The Fluffy Baby Fox Only Bites the Crazy Villain - Chapter 3
How long had I slept? The horse slowed down and started walking with a clip-clop sound. I reflexively opened my eyes.
A gray castle was visible ahead. Built in the northern border region, the castle wasn’t large in scale but looked solid and strong like a sturdy fortress.
“His Grace the Grand Duke is returning. Open the gates!”
I was momentarily distracted thinking about the original story. In front of the castle gates, gatekeeper soldiers shouted in unison and began opening the doors.
Karden’s castle came into view. Massive walls and tall towers and turrets. Flags were fluttering.
The huge iron gate began to open with a creaking sound.
Only then did I notice the various marks engraved on the iron gate with wooden planks attached.
Sword marks, arrow marks, traces of monster claws scratching repeatedly, and upon closer inspection, dried blood was visible too.
“Heeng? (Don’t tell me, this is…)”
Now I remembered.
The northern castle in the border region where Grand Duke Karden, the mad butcher of the frontier, lived was a place where battles with monsters occurred daily, 365 days a year.
In other words, I’m now entering the gates of hell where blood, screams, and slaughter abound.
To think I’m entering the gates of hell on my own feet…
I froze like a stone in Karden’s arms.
“Cotton ball, what’s wrong?”
Karden must have noticed my reaction as he lowered his body and asked. But it didn’t reach my ears.
I had to find a way to escape from this hell castle. I opened my large eyes even wider and scrutinized the castle thoroughly.
Who knows, there might be a small dog hole in the castle wall!
Maildra, who was riding alongside Karden, butted in.
“The baby fox seems nervous. It’s frozen like a stone, just like a doll. It’s so… so…”
Maildra kept stuttering with a blank expression.
Tsk tsk. He seems young, but he’s already forgetful.
Karden’s hand gently stroked my head. As if telling me to relax.
My body, which had stiffened up, slowly loosened under the soft massage that melted like snow.
“Don’t be nervous, Cotton ball.”
“Kyeeng? (What?)”
“This is the castle guarding the northern border. We’re protecting the Arden Kingdom from monsters.”
I could feel his undisguised pride in Karden’s calm words.
It was unexpected. I thought he was a bloodthirsty mad butcher, but he still had loyalty to the kingdom.
Karden passed through the castle gates on horseback, holding me in his arms. I peeked out with just my eyes and looked around the castle. Everything appeared as a strange and fascinating scene.
The castle was surrounded by high, thick stone walls with watchtowers on both sides of the gate. Inside, a wide courtyard spread out.
The castle had practical and necessary buildings and facilities such as a mansion, knights’ quarters and training grounds, servants’ quarters, granaries and supply warehouses, and a banquet hall.
It was far from a beautiful and magnificent castle. It was a castle designed for thorough defense when monsters attacked.
Even the people walking on the streets all looked fierce or scary.
A big blacksmith was hammering, sparks flying, and the baker had one eye missing and a large scar on his face.
Even the farmer pulling a cart full of grain looked so fierce that he seemed ready to grab a spear at any moment.
“Kyeeeng… (This place really is like a villain’s lair. I’m scared.)”
As Grand Duke Karden appeared, the passing people all stopped and bowed deeply. They shouted loudly enough to shake the castle.
“Commander, you’ve returned!”
To see them all standing on the sides of the road and politely greeting him as if the sea had parted… It’s excessively burdensome and scary.
It seems they call Karden Grand Duke the Commander in the castle.
After saluting Karden, they frowned and whispered. The problem was that I could hear everything they said.
“Why is the Commander holding a cotton ball?”
“Your eyes must be playing tricks on you. That’s clearly a baby monster, not a cotton ball.”
“What? Then we should get rid of it immediately.”
One man pulled out a dagger from his chest.
Swish. The blade flashed in the sunlight.
“Look closely, everyone. That’s a baby fox.”
“Ah, I see. Its tail is fluffy.”
The fierce-looking men nodded as if they finally understood.
“Hmm. Did the Commander bring a baby fox to make a fox scarf?”
“If he had just said the word, we would have brought him dozens of foxes. What use is the fur of such a tiny thing?”
Aaargh! These people would make even Satan cry!
Are they going to make a fur scarf out of a cute fox like me? Are they crazy?
I trembled and hid my tail in my chest. I also pressed my ears down as much as possible and covered my snout with my short legs.
“Kking kking. (I’m scared. I want to go home.)”
Karden, who had been silent, suddenly shouted at his subordinates.
“Everyone, be quiet! Return to your posts!”
“What? Ah, we’re sorry, Commander!”
Startled by Karden’s shout, everyone hurriedly bowed their heads and scattered.
“You seem frightened.”
At his gentle voice, some of my fear disappeared and anger welled up.
I raised my small nose and glared fiercely at him. Of course, I didn’t forget to bare my fangs.
“Kaang, kakaang, krrrung. (Villain, did you really kidnap me to make a fur scarf?)”
“I won’t make you into a scarf, so don’t be afraid.”
Karden spoke calmly as if trying to soothe me.
Huh? He couldn’t possibly understand what I was saying, could he?
Nah, there’s no way a human could understand a fox. He must just be perceptive.
Karden stopped in front of a building with me.
It was a 3-story building made of solid stone walls, with a flag bearing the blue wolf symbol of the knights fluttering. A wide training ground was visible behind the building.
“This is the training ground where the Northern Castle knights train.”
Karden lightly jumped off the horse while holding me.
“Cotton ball, let me introduce you to the Blue Wolf Knights. You’ll like them too.”
Karden lifted me up from his arms and placed me on his broad shoulder.
I was so bewildered that I couldn’t even resist and just clung to his shoulder.
“There, you should be able to see well now.”
“Kaang? Kaaang! (I really look like a fox scarf! You’re not letting go? Put me down right now!)”
I struggled to get off his shoulder, but Karden didn’t budge, and Maildra followed, covering his mouth and trembling.
***
“Pay attention, you fools! Do you want to become monster food?”
A loud, booming shout echoed across the training ground.
On the training ground, about a hundred soldiers were swinging wooden swords with loud shouts.
They all seemed to be on high alert, moving diligently with tense expressions and sweating.
“When you swing your wooden sword, you must use all your strength. That’s how you can properly cut a monster’s neck! If you fail on your first attack, you’ll be the monster’s food next!”
In front of the soldiers, on a high platform, stood a large, muscular knight with bronze skin.
He had short-cropped hair and a scar on his forehead.
The fierce-looking knight immediately jumped down from the platform when he noticed Karden’s arrival. He looked like an angry wild boar snorting and approaching.
The knight bowed his head politely to Karden.
“Commander, you’ve arrived.”
“Captain Burke. How’s the training of the new recruits?”
“Yes. They’re still lacking, but I think they’ll be usable after a month of hellish training.”
“Have the new recruits observe the next monster appearance. Train them just enough so they can escape without dying.”
“Understood! Loyalty!”
Burke shouted, placing his fist on his chest. His gaze turned to me, clinging to Karden’s nape.
“Commander, did you get a new fox scarf? It suits you well.”
“Kyaak! (I’m not a scarf!)”
“This is a live fox.”
I growled, bristling all the hair on my body, while Karden spoke calmly.
“Haha, I see. Why did you bring a baby fox?”
Burke looked alternately at me and Karden with sparkling eyes, as if curious. Burke stared at me with wide eyes. I flinched, scared by that gaze.
Just as Karden was about to speak, I quickly jumped off his shoulder.
Hop. I landed lightly on the training ground floor.
“Kyaaang! (Freedom!)”
I moved my short legs as hard as I could with all my might.
I have to escape from here! If I stay in this villain’s lair, I might really become a fox scarf!
At that moment, Karden’s cold voice was heard.
“Change of training. Catch that cotton ball.”
“Kyaaak! (You villain! Devil!)”
As soon as Karden’s order fell, Captain Burke shouted loudly.
“What are you all looking at? Do I need to kick your butts to make you move? Catch that cotton ball right now!”
The gazes of the training soldiers all focused on me at once.
“You mean that fox?”
The expressions of the soldiers looking at me started to change into unpleasantly mushy smiles. Some were even clutching their hearts and breathing heavily.
W-what’s going on? Have they all gone crazy?
They threw down their wooden swords and started running to catch me first. Like a horde of blood-thirsty zombies.
H-help! They all look insane!
