A few days later, on the Sea of Chaos, a ray of sunlight pierced the gray haze and fell across the dark, heaving surface of the water.
Samael slowly cracked his eyes open and woke. Sitting up in the cabin, he stretched lazily, then slipped his right hand with practiced ease into the warm bedding and pulled out the golden fox curled up against his stomach and chest.
"I already made a bed for you, so could you stop crawling into my blankets every night?"
Lifting the little thing up from behind, the Ancient Serpent pointed helplessly at the simple little nest in the corner, barely two feet long, and repeated himself.
"Migu?"
The little thing gave a lazy yawn and replied by playing dumb, letting out some meaningless syllables in the proper tone of a serious fox.
By the time Samael got up and headed onto the deck to keep the boat on course and inspect the Magecraft array, the golden fox had already skillfully burrowed right back into the still-warm bedding, stretched out all four limbs, and resumed her nap in blissful comfort.
As for that little nest in the corner? Hah. She was not some foolish dog that only knew how to wag its tail. Why would she ever lower her standard of living?
Once one started having preferences, of course bedding had to be the best available. That narrow little thing, just a few layers of stuffing and cloth laid underneath, left her sore all over every time she woke up. How could it compare to sleeping on a warm, living cushion?
Besides, there was something strangely familiar about this man. Being near him felt like brushing up against that land and those faces that sometimes appeared in her dreams.
Sleep until she woke on her own. Eat until she was completely full.
As rich aromas drifted through the air and curled around her nose, the golden fox, shamelessly occupying someone else's bed, suddenly sprang upright. Like she had been wound with a key, the diligent little glutton, always punctual whenever food was involved, arrived right on time.
The moment she got the signal, the little thing dashed out of the cabin on her four short legs and shot across the deck like the wind. She took out her small clay plate for the main dish and her bowl for soup, then elegantly lay to one side and waited for the meal to begin.
Samael drew his dagger and sliced off a small portion of the grilled steak for her.
The fox, who had been staring fixedly at the one doing the feeding, was deeply disappointed by the sight. Her golden eyes turned plaintively toward Samael, and something soft and dreamy began to cloud them.
The moment their eyes met, a powerful sense of guilt welled up in Samael's heart.
He was truly awful. To throw back the covers and then deny the fox, to be so harsh to such a cute little thing, when she was still growing…
Still growing?
The dreamy haze in the Ancient Serpent's eyes wavered, then vanished at once. He glanced at the golden fox, who had already gotten noticeably rounder in just over ten days aboard the boat, and expressionlessly brought the knife down again, cutting away a third of the steak already on the canine's plate and confiscating it without mercy.
No, I think you're eating too well. Time to lose weight.
The golden fox, who had tried to gain an advantage only to lose out instead, was on the verge of tears. It was only when the fruit porridge poured into her bowl turned out to be a little more generous than usual that the little thing reluctantly accepted the arrangement.
Tch. Stingy man.
The fox grumbled inwardly, but the moment the meal truly began, her entire bearing changed. Like a human, she sat up properly, took the knife and fork set beside the plate in her forepaws, cut the meat into neat little squares, and gracefully placed them into her mouth, chewing slowly and savoring each bite.
Won't sit if the mat isn't straight? Won't eat if the meat isn't cut properly? Did she really need to make such a ritual out of dining?
Long since used to it, Samael merely flicked his eyes her way, then lowered his head and dug in, eating with full enjoyment, juices spilling between lips and teeth.
For such a modest meal, the little golden fox showed remarkable patience, chewing slowly and thoroughly. It took her a full half hour to finish.
By the end, all the meat was gone, leaving only the seasonings and the thyme and parsley used as garnish.
Only after Samael took back the plate did the little fox happily let out her habitual "Migu," then curl herself up comfortably on the blanket and bask in the afternoon sun.
After tossing the odds and ends to the golem to handle, the Ancient Serpent dragged over a chair and leaned back on the deck, sipping mead while maintaining the operation of the ship's golem.
The little fox glanced at Samael, who was sprawled out on the lounge chair basking in the sun, then took a perfectly timed sip of her chilled honey water, quite satisfied with her current life.
From what she had seen and experienced over the past few days, this provider of hers clearly knew how to enjoy life.
Whether it was indulging in good food or lazing around whenever possible, their temperaments matched surprisingly well in certain ways.
After finishing her drink, the fox looked at the golden liquid in the man's cup. Her nose twitched, and her curled pink tongue couldn't help licking her lips.
"Want some? Alright, give it a try…"
Samael noticed her eager gaze, leaned down, picked up her cup, and poured in some of his prized mead.
Only half a cup.
The fox looked down at the small portion placed before her, a hint of disappointment in her eyes.
Still, compared to those miserable days of drinking seawater just to fill her stomach, being able to taste alcohol at all was already a blessing. Better than nothing.
Consoling herself, the little fox lowered her head and sipped the amber liquid. A gentle sweetness blended with a faint kick, and combined with the chilled texture, it was irresistible. She quickly drained the cup clean, then instinctively licked her lips, her gaze drifting longingly toward the flask at Samael's waist.
"Want more?"
"Migu!"
"It's rare to have company out here at sea. Fine, take it as your reward."
Samael chuckled and shook his head, casually unfastening the full flask and tossing it to the golden fox, who caught it with visible delight.
But as if realizing that taking both food and drink like this was a bit undignified, the fox hesitated. She raised a paw, pointing at Samael, then at the flask on the ground.
"What about me? Heh, it's fine. I'm already sick of this stuff. Besides, I'll probably be drinking chilled wine soon enough."
Samael smiled, turning his gaze toward the gradually thinning mist as he murmured.
Not far ahead, beyond the rolling white waves, a horizon both familiar and unfamiliar had already come into view.
At last… we've arrived.
Samael slowly rose from the lounge chair. His heartbeat grew uneven, and an inexplicable sense of hesitation, like returning home after a long journey, flickered in his eyes.
Half an hour later, the boat docked in a relatively secluded shallow cove. Traveling light, Samael picked up the fox, who was clutching the flask, and leaped onto the soft sand.
But after moving some distance through the bushes and nearing the roadside, Samael suddenly sensed something. He paused, turning back to glance at the patch of grass that had rustled briefly before falling silent, a trace of frustration on his face.
So much for that. Total failure at taming her.
As expected, a fox that's seen the world won't be won over by a few meals and decent treatment.
After all, a thousand-year-old fox is no fool. When it comes to playing tricks, who's fooling whom isn't always so clear.
Forget it. Better to leave things on good terms than end up as enemies.
Just as Samael was sighing to himself, his pupils suddenly contracted sharply. His gaze snapped toward the dust cloud rising ahead, his expression turning cold.
Something's happening up ahead.