Chapter 9

Talli couldn’t help but take a tighter breath.

This little beast looked so fragile, far less ferocious than Mustafa beside it, to the point where Talli felt that if she exhaled even a little too strongly, she could blow it over.

But its gaze remained so calm.

“Ah, it’s this one…” The shopkeeper bent down, his expression a bit confused. “This one has been here for over a month, and no customer has been able to choose it. But I remember yesterday, it already seemed to be in poor condition, I thought it was…”

“Is this a fox?”

Talli interrupted his rambling.

“Ah! Yes, yes!”

The shopkeeper quickly explained, “Red-eyed foxes are quite rare, which is why we brought it back. However, from the start, it’s been listless and weak. Even our best beast trainers couldn’t figure out the reason.”

“If I don’t take it today, will it die here?”

“Well… Customer, you know, business always has its losses. Not every beast will make us a profit.”

Talli pursed her lips.

It wasn’t that she pitied it.

She just thought that this life, being wrapped up, used, and then discarded when it had no more value, was very similar to the original owner’s life.

She took off the ruby ring on her index finger and handed it to the shopkeeper. “Please help me assess the value of this ring. I’d like to use it for payment.”

“Ah! Okay, okay.”

The shopkeeper hurriedly took the ring and went into the back room.

Talli crouched down again. The little fox had already pulled its paw back and was licking the pads of its paws.

Compared to Mustafa, its size was certainly smaller. It looked reserved and dignified, and even though it seemed exhausted, it still held itself up steadily in the cage, its large tail gently sweeping the ground.

It didn’t seem impatient, nor did it have a violent aura. Instead, it appeared calm and composed, its ruby-like eyes almost as if it understood human speech.

This was the most important reason Talli chose it.

She needed one that could be tamed well—at least relatively speaking.

The curtain was suddenly thrown open.

A figure darted out, rushing toward Talli: “Wow! Customer!”

Some of the sleeping beasts were almost startled awake by the loud voice.

“Are you sure you want to trade with this ring?” The shopkeeper opened his eyes, which were usually narrowed, his emotions now a little excited. “Do you know that this ruby is a precious natural gemstone from the underwater magic caverns of the South Sea Islands?”

“Uh… what’s wrong?”

Talli asked.

The shopkeeper wiped his tears. “That’s not the important part. The important thing is…”

He raised the gemstone, which flickered with a beautiful glow under the candlelight. “It has been imbued with an aggressive enhancement magic!”

“This greatly increases its value!”

The shopkeeper said excitedly, “Customer, ordinary nobles can’t afford items like this. Let alone use it—it’s rare even to see one…”

“With its value, you could easily take not only this fox, but also that wolf you saw earlier!”

“……”

Talli hadn’t yet reacted.

What… Carl’s ring is actually that valuable?

Upon hearing the shopkeeper’s words, the cage over there began to stir.

Talli looked over and saw Mustafa, who had previously been hostile to strangers, now standing up, his front paws slowly grabbing the bars of the cage, his body tensed, and his head slightly lowered.

“Uh… what’s wrong with it?”

“Hahahaha!”

The shopkeeper paused for half a second, then realized, “So this guy can understand human speech too. What a perceptive one!”

He walked over and explained to Talli: “It seems like it’s inviting you to take it home. Looks like even the most stubborn beasts, when in this situation, still want to find a good place for themselves!”

Talli was silent for a moment.

Mustafa could understand human speech, but only now did he come out to make such an invitation, with a posture that didn’t seem very eager. It seemed like he had figured out her identity from the earlier ring identification.

Anyone with such a ring would either be of royal blood or from a family of witches.

Even though the crown prince was mistreated and persecuted, he was still the nominal heir to the throne. The Fred family didn’t support any specific person, but rather the position of the “Crown Prince.”

Compared to the suffering at the hands of the beast traders, being taken back by someone from a family of witches was the best choice.

At times like this, no matter how much pride or resolve one had, it could be temporarily set aside.

But—

“Please give me this fox,” Talli shook her head and said, “I don’t need anything else.”

“Eh? Eh?”

The shopkeeper was surprised. “Just this fox?”

“Yes.”

“……Customer, if the product dies, we don’t offer any compensation.”

“I know.”

“……”

“Alright.”

The shopkeeper finally let out a heavy sigh and shrugged his shoulders. “I guess I don’t understand the tastes of nobles. But if it’s just this fox, we don’t have enough cash to give change for this ring.”

“I have extra cash with me.”

Talli handed him the pouch of money. “Please go ahead and count it.”

As soon as the shopkeeper left, Talli immediately felt the terrifying, violent aura radiating from the massive beast.

She looked up and saw Mustafa’s hind claws digging into the ground, his eerie blue eyes glaring at her with resentment, making an ominous “grr, grr” sound from his throat.

…Was he threatening her?

Or was he angry that she didn’t take him with her?

While Talli was trying to guess the meaning behind it, the shopkeeper returned, having counted the gold coins, and opened the cage for her, handing her a collar.

Talli took the collar and put it on the little fox.

“This collar ensures that it won’t harm its owner,” the shopkeeper explained. “Please ensure your safety before considering its comfort, health, and other issues.”

“Alright.”

Talli watched as the little creature, now out of the iron cage for the first time, circled around her legs, walking steadily with each step. “It seems much more energetic now.”

She put the ring and some remaining change away, remembering that Carl was still waiting for her outside. “I’ll leave first.”

Even after stepping out of the room, she could still feel the two cold, hostile gazes piercing her back. They wouldn’t go away.

No.

…She was too naive.

How could she not have thought of this?

Standing at the entrance of the beast market, looking at the empty gates, Talli froze.

She should have remembered by now. In the story, the female lead always ended up at the beast market’s entrance and would inevitably encounter Carl, who had been waiting for her.

And she hadn’t encountered Theresa the entire time she had been at the market. She should have guessed that the two would meet at the entrance, and Carl would certainly escort Theresa back to the temple.

That damn kid… He probably had already forgotten their agreement completely.

Late at night.

The wind was a bit strong, and it felt desolate. Unlike before, there weren’t many people on the street, only the streetlights and the occasional patrolling soldiers.

Talli sighed heavily.

“Alright, now,” she looked down at the fox by her feet, “we’re on our own.”

One person and one beast walked through the streets for most of the night.

Talli’s legs were so weak she didn’t even know where she had ended up.

Along the way, she had encountered brawling thugs and drunken men with ill intentions.

Fortunately, Talli was quick on her feet.

“My sense of direction is really bad,” she muttered, knocking her forehead with the back of her hand and letting out a sigh.

“…Miss?”

Hearing the voice, Talli froze for a moment.

She turned around and saw a pair of indigo-colored eyes, which were slightly surprised when they landed on her.

“Priest,” Talli greeted politely.

“What are you doing here?”

He seemed to have seen her awkwardly running away.

“I got lost,” Talli confessed.

“I see,” Ryan said, “Let me guide you.”

“…” Talli didn’t trust this person much from the bottom of her heart.

And the magic potion had expired, so she didn’t believe in the other person’s character.

“You don’t need to be so wary of me,” Ryan said, walking ahead with polite manners. “I just learned earlier tonight that the Saintess had already returned, and I had just left your mansion. I happened to run into you.”

“Mm.” Talli said, “So they don’t know I’m not at the mansion?”

Ryan paused for a moment. “I haven’t heard any news of you leaving the mansion.”

“Oh.”

She had been out for so long and no one in the mansion seemed to know or care.

She wasn’t sure whether to feel heartbroken or relieved.

“Is this your pet?” Ryan asked, noticing the little fox at her feet. The fox was calmly walking beside her, unafraid of the newcomer, as if it were a companion.

“I found it by the roadside,” Talli answered nonchalantly.

“Very cute.”

For some reason, Ryan felt that the fox didn’t like him.

Priests had an innate talent that made all creatures feel close to them. This was the first time… no, the second time he had felt this way.

The first time was with its owner.

Ryan looked at the profile of the young woman. The large brim of her hat blocked most of the light, casting a shadow over her face. From his angle, he could only see her sharp chin and a small patch of pale skin.

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed.

“We’re here.”

Ryan stopped walking.

Talli looked up at the mansion in front of her.

It was almost dawn, with the blue-purple glow spreading across the sky, and the trees rustled in the breeze.

“Thank you, Priest.”

Talli took a few steps forward.

“Please wait a moment, Miss.”

The priest suddenly called out to her.

Under the colorful sky and in the shade of the trees, the young woman turned around. “What is it?”

“I just want to know… why it seems like you… don’t like me?” The priest showed a somewhat confused expression, hesitating before speaking. “I haven’t done anything wrong to you.”

“……”

Talli raised her hand and tucked her hair behind her ear. “Priest, what is your definition of ‘liking’ someone?”

“……”

“Why should I necessarily like you, just because you’re a priest?”

“But you seem to be somewhat antagonistic towards me.”

“You can understand me, I’m antagonistic to everyone. Because that’s what everyone who’s met me says.” Talli shook her head. “If you don’t understand, there’s no need to try, because it won’t help. Everyone is born different.”

She couldn’t show a smiling face to this world she constantly wanted to escape from.

As soon as she thought of the despair and pain the original owner had gone through, the confusion and helplessness of being alone in a strange world would rush in.

“Thank you for today. But, I hope we won’t meet again,” Talli turned and said.

Only the silent young man remained in place.

“Hey! Where have you been? When I went back to look for you, I found you weren’t there—”

As soon as she returned, she saw Carl making a scene in the hallway.

“You… you just bought this thing?” Carl raised his eyebrows in surprise when he noticed the fox beside her.

“Can you be a little quieter?”

Talli raised her eyes, feeling a headache from the noise. “I’m really tired. I want to go back and sleep.”

“But—wait, do you know that when you came back alone, you almost exposed the fact that I secretly helped you sneak out?”

Carl stopped her. “Why didn’t you wait for me at the spot?”

“Wait for you? Wasn’t it you who left first?”

Talli muttered impatiently, “You went back with your dear sister to the temple, leaving me alone in that unfamiliar and dangerous place, not even willing to wait for me a little longer. It wasn’t until later that you remembered to come find me… And now you’re questioning me?”

“You…”

Carl’s expression shifted from disbelief to anger. “You know about this?”

“I ran into the priest on my way back, and he told me.”

Talli clenched her fist. “Move aside.”

“He sent you back?”

Carl refused to move. His anger seemed to have nowhere to go. “Don’t you hate him?”

In the novel, Carl had a strong dislike for the priest because he took away his sister, so he would mock him and make trouble for him.

It was probably because last time Talli didn’t give the priest face, embarrassing him, that Carl thought they had a common enemy and became a little kinder toward her.

Too bad.

“I don’t just hate him.”

Talli said, “I hate this place.”

This cannibalistic century-old family.

I also hate you, the ones who know nothing, yet still remain high and mighty, living in luxury.

Talli took the gemstone ring out of her pocket and tossed it to him.

“Your thing, here it is.”

Carl froze. He didn’t even react in time and didn’t stretch out his hand to catch it.

The ring made a crisp sound as it hit the ground.