidentally touche their companions, you will have a terrible misfortune on your hands¡­¡¹ ¡°Nine-tailed foxes are monogamous.¡± Scyllia thought it was a little strange. This is because most monsters and creatures do not have the concept of companionship. Like animals, they met different mates during each breeding season and give birth. ¡®Is a nine-tailed fox¡¯s mate, another nine-tailed fox?¡¯ Scyllia gradually fell into a labyrinth. ¡®It seems that there are so few individuals that they only appear in legends. Do they live alone until they meet another nine-tailed fox?¡¯ Scyllia was so worried about Ran, that she had completely forgotten that she could dream neither of love nor marriage. ¡®I don¡¯t think so, right? They could probably date a fox with two tails.¡¯ But she couldn¡¯t imagine that. Ordinary monsters had no reason, and when they saw people they wanted to eat them so much that they went wild, rushing to attack. To say that Ran and such a peculiar existence are in love¡­The level does not match, so I wonder if they could have a conversation. Then she suddenly felt skeptical as to why she was even worried about this. ¡®Ran will take care of this¡­ Wait. Only one companion in their life? What if the companion dies in the middle?¡¯ Shula, who would sip her tea while watching it, often shook her head. Scyllia, who had been worrying throughout her working hours, began to educate the little fox as soon as she entered the house without even unpacking. ¡°Ran, do you understand? A female has to be unconditionally strong. Healthy and strong! Choose a strong female. She¡¯ll live a long life, okay?¡± The nodding Ran looked up at her, yawning so much that his little mouth was torn open. Scyllia ignored all his gestures showing he was about to die of boredom, and never stopped talking with determination. ¡°Of course, you are already half a Heavenly Beast, so you must choose one that can be compatible. She can¡¯t just be strong. Evil and stupid monsters won¡¯t be a good match. If possible, choose a good guy.¡± ¡°Kwan~.¡± Ran yawned again. ¡°Don¡¯t be so bored, look at this.¡± Scyllia rummaged through her bag and pulled out a book. One, two, three¡­ After looking at the thick books lined up outside the large bag, he had a face that asked her about what she wanted him to see. As books about monsters piled up like a mountain on both sides, Ran quietly stared at them. Scyllia was busy finding the page she wanted to show among the many bookmarks she had marked. The thick hardcover was tattered, and colorful memos could be seen sticking out of the pages. You must be busy subjugating the monsters that appear in the Empire, when did you buy and study all those things? Ran looked at the book and looked up at Scyllia. There were so many books that she was a little lost. ¡°Ah, I found it.¡± She opened the book in front of the column and showed it. Scyllia believed with not an ounce of doubt that Ran could read. ¡°Here, see?¡± ¡°Kyuu.¡± ¡°A nine-tailed fox has only one companion in its lifetime.¡± ¡°Kyuu.¡± Ran was only looking at Scyllia¡¯s face, barely looking at where she was pointing at. But Scyllia did not notice his tenacious gaze and talked very fervently. ¡°I heard it¡¯s your instinct. Even if you don¡¯t want to, one female can hold you on a leash. You¡¯ll be imprinted like a little chick.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°So, choose wisely. A good, strong, long-lived companion, all right?¡± She gathered her eyebrows in real anxiety worried. ¡°How sad would it be if your companion died soon? Or if she played with you and threw you away in the middle¡­¡± Ran, who had listened to Scyllia, lowered his eyes and licked his paw with his moist pink tongue. He was very concentrated, as he bend his ears until the back of his head. Ran moved to his other paw, and was licking it eagerly when Scyllia said. ¡°I can¡¯t. I¡¯m worried about you choosing a companion, will you come to visit me later? I will look after your companion.¡± She is now trying to play the hole of mother-in-law. Besides, what¡¯s this all about ¡®when choosing a companion¡¯? A nine-tailed fox does not have the authority to choose a companion. Because it is a realm close to instinct. Isn¡¯t human love similar to that? Whether you like it or not, if you are attracted to someone you end up falling in love, just like failing in the water and getting your clothes wet as a result. The difference between a human and a nine-tailed fox is that they cannot escape from that love forever. Ran was a puppy, but he knew the difference from birth, much like his hunting instinct, he possessed enlightenment when he came into this world. Didn¡¯t Scyllia just say something like that? Instinct. That was the right expression. ¡®My mother had a monster who was his companion for all her life.¡¯ His father was a 600-year-old snake monster, a colossal snake. Although he died protecting Ran¡¯s mother, he was wiser than humans. In most cases, when monsters were of different blood, only one of the two races was born. Ran¡¯s blood followed the fox. But he would sometimes notice that the snake blood was dormant in him, and snakes were a race known to be as obsessive to their companions as the nine-tailed foxes. ¡®Companion¡­.¡¯ Ran suddenly wanted to grow up quickly. He finds it strange that every time he sees Scyllia, his desire to grow up quickly intensifies. ¡°Did you let the nine-tailed fox wander free in the house?¡± At that moment, a sharp voice hummed from near the front door. Ran raised his head and looked at it. Shula was coming in. ¡°I asked her to come to examine if you are growing well and if there are no sores.¡± Scyllia kindly explained. Of course, the real purpose was that she wondered if the reason for not humanizing was because of a physical problem. However, the real one was not said and the astonished Shula was left behind and Scyllia brought a cage with his prey. ¡°How about eating in your room today? You will be uncomfortable here, right?¡± An animal knows like a ghost whether it¡¯s liked it or hated. Ran was like that too. He was offended by Shula, who treated him as a time bomb that could explode at any moment. The rude priest was as hostile to Ran as she was kind to Scyllia. ¡°Leader. How can you let the nine-tailed fox out of the cage like that?¡± ¡°He won¡¯t attack. He has been very gentle.¡± Scyllia now knew how to make a loose face in front of Shula. Shula, staring blankly at her lovely face, grumbled, scratching her red cheeks. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s like that but, you are not letting it out of the cage when you sleep, are you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s a male.¡± Shula looked at Ran and licked her dry lips. ¡°No matter how gentle he is, don¡¯t let your guard too relaxed. Animals follow their instincts. You never know when they might suddenly act.¡± Shula made a significant observation of Ran, who was staring intently at Scyllia. ¡®It seems true that he has become gentle. But that¡¯s not what I mean to warn¡­¡¯ Shula¡¯s eyes narrowed. Unlike Scyllia, who was tactless, Shula was quite sensitive. She had alert eyes to catch any innate instincts and impulses of the male nine-tailed fox. ¡®It seems that he has a crush on the Commander.¡¯ Shula came to a conclusion close to the answer. ¡®Isn¡¯t he being sneaky right now?¡¯ ¡°Today I brought a chicken that lives only in the Piflos Region. It¡¯s big, right? Not noticing the tension between Ran and Shula, Scyllia smiled as she held out the cage with his prey. It was hard to believe that she turned into a different person when she went into battle. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go to the room.¡± Ran quietly headed to Scyllia¡¯s room. She left the cage with the chickens open and went out into the living room. The chicken was terrified and frozen like ice. Ran leisurely squeezed the chicken¡¯s body and bit the nape of its neck, sucking life energy. He tends to satisfy his hunger by chewing the meat after eating the life force of his prey, but he was particularly reluctant to do it today. ¡®My spirit is not strong. If I stay like this, I can¡¯t become an adult even after a year has passed.¡¯ Being an adult in the 20th year was the standard for a fox monster that ate human life force. The only thing Ran ate was animals. An unknown sense of urgency came close to him as if burning his tail. Even when he was abused by humans, he didn¡¯t want to become an adult so earnestly like this. ¡®Why am I so frustrated?¡¯ The mere sight of Scyllia¡¯s face made his heart burst with impatience. She would sometimes become pale and lock herself in her bedroom. At that time, she didn¡¯t even let Ran inside. After a while, she appeared, soaked in a cold sweat, and went into the bathroom to shower. Scyllia smelled of pain at those moments. Every time Ran smelled it, he felt terribly hungry. To the extent that he wants to lick her whole body to eat the smell away. Chapter 11 But to do that, he had to become an adult. Bigger, stronger. That way, Scyllia will. Ran turned his big ears, similar to a desert foxs ears, to the door and overheard the conversation. Sheesh, I left some dried herbs at the treatment center. Is it important? If we dont grind it tonight, we will run out of medicine tomorrow. I will bring it. What? How can I make the Leader do it? Please sit down. Im quick on my feet, you can just wait here. Scyllia, who reassured Shula, was heard coming out of the front door. Shula is alone. The little foxs heart was beating rapidly. If I eat her energy, I can grow quickly. Ran closed his eyes and didnt move until Scyllia was far away enough. A moment later, when she was completely gone, a pair of golden eyes, gleaming with monster energy, opened in the darkness. Ran opened the door that Scyllia had closed and went out into the living room. What? Shula, who was sitting in the chair and twisting her hair with her finger in boredom, got up in surprise. He didnt want to humanize, so Ran came out in his fox form. Seducing humans with his non-human form was a more difficult task, but it was not a big problem for Ran. She doesnt have an amulet to block my seducing skill, and she doesnt have the attack power to defeat a monster, right? All she had was healing power. Its true that holy power gets in the way. A reddish monster energy, like a scarlet ink released into the water, began to heat the air. Shulas body was excited, and her eyes dimly loosened. But Ran still couldnt make a move. Shulas holy power was pushing Rans monster energy away. Kyuu. Ran wept softly, waving his shiny tail. His harmless eyes opened like a full moon. As he licked his paws in indifference, Shulas steps moved towards him. Are you bored? Shula exhaled a hot breath and looked at Ran. You look really cute. Rans round eyes bent as if he was smiling. The fox did not move and Shula could only be dragged like a magnet. Ran stared at Shulas hand as she approached. Shula, impatient with the unswerving fox, muttered as if pleading. How is it that you are so small and cute? What about your nose, I want to bite it off because it looks like smooth chocolate. Shula still had her bad habit of speaking without a filter even in a semi-sane state. Are you upset because Ive been so mean? Its not just my fault. You look like youre going to eat the Leader. Kyuu? No, no. I must have misunderstood. There is no other good-natured monster like you, right? No. There are no good monsters in this world. There are only monsters that indiscriminately eat humans and monsters that can control a little bit. Even so, there is no natural temperance, so the only way to live like that is to steadily learn patience like writing letters on rocks. But Ran gently waved his tail without making a sound. Just a little bit. The moment Shulas hand was about to touch Rans head. Ran. A voice as heavy as a mace unknowingly pressed Rans head. The voice sounded like a thump as if it had fallen on his back. Ran hardened like stone. Gasp! Shula woke up in surprise. Rans monster energy, which spread like pheromones, dispersed in an instant and was overwhelmed by Scyllias clear energy. What was I doing? Shula muttered as she touched her forehead. Scyllia coldly looked down at Ran and opened her mouth, passing the herbs to Shulas hand. Looks like you have a headache. You better go home and rest. Is that okay? I havent looked at the fox yet. Its all right, go back and rest. Shula nodded her head and went out to the front door. Tak As the door closed, there was a cold silence. Scyllia walked slowly and came to Rans front. She was quite tall for a woman and although she looked thin at first glance, she had a strong body forged by years of training. As she drew near and stood in front of the little fox, Ran, became as small as a stone on the shore of a lake. Ran, theres something I didnt tell you. If you harm an innocent person, I will have to kill you. Ran raised his head. Scyllia had a grim face. Usually, when she looked at the little fox cub, he was so cute that she didnt know what to do. Her cheeks would glow like red peaches and a shining sense of happiness could be felt But now, from the pale and hardened green eyes of Scyllia, emotions dyed black with despair and agony were dripping down. Ran, who had received it raw, felt his heart plummet from the shock. And you will have to kill me to stop me from killing you. .. Die or kill, do you want our relationship to be like that? Scyllia who was a person of few words never spoke in vain. She was sure to keep what she said. Goosebumps arose, and the silver fur all over his body stood on the edge at the inescapable force. Shula is an excellent healer. She came to see if you are sick, how could you do that? You are not an ordinary monster. You can think, you have reason, you can make choices. When you were sick and hungry, you would have had little reason. But its not like that now, is it? Even more. Thats why, even more so Scyllia blushed with tears in her eyes as she blurred the end of her words. Ran felt a sense of crisis. He moved almost instinctively, rubbing his body against Scyllias leg. Scyllia seemed to understand what he meant. Unlike usual, she didnt have any strange misunderstandings. She asked in a friendly tone. Are you apologizing? Ran nodded his head as he felt his heartbeat pounding with anxiety. Dont do that again. Scyllia hugged the fox. And Ran, to his surprise, realized that he would never be able to harm an innocent human being. Despite the fact that he was a monster that had no natural temperance for doing so. Even now, he is hungry and his vicious impulses were raging within. but, like a nine-tailed fox who cant refuse his companions request, he apologized. * * * After the incident of trying to eat Shula, the relationship between the two mysteriously grew stronger. When Scyllia came home from work, she always played with Ran, and Ran was also happy with it. What Ran liked the most was hunting. It was a game where Scyllia moved her hand under a blanket, and Ran grabbed it. There is a joke that the body of a fox is closer to that of a dog but the essence is closer to a cat, and Scyllia sympathized with that statement. Its because she felt like she found a feisty cat when Ran climbed up high after doing something wrong. Come to think of it, you didnt eat your scheduled meal today. Scyllia was busy dragging a cage. Today is a Silkie Chicken. Scyllia looked at Ran with expectant eyes, but Ran had a bitter reaction. Whats the matter? Try it. Scyllia was puzzled and pushed the cage up to his nose. Ran turned his head sharply. Why do you refuse to eat? Ran curled his body in the corner of the cage and stared at the trembling silkie. The grievances that had accumulated over time burst open through his gaze. Scyllia tried to persuade the little fox. You have to take energy every day without skipping a day. You cant eat human energy. .. You are at your growing phase. Why dont you want to eat? Ran raised his front paws slowly toward the cage with the chicken. Scyllia cheered for Ran with a bright face. Okay. Come on, lets eat Tung! Woodang! Tangtang! The cage fell sideways with a loud noise as Rans forepaws smashed the iron bars. He was a little cub, but he was strong. Scyllias face hardened. What are you doing? Kuung. Ran replied without losing. Even his round, honey candy-like eyes became wild in their own way. It was a clear objection. Who taught you to turn over the rice bowl? Kyuang! How hard it was to catch it alive Kyeng! At the sound that came to her ears, Scyllia had a suspecting face. The fox cub seemed to be loudly laughing at her. Kyukyu. I wasnt an illusion! Y-You. Scyllia had a shocked look. It must have sounded very funny to the fox that she had worked hard to catch that little silkie chicken. The look that came from the little cub was very cheeky. Where did you learn to do that? As an expression of protest, Ran pounded the cage of chickens with his front paw. Wont you stop now! Kyuyoyoyonon! I dont like the food!! It sounds like such a line. She can understand Rans feelings, but Scyllia couldnt ignore his rude behavior and nailed it. If you keep on acting rudely, there will be no food in the future. Ran stubbornly turned his head and lay back down. I wont give you anything until you apologize. Scyllia thought that Ran would immediately come to her with his head bowed. However, it didnt happen, neither the next day nor the day after that. Ran only lay crouched in the corner and did not move. * * * For some reason, from their first meeting until now, nothing has progressed easily. It was not unreasonable. It was a combination of a monster, who has even less patience than a dog, and a paladin, who had practiced restrain and control all her life. Scyllia was a little saddened by the fact that she had to severely discipline Ran, so he could learn patience and restraint even as a monster. I cant keep starving him if a becomes a big problem with his body Shula sneered at Scyllia as she ruffled her hair in anguish. Dont worry, Leader. It wont die from starving that much. But it looks like hes already out of energy. Its only natural since he doesnt eat. It has never happened before, so why all of a sudden? Shula tilted her head and said. Maybe its depressed? Depressed? Scyllias face lit up at the news that came like a bolt out from the blue sky. Its every day only inside the house. It must have lived in the forest in the past. Shall I make a backyard? Then it will be a little better. Shula touched her forehead. The Leader is also very reckless. I should extend the barrier to the outside of the house. How big are you thinking of making it? About as far as the backyard. Anything more than that is out of my surveillance network, so its dangerous. Can you spare more holy energy for that? Scyllia bit her mouth in response to Shulas inadvertent question. Hmm? Shula noticed the strange silence, and she turned to Scyllia. And the Commander was turning white. Leader? Chapter 12 She felt depressed when the forgotten curse came to mind. Excessive use of holy power could worsen the pain. But she didnt want to leave the gloomy Ran as it was. Scyllia rubbed her brows and shook her head. Never mind. You can spend more without negative impact, right? Yes. I have enough. Shula, who had been watching Scyllias face with squinted eyes, asked again. Really? Is there anything you want to ask me? Seeing Scyllias hard face, Shula took a step back. No. The secret of the curse had to be tightly kept because in the Holy Kingdom, heresy was considered a great sin. With a nod, Scyllia immediately began to work that night. She was worried that Ran would not eat his fill of energy, so she hurried while cutting sleep time. The barrier was created by enclosing the space with stones filled with holy power and blessings, but it took a lot of energy to fill the stones with only holy power. Although the excessive use of holy energy was likely to cause a seizure, which had been a long-standing ailment, Scyllia did not stop. She felt sorry for Ran. Knowing how painful it is to be locked up, it didnt get across to me, not anyone else, that Ran was having a hard time. The more Scyllia thought the more her heart ached, and the sorrier she felt. So she ignored the signs of the throbbing curse and finished the job in three days. Ran. I have something to say. Come here. Ran couldnt move easily because his energy had waned in the meantime. Compared to adults, a cub was weaker and more dependent on the energy that was provided from outside sources. He was starving for three days, so it was natural for him to lie down all day with no energy. Scyllia walked directly to the corner while she was deeply reflecting and crouched down. She gently reached out a finger and poked the soft meat cushion on Rans front paw. Ran wrinkled his nose. Are you still very angry? Ran, who had not even raised his head these days, slowly lifted it up. Then one side of his fur was pressed flat so badly, that his skull was being outlined. Scyllia chewed on her tongue to hold back the laugh, which didnt match the current mood. Will you listen to me? She asked, rubbing the little foxs paws. The soft and consistent feel was strangely addicting. Hoping to look serious, she continued Im sorry, Ran. Rans ears twitched. Okay? She grabbed Ran by the back and rocked him back and forth. Ran, who was shaking like a cradle, snorted and purred while chewing Scyllias wrist. It was a gesture of anger, but it didnt hurt. Look at me. Huh? Scyllia touched Rans big ears this time. As she carefully scraped the protruding fur of the pinkish surface on the inside, ticklish Ran shook off his ears Rruuu. Ruarruk! Ran finally made a sound when she persistently touched him even though he continued to shake her off. Puh! Look at me. Phumf. Ran sighed and looked up at her with irritated eyes. Scyllia spoke with a sincere expression on her face. I think I didnt know very much about your feelings of being locked up at home and having to eat the same thing. It may be tasteless food for you, but I wandered through the forest for a long time to feed Ran the best animals I could. Ran, who had been motionless, finally got up from his seat. It had been a long time since they had looked into each others eyes while sitting facing upfront like this. Scyllia continued with a throbbing heart. I want to make up. At some point, the little fox who was only blinking as he looked at her, slowly approached. Ran rubbed his face against Scyllias squatted knee and then her collarbone. Scyllia, who felt a friendly apology from the gesture, smiled. Thank you. Scyllia, who had a smile, hugged the fox. She could feel the fresh smell of a beast and the smooth fur of Ran. I prepared a present as an apology. Ran raised his head in curiosity. Holding Ran, Scyllia opened the back door of her residence. Since it was a cub who was always looking for a way to escape, she thought he would jump out as soon as she opened the door, but strangely, Ran was quietly held in Scyllias arms. From now on, you can freely go back and forth. Ran looked at the vast forest in the distance. Why does it looks like you dont have any lingering feelings? Scyllia curiously looked at Ran. The fox was really quiet, with no sign of reluctance or a hint of inclination. Did you expect me to take measures to prevent you from running away? Scyllia struggled to understand. Right. Its a child who grew up running around in the woods, he cant help it. Its not that big, but it should be enough land for you to take a walk or catch a small animal. Kyung. Oh, and because you havent been able to eat energy these days. Scyllia entered the forest with Ran in her arms. Ran was busy while looking around. He looked like a countryside child who had his first outing to the city. Scyllia, who curiously tilted her head, stood near a huge structure. It was an iron cage covered with a cotton cloth. Pulling the cloth, Scyllia proudly said. I prepared a bear. Eat as much as you want. Ran looked up at the bear with his mouth open. It was knocked unconscious by an anesthetic, but he was clearly a living beast. Scyllia was an overachieving person who doesnt know limits. Seeing Rans tired eyes, Scyllia misunderstood that the little fox wanted to play quickly. Have a good meal and come home on time, because it is dangerous. Kyuu. There is a barrier set by holy energy. Dont go near the barrier. Scyllia freed Ran and walked away without any regrets. As she entered the living room and poured water into a glass, she heard a scratching sound at the back door. She thought she heard it wrong and ignored it, but this time she heard a sound. Kyaeng! It was Rans cry, puzzled, she opened the door. The little fox was sitting in a sad mood. Why are you here? Dont you want to play today? Kurreung. Ran slid between her legs and curled up on a plush pet bed. I think he wants to rest. Scyllia understood that way at first. But after a few days of watching, she realized that was not the reason. The fox cub was unfamiliar with the forest. When she first realized it, she had to bite her lips tightly because her heart hurt so much. I will be here. Dont worry, lets go. Ran began to run fast like an arrow, but stopped in his tracks and looked back. He was checking to see if Scyllia was there. She leaned her back against a wooden pole, sat down on the floor, and pulled out a book. It was only then that Ran stormed into the forest. He must have been held captive by people for 19 years. Scyllia looked at her book with cold eyes, but she couldnt read the words so she put her hand on her forehead. Then who is Rans mother? What happened to the Heavenly Fox? Wasnt he born in the forest? What has happened since he was born? It was expected that he had been abused. When they had just met, he had struggled fiercely when Scyllia touched him, and she was even bitten all the time. He still reacts very sensitively when she touches certain areas. He especially hated putting things on or stuffing things around his neck, which Scyllia realized while trying to walk him. This was the case when he bit her wrist as she tried to leash his neck, hoping that he might like a wider forest. Ran later apologized by licking her, but Scyllia felt that she was the one that should apologize. Is this also related to the fact that he doesnt humanize? She thought hard and lifted her head. In the distance, under the shadow of a dark tree, a bundle of gleaming silver fur was eagerly running around. A droopy squirrel was bitten by the snout of Ran, who was panting and jumping. His eyes which were round like candy were twinkling with happiness, so Scyllia smiled involuntarily. Yes, if Ran likes it so much, thats enough. Humanization can be done when Ran is ready. So now he just had to be happy. if you are happy, then its fine *** Scyllia thought 500 times a day that she was glad to have built a backyard for Ran to play in, but there were side effects. Whether it was because she had increased the size of the barrier or for some other reason, the seizures showed signs of slowly becoming more apparent. And finally, the problem popped up. It was when Scyllia sat in the Commanders office and she was struggling with a growing problem of monsters. As she was checking the documents, she suddenly felt a burning pain in her left shoulder. Confused, she quickly recognized the source of the pain. Ugh. Scyllia didnt show any signs of pain, but this time her stone-like mask was broken. It was a seizure that had come after a long time. She curled her body at the mortal pain. It was fortunate that this was the Commanders room. If anyone had seen her, they would think that by her reaction she had been hit by a poison arrow. Ugh, uh Time passed terribly slowly. She clenched her molars until her jaw hurt, waiting for the time to pass. It usually gets better after a minute or two, but today it was strangely long. Die! Die, you monster! When the pain came, the abusive language that she heard in her childhood tormented Scyllia again. Tears heated up and covered her eyes. She wanted to live Ardently and so desperately Scyllia was gone for about five minutes. As the pain subsided, she ran out of energy, like a person who had barely escaped from the pits of death. Putting her forehead on the desk, she held her breath for a while. A dull pain in the left shoulder rang regularly to her heartbeat. She stood still until the aftermath of the seizures was completely gone. When she finally lifted her head, the desk in the Commanders office was soaked with her cold sweat. Hahaha Scyllia calmed her breath, nervously got up, and turned to the full-length mirror in the corner. She unbuttoned the uniform, took off her top, and pulled it back lightly, then twisted her upper body to reflect her shoulder in the mirror. The skin near the wing bones was shriveled to black as if it had just been burned. It was a scar she had her whole life. No one could figure out what it was or why it hurt. Scyllia just had to endure. While frowning and looking more closely at the scar, there was a knock on the door. She quickly put on her clothes and buttoned them up. Come in. The door swung open and Eric rushed inside as if he was about to fall. Chapter 13 Commander, its a monster! Scyllias lips closed in a straight line. Its too early. It is said that the damage was severe, reports say they were careless because they thought that there was no way monsters would appear. The garrison guarding the border has already been destroyed Enough. Where is the area? It is said to be near Arinald Gorge, located in the mountains to the northwest. Get ready. Yes! Eric saluted and left the Commanders office. The monsters attacked, it couldnt be a worst timing. Scyllia stumbled for a moment as she stepped outside with the cloak that was hanging on the hanger. Her head was dizzy and she felt weak, it felt like she was about to collapse. Hold on. She clenched her teeth. I have to hold on. She took a deep breath and tightly chewed the inside of her cheeks to wake up. The signs are alarming. I need to contact the Holy Land soon. And to do that, I had to be alive first. Live to report, live to subjugate, live for Ran, I also have to take care of him. Ran Scyllia tightly closed her eyes and then opened them as she left her office. A monster appeared. It was time to struggle to live. *** It wasnt from yesterday that the frequency of the monsters appearance was inconstant like waves in an ocean. The Holy Land of Gaia did not take the problem of increasing monsters in the Western Continent as insignificant. They thought to stop them as they normally do. However, starting with Scyllias report, calls came in from garrisons located across the Western Continent, and when the frequency exceeded the limit an emergency took place. Only priests with holy powers could face monsters. As a matter of course, Gaia was beyond busy. But everything was somehow fine enough. This is because Scyllia was holding out in the Grenia empire, which is the most troublesome because of its large land. Other countries were not as good as Scyllias, but the Paladins were defending it well. However, there was another bigger problem. What are you saying! Yo-Your Holiness, it cant hold on I didnt ask you to repeat it! Pope Ivasiv could not wait any longer and jumped from his chair. Behind him, who was walking almost as if running, the paladins directly under the Saint who are called the Guardians followed one by one. No one dared to stop the Pope. Not only because he was the priest with the highest status but because everyone thought that it would be difficult to believe what was reported unless they saw it with their own eyes. Finally, the arched double door made of rosewood opened wide. In the middle of the spacious room, a dimly lit stone was revealed. It was the barrier stone. It was Gods Solar protection that defended the western continent from monsters, and its light was going out. Pope Ivasivs face turned white in an instant. Since when it has been like that? Since last night. Julius, one of the guardians standing next to him, asked in a dry, shrill voice. Shall we question the Saint? Can not be done! How dare you Saint. A holy child of God. The man who was crowned as the Great Saint this time was a man named Iris and he was above even the Popes head. The Saint was evidence of God Solars love for the western continent and human beings. They were the embodiment of altruism and love, justice and punishment. A person who was born with all those missions in their soul was the apple of the eyes of God Solar. Being Solars Saint meant that much. But how can anyone dare to question him? How dare anyone doubt the Saint What do we do? The barrier will soon be broken, Your Holiness. Juliuss voice was twisted with touches of sarcasm, but the Pope was so distracted that he didnt even notice. You, didnt you see it? You saw the Saints stigma, didnt you? Far from making a decision, the Pope was clinging to the fact the Saint was real. The stigma engraved by the great Solar will never be altered. Certainly. Julius replied with sarcasm. Th-the stigma changes shape every time a new Saint appears, but you can use the phoenixs feathers to prove the authenticity, right? Saint Iris was also officially promoted to a Saint through that process. But do you dare doubt the Saint? Then why is the barrier getting blurred? Julius asked, quenching his anger. The barrier of the western continent is maintained by the power of the Saint. If Saint Iris is real, why is the barrier so unstable Whats all this fuss about?! At that moment, Iris, whose face was red with anger, entered the barrier room. Seeing the fading barrier stone, he bit his lower lip, and at once walked to the Guardian, Julius, and slapped his cheek. He was so agitated that he couldnt see anything else. Julius! You dare accuse me!? No, Your Holiness. Julius lowered his head as he ran his tongue across his fishy, bloody lips. Seeing this, Iris became more enraged and threw a fit. Who are you trying to frame? I am a Saint. The child of the great Solar! You will pay a great price for accusing me! Arent you afraid of God? Iris had sparsely messy hair, the one you have after immediately getting out of bed, showing how he ran over as soon as he opened his eyes. His priestly clothes were wrinkled like rags because they were hurriedly donned, and greasy was clearly seen in his unwashed face. Pope Ivasiv stood dumbfounded and watched the whole scene. Guardian! You rascals! Iris threw insults at every guardian that was in the barrier room and even to those who were not, his whole body trembled and shook as he couldnt overcome his fury. The complaints and anger that had accumulated over the years had finally exploded. Julius! You are a sinner who is called the First Guardian! You really dont know why the barrier stone is blurry?! Its because things like you are nominated Guardians! Its because you guys dont respect me! He glared at Julius with poisonous eyes and had a popped vein around his neck. How come not one of the five is loyal to me! Not a single one! No one opened their mouths, because it was true. The Guardians, paladins who were supposedly the closest to the Saint could not accept that Iris was a Saint and hated him. Gods guardians reject the Saint. It was unprecedented. You misunderstood. What misunderstanding! Iris let out a sharp laugh. Then why did you report first to Pope Ivasiv that the barrier stone was in a bad condition? . You should report to me first! Im sorry. Heed me! Iris didnt even pretend to listen to Julius apology. I order Guardian Julius to serve a month in the dungeon! Yo-Your Holiness. Ivasiv, who had been stunned, finally came to his senses and moved. First of all, how about calming down? Julius is also bewildered by all of this Pope! You stay still! Ivasivs eyes widened at the Saints viciousness. Is this man truly the Saint, the pillar of the Western Continent? As his legs lost strength and staggered, a knight waiting nearby quickly supported the Pope. Take Guardian Julius away! Iris ordered the Luminasol Knights with a terrifying force. The knights directly under the Saints eyes could not move hastily. It was understandable. Because Julius was none other than the Commander of the Luminasol Knights. The popes face was now bright yellow in this absurd situation. What are you looking at! Do you guys dare ignore me too! A bewildered Knight clung to Julius and pulled him out of the room. Iris, who had been shouting for a while, stared at the barrier stone, and then immediately looked at the Pope with sour eyes. I will solve this problem, Ivasiv! In the first place, this is a thing that depends on the power of a Saint! Its not a thing, its a Sacred When the pope tried to correct his words, Iris pointed a finger at the pope and warned him. Dont retort at my words! . Go back! Right now! Ivasiv, who stood as if he had been hit in the head, moved only after being further criticized by Iris. The pope walked down the aisle like a man without a soul. It all happened so quickly that he couldnt think properly. However, as he walked down the quiet and white corridors of the hall, he gradually began to have thoughts. The influence of the saint on the entire Western Continent, as well as the Holy Land, was enormous. It stopped the monsters from ravaging everything in their way and plunging every country and city into chaos, so even if the Pope tries to talk it was pointless. The barrier of the western continent is maintained by the power of the Saint. If Saint Iris is real, why is the barrier so unstable. Recalling Julius words, the pope swallowed dry saliva. If the Saint was a fake, there was no way that the number of monsters could be maintained until now. Of course, their numbers have grown, but so far its been fine. But the fact that the barrier is blurring is evidence that cannot be ignored, so what should we do about it? Ive never heard of Solars love for the Saint waning in the middle The answer was one of two. Either the Saint was a fake from the beginning, or the power of the great western god, Solar, has weakened. Since the latter was a premise that one dared not imagine, the thought naturally leaned towards the former. It was a very unacceptable assumption for the Pope. But he had nowhere else to retreat. Didnt I see in person the light of the barrier stone going out today? Even Iriss appearance was That man is not a Saint. Chapter 14 Iriss wickedness could hardly be called the embodiment of altruism, love, justice, and punishment. The previous Saints of the past were described as having a personality that embraces both coldness and love. Iris was a man who lagged behind in every way. Frankly, no one would have thought Iris was a Saint had it not been for the phoenix feather to prove that the stigma on his left shoulder was real. For the first time, the Pope mustered courage. Alanto. Are you nearby? Yes, Your Holiness. Secret gathering. Whom should I summon? The Guardians. The protectors of the Saint. But if they are the Guardians Yes, I know. Thats why we should never get caught. Alanto bowed his head and left in an instant. The Guardians do not follow Iris therefore they will answer the Popes call. The Saint is the pillar of the western continent. Everyones destruction and survival are in the hands of the Saint, so, if he really did impersonate the Saint Isnt that the reason why The Holy Land of Gaia became a non-aggression zone? Numerous countries in the Western Continent made tributes to Gaia. It was the same with Grenia Empire. No matter how great they were, they were mere creatures and needed divine care. The priests of the Holy Land also had a deep understanding of their sacred mission. Even if its a one-in-a-million possibility, It would be a big deal if Saint Iris was a fake. When that day comes, perhaps the whole world would step up in search of the Saint. We need to find the real saint as soon as possible The pope muttered without even recognizing what he was saying. *** Scyllia, who had slaughtered the monster without mercy, raised her head. Whats going on? Co-Commander, that is She walked towards the gathering place of her members. Mom! Whuaaaaa! A young child was prostrated with his arms held by the knights. Explain. Vice-Commander Eric, who had turned white, swallowed dry saliva and opened his mouth. It is said that paladin Nellachi, saw a monster who escaped from the auction house transform into a human child. Then why arent you killing it? No one answered and could only sweat. Its a child. One that cries sadly looking for his mother. Even if they try to cut it, theyre not sure if its really a monster who has turned into a child. Scyllia looked down at the child with cold eyes. The child was similar to Ran, but clearly had a different kind of energy. Unlike Ran, where there is a lot of room like a gray area mixed with the blood of a divine beast, this one was not worth worrying about. Scyllia drew her sword without hesitation. Argh! Help me! Mom! The child screamed and peed. Commander. Eric, who was standing next to her, tried to stop her with a face that wanted to faint, but Scyllia didnt even blink her eyes. She raised her sword at once and pierced the heart with precision. Ahhhhhhhh! The child screamed loud enough to burst an eardrum but stopped when Scyllia pulled out her sword. The small body was horribly distorted, soon returning to the form of a monster and sprawling on the floor. Everyone froze and watched the horrifying sight. Move it elsewhere. Scyllia coldly commanded while shaking off the sword once and then putting it in the sheath. While Eric stood blankly in the same place, Scyllias clear eyes gently moved. Eric. Ah! Y-Yes, maam! What are you doing! Put this away! Only then everyone moved in unison, it was also the last monster, so all that was left was to clean up. Scyllia, who was about to go back, suddenly grabbed Erics arm. Gasp! Eric shuddered like a man caught by The Reaper. Did you get hurt? Wh-What? Priest Tara! When Scyllia yelled at her, a healing priest who was dealing with the aftermath rushed to her. Did you call? Oh my, Sir Eric. You have a cut. It was then that Eric noticed that his forearm was bleeding. Is it serious? Scyllia asked with a stiff face. Priest Tara smiled softly and shook her head. No. Its not deep. Poison. I think theres none. Scyllia, who nodded, left only then. Eric stared blankly at her back as she moved away. *** Ran? Scyllia, completely exhausted, entered the house calling for the little fox. She saw a fox sleeping with its body curled up on the sofa in the living room overlooking the porch. She moved silently and went to shower first. She was unbearably tired. If it continues like this, it would be difficult to hold out for a long time. Scyllia roughly washed her face with cold water. The curse has been throbbing all the time. She examined the scar with a serious face. It looks like its burned, but its not a burn, its a strange, mysterious scar. As she endured the pain and struggled to live, every day was difficult for Scyllia, dark bags of exhaustion took place under her eyes. She washed her body and put on a robe. When she came out of the living room, Ran was sitting on the sofa he had been lying on, raising only his head. Im sorry, did I wake you up? Ran buried his head in the sofa with no energy. Whats wrong, Ran? When she gently scratched the top of his round little head with her fingertips, his nine tails fluttered in all directions. Are you in a bad mood? Kurung I think you look upset. Ku. As she sat on the sofa and looked at the pouting fox, Scyllia strangely began to feel better. Scyllia wondered why her mind was at ease even though Ran was angry. Is this the power of the nine-tailed fox? Scyllia was amazed. Is he bewitching me with his cuteness? But I think it was written a little differently in the book Scyllias hands, which had been playing on Rans head, were busy moving, this time scratching his chin. Ran folded his yellow eyes as thin as a crescent moon, and wept softly. Scyllia became more serious than before. Is the cuteness that stimulates a protective instinct the nine-tailed foxs weapon? She only remembered that it was written as a slightly more dangerous nuance, and couldnt think of a detailed explanation. Because these days she only cuts, cuts, and cuts even more monsters, even what she studied was blurry. Her hands ran down to his stomach. Rans fluffy, warm and soft pink belly wrapped into the palm of her hand. He couldnt stand the gentle rubbing and turned over. At the same time, Scyllia remembered what was written in the book. Seducing people with their innate decadent beauty to restore the energy Scyllia stopped thinking about it. No way. Ran was lying on his back with his tongue sticking out by the side of his snout. Every time she pets him down, he grunts, grumbles, and weeps. She looked forward to seeing how cute he would become in the future. Scyllias clenched lips loosed. Nothing is known about the nine-tailed fox, so it seems that people have unleashed their imaginations into the book. Scyllia firmly believed so. Ran and a decadent and dangerous mood did not match. When she imagined Ran pretending to be sexy, he felt cuter, and laughter leaked out. Is Ran growing? Time flies, but he was still the same size, Scyllia felt so sorry for him. I wish I could see him grow up like a human. The baby nine-tailed fox had no change in figure, instead, it grew up at once, that was her only disappointment. Ran, do you like it? Ran opened his eyes. He had the eyes of a cat, awakened from a frantic craving for catnip or a dog chasing a squirrel and banging its head in a tree. Aruwarung! Ran struggled, straightened himself up, and stood back, glued to the wall. Scyllia felt wronged because Rans eyes were wary as if he had been forced to be touched. Ran, you liked it too. Growl! You liked it when I touched your belly, so I Urururu! All right. Sorry. Although she apologized, Ran showed no signs of letting loose. It seemed that his pride had been severely damaged. Scyllia, who was watching the foxs long snout that turned his head, suddenly realized that he had been alone all day. Youve been waiting for me, Ran. Right? Thats why you are upset? Ran showed no reaction. Even Scyllia, who had a precarious level of reading-the-mood skill, could notice that it was a positive reaction. Sorry. Strangely, I am very busy these days. Im not feeling well either. The wound throbbed as soon as she thought about it. It seems to be getting worse. Without realizing it, she bit her lower lip and patted her left shoulder. In her mind, she wanted to cut out the scarred flesh. Im sorry for Ran, too. He was alone all day, I wish he had friends She sighed heavily and rose from her seat. She needed her trump card in order to soothe Rans sullen heart. Ran. Would you like a snack? Ran turned his head away from Scyllia and stood still, but Scyllia clearly saw one of his large ears swish towards her as he turned away. She bit her lip, trying to hold back her laughter. What is it? Ran seems very angry, so a normal snack wont soothe his angerI guess Ill have to prepare an even more delicious snack Rans tail or two began to wiggle loosely from side to side. What kind of snack should I give? It looks like jerky wont be enoughShould I take out the roasted pheasant? The glittering foxs nostrils fluttered vigorously. Scyllia gnawed at her molars, barely suppressing a laughing fit, and then walked into the kitchen. She then took a large vial with preservation magic from her cupboard and uncapped it. Although it was not seasoned separately, it was good quality meat with vegetables, edible flowers, and fruits. A fragrant smell rose and made even Scyllia, who had no appetite, salivate. Ran stayed motionless on the couch holding the last strand of his pride. Scyllia mumbled to herself as she rummaged through the vial for no reason. I really wish Ran would eat it Tododododo! As soon as she finished speaking, Scyllia heard toenails knocking on the floor while running excitedly. Chapter 15 Ran, are you eating? Kang! Here you go. Scyllia took out the roasted pheasant and held it out. Ran gobbled down the meat in a wink. He patted Scyllias calf with his front paw, urging her to give him the rest of the meal. Theres no stopping you. Scyllia lowered the glass bottle to the floor. Ran lay flat on his seat, he shoved his long, small snout into the bottleneck, and flapped his tongue to eat the meat and vegetables. He grabbed the bottle with his four legs and even rolled around Ran. Are you letting me off the hook now? Kyuu. The fox, who ate the pheasant and became merciful, forgave Scyllia with a generous heart. She thought now was a good opportunity, so she squatted down in front of Ran and carefully asked. By the way, Ran. I have a question, are you sure you cant humanize? Ran, who was thoroughly licking the sauce on the bottles neck, suddenly stiffened his body and looked at her. It was a reaction where he understood what humanization was. The book says that you can become human when you are ten years old. You are nineteen years old. Ran showed no reaction. His whole body remained motionless, but Scyllia noticed that Ran was extremely nervous. What are you so afraid of? Ran now had eyes that Scyllia had seen many times since meeting the little fox. Terrified eyes. Inside them, there was a deep sense of vigilance that stabbed Scyllia as if pushing her away. She quietly backed away and gave a soft expression on her face I was asking because I was afraid there was a problem with your health. . If its because something hurts, you have to tell me. Do you understand? After she had finished her careful words, she got up from her seat. Scyllia wasnt a talkative person and that had a pretty positive effect on her relationship with Ran. She walked to her bedroom and lay down. When Scyllia went to bed, the rocking chair next to it was Rans seat. As he tried to settle down and was about to sleep, an unfamiliar moan pierced his ears. He turned his head. Scyllia was suffering with her molars clenched. Rans ears became stiff with a sharp strain on his nerves. As he was closely looking at her, at one point, he tilted his head and raised his nose. Kung. Kung, kung. As he approached, sniffing her scent, Scyllia crouched down as if his sniffling tickled her skin. Ran didnt care and turned around Scyllias body, which was lying on her sides, and headed towards her back. Kung, kung. Kung, kung, kung. Rans yellow eyes, who had been vigorously sniffing her, suddenly narrowed in an unpleasant mood. Scyllia thinks the little foxs eyes were cute, but his eyes were now alive with the unique aura of a nine-tailed fox. The moment he tapped his black nose on her left shoulder right above her scar, Scyllia opened her eyes wide. Ugh. Ran was surprised as well. Feeling a presence, Scyllia looked back. Oh, my God, Ran. Sigh I was surprised. With a tired face, she pulled Ran into her arms. Lets go to sleep She soothed the fox by sweeping down his tender belly. The small Ran was helpless as she languidly rubbed his tummy with her characteristic scent of sunshine. His head, which had been tilting until then, lost strength and was eventually shoved into the duvet Just in time, even the pain had disappeared, and Scyllia was able to fall into a deep sleep. *** The next morning. Comaaaaaaaaaaaaander! From afar, Eric came running with a strangled scream. Experience has shown that nothing good happened when he, the vice-commander, came running like that. Scyllia ordered the knights in the gymnasium to train and turned around. Eric ran so hastily that he, whose whole body was drenched in sweat, took a deep breath while supporting his upper body on his knees. He wanted to say something quickly, but he was out of breath. Scyllia sighed and held out her water bottle. Calm down before talking. Hah, big deal, hah, came, ha, hah, Comma-, hah, hah, the Commander. Instead of speaking, Scyllia eventually shoved the neck of her bottle into Erics mouth. He was coughing while drinking water, and it was long before he straightened his back. His complexion was white. Scyllia gathered her eyebrows and asked. Where are you sick? Commander! The Guardian is here! Im sure you are sick somewhere. As Scyllia took her first steps to take Eric to the treatment center, he stamped his feet with a tearful face. Its true. A real guardian is here! Hes waiting in the Commanders office now. You should go quickly! Eric was restless like a man whose throat tightened on a rope every time the Guardian waited another minute. Scyllia finally looked at him with a puzzled look. Is that true? Thats what Im saying! Why is the Guardian coming all the way to this place? Oh, how would I know that! Lets go, okay? Come on. It was natural for Eric to be this sensitive. The Guardians were confidants of the highest order of the Holy Land, who directly looked after the Saint, the child of God. Five holy attendants were given the mission of following the saint by God Solar herself. One of such Guardians visited the Order of Paladins in the Grenia garrison. Why? Since Grenia is so far away, Guardians dont come in person. Because the Saint is in Gaia. Although she was puzzled, Scyllia moved for the time being. If it was a true Guardian, she would have to serve him with proper courtesy. When she showed signs of moving, Eric, who was about to fall from high blood pressure was also relieved. Did he mention anything special? No, he said he would tell the Commander himself. Get the members on standby at the gymnasium. Yes! Eric bent down and stepped back. Without hesitation, Scyllia opened the door to her office. The Guardian was already sitting on the sofa drinking tea. She immediately knelt down on one of her knees. I greet the fourth star, the Guardian Maldis, who has received the divine mission of Solar. She had never seen a Guardian in her life, but she could recognizable them at once. It was because she had memorized the portraits of the Pope, the Saint, and the Guardians, until she got tired of their faces, in order to be polite if she ever met them. Portraits of them could be easily seen anywhere in the Holy Kingdom. If the generations changed, the portraits were also replaced immediately. She scrutinized the appearance of the Guardian, Maldis. He had a sharper impression than what was shown in the portrait. It was not about losing a little weight, but a lot. He had the impression of a sensitive scholar, and thats why even his thin lips felt quite taut. Indigo bobbed hair that was sharp like a sword fluttered from the corner of his chin, a pair of eyeglasses, skinny, ribbed fingers, and cold gray eyes. His eyes were bloodshot. It wasnt the usual face made by normal stress. With a little exaggeration, he seemed to be pushed to the limit as if he would collapse if hit. Is it difficult to serve the Saint? While she wondered, Maldiss eyes scrutinized Scyllia. At one point, his eyes widened. Scyllia was lighting a nice incense for his headache without speaking a word. She didnt stop there, she put the scented candles by the window, leaving it a little open so the scent wasnt too strong. The unexpected consideration made Maldis feel just dazed. Do you hate scented candles? Scyllia asked politely. After staring into her jade-colored eyes for a long time, Maldis belatedly came to his senses and blinked. No. Its fine. Then Ill let it smoke. Scyllia sat across from him and bluntly asked What is the reason for your visit? . Maldis did not readily answer, just stared at her. After staring like that for a long time, he looked at Scyllia as if she was an intriguing person and asked. Did you say your name was Scyllia? Suddenly, the face of the priestess who asked her name with a curious face came to mind. It was unknown why that face was now overlapping with the Maldis. Scyllia answered, clearing her thoughts. Thats right. Yes, Dame Scyllia. Im sorry for coming here all of a sudden. Im afraid things arent going well over this side. This side? Scyllia answered, hiding her doubts in her expressionless face. Its all right. I came here today for a secret mission. She didnt show any signs of surprise even when he said it was a secret mission. Scyllia was merely contemplating what secret order the Pope would give her. She has a calm personality. Maldis looked at her, involuntarily raised his lips, and smiled. It had been a long time since he had laughed, and it was a slightly awkward smile. Take this first. He took out a small silver box from his pocket. It looked like an ordinary box, but she could recognize at a glance that it was a blessed item. The sacred power she felt, and the blue energy of holy objects fluttered from the cold surface plated with silver. Maldis put it on the table and opened the lid. Do you know what this is? Scyllia forgot to speak. It was a phoenix feather From the look on your face, you seem to know what it is. Its a phoenix feather. Yes. its an object used to find the Saint. Youll need this to carry out your mission in the future. Maldis started talking alone while Scyllia was hardened in her seat. From now on, you are free to move out of the garrison. Its because weve been seeking cooperation from the Empire under other pretexts. Guardian. I know that you are constantly busy because of the monsters. I just want you to look whenever you have time. Guardian. Whats wrong? Do you want to find the Saint? Yes. Is that true? Scyllias eyebrows narrowed. Isnt the Saint in Gaia? Maldis closed his stiff eyes and opened them. It is the will of the Pope and his guardians. Scylias mouth closed. You will have to be careful. I have put a special prayer of blessing on the box. Look for scars on the shoulder blades. Scyllia, who stared blankly at the feather, was startled.