Sniff, sniff. A metallic smell woke me up. It was early morning, with the sun just rising and casting a warm light.
—Clack, clack…
This was the bone ward where skeletons came when they were injured. And at my feet, someone was in the way.
“Who are you?”
“Yeo Woo-rim, you’re awake…”
It was the source of the metallic smell. A user, KebabGudasaai. The one who had almost been executed last time but had miraculously survived.
“Kebab, why are you here…”
I recalled the last thing I remembered. I had lost consciousness while confronting masked men.
“I owe you my life, so I took care of you.”
He said, looking somewhat embarrassed.
“Did you save me, Kebab?”
“I didn’t save you.”
“Then why are you here…”
Kebab began to explain, looking into the distance as if reminiscing.
There was an event for a cheap shared stable space.
“The ticketing was fierce.”
In the process, a scuffle broke out. KebabGudasaai managed to secure the last spot but ended up with a fracture. It was something a potion could easily fix, but he had taken out a bank loan and became a debtor, so he couldn’t afford a potion.
…That’s how KebabGudasaai ended up here.
“But you were lying alone in the corner.”
“Ah, was I?”
“You had a concussion.”
Even after finishing his story, KebabGudasaai stayed by my side. I had woken up because of the stench, but I was grateful nonetheless.
I got up and moved my body. I must have slept deeply for a long time because my body felt refreshed.
—Clack, clack, clack
A nurse skeleton approached and clapped. It was a sign of congratulations for regaining consciousness.
When I was discharged, the <Resident Verification> quest was over. Lucky users had secured a spot in the cheap shared stable, but most had to buy expensive houses with massive loans, KebabGudasaai said.
Most users jumped into the labor market to pay off their debts, and the square was so empty it was almost desolate.
Out of habit, I opened the Relationship Panel and checked the gallery, but there were no new posts. Strange. By this time, there should have been photos of breakfast.
‘Must have slept in.’
On the way back to the castle, I stood at a crosswalk and saw Kessler on the other side.
—Beep, beep!!
As soon as the light turned green, I hurried towards him, but a traffic skeleton blew its whistle at me.
“…Why?”
It was early, and I was the only one crossing, so I looked at him, wondering what was going on. A quickly approaching skeleton pointed at my feet. I was standing on a fox-only sidewalk.
“So what?”
By then, Kessler had approached me with a composed gait and looked down at me.
“You crossed the line.”
“Ah, this?”
I cautiously moved one step onto the regular sidewalk, but the skeleton still didn’t stop warning me.
—Beep beep, beep beep beep!
“If a fox had been passing by, it would have been crushed under your feet.”
Kessler soon joined in.
I looked at him in bewilderment. What’s this? That fox is me. Why is he suddenly…
“Fine imposed.”
He looked quite angry. …Why is he angry?
“Is it because I didn’t go in yesterday? I was unconscious the whole time and just woke up.”
“Who asked?”
“No, I just didn’t want you to misunderstand.”
“I don’t care about you.”
‘Where did he pick up “I don’t care” from…’
I don’t understand. What change of heart did he have while I was unconscious? Now that I look, the tail he always had on his butt was gone.
—Clack, clack clack!
The traffic skeleton spread five finger bones. And then shouted.
—Fine, 5 million won!
Just for crossing the fox crosswalk line once, a huge fine equivalent to the price of a shared stable space was imposed.
“……It’s too expensive.”
—Pay up! Or it’s off to jail!
“Here you go.”
Even as I handed over the money with my eyes wide open, my gaze didn’t leave Kessler’s retreating figure.
* * *
‘……’
Kessler had changed his mind overnight. The lord’s room was warded, so I couldn’t enter. It was a clear rejection.
I didn’t know why. The Relationship Panel’s feed was silent, and Kessler had turned off his location sharing, so there was no way to meet him.
Deposit to Couple Account: 1 won
Message left: What’s going on?
Deposit to Couple Account: 1 won
Message left: I’d like to see your face and talk
Deposit to Couple Account: 1 won
Message left: It would be nice to see you
Deposit to Couple Account: 1 won
Message left: Is something bothering you?
There was no reply.
‘Hmm, is the amount too petty?’
Deposit to Couple Account: 1,000 won
Message left: I miss you
Feeling troubled, I bought a set of butter-roasted chestnuts and frog legs and went up to the castle wall. I thought eating some delicious junk food might ease this frustration a bit.
The sunset was setting. As I watched the sky turn red, I pondered over the morning’s events.
“If a fox had been passing by, it would have been crushed under your feet.”
Did that mean… that there was a new fox crossing the crosswalk other than me?
“I’ve been discarded, and a new fox has been brought in…”
As I organized my thoughts and flicked a potato skewer, I heard a crunching sound as it was stepped on. Crunch.
“Huh? Kessler?”
For some reason, Kessler seemed particularly welcome today. But his face was still full of resentment.
“Illegal dumping of garbage within the castle…”
“……”
“Haven’t you come to your senses even after paying that fine?”
“But isn’t that something you do all the time, Kessler? I just learned from you…”
“Don’t get the wrong idea. Just because I’ve talked to you a few times, do you think a little fox like you can do the same as me?”
“…Didn’t you come because you missed me?”
I looked at him blankly and then picked up the trash I had thrown away a moment ago.
“Are you upset about something? Talk to me.”
“I just saw you dirtying the castle as I passed by.”
But the end of the blocked castle wall was our place.
I had come to a corner where no one would ever come due to the trauma of the masked gang incident, so it could never be a ‘passing path.’
“Didn’t you search for my location and follow me?”
“……”
The backlight made it impossible to see Kessler’s expression.
“Do you want to eat this?”
I offered him a frog leg, but unlike usual, Kessler didn’t take it.
“No thanks.”
“……”
He turned around and went back the way he came.
I stood up to follow him but sat back down as I watched him leave.
“How can I know if you don’t talk?”
I didn’t want to waste my emotions. I didn’t feel like forcing a conversation with someone who wouldn’t talk properly and just grumbled before leaving. If he had something on his mind, he would speak up first.
But that night, and the next day, I couldn’t meet Kessler.
I found out where Kessler was two days later, on the morning of the noble investiture ceremony.
* * *
The people of Skeleton Village gathered to celebrate the birth of a new noble at the ‘Noble Investiture Ceremony.’
Originally, Jung Da-hoon’s wreath should have been placed by the lord, Kessler, but for some reason, Snake Rim was doing it instead.
“Why isn’t the lord placing the congratulatory wreath himself?”
—Clack, clack
“…Did you say the lord went to the Shadow Tower?”
—Clack, clack
I was at a loss for words at the skeleton’s vigorous nodding.
Later, when I asked the steward, I was told that he planned to be away for a full 40 days.
—Clack, clack. Clack, clack.
“…So that’s what happened.”
That day, Kessler had killed the three masked users who had targeted me. He was sentenced to 40 days for ‘user murder.’
“He used to go around with a petition saying he didn’t want to spend even a day in the Shadow Tower.”
Only then did I understand why he was in such a bad mood. Because of me, he had to stay in that place he hated for a long time.
“…I’m sorry.”
Perhaps it was because I had sent him so many photos begging him to save me.
“Yeo Woo-rim, a gift from Kessler has arrived.”
“A gift?”
“Yes. Please check the baby fox’s wardrobe.”
At the steward’s words, I immediately went up to the lord’s room. Thanks to the steward’s permission, the barrier that had been tightly sealed until yesterday was lifted.
“……”
When I opened the baby fox’s wardrobe, I saw clothes made of high-quality fabric hanging inside.
[System]: A neat collar T-shirt. The finest T-shirt made by Master Craftsman, Artisan Skeleton.
[System]: Shadow-infused shorts. Black couple pants. Made by Master Craftsman, Artisan Skeleton.
I picked them up and put them on.
The last image of Kessler I saw flashed before my eyes. His backlit figure. He must have gone straight to the shadow prison.
“40 days……”
It was too long. Having to live in solitary confinement for that long. …Because of me, in a place he didn’t even want to stay for a day.
If I could turn his time faster with the golden hour hand, it would be shorter than 40 days.
Unconsciously, I glanced at the clock face where the golden hour hand was located.
“…Why didn’t he take it?”
Did he forget? I took off the black-disguised golden hour hand, which was pretending to be a normal hour hand. There were traces of measures taken as if someone might steal it.
Anyway, I went straight to Jung Da-hoon. He was having a celebration party with a wreath on his head and offered me a beer mug when he saw me.
“Da-hoon.”
“It’s a good day!.”
“Yes, congratulations. By the way… did you receive a vacation item for your investiture?”
“Yes? Yes.”
Jung Da-hoon opened his bag and took out the travel item, ’10-Day Vacation Ticket.’
“Do you mean this?”
“Please transfer it to me.”
“Yes? Now? Where are you going?”
“Yes. I’m going to see Kessler.”
“That… just before the quest starts… wouldn’t it be more efficient to leave on Friday morning?”
Jung Da-hoon was right. And I was aware of that part too.
In a world rendered in computer language, any action other than for strategy purposes is unnecessary, but…
I gripped the golden hour hand tightly.
“I’m going now.”
“Understood. If that’s what you want.”
[System]: You have received ’10-Day Vacation Ticket.’
“Thank you, Da-hoon.”
“Are you going with Snake Rim?”
“No, why?”
“Earlier, at the noble council, Snake Rim said he was going to visit tonight. I thought you were going together.”
“Ah, is that so?”
I was worried about going to an unfamiliar place, but there was an unexpected companion.
