Chapter 62

“Th-That pink fox! The fox that brings misfortune. It’s definitely her!”

“Hongho? That cursed fox?”

“That’s right!”

The adventurers murmured carelessly in front of Lin.

Lin’s face, which had been waiting for praise with a confident expression, began to stiffen.

As her expression gradually faded, embarrassment filled the empty space. She never expected to hear such words after saving them.

I couldn’t help but furrow my brows.

“Look at the language after surviving thanks to my slave.”

“What do you mean survive? If it weren’t for Hongho, this wouldn’t have happened in the first place!”

“Now that makes sense. I was wondering why the Trifidian suddenly appeared, coming out of the deep, dark forest. It’s because of Hongho’s misfortune.”

The beastmen nodded their heads as if realizing a truth they had not known. It seemed like they had erased the fact that they had received help from Lin from their minds. The atmosphere was certain that Lin was the reason for the Trifidian’s appearance.

“Because of Hongho, our hunt today was ruined, and our gear is broken! You said you were her master? Take responsibility for her!”

“Don’t be absurd. There’s no evidence that it’s Lin’s fault.”

“What do you mean evidence? Hongho is right in front of us; what more evidence do we need? Should we go to the city and ask people to judge?”

The expression of the lizardman was self-assured.

He knew what kind of result would come out.

So did I.

They would surely say it was Lin’s fault.

Of course, Lin is a being that brings misfortune. Just this morning alone, when starting her story in the game, all sorts of nonsense begins.

Like a storm ruining shops.

Or ingredients going bad when cooking.

Or slaves suddenly dropping in condition.

But there are days like that in life, and I know better than anyone the extent of the misfortune that a single tail of Lin brings.

She’s not yet at a level where she can hurt people.

In other words, the Trifidian is a coincidence, and what happened is due to their incompetence. They are placing the blame for their ineptitude on Lin.

“Misfortune really sucks like this.”

There’s no way to prove what isn’t visually apparent. The other party can unleash an invulnerable logic just by mentioning Lin’s color.

Even Lin herself, the party involved, didn’t doubt that it was all her fault; her tail drooped down.

“Ugh, my waist and neck are stiff.”

“Really? Must be because of the Trifidian.”

“Exactly. We need to go to the chapel for treatment. If you give me 3 gold for the treatment fee, the ruined hunt, and the broken gear, I’ll let it slide.”

The adventurers were smiling slyly among themselves, making a fuss over their matters.

Just passing by and suddenly they want 3 gold. It’s nothing short of an insurance scam.

I have money. No matter how low on points I am, I have more than enough to pay 3 gold.

“Why should I?”

But why should I give you anything?

“Why should I? It’s because of your slave that this happened, so take responsibility.”

“Sounds like you’re mistaken. What can you do if I don’t pay? With you struggling against a Trifidian, do you think you can win if you fight my slave?”

“What?”

“When an adventurer who embarked on a journey doesn’t return, it’s just a common occurrence. Especially for low-ranked adventurers without any reputation.”

Only then did the adventurers seem to grasp the meaning of my words, their smiles disappearing. Someone’s face turned pale.

I stole their smiles.

Those who cannot appreciate the kindness that our Lin has shown do not deserve to live.

“Your misfortune is that you encountered Hongho, plain and simple.”

***

We returned to the city after finishing our work.

The adventurers, who had no idea about the situation, thought Lin enjoyed her meal after the shoot.

‘Of course, that’s not the case.’

I set them free.

I didn’t care whether they lived or died, but in the end, it was Lin who would have to commit murder.

Firstly, I didn’t want Lin to kill.

Secondly, I was worried that Lin’s fur would leave evidence at the scene.

I fervently prayed for the curse that misfortune would follow them for the rest of their lives.

Looking slightly downcast, Lin walked along.

There was no power in her steps.

“You don’t need to worry about what just happened, Lin. There are many shameless people in this world.”

“……”

She didn’t respond.

It seemed my words were not comforting at all.

“Hey, look over there. Hongho.”

“Don’t let her bring misfortune. Kids, hurry up and go inside! Quickly!”

The residents glanced at us and whispered, hurriedly taking their children away as if we were a plague.

Was it because Seira said something like that in the morning?

Was it because we had just gone through such things?

The words that I had often heard seemed to pierce through my eardrums today like a dagger.

For Lin, the person involved and with well-developed hearing, this must resonate even stronger. As expected, Lin walked with her head down, crushed under the disparaging glares of the people.

Her ears drooped, and her tail was brought forward and hugged tightly as if she wanted to hide her pink fur from others.

It didn’t seem like she would shake this off easily.

That evening, Lin didn’t eat.

As soon as she got home, she locked herself in her room without any intention of coming out.

I never expected Lin would skip a meal.

She usually eats at least three plates in one sitting. Seira was quite surprised too.

“What happened?”

“That’s…”

I explained the events of the day. After hearing the full story, Seira contemplated with a serious expression.

“I see. That must have hurt quite a bit.”

“Of course.”

She’s still a young girl. There’s a high possibility that she can’t withstand the blatant criticisms from others and can get swept away.

“You should go comfort her.”

“Of course I plan to… but who will comfort me?”

“Excuse me?”

“Since I’m discriminated against as a human every day, don’t I deserve to be comforted too…?”

Seira grabbed a knife.

“When you go to hell, won’t the demons comfort you?”

“I’ll be right back with the kids.”

I quickly ran away to Lin’s room.

“Lin, you must be hungry. You need to eat. You should take care of yourself especially in times like this…”

The moment I saw the state of the room, I was shocked, my eyes widening.

The room was a mess. Pink fur was fluttering here and there, and in one corner, Lin was tearing her clothes apart.

I thought for a moment that she had undergone an instant transformation, but that was not it at all. She was trying to wrap the torn fabric around her tail.

The disheveled tail bore signs of having been tugged. She couldn’t pull all her fur, so she seemed to be trying to cover it up so her tail wouldn’t be seen.

My heart ached. I sighed lightly and sat at the edge of the bed.

“Lin.”

“……”

“Lin.”

Lin, who wouldn’t glance my way even though I was right next to her, continued stubbornly with her work, ignoring me.

I had no choice but to snatch the fabric Lin was holding away from her. When Lin rushed to get it back, I commanded her to stop.

“This can’t happen.”

“Caaaw!!!”

“What can’t happen must not happen.”

I must never allow her to cover her tail or dye it. That would mean agreeing that her pink fur is a mark that must be hidden.

It’s the same reason I didn’t give money to the adventurers.

Lin’s expression was one of sorrow.

Her odd eyes shimmered with tears.

It seemed she would burst into tears at any moment.

I sighed once again and pulled Lin towards me, seating her between my legs. I began to gently comb Lin’s tangled tail with the brush Seira bought.

“You really don’t have anyone to see this beauty. This pink color looks so pretty and fluffy.”

“……”

“Does what others say bother you that much?”

“……”

“You don’t need to pay attention to their words. If Lin becomes beautiful, those who are hypocritical will change their minds at any moment.”

Lin showed no reaction.

A harsh word sticks more than a hundred comforted words.

But what can I do about it?

If a hundred isn’t enough, then I’ll just do a thousand or ten thousand.

“Think about it well. If Lin wasn’t pretty, why would I be bringing her with me? I’m no fool, and no one is better than a slave trader at looking out for their own interests.”

“….”

“It’s all because Lin is beautiful. Others may not know, but in my eyes, Lin is a cute fox I want to look at and touch all day long.”

Lin’s ears twitched slightly.

“Lin, don’t care about what others think, just listen to my words. No one knows you better than I do.”

Eventually, her ears which had been flat perked up slightly towards me.

This is the charm of beastmen.

Without even hearing their answer or seeing their expressions, I can vaguely predict their state.

“One day, Lin will become a beautiful fox that captivates people. I promise you that.”

“….”

“So please don’t hide your tail. Don’t think of it as something that needs to be concealed. I truly like Lin’s tail.”

“………Caaaw.”

Though short, Lin still responded.

This little one worries her master. I ruffled her hair roughly before getting off the bed.

“Let’s go eat. If you don’t want to eat, you don’t have to. I’ll finish everything by myself.”

“Caaaw!”

Lin gobbled down six plates as if relieving stress.

It was a record high.

***

Since the attack of the Death God, Lin’s sleeping place became my stomach. She curled up while lying down.

According to Seira, it’s the place where she feels safest by my side.

So what I feel in my abdomen now must be Lin, and she feels slightly heavier than yesterday. No, rather than heavy, it felt like the weight had slightly increased.

‘Did I feed her too much for dinner?’

I was worried she might roll around.

“I’m hungry. Give me food.”

In a drowsy state, I heard her voice.

“Just five more minutes…”

“Wake up! Fooooood!”

Her voice was so loud in the morning. I tried to ignore it and go back to sleep, but I felt I was going to lose my eardrums, so I couldn’t hold back and got up.

“No, after eating so much last night, is it already time for food? If this goes on, she’ll be a pig instead of a fox…?”

As soon as I opened my eyes, I saw Lin staring at me with a pouty face.

She was in a position as if ready to dash at me at any moment. This part didn’t seem much different from usual, but behind that Lin, her pink tail was swaying lightly.

Three of them, at that.

“Give me fooooooood!”