At the Northern Fort

My legs are short.

Even though I am moving almost as if I am running, it is slow compared to the one-eyed knight striding through the hallways.

I desperately moved my legs to not get separated from him.

Wait up!

Of course, he wouldn't have heard my mental cry, but the one-eyed knight turned around and looked at me.

Then, seemingly realising that I was far behind him and desperately running, he stopped and waited for me, then moved with slow steps.

Ah, what a relief.

Then, from time to time, he glanced back at me to check if I was following him properly, but it looks like there's some other purpose as well.

He's usually expressionless, but when he looks here his expression loosens up.

Well, I am very cute in this world! Or so I thought narcissistically, but it seems that he's also happy that I am following him.

From the fact that a baby fox was following him even without a leash, his expression loosened.

After many intervals of him turning around, we arrived at a door. It's a simple, but sturdy wooden door like the ones I saw in the hallways on the way here.

When the one-eyed knight opened the door, there was somehow familiar room. It wasn't that wide, and only had the necessary furniture and lighting, along with few books and a sword.

However, when I followed in after the one-eyed knight, I noticed that the room smelled like him.

I see. So this is the one-eyed knight's room. Because I always looked into this room from the window, which is opposite from the door, I didn't realise that fact right away.

"Living inside might be uncomfortable, but sleep here today. During daytime, I will let you out as much as possible. I'll also make you practice hunting so that you can get food on your own."

The one-eyed knight spoke to me softly.

Uu—, I don't want to hunt. As if I can catch mice. Rather than my reflexes, there's the problem of a biological detest… I don't even want to bite it, nor less eat it!

As my ears and tail drooped, the one-eyed knight said, "Wait a bit," then exited the room.

Then, I sensed people's presence outside.

I perked up my ears.

"Vice-Captain, how was the baby fox?"

"Still wary?"

"Rather, when did you tame it?"

"It's unfair."

"You left us behind."

Soft whispering voices denounced the one-eyed knight.

Come to think of it I did feel that there were people following me. So it wasn't just a feeling.

It seems that the story of me getting attacked by the wild dog spread quickly among the knights here. So like primary school boys wanting to see the dog that sneaked into school, they gathered here.

"You guys, it's too loud."

The one-eyed knight sighed dumbfoundedly.

"As I said, the baby fox is not used to people. I am taking care of it, but don't get too close. It will get scared."

From that, I felt happy that the one-eyed knight was being considerate for me. Maybe there weren't people in the hallways or in the corridors — though they were secretly tailing us — because the one-eyed knight was being considerate for me.

I was greeted by a kind female knight when I woke up.

Outside the room, the young knights complained for a bit, but suddenly everyone started mumbling. The one-eyed knight probably silenced them with his sharp glare. Shut up, or so.

"…Oh, oops, it's already this late! We have to return to our rooms."

"R-Right. Sorry we bothered you late in the evening, Vice-Captain…!"

After some time passed in silence, a young knight purposefully raised his voice in a somewhat scared tone. Other knights anxiously followed suit.

The presences of people busily dispersed. He only has one eye, but the one-eyed knight is amazing.

A while after that, the one-eyed knight did not come in straight away, but went somewhere with soft footsteps.

To calm myself from the fear of being alone, I munched on the bed legs. With my small fangs and my weak jaws, I could only make shallow marks, I felt annoyed for some reason.

While I was playing around, the one-eyed knight came back. Because my big ears caught his footsteps already, I stopped biting the bed legs and sat down on the bed. In addition, I even wagged my tail. I waited like a good kid~.

When he opened the doors and saw me, he smiled softly.

Wahaha, he got fooled so easily!

The one-eyed knight had a basket in his hand. He placed that next to his bed and beckoned me over. What is it? When I went over, there was a blanket over the basket.

Could this be my bed?

I kicked the floor and hopped into the basket. Because I didn't like that the basket was folded so squarely, I shook it around.

It's much fluffier and better when it's a bit messed up like this.

I did realise that the one-eyed knight was smiling bitterly, but feeling very satisfied I rolled up my body on the wrinkled blanket.

The basket, being made from natural materials, smelled of plants.

The size wasn't too big, and fit me. This somewhat tight feeling made me very calm.

"Good night."

As the one-eyed knight said, I closed my eyes.

I thought that he would of course go to sleep on his bed, but he did not budge from his position. I was somewhat bothered, but I still started falling asleep. As I was sinking into a dream, something gently stroked my head.

The one-eyed knight's hand?

Maybe it's the first time he's petting me.

Half asleep and half awake, I thought that. Though that's because I fled.

Maybe because I didn't open my eyes in rejection, he started stroking me a bit more confidently.

Over and over again so that he can enjoy my fur.

Hey…

I can't sleep.

The next day, I woke up first. I gaped my mouth and let out a yawn.

Being a young fox, I fall asleep easily, but I wake up just as easily. I stood up and climbed out of the basket. My white fur was fully dry now. 20% dryness, 80% comfort, it was back to the usual feeling.

Now this is more like my fur.

I turned my head to the bed next to me, and saw that the one-eyed knight was still sleeping. Since he was sleeping while looking over here, I could see his face as well.

Usually, the defenceless sleeping faces are cute or funny, but the one-eyed knight was different.

The moment I saw his sleeping face, my hairs stood straight.

The one-eyed knight was sleeping with a serious expression, his mouth shut tight, and with a frown.

Really intimidating.

His eyes are closed, but it almost feels as though he's glaring at me.

If I was an assassin, I probably won't be able to kill him. Is he really sleeping? Or so I would get jittery. The moment the knife was swung to take his life, he was indeed awake and the one who was killed was the attacker. I could imagine such a scene.

I collapsed on the floor — my waist gave out — and was staring at his face, but suddenly he woke without any sign.

Then I noticed that he was staring at me with a frown on his face.

Scary!

"Hyan…" or "Hin…", an incomplete cry escaped my throat.

I-Is he angry? Did I do something wrong?

The one-eyed knight took his eye off me, slowly rose and scratched his head.

His face was still scary. His eyes are too sharp.

Then, for a bit, he stared off into vacant space absent-mindedly.

When he turned around towards me, the frown was gone. His eyes weren't sharp either, and he was looking at me with a kind gaze.

"Ah, right, I made you sleep here. Morning."

I let out a sigh in my head. It takes about 20 seconds for his brain to come fully awake after he opens his eyes.

When he's unconscious, he's about 30% scarier. Tomorrow, I'll take greater care to not let my waist give out.

The one-eyed knight got off the bed and walked barefoot on the cold floor. From above, a hand came down gently and stroked my head.

For a moment, I shut my eyelids tightly. Seeing me like that, the hand moved away slightly.

However, when I didn't run away and looked at him again, the warm hand softly stroked my head again. I dislike the heat of the fire, but I don't dislike the warmth of this hand.

Having stroked me enough, the one-eyed knight started changing.

Panicking, I pretended to chew on the blanket inside the basket. I didn't see~, I didn't see~.

After that, the one-eyed knight briefly left the room, maybe to wash his face. He came back in soon and picked up the sword. I wonder if he's going out to train? Indeed, his clothes were light for a knight going out to work. To train his body even though he didn't need to, how amazing.

"I'll be back soon. I'll give you food then."

Picking up the sword, he went out. I would gladly stay quietly in the room —— not, so just before the door closed I sneaked out. Because I didn't make a sound, the one-eyed knight didn't notice me.

After waiting for him to lock the door, I followed him through the cold hallways.

It went well, but just after we headed out the one-eyed knight suddenly turned around.

He looked down here and opened his eyes wide.

Why is it here? was what his expression was saying.

"When did you… you want to come along with me? It's not going to be fun though."

It's going to be more boring to wait inside, so I want to tag along.

Thinking that, I wagged my tail once.

With a faint smile, the one-eyed knight let me follow.

It was clear in the morning.

However, it was very cold.

Well, I didn't feel the cold that much, but it probably was painful for humans. If they breathed in the crisp dawn air, their lungs might freeze. It's a refreshing morning, but it would be impossible to breath in deeply.

On the training grounds, the snow was still piled, and some of the melted snow from yesterday had frozen up.

I'm saying this again, but I don't feel that cold. I have my fur, and I'm a spirit of snow.

And I'm saying this again, but it's painful for humans. It's strange if isn't cold for them…

The one-eyed knight started off with light stretches and ran laps around the grounds. Then, suddenly, he took off his shirt and started swinging his sword.

His body probably did get warm from running around, but… not in this cold! It probably cooled off already.

…The one-eyed knight must be an iron man.

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