Ch.76The Only One for Each Other (1)

The fox did not trust humans.

It was because of a memory from her less mature days, when her life crumbled due to complete betrayal.

“I’m a person who runs a small business in the capital.”

“I happened to come near the village for work, and since things turned out this way, I’d like us to become close.”

“I want to be friends with all of you.”

She couldn’t count how many times she had regretted it.

If she hadn’t trusted that man, if she hadn’t relied on him so easily, the village would never have turned into a sea of flames.

The cruel memory remained as a massive trauma.

The day her world disappeared in flames.

Irene made a vow.

That she would never trust humans again.

That she would never rely on others with a weak heart, only to be pathetically betrayed.

The proposition that had grown within her bound the girl tightly.

‘I won’t be deceived.’

I don’t trust.

I don’t rely.

I don’t want.

Even if they seem nice now, humans will betray you the moment you turn your back.

You must never lean on them.

She had lived with such values.

She thought it would continue to be the same.

She was certain of it, and yet.

“Would you allow yourself to be tamed by me?”

She met a strange boy.

At first, she had no choice.

To save her siblings, she was in a position where she needed help even from humans she despised.

Thinking it would be just this once, she took his hand.

“I’ll take you all in.”

“I’ll help you escape from this hellish place.”

But that didn’t mean she lowered her guard.

She had made a choice out of necessity, but she didn’t connect that thin hope to trust.

Rather, she often showed open hostility.

However.

“I simply need a friend.”

Despite this, the boy didn’t back down.

He just stood quietly beside her, reaching out his hand.

She received help every time.

“You don’t need to worry.”

“I’m taking good care of your siblings here.”

He took in her siblings, who were everything to her.

He gave the children who had been confined to cages a warm home and a life where they no longer needed to feel anxious.

“I’ve come to save you.”

“It’s all right now. You’ve endured so well.”

Even when she was captured by dark mages, the boy came running as if it were only natural.

He held the devastated fox in his arms for a long time, comforting her.

Whispering the most tender words.

“Miss Irene.”

“If it can make you even a little less unhappy, I will gladly lend you my strength.”

The fox felt confused every time.

She didn’t want to admit it.

She felt her hatred toward humans gradually fading.

So she kept pushing away the approaching boy.

‘This is strange.’

Cracks formed in her firm resolve.

Light entered her dark life.

He placed in her hands the peace she had longed for so desperately.

When she heard his kind words, it felt as if the wall she had built deep in her heart would collapse at any moment.

Though she couldn’t say it, she felt afraid.

‘I mustn’t rely on him.’

She mustn’t lower her guard.

She mustn’t trust.

But her heart wouldn’t obey, and she found herself increasingly leaning on him.

That’s why she wanted to be alone even more.

‘My problems… I need to handle them myself.’

That was why she didn’t ask for help.

She couldn’t bring herself to ask.

Because of her stubborn insistence on not trusting humans.

Just when she seemed to be falling apart, the boy was watching over the fox once again.

He supported her at her most dangerous moment.

“You’ve done well, Miss Irene.”

“Lean on me and rest for a while. I know you have a lot to say, but it can wait until later.”

A voice that gently melted her ears.

The moment she heard it, she felt at ease.

Her fear scattered, her legs weakened, her eyes grew hot, and her fists clenched involuntarily.

Why did it make her feel so reassured?

‘I…’

The fox realized.

She could no longer deny it.

The emotion that kept surging within her was crashing like waves, ready to spill over at any moment.

She decided to accept it.

‘I… you.’

She had come to rely on you.

Despite vowing to doubt others all her life, you were the only one she came to trust.

Perhaps it took too long to realize that.

“Would you allow yourself to be tamed by me?”

I…

I had already been tamed by you.

So deeply that I couldn’t escape.

Struggling while caught in a spider’s web only entangles one more deeply in the sticky threads of emotion.

She was afraid of being betrayed again, but.

“Wake up…!”

She was already clinging to you.

She was shedding tears while holding your limp body.

“No… you can’t die like this.”

She pressed her lips against yours.

She breathed lukewarm breath into you.

She bent down again and again, transferring breath through mingled saliva until color returned to your face.

It was a desperately earnest movement.

“Haa, haa…”

Rough, scattered breathing.

The boy was already continuing his halted breath with a peaceful expression.

Irene clutched his sleeve with trembling hands.

As relief washed over her, deep resignation found her.

‘Ah.’

She had fallen into too terrible a swamp.

Even while terrified of possible betrayal, the girl couldn’t let go of her trembling hand.

It was too late to escape.

Now she had given up resistance and could only pray.

‘Please.’

May this pathetic self not be abandoned by you.

With a faint murmur behind her.

The fox quietly leaned her body against him.

***

The boy had overcome the crisis.

Although he had lost consciousness, he was able to save his life thanks to Irene’s quick action.

His golden hair was laid down on the deck.

“……”

A peaceful expression.

He looked as if he were sleeping soundly.

Next to the sprawled boy, an exhausted Irene was catching her breath.

She was a mess, her entire body soaked with water.

“Haah…”

Her tired breath stretched out thinly.

They had nearly become fish food together.

The waves that struck at dawn were truly disastrous.

She was able to survive only because her physical condition had somewhat recovered.

Irene roughly brushed back her disheveled hair.

“…This is no time to be tired.”

A low self-mutter.

As if hypnotizing herself, she forced her staggering legs to stand.

Then she carefully lifted the boy’s body.

Leaving him like this would obviously cause problems.

He had overcome a major crisis, but he hadn’t regained consciousness yet.

Having fallen into the sea, it would be difficult to maintain his body temperature.

He needed to change out of his wet clothes and rest in a warm place immediately.

‘Such a large ship… there must be cabins.’

The girl thought as she took a step.

Just as she was about to enter the interior of the ship.

“We meet again.”

A voice came from behind.

It was Unknown.

Having returned at some point, the young man was tending to his daggers while leaning against the railing.

His black suit was drenched in blood.

“…!”

The fox belatedly reacted and retreated.

She hid the boy she was holding behind her and raised her sword that she had been using as a cane.

Perhaps due to her depleted strength.

Though her arms were trembling, the girl didn’t show it as she took her stance.

At the end of her sword’s aim, green hair was fluttering.

“I don’t understand why you’re being cautious.”

Unknown responded indifferently.

His expression was completely impassive without the slightest hint of wavering.

At a glance, he seemed uninterested in her, but Irene didn’t carelessly drop her guard.

She remembered the conversation the two had just before.

‘They didn’t seem to be on good terms.’

They were clearly opposing forces.

The exchange had been fierce.

Having cut off the monarch’s right arm, Unknown had plenty of reason to bear a grudge against them.

Moreover, wasn’t this the perfect opportunity with the boy unconscious?

‘Damn… he wouldn’t miss such a chance.’

As Irene prepared for battle while making her own conclusions.

However.

Unknown took no action.

He simply checked his equipment silently and tidied his dirty clothes.

“Hmm hmm.”

“…?”

Her ominous prediction was completely off the mark.

As she raised a question mark, Unknown, having finished his preparations, calmly addressed her.

His tone was extremely businesslike.

“You don’t need to be cautious. I have no intention of attacking.”

“What…?”

Irene narrowed her eyes.

She seemed confused.

To refuse to attack in this situation.

She stared as if asking for his intentions, but Unknown maintained his indifferent attitude.

He only let slip a few incomprehensible words.

“I merely follow orders.”

“What does that…?”

“He doesn’t wish for the star’s death. Even if I’ve caught an appropriate opportunity, it’s meaningless if I can’t please my master.”

Unknown held his silence for a moment.

Then he continued.

“…Moreover, there’s a reason why I cannot kill him.”

“A reason?”

“Unfortunately, I cannot say more. This is not a matter I can freely discuss.”

“……”

“If you’re curious, ask him directly.”

Unknown ended the conversation unilaterally.

Having finished his preparations, he was standing on the railing.

He bowed his head respectfully.

“I’ll be going now.”

“What?”

“I’ve fulfilled our deal. There are no other forces on the ship. I’ve even disposed of the bodies, so feel free to use it.”

“Wait a moment…”

“Please convey my message when he wakes up. Farewell.”

Flap-!

Without hesitation, Unknown leaped outside the railing.

The young man disappeared without a trace.

Immediately after, a bird appeared.

Wings with a green tint flapped powerfully.

It was gliding through the night sky at high speed, growing distant.

The fox could only stare blankly at its retreating figure.

***

“……”

I opened my eyes with a hazy focus.

What came into view was an unfamiliar ceiling.

As I traced back my dim memories, I soon realized this was inside the ship.

It matched exactly the cabins I had glimpsed before.

‘So it was Irene after all.’

I recalled the crimson hair that had rippled before me just before I lost consciousness.

How much time had passed?

My head was ringing with a throbbing headache.

Perhaps due to overusing my abilities, my condition was not particularly pleasant.

I took a deep breath.

‘I should assess the situation first.’

Just as I was about to rise from my lying position, having shaken off my drowsiness.

Suddenly I felt something strange.

“Hmm…?”

My body felt oddly heavy.

It was as if something soft was pressing down on me.

When I looked down in the direction of the weight, an entirely unexpected scene entered my eyes.

There was a gently swaying crimson tail.

“……”

Black eyes staring intently at me.

The girl who had been lying with her body overlapping mine gave a faint smile when our eyes met.

“…You’re awake.”

A calm whisper colored my ears.

It was none other than Irene.

The fox, wearing only a thin white shirt, was lying in my arms as if embraced.

The ears on top of her head were drooping as if at ease.

“I was worried… you didn’t wake up even after two days.”

Irene rested her cheek against my chest.

I could only freeze in bewilderment, repeating question marks.

“…?”

What is this?

What exactly happened?