Chapter 51
51
12. Little Predator
Unlike me, who was worried about how to take care of this furball, Kyung-ah seemed ecstatic.
As soon as Dang Jung left, Kyung-ah rushed over and looked at me with sparkling eyes.
Her face, full of anticipation, clearly showed that she wanted to touch Ju-ryeong. I held back a laugh and asked,
"Do you want to touch him?"
"Yes, yes...!"
At my suggestion, Kyung-ah nodded, her cheeks flushed.
Kyung-ah spun around as if trying to calm her excited heart, then bent down to meet the ferret's eye level.
"S, squirrel..."
He's a ferret.
"Kuing?"
"Y, you have... such pretty eyes..."
"Kuoong?"
"Y, your fur is... so soft..."
As Kyung-ah cautiously reached out her hand, Ju-ryeong rubbed his cheek against her finger as if being affectionate.
"Oh my... so, so sweet..."
"Kyung-ah, if you like him, hold him."
"R, really...? Is that okay...?"
"Of course. Of course, it is."
Ju-ryeong also reached out his front paws towards Kyung-ah, as if willing to be held. Kyung-ah carefully embraced the approaching ferret and exclaimed.
"Ah...! S, so... fluffy..."
Kyung-ah, stroking Ju-ryeong, wore the happiest smile I had ever seen.
Kyung-ah likes animals.
I was watching Kyung-ah with a pleased expression when I paused.
...Is that the reaction Grandfather was expecting?
I realized my mistake, but Dang Jung had already left.
I was so clueless. I should have at least pretended to like him.
Ju-ryeong seemed to be quietly held, but soon scratched Kyung-ah's sleeve with his front paws as if asking to be let down.
"Y, you're leaving...?"
"Kyuk."
Ju-ryeong, who answered, jumped out of Kyung-ah's arms.
He stretched lightly and began to wander around the building as if patrolling his territory.
"Hey. Don't get fur on my blanket."
"Kii."
"Why are you rummaging there? There's nothing to eat."
"Kiii."
Ju-ryeong, who had been rummaging through the detached building to his heart's content, soon turned his attention to people.
He climbed onto Dang Geunmyeong's back as he was tidying up the pond.
Dang Geunmyeong, who didn't move an inch until the ferret sat on top of his head, said bluntly.
"...Get down."
"Ki."
Ju-ryeong, startled by the subtle annoyance, hurriedly jumped to the ground.
He pretended to be nonchalant and groomed his fur, then returned to the study and greeted Deokju.
"Kkuluk?"
"......"
"Kii?"
"......"
But Deokju didn't react. He just stared down at Ju-ryeong.
When Deokju didn't move like a stone statue, Ju-ryeong looked at me with a sulky face.
"Don't bother Deokju and come here."
When I beckoned, he trudged back and sat down, his butt against my foot, and curled up.
Kyung-ah, who squatted next to me following Ju-ryeong, whispered softly.
"S, squirrel... if you sit there... you'll get d, dust on you..."
"Kkuluk."
"S, should I... make you a nest...?"
Kyung-ah gently brushed the dust off Ju-ryeong's fur, then brought a small basket from somewhere and filled it with scraps of cloth.
"G, go in... and see..."
When Kyung-ah gently pushed his butt, Ju-ryeong reluctantly went into the basket and settled down. He rustled for a moment, then soon began to snore softly.
"...Is he sleeping now? What a life."
As I glared at the basket, Kyung-ah put her finger to her lips.
"Sh, shhh... the s, squirrel... is sleeping..."
Then she took a walnut from her pocket and put it in the basket.
"When you wake up... e, eat it..."
Kyung-ah seemed to see him as nothing more than a squirrel.
I had to read my book in hushed tones so as not to wake the furball who had suddenly become my master.
Ju-ryeong, who had been napping lazily, woke up in the evening. To be exact, he woke up when dinner was ready.
The ferret came out of his nest and walked confidently to the dining room, shamelessly climbing onto the table as if my dinner was his.
I frowned and pushed Ju-ryeong away.
"Where do you think you're going? Get down."
"Kii!"
"You'll get fur everywhere. Are you a person? Why are you on the table?"
"Kiik!"
"No. If you climb up again, you'll be punished."
The ferret, dissatisfied, tapped his tail and rolled around on the floor as if throwing a tantrum at my threat. It seemed like he wanted me to give him something to eat.
"H, he must be... h, hungry..."
"We need to feed him. What do ferrets eat?"
"S, sweet... f, fruit...?"
As I and Kyung-ah were pondering, Deokju cautiously said,
"Shouldn't we feed a spirit beast a Grain-avoidance pill?"
"Grain-avoidance pill? I don't think he'll eat it."
I didn't think a ferret would eat a Martial Arts World's protein energy bar... or rather, a preserved food that people eat during closed-door training.
First of all, it doesn't taste good.
Despite my lukewarm reaction, Deokju didn't back down.
"We won't know until we try."
He carefully took out a Grain-avoidance pill and placed it in front of Ju-ryeong.
Of course, my prediction was correct.
"Kyaaak!"
Ju-ryeong, who kicked away the stinky pill, jumped up and hissed. It was as if he was asking why I was giving him something like that.
"H, he doesn't... l, like it..."
"He doesn't like it."
"......"
Deokju, who lowered his head silently, put the Grain-avoidance pill back in. He looked a little disappointed.
You wanted to feed him something too.
Ju-ryeong, who snorted as if he had seen something he shouldn't have, scratched the back of his ear with his hind paw and jumped onto the table.
"Kkuluk."
"What."
"Kkululuk."
The ferret, sitting in front of the meat dish, looked up at me. Saliva dripped from his small mouth.
"What is it? You want to eat this?"
"Kii."
"Can you eat seasoning? This is spicy, you know?"
"Ki!"
Ju-ryeong answered bravely as if he didn't care.
I scratched my head.
"Is it okay because you're a spirit beast? Then eat a little. You have to spit it out right away if it's too spicy. Got it?"
As I instructed, the ferret perked up his ears and bit into the meat.
"Chop chop."
"He eats so well. You'll get indigestion. Eat slowly."
"Chop chop chop chop."
I couldn't help but admire the way he devoured the meat as big as his body in the blink of an eye.
"How can such a small thing eat so well? Isn't it spicy?"
"Kyuk."
Ju-ryeong, who had eaten the duck meat in an instant, pushed the plate with only bones left towards me.
"You want more?"
"Kkyuu."
Ju-ryeong, who nodded, blinked his eyes as if trying to be cute. Then Kyung-ah grabbed the bowl as if saying no.
"A, Young Miss... y, you shouldn't... g, give him any more... the s, squirrel will develop... b, bad habits..."
"Kkii..."
"N, no... you... a, ate a lot..."
"Kkii...? Kkyuu...?"
"N, no means no..."
"Kkiiii..."
"Eek...! J, just... o, one more... piece..."
Oops. Kyung-ah gave in.
Kyung-ah, who had been chanting "Just one more piece, just one more piece" as if possessed, came to her senses after a duck disappeared into Ju-ryeong's stomach.
We looked at Ju-ryeong with awe.
The meat looks bigger than his stomach, where did it all go?
The ferret, who had finished his meal, patted his plump belly and lay down on the table.
There was a reason why his fur was so shiny. He eats so much, so his coat must be good.
"Hey. If you're done eating, get down. I have to eat too."
"Kkululuk."
Just then, Songji, who had brought the silk, tilted her head when she saw Ju-ryeong sprawled out on the table.
"Young Miss. I'm here. I brought the summer silk from Gwan Ga Won... Oh my, where did you get the fur? Are you cold?"
"Songji, you're here? Grandfather gave me this earlier..."
"Rat! It's a rat!"
Songji screamed sharply and threw down the silk. Ju-ryeong, startled, jumped up and jumped under the table.
"Songji. It's not a rat, it's a ferret..."
"Kyaaak! It's moving! Warrior! Catch it! Where's the broom, where's the broom?"
I said it's a ferret. Songji. It's not a rat, it's a ferret.
Songji, who had grabbed a broom in a hurry, tried to hit Ju-ryeong wildly.
"Songji, calm down. Grandfather gave it to me, so I have to take good care of it..."
"Rat, rat!"
Hmm. She can't hear me.
Ju-ryeong, who was spinning around the table to avoid the rampaging Songji, burrowed into my clothes.
I squirmed at the ticklish sensation of the fur.
"Hey, it tickles. Ju-ryeong! Hey!"
"Kyaaak! The rat went into Young Miss's body! Young Miss! Take off your clothes!"
I'm going crazy.
I laughed awkwardly and closed my eyes.
* * *
Ju-ryeong, who had gone through a harsh initiation ceremony, had a completely drained face.
The ferret, who had become limp like an invertebrate, didn't want to get off my lap. He seemed startled by Songji's sweeping.
"Kkyuuu..."
I soothed Ju-ryeong, who was groaning weakly.
"Cheer up now. Songji apologized."
"I thought it was a rat. Young Miss, you know that if a rat catches the eye of the superiors, the Maids will be severely punished."
Songji mumbled as if she was wronged.
That's true. From Songji's point of view, who didn't know where Ju-ryeong came from, it was a natural reaction.
"Anyway, Ju-ryeong is not a rat, he's a ferret. Don't try to chase him away from now on. And Songji is family, so you listen to Songji too."
"Kkululuk."
I, who was pacifying two people, no, one person and one ferret, was immersed in a strange feeling.
I never thought that the word "family" would come out of my mouth so naturally.
Until recently, I thought of them as just roommates, but now I felt like I would miss Songji if she wasn't around.
Perhaps I had become accustomed to the daily life with the three of them.
I looked at Songji with affectionate eyes. Still, thanks to Songji, I was able to adapt to the Tang Clan faster...
"Even if you look at me like that, you have to wash your hands and feet before going to bed. And be sure to wash your hands after touching that. If you touch something dirty, you'll catch a cold. Young Miss."
I wasn't looking at you because I didn't want to wash. What do you think of me?
Anyway, she doesn't let me get sentimental.
Ju-ryeong, who was upset by the word "dirty," also bared his teeth and hissed.
"Kiik!"
"What, you have a problem? Ferret?"
I said it's a ferret.
I sighed and rubbed my forehead.
It seemed like it would take time for Songji to get close to Ju-ryeong.
