105. Problem

105. Problem

And so, we decided to go to where William works.

… But who is William?

I tilted my head and asked my sister.

“Sister, who is William?”

Although I answered my sister’s words confidently earlier, I didn’t actually know what she was talking about when I answered.

I can’t even remember why we came to the Magi Republic now. After enduring the boring and long march, I just couldn’t recall.

How long did we walk through the empty snowfield?

Ugh, just thinking about it makes me dislike it. The fact that we have to go through that same path again on the way back makes me feel very depressed.

Still, coming to the Magi Republic and meeting Lucy, and having many enjoyable experiences, it seems worth the hardship of the long march.

… Although I don’t want to do it twice.

My sister stroked my head once, then calmly answered me.

“Do you remember when Seol-ah went hunting before?”

“Yes! Of course.”

How could I possibly forget that?

It’s not the first time I’ve gone hunting… but I remember all of them very vividly. Every night, I fall asleep happily replaying the scenes of me hunting magnificently.

I will never forget the sight of myself hunting with a “Ureureung-kkang.”

Hoo hoo.

As expected, I’m the best.

My sister continued.

“Then do you remember when Seol-ah almost had her Seol-ah stone stolen by a human?”

“My stone… Huk…! I remember!”

I remember that while hunting, as I was chasing something, there was a loud “Bang!” sound. I also remember seeing an ordinary human, not a suin, standing right in front of me.

Seeing a human for the first time, I was so curious that I approached that person without realizing it.

The person I was talking to suddenly changed when I took out the transparent stone from my pocket. They stared intently at the precious stone Seol-gu had given me and tried to forcibly take it from me.

Fortunately, my sister appeared just in time, so I wasn’t robbed of the stone, but thinking about it now, I realize how dangerous it was.

If I had lost the stone then, I would never have been able to use magic.

Even now, the situation is the same where I can’t use magic, but at least there’s a possibility that the stone will return to normal, isn’t there?

Seol-gu also told me not to worry.

I glanced back at Seol-gu. Seol-gu was still in an excited mood, wagging his tail as he was when he first woke up.

As his tail, which is as big as he is, moved, it felt like there were two Seol-gus.

Anyway, my sister continued.

“That person back then was William. He’s someone who usually comes to our village to sell goods from the Magi Republic… It seems he coveted Seol-ah’s stone.”

“I see….”

“The reason we came to the Magi Republic this time is to confront William’s superiors about that incident. Since this was something Seol-ah experienced, Seol-ah also came as a witness.”

Huk.

I never thought we weren’t here for sightseeing. I was wagging my tail, then suddenly realized something and asked my sister.

“Then… after we go to where William works, are we going straight home?”

I haven’t properly seen the city yet, so it would be very sad to go back already. Especially considering the time it took to get here.

“If Seol-ah wants to stay longer, we can stay for a few more days, but….”

My sister answered, trailing off. Then, she looked back at Dad.

Dad, who had been holding Seol-gu’s tail upside down, quietly shook his head at my sister. Seeing that, my sister continued speaking to me.

“We can’t stay for long. We have to go home.”

“Uwaaang.”

Sad.

Still, I understand. Dad is the leader of the wolves, and it’s not good for the tribe if the leader is away for a long time.

However, the end of that long march is only three days of sightseeing… that’s still a bit sad.

“Then shall we go eat breakfast for now?”

“Boooooo.”

“Ahaha….”

I puffed out my cheeks really big. It was an action to express my sulking to my sister.

My sister smiled awkwardly and then headed out of the inn with me in her arms.

——

“Seol-gu.”

“Kkang.”

“What’s got you so excited?”

After finishing breakfast.

I wore a sullen expression as I looked at Seol-gu, who still seemed excited. Seol-gu had stolen my breakfast.

Here’s how that happened.

We left the inn and wandered around, finding a suitable restaurant. We went in and ordered food, and I drooled, imagining what the cuisine of the Magi Republic would be like.

Finally, the dish was placed before me, and on it was a beautiful beef steak, glistening with oil. I sparkled my eyes and licked my lips.

The smell was so good… just sniffing my nose over the plate made my tail stand on end and my saliva go down my throat.

It was right to assume a reverent posture when eating such food, so I gripped the child-sized fork and began eating the meat, thanking the cow that had sacrificed itself in my heart.

The problem arose at that very moment.

This ungrateful, big-idiot fox, unable to contain its excitement from the morning, jumped onto the table and swallowed my steak in one gulp!

I still can’t forget that sight.

Seol-gu suddenly appeared. The steak flying high into the air. The fork clattering against the empty plate, having missed its target…

When I eagerly bit down with the fork, there was nothing in my mouth but the round child-sized fork.

Instead, there was only the evil fox next to me, munching on the meat.

And all it said was “Kkang”?

It wasn’t remorseful, nor was it looking at me guiltily, knowing it had done wrong. It was just a “kkang” meaning “the meat is delicious.”

What’s more, as if to tease me, it slowly savored the meat in front of me and even wagged its tail. How could I not be furious?

Shocked by my friend’s betrayal, I eventually burst into tears and started crying “Kkang-kkang.” Although my sister quickly ordered more food, my wounded heart did not return.

I cried bitterly and yelled at Seol-gu. Of course, I ate all the newly ordered food.

Then Seol-gu apologized, saying he couldn’t help it because he was too hungry. I don’t know if he really said that, but that was the vibe.

I felt like I would only calm down if I pulled out thirty strands of Seol-gu’s tail fur… but when I saw Seol-gu bowing his tail and sincerely apologizing, it was hard to stay angry.

In the end, I looked at Seol-gu with a sulky face, which is what has happened so far.

But this fox, despite its wrongdoing, just kept smiling foolishly without any remorse. I grabbed Seol-gu’s cheeks and stretched them.

“Huh? You stole everyone else’s meat, so why are you laughing so much?”

“Kkiiing.”

“Sigh. This is why foxes….”

Anyway, foxes must all be idiots.

The fox suin that Lucy’s grandmother met must have been a big idiot like Seol-gu. The fox that the fox suin took around must have been a big, big idiot too. Combined, a big, big, big idiot.

If I had been born a fox, I would have been incredibly sad. No, perhaps because I was so foolish, I wouldn’t have even known how foolish I was.

Then, perhaps I wouldn’t have been sad. Because I wouldn’t know how inferior a species foxes are.

But fortunately, I was a magnificent and strong Arctic wolf with exceptional talents. I was even the youngest daughter of the pack leader wolf.

It’s truly a perfect bloodline. And my tail is huge.

Even if Seol-gu, the Arctic fox, barks “Kkang-kkang” his whole life, he won’t be able to catch up to my heels. It will be like that from the start. I will grow very tall, and Seol-gu will be tiny. I will be dignified, and Seol-gu will just be cute.

This is the difference between a fox and a wolf.

Well, it can’t be helped. That’s how we’re born.

Still, Seol-gu is fortunate. He has a very, very good friend named Rang Seol-ah, doesn’t he?

He’s like a beacon in the dark night, guiding this foolish fox so it doesn’t get lost. Like the aurora in the night sky….

“Kkang.”

“Geez.”

Seol-gu, whose cheeks were stretched like mochi, cried “Kkang” towards me. Judging by the speed of his wagging tail, he seemed very happy.

Why on earth is he so excited? He’s truly a fox whose inner thoughts are hard to decipher.

I released my hand from Seol-gu’s cheeks. Then, his stretched cheeks instantly snapped back into place, making a “slap” sound from the recoil.

Because of that, Seol-gu cried “Kkaeng!” but still didn’t stop wagging his tail. The tail is the window to emotions. Such a sight clearly indicates he’s very excited….

“I don’t know!”

As long as he’s not unhappy, that’s all that matters. For a big idiot fox like Seol-gu, there are plenty of reasons to be excited.

As Seol-gu’s owner and only friend, what I need to do is to make sure Seol-gu doesn’t feel lonely.

I was diligently doing my job.

Poo-hoo, I chuckled lightly and reached out to brush Seol-gu’s fur. Then, the fur came off in clumps, coating my hands, clothes, and the floor in white.

Huk.

It’s a bit too much….

As I frantically tried to brush off my clothes, the fur on my hands stuck to my clothes, making the appearance even worse. I pouted and held my breath.

“Sister! My clothes!”

“Huh? Ah….”

In the end, I had to get my sister’s help to tidy up my clothes.

A few tens of minutes later, we finally… stopped in front of a large building.

“Wow!”

Even looking up, the building seemed endless. It seemed much larger, both vertically and horizontally, than the library I saw in Lucy’s village. People were also coming and going in huge numbers.

My sister pointed at the building and said.

“We’re here. This is… the trading company where William works.”

“Yes!”

We entered without hesitation.