Chapter 28
Grace showed the completed sketch to Frederick. The drawing seemed to perfectly capture the essence of the forest, as if it had been shrunk onto the paper.
“You did well.”
“I-I’ll show it to you again once I finish coloring it. With… Letius’s help.”
“All right. Then let’s get going.”
Grace put the drawing and her pencils into the bag she had brought with her. Slinging the art supply bag over her shoulder, she began to walk, following Frederick who had already started moving.
“Frederick…! Hey…!”
Suddenly, Grace stopped and let out a startled cry.
Frederick turned his head. Where she was pointing, a small animal was collapsed on the ground. Because of its white fur, it was hard to make out clearly against the snow, but with his Swordmaster’s eyes, Frederick could immediately identify it.
“A fox…?”
“I-It collapsed….”
Without waiting for any warning, Grace rushed over to the fox. Frederick followed her. Her eyes widened as she checked on the fox’s condition.
“It’s hurt…”
The fox lay on its side, breathing faintly. A deep wound was visible across its belly, and blood was steadily flowing from it. Blood had also pooled around its mouth.
“What should we do?”
Grace looked distressed. She glanced between Frederick and the fox with pleading eyes.
“You want to take it with you?”
“Yes…”
Grace nodded eagerly, as if she’d been waiting for him to ask.
“Hm… If that’s what you want, then go ahead.”
“Okay…”
Frederick didn’t see any reason to object, so he readily agreed. Grace knelt and gently lifted the fox.
“Oh no… Y-You poor thing…”
“……”
“It’s… so small…”
She couldn’t finish her sentence. Instead, she wrapped the fox in her arms. It whimpered softly and nestled into her chest.
“It must hurt…”
Grace spoke to the animal as though it were a person, patting it gently. Blood from the fox stained her dress, but she didn’t care at all.
“If you’re going to treat it, we should hurry. It’s bleeding quite a bit.”
“Yes…!”
When they returned with the fox, Dorota was waiting at the edge of the forest. Seeing Grace, she looked puzzled.
“My lady, what is that you’re holding?”
“This… it’s a fox…”
“Did you hunt it?”
Grace shook her head.
“No. It was hurt and collapsed. I brought it back.”
“R-Right… It needs treatment.”
“Take it inside and take care of it.”
“Yes, ma’am. I thought you’d hunted it because of the blood.”
Dorota took the fox into her arms. Even in her hold, the fox fit snugly, it was so small.
“What a tiny little fox. How did it get hurt like this…? But it’s really beautiful…”
Dorota clicked her tongue as she inspected the fox, then let out an admiring sigh. Its snowy white fur, closed eyes, and stubby nose gave it a cute yet mysterious appearance.
“Are… there many like this?”
“No, ma’am. I’ve lived in the Winstaine territory my whole life, and I’ve never seen a white fox like this. First, we need to treat it.”
“I… want to do it.”
“You, my lady?”
“Yes… I want to treat it myself.”
Grace nodded firmly. Dorota looked at her briefly, then turned toward the castle.
“Follow me, then.”
“I’ll be there.”
Grace spoke quietly to Frederick.
“All right.”
Frederick didn’t quite understand why Grace insisted on treating the fox herself.
She probably doesn’t even know how to. Wouldn’t the servants do a better job? It’s just an animal.
Strange.
He watched her disappear with Dorota, staring after them for a long time.
Once inside the room, Dorota spread a cloth on the floor and laid the fox on it. Then she disappeared, telling Grace to wait.
“……”
Grace quietly watched the fox lying there. Blood was still oozing from the wound on its belly.
It must really hurt…
Even just looking at it again made her heart ache. Her expression was on the verge of tears when—
“I’m back.”
Dorota returned with a tray carrying ointment, gauze, and bandages. Setting the tray down, she opened the lid of the ointment jar. Using tongs, she picked up a piece of gauze, dipped it in the green ointment, and handed it to Grace.
“Please apply this to the wound.”
“Okay…”
Grace took the tongs and gently applied the ointment to the fox’s belly. Its small body flinched.
Does it hurt?
Even with its eyes closed, it seemed to feel the pain. Grace grew even more careful with her movements.
“Done…”
Once the ointment was evenly spread, Grace looked at Dorota.
“Give me the tongs… Now we need to wrap it with bandages. Would you like to do that as well, my lady?”
“Y-Yes.”
Grace nodded. She was completely focused on caring for this tiny creature.
“Then I’ll lift the fox slightly. Please wrap the bandage around its body like this.”
Grace accepted the bandage Dorota handed to her. Dorota gently lifted the fox. Grace laid the bandage over the wound and wrapped it around the fox’s body.
“Just repeat that a few more times.”
Following Dorota’s instructions, she continued wrapping it several more times. After about five layers, Dorota softly whispered that it was enough.
“It’s done now.”
“Okay…”
“Now we wait for it to recover.”
“It’ll… be okay, right?”
Grace removed her hand, gazing at the fox with worried eyes.
“It’ll be fine.”
Dorota smiled reassuringly.
Two days later, the fox opened its eyes.
Carried in Dorota’s arms, it arrived in Grace’s room. With bandages around its belly, the fox looked up at Grace with wide, dark eyes. Grace reached out her hand.
“H-Hi.”
She smiled and greeted the fox.
The fox stared at her without reacting, then tilted its head slightly.
So cute…
That tiny motion somehow tugged at Grace’s heart.
“It looks like it’s staring just like a person would.”
“How adorable. How can something be so cute?”
The maids all gushed over the fox.
“Hold it, my lady.”
Dorota handed the fox to Grace. As soon as the small, fluffy creature entered her arms, she felt its soft warmth.
“It’s like something from a storybook. I can’t believe animals like this exist…”
“Can we pet it too?”
“Y-Yes…”
“Wow, it’s so soft. Like silk!”
The maids each took turns carefully petting the fox, all amazed. When Annie stroked its head, the fox closed its eyes and rubbed its head against her palm.
“So gentle and pretty.”
“It really likes people. Like a pet raised at home.”
“They say foxes can bewitch people—maybe it’s true.”
As Grace stroked the fox, she suddenly became curious.
“What do foxes… eat?”
“I’m not an expert, but it seems to like fruit. So we’ve been giving it berries.”
“I see…”
Grace stared at its tiny mouth. Imagining it nibbling on food was oddly fascinating.
“You’ve got yourself a lovely pet, my lady.”
That day, Grace spent nearly the entire time with the fox. Even when Frederick returned to the bedroom that night after dining with the knights, Grace was still holding it. The fox was snuggled in her arms, enjoying her gentle touch.
“Frederick.”
“Ah, that fox. Looks like it’s recovering?”
“Yes. I-I think so.”
As Frederick sat beside her, Grace held the fox out slightly toward him.
“D-Do you want to pet it? Here.”
“You want me to touch this fox?”
“Yes, yes…”
Grace nodded. Frederick hesitantly reached out his hand.
It was the first time he had ever touched the fur of a living animal, not the pelt of one hunted. The warmth beneath its fur felt unfamiliar.
“It’s small…”
“Right? So… so small.”
“Do you like small animals?”
The question slipped out as he watched Grace gaze at the fox with such tenderness.
