Chapter 10

“Are you mocking me right now?!”

“If you want to fight, then come.”

“You—you—!”

The young man burst with anger at the guard, who didn’t even look at him and replied half-heartedly.
He grabbed his sword with both hands and rushed forward.

‘Just a watchdog guarding a brothel entrance!’
He was certain he would win.
He’d trained for years under a respected martial artist, and people always told him he had talent.

So of course he believed he could defeat a simple guard within three moves and earn the right to enter Cheonwolru.

Half the visitors came just to see Sehwa’s face.

And he firmly believed that he would see her today.

But—

“Ugh—?!”

Before the man could even swing his sword, something slammed into his right shin with tremendous force.

CRACK.

The sound of his bone snapping rang in his ears like thunder.

“AAAAAAAHHH!”

The man dropped his pretty, decorative sword and rolled on the ground clutching his broken leg.

When he finally lifted his head to see what hit him—

“Kyaong!”

A tiger.

More specifically, a very small tiger cub with yellow fur and bold black stripes.

“What—what is that? A cat? No—a tiger?! A tiger cub?! Why is that here?!”

The spectators around them were just as stunned.

“Huh? Isn’t that a cat?”

“No, that’s definitely a tiger. A cub.”

“Are the rumors true? Is the pavilion master really raising a tiger cub?”

“Ah—right, I heard he brought one recently…”

The crowd buzzed with excitement.

A tiger cub was rare.
You couldn’t approach one without risking death from its mother.

But here, a cub was freely running around… and even attacking challengers?

People’s eyes sparkled with interest.

“Another fool came to challenge Cheonwolru today.”

“Still… raising a tiger cub here? Unbelievable.”

“He didn’t even get the chance to swing his sword before collapsing. Looks like his leg is broken. How’s he going to duel now?”

People loved watching the challenges in front of Cheonwolru, so a crowd naturally gathered.

The challenger’s face flushed red with humiliation.

His pride shattered, the man grabbed his fallen sword.
Even if he couldn’t enter Cheonwolru, he refused to let the cub who broke his leg go unpunished.

“Kyeong!”

And right then—
the man saw something large, black, round, and soft filling his entire vision—

The tiger cub’s fluffy paw.

He fainted instantly.

***

– San-gun’s POV –

What is this guy’s problem?
Why is he spilling killing intent at me?

All I did was lightly smack his cheek with my paw because he was being rude.

And yet he fainted.

Human beings are so fragile…

Feeling equal parts annoyed and sympathetic, I tapped the unconscious man’s nose with my paw.

He lay there, bleeding from both nostrils, completely knocked out.
He didn’t look like he’d wake anytime soon.

“This cub is…”

“Probably the tiger the pavilion master brought in.”

“He did?”

Two guards stared down at me.

Huh. The fox chose well.
I hadn’t looked carefully earlier, but these humans were quite strong.

The strongest humans I’d encountered so far.

If they’re Cheonwolru’s guards…

…should I act cute?

I was still deciding how to behave when the fox finally appeared.

“San-gun!”

“Kkeong?”

[Why did you chase me?!]

How could I NOT chase you?! You ran off before hearing any of the warnings!

The fox let out a long sigh and picked me up.
Then he looked at the tense guards, who straightened immediately.

“We greet the Pavilion Master!”

“You’re doing well.”

The fox didn’t spare even a glance at the weakling collapsed at his feet.

He patted one guard’s shoulder as he carried me back inside.

“After your shift, go to the kitchen. I’ll tell the cook to prepare drinks and snacks.”

“Thank you, Pavilion Master!”

“Hard work should be rewarded.”

“Kao.”

It really doesn’t suit you. Every time I see this, the disconnect is insane.

[San-gun, please stay quiet. Why is your mind acting childish just because your body got smaller?

What did you say?! I’m already nearly a thousand years old!!]

And yet you’re doing things you never would’ve done before. That’s why you need to LISTEN to the warnings.

[I only hit him because he attacked me first.]

[Even weakened, you’re much stronger than ordinary humans.]

Really? Not all humans are strong? I thought they were, since all the spirit beasts were defeated by them.]

[Humans vary wildly in strength.]

While we argued, Sehwa hurried toward us.

“Pavilion Master, is San-gun…?”

“Here. San-gun, do you want to stay with me or with Sehwa?”

There was no need to think—I looked at Sehwa.
She blinked in surprise, and the fox handed me to her.

“San-gun likes you more. Hold him.”

“Yes, Pavilion Master.”

She accepted me gently.

“And don’t run off this time, San-gun. I still have to teach you the safety rules.”

[I thought the transformation would last longer…]

My ears drooped at the memory of going from proud human form to tiny cub legs again.

“San-gun, you keep forgetting your current condition…”

The fox scolded me, and I wilted.

We returned to the small hidden room where I had first transformed.

But my mood remained terrible from how quickly the transformation collapsed.

I, San-gun… couldn’t even maintain a basic disguise?!

I ate human-shaped ginseng and trained my inner core, all so I could walk among humans without trouble…
And yet this?

My plans felt like they were crumbling before even starting.

“San-gun…”

Sehwa gently patted my head, but it didn’t help.
She was sweet, but my reality was bitter.

[I know you’re discouraged, but listen, San-gun.]

[…Fine. Explain.]

Transformation uses more inner strength than you think. To fool humans properly, it has to hide your ears and tail and change fur to skin—none of that is simple.]

True enough.

[And right now, your strength only allows a child form—around ten years old.]

[Which I can’t even keep for long…]

[Because YOU sprinted off excitedly and tripped, breaking your focus!]

[…I got excited. It was my first time being human again.

[I get it, but still.]

I glanced down at myself.
My qi hadn’t drained too badly after all—so the fox was right.

I tapped Sehwa’s arm with my paw.
She understood immediately and set me on the ground.

Time to try again.

“Ah…!”

Even though she’d just seen it, Sehwa gasped again as I transformed.

“Good. It works nicely.”