Chapter 70: Crimson Flame (1)

The fox had such times too.

When she was innocent and pure.

Times when she couldn't even suspect others.

Times when she easily fell for adults' lies, and stupidly smiled even knowing she had been deceived.

She too had regrets she hated most.

-Irene.

The village turned into pandemonium.

Before the burning straw, acrid smoke, and screams, the white-haired old man stood silently.

Holding only a single sword.

-I can no longer stay by master's side... nor should I.

-So this is farewell.

His wrinkled eyes smiled calmly.

Though nightmares approached close by, his pupils didn't hold even a trace of trembling.

He only let out a faint smile.

The old man recited as if making a final request.

-Please, live.

Right after.

The aged body turned its back.

It was the master buying time by facing the pursuing hunters alone so other foxes could escape.

The sound of iron bursting rang in the night sky covered in darkness for a while.

The fox ran away crying.

In her hands were young foxes still needing care.

She ran while swallowing tears falling drop by drop.

In her heart full of despair, only bright red hatred spread.

Those who had driven the girl's daily life into hell.

-I'm someone doing small business in the capital.

-I came near the village for work, but since it's like this, I'd like to get close.

-I want to become your friend.

Humans.

If she hadn't fallen for that lie, she could have lost nothing.

The girl suffered nightmares every day.

Eternal iron bars imprisoning life.

Scratching the walls, she cursed and resolved.

That she would never trust humans again.

She swore to never open her heart again in a world full of only liars.

The fox was thus consumed by distrust.

-I don't trust anyone.

It was always like that.

The girl was always alone.

"It's laughable."

Irene muttered.

Perhaps it was due to the suddenly encountered slave traders?

Bitter memories surfaced.

She bit her lip tightly.

Focusing on the present scene while erasing vague distracting thoughts.

A faint trembling remained at her fingertips.

All the more she gripped her sword tightly while widening her eyes.

"......"

Irene had already dismounted from the carriage.

She had jumped off when the speed decreased and quickly hidden her body in a nearby alley.

She was quietly observing the situation.

The location where the carriages stopped was an isolated dock.

In the background without a single passing pedestrian, soldiers were busily transporting slaves.

Occasionally, surging cries reached her ears.

Irene listened to such resonance while holding her breath.

-Stop whining and move quickly!

-You'll die if caught trying to escape. Better not try any tricks.

-Departure is soon! Everyone check if anything's missing!

The soldiers noisily organized the surroundings.

The atmosphere was busy.

Slaves being dragged while chained in handcuffs one after another.

Irene calmly observed the surroundings.

Were they trying to leave somewhere?

Judging by the mention of departure she had heard, it seemed they were moving by ship.

If so, there should be a ship waiting nearby.

While chewing over the continuing deductions, as she was scanning the dock.

"...Huh?"

There was a shadow particularly jarring to her vision.

A huge form not taking in at a glance.

It displayed a noisy presence despite floating on the sea.

It was a ship boasting overwhelming scale, as if several luxury passenger ships had been attached together.

The fox unknowingly became dazed.

"That is...?"

A warship of unbelievable size even while held in both eyes.

If she hadn't looked carefully, it was large enough that she would have passed by thinking it was a hotel situated by the sea.

What on earth was the identity of that monster-like ship?

The slaves were all heading towards the ship.

'It's his doing.'

Irene noticed instinctively.

A big shot of the underworld moving vast capital through numerous illegal businesses.

Called the businessman.

She had heard about it once before.

During the time imprisoned in iron bars.

Memory of overhearing guards' conversations sharing war stories among themselves.

They had clearly said there was a means of transport carrying illegal slaves, weapons, gunpowder etc. to other countries.

-Haven't I, your brother, been on that ship too~!

-It's a merchant ship the boss runs, and I'm telling you the scale is so amazing it looks like a building at a glance?

-Must be fucking expensive. How can it compare to buying hotels?

-That's why the boss said he only has exactly three ships.

At the time she had just thought it was boasting.

The idiot's words were right.

The businessman's capability was far more distant.

The fox's spirit that had seemed about to rush out immediately was dampened.

She had been blocked by an unexpected wall.

'This... isn't a level I can handle.'

Though she had a personality that wouldn't overlook injustice, that didn't mean she would jump in like a moth to flame.

Irene knew how to grasp situations according to her position.

It was an opponent unreasonable for a mere individual to face.

Moreover, with operations of that scale, they would surely have at least one 'hunting dog' on board.

Withdrawing was the wise choice now.

'I should rather seek help.'

The fox slowly backed away.

It was to leave her position.

As she was trying to escape through the dark alley while holding her breath like that.

There was an unexpectedly felt presence.

"Well~ Who do we have here?"

A voice brushing her ear.

Someone was standing behind the girl.

"...?!"

Irene turned around while drawing her sword, but it was already too late.

A powerful impact struck her head.

Smack-!

At the same time her consciousness rapidly faded.

Her body lost strength and collapsed.

As she blinked her hazy vision, a thug wearing a gray robe came into view.

The man held a cold smile.

"The runaway fox came back on her own feet?"

A hunting dog.

The fox realized belatedly.

'No way.'

She had been played from the start.

From the moment she boarded the carriage, the hunting dog had already noticed her presence.

The thug roughly grabbed the fox's hair.

"Miss me? You fucking bitch."

Consciousness spreading faintly.

Her vision blacked out.

The fox finally lost consciousness.

***

How much time had passed?

What woke the fox's blacked-out consciousness was none other than a splash of water.

Splash-!

Ice-cold temperature was thrown on her face.

Irene, forcibly brought to her senses, looked around while focusing her hazy vision.

It was a wide space with cargo piled up heavily.

It seemed she had entered the interior of the ship she had seen earlier.

"How is it? The water makes your mind snap awake, doesn't it?"

An irritating voice in her ear.

Before Irene sprawled on the floor, a thug wearing a gray robe was positioned.

The hunting dog looked down at the girl while snickering.

"Where else in the world is there such luck? To have a runaway asset return on their own feet."

The man greeted her coldly.

"I fucking missed you. You damn fox bitch."

"......"

Irene recognized the opponent at a glance too.

The hunting dogs.

They were contractors called the businessman's direct platoon, handling all sorts of dirty work.

The fox glared while moving her body bound with rope.

"Oh my? Won't you look at me nicely?"

Perhaps finding such a reaction amusing?

The hunting dog snorted then firmly stepped on the girl's face.

"Be thankful for the fact that you're top grade goods. If not for the boss's orders, those eyes of yours would have been gouged out already."

"Kugh...!"

Though letting out a groan, she didn't lower her eyes.

Rather, she only burned with hatred.

The opponent before her was an enemy who had actively led the fox hunt and turned her village into wasteland after all.

His characteristic sneering voice rang out.

"Our boss was very angry because of you. We never imagined you could escape from there."

"......"

"Honestly, I want to ask too. How exactly did you escape? Breaking out by yourself doesn't make sense. I heard even the cell door was cleanly opened. As if opened with a key."

"......"

"Did you have someone helping from outside? After singing about how much you hate humans, did you end up getting help from another human?"

"Go eat shit."

Ptui-!

Rather than answering, Irene spat.

The hunting dog whose eyes almost rolled at that soon calmed his mind while breathing out steadily.

It seemed he was trying hard to follow his employer's instructions.

"...Well, it doesn't matter. Since you've been caught like this again."

It was all within his palm no matter how much she struggled.

The hunting dog ordered the soldiers waiting beside him.

"Move this bitch to the iron bars. I have an appointment with a guest so I need to go."

"Yes!"

The soldiers answered vigorously.

They forcibly raised the fox, collapsed on the floor, then dragged her out.

Her crimson hair just hung limply.