Tiptoe tiptoe. It was a cautious and more cautious movement, as if avoiding traps and watching for hunters. That presence stopped right beside the bed. He must be observing him. It seemed like he was checking whether he was really asleep or if it was perhaps a trick.
Adrian rolled over like someone in light sleep and even mimicked a low groan. Perfect acting. As if reassured by his appearance, with a light thump, one side of the mattress sank minutely.
He finally came up. Adrian almost smiled with his eyes open for a moment but barely held back. It wasn’t over yet. He had to wait a bit longer until the fox completely let down his guard and settled comfortably.
Small feet walked lightly across the blanket. Stopping briefly near his chest, they spun around several times as if searching for a familiar spot. Soon a comfortable sigh was heard as if he’d found a position to his liking, and the warmth of him curling up to lie down was felt. Following that, regular gentle breathing began to be heard along with reassured breathing sounds.
The plan was a success. A faint smile hung on Adrian’s lips in the darkness.
His prediction that the fox would eventually come if he lay in bed had been correct. Recalling how the fox unconsciously sought him out or came to his side, he’d deliberately tried it just in case.
Now once this one was completely asleep, he decided to carefully move him to the side and return to the study. Yesterday was just an exception—there was no way he could fall asleep easily today either. Rather than lying there blankly unable to sleep, it was better to read even one more document in that time.
He lay still with his eyes closed, waiting for the fox to fall asleep. The warm heat of the small life form seeped directly into his chest through the thin sleepwear.
Warm and peaceful. He thought his mind was still clear, but as if heavy fog was descending, the tension throughout his body began to languidly release. He felt as if the curse of insomnia that had bound him for so long was thinning and dispersing.
‘Was I tired?’
That couldn’t be.
Due to chronic insomnia, no matter how tired he was, he couldn’t sleep properly. Yet yesterday, for some reason, he’d slept deeply for as much as eight hours. There was no way he could be physically tired.
Perhaps his body was trying to make up for accumulated sleep deprivation all at once? Or had he entered a transitional period where his body was adapting as his lifestyle suddenly changed?
Along with puzzlement, an unfamiliar peacefulness encroached upon his entire body.
Adrian tried to shake off sleep, but he couldn’t lift his eyelids growing heavy. The fox’s gentle breathing sounds burrowed into his mind like a lullaby. As if under irresistible magic, his consciousness slowly sank into hazy fog.
***
Pale morning sunlight seeped through the window beside the bed.
Adrian opened his eyes later than usual but earlier than yesterday. Today too his body was light as a feather and his head was clear as if fog had been lifted. Last night, he’d fallen asleep with the fox, completely forgetting his plan to return to the study.
When he turned his head, a black fur ball curled into a ball beside his thigh was visible. Sleeping soundly while making regular gentle breathing sounds.
Two days in a row. That he’d slept deeply without suffering from detestable insomnia. And it was since this small fur ball had come to his side. Too exquisite to be coincidence.
Was it simple coincidence? Or was there something special about this one? Suspicious thoughts crossed his mind, but he shook his head and erased such thoughts.
An illness even the Pope gave up on—how could a palm-sized fox cure it? Muttering inwardly that it was nonsense, he rose from the bed. At that moment, somehow knowing he was moving, the fox’s eyes snapped open.
His gaze, still not fully awake, was hazy and blinked several times as if trying to grasp the situation. Was it just his imagination that those eyes looked especially tired? Whether it was because he’d just woken from sleep or was really tired was unknown, but fatigue was distinct around the fox’s eyes.
“Fox.”
When Adrian called, only then seeming to regain his senses, the fox sat bolt upright. However, he didn’t run away like yesterday. He just looked at his face while maintaining an appropriate distance on the bed.
“Still angry?”
Instead of answering, the fox turned his head sharply away. That appearance of still clearly showing his sulking was quite feisty.
But that was all. If he were really angry, he would have already fled under the bed, but the guy just sat in place. He even yawned widely. Pointed fangs were visible inside his mouth opened wide enough to tear.
The sight of him rubbing his face with his front paws as if trying to wipe away the tears gathered around his eyes looked to anyone like he was dying of sleepiness. Had he played alone while he slept? He couldn’t understand at all why he was so tired.
Adrian reached out and stroked the feistily turned head. For a moment, the fox’s body flinched and stiffened but didn’t run away. Rather, as if drawn by the touch, his eyes smoothly closed.
Deep fatigue as if he’d stayed up all night oozed from his entire body. Ultimately seeming to lack even the energy to resist, the guy leaned his cheek against Adrian’s palm.
Knock knock.
Just then, a knocking sound on the office door was heard.
“Your Majesty, it’s the head maid. I’ve brought the clothing you’ll wear this afternoon.”
“Come in.”
The door opened, but the head maid’s footsteps stopped before even entering the room. It was the moment her gaze discovered the crouched black fur ball on the Emperor’s bed.
When she’d heard yesterday that His Majesty the Emperor had dined with the fox, it was surprising enough, but the scene before her eyes now exceeded that. That a small beast was occupying a place so comfortably on the Emperor’s bed where no one dared set foot.
The head maid managed her expression with effort and entered inside holding the Emperor’s clothing as usual.
Just do the assigned work. Pretend not to see.
However, her gaze kept turning toward the bed. On the high-grade silk sleepwear Adrian had removed, a fox was curled into a ball.
That dirty beast’s feet touching that precious fabric specially made exclusively for royalty. The head maid who’d served this Imperial family for three generations wanted to faint on the spot if she could. Barely collecting herself, the head maid assisted Adrian in changing clothes from the side, then carefully spoke.
“Will you take breakfast in the office as usual?”
“Let’s do that.”
“Then… that fox….”
Her words trailed off. The head maid’s gaze still turned toward the life form sleeping peacefully on the Emperor’s sleepwear. Adrian too looked down at the fox following that gaze, then frowned.
It was strange.
No matter how tired he was, could his wariness disappear so completely overnight?
Just until yesterday, whenever maids appeared, he’d quickly hide behind Adrian’s legs. But now, far from being wary, he was even yawning languidly. It looked less like wariness had disappeared and more like tension had released from fatigue. Deep puzzlement crossed Adrian’s eyes.
‘Why is he so tired?’
The fox who usually acted cute at this time saying he was hungry sleeping so quietly was unfamiliar. Worry seeping in that perhaps he was ill, Adrian carefully caressed the fox’s soft cheek with his fingertips.
At that touch, the fox slowly opened his eyes.
“Sleepy? Want to sleep more? Or shall we eat?”
‘Food.’
That single word was like a magic spell.
The blue eyes that had been half-closed in drowsiness just moments ago snapped open. The hazy focus became clear in an instant as greedy flames blazed fiercely within.
Food!
The small body that had been drooping sat bolt upright as if it had never been like that. His tongue slipped out of his mouth and licked his black nose. As if forgetting he’d been sulky and sleepy, only pure anticipation for food radiated from the entire black fur ball.
‘So he’s not sick.’
Was it needless worry? Adrian inwardly felt relieved and ordered the head maid.
“Bring breakfast here. The fox’s as well.”
“…Yes, Your Majesty.”
The head maid bowed deeply at the waist before leaving the bedroom.
As soon as she left, the fox leaped down from the bed as if he’d been waiting. Then he began rubbing his body against Adrian’s legs. As if not even remembering yesterday’s grudge, his soft tail tickled his pant leg.
“Do you like food that much?”
Instead of answering, the fox wagged his tail at nearly invisible speed. Making whining sounds of urging, he circled around Adrian’s legs. The black cotton ball moving frantically seemed to shout with his whole body, ‘I like it! I like it so much! I like it most in the world!’
Not long after, maids entered carrying silver trays. The savory scent of bread and the smell of softly cooked meat spread throughout the room.
When a maid set down a plate on the floor, the nose of the fox beside her twitched. The fox hesitated briefly as if wary of the stranger, but perhaps having become familiar from seeing her once yesterday, he soon couldn’t resist and rushed over to bury his head in the plate.
Adrian also sat down in his seat. Since there was no need to feed more medicine today, there would be no small war like yesterday. Thinking so, he was eating peacefully. Just then, the head maid approached holding a small silver tray. On the tray, surprisingly, lay paper containing powder medicine exactly like yesterday.
He already fed it yesterday, so why bring it again? As if reading his expression, the head maid bowed her head politely and explained.
“Teacher Alex said it must continue to be administered for at least three days. He said it’s antibiotics to prevent infection.”
