Chapter 90

Lin was not asleep. She couldn’t fall asleep.

The words the Gumiho had subtly whispered to her during the day kept circling in her mind.

Essence.

Carami’s essence.

I wonder what it tastes like?

Her curiosity was driving her crazy, making it impossible for her to get any rest.

Essence is something any living being possesses, and in most cases, the higher the individual’s rank, the more superior the essence is, both in quality and quantity.

Monsters can absorb essence and convert it into spirit power, which translates to strength. Some do it not just to become stronger but to savor the taste.

They hunt for the same reason humans go on gourmet journeys.

Lin herself had thought about going around hunting monsters.

Moreover, the Gumiho had whispered that the essence of someone with whom one’s fate is deeply intertwined tastes even better. And Lin believed without a doubt that Carami was such a person to her.

Regardless of taste, she also had the desire to embrace his essence within her.

If there was any relief to be found, it was that absorbing essence doesn’t necessarily kill. It only kills when someone is drained to death; otherwise, essence regenerates.

So, perhaps…

‘Would it be alright to just have a little taste?’

Just a bit.

Just a tiny bit.

If she absorbed the tiniest possible amount, Carami wouldn’t be harmed. She only wanted to sample it—like a taste test.

She was only satisfying her curiosity, and assured herself she wouldn’t do it again after trying once. With firm resolve, Lin lightly placed her hand on Carami’s chest.

Saaah…

She carefully began to absorb his essence. It was an amount so minimal it was less like drinking water and more like licking it with her tongue.

That was Lin’s mistake. Even this minuscule amount was enough to send a shock straight through her senses.

“Hu?!”

The jolt coursing up from her fingertips spread all over her body. A sensation akin to getting electrocuted shot through her spine, causing her uncontrollably buckling body.

A hidden sixth sense awakened within her that she had never realized before. Her heart began to beat rapidly, and a fiery heat rose within her belly.

A suppressed moan escaped through her tightly closed lips.

“Hu… Hu…”

Lin collapsed onto the bed. Her tail and ears, which had stiffened up, began to tremble. Her heightened sensitivity made even the touch of her collar a tingling thrill.

Lin clenched her trembling lips into a straight line, gripping the bedsheet tightly.

She shouldn’t have underestimated this, even with such a small amount.

She shouldn’t have done it at all.

This was Pandora’s box. Once tasted, it awakened an irresistible and forbidden pleasure, much like finding an oasis in the middle of a desert.

‘If just one sip can feel this way, what would it be like to have more…?’

Lin raised her head and looked at Carami. Her heterochromatic eyes gleamed with greed in the dark as Lin hesitated, her hand reaching out.

‘No, I shouldn’t!’

She abruptly yanked it back at the last second, firmly grabbing her outstretched arm with her other hand.

She couldn’t stay here.

If she did, she might really end up doing something reckless.

She needed fresh air.

Breathing in the cold air would help clear her mind. It had to. Lin hastily got out of the room.

That night, Lin grew an additional tail.

***

“Yaaawn…”

“What are you doing being so noisy at mealtime?”

As Lin yawned with her mouth wide open, Seira immediately called her out on it.

“I’m sorry. Yawns just keep coming.”

“Did you not sleep well?”

“I don’t think so. I believe I slept soundly.”

Lin hadn’t gone to bed late, and she had no memory of waking up. Despite thinking she had a good night’s rest, her body felt inexplicably fatigued.

The yawns and sluggishness kept coming.

Even though she had slept, she didn’t feel like she had rested.

“It’s probably nothing serious. Every once in a while, we have days like this.”

With that, Seira lost interest and proceeded with her breakfast.

Sitting next to me, Lin was eating her meal. The seven-tailed fox, having absorbed the spirit power of the PaGyeSeung she had slain.

It was undoubtedly a cause for celebration, yet Lin’s expression was sullen. She picked at her food slowly.

“Lin, is something wrong? You don’t look too happy.”

“…”

Lin met my gaze for a brief moment before turning away. She had been in this state since they had captured the PaGyeSeung.

Had something happened during that battle? I wanted to ask the Gumiho, but she didn’t emerge, likely still resting.

Perhaps something in Lin’s mindset had changed as she transitioned into a seven-tailed fox. It might just take time for her to adjust. I decided not to press her and gave her space.

“What do you intend to do today?”

“Well, now that we’ve dealt with the PaGyeSeung, we should check if there are any lingering curses. I was thinking of visiting the Cat Café first. Nero was cursed as well. How about you, Seira?”

“I’m still working from home at the moment. If the plague is gone, I’ll have to go back to work.”

Since Vestia had been in a closed-border state since the curse spread, Seira had naturally been out of work by managing immigration.

Funny enough, the PaGyeSeung had given her a honeyed rest by default. But, it was about time she went back to work.

“Do I need to apologize?”

“If you’re planning to turn me into trash, go ahead.”

Apology canceled.

***

As planned in the morning, we visited the Cat Café first.

Nero, the café employee affected by the curse, probably hasn’t been able to come for about a week.

“How are you, Nero? Are you feeling okay?”

“Nyah… I am still a bit weak, but I’m fine.”

Those cursed by the PaGyeSeung had exhibited the symptom of blackened veins, and some even had decaying skin.

Fortunately, Nero’s case wasn’t so severe, and with the removal of the curse, he was recovering quickly.

‘Thankfully, I was quite worried.’

The Catfolk don’t have individual homes. Initially, we promised only to provide for their basic needs, but as they all worked hard and showed integrity, we began paying wages too.

Still, buying a house was a stretch for the Catfolk, so they lived at the café. Their living conditions were decent enough.

I permitted them to stay, and the café had space to spread out bedding.

The only problem was the limitation of living in isolation.

We had been concerned about what would happen if the other Catfolk got cursed, but there were no other apparent cases. If there’s an incubation period, it might have disappeared before manifesting.

“Since we won’t be doing business for the near future, you should all rest properly. If there’s any food or ingredients you want, I’ll prepare them for you.”

With the pandemic situation, securing ingredients is a challenge, but I happen to have a robust connection with the Celestial Pavilion.

“Thank you, nyah.”

“Still our boss, thank goodness. The dog café owner just disappeared without responsibility.”

“A despicable human.”

“He judged that the value of the dog clan has fallen, nyah.”

As the Catfolk were having a lively conversation, Persi slipped away from the group and approached me.

“Is something the matter, Persi? Is there something you want to say?”

“I was wondering if the boss isn’t feeling well. Your complexion looks a bit off.”

“Hmm.”

Both Seira and Persi had said the same thing. Yes, I was tired, but was it that obvious? I should go home and rest after finishing up.

“Why such a long face? You look like you’ve done something wrong.”

The person Persi pointed out was Lin.

Lin flinched.

“It’s just my mood.”

“Hmm, if that’s the case? But you seem quite restless.”

“Just the mood.”

A strange atmosphere flowed between the two of them. Persi, with her legs crossed, tilted her head as she gazed intensely at Lin. Lin, however, avoided her eyes.

“Master, you said you’re tired. Since you’ve finished what you needed to do, let’s go home.”

“Mm, should we? Thank you, Persi. We’ll be leaving now. We’ll visit again.”

“Go inside, boss. Rest up.”

“Farewell, nyah.”

As we were bid farewell by the Catfolk, we headed back home.

The PaGyeSeung was dead, the curse gone, but the city still remained quiet. It’s not something that could recover overnight just from yesterday’s events.

People will gradually start coming out as word gets out that the curse is gone, quickly returning the city to its bustling state.

So, I wasn’t too worried. However, Lin’s melancholic demeanor kept nagging at me. She had been unusually quiet today, and instead of sticking close to me while walking, she trailed a step behind.

If my slave isn’t doing well, as her master, I should take care of her. I approached Lin closely.

“Lin, if something’s bothering you, you can speak freely to me. Isn’t the whole purpose of having a master to rely on in such times?”

Lin stared at me intently.

Her lips moved as if debating over saying something.

“Master, I’m sorry, but I’m uncomfortable. Can I walk a bit away from you?”

And with that, Lin distanced herself from me!

It felt like I’d been struck with a hammer, dazing me.

‘Lin… pushing me away?’

And that wasn’t the end.

As night fell, as usual, I was about to enter the room with Lin, but she hesitated in front of the door.

“What’s wrong?”

“… Lin will sleep separately starting today.”

“Excuse me?”

Lin walked into her own room, a place she had never used before. I blankly watched her, then quickly sought out Seira.

I explained the situation to Seira who tilted her head, saying she didn’t understand.

“It’s normal, actually. I think it’s a bit late, considering.”

“That might be normal, but the suddenness is strange!”

“Maybe puberty has arrived. Do foxes even have puberty?”

“Puberty…?”

Has puberty come for Lin?

Like the phase where kids start locking themselves in their rooms and refusing to do laundry together with their parents?

Was this why she kept putting distance between us?

Does dad smell bad or something?

“Teacher, is there a way to go back to how it was before?”

Seira firmly shook her head.

“If a girl has hit puberty, consider it the end.”

“That can’t be…”

The world felt like it was crumbling down.

***

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