I Became The Villain’s Master - Chapter 1.4

“There are no kind people in this house. For now, don’t go anywhere, and stay right by my side.”

I grabbed Rory’s clothes tightly and spoke firmly.

Just then.

With a poof! The child’s body transformed into a small fennec fox.

Rory, startled, looked at me with wide eyes.

“Kee-ing. Kee-uu.”

Damn it.

I still had so much to warn him about!

Now I can’t speak!

It seemed the sun had already set.

When we grow older, we’ll be able to maintain human form at will, but we’re still young, so we return to fennec fox form at night.

As I struggled inside my dress, Rory carefully lifted me out.

A small child-sized drawer caught on my tail and came out, then fell off.

“A fox…?”

Held in his small hands, I let out a long sigh, “Keeng-“

“So cute…”

Rory blinked his large eyes and smiled brightly.

His smile, more dazzling than sunlight, made me feel like I might go blind.

Though his young cheeks were chubby, he already had fully formed beauty.

“Young Miss, were you a shapeshifter?”

I nodded my head slightly.

Whether he noticed my somewhat disgruntled expression or not, he looked delighted.

“It’s my first time seeing a shapeshifter. I think I’ve only seen them in storybooks when I was little…”

What? You remember that?

No, more importantly, you’re still little.

You’re only five.

“I’ll put you down. You’re so small, I’m afraid I might break you.”

He placed me on the bed.

Then, to match my eye level, he lay down beside me and gazed at me quietly.

My cotton ball-like figure was reflected in his beautiful pink eyes.

“Then, are all your family members shapeshifters too? Desert fox shapeshifter?”

“Kee-uu.”

I nodded as I answered.

“That’s so fascinating. May I pat your back?”

“Kyuu-uu?”

Just like in the book.

Rory carefully asked for permission before reaching out to me.

It seemed that the polite words and actions from the original work had already become a habit from his childhood.

As I nodded once more, the child whispered shyly.

“Thank you.”

A small hand gently rested on my back.

Being still a baby, my fur color was very light, but I heard it would darken as I grew.

Count Hauser and the thugs had darker sand-colored fur than mine.

Large ears, black eyes, sand-colored back, and white belly.

“Do you always change so suddenly like this?”

I shook my head no.

It’s not sudden, but I change when the sun sets.

“You said I was bought from a slave trader, right? What should I do from now on?”

Why do you keep talking?

I can only make whimpering sounds anyway.

After some thought, I stretched out my front paw and pressed firmly on his chin.

You.

Just focus on taking care of yourself.

I tried to send telepathic messages while glaring, but there was a transmission error.

“You mean, as I’m the Young Miss’s slave, I should serve the Young Miss?”

That’s not it!

“Kyuu-uu!”

“I understand. I’ll stay by your side and protect you.”

Who’s protecting whom, you fool?

I’m the one who needs to keep my eyes wide open to protect you.

I pressed my paws against Rory’s cheeks, which seemed full of flowers, but eventually gave up and lay down.

Knock knock.

“Young Miss. I’ve brought your dinner.”

“Kee-uu!”

At my call to enter, Ann came in pulling a tray.

She set the food on the table used for tea and reached out to me.

“Come here, please.”

I wriggled onto Ann’s hand.

Rory, who had naturally distanced himself, looked at me with a hint of regret.

“Kee-uu! Kyuu-uu!”

I pointed at Rory and made noises, indicating that he should eat too.

Understanding perfectly, Ann put me down on the table and gestured to him.

“Come here. The Young Miss is inviting you to dine.”

Rory scurried over and sat in the chair.

Ann blew on the food to cool it, then placed it on a small, shallow plate.

I buried my nose in the plate and licked up the food.

Rory, who had been watching me curiously, soon picked up his spoon.

“Thank you for the meal.”

After saying grace, he began to eat elegantly.

Even while just sipping soup, he didn’t make a sound, and his actions exuded a strange nobility.

Watching him cut the bread and meat into small pieces, Ann tilted her head.

“You seem like a child raised in a noble house.”

At Ann’s perceptive words, Rory blinked quietly.

“…Me?”

“Yes. I don’t know much about noble etiquette, but you seem more noble than our young masters. Are you perhaps from a fallen noble family? How did you end up with the slave trader?”

“I don’t know. I’ve lost my memories.”

“Oh dear. That’s unfortunate, especially for someone so young. Whatever the circumstances, I hope you regain your memories soon.”

“Yes…”

Rory lowered his head deeply.

Poor thing.

I grabbed a piece of bread that Ann had cut for me and carefully made my way to Rory, avoiding the plates and utensils.

Wriggling over, I placed the bread I had carried in my mouth onto Rory’s plate.

Rory stared down at me for a moment before giving a small smile.

“Thank you, Young Miss.”

“……”

No, how can a child… smile so forlornly?

Feeling unsettled, I quickly returned to my spot and focused on eating.

Ann offered me some finely cut meat and spoke again.

“I’m Ann. I’m the Young Miss’s personal maid. She doesn’t like having many people around her, so except for special occasions, I take care of her by myself.”

“I’m Rory.”

“You remember your name? That’s good.”

“No. The Young Miss gave me this name.”

I didn’t give it to you, that’s your original name.

I grumbled inwardly as I looked at Rory.

Even if I were in human form now, I wouldn’t have told him yet anyway.

“Oh my. It’s a pretty name. As expected, our Young Miss has a special sense. Listen, don’t be surprised. Actually, our Young Miss can read storybooks all by herself! She must be a real genius! I’m often amazed while serving her.”

“She truly is remarkable.”

I was dying of embarrassment as the two of them gazed at me admiringly.

I may look like a fluffy baby on the outside, but I’m in my 20s on the inside.

“Keeng. Kee-ing.”

I pushed away the empty plate.

It was a sign that I wanted more.

Ann happily served me more food.