SAFBIAN Ch 76

Chapter 76

‘This doesn’t make sense. No matter what, everything that happened in the original story has occurred until now.’

Even though some minor settings and branches were different, the main events such as Wonwoo’s wedding and the encounter with Haban had remained unchanged.

Aside from the fact that the assassin’s ambush had failed when Haban headed to the altar, the circumstances were only slightly different; the major incidents had continued just as in the original.

‘So I thought I’d be able to escape from the imperial palace easily too.’

In fact, what worried me more was what to do after escaping. I never imagined I’d get caught in the act.

‘Was it because I helped Haban?’

In the original story, by this point, Haban had already been poisoned and ‘Dori’ had been neglected. But now that Haban was walking around unscathed, maybe that’s why I was found out.

‘Or was it because life in the palace was different from the original?’

Well, I had been living quite comfortably.

Originally, I was supposed to be nearly starving or shivering from the cold due to the maids’ torment. But I had been eating well, sleeping warmly, and I hadn’t even had to suffer through distressing nights with Haban.

……Wait? Could that be the reason?

‘I mean, it’s not like I could go through the exact same things!’

But still, what if that really is the reason?

“Nnngh.”

Dori bit and released the tip of his tail with a groan. Then, Haban softly called out to him from within the dim shadow.

“How long do you plan to stubbornly stay like that?”

“Yap yap!”

‘Why isn’t Haban leaving?!’

It was just as uncomfortable for him as it was for me that he hadn’t gone out since morning and was staying in the same room. Because of that, even Haewon had escaped under the pretense of studying.

“Stop being so stubborn and come out from there.”

“Hmph.”

The fox, who had squeezed under the gap beneath the ornate side table right after breakfast, peeked his nose out for a moment and then ducked back inside.

Flattening his body under the side table, he freely twisted around. Haban, sitting in a chair a short distance away, watched the fox’s movements.

“You really are skilled, wriggling around in such a cramped space.”

“Grump.”

With his chin resting on his tail, the fox let out a disgruntled noise as if replying. If he had transformed into a human, that might have made sense, but as a beast, his sounds were incomprehensible.

Then suddenly, the fox turned his back to the wall and began scratching with his claws.

Scratch scratch. Scritch scritch scratch.

Seeing this, Haban’s brows furrowed.

‘What if he damages his claws doing that?’

Haban, who had been patiently waiting for the fox to come out on his own, could no longer bear it and called for an attendant. If left alone, he’d probably stay under there all day.

Shortly afterward, a few palace attendants came in and left again.

‘Ugh, what now? So annoying.’

Though Dori acted indifferent, his ears twitched to catch any sounds. Then, upon hearing a heavy clinking noise, he reflexively darted out from under the table.

“Yap!”

‘My bundle!’

Sure enough, there it was—a golden cloth bundle placed atop a small table.

Though a teapot, teacups, and fruits had also been left, likely by the palace staff, Dori’s eyes locked only on the golden cloth that unmistakably belonged to him.

“……”

Haban silently pointed to the bed.

It meant he should transform into a human and put on clothes. As Dori slightly bent his hind legs to leap and snatch the bundle, Haban pulled it away.

Dori rubbed his black nose with a white paw as if contemplating, then trudged up onto the bed.

‘You think I can’t do it if you tell me to?’

On one side of the bed was a neatly folded stack of clothes.

Having seen the fox form earlier that morning, Haban had asked Haewon to bring out a fresh set, but Dori, still deeply offended at the time, had stayed in his fox form until now.

‘There’s no helping it right now.’

Stubbornly resisting with the gold right in front of him would only make him look foolish.

As materialistic as he was gluttonous, Dori first tugged down the side curtains with his teeth. If they had been rolled and fastened upward, even a jump wouldn’t have reached them, but fortunately, they were merely pushed aside.

Only after drawing the curtains around himself to block the view did Dori let out a poof! and transform into a human.

‘Quickly, quickly!’

He was anxious that Haban might approach, so he hurried to get dressed before the curtain was pulled back.

Yet, surprisingly, there was no sign of movement outside even until he put on the outermost robe.

‘Is it okay…?’

After checking his attire again, Dori hesitated, fiddling with a slightly crooked knot. Even he could tell that quite some time had passed, yet no one had called from outside.

While he wavered, Haban also seemed to be waiting. He didn’t force Dori out nor did he lock him in.

Dori cautiously pulled back the curtain and stepped down from the bed.

“…I’m dressed now.”

But again, just like before, why was he looking at him like that?

Why that kind of gaze?

Dori felt uncomfortable under Haban’s unblinking stare.

“…Over here.”

Haban gestured to the chair opposite him, and Dori hesitated. Feeling unsettled by the persistent gaze, he reluctantly began walking over, his steps uncertain.

“…It suits you well.”

Feeling embarrassed, Dori fiddled with his clothes.

He had known from his fox form that the fabric was soft, but actually wearing it felt different. No wonder Haewon had admired it so much, praising its region and rarity with envy.

Then Haban opened the bundle, and as if all embarrassment had vanished, Dori’s eyes instinctively followed. As he silently counted to check that nothing was missing, Haban stood up.

“…W-what?”

Startled, Dori reacted instinctively. Sensing it, Haban paused in place.

“I’ll brush your hair. It’s messy and unsightly.”

…Was it really that bad?

He had only been concerned with putting on clothes quickly and hadn’t considered his hair. With long strands hanging down, it probably did look unkempt.

As Dori settled down, Haban finally pulled out the long hair ribbon he had chosen earlier from the bundle.

He approached at the slowest pace he could manage and stood behind the chair. There, a petite crown of a head came into view.

The fox that barely fit in the palm of his hand.

So easily frightened and ever watchful, it had taken this long just to close the distance between them.

Click.

Haban opened a drawer in the side cabinet and took out a rounded crescent-shaped comb. Though similar to the one used on the fox’s fur, the teeth on this one were much finer.

As Haban gathered the hair that had fallen over the nape and shoulders, Dori instinctively hunched his neck.

‘…It tickles.’

It was his first time since transmigrating that someone brushed his hair while he was in human form. The intimacy, paired with their proximity, felt awkward. If he wasn’t careful, his ears and tail might pop out.

Dori curled his toes tightly and bit down hard on the inside of his cheek.

Swish, swish.

Contrary to Haban’s comment about it being a mess, the comb glided smoothly through without any snags.

After thoroughly brushing, Haban gathered the hair and tied about half of it with the ribbon. In that moment, Dori looked exactly like the image in his memories.

Haban then brought the remaining hair over Dori’s chest and leaned forward. A faint, familiar scent lingered—it was the scent he longed for.

The pale, delicate nape, the rounded shoulders, the slender back.

Haban’s dark eyes, heavy with emotion, slowly traced the outline of Dori’s back as if caressing it. And when he saw the tensely straightened spine, he suppressed the rising urge within him.

He wanted to embrace him from behind just like that. To lick his delicate nape, bite into his rounded shoulder, and pour all his desire onto that slim back—just as he had once done.

“Mmngh!”

At that moment, Dori ended up biting his inner cheek hard enough to cry out. Startled by the strange atmosphere, he had clenched his jaw. The sharp pain made tears well up instantly.

“What is it?”

Alarmed, Haban grabbed Dori’s shoulder.

“N-no…”

“I asked what happened.”

Gripping Dori’s chin with both hands, Haban pressed into his cheeks and checked the inside of his mouth.

The soft inner lining had begun to bleed. As his finger touched the injury, Dori’s cheek trembled from the pain.

At that, Haban’s grip tightened.

“…Haban?”

Dori called out to him in a muffled voice, his words distorted in surprise. With his golden eyes wide, he looked up at Haban.

Haban’s gaze deepened further.

“Looks like it tore inside. That area takes time to heal—I’ll send word to the physician.”

After releasing Dori’s chin, Haban casually licked the blood from his finger. Then he returned to his seat, and Dori let out an almost inaudible sigh of relief.

“There shouldn’t be anything missing, but just in case, count again.”

“No, I already checked. Everything’s there.”

“It seems you didn’t have the chance to gather them yesterday amidst the chaos.”

“…Yeah. …But, are you really giving this to me?”

“It was yours from the beginning, wasn’t it?”

“Well, still… I was a fox back then, and things are different now…”

“Your form makes no difference to me. So there’s no need to worry.”

Haban said this while absentmindedly tapping the table.

At the sound, Dori lowered his gaze and noticed the yellow fruit beneath Haban’s fingertips. His eyes sparkled. As he looked more closely, a fresh, citrusy scent he had never encountered before wafted up.

“Looks like you’re curious.”

“…Huh? Oh. I just haven’t seen it before.”

“It only ripens in warmer weather, so that makes sense. Want to try it?”

“Is that okay?”

“You used to eat freely from my lap in your fox form—why the hesitation now?”

“…You were the one who put me there, Haban.”

Grumbling under his breath, Dori watched as Haban skillfully peeled the fruit and separated the flesh.

Then, as he brought it to Dori’s lips, Dori—forgetting his wariness—opened his mouth out of habit. With each bite, his nose and eyes scrunched up from the stinging pain of the cut.

Only after finishing the entire fruit did Dori regain his senses.

“…You’re not mad at me?”

“About what?”

Haban wiped Dori’s lips with fingers stained from the yellow fruit. There was nothing actually smeared there. He just wanted an excuse to touch his lips.

Then, after a moment of tension, Dori finally spoke again.

“…Because I kept deceiving you.”

That’s how Dori could only interpret it.

Haban, now facing Dori in his human form, seemed completely composed. But how could he be so unaffected? I mean, it’s not every day a fox turns into a human.

It was fortunate he hadn’t reacted with fury like in the original, but something still felt off.

Haban’s answer came plainly.

“I was surprised. A fox turning into a human, after all. But more than that, I was curious. Why did you hide your true form from the beginning?”

Dori instinctively averted his gaze. He couldn’t think of a good excuse.

But how could he possibly tell the real reason?

That he didn’t want to… do those things with Haban…