Chapter 17: The Girl and the Fox

The Goblin Trailrunner made the journey much faster. The remaining distance didn’t take long to cover.

A little over an hour later, the forest started to thin out, and Ethan could see a village ahead. It was still dark, but the sky was already starting to brighten.

Ethan slowed the Trailrunner as he approached the eastern entrance. Several guards were standing near the gate, and one of them quickly stepped forward when Ethan got close.

"Wait."

Ethan stopped.

The guard walked over with the others following behind him. He looked at the strange vehicle Ethan was sitting on before looking at Ethan.

"Sorry, but we can’t let suspicious people enter the village right now. Some strange things have been happening these past few days, so we’ve been told to be more careful with people we don’t recognize."

"I’m here to deliver something."

Ethan took out the item the elder had given him and handed it over. The guard checked it and noticed the elder’s signature.

"This is from the elder of the other village?"

"Yes."

The guard checked it one more time before handing it back.

"Then you can enter. But you’ll have to leave that vehicle outside."

Ethan glanced at the Trailrunner. He didn’t want to waste any more time, so he put it back into his inventory.

"Alright."

The guard stepped aside, and Ethan walked into the village with the Shadow Wraiths following behind him.

He hadn’t gone far when he stopped and turned back toward the guards.

"Is there a place here that sells pets or beasts?"

The guard looked at him strangely.

"Pets?"

"Yes."

The guard thought for a moment before pointing down one of the streets.

"There are a few shops that sell pets and beast companions over there. Follow that road and you’ll find them."

Ethan nodded.

"Thank you."

He turned around and quickly headed in that direction.

As Ethan walked toward the pet shops, he remembered something from his past life.

This village had been destroyed later, and only a few people had survived.

One of them was a young girl who would eventually become a powerful Beast Master. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ

The reason she became so strong was a fox.

At first, the fox had seemed like an ordinary One-Tailed Red Fox, but it had a legendary bloodline. After forming a contract with the girl, its potential slowly revealed itself.

Ethan had only met the girl a few times in his previous life, but he remembered the fox.

Today was the day she would meet it.

Ethan had come here to find the fox before that happened.

He followed the road until he reached the pet shop.

Something was already happening outside.

A young girl was standing in front of the shop with a small fox in her arms.

The girl looked about fifteen years old and was holding a small fox in her arms.

The fox had reddish-brown fur and only one tail. It looked like an ordinary fox, but Ethan could sense that there was something different about it.

The shop owner stood in front of the girl with a troubled look.

"You need to pay for it."

"But I didn’t buy it."

The shop owner pointed at the fox.

"It doesn’t matter. The contract has already been formed."

"But I didn’t do anything."

"I know."

He sighed. "We’ve already tried to break the contract, but it didn’t work."

The girl looked down at the fox.

"Then what am I supposed to do?"

"Pay for the fox."

"I don’t have that much money."

The shop owner rubbed his forehead. He was clearly having a hard time with the situation as well.

Normally, the Beast Master was supposed to initiate the contract. Somehow, this fox had formed the contract with the girl by itself, and there was no way to break it.

Since the fox belonged to the shop, the only thing the shop owner could do was ask her to pay for it.

Ethan had been standing nearby listening to them.

He had come here specifically for the fox, but he was still too late.

He could only sigh. Some things really couldn’t be changed that easily.

Ethan walked over.

"What happened?"

The girl and the shop owner both turned toward him.

The shop owner explained, "This girl somehow formed a contract with that fox. Normally, the Beast Master has to initiate it, but this fox did it by itself."

He pointed at the fox in the girl’s arms.

"We’ve already tried to break the contract, but nothing worked. Since the contract can’t be reversed, she has to pay for the fox."

"But I didn’t even choose it," the girl said. "It just jumped into my arms."

"I know," the shop owner replied helplessly. "But the fox belongs to the shop."

Ethan glanced at the fox.

"How much?"

The girl looked at him in surprise.

"You don’t have to pay for me."

"I know."

Ethan turned toward the shop owner.

"How much is it?"

The shop owner gave him the price.

Ethan reached into his inventory. He didn’t have much ordinary money with him, but he had plenty of herbs and other resources he had collected from the spirit vein cave.

He took out one of the herbs and handed it over.

"Will this be enough?"

The shop owner stared at the herb for a moment before carefully taking it.

"This..."

He examined it closely.

"If this is genuine, it’s worth more than the fox."

"Then use it to cover the cost."

The shop owner looked at Ethan before accepting the herb.

"Fine."

Ethan turned toward the girl.

"You can keep the fox."

The girl looked at him for a moment.

"Thank you."

Ethan simply nodded.

He looked at the fox again. It was still quietly resting in the girl’s arms.

The fox had already chosen its master. Even if Ethan wanted it, there was no reason to force the situation.

"Thank you for helping me."

"You don’t have to thank me."

The girl was still holding the fox carefully in her arms.

"I still don’t understand why it chose me."

"Do you know what kind of fox it is?"

"No. The shop owner said it was just an ordinary One-Tailed Red Fox."

Ethan glanced at the fox again.

"An ordinary fox?"

"That’s what he said."

The girl seemed unsure as well. She looked at the fox for a few seconds before asking, "Do you know something about it?"

"Not really."

Ethan didn’t want to explain too much.

"Just take good care of it."

"I will."

She was quiet for a moment before asking, "Did you come here because of this fox?"

Ethan shook his head.

"No. I was just passing by."

"Oh."

She seemed to accept his answer, though she still looked a little curious.

"Do you know something about this fox?"

"Not really."

Ethan paused before adding, "Just take good care of it. It might surprise you one day."

"Surprise me?"

"You’ll find out."

The girl was still confused, but she didn’t ask again.

"My name is Lin Yue."

"Ethan."

"Nice to meet you, Ethan."

"Nice to meet you too."

Lin Yue hugged the fox a little closer.

"I’ll take good care of it."

"Good."

She gave Ethan a small smile before turning around and walking away with the fox in her arms.

Ethan didn’t stay there any longer.

He still had a task from the elder to complete, so he turned around and headed toward the village center.