Chapter 53

Bolt was waiting in the safety zone outside Baeyun Gorge.

Buddy was too scared to even come. He was probably taking care of feathers at the inn in the village below the gorge.

“When on earth are they coming out?”

It had been an hour since Carami and Seira had entered Baeyun Gorge.

Due to the thick fog, the inside was not visible, and the thundering noise echoed through the gorge.

Is it alright to keep waiting here?

If that monster comes, I’m as good as dead.

Oh, whatever.

‘Both of them were good connections. May they rest in peace.’

Just as Bolt finished his prayer in 0.1 seconds and was about to turn around…

“Ah, I finally made it out. If I had come alone, I would have been trapped for a lifetime.”

“Why on earth am I doing this…?”

“You have to keep an eye on them, right? You must take responsibility to the end.”

The two who had gone into the gorge came out, dispersing the mist. It was as if a mountain spirit had made an entrance.

“Finally, you’re out! I swear I wasn’t trying to escape alone… huh?”

Bolt’s eyes widened.

Carami was cradling a small beast-girl in her arms like a baby. They had gone in as two and come out as three?

“Congratulations. She’s a beautiful daughter! I never guessed you two had such a relationship. But even if you’re close, outdoor play is a bit too much, don’t you think?”

“Don’t talk nonsense, Mr. Bolt.”

“S-Seira?”

It wasn’t even Carami she was talking to, yet Seira was throwing out harsh words. Her appearance, too, was different from usual.

Her hands and feet resembled those of a hideous beast, and her arms and legs were covered in ash-colored fur. It was a sign of using her unique ability, Beast Transformation.

“I am a wolf. This child is a fox.”

“Hmm…? Oh, now that I look closely, I see it. Sorry for the misunderstanding. I was a bit flustered.”

It was a cute-looking fox.

The pink fur was also quite striking.

“…?”

Pink fur?

A fox?

A pink fox?

“H-Hongho?!”

“That’s right. Isn’t she pretty? She’s my new slave.”

“Pretty? You’ve made a pink fox your slave? Are you out of your mind?”

Hongho, the red fox, was one of the infamous mischievous creatures. Just being near one brought misfortune and disaster.

How could she have brought one here on her own? It was unexplainable unless she were mad.

“Take her back where she came from right now! Otherwise, you’ll see some terrible sights!”

“Haha, how could I leave such a cute girl in such a dangerous place? Mr. Bolt, you might not know, but there’s a bear ghost called ‘Wungwi’ roaming inside Baeyun Gorge, and if you go in, it’ll immediately catch you.”

“But—!”

“Seira.”

Cutting off Bolt’s protest, Carami gave a sly smile and looked at Seira. Seira had a wary look, as if anticipating more nonsense from her.

“…What is it?”

“Is it a plus or minus to leave an injured child, just because she brings misfortune?”

“Tsk.”

Seira responded with a quick click of her tongue, and Carami smiled at the anticipated reaction.

“You heard that, Mr. Bolt? Leaving her means neglect. I can’t just neglect something while already facing neglect charges, can I? Too bad.”

“I clearly warned you. Anything could happen.”

***

After leaving Baeyun Gorge, they returned to the small village where Buddy was waiting.

It had been a tiring day, so they promised to meet again tomorrow and entered their room.

“Ugh…”

I sat on the bed. It was an inn in the outlands, and even though I secured the best room, it wasn’t very comfortable. It was disappointing, but it couldn’t be helped.

As expected, Lin was breathing steadily beside me.

The treatment had been completed long ago. She had bandages wrapped around her body, but beastfolk had excellent recovery abilities, so she would heal quickly.

I gently stroked Lin’s hair. As if feeling a sensation I had never felt before, I flinched unconsciously.

‘Oh, poor thing.’

The third main slave [the fox that brings misfortune].

One of the top popular characters that came to mind when talking about Taosul. There were various reasons for that, but first of all, she was notably different from other slaves.

First.

Lin did not have a name.

It was slightly different from Mirabel. While Mirabel tried to hide her name, Lin truly had no name.

So where did the name ‘Lin’ come from?

‘I named her in the game.’

In-game, it was [LIN].

The reason it’s in English is that the game rules allow nicknames to be 2 to 8 characters long.

Lin is the only character that the user can name directly.

The second is in terms of growth.

Other slaves are already somewhat developed when encountered. Based on physical growth.

But right now, Lin is small.

Even smaller than Mirabel.

However, as the story progresses, she gradually grows physically.

In other words, I named her and raised her from the start. Watching her growth can’t help but stir affection.

“Hehe, hehehe.”

I’m already excited about raising Lin.

Daddy will raise you beautifully.

***

In the back alleys of Vestia, following a path known only to a few, there is a fortune-teller’s shop.

The shop exudes a musty, old smell.

Inside it is dimly lit.

On the round table lies a white orb.

An old woman moved her wrinkled fingers over the orb wickedly. Following her movements, a silver tail swayed gently.

“Let’s see… I can see you running along the path. Behind you, others are chasing after you. It feels thrilling, like a competition.”

“A-competition?”

“You went in first. The people are cheering and congratulating you.”

“Really?”

The old woman nodded as she looked at the orb.

“And then…”

“And then?”

The girl watching the fortune swallowed hard, waiting anxiously for what would come next. The next words from the old woman were:

“…you are singing and dancing.”

“Dancing…?”

“Yes, countless men are cheering you on while waving poles.”

“Competing in a race, coming in first, and then dancing and singing? What kind of ridiculous fortune is that?”

“No…”

“What kind of a fortune-teller are you? I’m leaving.”

The girl stormed out of the fortune-teller’s shop, clearly dissatisfied. Her tail swayed behind her.

Silence momentarily filled the space.

“Chuh, chuhuh.”

A woman watching the scene couldn’t hold back her laughter. She covered her mouth with her hand, but it was of no use. Eventually, she burst out laughing.

“…If you laugh like that, the old woman will get upset, Princess.”

With endlessly dark hair.

Her pupils glowed like melted gold.

With pointed ears and a long tail.

The one called princess was the female lioness of Vestia.

Hilde Brigitta Lioness.

“Chuhuh, I’m sorry. But it can’t be helped. I never imagined I would hear that Yu Hwa is a fraud.”

Yu Hwa kept her mouth shut.

The fortune-telling old woman.

Most people refer to the old woman by the common title found everywhere in the world, but a rare few who know of her existence call her this.

One of the yokai that hid from the world’s gaze.

A witch who reads the flow of fate.

The heavenly fox, Yu Hwa.

Though a beastfolk, not an elf, she has lived for a thousand years. A living witness to the changes in the world throughout the ages.

“Looks like Yu Hwa has aged too, judging by the ridiculous fortune-telling.”

Her translucent silver eyes seemed to pierce through the world’s secrets. The silver tail sparkled like the Milky Way. No, it used to sparkle.

Even she, who once foresaw the future, could not escape the ravages of time. The traces of time had been left on Yu Hwa, who endured for so long.

Her tail had faded in color, and the tip had lost its shine. The wrinkles etched under her eyes spoke of the weight of her lived years.

The creature that once held the will of the heavens had now fallen to the status of a mere beast who could wield some sorcery.

“Hmm, this shouldn’t be happening…”

Perhaps she still hadn’t given up, Yu Hwa frowned as she watched the images reflected in the orb.

No matter how much she claimed it wasn’t like before, the opponent was merely an ordinary girl, and it was not far off in the future. She was absolutely confident it wouldn’t be wrong.

The talking beastgirl would wear dazzling clothes and traverse the city, coming in first, and would dance on stage with the beastfolk she had competed against.

Yu Hwa found it absurd, but no matter how hard she stared, the scene presented by the orb did not change.

“Yu Hwa, how about entering the palace at this opportunity? You could read my daily fortune every morning.”

“I must decline. I have to manage the trading company, and sometimes what emerges is not auspicious but ominous. I worry it might upset your mood, Princess.”

“In that case, you should just tell a white lie. I trust whatever you say without a doubt.”

“If I lie about fate, I will be punished by the heavens, Princess.”

“I understand. That’s why I trust you, Yu Hwa.”

Knowing well, why suggest telling lies?

The princess, who loved to joke around, made Yu Hwa sigh.

Clatter.

“Uh?”

Suddenly, the orb began to shake.

It wasn’t an earthquake or wind.

“What is this? Yu Hwa, was it an egg rather than an orb?”

Yu Hwa had no time to react to such a trivial joke. She simply continued to glare at the orb.

The orb shook unsteadily, and as the vibrations grew stronger, pink light suddenly burst forth, filling the interior of the orb.

Yu Hwa’s eyes widened as they grew wide like that of a fish.

“T-This is…?!”

“What’s wrong?”

Yu Hwa’s eyes shook violently like the orb.

The pink mist that had been spreading began to take shape little by little. The mist formed nine whirlpools. The whirlpools danced as if they were putting on a show.

That mischievous movement reminded one of a fox’s tail flicking.

The meaning behind it was clear.

“That child… has come out?”

An existence that had long hidden itself and vanished from the eyes of the world. But now, it appeared, twisting the order of the heavens and revealing itself to the outside world.

And it wasn’t just that.

‘There’s someone else too.’

There was someone who twisted the order of the heavens and brought forth the yokai. However, who that was remained hidden. A massive tree obscured his form.

‘An elf?’

An elf and the World Tree shielding him?

But I couldn’t feel the energy of an elf…

I couldn’t tell.

As the mist dispersed and the orb regained its original color, the shaking subsided.

It all happened in a fleeting moment, leaving Yu Hwa blank. To have such absurdities occur consecutively was beyond belief.

“Yu Hwa, what on earth is happening?”

As Hilde’s voice slowly brought her back to her senses, fatigue was evident in Yu Hwa’s expression.

“It seems I must close the fortune-telling shop.”

Has my divination power really run dry?

It wouldn’t make sense otherwise.

Yes, it’s time to quit.