Fox Sister

The cold winter wind sneaked through the cracks of the cheap inn’s door.

I tried to pull up the thin blanket to block the cold, but the chill seeped deep into my bones.

It’s already been a year since I came to the north.

Time has flown by, but my life is still as cold and lonely as a bare tree branch.

Luckily, I can read and write, so I manage to scrape by with occasional transcription work.

The problem is, the work isn’t steady.

Going days without food is normal.

When was the last time I ate a full meal on a warm floor?

The memories of that time feel like a story from a distant land.

Today, I was lucky enough to get some transcription work.

The owner was a grumpy old man, but at least he paid properly.

I carefully sharpened the old, thick brush.

It had been a while since I held a brush, and my fingers trembled slightly.

The brush glided across the thin paper, and black ink seeped into the white surface, forming neat characters.

As I focused on writing, I forgot about my hunger for a while.

By the time the sun was setting, I finally finished the transcription.

I handed the thick manuscript to the old man, and after checking it thoroughly, he tossed me a few coins.

“Hmm, this time it’s passable.”

I ignored his backhanded compliment and put the coins in my pocket.

Having gone days without food, my body felt weak.

I dragged my heavy legs toward the marketplace.

At the entrance, a lively song caught my attention.

Performers in colorful clothes danced, their playful expressions drawing laughter.

For a moment, I forgot my hunger and was mesmerized by their performance.

But then I saw a woman selling rice cakes nearby, and my stomach growled loudly.

I swallowed my saliva and turned my gaze, heading into the marketplace.

With the coins I earned today, I could barely afford a bag of flour.

As dusk fell, I bought a bag of flour and started heading back.

A cold sensation crept up behind me.

At the narrow alley entrance, a dark figure flickered.

It wasn’t the first time I’d seen it.

For months, this shadow seemed to follow me.

‘It must be my imagination…’

I tried to convince myself and quickened my pace.

But the dark figure seemed to grow clearer.

Suddenly, I heard a short groan behind me.

Startled, I turned around to see a scholar in a robe who had apparently kicked over an old basket.

Red apples spilled onto the ground, and the scholar hurriedly picked them up.

At that moment, the shadow at the alley entrance grew darker.

That night, unable to sleep, I tossed and turned.

The cold night air seemed to cool my stifled chest, so I got up and stepped outside.

The faint moonlight pierced the darkness, illuminating the alley.

I walked aimlessly through the quiet streets.

Under the dim moonlight, the dark shadow I’d seen earlier lingered in my mind.

As I walked, the darkness seemed to thicken, and I felt drawn into it…

Then, the ground beneath my feet changed.

Before I knew it, I was heading into an unfamiliar forest.

I was sure I had been walking on the main road, but now I was surrounded by thick trees.

The sound of a branch breaking shattered the silence, and two glowing lights flashed in the darkness.

A low, deep growl tore through the air.

Before me stood a massive tiger, baring its fangs and staring at me.

The fallen leaves beneath my feet felt like a grave holding me in place.

My body froze, and I couldn’t even run. I held my breath.

The tiger slowly approached me.

The air was tense with anticipation.

Each heavy step seemed to sync with the pounding of my heart.

Then, the tiger’s large mouth slowly opened, and a deep, resonant voice echoed through the forest—a voice that seemed too majestic to belong to a beast.

“You are a curious one. Can you see them?”

I was stunned.

Despite the fear, my heart strangely began to calm.

The voice was human-like, yet it carried the authority of a forest spirit.

“Do not be afraid.”

The tiger whispered softly and took a step back.

Its glowing golden eyes stared deeply into mine.

“I have no intention of eating you. I am the Mountain Lord of this mountain.”

The commanding voice made me instinctively pause.

Under the moonlight, its massive form felt as majestic as the mountain itself.

“For a long time, I have protected the village at the foot of this mountain.

But recently, something ominous has been lurking around the village.”

The Mountain Lord’s voice carried a strange sorrow and urgency.

Its low growl seemed to penetrate deep into my heart.

“Perhaps you could help me?”

The Mountain Lord tilted its head slightly.

Its golden eyes shone like unfathomable abysses, and its breath carried a faint earthy scent mixed with the smell of a beast.

Despite the overwhelming presence, I sensed desperation.

“I will reward you handsomely.”

I hesitated, unsure of what to do.

‘What can I even do…?’

I’m not a shaman, nor do I have the ability to exorcise spirits.

I may have a bit of divine ability, but I’m just an ordinary woman.

“Mountain Lord… why me…?”

I asked cautiously, my voice trembling.

Before I could finish, the Mountain Lord spoke again.

“I will give you four beads.”

Its large paw moved slowly, and four beautifully colored beads rolled onto the ground.

The beads glowed brightly under the moonlight.

“Bury each one in the east, west, south, and north of the village.”

Strangely, I felt an irresistible pull.

I stared blankly at the beads, my mind swirling with thoughts.

I recalled the Mountain Lord’s words.

“Something ominous…”

The sinister things the Mountain Lord mentioned were probably the black shadows I had often witnessed.

“And take this with you, just in case.”

The Mountain Lord’s paw moved again.

This time, a pouch covered in thick brown fur was placed in front of me.

“Scatter the fur inside this pouch.

It will buy you time, and I will come running to bite it to death.”

The Mountain Lord’s voice was filled with strong conviction.

With trembling hands, I grasped the bead and the fur pouch.

The rough texture of the fur at my fingertips made my heart feel strangely unsettled.

The Mountain Lord’s golden eyes seemed to pierce deep into me.

After taking a deep breath, I nodded with difficulty.

“Understood. I’ll do as you say.”

Though my voice shook, my resolve was firm.

If it was just a matter of burying the bead, I thought I could handle it.

But following the Mountain Lord’s words, I sensed this wouldn’t be the end.

My grip on the bead tightened.

In the cold night air, the bead was oddly warm, as if it held a subtle life force.

I remembered the “ominous thing” the Mountain Lord had mentioned.

The black shadows that had been lurking around the village, sending shivers down my spine.

Though I hadn’t been in the village long, it was a place that had welcomed me, a stranger.

I recalled the day I had nearly collapsed from hunger, and how someone had reached out to help.

If something were to happen to them, I couldn’t just turn away and leave.

Clutching the bead tightly, I took a deep breath.

Though fear still lingered in a corner of my heart,

a courage I didn’t know I had was slowly rising.

The Mountain Lord before me had already begun to fade.

Its golden eyes gave me one last deep look,

then it slowly turned its head and disappeared into the darkness of the forest.

I walked to the edge of the village.

The chilly winter wind lightly brushed against my clothes as it passed.

First, I headed east.

Reaching a quiet corner of a field, I carefully dug into the ground.

As the cold soil touched my fingertips,

an inexplicable sense of foreboding seeped into my back.

I buried the blue bead in the ground and covered it with soil.

The moment the bead was buried, the air around me suddenly grew heavy.

It felt as if an invisible hand was pressing down on the air, suffocating my chest.

“It’s okay, it’ll be fine.”

I reassured myself and headed west.

The west was near a stream where villagers chopped wood or did laundry.

It was as quiet as usual, but something felt off.

I buried the gray bead in the ground and hurried south.

The south was a secluded area with old warehouses.

It was the perfect place to bury the bead.

As I carefully pushed the red bead into the soil,

a cold wind brushed past my back.

A chill ran down my spine.

The growing sense of foreboding made my heart tremble.

Now, only the north remained, where the shabby inn I was staying at was located.

As I walked to bury the last bead,

a familiar figure appeared in the distance.

It was a young woman selling rice cakes.

She noticed me and approached with a worried expression.

“Are you… okay? You don’t look so good…”

I awkwardly smiled and assured her I was fine before leaving.

As I headed north, strange sounds began to reach my ears.

At first, I thought it was the wind,

but soon it became clear.

“Thud, thud…”

The faint sound of footsteps grew closer.

My heart began to race.

It wasn’t my imagination. Something was definitely following me.

I ran breathlessly, frantically burying the last yellow bead in the ground.

The moment the bead disappeared into the soil,

a bizarre cry tore through the air, shaking the entire village.

Silence fell. It was as if the world had stopped, and then it appeared.

A massive shadow, at least ten feet tall, emerged from the darkness.

Its twisted head seemed to hang brokenly,

and a dark aura writhed around its body.

“……”

I couldn’t even open my mouth.

The disgusting and terrifying sight made every hair on my body stand on end.

Its gaze felt like it was piercing through me.

It slowly approached me.

A large hand with grotesque fingers stretched out toward me.

My legs trembled, but I clenched my teeth and grabbed the Mountain Lord’s fur pouch from my waist.

I tore the pouch and threw the thick brown fur at it.

The moment the fur touched it, the creature paused.

White smoke rose from where the fur had landed.

But it was only for a moment.

With a grotesque sound, its neck slowly,

very slowly, twisted as it glared at me again.

Its hollow eye sockets and sharp teeth were exposed, its face twisted like a demon.

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