The Fluffy Baby Fox Only Bites the Crazy Villain - Chapter 76
I firmly held Yudis’s hand and spoke sincerely.
“The Grand Duke will be fine now. So please don’t worry.”
Yudis’s deep blue eyes trembled, then curved into crescents.
“Yes. I’m truly grateful that Shushu is by my brother’s side. Not having to suffer from the fear of losing my brother… you’re like a miracle to us.”
Yudis’s eyes had reddened without me noticing. I could feel the strength in our clasped hands. Her trembling that she barely suppressed.
Only then did I realize.
Just as Karden felt pain and guilt watching his uncle transform into a monster, Yudis must have suffered watching her brother.
Yudis said she left because she was tired of guarding the northern castle and hunting monsters.
That she couldn’t live in the stifling northern castle with her free-spirited nature.
But I thought the truth might be different.
Perhaps Yudis… left the northern castle because she couldn’t bear to watch her brother’s magic go berserk.
How devastatingly sad it must be to witness a beloved family member lose their mind, fail to recognize even family, and transform into a monster right before your eyes.
Yudis quickly wiped her eyes with her sleeve. Then, as if nothing had happened, she exclaimed energetically.
“Ah, I can see our territory over there. We’ll arrive at the villa soon.”
The sky was already burning red with sunset.
Beyond the sunset, beautiful enough to bring tears to my eyes, stretched vast plains and forests, with the villa mansion visible in the distance.
***
We arrived at the beautiful villa surrounded by lush forests and a lake only in the evening.
Dozens of butlers and servants who had received advance notice came out to welcome us.
The knights were busy taking the tired horses to the stable and organizing the luggage.
I got out of the carriage with Yudis’s escort.
Perhaps I was dizzy because it was my first carriage journey.
As I was getting out of the carriage, I lost my balance and misstepped.
“Ah!”
“Shuvelia!”
Karden rushed over and caught me in his arms. My heart started pounding hard again in his broad embrace.
I was afraid I might transform back into a fox from excitement.
It seems that being close to Karden increases the probability of returning to fox form, along with heart arrhythmia symptoms.
“Are you alright? Was it too much?”
I quickly escaped from Karden’s arms and straightened my posture.
“Ah, I’m fine. I was just dizzy for a moment. I’ll be fine after resting. Lady Yudis, let’s go!”
I pretended to be exaggeratedly spirited and linked arms with Yudis, not giving Karden a chance to speak.
“Shushu, let’s go to your room. You must be very tired.”
Yudis stroked my head as if I were a baby and led the way with our arms linked.
While chatting with her, I glanced toward Karden.
He was standing silently in place, staring at me.
I’m sorry, Karden.
It seems I shouldn’t be close to you if I want to practice staying human.
Mental stability is important to remain human, but I keep feeling confused when you’re nearby.
After organizing my luggage in my room and washing up briefly, I had dinner with everyone in the dining hall.
Though everyone must have been tired from the long carriage journey, true to being northern castle knights, they created a lively dinner atmosphere, drinking beer.
The atmosphere was soon dominated by Yudis, who created a vibrant drinking party, putting her arms around the knights’ shoulders and encouraging everyone to drink.
Thanks to the noisy atmosphere, no one noticed when I slipped away from the table.
Coming out to the garden behind the mansion, I finally let out a deep sigh.
The dense forest beyond the garden was quiet, with only insect sounds spreading like a lullaby.
Above the forest, dazzling stars were spread widely across the night sky.
I looked up at the sky, completely entranced. The night sky was so beautiful.
Then my fingertips began to tingle, and I clenched my fist.
My whole body was tingling, perhaps from being tense, maintaining human form throughout the carriage ride.
Fortunately, I didn’t feel the desire to consume magic power yet.
But the moment I would want Karden’s magic would come eventually.
I wondered if there was a way to substitute it with other magic.
If the Ulpes tribe or Franz were here, I might find a way, but trying to figure it out alone felt overwhelming with no answers in sight.
Even if I asked Yudis or Ron for help, it would inevitably reach Karden’s ears.
When I get to the capital, I’ll have to find a way to secretly meet the Ulpes tribe.
As I paced around the garden suppressing my anxious heart, I heard someone behind me.
“Shuvelia, so you were here. Why are you alone?”
Karden was standing there with a worried expression. Did he come looking for me?
“Ah, I just came out for a brief walk.”
He unwrapped the cloak from his shoulders and wrapped it firmly around mine.
“The wind is cold. Don’t push yourself. You must be tired from the carriage journey.”
Gratitude and apology mixed together as I looked at him caring for me.
“Your hair is tangled. You need a lot of attention, whether you’re human or a fox.”
Karden gently stroked my tangled hair with his hand.
Just like when he used to brush my tangled fur when I was a baby fox.
Does this person see me as a pet fox or as a woman?
Once, I had imagined living happily as his companion fox by his side.
The days at the northern castle were so warm and affectionate that each day was precious.
But as time passed, I felt that this power flowing within me was something alien.
There’s something beyond simply swallowing magic power.
If this power ends up hurting Karden… I could never forgive myself.
“Shuvelia, there’s somewhere I want to go with you.”
I heard Karden’s words a beat late as I was focused on my thoughts.
I looked up at Karden with wide eyes.
“What? Where to?”
“There’s a mysterious place unique to this villa. I want to show it to you.”
Karden, extending his hand to me, grinned like a mischievous boy.
“Shall we sneak away from the knights?”
That smile was so bright that my heart suddenly fluttered. I grabbed his hand without hesitation.
We headed toward the forest that stretched behind the garden.
Even though it was midnight, Karden entered the darkness-shrouded forest without hesitation, showing remarkable vision in the dark.
The deep night forest was secretive and mysterious, harboring what seemed like ancient secrets.
The forest was filled with the sounds of insects and trees swaying in the breeze. It was like the forest itself was a huge living being, breathing.
I walked leaning on Karden’s arm, supported by him.
Emerging from the forest, we reached the shore of a small lake. The surface of the lake reflected the starlight, sparkling like a mirror.
There were many stars in the night sky, but the moon was hidden behind clouds.
Karden stopped walking and whispered in a low voice.
“Let’s wait a moment. If we wait quietly, we can see it.”
I wanted to ask what “it” was, but I just nodded and remained silent. We sat side by side on the grass at the edge of the lake.
The grass was damp with evening dew, but I wasn’t cold thanks to Karden’s cloak.
A deep silence descended over the quiet lake. After waiting for some time, the moment the moon, hidden by cloud,s revealed itself, a buzzing sound was heard from afar.
“What is that?”
I stared at the lake with wide eyes.
From somewhere in the dark forest, thousands of fireflies rose up.
As the yellow-glowing fireflies all flew up at once, they sparkled as if thousands of small lights had been lit above the lake.
The sight of fireflies forming a group dance and flying over the lake looked like an elegant dance.
“It’s so, so amazing.”
I marveled at the fantastic sight, lost in a dreamlike wonder.
“I really wanted to show this to you. I’m glad we could see it together.”
“How did Your Grace know that fireflies would appear at the lake?”
“I stayed at the villa when I was young. That’s when I discovered it.”
When I turned my head, Karden was gazing intently at me.
Only then did I realize. Karden wasn’t watching the firefly dance, but had been looking at me the whole time.
