“No.”
Sensing an ominous premonition, I said sharply.
“I told you to go play, not to pick up just anything. Put it back where you found it. Right now.”
“The thing is, Your Imperial Majesty…”
The boy answered while clutching what he held in his arms.
“I don’t know where it came from. When I came to my senses, it was following me.”
“What are you talking about? There must be a place where you first picked it up. If you really don’t know, then go back the way you came and leave it there as soon as you come to your senses.”
“…”
“And what were you doing not stopping him, Billy?”
“…When I came to my senses, His Imperial Majesty the Emperor was already holding something.”
“You want to be abandoned too after coming to your senses, it seems.”
“I apologize, Your Grace the Grand Duke.”
Lenox drooped his eyes while hugging the ball of fur.
“It’s pitiful…”
I looked down at Lenox with narrowed eyes. In the tiny boy’s arms was nestled a pure white ball of fur.
At first, I thought it was a puppy. It was about the size of a reasonably large Pomeranian. But the perked-up ears were bigger than expected, and the tail hanging down below his arms was quite long and fluffy.
More than anything, the moment it raised its head—
‘The snout is way too long!’
A fox.
No matter how I looked at it, it was a fox. There was no doubt it was a fox with fur that had grown puffy for winter.
The moment I saw the beast’s black, sparkling eyes, a sigh escaped me automatically. Not a dog, not a cat, and not even a foal—how was I supposed to raise such a thing?
To begin with, it clearly looked like something that wouldn’t take to human handling, yet not only had it suddenly appeared in a residential area, it was even calmly nestled in the arms of such a small child. It was absurd to the point of being bizarre.
It would almost be better if that thing were actually a fox. This was the North. It wouldn’t be strange if that was a magical beast merely wearing cute fur.
So to prevent an even bigger problem, I needed to throw it out right now, but—
“…Oh, please.”
My uncooperative body declared a strike.
My vision blurred hazily and I felt like the ground beneath my feet was spinning. The aftermath of overexerting myself playing the good lord all day was crashing down on me.
‘Of all times, why now?’
I had so much to say. I thought I could hold out a bit longer, but what rotten luck.
I, who had been about to continue nagging Lenox, frantically fumbled through my pockets. However, before I could even pull out a handkerchief, a nosebleed came pouring out.
[Current Chaos Meter: 61%]
Did a warning about losing consciousness appear? I wasn’t sure. Either way, even if I had seen it, there was nothing I could have done about it.
I resented that one person who didn’t know where they were or what they were doing, and collapsed forward just like that.
Blackout.
***
Everything before my eyes was completely white.
I couldn’t express how much I’d waited for this moment. Because of that damnable ‘Chaos Meter’ that made me hover between life and death, just how many times had I been in trouble?
Elated, I looked around in all directions. Whether I’d fainted or fallen peacefully asleep didn’t matter—being here meant that he, the owner of this space, would appear.
It’s been a while, so let’s have one deep kiss.
“Hm?”
But even after waiting several minutes, I didn’t sense any sign of him. Even after walking around the surroundings once, sweeping aside the crisply crumbling frost fragments with my toes, it was still the same.
I had been about to say something, but silently opened and closed my mouth before pressing it shut. My brow furrowed with a subtle sense of disappointment.
“…Hey.”
I had no way to call him. Only then did I regret having pretended not to notice his request to give him a name.
“Hey. You white guy.”
If you come out now, I’ll give you at least one name. I called out with that feeling, but all that returned was hollow silence.
I murmured while forcefully swallowing down the embarrassment that kept rising.
“Help me.”
I need you.
“Where are you?”
Come back to me.
The emotion that had changed from disappointment to embarrassment soon became disappointment that coldly chilled my fingertips.
“You said you liked me.”
So you said you wanted to have my soul. After saying that, where on earth did you go? Do you really want to abandon me like this and watch me die?
He still wasn’t there. After wandering for a long while, I ultimately had to accept the fact that he didn’t exist anywhere in this place.
Standing vacantly in the ownerless space, I painfully acknowledged the fact that I had been relying on him more than I thought.
Standing still like that, thinking of the beautiful man with no name to call, thinking, and thinking again…
Just like that, I came to my senses as if thrown back into reality.
“…”
When I opened my eyes, the familiar scenery of the bedroom filled my vision. It seemed I’d been safely moved to the castle while unconscious.
As I shakily raised my body, whiiiiing—a fierce sound rang out from outside. When I raised my eyebrows crookedly, Billy, who had been grinding medicine at my bedside, explained.
“As soon as we arrived at the castle, a snowstorm started raging terrifyingly. They say the weather will be bad for several days. In many ways, we were lucky.”
He was right. Since we’d distributed even a little more food before it got seriously cold, the territory residents’ anxiety would be somewhat lessened.
“Lenox?”
“The young Your Imperial Majesty is in his room.”
How unusual. Whenever I collapsed from illness, he would always be restless and keep trying to stay by my side.
No matter what anyone said, he would stick right to my bedside, and when I came to my senses, he would tightly grasp my hand with his teary face.
That was the kind of Lenox he was, so as I pondered why he was different from usual, I soon recalled something.
“That thing.”
“Yes?”
“Where is that thing?”
Billy, who had been examining my complexion from various angles, smoothly averted his gaze.
“I don’t quite know what you’re talking about…”
“Don’t pretend you don’t know.”
I gestured toward the door with my chin and commanded.
“Bring it here.”
Billy, who went out dragging his feet, brought back two small lumps.
As soon as Lenox spotted me leaning against the headboard, he tightly hugged a bundle of blankets and sent me an earnest gaze.
Don’t try to hide it. I can see the tail sticking out.
“Hyungnim, Hyungnim.”
The words that would follow were obvious. That obviousness was the problem. Deep wrinkles formed in my brow.
“Let’s keep this fox, okay?”
“No. Throw it out. And call me Your Imperial Majesty.”
“It’s incredibly cold outside. If we throw out such a young thing, it might freeze to death.”
But I remained indifferent. This was originally a cold land. Last year, the year before, 10 years ago, 100 years ago—it was always like this.
“This is originally a cold land. That thing will endure the cold better than you.”
Look at its fur. Even that blanket wrapped around it right now must be cumbersome and hot.
“But the snowstorm is raging like that…”
As if proving the boy’s argument, the snowstorm made a whoooooo sound as it pounded against the window.
…It certainly was unusual. The scenery beyond the window wasn’t visible at all. Albert’s explanation faintly came to mind—that on days like this, old houses sometimes couldn’t withstand the wind and collapsed.
When even carefully built homes were helplessly destroyed, how much worse must it be in nature, where places to shelter from the wind were scarce and natural predators swarmed everywhere?
As if sensing my momentarily wavering heart, Lenox clasped his small hands together tightly and pleaded even more earnestly.
“Just one day, Hyungnim… please? I’m begging you. I won’t leave any beans behind, I’ll work hard at sword training, and also…”
The fox that had been nestled in Lenox’s arms wriggled and raised its head. Its black eyes sparkled unnecessarily.
I didn’t know where this beast had been rolling around, and I didn’t even know if it was actually a beast to begin with. So I knew I shouldn’t be fooled by appearances.
But…
‘It doesn’t look like it would harm people, does it?’
If it seemed like it would, it wouldn’t be nestled so docilely in a ten-year-old’s arms like that. Even now, wasn’t it just relaxing comfortably and perking up its ears at our conversation?
It was something he’d quickly brought in while I was unconscious. If I broke that stubborn will, I could clearly picture a whole day of tears ahead.
It was cold outside, the beast looked gentler than expected, and more than anything, when such a small thing begged like that…
“…Only temporarily.”
“Really?”
“As soon as the weather clears, send it out immediately.”
I looked down at the white-furred fox and resolved.
…I won’t become attached to it.
