Tamed. (6)

Ogle's masterpiece set in hand, so night hunting was no longer a burden. Moreover, since I also received the night stat increase effect, it was completely no issue.

So, I had to modify the plan and head back to the forest... but I forced myself to lift my drooping head.

But despite that effort, my head kept falling to the ground. It looked like fatigue was piling up and drowsiness was coming.

And that wasn't wrong. I was actually fighting an insanely overwhelming wave of drowsiness.

In fact, I hadn't expected this to happen. After all, I had to feel pain, breathe, and pant from exhaustion.

It wasn't strange that drowsiness poured out because I couldn't endure the fatigue.

"Choco-ya, sleepy?"

"Guuuu-"

My state was so bad that I couldn't even properly answer Yeon's words. If I didn't concentrate a little, I might fall asleep right away.

After all, Yeon is right next to me, so just sleeping would be fine, right? I could have done that, but it wasn't that simple.

Even as Al Fantasia's night deepened, Yeon was still not logging out, but if I fell asleep and had to log out unavoidably, I couldn't handle it.

Of course, if there was a space like an inn to rest for a bit, I could have led Yeon there and rested behind her.

But in Lucifen, there was no inn, let alone a guesthouse.

Staying in the starting village of Lucifen could only last a maximum of two days. If playing normally without any specific purpose, one would leave for the next destination before that.

So, no guesthouse or inn. Moreover, the floating population was small, so even less reason.

Well, although sleeping outside the village instead of inside, but sleeping inside the village, there would be no attack from monsters, but there was always the "what if".

For example, some clueless user grabbing me or something. If Yeon is next to me, she would immediately know I'm a tamed pet, but if I walk alone, I would look like a monster that invaded the village.

So, I had to keep my eyes open as much as possible. At least, go to a place where I wouldn't be noticed after Yeon logs out and sleep.

But I'm so sleepy... it's coming to nap...

"Choco-ya, just sleep. Why are you resisting?"

Yeon said with a puzzled look, but I shook my head vigorously and refused.

Huh, but then I'm dizzy-

"Choco-ya-?"

The world started spinning, then went black.

-

"Choco-ya!"

When Choco, who was shaking her head, fell to the side, Yeon was startled and grabbed the small body.

Was she hurt somewhere? But that worry was in vain as a "snore" sound came.

"Ah, what? She fell asleep?"

Yes. Choco had simply failed to resist the drowsiness and fallen asleep.

And even with her nose snoring.

I knew from childhood that animals snore when tired, but I never thought such a small detail would be implemented.

Surprised, Yeon swept her small chest and looked at the sleeping Choco with a "cool cool" sound. She looked like she couldn't even put her tongue back in properly, so tired.

I, if I was this tired, wouldn't it be better to just sleep?

There are cases where people don't adapt well to new environments, people, and animals and have trouble sleeping, but this is a game, right?

Yeon grumbled internally that there was no need to worry about such detailed parts and grabbed Choco's tongue. Then she shook it playfully.

The wet, slimy feeling might be unpleasant for some, but not for Yeon. After all, it was the tongue of cute Choco.

The person who did that would be angry like fire when they realize it, but Yeon didn't know that and played with the tongue for a long time.

But soon she got tired of it and put the tongue back in her mouth and closed the slightly open mouth.

Then, clicking her tongue, she started snoring again. How cute sleeping is. Yeon, who was quietly chuckling, next targeted the face.

The soft fur and soft cheeks. The sensation of stroking warm yarn was addictive.

Of course, the touching movements were very careful. If I touched too roughly, I might wake her up.

Yeon fiddled with the face until she got tired, then suddenly looked at the pointed ears sticking up on her head.

She had stroked the head a little, but had never properly touched the ears.

After all, it was only a few hours ago that she could stroke the head properly. Thanks to the clingy fox who opened her heart, but the ears were much harder than stroking the head.

It's like how people let you touch their hair but not their ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ears. So, right now, unless she was sleeping, she couldn't touch them.

Yeon swallowed hard and cautiously extended her hand. And she touched it. Not the whole hand, but two fingers.

Ears are a sensitive part for dogs and animals. You can't grab them tightly with your hand, and even if touching, you have to be careful with just one or two fingers like that.

If not, you have to be prepared to have your hand bitten.

Yeon moved her fingers as if rubbing carefully. The outside was soft like other parts, but the inside felt a bit firm. Honestly, the fun of touching was less. But because of the specialness of the ears, it was rather more interesting than touching other places.

"Ah."

While touching carefully, the ear twitched and knocked Yeon's finger away. Or rather, it just touched because ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it moved from being ticklish.

Well, that was enough touching. Yeon honestly gave up and stroked the exposed belly. The up and down movement synced with the snoring sound.

When awake, the child was extremely alert to anything in the world, but when sleeping, she was defenseless.

Moreover, since she slept quite deeply, no matter how much you touch, she doesn't wake up, and even if she's dull, she couldn't be this dull. It was so dull that it made me wonder how she survived until meeting me.

"Before meeting me, huh..."

Yeon muttered that and grabbed Choco's foot. The black fox tail appeared. Stroking it, a feeling of somewhat firm and somewhat fluffy came.

And I recalled writing letters with this foot. The appearance of the small body struggling to send a message to me, digging the ground and counting the words.

Even when I saved her from the rabbit, I thought she was just an ordinary fox.

No, honestly, I didn't think she was ordinary. After all, she was a young fox, and she was being beaten unilaterally by a rabbit of similar size.

A weak individual who fell behind the pack. I thought that much. Well, later I realized it was a wrong thought.

It was too good at hunting to call it weak. I didn't know why she was caught by a rabbit.

I don't know if she awakened late or if there was another reason, but even then, Yeon only knew that Choco was an ordinary fox.

Even when she was obsessed with hunting and searching for recovery potions madly. After all, Yeon had just started Al Fantasia, so she didn't know what was right.

So, Yeon thought that Choco's actions were natural. Until she wrote the letters on the floor.

Only then could Yeon realize that Choco was not an ordinary fox.

Of course, she wasn't particularly shocked. At first, she was a bit shocked, but upon thinking carefully, it wasn't really surprising.

After all, had Choco ever done something harmful to her? Gathering recovery potions or hunting was ultimately helpful for her growth.

Well, sometimes she tried to bite her, but since she wasn't completely friendly yet, it was natural for her to nip.

Moreover, unlike reality, it didn't hurt even if bitten, so she could look at it cutely.

And another thing. Being able to write meant, conversely, being able to understand it.

Of course, whether she could speak or not. I knew that a dog's vocal cords were not suitable for language, but this place was in the game. The impossible became possible.

Yeon imagined Choco speaking someday. Then, before three seconds passed, she muttered.

"Hmm... Choco probably won't speak."

After all, people have to speak human words. Yeon chuckled at the imagination she had and stroked the sleeping Choco's head.

But, I hope she speaks.

-

Whoosh- The exhaled breath became white steam and rose.

Chora-rak- After clearing the rising system window entirely, I grabbed the large sword bigger than my body. And looking up at the giant monster looking down at me with eyes full of hatred.

It was a being that didn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠waste the name of a spirit that was about to become a god. A huge eight-tailed one that seemed able to embrace the sky, and a body larger than a mountain. And magic that pierces through equipment immune to all curses and status abnormalities.

None of these could be taken lightly. If it hadn't lost its reason from being dyed in magi, the defeat would definitely have been on this side.

After all, I had calculated that too and broke the seal.

"Ha, sorry. I woke you up from sleeping."

But if you're angry, you should have hidden better.

I muttered while adding strength to the hand holding the sword. The fight had already reached its end. All the equipment wrapping my body had been destroyed long ago, and only the sword and my body remained.

But the spirit who couldn't become a god was also a mess. Five out of eight tails were cut off by my sword, and the remaining three were also damaged. Some were half-cut or had all their fur gone.

With the tail, the source of power, cut off, the appearance was much more pathetic than before. However, the power coming out from that giant body, no matter how weakened, was not to be ignored.

But now, this fight was over. I don't know which side would win, but I was clearly going to fall with this last attack.

"Let's finish it soon."

As if answering my words, the spirit who couldn't become a god roared. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠At the same time, I rose high into the sky and raised my sword and-

I woke up from sleep.

"Is it awake?"

Even in Yeon's voice, I looked at her with a blank face and looked around. The desolate land and the giant monster had disappeared without a trace.

Only a bright and clear sky and the bustling village with daily noise were visible.

A dream? I couldn't hold back the yawn coming up and opened my mouth wide.

What a weird dream.