“Why, is there something to see?”
At those abruptly thrown words, the fox turned its head sharply as if startled. That reaction was just like a person, so he unconsciously swallowed laughter inside while changing his clothes. Eventually, having changed into new clothes, he leaned his body against the chair beside the bed. He planned to wait for the fox to sleep obediently, then return to his office.
When he only sat in the chair without lying down on the bed together, the fox tilted its head. The sight of it tilting its small head to one side while looking up at him with round eyes seemed to be asking why aren’t you sleeping?
“I’ll sleep later, so you sleep first.”
“Whine?”
Why?
The fox looked back at the window outside with an expression of incomprehension. The moon was still floating in the sky.
Isn’t it natural to fall asleep when night comes? Is he really nocturnal like an owl?
The fox tilted its head while alternately looking at the window outside and Adrian, then stuck out its small snout and gently bit his sleeve with its teeth. Then it pulled him toward the bed with its own small strength.
“You want to sleep together?”
Adrian’s eyebrow rose slightly as if finding it interesting. The sight of trying to pull a human several times its size with just a few teeth was both ridiculous and cute.
“I wonder.”
Adrian deliberately tensed his arm and held firm. Then the fox whined and bit the sleeve harder, clinging on. Its small head shook left and right, and the sight of its four legs kicking futilely was utterly desperate.
“If you beat me, I’ll sleep with you.”
As if understanding those words, the fox’s blue eyes sparkled. It was a face overflowing with confidence that it could win. Instead of releasing its teeth, the fox this time began pulling Adrian using its entire body.
A small body trying to move forward and a massive body holding firm. The result was obvious, but the fox didn’t give up. In the end, the first to surrender was Adrian. The very act of using full strength against a small fox was ridiculous. Moreover, if he continued holding out like this, the young fox’s small teeth seemed likely to get hurt.
“Alright, you won.”
When Adrian slyly released his strength and obediently climbed onto the bed, the fox wagged its tail excitedly as if intoxicated with victory and barked triumphantly.
“Keng!”
I won!
At that sight, Adrian ended up laughing out loud. Just how long had it been since he laughed? After laughing for a while, he brought his head to the pillow the fox had been occupying until just moments ago. The fox approached quickly as if it had been waiting. It leaned its small body snugly against his side, then fidgeted for a while as if looking for the most comfortable position.
Adrian stroked the fox’s back. Under his touch, the fox soon fell into deep sleep. The sound of breathing echoed through the quiet bedroom.
‘Has it fallen asleep?’
Adrian listened to the fox’s breathing. Regular breaths were gently shaking the quiet night air.
I should get up now. Probably all the cleaning is finished by now too. Adrian tried to carefully rise after confirming once more that the fox was completely asleep.
But was it because of the warmth transmitted from the fox’s body temperature? His body became languid and he couldn’t easily get up. It felt like sitting wrapped in a cozy blanket in front of a blazing fireplace on a harsh winter night with a raging snowstorm. He didn’t want to break this comfort.
Adrian hesitated briefly, then unknowingly lay back down and looked at the fox. The small fox was sleeping peacefully, completely entrusting its body without showing any wariness toward him. That defenseless appearance strangely made his heart comfortable.
‘Just a little more….’
He rationalized to himself while keeping his position, then regardless of his will, his eyes slowly closed. Right now at this moment, the warmth and peace this small creature gave felt more precious than anything.
Responsibility, duty, the weight of the Empire… Everything that always pressed down on his shoulders faded, and soon he fell into deep sleep.
***
The imperial palace’s morning was always busy.
Even before dawn broke, servants and maids were moving quickly throughout the palace.
In one corner of the laundry room, steam rose from a large pot. Young maid Elisa, standing before the hot water, stopped her hands that had been organizing laundry and watched the expression of senior maid Hannah. Unable to easily open her mouth though she wanted to say something, she finally carefully broke the silence.
“Hannah. Have you heard? They say His Majesty picked up some fox?”
Hannah’s hand stirring with a wooden paddle hesitated briefly. She quickly looked around once, then answered in a lowered voice.
“Elisa. Watch your mouth. What if someone hears?”
“But everyone’s only talking about that. They say he personally carried an injured creature he found while hunting in this competition? It was quite a commotion.”
Elisa’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. To her, the Emperor was an existence like clouds above the sky. A cold and perfect ruler she didn’t dare look up to. The rumor that such a person had shown mercy to an unnamed wild beast was an unbelievably interesting story.
Hannah let out a small sigh.
“It’s not a rumor but fact. My cousin works in the kitchen, and yesterday at dawn he suddenly commanded them to roast duck. Without seasoning, removing all the bones, only the softest meat.”
“Oh my…! Really?”
Elisa opened her mouth slightly. It was unimaginable that he would pay such attention to food for a beast, not even food the Emperor himself would eat.
“Yes. And they say he’s raising it in the Emperor’s personal bedroom.”
“The bedroom? How could a beast…”
The Emperor’s bedroom was the most sacred and secret space in the Empire. Bringing a wild beast there was itself a tremendous unconventionality.
Hannah lowered her voice while stirring the laundry in the washing tub with steam rising with a wooden stick.
“Everyone’s watching their mouths, but honestly speaking, rumors are circulating that it’s unusual. When has His Majesty ever paid attention to a single creature like this?”
“Unusual, what do you mean by that?”
Hannah looked around once more, then whispered with her face hidden by steam.
“In the East, they say foxes bewitch people and steal their livers. That’s why they’ve been regarded as ominous monsters since ancient times. But it’s only been a few days since that fox appeared, and already His Majesty seems to have had his entire heart stolen by that small beast…”
She paused briefly and stirred the wooden paddle with more force.
“I’m saying this just in case, but rumors are spreading in the palace that the fox might be a demon that appeared to bewitch His Majesty. Especially since it’s ominously black…”
Demon. Bewitch. At those words, Elisa’s face became serious. If that fox really was a demon, wouldn’t it be terrible?
“Anyway, enough. Let’s stop talking about this. Hurry and move.”
The laundry room was again filled only with the sound of stirring laundry and hissing steam. The two maids didn’t open their mouths any further and focused only on the work in their hands as if nothing had happened.
***
At that time, a rare quiet peace had settled in the Emperor’s bedroom.
The bedroom that would normally be filled with the sound of turning book pages or a fountain pen scratching paper was wrapped in complete silence today alone.
The first to regain consciousness in the bedroom was the small fox.
“Ngh… ngh…”
A groan leaked from deep in the fox’s throat. Its body began trembling faintly, then suddenly shaking its entire body violently, it opened its eyes wide with a “Kyeng!” sound.
The fox anxiously moved its body while examining its surroundings. The fox, scanning the room with a gaze filled with fear, only let out a deep, long sigh of relief—whoosh—after confirming the soft sunlight seeping through the window.
It had a nightmare. It shook its head left and right as if to shake off the dark memories. But those heavy shadows didn’t easily disappear.
The instinct rising from deep in its heart craved comfort, and naturally its gaze headed to one place. Looking at his peaceful sleeping expression, its unsettled heart seemed to gradually calm down.
The fox watched Adrian’s sleeping form for a long while, waiting for him to open his eyes. However, no matter how much time passed, he showed no intention of coming out of his dreams. As the sunlight seeping through the window grew brighter and dyed the room more brilliantly, it became harder for the fox to stay still.
I’m hungry. I’m bored.
It wished he would wake up quickly and give it delicious meat again, but he showed no sign of opening his eyes.
Why isn’t he waking up?
The fox tilted its head in frustration.
Could he be sick somewhere?
Unlike ordinary foxes, it pressed on his forehead with its soft, pinkish jelly-like paw pad.
He doesn’t seem to have a fever. Or do humans normally sleep this long?
The fox lightly touched Adrian’s collar with its claw. But he didn’t seem to have any intention of waking from sleep. As if receiving back all the nights of sleep that had been stolen until now at this very moment, he was sleeping deeply and peacefully.
How long are you going to just sleep? Wake up quickly and give me something delicious, and play with me.
Unable to endure, the fox bumped its nose against his cheek—boop.
But Adrian still didn’t budge.
This time more boldly, the fox raised its soft left front paw like black sesame rice cake and tapped his cheek. The soft jelly touched his cheek, but he still showed no sign of emerging from sleep.
“Hmph!”
The small ball of fur finally got angry.
