Chapter 12

My legs are short.

Even when I move my feet as if running, tottering along, I can't keep up with the pace of the one-eyed knight walking down the dormitory corridor.

I'm struggling not to be left behind.

Wait for me!

Though my mental plea wasn't heard, the one-eyed knight walking ahead turned back.

When he realized I was desperately running far behind him, he stopped for a moment to wait for me, then proceeded at a slower pace.

Ah, that's a relief.

From then on, he occasionally looked back to check if I was being left behind, but it seemed there was another meaning to his glances.

The corners of the one-eyed knight's usually stern mouth softened every time he looked at me.

Well, my appearance in this life is incredibly adorable! I try to indulge in a bit of narcissism, but I think he's also pleased that I'm earnestly chasing after him, without needing a collar and leash to keep me close.

The fact that I'm following him like a duckling seems to relax the one-eyed knight's usually expressionless face.

After being looked back at many times, we finally reached a door. It was a plain but sturdy wooden door, just like the many others lining the corridor.

When the one-eyed knight opened the door, a room spread out before us, one I had seen before. It wasn't very large, with only the necessary furniture, lighting, a few books, and a sword, making it a simple room.

However, when I followed him inside, I realized the room was filled with his scent.

So, this is the one-eyed knight's room. I hadn't noticed immediately because I usually peeked from outside the window, which gave a different perspective.

"Living in a small room might be cramped, but from now on, you'll sleep here. I'll try to take you outside as much as possible during the day. You also need to practice hunting to be able to catch prey on your own."

The one-eyed knight spoke to me gently.

Ugh, I don't want to practice hunting. I can't catch mice. It's more about physiological disgust than physical ability... I don't even want to carry them in my mouth, let alone eat them!

While I was drooping my ears and tail, the one-eyed knight said, "Wait here a moment," and left the room.

At that moment, I sensed multiple people in the corridor.

I perked up my ears instantly,

"Deputy, how's the fox cub?"

"Still wary of people?"

"By the way, when did you start feeding it?"

"That's unfair."

"You're cheating."

I heard the young knights whispering, blaming the one-eyed knight.

I remember feeling like people were following us or watching us on the way here, but it wasn't just my imagination.

It seems the news of me being attacked by wild dogs spread quickly among the knights living here. They gathered like elementary school boys checking out a dog that had entered the school building.

"Be quiet, all of you."

The one-eyed knight sighed in exasperation.

"As I said before, the fox cub isn't yet accustomed to humans. Even though we're protecting it, don't approach it too rudely. It might get scared."

His words made me realize how much he cares about me, which made me happy. The fact that there were no people in the corridors or common rooms—though I sensed people following us from behind—might be because the one-eyed knight had cleared them out. The only person I had met since waking up was a kind-looking female knight.

The young knights grumbled outside the room for a while, but at a certain point, they all fell silent. The one-eyed knight must have used his sharp eyes to intimidate them into silence.

"O-oh, it's already this late! We should head back to our rooms!"

"Y-yeah. Sorry to bother you so late, Deputy..."

After a moment of silence, one of the young knights spoke up in a slightly frightened tone, and the others followed suit, sounding anxious.

The presence of multiple people in the corridor quickly dispersed. The one-eyed knight's single eye has incredible power.

After that, the one-eyed knight didn't return immediately. He went somewhere with quiet footsteps.

To distract myself from the loneliness of being alone, I tried gnawing on the bedpost. With my small teeth and weak jaw, I could only make a few thin scratches. It was a bit frustrating.

While I was misbehaving, the one-eyed knight returned. My big ears had already caught the sound of his footsteps, so I stopped gnawing on the bedpost, sat down with a neutral expression, and even wagged my tail to show I had been a good girl.

I waited for you, I did!

The one-eyed knight opened the door and smiled gently at the sight of me.

Ha ha, you fell for it so easily!

The one-eyed knight was holding a basket, which he placed next to his bed and gestured for me to come over. Curious, I approached and saw a blanket laid out inside the basket.

Could this be my bed?

I kicked off the floor and jumped into the basket. Not satisfied with the neatly folded blanket, I bit it and shook it around.

See, a bit messy is better. It's softer and cozier.

I could tell the one-eyed knight was smiling wryly, but I was very satisfied and curled up on the rumpled blanket.

The basket, woven from natural materials, had a calming scent of plants, and its size fit my body perfectly, making me feel secure in its snugness.

"Good night."

Following the one-eyed knight's words, I closed my eyes.

I thought he would immediately go to his own bed and sleep, but he didn't move. As I was about to drift off to sleep, something gently stroked my head.

The one-eyed knight's hand?

This might be the first time I've been petted. I was usually running away.

Perhaps because I didn't react negatively, the second time he petted me with more confidence.

He continued to stroke me, enjoying the feel of my fur, over and over.

A bit...

I can't sleep like this.

***

The next day, I was the first to wake up. I yawned widely in the basket.

As a young fox, I fall asleep and wake up easily. I quickly stood up and jumped out of the basket. My silver fur, which had been completely dry, felt as soft and fluffy as usual. This is my fur.

I glanced at the bed next to me and noticed the one-eyed knight was still sleeping. He was facing my direction, so I could see his sleeping face.

Usually, anyone's sleeping face is vulnerable and cute or silly, but the one-eyed knight was different.

When I saw his sleeping face, my fur stood on end a little.

The one-eyed knight had his lips pursed and a slight frown on his forehead, maintaining a stern expression even in his sleep.

The intimidation is intense.

Even though his eyes were closed, it felt like he was glaring at me.

If I were an assassin, I wouldn't dare to strike him while he was sleeping. His lack of vulnerability is so complete that I would be the one killed if I tried to attack him with a knife.

I sat on the floor—my legs were a bit weak—and couldn't take my eyes off his stern sleeping face when he suddenly woke up without any warning.

When I realized he was awake, his eyes were open, and he was still frowning, staring at me.

It's scary!

A pitiful, incomplete sound escaped my throat, something between a "hyan" and a "hin."

A-Are you angry? Did I do something wrong?

The one-eyed knight averted his gaze, slowly sat up, and ran his hand through his hair. His face was still stern, and his eyes were incredibly sharp.

After a moment of dazedness on the bed, when he turned to look at me again, the frown had disappeared, and his eyes were softer and kinder.

"Right, I was protecting you inside. Good morning."

I let out a sigh of relief. It took about 20 seconds for the one-eyed knight to fully wake up after opening his eyes.

I learned that his face is about 30% scarier than usual when he's not fully awake. I need to be careful not to faint tomorrow.

The one-eyed knight got out of bed and approached me barefoot on the cold floor. His hand gently descended and petted my head.

I closed my eyes for a moment, and his hand pulled away as if checking my reaction.

When I didn't run away and opened my eyes to look up at him, his warm hand petted my head again. I don't like the warmth of the fireplace, but I don't mind the warmth of his hand.

After petting me for a while, the one-eyed knight started to change clothes. I hurriedly returned to the basket and pretended to chew on the blanket. I'm not looking, I'm not looking.

The one-eyed knight then left the room, presumably to wash his face, and returned with a sword. He was going to training. It made sense that he wasn't wearing his knight's uniform and was dressed lightly.

"I'll be back in a while. We'll have breakfast then."

The one-eyed knight left the room with his sword. I didn't want to stay in the room obediently, so I slipped out just before the door closed. The one-eyed knight didn't notice, as he was looking down the corridor while closing the door.

I followed him down the cold corridor.

For a while, everything went smoothly, but when we left the dormitory, the one-eyed knight suddenly turned back.

His eyes widened slightly when he saw me, his gaze dropping to my form.

His expression was one of surprise.

"Since when...? Are you coming with me? It won't be interesting."

I thought waiting in the room would be boring, and I wanted to go with him. I wagged my tail vigorously.

The one-eyed knight allowed me to come with a slight smile.

It was a clear morning.

However, it was very cold due to radiational cooling.

I'm not that cold, but humans must be suffering. If they inhaled the crisp morning air deeply, their lungs might freeze. It's a refreshing morning, but deep breaths are impossible.

The training ground was still covered in snow, and the parts that had melted during the day had frozen solid.

But I'm not that cold. I have fur, and I'm a snow spirit.

But humans must be suffering. It would be strange if they weren't...

The one-eyed knight first did some light stretching, then ran several laps around the training ground in light clothing. Next, he started swinging his sword, completely bare-chested.

Even though running warms up the body, it doesn't work in this temperature! He should get cold quickly.

...

Maybe the one-eyed knight is a superhuman.