[BotB] Chapter 2

Before long, they reached the foot of the mountain, where they had their first desperate fight. He pushed her into the cage he had prepared.

He said he had gone to the human village and asked the Western merchant to procure some goods for him specially. Baruru trembled at his meticulousness.

"Were you planning this from the start... when you bought that bird cage?"

"Of course not."

The one who closed the birdcage with a clang began to transform.

The fur that had covered his entire body disappeared, and his snout shortened. His front paws, which had hidden gruesome claws, turned into pale, long fingers of a man. The four legs that had trodden the ground turned into long, sturdy legs and arms.

Like a domestic beast-man, he quickly took on the complete form of a human with black hair and brown eyes. His wide-open forehead and thick jet-black eyebrows looked warlike, and his straight nose and jawline looked noble enough to be considered a young master of a noble house. His slightly raised, plump, red lips revealed a proud and ferocious disposition.

Although she had watched him since childhood, he had a handsome face.

"Don't think about abandoning me and running away anymore. You should understand now that it will only bring you harm."

He tapped the iron bars where she was trapped with his long fingers. Sohwa growled, showing her teeth at his annoying behaviour.

He smiled coyly as if finding her adorable and headed home with the birdcage.

"Don't worry. All you have to do is live happily with me."

He said in a rather cheerful tone.

"Imugi has a sacred bead. Even monsters like us of different species can have babies with that bead."

Dohwi whispered as if revealing a secret.

"I'll attain it. Your wish is to have a baby, right?"

"..."

Sohwa only crouched as if she hadn't heard. But her ears twitched involuntarily. As the mating season approached, her recent desire was indeed to have a baby.

'But not with you.'

Sohwa, who turned 100 this year, wanted a baby with a red fox, like herself, not a terrifying beast disguised as a human.

"It seems you're interested. You're making me excited."

Dohwi smirked, laughing ominously.

"Are you blind? I'm not a female tiger!"

"But you are a female."

Sohwa stayed silent.

"You're my female."

Just stop talking. He wasn't the type who could engage in conversation.

"All we need is the bead. Then we'll look like a normal family."

A normal family? How could he utter that when he had trapped her in a birdcage? Sohwa snorted out of disbelief.

Perhaps annoyed by her twisted attitude, he suddenly stopped.

"Sohwa."

He, lifting the birdcage, called her name in a slightly lower voice and met her gaze. At the fierce look in his eyes, Sohwa flinched and fidgeted with her front paws.

"We have to honour our promises. You agreed to live with me forever."

"When did I…"

As she gathered her courage to argue, his thick eyebrows furrowed. He shook the birdcage irritably. Startled, Sohwa's body jumped.

"You took me when I was just born and raised me at your will. How can you abandon me now?"

She growled, showing her teeth.

"I raised you. Is this how you receive my grace!"

"That's why I'm returning the favour."

He pushed his face close to the cage with angry eyes.

"I'll grant your wish, and as I've been doing so far, I'll take care of you. What's your complaint?"

Grrrr…. The roar of a growling beast sounded like a hallucination. Sohwa quickly lowered her eyes. She was wet again. At the sound of the water dripping, he frowned unhappily.

"It seems we can't do this. You keep peeing."

Although Sohwa had made a shameful mistake, he seemed angry that she was scared of him.

His rough hand opened the ring of the iron cage. Even in a human body, he was as large as a beast. His hand, as big as a pot lid, caught Sohwa, who was trying to escape to the corner.

Despite her squeals, he was relentless. He pulled Sohwa out and threw the birdcage away.

Crash. The sound of the iron bars breaking sounded threatening. Naturally, Sohwa’s tail curled back tightly. He, without any concern, lifted her to his eye level.

"Turn back into a human."

He ordered her to transform into a human body quickly.

Sohwa shook her head vigorously. No. No way. Although a human body was convenient for living, it was a disadvantage in urgent situations. First and foremost, it was inconvenient to sprint, making it difficult to escape.