Knock knock.
A careful knocking sound echoed in the bedroom. Adrian, awakening from his doze, unconsciously furrowed his brow. At the same time, as if not wanting to wake the fox on his lap, he answered in a low voice while minimizing his movements.
“Come in.”
The door opened, and his loyal aide Kael entered with a thick file tucked under his arm.
“Your Majesty, you were here? There are documents regarding the eastern region subjugation force that urgently require your approval… sir….”
Kael’s voice delivering the report grew smaller toward the end. His eyes widened. It was strange enough that the Emperor was sitting in an unnatural position on the edge of the bed, but the real problem was on his lap.
The fur ball. That very ‘strange black fox’ His Majesty cherished. Sleeping soundly using the Emperor’s lap as a pillow as if all the world’s worries had nothing to do with him—it was definitely an surreal scene.
“……”
In the awkward silence, Kael just stood stiffly, not knowing what to say. The Emperor looked at his aide as if pathetic.
“Kael. Don’t just stand there, bring all those documents here. And fetch a small table too.”
Kael’s eyes filled with questions. You’re going to work in this situation? Here?
However, he didn’t commit the foolish act of objecting to the Emperor’s command. He carefully approached the bedside, muffling his footsteps. Then he pulled over a small side table and placed it in front of the Emperor, carefully spreading the file on top of it.
Soon an unprecedented scene in Imperial history unfolded.
His Majesty the great Emperor began signing documents containing matters of great Imperial importance while sitting uncomfortably on the bed with a sleeping fox laid on his lap.
Cold sweat ran down Kael’s back at the unbelievable scene. His gaze precariously moved back and forth between the densely written text on the documents and the Emperor’s shoulder. Nevertheless, that black fur ball occasionally swishing his tail as if satisfied with his fluffy spot kept catching his eye.
It wasn’t easy to adapt to this bizarre situation of discussing the Empire’s future in His Majesty’s bedroom, before an animal sleeping on His Majesty’s lap.
Scratch scratch.
Only the sound of the quill pen brushing across paper broke the silence.
“…Next is the matter regarding the increase in supplies for the northern border garrison, Your Majesty. Due to the recent increase in magical beast appearances in the north as well…”
The fox shifted his body slightly. Making whining sounds as if uncomfortable, he burrowed his head deeper into Adrian’s thigh. At first he thought it was because it was noisy, but it seemed his body kept shrinking because he was cold.
The pen that had been signing documents paused briefly. Soon Adrian’s hand gently covered the fox’s back, exposed to the chilly air, with the edge of a blanket. Then, as if nothing had happened, he moved his gaze back to the documents.
Kael, witnessing that series of natural movements, was at a loss for words again. Such delicate tenderness shown by the Empire’s iron-blooded monarch. To be honest, it was a bit… goosebump-inducing.
Kael hurriedly averted his gaze as if he’d seen something he shouldn’t have and quickly continued to the next report. And as soon as the report ended, he quietly backed out of the room.
The moment the door closing sound was heard, Adrian’s gaze immediately turned straight to the fox on his lap without delay.
The fox seemed to have completely departed for dreamland, now even snoring with his mouth open. He’ll drool. As he had that thought, he gazed at the slightly parted mouth. Tiny white front teeth the size of rice grains were visible.
Everything really was like a doll. Not just the body, but even the teeth.
Curious, Adrian carefully touched those small front teeth with his finger. Then long eyelashes trembled, and soon clear sapphire-like blue eyes opened.
The eyes just awakened from deep sleep had unfocused pupils.
“……?”
The fox just blinked, seemingly unable to grasp the situation for a moment. His expression showed he didn’t understand where he was or why it was so warm and comfortable.
A huge golden form entered his gradually clearing vision. A familiar scent that somehow put his mind at ease. The fox reflexively tried to burrow his head deeper into that embrace, then suddenly came to his senses with a start.
Wait. This scent. This warmth. This place is…!
The moment he raised his head, he met Adrian’s eyes looking down at him face-to-face. And he realized the place he was lying was none other than atop his firm thigh.
“……!”
The fox’s entire body stiffened like stone. Memories flooded in like a torrent. The terribly bitter medicine. The anger that had swelled with betrayal. Himself who’d hidden under the bed wailing as if he’d never see him again.
But.
But he’d slept like a baby using that person he was angry at as a pillow? Even snoring?
Whoosh. It felt like heat was rising over his small face. If he were in human form, even his ear tips would have turned bright red. This was humiliation. This couldn’t be. The fox bounced his body like a spring and leaped off his lap.
Crash!
The landing was sloppy due to his hasty movements. The small body rolled around on the floor.
The fox stayed still for a moment as if in pain, then shook his head left and right to collect himself. Then, rising to his feet as if nothing had happened, he shot Adrian a look that seemed to shout ‘I’m still angry!’ before quickly hiding his body in the shadows under the bed. That place seemed to have become the fox’s hideout now.
Adrian watched the commotion subside while a faint smile formed on his lips. That appearance of trying to maintain pride to the end was somehow endearingly cute beyond dislike.
This time he decided not to chase after him. The anger seemed to have already dissipated anyway, and there was no need to disturb the refuge the small being had chosen for himself. Instead, he gave the fox time alone while gathering the scattered documents from the floor and tidying the desk.
“Achoo!”
Just then, a cute sneeze burst out from under the bed.
Dust must have tickled his nose. Immediately after, the sound of small feet moving busily in confusion could be heard. The sound of a small furry body burrowing deeper into the darkness. Startled by his own sneeze, he’d hidden himself.
At that moment, the laughter he’d been holding back overflowed through his throat.
Really, what could be done about this creature.
“Keut!”
A short cry flew from the darkness under the bed. A protest not to laugh. But didn’t this fox know? That such a reaction only induced more laughter. Adrian wanted to laugh more, but if he laughed any more here, the fox would sulk even more. He swallowed his laughter and moved his steps toward the sofa.
He chose the softest, smoothest silk cushion among those on the sofa. And carefully set it down on the cold marble floor near the entrance under the bed. This would be better than the hard floor.
After about a minute, a black nose tip appeared slightly from under the bed. Soon he took a cushion in his mouth and dragged it back into his hideout. A rustling sound could be heard for a while before it grew quiet. He seemed to have climbed onto the cushion.
At that sound, Adrian had no choice but to burst into the laughter he’d been holding back.
***
Before long, the sun had set.
The palace garden spread out beyond the window was dyed in golden and crimson sunset. But under the bed, from the fortress the small being had made, still no sound could be heard.
Adrian entered the bedroom holding a bowl containing finely shredded and softly steamed chicken. Bending his knees to sit low, he gently pushed the bowl into the spot where he’d placed the cushion earlier. He didn’t speak. Didn’t call or coax. He simply returned to the office and handled the piled-up work.
Quite some time passed.
When he opened the bedroom door again, the bowl was completely empty.
However, the fox’s form was nowhere to be seen. Only a few strands of black fur remained forlornly where the bowl had been placed. Very small evidence that a small culprit had been there.
‘I thought he’d come out by now.’
Adrian clicked his tongue inwardly while looking under the bed. What stubbornness. He should be crawling out soon, but the fortress under the bed remained silent. It seemed he intended not to budge.
‘It won’t be good if he stays there all night.’
No matter how much cushioning he’d provided, spending the night on the cold floor under the bed wasn’t good for his injured leg. But he couldn’t forcibly drag him out either. He’d only become more twisted.
Just then, a clever idea flashed through Adrian’s mind.
He soon began preparing for sleep. He washed in the bathroom and changed into sleepwear. And slowly, one by one, he extinguished the bedroom lamps. Soon the room was immersed in darkness. Only the subtle moonlight seeping through the window gaps faintly illuminated the room.
It was quiet. Adrian climbed onto the bed. Without the warm heat that should naturally be there, the huge bed felt especially empty and cool.
He closed his eyes and regulated his breathing. Deliberately making regular breathing sounds, he began acting like a person fallen into deep sleep. Patience was needed. He could only wait until that small stubborn one let down his guard and came out.
How much time had passed? A minute sound was caught by his ear. Rustle. It was the sound of a cushion brushing from under the bed. Adrian didn’t even move. Still pretending to sleep, he continued even breathing.
A moment later, very careful footsteps could be heard.
