The Freed Slaves Are Obsessed

A single ray of sunlight broke through the dark city.

As holes began to form in the ceiling of darkness, the ragged storm clouds disintegrated, unable to maintain their form.

The darkness scattered. The sun rose over Bestia.

It wasn’t an artificial sun created by Lin’s fox magic—this was the true sun.

Under the warm sunlight, the city looked as if nothing had happened. Only traces remained on the ground where something had once risen, and it was peaceful, as if nothing unusual had occurred.

No trace of the yokai remained anywhere.

The lesser yokai had burned to ash in the sun, and those that endured stumbled through illusions before being brutally slain. Only a few of the most powerful yokai managed to escape through the demon gates with their lives.

The once-mighty yokai king, the Gumiho, who had ruled over yokai, learned what it truly meant to challenge the heavens.

It was a different level. A different dimension.

An overwhelming power beyond reach. Even a great yokai couldn’t stand against a Gumiho who toyed with fate itself.

Lin alone stood tall under the heavens.

"It’s all over."

Karami thought to himself as he looked up at the clear sky.

The Night Parade of a Hundred Demons had passed. No one had been harmed by the Gumiho.

Now, simply being with Lin would no longer twist fate or bring misfortune. Having conquered even the Night Parade, Lin now possessed the strength to overcome any misfortune.

This meant that Lin’s conditions for complete liberation had been fulfilled.

In Lin’s story, the heavens weren’t a tangible enemy but an abstract entity. It could be interpreted as a god, but in this case, it was fate.

Fate is a vast web of invisible threads. No matter how you try to escape, the threads snag on your fingertips, pulling other threads and entangling you, until you can’t escape.

Eventually, you resign, accepting it as fate.

Misfortune, too, is an inevitable force. Just as a spark swept up in the wind can spread into a massive blaze, misfortune appears suddenly, burning everything in its path.

In the face of natural disaster, human effort is but a small ripple.

A fox spirit that causes disasters. A fox that brings misfortune. A Gumiho that twists fate.

For Lin, who carried the world’s ill fortune, the condition for her liberation was to endure and overcome without giving up. Her growing tails were evidence of her will, manifesting in physical form.

"Now, let’s finish this."

Although he could liberate Lin right away, there was one last thing Karami wanted to do for her as her master.

The day after the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons.

Though the yokai had vanished, the city’s unrest lingered. Official notices bearing the royal seal appeared on bulletin boards throughout the city.

Poppy, the maid with striking white and twin pink hair, busily distributed newspapers.

The front-page headline and bulletin board announcement read:

—The Hero Who Saved Bestia from Yokai: The Gumiho—

"What? The Gumiho saved Bestia? What’s this about?"

"Isn’t it just propaganda?"

"But I hear even Princess Hilde and Yuha of Cheonsangru are vouching for it?"

Yes, that Hilde. The notorious troublemaker was supporting the Gumiho.

People were baffled by Hilde’s 180-degree shift in stance, especially since she’d previously led soldiers to capture the Gumiho. As the next in line for the throne, her endorsement carried significant weight.

Additionally, Cheonsangru, Bestia’s largest trading guild, was also backing her. A group known for their ruthless focus on profit, now supporting the Gumiho.

The citizens couldn’t help but be shocked.

All of this was Karami’s calculated scheme. Of course, he hadn’t lied.

After all, it was true that Lin had saved Bestia. Though the crisis had happened because of her presence.

Naturally, endorsements from prominent figures alone weren’t enough. The most crucial factor in changing public perception was the citizens' own opinions.

The catfolk among the crowd began to speak up.

"I actually saw the Gumiho fighting yesterday. She threw a fiery spear right into that giant ogre, and it couldn’t even move!"

"I was home when the yokai attacked, but suddenly, there was a flash of light, and they melted away! Turns out it was thanks to the Gumiho!"

Since the Night Parade battle had unfolded across the entire city, there were many eyewitness accounts.

To think the Gumiho had fought to protect them.

Given her infamous reputation, many were still skeptical, but the seed of "maybe" had been planted in their minds.

With no more misfortunes on the horizon, people would slowly begin to see Lin in a different light.

Watching the shifting atmosphere from Cheonsangru, Karami smiled in satisfaction.

"How about it? Don’t you think you can walk proudly through the streets now?"

"No matter what anyone says to Lin, Lin can win now."

"Let’s handle things like a proper fox, not with brute force, but with wit and words."

As he said that, an idea sparked in Karami’s mind.

"Handling things with wit and words... In that sense, a fox and a slave trader are quite similar, aren’t they?"

"Hmm...."

Lin liked hearing that she was similar to her master, even in such a small way.

"I’m truly impressed. I never imagined the Gumiho could be freed from misfortune."

Yuha, seated at a round table, looked at the pair with a faint, weary smile.

She recalled Karami’s bold words when he’d first come to her, vividly remembering his resolute gaze.

“Rather than obeying some invisible will of the heavens, isn’t it a hundred times wiser to protect the pitiful child right in front of us?”

“But many innocent people will suffer. Aren’t you concerned about the harm they’ll face?”

“That’s why I need to raise her properly. I’ve raised a few before, and I know it creates a world where no one gets hurt.”

She had thought it youthful arrogance, yet he had upheld his words to the end.

Proclaiming a world where no one would be hurt, yet willing to burn himself to make it happen.

"A foolish, stubborn man."

"I am in complete agreement with you."

"But it’s exactly because of that he could defy fate."

"......."

Heukbi, seated beside Yuha, gently ran her hand along her teacup.

Both Yuha and Heukbi had expected Karami’s death or ruin. A mere mortal cannot resist the heavenly decree—a command from the heavens, a fate, a life.

Yet he, the most fragile of beings, had overcome it by sheer will. How could they not be astounded?

Moreover, he held the power of the Gumiho, one capable of controlling the world, yet didn’t use it for personal gain.

If the Gumiho had fallen into someone else’s hands...

No, it was a pointless thought.

If it hadn’t been Karami, the Gumiho would never have broken free of fate.

Was this all destiny? Or was it the result of human choices?

No matter how much Heukbi pondered, she couldn’t find a definite answer.

"Whatever it is, isn’t it a lovely sight?"

"Well...."

"The Gumiho may be playful, but she’s not inherently bad. I believe you’ll grow closer if you get to know Lin."

"I’ll consider it."

As Yuha and Heukbi chatted, Karami and Lin approached them.

"Do you have something you’d like to say?"

"I wanted to express my gratitude."

"I haven’t done anything. It was all the two of you. I assume you’re planning to leave Bestia?"

"Now that our business here is done."

There was no longer a reason to stay in Bestia.

At the mention of leaving, Lin perked up with interest.

"Master, where are we going next?"

"No, Lin. I’m the only one leaving."

"Huh?"

Lin tilted her head, not understanding.

Karami smiled gently and clapped his hands together.

Clap.

The shackles binding Lin’s soul released at the sound of his clap.

"You’ve worked hard until now."

[Fox of Misfortune Liberation Complete]

Right after the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons, Lin felt a freedom beyond others' understanding.

The sense that fate, which had tried to make her miserable, had been severed. It felt as though the sticky spiderwebs entangling her had fallen away.

She would no longer bring danger to her master. She could stand proudly by Karami’s side.

How sorry she had felt. Each time misfortune struck Karami, she had felt like a sinner, unable to lift her head.

But not anymore. At last, the hardship was over, and happiness awaited.

Or so it should have.

"Wha... what?"

Lin instinctively patted her body.

The shackles... the shackles were gone. The unbreakable bond with Karami had been severed.

"Master, what did you...?"

"Do you remember what I used to say? That slavery is wrong. Now that the time has come, I’m granting Lin her freedom."

"W-what do you mean, Master? Did Lin do something wrong?"

Karami’s announcement of their parting dropped like a thunderbolt. The bonds of servitude were undone, yet Karami, oblivious to the heartbreak he’d caused, simply smiled.

"Haha, it’s not like that. Didn’t I promise to liberate you from misfortune? And now I’m liberating you from slavery too. I’m giving you true freedom."

"L-Lin’s fine as she is! Lin likes being Master’s slave!"

"Oh no, Lin, you mustn’t say such things. And now you don’t need to call me Master. We’re equals now, so you can call me Karami."

Karami, not Master. The change in title felt foreign to Lin. She felt an invisible wall rise between them.

"Ah, freedom! Liberation! It has such a wonderful ring to it."

Unaware of her turmoil, Karami was thrilled.

While he had to free Lin anyway, his modern Earth upbringing told him he was doing the right thing.

Was liberating beastfolk slaves abandonment? Did they resemble pets?

It was case by case. Just look at Hilde—she was desperate to be freed.

Lin had been a slave since she was too young to speak, so she was accustomed to that life, unable to fully grasp right from wrong.

Of course, it wasn’t Karami’s job to teach her the merits of freedom. He was a slave trader; he dealt with slaves. He had to leave to rescue other unfortunate slaves.

But there were good people around her who would show Lin how wonderful freedom was.

Surely, Lin would come to understand.

"From now on, you don’t need anyone’s permission. Eat what you want, do what you like. Lin, you’re free!"