SAFBIAN Ch 47

Chapter 47

 

“You can’t.”

 

“Kaang?”

 

A large palm gently pressed down on the back that had tried to bolt upright.

 

Before he knew it, Haban was standing beside him. He had only blocked one side of the bed, yet looking up at him, Dori felt as if he were facing a massive wall.

 

“How insolent. Move aside. I’m the one lending you my bed.”

 

“Kang! Kang!”

 

‘Then send me back to my room!’

 

It’s not like he asked to come here!

 

Dragged into Haban’s bedroom, which he had never agreed to enter, instead of the wide and comfortable room he usually had, Dori felt wronged.

 

When Haban climbed onto the bed, his broad shoulders loomed close like a barrier. Dori instinctively slumped down. His upright ears and the tongue licking at his nose betrayed just how nervous he was.

 

“There are many guards outside, so don’t do anything foolish. You could get hurt.”

 

Lying down straight, Haban spoke as if it were nothing and pulled the fox into his arms.

 

Though they had only been apart a few days, the familiar embrace was warm. After a few struggles, Dori let out a sigh and closed his eyes as if giving up.

 

Some time passed in quiet.

 

Dori cautiously lifted his head. Haban’s perfectly handsome face was right in front of him.

 

How could someone with such a nasty personality look so kind when asleep? The intense gaze had softened, and the lips that once curved into ruthless smiles now appeared gentle.

 

Dori groggily sat up. The cloth wrapped around his waist slipped down with a soft rustle.

 

“Sniff.”

 

Crawling slowly over Haban’s chest, Dori brought his nose close to check his breathing. He was breathing evenly, deeply asleep. Even when Dori gently poked him with a paw, he didn’t stir.

 

Only then did Dori feel relieved and gaze down at Haban’s face.

 

‘If I escape the palace, I’ll never see him again, will I?’

 

It’s his first time seeing someone this handsome.

 

Thump, thump. Dori tried to ignore the sound of his own heartbeat. His face felt like it was flushing for no reason, and even his paws twitched restlessly.

 

It wasn’t just fear.

 

Thinking he might never see such a face again made him feel regret. On top of that, the delicious food Haban gave him while grumbling, and the soft, cozy bedding—it was all so nice.

 

‘Maybe I’m just scaring myself for nothing?’

 

After all, the scene from the dream was just part of the novel, not something that had actually happened to him now.

 

It was frightening, but a part of him still clung to the thought that depending on how he acted, he might continue to get along with Haban like this.

 

‘Maybe I should stay just a little longer…?’

 

Dori hesitated briefly and shook his head.

 

No, he was like a poisonous mushroom—beautiful and appetizing, but the moment you swallowed it, a powerful toxin would spread through your whole body.

 

Back when he had just been possessed by the novel and was hiding in the fox den, there was a time he’d gone outside briefly, unable to bear the hunger. In the snow, he had found a shiny red mushroom.

 

Smooth, round, and brightly colored, he had thought it was a rare treat and eagerly took a bite—but it had nearly killed him.

 

He spent an entire day in agony, feeling as if his limbs were twisting. Since then, Dori had never again put anything unfamiliar directly into his mouth.

 

The same had to apply to Haban.

 

‘Whatever is meant to happen will happen no matter what.’

 

Sliding off Haban’s chest, Dori sat pressed against the wall and tugged at the blanket with his mouth.

 

He had to avoid getting used to this warmth. Once he escaped the palace, there would be many nights when he’d have to sleep on cold stone floors.

 

Dori dozed off, nodding slowly until eventually he buried his head down and drifted to sleep.

 

And finally, the moment the little fox’s back rose and fell in steady rhythm, Haban turned on his side as if he had been waiting. As he slowly opened his eyes, the deeply sleeping fox lay nearby, completely unaware of the human’s movements.

 

Haban gently pulled the fox closer and let him sleep at his side.

 

—

 

Dongcheon had drawn very near.

 

From that day on, Haban seemed extremely busy. For Dori, who wanted to keep some distance from him, it was a relief.

 

Today as well, sitting atop the desk and staring down at a blank sheet of paper, Dori sighed deeply.

 

‘What should I do?’

 

Should he help, or should he run away?

 

If he transformed into a human while Haban was gone and disguised himself as a court servant, he could possibly escape the palace. There would only be one chance. On the other hand, he was the only one who could help Haban.

 

‘But that means I’d have to reveal my identity.’

 

He really hated that…

 

Was there no way to shift the set route or delay the schedule slightly without revealing himself?

 

‘Should I just leave a note?’

 

Dori glanced at the inkstone and brush on the desk—bone dry, not a drop of moisture.

 

After ruining an inkstone worth the price of two mansions, the one Haewon had brought in to replace it was even more extravagant than the last. Of course, the scolding had been proportionately longer too, so Dori had yet to even touch the new inkstone.

 

He shook his head.

 

‘An anonymous letter? That’s suspicious no matter how you look at it.’

 

Right after having that scary dream, all he could think about was running away from Haban immediately.

 

But now that he thought Haban might be in danger, instead of planning his escape, he kept thinking about warning him.

 

As Dori hesitated, something fluttering at the window caught his eye.

 

‘Huh?’

 

Someone had come?

 

It was definitely a human hand. It was beckoning to him.

 

As if realizing he’d been noticed, the person pointed directly at Dori with a single finger.

 

‘Me?’

 

Thud, thud.

 

Dori jumped down from the desk, stepped on the chair pressed against the wall, and climbed onto the window ledge. Sitting down on his haunches, he peered outside.

 

“I’ve been waiting a while, and you’re only now noticing me.”

 

A man with pink hair, eyes gleaming, stood below, having apparently been hiding there for quite some time.

 

‘Wow. He’s really pretty.’

 

Dori thought that this must be why people say someone looks like a doll—it was the kind of face anyone would be captivated by.

 

Especially his slightly upturned eyes and long lashes, which gave off an elegant yet soft aura. Beneath them, his dark blue eyes were strikingly deep. His smiling red lips felt somewhat seductive.

 

Dori reflexively gaped in awe, then quickly clamped his mouth shut.

 

“Hello?”

 

The handsome man greeted him with a friendly eye-smile. Speaking so casually to an animal he’d never met, Dori wondered if he was just someone who liked animals.

 

“Kaang?”

 

‘What happened to the guard who was here?’

 

But soon, Dori began glancing side to side, alarmed.

 

There was no guard in sight who should’ve been stationed under the window. Haban wouldn’t have allowed them to leave their post so easily.

 

The man suddenly seemed suspicious.

 

“You must be the fox my brother is raising.”

 

“Kang?”

 

“Just as the rumors say—adorable. This is real white fur, huh? Mind if I touch it?”

 

If he was Haban’s brother… Yungak?

 

The one known for his neat conduct and upright behavior?

 

‘No matter how generously I try to interpret this, this guy is a total delinquent.’

 

From his pink-dyed hair down to the heavy scent of alcohol.

 

And what had he even been doing—red lipstick stains were smeared all over the inside of his loosened collar. His clothes were haphazardly tied, half undone.

 

‘What in the world is happening in the original story right now?’

 

Dori blinked dumbfoundedly, too stunned to even notice something brushing over his head.

 

Yungak, who had been petting the fox, suddenly grabbed both of Dori’s cheeks.

 

“Kaeng!”

 

Only then did Dori snap out of his daze. Thanks to the window bars, he wasn’t held too tightly, but any attempt to escape would probably result in his skin getting pinched painfully.

 

‘Why do both brothers have such bad habits with their hands?!’

 

The older one had yanked his tail without warning, and the younger one wasn’t any better.

 

Don’t they know anything about animal rights?

 

With tears brimming, Dori blew a small puff of breath through his nose as he glared at Yungak.

 

“Hm. Even your eyes are beautiful.”

 

Yungak murmured in admiration.

 

Since his face was being held, Dori had no choice but to stare directly at him. Yungak observed his brow, nose bridge, and under his chin one by one, then suddenly pressed a kiss to the tip of his black nose.

 

“Kaang! Kaang!”

 

Ahh! What the heck was that?!

 

Dori flailed in shock.

 

After finally releasing his cheeks, Yungak poked one of Dori’s twitching forepaws. When Dori pulled it away, he poked the other, then smiled brightly.

 

“So cute. I was curious about the white fox who seduced the emperor, and I must say, you’re exactly my type.”

 

Seduced… the emperor? Me?

 

“How’d you end up in my brother’s hands? Would’ve been better if you got caught by me. Then I wouldn’t have to sneak around behind his back to see you, and you’d probably prefer that too.”

 

Getting caught by anyone isn’t exactly ideal, you know?

 

“…He wouldn’t give you to me even if I asked, would he? Maybe I should just let you escape.”

 

Dori couldn’t believe what he’d just heard and questioned his own ears.

 

If he really meant to help him escape, that would be great, but considering that Wonwoo and Haban were characters tied to “Dori” in the original story while Yungak had no connection, this level of interest felt excessive.

 

“I only came today because I was curious. I’ll come again later.”

 

Just like that, Yungak disappeared, leaving only the strong scent of liquor lingering at the tip of Dori’s nose.

 

‘Was that just a drunkard’s nonsense…?’

 

Staring blankly at the now-empty spot, Dori’s face was dazed.

 

—

 

When he was young, Jeokbi often whispered into Yungak’s ear.

 

“Always remember your mother’s words. If you want to survive in the palace to the very end, you must abandon everything. Don’t try to possess anything. Don’t desire anything. Because in this imperial palace, not a single thing belongs to you.”

 

Even without embellishment, she was beautiful and elegant, with a quiet personality who loved tending flowers and embroidering.

 

Jeokbi, one of the emperor’s concubines, was a woman who, despite her glittering surface, was wholly unsuited to the harsh and unforgiving world of the imperial palace.