Though he seemed to think he’d hidden himself perfectly, to Adrian it was an all-too-obvious game of hide-and-seek. Suppressing the smile rising to his lips, he slowly walked in that direction. With each approaching footstep, the tail visible beneath the curtain trembled anxiously.
“Hmm, where could he have gone…?”
Adrian deliberately spoke as if he hadn’t a clue. He could feel the small body behind the curtain shrinking even more. He purposely stopped right in front of the curtain.
“Wherever he’s hidden, I can’t seem to find him no matter how hard I look.”
The curtain rustled slightly. The hiding fugitive was clearly being fooled by his words and letting down his guard. Adrian’s lips curved into a harmless smile. Taking advantage of the fox’s lowered defenses, he yanked the curtain open in one swift motion.
“There you are.”
“Kyaong!”
The fox let out a scream of surprise at the sudden flood of bright light. He’d been certain he was hidden in a safe place, but when a large shadow suddenly descended upon him, all his fur stood on end like needles in shock. He immediately tried to twist away and flee, but it was already too late.
Adrian’s hand moved like lightning. Before the fox could even react, his hand had seized the fox’s scruff precisely.
“Caught you.”
Dangling in midair by his scruff, the fox flailed his four legs in a last desperate struggle, but the outcome had already been decided.
“You little thing. Not satisfied with covering my face in drool, you dare try to trick me too?”
Adrian lightly tapped the fox’s nose. The fox flinched for a moment, then looked up at him with wide blue eyes. Those eyes held a teary light that seemed to ask, ‘Are you going to scold me?’
Of course, Adrian had no such intention whatsoever. Rather, this clever and mischievous little creature only became more endearing to him. Holding the fox in his arms, he began gently scratching under the fur ball’s chin.
“It’s fine. As long as you’re not hurt.”
At the pleasant stimulation, the fox stuck out his tongue slightly. Looking peaceful, he entrusted his body and closed his eyes halfway, his tension released.
“Shall we eat breakfast now?”
At the word ‘food,’ the fox raised his small head. As if he’d been waiting for those words, the fox barked energetically.
“Keut!”
“Yes, I understand. I’ll have the servants prepare it.”
He set the fox down on the floor and pulled a cord on the wall to summon a servant. The tinkling bell sound rang out along the corridor. After instructing the servant who rushed over to prepare breakfast, Adrian walked toward the dressing room to change his clothes. As he casually glanced out the window, he suddenly stopped walking.
The angle of the sunlight was unusual. The sun was already high in the sky at its zenith. Surprised, Adrian looked at the wall clock. It was well past 11 o’clock. It was time to prepare lunch, not breakfast.
‘It’s already this late?’
Though he’d felt like he’d slept soundly for the first time in a while, he never imagined he could have slept in this late.
When was the last time he’d slept this deeply—all night without waking even once?
It was so long ago the memory was hazy. Normally, even if he barely fell asleep at dawn, he would have woken before 6 o’clock, but today, if this little black fox hadn’t woken him, he probably wouldn’t have awakened until the sun had set.
The fact that he’d slept so remarkably well was curious, but he didn’t search for any deeper meaning. Though it was strange, there was no need to question good things. Getting proper sleep for the first time in ages was a good thing if anything—nothing to be concerned about.
Dismissing it as trivial, Adrian changed his clothes and said to the fox:
“Come on, let’s go eat.”
The fox followed behind him, wagging his tail energetically as if excited. His small footsteps bouncing along the floor looked like he was dancing.
Adrian pushed open the door to his office connected to his bedroom, rather than going to the dining room. To save time traveling to the dining room while devoted to work, he often took his meals in this office. Today was no exception—he planned to eat simply in his office.
The fox who’d been following closely at his heels stopped in his tracks, surprised by the markedly different scene from usual.
In the center of the office sat a table—modest yet neat. Far from luxurious but tidily arranged, maids bustled around that small table carrying silver trays.
Rich soup with white steam rising in wisps, bread fresh from the oven giving off a savory aroma, and perfectly cooked steak seeming to drip with rich juices were placed on the table one after another.
The maids’ hand movements, refined through long experience, were nearly soundless. They set down the food with quiet, skilled movements without excess. But their gazes kept turning toward the floor.
More precisely, toward the fur ball clinging close to Adrian’s feet, his whole body tense at the appearance of these unfamiliar humans.
So the rumors were true after all.
Their eyes said as much. They gazed at the black fox at the Emperor’s feet as if it were something wondrous.
Feeling those stares, the fox shrank even more, completely hiding his body behind Adrian’s legs, in the shadows. With all his fur standing on end, he looked like he was waiting for these strangers to disappear as soon as possible.
But the delicious smells were truly hard to resist.
Blue eyes full of wariness stole glances at the table, then moved to the maids, then looked back up at Adrian repeatedly. His gestures clearly showed he wanted to eat but was too afraid of them to come forward.
As he swallowed the saliva pooling in his mouth, waiting for the maids to withdraw, one of them—the oldest-looking one—approached Adrian. The fox, startled in an instant, jumped up and clung to Adrian’s leg.
“Grrrrr….”
Thinking she’d come to harm him, the fox growled low. Feeling that wary gaze fix directly on her, the maid seemed frightened and hesitated.
However, perhaps judging it better to quickly finish her assigned task rather than waste time hesitating, she hurriedly held out a tray to Adrian, wanting to withdraw. On it lay a small note, folded to the size of the fox’s paw.
“What’s this?”
When Adrian asked dubiously, the maid’s lips moved and a few words too low for the fox to understand were exchanged. It had nothing to do with him anyway. The fox paid no attention, just hoping she would leave soon.
As Adrian nodded and picked up the item on the tray, the maid left the office. With the door closed and only the two of them remaining, the fox finally relaxed and cautiously walked out from the shadows.
“You can eat.”
Adrian indicated with his chin the small silver plate on the floor. The plate was piled high with finely shredded rabbit meat. The moment his permission fell, the fox rushed over and began devouring it. Adrian watched the fox eating frantically with munching sounds for a moment before finally picking up his own utensils.
Only the sound of a knife scraping against a plate and a small animal busily eating filled the office quietly. An utterly trivial yet strangely peaceful scene.
A few minutes later, in the blink of an eye, the fox had completely emptied his plate. He’d licked the greasy silver dish so clean his face reflected in it. It was amazing that the amount he’d just eaten could fit in that small belly. Yet as if even that wasn’t satisfying enough, the fox smacked his lips.
Smack.
The fox raised his head and looked back and forth between Adrian and the enormous chunk of meat before him. His pitiful eyes seemed to say, ‘Just one bite of that for me too….’
Adrian pretended not to notice the fox and continued his meal. But at the soft sensation felt at his feet, he had no choice but to lower his gaze. The fox was rubbing his head against Adrian’s pant leg, acting cute.
“Kking….”
At that desperate sound, Adrian asked:
“Want more?”
Instead of answering, the fox wagged his tail furiously like a propeller. Adrian called a servant to bring fresh meat for the fox. However, this time he didn’t immediately set it down before the fox. The anxious fox whined and clung to his feet.
“Wait just a moment. I’ll cut it for you.”
Adrian pretended to slice the meat while, at an angle the fox couldn’t see, he pulled out a small piece of paper he’d tucked deep in his pocket.
It was the antibiotic the maid had just delivered—something he absolutely had to feed the fox to prevent infection of the wound. He’d been wondering how to administer it, but now seemed like the perfect opportunity.
He secretly sprinkled the powder with its faint bitter scent evenly over the meat. The medicine powder soaking into the fresh juices vanished in an instant, mixing completely with the meat. To anyone’s eyes, it was just a delicious-looking piece of steak.
“Here.”
Adrian set down the bowl containing the medicine-laced meat right in front of the fox’s nose. Without even a speck of suspicion, the fox just excitedly wagged his tail. Entranced by the savory meat smell, he sniffed with his small nose, then lapped up the meat.
Chewy texture and rich juices spreading throughout his mouth. This was exactly the taste!
But soon, amid the sweet juices, an unfamiliar and terribly bitter taste struck his tongue. It was a taste similar to accidentally biting a rotten fruit in the forest—one that triggered instinctive revulsion.
Ugh, what is this!
Reflexively shaking his head violently, the saliva-covered meat piece was flung disgracefully onto the expensive carpet on the floor.
Uh oh
Wow y’all have antibiotics already?