Crimson Flame (1)
Even the fox had such a time.
Innocent and pure.
A time when she couldn't even suspect others.
A time when she was easily fooled by the lies of adults, and even when she realized she had been tricked, she would laugh foolishly.
She too had the regret she hated most.
-Irene.
The village had turned into a living hell.
Burning straw, acrid smell of smoke, and screams. Before it all, a white-haired old man stood silently.
Holding only a single sword.
-I can no longer stay by your side, my student... and I shouldn't.
-So, this is goodbye.
Wrinkled eyes gently formed a smile.
Despite the approaching nightmare, his pupils didn't hold a single tremble.
He only offered a faint smile.
As if it were his last request, the old man uttered,
-Please, live.
Immediately after.
The aged body turned its back.
He was a teacher who faced the pursuing hunters alone, buying time for the other foxes to escape.
The sound of clashing steel echoed through the dark night sky for a while.
The fox ran, crying.
Her hands were still holding young foxes who needed her care.
She ran, swallowing her tears.
In her heart filled with despair, only crimson hatred spread.
The ones who had turned her life into hell.
-I'm a small business owner from the capital.
-I came near the village for work, and since we're here, I'd like to get to know you all.
-I want to be your friend.
Humans.
If she hadn't fallen for that lie, she wouldn't have lost anything.
The girl suffered from nightmares every day.
An eternal iron cage that imprisoned her life.
Scratching the walls, she cursed and vowed.
Never to trust humans again.
She swore to never open her heart again in a world full of liars.
The fox was thus consumed by distrust.
-I don't trust anyone.
It had always been that way.
The girl was always alone.
***
"It's funny, isn't it?"
Irene muttered.
Was it because of the sudden encounter with the slave traders?
Bitter memories surfaced.
She bit her lip firmly.
Erasing the faint, stray thoughts, she focused on the present scene.
A slight tremor lingered on her fingertips.
The more she felt it, the wider she opened her eyes and gripped her sword tightly.
"······."
Irene had already gotten off the carriage.
As it slowed down, she jumped off and quickly hid in a nearby alley.
She was quietly observing the situation.
The carriages stopped at a secluded wharf.
With no passersby in sight, the soldiers were busy transporting the slaves.
Occasional shouts reached her ears.
Irene held her breath and listened to the sounds.
-Stop whining and move it!
-If you try to run, you'll die. Don't even think about trying anything funny.
-We're setting sail soon! Everyone, make sure nothing's missing!
The guards were bustling about, organizing the surroundings.
The atmosphere was hectic.
Slaves were being dragged away, their hands bound in chains.
Irene calmly surveyed the area.
Were they about to leave?
She had vaguely heard the word "sail," which meant they were likely traveling by ship.
If so, there should be a ship waiting nearby.
As she pondered her deductions, she scanned the wharf.
"······Huh?"
There was a shadow that particularly caught her eye.
A gigantic form that didn't fit in at a glance.
It exuded a boisterous presence even while floating on the sea.
It was a ship of overwhelming scale, as if several luxury passenger ships had been joined together.
The fox was unconsciously lost in thought.
"What is that···?"
A vessel of a size that was hard to believe even when she saw it with her own eyes.
If she hadn't looked closely, she would have mistaken it for a hotel by the sea and passed it by.
What was the identity of that monstrous ship?
The slaves were all headed towards the ship.
'It's his doing.'
Irene instinctively realized.
The big shot of the underworld who moved vast capital through numerous illegal businesses.
Commonly known as the Businessman.
She had heard of him before.
During her time locked in a cage.
She remembered overhearing the conversations of the guards as they shared their war stories.
They had mentioned a means of transportation that carried illegal slaves, weapons, gunpowder, and more to other countries.
-Didn't this brother ride that ship before?!
-It's a trading ship run by the Boss, and it's so huge that it looks like a building at first glance.
-It must be incredibly expensive. Can't even compare it to buying a hotel.
-That's why the Boss said he only has three of them.
Back then, she had thought it was just bragging.
But the fool's words were true.
The Businessman's capabilities were far beyond her imagination.
The fox's momentum, which had been on the verge of bursting forth, waned.
She was blocked by an unexpected wall.
'This··· This is beyond what I can handle.'
Although she couldn't stand by and watch injustice, she wasn't about to jump into the fire like a moth.
Irene knew how to assess the situation realistically.
It was an enemy that was too formidable for a single individual to face.
Moreover, with an operation of that scale, they were sure to have at least one 'Hound' on board.
Retreating was the wise choice for now.
'I should ask for help instead.'
The fox slowly backed away.
To escape from her current position.
As she held her breath and tried to slip away through the dark alley,
She suddenly sensed a presence.
"Well, well, well. Look who it is."
A voice brushed past her ears.
Someone was standing behind her.
"······?!"
Irene drew her sword and turned around, but it was already too late.
A powerful impact struck her head.
Whack-!
At the same time, her consciousness rapidly faded.
Her body lost strength and collapsed.
As her blurry vision flickered, a man in a gray robe came into view.
The man wore a sinister smile.
"The runaway fox has returned on her own?"
Hound.
The fox realized belatedly.
'Don't tell me.'
She had been played from the very beginning.
From the moment she boarded the carriage, the Hound had already been aware of her presence.
The man roughly grabbed her hair.
"Nice to see you again, you fucking bitch."
Her consciousness faded.
Her vision went dark.
The fox finally lost consciousness.
***
How much time had passed?
What woke the fox from her darkness was a splash of water.
Splash-!
Freezing cold water was poured onto her face.
Forced to regain her senses, Irene blinked her blurry eyes and looked around.
It was a wide space filled with cargo.
It seemed she had been brought inside the ship she had seen earlier.
"How's it feel? Does the water wake you up?"
An irritating voice reached her ears.
In front of Irene, who was sprawled on the floor, stood the man in the gray robe.
The Hound smirked as he looked down at her.
"What luck! The runaway has returned on her own."
The man greeted her with a sneer.
"I missed you so fucking much, you damn fox."
"······."
Irene also recognized him at a glance.
The Hounds.
They were mercenaries who acted as the Businessman's direct subordinates, taking care of all sorts of dirty work.
The fox struggled against the ropes that bound her and glared at him.
"Oh my? Aren't you going to be a good girl?"
Was he amused by her reaction?
The Hound scoffed and then stepped on her face.
"Consider yourself lucky that you're a top-grade product. If it weren't for the Boss's orders, those eyes would've been gouged out already."
"Ugh···!"
Even as she groaned, she didn't lower her gaze.
Instead, her eyes burned with hatred.
The man in front of her was the enemy who had ravaged her village and actively led the fox hunt.
His characteristically mocking voice rang out.
"Our Boss is very angry because of you. He never imagined you could escape from that place."
"······."
"Honestly, I want to ask you too. How did you escape? It doesn't make sense that you broke out on your own. I even heard that the cell door was opened cleanly. As if it had been unlocked with a key."
"······."
"Did someone help you from the outside? You kept saying how much you hated humans, but in the end, you got help from another human?"
"Fuck you."
Ptooey-.
Instead of answering, Irene spat at him.
The Hound's eyes momentarily flashed with anger, but he took a deep breath and calmed himself down.
He was making an effort to follow his employer's orders.
"······Well, whatever. You've been caught again anyway."
Struggling was pointless. She was in the palm of his hand.
The Houndordered the soldiers waiting nearby.
"Take this bitch to the cell. I have an appointment with a guest, so I'll be going."
""Yes, sir!""
The soldiers responded energetically.
They forcefully lifted the fallen fox from the floor and dragged her away.
Her crimson hair hung limply.
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Is it just me that found this annoying shit??
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