SAFBIAN Ch 90

Chapter 90

“…M-Mister Fox?”

Hong’s face had gone completely pale. The small voice calling out to him was trembling terribly.

Right after, Haewon, who had also spotted the fox, dropped the medicinal root he’d been holding like a weapon. He had apparently gripped it so tightly in the short time that the thick root was half-crushed at the bottom.

“Hhic, huuhuuuuu.”

Lastly, Cheong, who was late in seeing the fox, collapsed to the floor. Then, as if her tension had been released all at once, she began sobbing loudly, leaving Dori flustered.

“Kang, kaaang…”

‘Why is everyone acting like this…?’

Hong buried his face in both hands, his shoulders shaking. Haewon too wiped his tears away with his sleeve, sniffling.

Dori hurriedly jumped down and ran to Cheong, who was crying the loudest. When he nudged her knee with his forepaw, she suddenly pulled him into a suffocating hug.

“Sniff… we were so scared something happened to you, Mister Fox… huuuu.”

In this situation, he felt a little sorry, but when Dori noticed mucus dripping from Cheong’s nose, he subtly pulled back before it could get on his fur.

Immediately, Cheong clung to his legs.

“Where are you trying to go?!”

“Keng!”

“I-I’m sorry! It was instinct… Are you hurt badly?”

Dori flailed his forepaw, which had just been seized and released, in the air. After a few shakes, it seemed fine. Seeing the three people flustered and fidgeting around him, he figured it was best to obediently stay on the bed for now.

Cheong, with her tail drooping, wrapped the blanket around Dori’s body on the bed—like she was trying to hide him from a thief.

Still not feeling secure, the three sat around the room, each facing a different direction, lowering their voices as much as possible so their conversation wouldn’t leak outside.

“For now, let’s wait. We’ve reported to His Majesty.”

The emperor had instructed that any matters concerning the fox should be reported to him before anyone else. That was why they were guarding the room, trembling as they kept the unfamiliar intruder from escaping.

“Anyway, it’s a relief the fox has returned, but what exactly happened?”

“What do you mean ‘what happened’? That scoundrel just ran off, abandoning Mister Fox!”

“That… that fast?”

“Think about it! He must be incredibly skilled to have gotten into the palace in the first place!”

“…That makes sense?”

Listening to Hong and Cheong’s conversation, Dori was stunned.

He thought they’d immediately ask if he’d always been human and demand to know if he’d been deceiving them all along, but an entirely unexpected situation had unfolded.

…Rather than assuming a human turned into a fox, is that what’s normal for them?

Dori tilted his head.

“Even earlier! He even stole Mister Fox’s sleeping robe!”

“Right? Do you know how valuable that is! …Of course! While trying to steal it, he pretended to faint when we arrived! To lower our guard!”

‘That was me who wore it…’

“Mister Fox! I’m right, aren’t I? If I am, lift your left paw!”

Flash! Cheong’s eyes shot toward him.

But Dori, already transformed into a fox and wrapped in a blanket, could only twitch his nose since he couldn’t respond.

‘First of all… could you unwrap me and maybe hand me that robe you’re holding…?’

Haban had said it was fine to reveal his identity to the three of them anyway. So if he just turned human and explained, it’d be okay—but if he transformed right now, he’d be completely naked. Then not only would he be mistaken for a thief, but he might even be labeled a pervert.

Moreover, just the slightest movement of his body drew all three pairs of eyes to him at once, so Dori had no choice but to stay wrapped up in the blanket quietly.

‘How long do I have to stay like this?’

Yaaaawn.

Though he’d woken up, the shock from the morning had left him exhausted. Being bundled in the blanket was unbearably hot. If only someone would open a window.

“Looks like he’s finally awake.”

Rattle.

At that moment, the door opened, and Haban stepped inside. Dori had never been so relieved to see someone.

“Kang!”

While the three turned around, Dori quickly wriggled out of the blanket, leapt down from the bed, and dashed toward Haban.

After that, a slightly late breakfast was set. The table was filled with all of Dori’s favorite side dishes. The only difference was the three people lined up along the wall.

Dori, starving, opened his mouth wide to eat, then flinched.

‘Why are they looking at me like eating is some kind of miracle?’

It was embarrassing how they mimicked his chewing like baby birds. Dori scratched his cheek.

“Don’t mind them. Eat.”

Haban picked up some stir-fried meat and placed it in Dori’s bowl, but with the three people glued to the wall, staring only at him, he just couldn’t eat in peace.

“How does he use chopsticks so well?”

“He even likes the same side dishes. So that’s why he looked for seasoned ones.”

“His Majesty must’ve known all along.”

With the spoon in his mouth, Dori’s eyes lowered. The sparkling gazes all turned to him, and the moment he took a bite, they let out soft gasps and began whispering.

Wasn’t it usually just him and Haban eating together? Then why were they all just standing there now?

“…Um.”

“Yes, Mister Fox!”

Dori cautiously called, and Hong approached as if she’d been waiting. She was so quick it was like she’d been next to him the whole time. Cheong, with a regretful look, turned back to the wall.

“No, I meant… aren’t you all busy?”

“Not at all! Not even a little. If there’s anything you need, please don’t hesitate to ask!”

…That’s exactly what’s uncomfortable.

Nnngh.

Dori shook his head, saying it was nothing. Once Hong returned to the wall, he began eating again, albeit slowly, but his ears kept turning toward the three.

“How can he be so pretty?”

“His skin’s so pale, and his hair is so silky.”

What started as compliments about how he ate had turned into other kinds of chatter. But even that was all about him, making his face heat up.

“They all want to serve you.”

“…Why?”

Unable to focus on eating, Dori watched as Haban eventually had them all leave. Only then could he fill his stomach, sipping the tea Haban had poured afterward.

“That you don’t understand makes it all the more amusing.”

“Hmm…”

Dori tilted his head.

Of course, he knew their whispered chatter had only been kind.

When he was in fox form, they had always been so gentle and caring, and even now, seeing him transformed, they didn’t look at him with disgust. If anything, their eyes sparkled too brightly—it was almost overwhelming.

‘If they had looked at me with scorn, I think that would’ve really hurt.’

Imagining the three of them looking at him with contempt made Dori’s eyes sting with the threat of tears.

As he sat there absentmindedly, Haban refilled his empty cup. In that moment, Dori began to reflect on how all this had happened.

“Wait a second, this is all because of you!”

“Are you blaming me now?”

“Why didn’t you wake me up today?”

“You said you wanted them to know. So I let you be.”

Well, that’s true. But still—this method?

Considering he’d deliberately drawn back the curtain and removed the screen, it was obvious he’d done it to mess with him. After several days of only sharing dinner due to busyness, suddenly having breakfast together again only confirmed it.

Dori finished off the rest of the tea and placed the cup down with a sharp clack.

Haban left, and without giving him any time to prepare mentally, the three came in.

A strange silence fell over the room.

Dori, uncomfortable, sniffled like he used to as a fox. Facing the three who now knew that the white fox they had served all this time was actually him, he didn’t know how to begin.

Apologizing seemed like the best first step.

Fidgeting with his hands and hesitating, Dori eventually glanced around and spoke up.

“Um, sorry.”

“Pardon?”

“I mean… it’s basically like I’ve been lying this whole time…”

At those words, Haewon’s expression became complicated.

…Was that the wrong thing to say?

Unsure of the situation, Dori grew even more nervous.

“True… It was hard trying to get you to take your medicine while you were hiding.”

…That was the issue?

As Haewon sighed and spoke, Cheong jabbed him in the side. But Haewon, who had apparently held back her frustrations all this time, began to vent.

“Wait! Then when your paws were all muddy, you climbed into the bedding on purpose?!”

“S-Sorry.”

He’d just been too lazy at the time.

“And what about smearing ink everywhere with your tail?!”

“That was an accident!”

Dori burst out, indignant. But he’d done so many wrongs that Haewon didn’t seem to hear him anymore.

Meanwhile, Hong and Cheong quietly exchanged glances. When he’d been in fox form, all they could do was carefully brush his fur, but now, they could do so much more! With excitement, they approached and began chattering.

“Mister Fox, does this mean you’ll start wearing a variety of outfits and styling your hair?”

“There are so many accessories you received from His Majesty—it’s wonderful!”

“By the way, Mister Fox, is there anything else you need?”

“Aren’t you thirsty?”

“Should we prepare something you usually like?”

…This situation was totally unexpected!

Bombarded by questions and sparkling eyes, Dori was left speechless and stammering. Still, part of him thought—it was a relief they didn’t hate him.