The officers who had sided with PeeledGarlic during the recent betrayal event tried to quietly sneak over to this side—but no chance in hell.
Even aside from the officers, most users were cautiously inching their way over, reading the room. But some stayed behind out of loyalty.
Like, for instance, the Kimchi Artisan.
“Business is all about trust and loyalty.”
“Bullshit. Is that why you joined the backstabbers, because you’re overflowing with loyalty?”
Before long, the situation divided into two camps: those wanting to protect Gaksital, and those determined to root out the Murderer Class—forming a 60:19 split.
“We’ve swayed about half, so there’s a 50% chance we’ll get caught.”
While our side chose to abstain, the users who remained over there proceeded with the vote.
“Even if I’m exposed, I don’t care anymore. What scared me was being outcast in team events, not the users themselves.”
Worst case, just kill them all. That would be the end of it.
Jung Da-hoon added in a near-whisper.
No. That’s not how this works. This is a game, which means there’s no such thing as an absolute class. Variables can emerge at any time, and if Jung Da-hoon’s identity is revealed, he could be in real danger. Nothing here is guaranteed.
If it becomes known that the Murderer Class holds absolute authority, and many users find it unfair and start protesting, the system might intervene to balance things—possibly by creating a new class that can murder the murderer.
‘11 hours until the culprit is revealed.’
We wandered around the expo with heavy hearts, viewing the shadow exhibits.
[System]: You have viewed the piece ‘Mockery of Light’. Baby Fox’s artistic inspiration increases. Art +12
[System]: You have viewed the piece ‘Wolf’s Dream’. Baby Fox’s artistic inspiration increases. Art +7, Sensitivity +1
Every time we looked at a painting, various minor stats increased. These high art stats would slightly raise the odds of manifesting the “Artist” class if and when the official servers launched.
The time for evidence destruction and culprit nomination has passed. You have abstained from voting. You may now exit. You have received a total of 232 Shadow Resonance Pills.
While eating fox pudding bought by users at the expo, a notification popped up. The users eating their lunchboxes nearby also began checking their results one by one.
“Everyone, show your abstention tokens.”
After sharing our abstention tokens from the quest window, Bori noona patted my head approvingly.
“The fox abstained too, right?”
“But how did the fox even vote? Are you a user?”
“Maybe? But just a side character, really.”
“Isn’t it just that Kessler let the fox tag along? He’s participated in the game before too.”
The occasional resurfacing of the “Baby Fox is a user” theory appeared once more but quickly faded into silence.
“Ah, let’s go already. It’s stuffy in here.”
“Dear Gaksital, wherever you are… please do your killings in a bigger open space next time.”
“Oh! It’s Kessler.”
“Hey hey, Kessler. You waiting for the fox?”
As we yawned our way out of the expo, Kessler—standing there like a parent waiting for a child getting off a ride—swept me up in his arms.
Lick lick. He brushed my cheek gently.
“You missed me so much you were just like nyang nyang nyang nyang nyang.”
We moved spots and walked along the wall path. But something felt off—Kessler’s steps were heavy, and even though he’d slept, he still looked tired.
Before we came to the expo, Kessler had collapsed mid-motion while trying to pull his pants down. I knew why.
‘Because he escaped from the Shadow Atonement Prison on his own.’
No matter how fast the Golden Hour Hand ticks, there’s no way it could’ve completed his sentence in a single week.
During my prison visit, Kessler claimed he used the Golden Hour Hand to slow his own time to half-speed. Since my visit lasted 9 days, he insisted that he’d experienced 18 days of incarceration. He even argued that since Baby Fox also did time, they should get 1+1 credit—nonsensical excuses that led to his prison break.
His original sentence was 40 days. The logic of giving him credit for 18 was never accepted, so he was marked as an escapee, and penalized with constant drowsiness as a status effect.
Still… Kessler made the right choice. Because I couldn’t log out, I ended up learning the truth about him.
“Sleepy…”
Kessler yawned big, tears gathering in the corner of his left eye. I licked it gently, and he blinked as if he were pleased.
“Your little flower fox snout smells like milk. Did you drink milk?”
I opened my mouth and smiled happily in response.
While I was being munched on like that, I suddenly heard something—it sounded like waves crashing, not too far off. I followed the noise and looked down beneath the city wall.
Beneath the city wall, Snake Rim had dug himself into a shallow pit, weeping uncontrollably and smacking his own cheeks with his tail. It was his public act of remorse after being cast out.
His tears overflowed from the pit, flooding nearby fields and turning them to ruin. Soaked skeletons, clutching soggy tomatoes destroyed in an instant by Snake Rim’s grief, sobbed loudly.
As Snake Rim’s transparent tears mixed with the rich bone broth the skeletons had extracted, the resulting waters turned into a mysterious, milky white pool.
[You have discovered the Mystical Bone Broth Spring!
If you get the chance, try swimming in it!
This mystical countryside soup helps boost Baby Fox’s follicle health!]
“That bastard.”
“Kessler-nim! Please, I beg you, take me back!! If I may explain, I was lost and confused! Upon learning the Baby Fox’s true identity, I was overwhelmed—I didn’t know how to care for him!”
Snake Rim had been expelled from the castle because he had neglected me.
“If you return to the castle, protect him properly. Make sure he’s never put in danger again. I won’t overlook a second failure.”
That had been Kessler’s command.
Kessler offered no response to Snake Rim’s cries, only a cold, indifferent gaze.
And the endless stream of tears said it all—Snake Rim already knew. Kessler would never take him back.
“You should’ve done better when you had the chance.”
“Srrrrk… HUAAANGHH…”
The lizard’s mournful sobs spread across the sky. Kessler, unmoved, slowly blinked and turned away.
“So sleepy. What do I do…”
What else? Go sleep.
As soon as he reached his room, Kessler collapsed into slumber.
His brow was furrowed tightly—clearly caught in a turbulent dream. I gently licked his cheek, and his expression softened immediately.
Kessler, asleep with a smile. Watching his peaceful face, I carefully slipped out from under the soft blanket.
Nyang, nyang.
[System]: Skill ‘Protective Scent’ has been activated. No one can smell Baby Fox now.
As I descended the stairs beneath the wall, I spotted a predatory eagle soaring overhead and quickly activated my skill. I had to cross the drawbridge soon—getting spotted beforehand would be disastrous.
‘Shit. Is he trying to flood the entire ocean?’
Kessler had once drained the sea dry to build the castle. Now, Snake Rim’s tears were bringing the ocean back.
[You’ve entered the Hot Bone Broth Spring!
Thanks to the cloudy soup, your fur shimmers.
Your hair follicles grow strong like bone broth.
Ice Jewels have nothing on this.
(Charm +13)
Healthier follicles extend your Ice Jewel effect duration to 10 days.]
‘I didn’t expect that…’
To gain charm from someone else’s failed harvest and sorrow—awkward, to say the least.
Nyang, nyangnyang.
I swam to the center of what had now become a vast pond.
Hic, sob, waaaa, maaaameeeemeee.
I climbed onto Snake Rim’s shoulder as he cried.
“You came… you came, Baby Fox…”
I patted him gently with my forepaw, as if to comfort him.
“A hundred-year seal has been cast. I can never return. All that’s left is to bury my scales here and slowly wither away.”
Nyangnyang.
“It’s so sad. This is our end. I failed to protect you… that’s my greatest sin. I’m truly sorry.”
But there was already far too much water for anyone to dry up. Just look—I kept shaking off my fur, but it soaked again and again, and my body was starting to sink.
“…Baby Fox.”
Snake Rim looked at me with a face full of sorrow, the whites of his yellow eyes bloodshot and red.
I unfastened all the Shadow Resonance Pills tied like beads to my tail and handed them to him.
“…Huh?”
His sobbing stopped in startled confusion. Even the skeletons, despondent after failing to build a dam, clacked their jaws together in shock.
[System]: You have gifted 232 Shadow Resonance Pills to Snake Rim.
“You’re giving these… to me?”
Nod.
I hadn’t planned to use the pills this way… But if I didn’t, Snake Rim would disappear.
He wiped his tears and blinked.
“Baby Fox… you’re truly incredible…”
[System]: Snake Rim has accepted your gift.
[System]: This tail will become the source of Snake Rim’s journey back to his homeland, the Shadow Swamplands.
[System]: Upon returning home, Snake Rim will establish the ‘City of Gratitude Swamp’ and become its leader.
[System]: Starting next server, the ‘City of Gratitude Swamp’ will be unlocked. Players will be able to choose the swamp as a starting city.
‘…What the heck?’
I had meant to send Snake Rim back home by giving him the Shadow Resonance Pills. But I never expected it would unlock a whole new village.
“Thank you, Baby Fox. I’ll never forget this kindness.”
Nyangnyang.
His tears stopped. Snake Rim stood tall and climbed out of the bone broth pit.
“See you again someday.”
Then, carrying a modest little bundle, he began walking down the desert path.
“Let’s go, let’s go, while we’re young. Sing and dance, this life is ours…”
His melancholy song echoed across the sands, offering solace for his lonely journey.
Clack clack.
[System]: The skeletons thank you. Though the year’s harvest was ruined, they’ve managed to save some tomatoes. (Harvestable area: 26%)
