The Fluffy Baby Fox Only Bites the Crazy Villain - Chapter 77
“Are you maintaining human form continuously? Isn’t that too much strain?”
“What? Oh, I’m fine. I’m just practicing my human transformation.”
I answered with a deliberately bright smile.
Had Karden already noticed?
In truth, I had been in human form since early morning, and my entire body was becoming painful and exhausted.
Karden silently watched the dance of fireflies for a moment.
His profile looked more serious and solemn than ever, as though he was about to say something important.
“I’ve discussed your living arrangements with Yudis.”
“Living arrangements?”
“After investigating the Ulpes tribe, I found they either live as foxes in the north or transform into humans and live among people. Whatever lifestyle you choose, I-.”
Karden paused briefly. His gaze slowly turned toward me.
“I will support and sponsor you. If you wish to stay in the capital, I’ll provide enough for you to live comfortably. Yudis runs a merchant guild in the capital, so you could stay with her.”
What was this person saying? My mind was confused, but one question emerged above all others.
“Karden… don’t you want me to stay at the northern castle?”
Karden shook his head heavily.
“I’ve thought about Yudis’s advice. The cold, barren northern castle isn’t suitable for you.”
“If I… go to the capital, what about you, Your Grace? What if your magic goes berserk again?”
I barely suppressed my increasingly trembling voice.
My heart suddenly began to beat rapidly, and pain like needles pricking began to spread.
Karden seemed to have already sorted out his thoughts, appearing calm.
“Don’t worry about that. I’m much more stable now, and I can hire healers if needed.”
It was strange. Until I was captured by the villainous Karden and taken to the northern castle, I had been desperate to escape, but now that he was offering to let me go, my thoughts became dizzyingly complex.
I bowed my head while tightly clasping my hands together.
“…Are you sending me away like Yudis? Like you sent Yudis away from the northern castle.”
My voice came out softly as I struggled to suppress the emotions welling up in my throat.
So softly it was nearly drowned out by the insect sounds and the buzzing wings of fireflies.
But as always, Karden was someone who listened to even my slightest breath.
His large, warm hand carefully lifted my chin. I had no choice but to meet his blue eyes.
It was the first time his gaze felt so painful. Despite being so gentle and warm.
“Why would you think that? I’m not sending you away. I mean that whatever path you choose, I’ll protect and support you.”
Why was this person so devoted to me? I hadn’t done anything for him.
Even stopping his magic outbursts was ultimately because I wanted to consume his magic.
Guilt and regret toward Karden again pierced my heart like needles.
Karden wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close. I gazed at the lake while held in his embrace.
We watched the enchanting sight of dancing fireflies for a long time.
The cool but refreshing night air mixed with faint flower scents flowed around us. Only our heartbeats could be clearly heard.
And the unknown power flowing inside my body was writhing in a dark swamp.
I looked down at the red veins protruding on my pale wrist.
The veins writhed as though trying to burst through my body.
Yes. I had been ignoring and pretending not to notice it all along.
Now I understand clearly.
When I was close to Karden, my body heated up and my heart trembled.
I had mistakenly thought these symptoms were reactions to liking Karden.
Since people say your heart races when you see someone you like.
I clenched my fist tightly, afraid Karden would notice my slightly trembling hand.
Honestly, it’s still hard to endure.
The occasional terrible thirst that wells up and the destructive hunger to devour everything before my eyes.
When did it start?
The longer I maintained human form, the closer I stayed to Karden, the stronger my desire to consume magic became.
Being in his embrace, I could feel the warmth spreading throughout my body.
But how long could I have this warmth?
When I go to the capital, I’ll ask Olivia, the original female lead, to cure Karden’s magic outbursts.
Once Karden is healed and returns to the northern castle, I’ll pretend to stay in the capital, then make an excuse about wanting to travel the continent and quietly live far away.
Even I don’t know how my power will change, and staying near Karden might endanger him.
If even the Ulpes tribe abandoned me out of fear of my power, it might possess truly formidable, destructive capabilities.
I involuntarily shivered when the cold wind brushed against my skin. Karden pulled me closer.
“Let’s go back. It’s quite cold.”
As Karden turned to leave, I quickly grabbed his arm.
“Shuvelia, what’s wrong?”
When Karden looked puzzled, I stretched out both arms and cupped his cheeks with my hands.
His face was cold as ice, perhaps from exposure to the cold weather.
I held his face with all my strength and stood on tiptoe.
I closed my eyes tightly and lightly kissed his lips. It was a hasty and clumsy kiss, like a stolen one.
His lips were cold but soft.
“Shuvelia…”
A mixture of sighs and heat appeared and disappeared in the air between his red lips.
His cheeks, looking at me, had somehow turned red. No, even his ears had flushed.
Just as I thought how cute he was, blushing from one awkward kiss, Karden embraced me with his large hands and cupped my cheeks.
His lips devoured mine hungrily.
As if trying to make my breath and faint moans his own, he explored my lips without giving me a chance to breathe.
I reached out and embraced his neck. Our hearts pressed together were beating rapidly.
Fear rose in my heart. Because I knew that someday I would have to leave Karden.
Though I knew I couldn’t stay here forever, for now, in this moment, I was content just being in his arms.
This happiness, too, would scatter like a fleeting dream.
Beyond his broad, firm shoulders, the black night sky stretched out with stars twinkling.
I held back tears that threatened to fall.
***
Early in the morning, three carriages and a hundred knights departed from the Helleide family villa toward the capital, Rodelin.
Grand Duke Karden led the way at the front.
Only pale dust remained on the road where the carriage procession had passed.
Other riders silently appeared on the road where they had disappeared.
They were figures with their faces deeply hidden under black hooded robes. They exchanged glances and took carrier pigeons from cages tied to their saddles.
One man hurriedly wrote something on a small piece of paper, tied it to a pigeon’s leg, and sent it flying away.
After watching the pigeon fly high into the sky, the black-hooded group quickly disappeared beyond the road.
After flying for several hours, the carrier pigeon finally arrived at a villa and tower on the outskirts of the capital.
As the pigeon landed on the tower window with drooping, tired wings, a hand snatched the pigeon’s leg.
While the startled pigeon fluttered, the hand quickly untied the paper from the pigeon.
The hand carefully held the paper and hurriedly headed to the office in the center of the tower.
In the office was a massive table with a large map of the Arden Kingdom spread across it.
The map detailed the kingdom’s roads and place names, major castle routes and troop deployment numbers, and even secret internal maps of the royal castle.
Beyond the table with the map was a huge black desk, and on the desk wall was engraved a dark red magic circle.
The magic circle flickered and writhed slowly as if alive.
At the desk sat a man wearing a silver hooded robe, reclining in his chair.
With his robe pulled low, only his sharp chin and red lips were clearly visible.
The paper brought by the carrier pigeon was handed to the silver-robed man. He unfolded the paper and twisted his red lips into a smile.
“That cute silver fox is coming to the capital herself… This time I won’t let her escape.”
When the silver-robed man shook a bronze bell placed on the desk, a massive gray wolf entered the office.
“You called, my lord.”
“The Ulpes silver fox is coming to the capital. Follow her quietly and report all her movements.”
“I will obey your command.”
The silver-robed man crumpled the paper in his hand and muttered in an eerie voice.
“I must… possess her power. So no one else can have it.”
