Chapter 15
Elior POV
I crouched down and carefully picked up the little fox.
She was incredibly light.
I brought her closer so I could observe her properly.
Her fur was pure white and incredibly fluffy. Her tail was almost as long as the rest of her tiny body, and she had a small snout with adorable little ears.
But what caught my attention the most were her eyes.
They were golden.
Just like mine.
"Hmm…"
I looked at her curiously.
She was tiny.
She could easily fit in the palm of one hand.
Judging by her size, I would estimate that she was only around two or three months old.
She stared back at me without making a sound.
Then I noticed something on her forehead.
A silver-colored mark shaped like a crescent moon.
My eyes widened.
"Wait…"
I looked at her more carefully.
Then everything clicked.
"Sigh…"
A Moon Fox.
I remembered hearing about them before.
Or rather, I remembered learning about them through my knowledge of this world.
She looked like a Light Fox.
Light Foxes were a rare species of magical beast known for their white fur, powerful Light Magic, and gentle temperament.
They were generally classified as A-rank magical beasts.
However, they were extremely rare nowadays.
The reason was a particularly tragic incident that had happened several centuries ago.
Light Foxes possessed a natural affinity for the Light Element.
But every once in a while, a mutation occurred within their species.
A special fox would be born with golden eyes and a crescent-shaped mark on its forehead.
These mutated foxes were far more powerful than ordinary Light Foxes.
And if they were allowed to mature, their potential was terrifying.
They could eventually reach what was commonly referred to as "Calamity Level."
In simple terms, a beast of that level would require at least a Wizard Saint to defeat.
But strength wasn't the only thing that made them different.
They were treated differently from the moment they were born.
The other Light Foxes feared them.
Some considered them unnatural.
Others simply hated them.
The mutated foxes were bullied, isolated, and eventually driven away from their own tribes.
And centuries ago, one such fox finally snapped.
After years of constant mistreatment, it turned against its own tribe.
It slaughtered them.
Every last one.
Afterward, it became increasingly violent.
It began attacking humans.
Villages.
Travelers.
Other magical beasts.
Its strength continued to grow.
Eventually, it became powerful enough to challenge one of the creatures that stood at the absolute top of the world's food chain.
A dragon.
A Fire Dragon.
Their battle lasted three days and three nights.
Three days.
Three nights.
The result shocked the entire world.
Both of them died.
The dragon wasn't considered particularly powerful by dragon standards.
But that didn't change what it was.
It was still a dragon.
A creature that stood above almost every other living being.
An apex predator.
And yet a single fox had fought one of them to the death.
The result wounded the pride of the dragons.
The incident became a stain on their perception of the Light Foxes.
To them, the foxes had been little more than prey.
Something to hunt.
Something to eat.
But the existence of a mutated Light Fox suggested something terrifying.
What if another one was born?
What if one of them reached an even greater level?
What if they eventually became powerful enough to challenge a dragon intentionally?
One particular Light Dragon became especially paranoid about that possibility.
It feared that another Moon Fox might eventually emerge and attempt to challenge it for supremacy over the Light Element.
That fear eventually turned into action.
A massacre began.
The dragons started hunting Light Foxes.
Entire tribes were destroyed.
Countless foxes were killed simply because of what they were.
The Light Fox population was pushed dangerously close to extinction.
Fortunately, the slaughter didn't continue forever.
Igneel, the Fire Dragon King, eventually intervened.
He was apparently impressed by the battle between the mutated fox and the Fire Dragon.
Rather than seeing the creature as nothing more than an abomination, he recognized the potential and strength it had displayed.
He gave the mutated foxes a new name.
Moon Foxes.
And the particular fox that had fought the dragon became known as the Moon Fox King.
Igneel's intervention stopped the extermination.
But the damage had already been done.
The Light Fox population had been devastated.
And ironically, the surviving Light Foxes began to hate Moon Foxes themselves.
From that point onward, whenever a Moon Fox was born within a Light Fox tribe, it was usually expelled.
In some extreme cases…
They were killed immediately after birth.
I looked down at the little fox in my arms.
She was staring at me quietly.
Her ears had drooped slightly.
Suddenly, the pieces fell into place.
The injuries.
The isolation.
The way she had approached me despite being surrounded by other magical beasts.
She wasn't simply a lost cub.
She had probably been rejected.
Maybe by her own kind.
Maybe by others.
I gently stroked the top of her head.
"You must have had quite a rough life until now, right?"
The little fox stared into my eyes.
For a moment, she didn't move.
Then her golden eyes became watery.
There was unmistakable sadness in them.
My heart tightened.
"Hey…"
I pulled her closer.
I hugged her gently against my chest and stroked her soft fur.
"It's okay now."
Her ears twitched.
"You won't have to go through that ever again."
I paused.
Then I smiled.
"I promise."
She stared at me.
It seemed as though my words took a few seconds to truly register.
Then her eyes filled with tears.
A tiny whimper escaped her throat.
And suddenly—
"Kyuu…"
She buried her face against my chest.
Tears began falling from her eyes.
I froze for a moment.
She's actually crying.
I gently rubbed her back.
"Hey, hey…"
"It's alright."
She continued crying.
I held her a little more securely.
"You don't have to be scared anymore."
Her tiny paws grabbed onto my clothes.
I continued stroking her back until her crying gradually became quieter.
I glanced toward the other magical beasts.
They were watching us.
None of them seemed hostile.
If anything, they appeared relieved.
I looked back at the little fox.
"You know…"
I smiled.
"I don't think you're supposed to be here alone."
She looked up at me.
I gently scratched beneath her chin.
"And I don't think I'm supposed to leave you here either."
Her ears perked up.
I chuckled.
"Looks like you've decided already, huh?"
She immediately pressed herself against my chest again.
I laughed softly.
"Alright."
I looked at the crescent-shaped mark on her forehead.
"A Moon Fox…"
I had no idea what her future would look like.
Maybe she would grow into an incredibly powerful magical beast.
Maybe she would eventually reach the legendary Calamity Level.
Maybe she would become strong enough to frighten entire armies.
But right now?
She was just a tiny fox cub.
A lonely little creature that desperately needed someone to protect her.
And for some reason, I already felt strangely attached to her.
I gently tapped her nose.
"Well then…"
She blinked.
"Welcome to the family."
Her tail immediately began wagging.
I couldn't help smiling.
"Now I just need to figure out what to call you."
The little fox tilted her head.
I looked at her white fur, golden eyes, and the silver crescent on her forehead.
A small smile appeared on my face.
"I'll think of something."
For now, however, I had another problem.
I still had two more quests to complete.
I glanced toward the cave entrance.
Then back at the tiny fox in my arms.
I sighed.
"Looks like this mission is going to take a little longer than expected."
The fox simply snuggled closer.
I shook my head with a smile.
"Fine. Let's go."