101 - The Freed S*aves Became Obsessed

--- Nine-tails went to catch the code. Karami, who remained in the city upon hearing that following would only be a hindrance, came to Cheonsangru to deliver the news to Yuhwa. In a modest office, Yuhwa was attending to her duties, as the celestial skies had already crumbled. Upon hearing that Nine-tails had gone to catch the code, Yuhwa nodded as if expected, though her expression didn't hold much optimism. Even if Nine-tails had absorbed the power of the heavenly fox, he would struggle to defeat the code in his current state. "I do have a plan." Like a con artist promising millionaire fortunes with just trust and investment, Karami proposed something intriguing. Yuhwa had encountered her share of swindlers and was immune, but even she couldn't help but be impressed by this plan. However, there were some obstacles. While Yuhwa had a vague idea of where Eumwolsa was located, the place was swarming with yokai. The challenge was how to reach it. Stripped of her power, Yuhwa could only perform basic tricks. She was far too weak to handle powerful yokai. “What are you worried about? I have another strong slave.” “Oh.” Yuhwa, almost inadvertently, accepted his words. There was one person she immediately thought of. *** Recently, a curious event unfolded at the Bestaia royal castle. Hilde, the rogue princess, had locked herself in her room and refused to come out. Far from upholding her dignity as a princess, she was known to step into the streets and harass innocent citizens frequently. Yet, for some time now, she hadn’t so much as looked outside the castle walls. Some were delighted, thinking Hilde had finally matured, but the reality was different. “You bastard. I’ll tear you apart, you wretch!” This had been the case since she became more of a pet, after being enslaved and taken for humiliating walks. Though the physical collar was gone, the shackles upon her soul remained unchanged. She considered visiting the royal mage to request the removal of these shackles, but Hilde never managed to do so. The moment a servant whispered about 'enslavement shackles on the princess,' it would all be over. She was trapped with no way out. Because of this, she didn’t dare venture outside. Who knows what humiliation she might face if she met Karami again? That was why Hilde didn’t set foot outside. The only saving grace was that she was still a princess. As long as she stayed within the castle, Karami couldn’t reach her. Nothing was likely to change by stubbornly staying put, but it was far better than crawling like a dog. Tap. Hilde startled and reacted sensitively to the small sound. A pure white fox had climbed onto the window ledge. It deposited a scroll at Hilde’s feet and swiftly left through the window. The fox belonged to Yuhwa, used as a communication tool. Hilde had received messages from it several times before. Yuhwa. The ungrateful fox who deceived a princess. She was just like Karami, someone Hilde wouldn’t be satisfied with until she tore them apart. What cunning words would she have this time? Hilde unrolled the scroll and read it. The content was brief. “Bring the collar and come to Cheonsangru. If you don’t, I’ll expose you as a slave to everyone.” Hilde’s eyes widened as she crumpled the paper in a fury. Her face turned pale, as if she had read a death sentence with her name. She lay face down on her bed, pounding her fists silently in frustration. *** Ultimately, Hilde brought the collar and came to Cheonsangru. Karami and Yuhwa were waiting. As her eyes met Yuhwa's, Hilde growled fiercely, and Yuhwa averted her eyes sheepishly. Karami laughed lightly as he stepped between the two. “Wow, you came quickly. It would’ve been quite troublesome if you hadn’t.” Troublesome for Karami himself, though to Hilde it carried a different meaning. ‘Wow, you were fast? Had you not come, I might’ve told the world you’re a slave. Lucky you.’ It felt as if the words were directed explicitly at her. “What… why did you call me here? You’re not planning more walks…?” “How could I take a princess for a walk with a collar in broad daylight? Such reckless talk.” It's fine at night, then? The reckless talk comes from you, not me! Hilde was barely containing herself from snapping, trying with difficulty to suppress her frustration. “I need to go somewhere. I’d like you to escort me.” Powerful yokai? Then just bring a strong slave. For someone like Hilde, making it to Eumwolsa shouldn’t be an issue. After all, when else would one have the chance to be escorted by a princess? While holding back her curses internally, Hilde began preparing to leave. Yuhwa approached Karami quietly. “The code is rather cautious but immensely curious. It’s akin to a scholar who cannot resist when curiosity strikes. Take this. It will serve you well if used appropriately.” Yuhwa handed him a brown cloth pouch containing three marbles—blue, red, and white—slightly smaller than a fist. “Oh.” Karami was very familiar with the item. They were Fox Necklace Marbles from a Korean folk tale, a piece of Yuhwa’s magic derived from the tricolor bottle used to vanquish foxes. The sight of a fox handing them over was amusing, but anything useful was welcome at this point. After being briefed on how to use the marbles, Karami took the magical pouch from Yuhwa and dashed toward Eumwolsa. ‘Damn it, damn it, dammit!’ “Wow, you’re really fast.” All while riding on Hilde’s back. *** “We’ve come to have our fortune read~” This marked the events leading up to Karami's arrival at Eumwolsa. To Heukbi, who knew nothing of the detailed circumstances, he was nothing short of an uninvited guest. What in the world is that lunatic doing? Even Heukbi, usually composed, found herself thinking such thoughts about the audacious human who had arrived. ‘Who… is this?’ Heukbi occasionally roamed the human world in disguise, and while she had met people during her visits, this man was unknown to her. The urge to ignore him was overwhelming, but he could be an ally of Nine-tails. If he broke the barrier, it would be a real predicament. As long as the barrier functioned properly, Nine-tails couldn't escape. Heukbi maintained the barrier as she stepped outside. Her descent was as graceful as a celestial maiden’s. Her fox ears and tail, however, were hidden due to her transformation magic. "Oh?" Karami's eyes widened in surprise at Heukbi's sudden appearance out of thin air. Landing softly before Karami, Heukbi shot him a displeased look for interfering with her work. Her silver eyes didn't possess the clairvoyant ability to see through someone’s essence, but someone of her caliber could make educated guesses from mere appearances. ‘He seems ordinary…’ He was a person as unremarkable as could be. How such an ordinary man made it to this place was simply baffling. Perhaps he had some extraordinary powers not visible on the surface. Heukbi, cautious, began to speak. "Who are you?" "I'm here for a fortune reading. A friend told me there's a renowned fortune teller here." "You seem to be mistaken. As you can see, there's nothing here." "It seems there’s nothing now because it was destroyed." The traces of a fierce battle were evident on the ground, deeply scarred in places. What remained of what must have been a shrine were the charred bottom parts and the foundational remnants. Though the flames not yet extinguished conveyed the heat of the recent battle. So what am I supposed to do with this? You fought; so now what’s your plan? Heukbi felt irritation bubbling from deep within. She considered simply killing him to dispose of the distraction but she disliked taking lives. Having captured Nine-tails put her in a relatively good mood, so she decided to show rare mercy. "This is none of your concern. I don’t know who informed you about this place, but it is not a location for outsiders. I suggest you leave immediately." A calm tone. Yet the underlying message was clear. She wanted him gone, immediately. Karami feigned resignation. "Hmm, it can't be helped." It seemed he was going to leave, but he suddenly rummaged through his clothes in front of Heukbi. He pulled out a brown pouch and extracted a white marble. "Here, catch." He casually tossed it toward Heukbi. Bang! The marble exploded, releasing a puff of smoke. “Cough, cough!” Surprised by the unexpected action and inhaling the smoke, Heukbi coughed harshly. Covering her nose and mouth with her sleeve, her hidden tail and ears suddenly reappeared. 'My transformation magic?!' The spell had been dispelled. By a mere marble thrown by a human. But it wasn’t just any marble. It was imbued with magical power deadly to foxes. “A celestial fox…?” The energy felt from the magic was unmistakably from a celestial fox. "Oh, he’s the friend who referred me here. Seems you know him?” “……” A friend of a celestial fox? He revealed this place? Who could he possibly be? Why would a celestial fox aiding Nine-tails harbor such intentions… What could this man possibly be thinking… "You mentioned you came for a fortune reading?" “Yes.” “…Very well. Though I'm not as skilled as a celestial fox, I have some ability. I’ll take a look for you." As Heukbi’s silver eyes scanned the area, the destroyed shrine and land were instantly restored to their original state. "Please, come in." With silent footsteps, Heukbi moved inside. She would find out exactly what kind of human he was. Curiosity overcame caution. Trailing behind her, Karami couldn’t contain his excitement. "Wow! The Code! Heukbi! A fox priestess!" What a rare trifecta right before him!