The Fluffy Baby Fox Only Bites the Crazy Villain - Chapter 79
The royal library was immersed in quiet silence.
Neither staff nor visitors were visible. I quietly went up to the second-floor stacks.
The peaceful silence created by centuries-old books and the comfort of their woody scent helped ease my tension.
The gentle sunlight filtering through the bookshelves tickled my forehead.
Fortunately, the royal library had a separate section dedicated to books about shapeshifters.
I checked the titles on the shelves and quickly read through several books about shapeshifters on the spot.
They were survey reports documenting the status of shapeshifters, or records about the various types and ecologies of shapeshifters in the royal capital.
But there were no records about the Ulpes tribe.
Am I just not finding them?
As I anxiously examined the bookshelves, the flow of air changed beyond the bookshelf.
There was no sound of someone approaching, but an unfamiliar scent struck my nose first. A deep, rich lily fragrance.
Though I was in human form, my senses as a fox shapeshifter were still highly developed. I carefully turned around, remaining alert.
A handsome young man with golden hair stood like a painting between the desks.
Who is this person? How long has he been there?
The handsome youth dressed in an impeccable white frock coat was staring intently at me.
He had rare golden eyes. Those golden eyes, shining like gold in the sunlight, possessed a mesmerizing charm.
For a moment, I stared blankly at his pupils. Then his lips, redder than a woman’s, curved into an elegant arc.
Feeling it was rude to stare so openly at someone I’d just met, I hurriedly averted my gaze.
The golden-haired youth approached the bookshelf where I was.
He stood before me and greeted me politely.
“I apologize if I startled you, Lady.”
“Ah, no. I’m fine.”
I hastily shook my head. The handsome youth gave a gentle smile and looked at the book I was holding.
“I hope I haven’t disturbed your reading.”
“Not at all. Well then, I’ll be going.”
As I was about to turn away after giving a brief answer, he addressed me again.
“I am Duke Berdin Alred. May I ask your name, Lady?”
If he’s a duke, he must be a high-ranking noble, but why is he at the royal library? Moreover, he was a character I’d never heard of in the original story.
I was so flustered by the appearance of this unfamiliar duke that I lost my words.
Above all, I’d just encountered a major problem.
Did I ever learn proper social etiquette?
At the northern castle, I was just pampered as an adorable baby fox, so I never received any noble education.
Besides, the northern castle was a free and casual place regardless of social status, so I’d never greeted anyone formally.
I recalled the etiquette I’d seen in countless romance fantasy web novels and webtoons I’d read.
Indeed, there’s always a use for what you learn from books.
I awkwardly held my dress and curtsied slightly.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Duke Alred. My name is Shuvelia.”
“Ah, Miss Shuvelia.”
Having no family name, I couldn’t reveal one. I’d heard that in noble society, which family you belonged to was important.
But Duke Berdin didn’t seem to mind at all, smiling as innocently as a child.
He really seems like an unusual noble in many ways. Normally, someone with a duke’s position would be active as the king’s confidant in the royal palace or exercising political power in the House of Lords, wouldn’t they?
Judging by appearances, he looks like a studious young lord.
His golden hair sparkled in the sunlight streaming through the library windows. His golden eyes beneath long eyelashes shone like jewels.
“Excuse me, Duke, but I must be going now. I need to find some books.”
Not knowing what else to say, I decided to leave.
As I was about to bow slightly to Duke Berdin and turn away, he addressed me again.
“May I help you, if you don’t mind? It must be difficult to search for books alone in such vast stacks.”
He’s quite kind for a high-ranking noble.
But should I easily accept help from someone I’ve just met, a stranger?
It was an awkward situation with no librarian to help find books. I needed to find the books quickly and go to the dressmaker’s shop.
“Duke, I’m sorry, but may I ask for your help?”
“Of course. I’m also looking for books, so searching together would save time. Now, the book Miss Shuvelia is looking for…”
Berdin’s gaze stopped on the shapeshifter-related book I was holding.
“It’s a book about shapeshifters.”
“Yes. I have a personal interest in them.”
I decided not to reveal that I was a shapeshifter.
Karden and Yunis had thoroughly instructed me not to reveal that I was a fox shapeshifter when I went to the capital.
I’d heard that while people in the northern castle were friendly and kind to shapeshifters, people in the capital treated shapeshifters carelessly or even secretly kidnapped them to make them slaves, making life harsh and difficult for shapeshifters.
“Ah, I’m glad. I also have a deep interest in shapeshifters.”
The moment I heard the word “interest,” I instinctively became wary.
Until now, most people who showed interest in shapeshifters were not good people.
A shadow fell over Berdin’s face, which was as white as a lily.
He sighed with his long eyelashes lowered.
“I always feel heartbroken about the miserable treatment and reality of shapeshifters.”
I had vaguely heard through Yudis about how shapeshifters lived in the capital.
I’d heard that while some shapeshifters lived as commoners, farming or doing business, most lived as poor lower-class citizens.
They worked as day laborers or became servants of nobles. The worst case was being sold to slave traders and used as slaves or sold abroad.
Having lived loved by everyone in the northern castle, I had never seen how shapeshifters lived among humans.
The Ulpes tribe was said to survive by going to the capital to live, but what if they received such terrible treatment? I suddenly worried about whether Franz was alright.
“I didn’t know shapeshifters lived such difficult lives.”
Thinking about their lives made me feel like I was about to burst into tears.
“I consider shapeshifters my friends.”
Berdin’s calm but sincere voice resonated. I looked up at him, drawn by his voice.
His golden hair, illuminated by sunlight, shone with a sacred glow like an angel’s.
“I’m helping shapeshifters, whom I consider friends, to live properly as shapeshifters. I’ve established a shelter to help shapeshifters by collecting donations. We bring in shapeshifters who are in harsh environments or have been driven away, provide treatment, give them a comfortable place to rest, or offer job training.”
Ah… Although I was reincarnated as a shapeshifter, I never once considered the shapeshifters’ human rights or basic dignities of shapeshifters.
I had only thought about living as a human. But to think there was a noble who seriously considered shapeshifters’ lives and tried to change them.
I was genuinely surprised and impressed.
“You’re doing meaningful work. To sincerely care for shapeshifters…”
“Not at all. It’s something I did for friends.”
“Friends?”
Berdin spoke calmly with eyes momentarily lost in reminiscence.
“My first friend was a wolf shapeshifter. The wolf shapeshifter friend was diligent and loyal. I enjoyed spending time with him. So… naturally, I became interested in shapeshifters’ lives and wanted to help them, which is why I established the shapeshifter shelter.”
Berdin turned his gaze and looked at me intently.
Even though we had just met today, his gaze was so kind and warm that I felt comfortable.
“I respect their purity and unaffected nature. People deceive each other, but shapeshifters don’t deceive or hate each other. They are souls living most freely in nature. While we have to live under constraints and complicated laws.”
Although I was a fox shapeshifter, I had never thought about this. This person cares more about shapeshifters than shapeshifters themselves.
Feeling Berdin’s sincerity, my heart was touched.
Having finished speaking, Berdin slightly bowed his head, appearing somewhat embarrassed.
“Did I speak too excitedly? You must have been bored, Miss Shuvelia.”
I hastily shook my head.
“Not at all. To think that you consider shapeshifters so seriously and sincerely. You’re really doing meaningful work. You’re truly amazing.”
Berdin looked dazed for a moment, then soon smiled gently.
“I feel comfortable being able to talk about this with you, Miss Shuvelia. In noble society, awareness about shapeshifters is still low, and some nobles even use them as slaves.”
“They’re bad people. To think they still do such things…”
I clenched my hands. Thinking about the slave trader who had kidnapped me still made my blood boil with anger.
