The situation called for thorough preparation.
The expedition against the Twelve Ogres would not receive the crucial blessing of the Unicorn Iris.
‘There is Pegasus, but…’
A Western mythical creature forming a pair with the unicorn chariot.
Considering the timing, Vestia should be attending the academy. The problem is, she isn’t Pegasus yet. In fact, she had to sell herself into slavery due to debts from her academy tuition.
I needed to help her awaken as a Pegasus. This would allow her to provide an effect similar to the Unicorn’s blessing on a permanent basis.
But how much time would it take to raise and awaken her? It was a task for later, not now.
“You seem to be getting thinner, don’t you?”
It had been a few days since the appearance of the Twelve Ogres.
I was sitting on the sofa, petting Lin’s tail, enjoying the soft feel, when Seira suddenly spoke. It was something I had been hearing often lately.
“Indeed, I’ve been feeling tired lately…”
I fall into a deep slumber as soon as night comes.
It’s hard to wake up early in the morning.
No matter how much I rest, the fatigue doesn’t go away.
“Is it that bad?”
“I wouldn’t notice if I passed by occasionally, but observing you daily, the difference is clear.”
“Hmm…”
Could it be the influence of misfortune? Ever since the Twelve Ogres arrived, the appearances of youkai at night have increased.
Youkai that enter dreams to suck out vitality or kidnap lone wanderers.
I, for one, have a gumiho by my side, so youkai wouldn’t dare to approach. But then again, might it be due to the gumiho’s influence?
If I were to point out another possibility…
My gaze dropped to Lin licking her paw on my thigh. Our eyes briefly met.
“What is it, Master?”
“Just admiring your beauty.”
Come on, as if this girl would try to drain my essence. She wouldn’t taste good anyway.
And this isn’t like that other gumiho; this is Lin, whom I’ve raised personally. There’s no way she’d do that.
To even think such a thing would be betraying Lin’s trust.
I’ll just rest a little and recover soon.
I didn’t pay it much mind.
“Huh?”
Lin, who had been lazily rolling around, suddenly summoned her fox bead. The bead blinked intermittently.
“Master, the elder is calling.”
“Ms. Celestial?”
Though Lin went to Celestial Pavilion every day to practice sorcery, there were also times when they contacted her this way.
Perhaps it has something to do with Hilde. It needs to be checked.
We headed to the Celestial Pavilion immediately.
“Phew…”
Yu Hwa let out a deep sigh.
The decline of her body was partly due to her age but largely due to rejecting the heavenly decree to suppress the gumiho.
How much strength it took to calm Hilde’s anger. It had once been trivial, but now it was quite draining.
If this continued, Yu Hwa might lose all her strength as the Celestial.
The fox bead blinked.
The intermittent flashes indicated that the heavens were still offering her the chance to repent and go back to the original path.
It was the last mercy given by the heavens.
But Yu Hwa easily averted her gaze from the bead. If she regretted, she wouldn’t have helped the gumiho from the start.
She wasn’t afraid of divine punishment.
She had lived too long.
Deeply touched.
She sensed the arrival of Lin and her master. The two troublemakers had arrived.
Yu Hwa gestured, and a door opened in the air, revealing the two on the other side.
“We have arrived.”
“Hello, Elder~”
Karami bowed respectfully, while Lin casually waved. Though he had enslaved a gumiho, it seemed he hadn’t succeeded in teaching her manners.
If he had, he wouldn’t have been just a merchant of slaves but a deity. Yu Hwa managed a dry smile.
“You’ve come sooner than expected…”
As she greeted the master and her slave, Yu Hwa’s sky-blue eyes widened upon seeing Karami.
“Isn’t your face a bit thin lately? You must have worked too hard; it seems you haven’t had time to take care of your health.”
Karami spoke fluently as if expecting her reaction, but it was far from convincing Yu Hwa.
Because of not taking care of his health?
No. This wasn’t a matter of physical health. It was fundamentally different.
Yu Hwa’s Heavenly Eye could clearly see that the essence that constituted his life was incomplete. It resembled how youkai drain essence, just like taking a single bite.
With a gumiho by his side, what fearless youkai would dare…?
Yu Hwa’s eyes moved and she noticed something. Karami’s essence was flowing within Lin’s body.
At that moment,
“Halmeoni.”
Lin’s voice echoed in her mind.
Behind Karami, Lin’s eyes and lips formed delicate arcs. Upon meeting Yu Hwa’s gaze, Lin raised her index finger to her lips.
“Shh.”
She made a soft whistling sound.
“You…”
“Master doesn’t know. You’re not supposed to tell.”
“…Why did you do it? Are you planning to betray him?”
“Don’t speak recklessly. It’s because Master loves him too much. And there’s absolutely no harm to his life. He’ll just feel a little fatigue.”
Indeed, there was no harm to his life. The amount of essence Lin had absorbed was minimal, and it seemed she was careful not to harm Karami.
But even with the small loss of essence, one inevitably feels an indelible exhaustion. The quality of life drops.
Regardless of that, this was something that shouldn’t have been done.
Why did Lin do such a thing?
Yu Hwa’s Heavenly Eye could delve deeper. Deep within Lin, a gumiho crouched waiting for the opportune moment.
The moment Lin crossed the line.
The moment when there would be no turning back.
The moment when Lin would harm her own master.
The gumiho inside Lin was secretly leading her down the path of corruption, subtly manipulating her thoughts instead of outright persuading her.
“Ms. Celestial?”
Noticing the person who invited them staying silent, Karami called out as he couldn’t hold his curiosity any longer. He looked quizzically at Yu Hwa.
Karami didn’t seem to have any doubts about his current condition. Was he too naive, or was his trust too strong? In this case, the latter seemed more likely though.
“…It’s nothing serious. I called you two here regarding Hilde the princess.”
This… needs to be handled now, while it’s not too late.
Carefully, without revealing it to the gumiho.
“You are aware that your identity has been unmasked, and that Princess Hilde insists on eliminating the gumiho?”
“I’m well aware. Is Ms. Celestial requesting our cooperation?”
“No, I’ve made my decision. But convincing her seems to be challenging.”
Gumiho are not as harmful as the old legends say.
Not that extreme.
They can solve the misfortunes affecting the city.
However, Hilde wouldn’t listen to any of it. She was blind to the idea that the gumiho must be killed.
If they fought recklessly, the city wouldn’t survive. That’s why what Yu Hwa suggested providing was a venue for a duel.
“At Celestial Pavilion?”
“Yes, here would minimize the impact on the outside.”
In other words, Yu Hwa would act as the mediator between Lin and Hilde, and Karami also agreed with this proposal.
If it was a one-on-one battle between Hilde and Lin, they stood a good chance. It was a hurdle they eventually needed to overcome anyway.
“We’ll do it. Is Lin ready?”
“Of course.”
“Alright, let me inform Princess Hilde as well. I’ll contact you when the date is decided.”
As Karami was about to leave after finishing his business, Yu Hwa called him back.
“I almost forgot to give you something. Please take this.”
Like handing a candy to a grandchild returning home after a festival, Yu Hwa placed a white bead in Karami’s hand.
The way it shimmered indicated it wasn’t an ordinary item.
“What’s this?”
“Your body seems frail, so I’ve specially prepared this for you. Keep it. Just holding it in your possession will revitalize you.”
“Granny, it’s not something strange, is it?”
“You must stay sharp as more events will unfold in the future. If the master collapses, surely it would affect you too.”
“Ah…”
That was indeed troubling for Lin in various ways.
“Then I won’t decline it.”
Karami took the bead and placed it in his bosom.
That night,
As usual, I laid down with Lin in the same bed.
I wasn’t given any blankets or pillows. Using Lin’s tail as a pillow, the rest covered me like a blanket.
It wasn’t something I asked for. It all happened under Lin’s initiative since she took all the bedding.
‘Not that I mind though.’
Her fluffy fur was warmer than a blanket. No man would refuse to be embraced by such a cute girl using her entire body. But just one thing bothered me.
‘Have I been too lenient?’
This thought came to mind.
For other slaves, we parted on good terms when their affection reached its peak. But Lin, having spent so much time with me, had reached maximum affection long ago.
As such, she often exhibited behavior that went beyond our master-slave relationship.
I do care about my slaves, but this is all within the context of their roles as slaves.
Things would be different after emancipation, but it’s absurd for a slave to befriend their master. That would contradict my principles.
A master kindly treats their slave, and the slave reciprocates with unconditional loyalty. That’s the most beautiful and healthy relationship.
But now, if I were to enforce strict rules, I’m worried her affection rating might decrease.
‘From now on, I need to proceed while upholding the dignity of a master.’
As she’s a real person, if the affection is too high, she might not listen to me anymore. Another lesson I’ve learned.
Drowsiness was quickly setting in. As soon as night fell, exhaustion overwhelmed me and I slept deeply without waking, yet I still felt tired when I awoke.
Ironically.
“Lin?”
I opened my eyes at the sensation of something being drained from my body. The fogginess in my mind abruptly cleared, much like being drenched in cold water.
When I opened my eyes, I saw Lin on top of me, her hands on my chest.
“Ma, Master?”
Lin looked greatly startled upon meeting my eyes, like someone caught in the act of a crime.
“Crack,” the sound of a bead breaking was heard.
“What are you doing?”
