The Freed S*aves Became Obsessed

Chapter 53

We returned to the capital.

It had been three days since Rin collapsed, but she still hadn’t woken up. If she didn’t wake up, there wasn’t much I could do either.

That didn’t mean I planned to waste my days doing nothing. I had other things to take care of.

No matter how prosperous a city might be, wherever there is light, there are shadows, and in those shadows, you’ll find people rummaging through trash bins just to survive.

Bestia was no different.

If humans inhabit human cities, then most of Bestia’s inhabitants are—

“Alright, everyone, please line up in an orderly fashion. Hey, no cutting in line back there.”

Catfolk.

The furred wheels of society, and they were all lined up in front of me in an orderly queue. From splotchy patterns reminiscent of Korean Long-Nosed cats to those with pure white, black, and even a “Hitler cat” look, all sorts of catpeople were waiting their turn.

“Hey, you really gonna give us fish if we sign this contract?”

“Of course. Look over there. The others are already enjoying their fish.”

“You’re not gonna force us into hard labor or anything, right?”

“Not at all. You’ll continue living as you always have, just make sure to show up here at noon every day, and I’ll give you fish just like today.”

“You’re an angel, nyan!”

One of the catfolk grabbed a wriggling fish in their mouth and disappeared into the alley.

One by one, I made contracts with about ten of them. They didn’t seem too cautious, and once they spread the word and brought their friends, the numbers would swell quickly.

All of Bestia’s stray cats would become my slaves.

‘If I’m in Bestia, I might as well rake in the points.’

Beastfolk are like hearty soup.

Compared to the humanfolk, they’re generally of a higher tier.

What that means is that even with minimal care, the points I’d earn when liberating them would be significantly more than what I’d get from humans.

Earn points, save lives.

It’s a win-win situation.

“Have you been feeding the street catfolk again?”@@@@

“Haha, I’m just doing what I’m supposed to. No need for thanks—it’s what I do.”

“Sigh...”

Seyra shut her eyes tightly, pressing her hand against her forehead. She let out a deep sigh as if she could exhale the earth beneath her, then shot me a sharp look.

“They’re a nuisance to the city, doing no work and causing trouble whenever they can. If you keep feeding them, they’ll just get lazier.”

“Sounds like the dream life.”

“And the city administrators, like myself, will live a nightmare dealing with the problems they cause.”

Seyra’s eyes were particularly tired today. She had the same look you’d see in an employee trapped in a soul-crushing black company.

I understood how she felt. I, too, am not a fan of cat-ladies.

But these aren’t just any cats. In my eyes, they were cute girls with cat ears and tails.

Seeing them lying dead on the streets would definitely be unsettling.

‘I’ll save anyone I can.’

Sorry, Seyra. But instead of apologizing, I offered her a word of encouragement.

“Hang in there.”

“Haaaa...”

Thud!

Just as Seyra sighed once again, a dull thudding sound came from the inn. It sounded like the little fox had finally woken up.

I hurried up to the room. I’d even practiced how to speak with a fox in preparation for this day.

“Did you sleep well?”

Filled with excitement, I threw the door open.

Whoosh—

The moment the door opened, everything went dark. It was as if the sun had been covered by clouds. Before I could even register what was happening—

Bang!

Well, that didn’t work.

‘Hmm, that’s odd.’

What went wrong? My fox imitation should have been flawless. Maybe the problem is that Rin wasn’t properly socialized.

But that’s okay. As her master, I’ll show her patience and understanding.

For now, words weren’t getting through, and Rin’s hostility toward me was still sky-high. Whatever I said, she wouldn’t budge. So, I settled for stroking her tail.

How long did I wait like that? Gradually, her growls subsided, and instead, she started sniffing the air. Her head turned toward the door.

Click.

“I brought food.”

Seyra appeared with plates in both hands, kicking the door open with her foot.

“Thanks. Just set it down on the floor.”

“Do you even realize how low it is to manipulate someone’s basic needs like this?”

“Tell that to the foxes of Baekwoongok. Do you really think these thin limbs could handle anything on their own?”

“...”

Seyra couldn’t think of a counterargument, so she just sighed and set the food down before leaving.

The smell of meat quickly filled the room. It was so appetizing I started salivating, so I could only imagine how Rin felt.

Sure enough, she was instantly glued to the food. Actual drool dripped from her mouth, not just a metaphorical waterfall, but a real one.

If I remembered correctly, Rin had survived in the village by scavenging a few potatoes and sweet potatoes.

Meat? She hadn’t even seen it, let alone tasted it.

While Rin was out luring in the yokai, the villagers ate well among themselves.

Even though foxes are omnivores, eating nothing but potatoes for years must’ve been miserable. Even a potato-obsessed character from Springtime Outing would have asked, “Does your house only have potatoes?”

Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you eat so much meat today that your belly bursts. Though it won’t be free.

“Do you want to eat?”

Flinch.

Rin trembled. Her gaze, which had been fixed on the meat, shifted to me.

She wasn’t growling anymore.

Her heterochromatic eyes, one the color of the sun and the other the color of the moon, gleamed wildly, as if they were ready to explode.

Even without saying anything, she knew. She knew whose permission she needed to eat that food.

“If you promise to listen to me, I’ll let you eat.”

“...!”

“All you have to do is follow my words. That’s it. Simple, right?”

Rin, with her intelligence still at a five-year-old’s level, prioritized her instincts above all. She nodded madly.

“Good. If you behave, I’ll reward you.”

I sat Rin down on the bed and brought the plate over. I was going to feed her myself.

Even though we’d made a deal, I knew better than to trust a verbal contract with a child. If I wasn’t careful, I might lose a hand.

I stabbed a piece of juicy meat with a fork. As I lifted it, Rin’s eyes followed like a magnet, never breaking contact, no matter where I moved it.

Alright, time to stop teasing.

I brought the meat close to her mouth, and with a wide-open “Waaang!” she bit into it.

At that moment, Rin’s eyes widened in shock.

Since she couldn’t move her hands, I fed her little by little, and while she was distracted by the food, I stroked her head with my other hand.

Slowly, so she could get used to it.

So she’d come to accept my touch.

“Remember the taste of this meat well. As long as you listen to me, you can enjoy delicious meals every day.”

“Grrr!”

“Ah, seriously.”

But it lasted only as long as she was eating.

Now that her belly was full, she’s back to being a bratty little fox.