The Money-Obssessed Archmage's Second Life As A Broke Duke-Chapter 53 - Forbidden Fruit Of A Forbidden Love Affair?
Chapter Fifty Three
"Master, are you okay?"
Kaelen’s voice reached me through a thick, suffocating haze. I slowly opened and closed my fist, trying to force the warmth back into my fingertips.
So much work... How troublesome.
[Ping!]
[What happened, host?]
The only way to reverse a curse cast by a black mage is to find the rat and make him undo it himself.
[Ping!]
[Can’t host just break it? Host has lived for so long.]
Yeah... but this isn’t a circle, or a formation, or some low-level necromancy spell. Curses are the most troublesome branch of the dark arts. You don’t just worry about the victim. You have to worry about the caster’s well being until the curse is undone.
It’s incredibly annoying.
[Ping!]
[The kid looks scared. She probably thinks Host hates her. You pulled your hand back too abruptly.]
Haizz...
My gaze drifted to the fox lady. Her teary, doe-like eyes were fixed on the floor, her fingers gently rubbing the scratches she had clawed into the wood as if she was trying to make them disappear.
So innocent...
How old do you think this kid is, Sysi?
[Ping!]
[She looks like a full-grown human woman.]
Come on, Sysi. You know better than to compare a beastkin’s development to a human’s. Humans have such little lifetimes and such massive arrogance.
[Ping!]
[Host is a human too.]
A weary sigh escaped my lips, my mouth curving into a faint, exhausted smile.
And I wish... I wasn’t.
Creaak.
The groan of the floorboards signaled the end of my mental sparring with Sysi. I looked up to find Kaelen cautiously closing the distance between us.
"Hisssss!"
The fox lady’s furry ears twitched as they perked up. She glared at an approaching Kaelen behind me as her hissing began yet again.
"Stay there. Don’t come any closer," I commanded as I shook my head, kneeling on one knee infront of the fox lady as I held out my hand yet again, keeping it there patiently.
Sigh... I really shouldn’t have pulled it back that abruptly.
"But, Master, she’s a beastkin," Kaelen countered, freezing mid-step. His brow was a map of furrowed lines, etched with that tiresome mixture of concern and prejudice. "What if she harms you? You can’t trust them. Especially foxes!"
"I think foxes are incredible. Animals are far better than humans."
"Even if that’s true, you still need to be careful, Master. What if you get hurt?"
"Kaelen, do you truly believe I need you to shield me every single time?"
"It’s not like that, Master. I just—"
"Kaelen," I interrupted, my voice dropping an octave as I sighed. "Have I been too lenient with you? You’re growing more unruly with each passing day."
"I only wish to protect you, Master."
"Did I say I needed protection?"
"No, Master."
"Then, focus on things that actually require attention, Kaelen." I turned my gaze toward the door. "Miss Thorne?"
"Yes, Your Grace?"
"Please close the door and leave us. I need to be alone with her."
"But, Your Grace—"
Haah... Why is everyone becoming so incredibly annoying recently?
"Help the others pack up, Miss Thorne. That is an order. We need to go back to the fief soon."
"Understood, Your Grace." Miss Thorne sighed as she bowed before turning around to leave.
"Go help them, Kaelen."
"Yes, Master."
Trssh.
The hut’s door slid shut, the sound of the latch clicking into place finally cutting off the outside world. Silence rushed in to fill the gaps, leaving me alone with the trembling fox lady.
[Ping!]
[Host wanna bet on how old she is?]
Sure. Why not? I’m always up for bets.
[Ping!]
[We bet she’s like 24 in terms of beastkin’s age.]
That’s too old. She looks young and innocent. I’ll say she’s just 20.
[Ping!]
[Let’s find out. Keke. If Host losses he has to give all the gold coins back to system.]
Sure. What if I win though?
[Ping!]
[We will provide all materials necessary for construction of academy free of cost.]
Hmmm... You got a deal.
"Krrhh.."
"Hey, little one. I’m sorry for earlier," I finished softly, keeping my hand steady between us. Palm up, making no sudden moves. "I didn’t mean to scare you."
Her shoulders shook. The sound she made wasn’t quite a hiss this time but more like a broken whine trapped in her throat. She stared at my fingers as if they might bite.
A sigh left my lips at her reaction.
I shouldn’t have pulled my hand back even if I sensed traces of black magic.
"It’s alright," I murmured. "I won’t touch you. I just want you to write on my palm so I can understand you. Okay?"
That, at least, earned a reaction.
Her ears flicked. Once. Twice. The fox kin had longer than most, tipped with darker fur that bristled when she was afraid.
Beastkin ears reflected emotional state far more honestly than faces ever could. You could lie with your mouth. You couldn’t lie with fur.
Slowly, painfully slowly, she lifted her head.
"Krrhh..." she whispered again, claws digging into the wood, looking anxious.
"Everything is okay, little one. Can you tell me your name? I can search for your parents if I know your name."
Her claws froze mid-movement.
The words parents seemed to confuse her. Her ears tilted at an awkward angle, one flicking forward, the other folding back as if the concept itself didn’t sit right in her head.
Slowly, she shook her head.
"No...?" I murmured, watching her carefully.
She hesitated, then lifted one claw and drew letters on my palm.
L-U-N-E-T-H-R-I-X.
"...Lunethrix?" I repeated quietly.
The moment the name left my lips, her ears twitched sharply as she began nodding her head so violently it scared me for a moment that her head would come apart from her body.
That name... I think I read it in some mythology book in past life. Where was it?
Ughh...
Foxkin... Kitsune... Ah! That was the name of the daughter of Kitsune who was born from a forbidden affair.
Well, it’s just a name. It would be foolish to stress on it too much.
"Lune? Do you remember your parents’ names?"
