Chapter 10

As I dove into the water, however, I did not feel the bone-chilling cold I had imagined. I had been worried that the water's low temperature would make it hard to breathe, but it turned out to be a groundless fear.

The pond with floating snow. The fact that I did not feel the water's coldness as much as I expected must be thanks to my fur. The undercoat, which grows densely near my skin, apparently traps air and prevents water from seeping in. Since the water does not directly touch my skin, my body temperature is not quickly taken away.

However, I still feel a different kind of coldness that makes my muscles tense. I don't think I will freeze to death, even though I am a snow spirit who is resistant to the cold...

I moved my stiff legs vigorously, continuing to dog-paddle. I thought the fluffy fur would become very heavy if it absorbed water, but instead, the air-filled fur acts like a lifebuoy, making it not too difficult to stay afloat.

The stray dog that had been chasing me stopped at the edge of the pond, as I had expected. It drooled and growled lowly, circling around the pond without taking its eyes off me. Occasionally, it would touch the water with its front paws, but it seemed to be afraid of the water itself or sensed danger from its coldness, so it did not jump in to chase me. It just glared at me with a look of frustration.

I had managed to escape the immediate danger of being eaten by the stray dog, but it did not seem to be ready to give up. It continued to walk around the pond, waiting for the moment I would come ashore.

Ignoring the stray dog, I moved my short legs underwater and swam to the center of the pond. Here, the dog's teeth would not reach me even if it stretched its neck, making it safer.

* Splash, splash, splash *

* Splash, splash, splash *

I continued to move my legs in the water, but I was already tired from running at full speed just a moment ago. If I stopped moving and relaxed, my nose would immediately sink into the water. The risk of drowning might be higher than freezing to death.

"Give up already."

I wished the enemy would give up, but the hungry stray dog did not seem to be ready to abandon its prey so easily. I might look round and tasty, but my body is mostly fur!

While I was thinking this, water started to seep into my undercoat. When I felt the coldness on my skin, I let out a human-like cry, "Ah!" Even if I am resistant to the cold, I can still feel that cold things are cold.

Gradually, my fur became heavier, like thick mud clinging to my body. My legs were tired, and I was losing the strength to paddle.

* Oh no...! This is bad! *

As I struggled to breathe, I was almost drowning.

"There! Over there!"

—At that moment, the knights I had passed earlier arrived.

"The one in the pond is the young fox that has been living here recently, right?"

"Sure enough, it was being chased by the stray dog."

One of the knights picked up the snow on the ground, squeezed it into a ball, and threw it at the stray dog. The other knights also attacked the dog with snowballs as they approached. After being hit by the hard snowballs multiple times, the dog eventually gave up. It ran in the opposite direction of the knights, passed through the fence, and escaped the premises.

However, I had no time to be relieved. My fur, soaked with water, felt as heavy as lead! I was about to drown!

"Come here!"

A knight squatted by the pond and called out to me. I wanted to get out of the water quickly, so I tried to swim towards him, but I hesitated when I saw the knight's appearance.

He was a very tough-looking man with a beard...

"Hurry up! You'll drown!"

His deep, loud voice made me feel like I was being scolded. This man is scary! The intimidating voice of a grown man is very powerful. My big ears trembled. I didn't want to go there.

I had been swimming towards the shore, but I changed direction because I was afraid of the knight waiting there. I splashed and swam awkwardly, aiming for the opposite direction from the bearded knight.

However, another knight was already waiting there—a bald-headed knight with a fierce look.

"Come here! Get out of the water!"

His face reminded me of a criminal I had seen on the news in my previous life...

In my imagination, knights were always handsome young men, but the knights around the pond were all muscular and had bad faces. If they weren't wearing uniforms, no one would recognize them as knights. These people are probably good, as they chased away the stray dog, but their appearance is too intimidating.

"Hey, come here quickly!"

Stop shouting like that! It's scary! I don't like deep, loud voices.

I tried to change direction again, but the five or six tough-looking knights had surrounded the pond, leaving me no way to get out. Trapped, I swam in circles in the middle of the pond, about to drown.

"Why aren't you coming out?"

"Your face is scary."

"Yours isn't much better!"

Stop fighting! You're all equally scary! It's like comparing the height of acorns!

"Hey, I've got a stick that might work!"

Another tough-looking knight joined, holding a long wooden stick. He used it to push me in the pond.

"Push him!"

"Good job!"

Pushed by the stick, my body moved towards the opposite shore of the pond—where the criminal was waiting...

* Ahh!! *

I frantically paddled, trying to escape from the stick.

"Hey, calm down! I'm trying to help you get to the shore!"

I think I was in a state of panic. Chased by the stray dog, I had jumped into the cold pond and was in an excited state. Then, I was surrounded by intimidating men and pushed with a stick...

Even if they are trying to help me, I can understand that rationally. But in my current state of confusion, I also have an animal-like instinct to be cautious. Even if my life is in danger, I cannot jump into the arms of strangers for help.

I was desperately trying to escape from the knights waiting around the pond and the stick pushing my body. My swimming had turned into flailing. I focused on staying in the center of the pond and keeping my nose above the water. However, I had already swallowed water multiple times and was choking. My throat hurt, and I couldn't breathe properly. My legs were tired, my body was heavy, and I was about to sink.

* Mother! Mother! *

I wanted to cry and let out a pitiful cry. It was no use; the wet fur was too heavy. Despite moving my legs, my body wouldn't stay afloat. I kept sinking, and my nose and mouth were covered by water. I couldn't breathe. It was suffocating. My eyes, head, and ears sank into the pond, and my small body was completely submerged.

* Ah, I'm drowning...! *

At the moment I sensed death, someone grabbed the fur on my back and pulled me up with great force. The pain brought me back to consciousness. Then, someone's hand went around my stomach and lifted me out of the water.

I took a big breath of air and coughed up water. My limbs, which had become surprisingly thin, were due to the wet fur sticking to my body. The usual fluffy feeling was gone, and my legs felt like they weren't mine.

The person who saved me walked through the pond, which was deep enough to reach his chest, and headed for the shore. In this cold winter night, entering a pond with floating snow and sub-zero temperatures could cause heart failure. It was a very dangerous act, yet he jumped in to save me.

I raised my head to see who the brave person was who saved my life. It was the bearded knight or the criminal, right?

However, the moonlight revealed a terrible old scar running above his left eye.

—It was the one-eyed knight. He had jumped into the cold pond and pulled me out.

Seeing his face, I felt a sense of relief, but I also thought something impolite. He is still quite intimidating, isn't he?