‘Why does that guy keep following me?’
After leaving the barbershop, I headed into the perfumery workshop.
To buy the quest materials I needed for the upcoming Shadow Market, I had to earn money. Since I’d acquired the “Perfumer” profession, the most efficient way for me to do that was grinding at the perfume workshop.
– – –
Synthesizing perfume. Please choose the ingredients you wish to use. Currently synthesizing Peach, Lily, and Violet essences… Success! ‘Sweetness of the Forest’
A perfume concocted by a Baby Arctic Fox who barely knows anything about fragrances. If you go outside wearing this scent, you might get snatched up by a flock of eagles drawn to the smell.
Grade: Low
– – –
Although a low-grade perfume with barely any noticeable effect was created, it didn’t matter. After all, it would’ve been strange for this tiny fox body to be able to craft a luxury fragrance.
Quantity over quality. Push through with numbers.
Success! ‘Flower Boy of the Forest’
Success! ‘Desert’s Crispness’
After mass-producing these low-grade perfumes, I set up an unmanned perfume stall in a spot where lots of users passed through. It was a take-one-leave-money system for passing NPCs and users.
Nyang-nyang!
I barked loudly to draw attention and started dancing.
Nyang-nyang-nyang-nyang? Ddo-it-ddo-it nyang-nyang~ ♪
I stepped forward, then backward, lifted my chin, and swayed my tail.
“Wow! Why did the fox get so cute all of a sudden?”
“Did he get a haircut?”
People began turning their attention toward me one by one. My promotional event was in full swing.
Click click. The sound of film whirring came from within the crowd—someone who’d switched to the Photographer class was snapping photos of me.
The crowd swelled, reaching a climax, and at that perfect moment, I attempted an aerial spin. When I plopped to the ground with a flop, a chorus of disappointed gasps and applause rang out.
Good timing.
[System]: Opening the perfume, ‘Fox That Calls Butterflies.’
I uncorked the only mid-grade perfume I had, bewitching the crowd.
“Wow, it smells freaking amazing.”
Before long, butterflies began gathering, and he bounced around even harder, trying to catch them.
Jjang-lang.
A local skeleton NPC, who had been watching his lively sales pitch, tossed a coin.
“Should I buy one? The fox’s working so hard, it’d be wrong not to.”
“Me too, me too.”
Every time my belly smushed against the ground like putty, my pockets filled a little more.
By the time my little performance number ended, a fanfare of “sold out” rang out, and special-effect flower petals scattered in the air.
“You were amazing out there, Fox!”
When the party ended, what remained was a pile of cash. My mouth spread into a goofy grin.
‘This… I might be able to save up way more than I thought.’
Just then, a shadow loomed overhead, and someone scooped me up and began packing up my things. It was Kessler.
With my pockets full, I couldn’t help but grow wary. What’s with this guy? He’d never silently helped pack up my stuff like this before.
Don’t tell me he thinks all the money I earned is his or something.
Something was off. I usually didn’t like acting all cutesy in front of others, right? But his slightly flushed cheeks were way too suspicious.
‘Money really is the great equalizer, huh.’
His touch as he stroked me was uncharacteristically gentle and thoughtful today.
As I basked in that touch, my eyes fluttered shut. From observing people with razor-sharp focus the moment I woke up, to getting a haircut, to making perfume, and even selling it… It had been an exhausting day for a baby fox.
“I wasn’t asking for a birthday present.”
Nyangnya-ring…
“You try too hard.”
I think I vaguely heard Kessler’s voice. But it was soon buried beneath the warmth of his hand rubbing my belly.
My perfume sales grind continued for the next two days. While I stayed awake, I made more perfumes, and in the meantime, the unmanned stall kept selling out.
‘Already?’
[System]: All perfumes at the unmanned stall have been sold!
Just when I was thinking the buzz had died down and maybe it was time to lower prices, I got the all-sold-out notification.
[System]: All materials inside the Perfumery Kit have been exhausted. It will take over a week for the ingredients to be replenished.
The grind of scraping every last drop from my kit came to an end, just as the ghostly festival—the Shadow Market—finally opened.
“Ack, so creepy.”
“Come closer, babe.”
“Mmhm, Noona….”
Peering out from between couples’ pant legs, I looked toward the city gates. In the distance, ghosts were crossing the drawbridge.
For the next five days, the desert would remain in a state of polar night, without a single sunrise.
Night was the time of shadows.
Workers had strung up will-o’-the-wisps like lanterns, and beneath their flickering light, ghosts of all kinds were swaying to the music in dance.
It was a market dressed up in bizarre trappings, but from afar, its riot of colors looked genuinely beautiful.
“You look perfect, Bori-ssi.”
“It’s only because you’re looking at me so kindly, Da-hoon-ssi.”
Even the players were getting into the festive spirit. Jung Da-hoon tucked a screaming goblin hairpin into Bori’s hair, and Bori shyly smiled.
‘…Seriously, those two aren’t normal either!’
But this wasn’t the time to be ogling couples on a date. I had to hurry if I wanted to buy the goods—the item was limited in quantity.
I spotted Kessler approaching from not far off, so I sprinted toward the market before he could catch me.
Buzzing, bustling—rows of kebab vendors lined the stalls. Next was a corner filled with toys for little skeleton kids.
I narrowly avoided getting trampled by the exaggerated gestures of aggressive hawkers and finally wriggled through.
Then, the scent of chemicals started to fill the air. I hurried past fluttering dyed leathers and fabrics, and at last—
Synthesis Materials Shop.
It specialized in high-end goods, which explained the complete lack of customers. I plodded over to the lonely stall.
The vendor, wearing a pointed hat, took interest in me as I arrived. I skimmed through the item list until I stopped at one entry and began throwing rapid punches at it.
‘Mystic Multicolor Powder.’
The vendor stared intently at my face, then slowly rose and pulled the powder out from beneath a black walnut barrel.
[System]: You have requested to negotiate with the merchant ‘Mandely.’
The vendor held up three fingers—asking for three big notes. Not a chance. I bounced on my hind legs, both paws raised in protest. It looked like a cheer, but what I was saying was clear: Two. I’ll pay two.
Moved by my desperate little body language, the vendor nodded. The deal was sealed.
At that very moment, the quest condition was also fulfilled.
– – –
You have collected all the materials needed for the Race Quest, <Baby Fox, Do You Want to Become Human?>.
You can now synthesize the materials to acquire a skill.
Collected Materials: Soul Flower (1/1), Dew of Twilight (1/1), Mystic Multicolor Powder (1/1)
Would you like to begin synthesis?
Yes/No
– – –
‘Yes!’
I wiggled my paws in a happy little jig.
– – –
Synthesis process will now begin.
Estimated completion time: approximately 1 day.
– – –
My heart was soaring. I got so giddy that I licked Kessler’s cheeks over and over while still in his arms.
“Jeez. What, am I your lunch?”
But Kessler looked like he was in a good mood too. Honestly, everyone here seemed that way.
I licked up his neck without restraint. Sniff sniff. There was a sweet peachy scent.
Huh?
I had some leftover peach essence that I threw into one of the mixed batches—he must’ve been the one who bought it.
Subtle and moving. Not bad.
Panting happily, I came up with a new proverb on the spot: “One black X is worth more than ten hearts.”
“Stick close, seriously. You’re so tiny, you’ll get stepped on if you don’t.”
Kessler pressed my body right up to his neck. I sipped on an ice pudding while he drank a cherry coke soda, and the two of us sat at the edge of the night market, watching the lively scene from afar. It was a lovely night.
– – –
The synthesis of the materials needed for the Race Quest, <Baby Fox, Do You Want to Become Human?>, has been completed.
You can now return to human form once per day.
-Required Material: Jewel Ice (repeat)-
– – –
The moment I woke up from a deep nap, a delightful message awaited me. Hmm… Jewel Ice again?
But that was fine. I had a skill that let me track Jewel Ice.
[System]: After consuming Jewel Ice three times, your understanding of Jewel Ice has increased. You can now track it by scent.
I activated the Quick Find Function. The fresh scent of Jewel Ice drifted from all directions, but I locked onto the strongest one and followed it.
‘Ah—’
Here’s the problem. My field of vision warped like I was wearing a magnifying lens, objects zooming up close in bursts. A tunnel-vision effect meant purely for locking onto a target. Not my first time, so I didn’t mind, but something else felt off.
The dizziness forced me to cancel the tracking for a moment. I looked around.
‘Where am I?’
Everything was unfamiliar. A lavishly decorated room with velvet walls. The air, the scent… Sniff sniff. Faint… but familiar. A peach fragrance.
Even during the alpha test, when I prided myself on knowing everything about the castle, I’d never found a room like this. Unease prickled at me.
The scent of Jewel Ice is strongest here.
In a rush, I opened a jewel-inlaid box and grabbed several pieces of Jewel Ice.
This must be a Hidden Room.
Only accessible to certain special classes like Explorers. Which meant… if the owner found me here, I was dead meat.
I didn’t linger. I slipped out quickly. A long corridor lay beyond the door.
I cautiously stepped into the eerily twisted passage.
Then I stopped walking.
Hundreds of portraits lined the hall. Some so old they had faded into their frames, others looking newly painted, crisp and vivid.
From one to a hundred, every single one of them…
…was Kessler’s face.
