Chapter 83

Ungwi had been defeated. Lin gained the power of the Gumiho and became a Yukmiho, a six-tailed fox. The business in Baekun Valley was now completely finished. All that was left was to return.

After settling the matter of the fox elder’s fate.

“How about we kill him, Master? He seems useless now,” Lin asked nonchalantly, her words flowing as easily as water. She extended her claws, ready to kill at a moment's notice if commanded.

The elder seemed resigned to his fate, calm in the face of impending death, but my thoughts were a bit different.

“Let him live.”

“Why?”

The elder looked up in surprise. Don’t worry, I’m not doing this for you.

“When Lin fully becomes a Gumiho, he needs to experience for himself just how foolish his choices were.”

The best way to drive someone mad is to make them regret their past decisions to the point of despair.

His own choices.

The worst possible outcome that resulted from them.

Let him look helplessly at his unchangeable past as he slowly withers away. And besides, after all the time he tormented Lin, killing him now would be too merciful.

“Alright, I'll do as you say, Master,” Lin agreed, nodding.

The elder hung his head weakly.

“Haaahm….”

Lin stretched her arms and let out a huge yawn. Her slow blinking eyes revealed her exhaustion. No wonder—she had just fought Ungwi and undergone the Gumiho trial.

She must have been worn out, both physically and mentally.

“Do you want to rest?”

“Yeah… just a bit….”

Lin jumped toward me, flipping in midair and transforming into a small fox, landing softly in my hands before crawling inside my clothes.

Apparently, she preferred her smaller form—it required less energy to maintain. That made sense; after all, a smaller body uses fewer calories. It’s certainly easier to carry a little one than a giant.

I gently stroked Lin, who had nestled deep within my clothes.

“We’ll be leaving now. Whether you live in the fox den or leave Baekun Valley, it’s your choice. But make sure to stay alive until Lin fully becomes a Gumiho.”

As we departed, I didn’t forget to offer the elder my blessings for his future.

Wow, a horse that talks?

We returned to Bestia. The Gumiho looked around the city with curious eyes.

“Horses have always been able to talk, you know?”

Back in my time, horses couldn’t speak.

Back in the era when beastfolk were mere animals,

only a rare few had intelligence and were classified as non-beasts.

The Hoyo tribe was the most notable example, but aside from them and the famously wise turtle beastfolk, intelligent beastfolk were virtually non-existent.

But now, passing dog beastfolk speak, cow beastfolk speak—everyone talks.

“Don’t linger outside too long. It’s annoying.”

So picky.

Even without being outside, the Gumiho could see everything through Lin’s eyes, so she obediently retreated inside.

As the Gumiho continued observing the changed world with fascination, a sudden question popped into her mind.

Why is she hiding her tails?

She was curious why Lin, now a Yukmiho, was only showing one of her tails. Karami answered in Lin’s place.

“If people find out a Gumiho has appeared, it’ll cause all sorts of problems.”

Really? Back in my day, whenever I appeared, both humans and yokai alike would bow down and grovel.

“That’s why Lin is living this way now.”

The Gumiho tilted her head in confusion. Then, she noticed the uneasy gazes of the people around them.

“Another red fox.”

“I thought it was gone, but I guess not.”

“She’s grown a lot since the last time I saw her. Do they grow this fast?”

The people were wary of Lin. Like a miracle parting the sea, they cleared the path around her. While Lin was used to this reaction, it was something unfamiliar to the Gumiho.

Why are they doing that?

“Red foxes are known to bring bad luck. They’re avoiding Lin.”

And you just let them? They dare look at a fox god like she’s some kind of plague? If it were me, I’d tear them to pieces on the spot.

“That’s exactly why Lin lives the way she does. Besides, didn’t you get sealed before becoming a fox god?”

I was one step away! If I hadn’t been betrayed, I would have won.

“Sure, sure,” Karami replied dismissively.@@novelbin@@

“We’re back, Seira~”

The two of us stopped by the house first upon returning to the city. Seira appeared, wiping her wet hands on her apron, probably having been washing dishes.

“You took your time this time. Anything… ah, I see.”

Upon noticing Lin’s transformation into a Yukmiho, Seira sighed deeply. She had seen it happen enough times that it wasn’t worth complaining about anymore.

She had come to accept it.

“She’s grown even more. It wouldn’t be wrong to call her a young lady now.”

“Right? Lin’s gotten really pretty, hasn’t she?”

“Yes. She could be ready for marriage soon.”

Lin had grown taller, her baby fat had faded, and her jawline had become sharper. No longer a childish girl, Lin now had the fresh charm of a young woman.

Some male might be foolish enough to court her, even forgetting that she was a red fox, willing to risk his life.

“Lin’s going to marry Master, though. Right, Master?”

“Slaves can’t marry their masters.”

“Huh? Th-that’s how it works?”

“Marriage is a union between equals. That’s why I keep telling you, being a slave isn’t good. What’s good?”

“Freedom!”

“That’s right. Let’s work hard so you can be free. We’re almost there.”

Karami patted her head, and Lin giggled happily.

“What are you planning now? Will you rest?”

“No, we’re heading to Cheonsangru. There’s something I need to show you.”

Since the Gumiho had taken residence within Lin’s body, for the first time, her playful expression shifted.

This place….

They had arrived at Cheonsangru.

As they approached the sanctuary, the Gumiho’s playful demeanor faded, replaced by a stiff expression. The energy from Cheonsangru resonated deeply with her spirit.

They entered Cheonsangru. By now, their comings and goings were so routine that even the staff greeted them with smiles.

Karami and Lin returned the greetings and made their way to the restricted chamber of the upper hall. What had once been a maze of hidden doors was now easily accessible; Yuha’s intent made it so.

Upon opening the door, they saw the sky.

A fox working among the clouds.

The Gumiho’s eyes widened in shock.

The Sky Fox…?

“You’ve finally brought the Gumiho,” Yuha said, her voice heavy with mixed emotions as she sighed.

The Gumiho was visible to her, even in her spiritual form, thanks to Yuha’s celestial sight.

Why is the Sky Fox here?

“She’s Lin’s magic instructor. There’s no one better suited to teach her than the Sky Fox.”

The Sky Fox is teaching magic to a Gumiho? Don’t be ridiculous. Heaven’s servant would never do such a thing.

Long ago, a white fox with blue eyes was born among the fox tribe. The foxes called her the Baekho (White Fox).

The Baekho possessed unparalleled talent in magic, and none could rival her. She was far more intelligent than any other fox, and her predictions soon became prophecies.

Heaven took notice of her and extended a hand, which the Baekho accepted, ascending to the heavens.

The Baekho became the Sky Fox, gifted with celestial sight, and took on the role of a divine agent, ensuring the world flowed like clouds.

To the Sky Fox, it was a glorious ascension, but to the Hoyo tribe, she was a traitor. If it hadn’t been for her, the world might already have been under the rule of the foxes.

“I understand how you feel. Even Heaven itself couldn’t have predicted that I would one day help the Gumiho.”

Don’t lie! You may fool these simpletons, but you can’t fool my eyes!

“Of course. Your eyes cannot be deceived. So don’t try to deceive yourself either.”

The Gumiho knew exactly what she meant.

Yuha’s powers as the Sky Fox had greatly diminished. Even the space they were in now felt unstable.

Because of her assistance to the Gumiho, Yuha’s strength as the Sky Fox was fading. Just as a god loses power when their believers stop worshipping them.

Why…?

Why was the Sky Fox helping the Gumiho?

In the past, she hadn’t.

Back then, I had no one by my side.

“It’s thanks to having a good master,” Karami interjected with a sudden self-praise, to which Yuha chuckled, and Lin clung closely to her master, sniffing him as always.

The Gumiho, however, remained distant, an outsider in this unfamiliar world.

…What is this?

Frowning, the Gumiho felt a growing discomfort and retreated inside Lin, disappearing from sight.

Yuha narrowed her celestial eyes, quietly watching the Gumiho curl up within Lin.

‘It must be confusing.’

So much had changed from the past.

It would undoubtedly leave her unsettled.

Even Yuha sometimes struggled to believe how much things had changed. The only difference from the past was the addition of one person, yet the entire situation had shifted so drastically.

Perhaps, as Karami said, this person might truly be able to free the Gumiho from her destiny...

"...."

Yuha looked up at the sky. Something ominous was gathering over Bestia, where the Gumiho resided.

Now that the Gumiho had six tails, the heavens would no longer remain idle.

A storm was coming.

Deep within the forest, at the edge of a sheer cliff.

In a sinister place where even the moonlight barely reached, stood an ancient shrine. Fox statues were symmetrically placed around it, and black and white fox flames danced through the air. This was the Inmyeolsa (陰月祠), the Shrine of the Dark Moon.

A figure strolled leisurely through the shrine. She wore a traditional outfit in shades of black and white, with a black tail swaying behind her. Her eyes, which should have been visible, were covered by a dark blindfold.

She was Hoyo.

She was Yoho.

One of the three Yoho in the world—Dark Fox (암호) Heukbi. The fox who could reverse fate. A small light flickered within her dark fox orb.

"So, the time has come again," she muttered.

The destiny she had bargained for with the heavens had arrived.

It was time to hunt the Gumiho.