Chapter 9

The story returns to the protagonist's perspective.

That day, too, began in peace.

At breakfast, when I received the leftover jerky from last night, I licked the dry, hard piece until it softened. To give me something this delicious, the one-eyed knight must surely be a good person.

My wariness towards him had eased a bit thanks to the jerky. It wasn't as scary for him to come close anymore.

However, I still felt tense when he watched me intently, and I couldn't help but run away when his rough hand reached out to pet my head. Every time the one-eyed knight looked disappointed, I felt a bit guilty—after all, he was giving me such delicious food, so it wouldn't be too much to let him pet me, right?—but my animal, or perhaps spirit, instincts didn't like being touched so casually by humans.

Even though I understood he wasn't going to hit me, the sight of his large hand slowly descending over my head was still frightening.

"Still can't pet you, huh?"

The one-eyed knight smiled a little sadly.

I'm sorry, but it's still not possible.

After all, I'm not some easy girl who wags her tail for just anyone. I don't want to be taken lightly! Even though I look so gentle and lacking in wildness, my spirit is solitary—

"See you later, then."

The one-eyed knight closed the window and headed off to work.

But I wasn't done talking yet!

After finishing breakfast, I slipped out of the back of the dormitory, wary of being seen. How should I spend the time until nightfall?

As a young fox, I have no need to work, do housework, or study. Every day is unbearably boring.

Maybe I'll wander around the grounds and have an adventure like usual.

In the past few days, I've been exploring the grounds quite boldly, but I don't think anyone other than the one-eyed knight has noticed my existence. Maybe I have a talent for stealth.

The weather was unusually clear and warm for this region in winter. While hiding and observing the knights, I often heard them say, "It's so hot today."

But I don't think it's really that hot. The snow isn't melting even though the sun is out, and I suspect it's colder than winter in Tokyo. Perhaps they've become so accustomed to the sub-zero temperatures here that their senses are off.

But I can't really talk. As a snow spirit, I'm naturally very resistant to the cold, and today does feel warmer.

Even in summer, this region remains cool—where I live with Mother, the snow never melts—and if I go further south, I might actually evaporate from the heat. Even as I grow and my range expands, it's probably best not to leave the mountains in summer.

Thus, the day passed peacefully.

I swam through the soft snow, greeted the horses in the stables with nose touches, and fought back against the noisy birds that seemed to be mocking my dullness. I had always thought that animals and spirits like me and Mother were revered, but it seems that only Mother is respected. Perhaps when I grow up and gain more presence, I won't be teased by the birds anymore.

Then, the incident happened after the sun set.

As the surroundings darkened and the air grew cold, I hurried to my bed behind the dormitory. If I were still in my human form, I might not have been able to withstand the biting cold, but now, as a fur ball, I was warm thanks to my natural fur. I could feel the cold only through my wet nose and the pads of my feet.

I was hungry from all the running around today. Was the one-eyed knight still at work? Or had he already prepared dinner and was waiting for me?

Panting, I headed towards him, but danger lay in my path.

"…?"

At first, all I could see was a black silhouette of a creature. It's hard to immediately identify what you're looking at in the dark.

However, I could guess the identity of the creature from the scent carried by the wind.

(A stray dog?)

The smell of a beast and the sound of heavy breathing. Now that I think about it, the silhouette did look like a dog.

When I thought of a stray dog, I imagined a domesticated dog wandering the streets with a collar, looking carefree. I might even have said, "Where did you come from?" in a motherly tone.

But as the creature slowly approached and its form became clearer, I felt a strong sense of danger.

This was no cute stray dog.

—It was a wild dog. A truly wild animal that had never been domesticated.

The air was tense, making it hard to breathe.

Its eyes were bloodshot, and its sharp teeth were visible through its open mouth, which dripped with sticky saliva. Wrinkles formed between its brows and nose, and a low growl escaped from its throat.

From my vantage point, the wild dog looked incredibly intimidating, and I couldn't help but shrink back.

My legs almost gave out, but I forced myself to stand firm. However, my hind legs started to tremble, causing my vision to shake.

The wild dog clearly saw me as prey. It intended to bite my throat and suffocate me before devouring me.

The wild dog took another step closer, lowering its head as if calculating the right moment to pounce.

This was different from the birds that had teased me earlier. If I fought back, I would be killed.

For the first time since becoming this body, I felt a chill of fear. My paws were sweating profusely.

The fear of death was right in front of me.

Despite the extreme tension and fear, I didn't take my eyes off the enemy to protect my life. I slowly backed away, careful not to provoke it.

But the moment the agitated wild dog started to run towards me, I turned and fled.

From that point on, it was all about survival.

I ran as fast as I could down the narrow, snow-cleared path. Since the enemy had longer legs and a wider stride, I had to increase my speed.

I ran with all my might, more seriously than when I had fled from a child before coming here.

At one point, I had to choose an uncleared path, but fortunately, it was in a shaded area that had remained cold and solid. My light weight allowed me to run without sinking into the snow, while the wild dog trudged through it, which kept our speeds roughly equal.

I tried to gain some distance, but the conditions of my escape route were unstable. I kept running into cleared paths or areas with melting, muddy snow.

"Whoa! What… what is this!?"

I encountered a group of knights who seemed to have just finished their work, but I had no time to worry about their gazes.

I dashed past their feet at full speed, continuing to run for my life. The wild dog only glanced at the humans for a moment before continuing to chase me.

The only sound in my ears was the heavy breathing of my pursuer. I didn't dare look back, but I could imagine it with its tongue lolling out, drooling as it chased me.

The presence of the enemy was right behind me.

My fur stood on end from fear.

If I kept running like this, I would be caught!

Then, as I turned a corner, I saw a small pond at the edge of the grounds.

It was probably man-made, not very wide, but it looked quite deep. There were several chunks of melting snow floating in it, perhaps from the cleared snow. The water was likely cold enough to cause pain if I touched it.

But I headed towards the pond anyway. I knew I would be caught if I kept running.

With a desperate resolve, I dove into the cold pond.