Chapter 125

When I opened my eyes, I saw a traffic light crossing.

In front of me was a massive truck that had stopped, and the cars driving around and people walking on the street were all in a frozen state.

Could this be the moment before my accident?

As I stood there dazed with confusion, I was startled by something moving in my arms.

A small, cute cotton fox was staring up at me.

“Thank you. Thanks to you, I was able to break the curse.”

“Ah… could it be Ruel?”

“Kyaan. That’s right.”

Ruel tilted her small head and narrowed her eyes.

“What’s happening? Wasn’t I dead? Is this a dream?”

I looked around and then examined my body.

Jeans and a t-shirt, with a worn eco bag on my shoulder. Long, loosely tied straight hair.

I looked exactly as I did before the accident.

Ruel jumped out of my arms.

The small silver fox wagged her tail in the middle of the crossing and purred.

“I came to your world to break the curse. And I met you, someone with the same soul color. Like fate.”

I still vividly remember the cotton fox in the middle of the crossing.

I jumped in to save the fox, but perhaps I was drawn to it because our souls were similar.

“Thanks to you, the curse on my power has been lifted. If I had stayed in my world, I might have lost my sanity and drawn in monsters, causing terrible slaughter. You saved me and the people of my world. Thank you sincerely.”

I was momentarily speechless at Ruel’s calm explanation.

To think that Ruel might have played the role that Berdin did—drawing in monsters and trying to turn the kingdom into hell.

“The ominous existence of the Ulpes tribe… was that really true?”

Ruel nodded.

“Abandoned by my clan, I was on the verge of going berserk. I barely managed to twist the dimensional barrier and flow into your world.”

Ruel approached me gently and lightly licked the back of my hand.

“I’m sorry for changing your life. Now you can live your original life again.”

“Is that… possible?”

“Yes. If you cross this intersection, you can go back to the time before the accident.”

I couldn’t believe I could return to the situation before being possessed.

“Wait, what about Karden? What happens to Yudis, Uncle, and the people of the Northern Castle? Will they completely forget me?”

The cotton fox’s blue eyes stared directly at me.

They were calm and clear like a blue lake, reflecting my image within their depths.

“We are like books placed in the vast library of the universe. Your life and our lives are each like a book. The people you met are like characters in a book.”

“So what happens now?”

Ruel wagged her fluffy tail and smiled slightly.

“Now you can restart your life. In your own book.”

Is this the end? Does this mean I’ll never see Karden again?

As that thought crossed my mind, tears fell.

I saw the familiar concrete ground, worn canvas sneakers, and my skinny hands calloused from part-time jobs.

I remembered the days of struggling to survive alone, the nights of swallowing my tears while fighting loneliness and sadness in a cramped gosiwon.

No, I don’t want to go back.

I thought of the people who genuinely cared for and loved me.

They weren’t related by blood, but they loved me more than anyone else.

“I… I can’t go. Not leaving them behind.”

Ruel looked at me intently, seeming to understand.

“I respect your decision. Shushu.”

“Wait, if I stay in that world, what happens to you?”

If my soul becomes Ruel, what happens to the real Ruel’s soul?

“Two souls from different worlds exchange lives. That’s the balance of the worlds. You live as Ruel, and I live as you.”

“Ruel, are you really okay with living in my world?”

Ruel wagged her tail and perked up her ears.

“Yes. I think it’ll be fun here too. I adapt well anywhere, so don’t worry.”

The cotton fox rubbed her cheek against my palm. Her soft, fluffy fur was warm.

I hugged Ruel tightly to my chest. I could hear the small heart beating in my arms.

Ruel purred and whispered to me.

“Live happily, living your own life.”

Ruel slowly passed by me and crossed the intersection.

The cute cotton fox gradually transformed into a person. Black long hair and black eyes, looking like me.

At the same time, my appearance changed.

Snow-white hands and legs, silver hair flowing gently down my back.

Ruel, who had completely crossed the intersection, smiled brightly and waved at me.

I held back my tears and forced a bright smile.

I waved energetically toward Ruel and toward myself.

“Goodbye, Ruel. And goodbye to my other self. Be happy.”

***

“Please, open your eyes. Shuvelia…”

I could hear Karden’s sobbing voice.

Through my blurry vision, I could see Karden crying.

Suddenly, I had the silly thought that crying men are quite beautiful.

I wanted to ask him to cry more, but I shouldn’t make my man cry anymore.

I reached out and wiped Karden’s tears.

“I’m back…”

His expression froze in surprise, then changed to overwhelming joy.

“Shuvelia!”

Karden embraced me tightly.

Hearing his rapidly beating heart filled me with joy and relief.

All emotions turned into tears that flowed endlessly.

I finally exhaled in Karden’s embrace.

I’m really back.

To this place where I belong.

“Shushu, are you okay? Really?”

Yudis grabbed my hand with a tear-stained face.

“I was so scared thinking something had happened to you!”

Yudis burst into tears like a lost child.

Ron was also shedding small tears, and Owen had turned his head to wipe his eyes with his sleeve.

Her armor was covered in blood from the fierce battle. The other knights and soldiers also looked exhausted and weary.

Still, I’m glad. Everyone is safe. Just as Ruel said, I protected these people.

“I’m fine. Really. The monsters, are they gone?”

Ron scurried up to me and nodded.

“Shushu, you were amazing, incredible! You destroyed the dimensional barrier magic circle, and the monsters disappeared all at once! You should have seen the spectacle!”

Ron explained excitedly with an animated face. I grinned.

“Ron, you did well.”

At my compliment, Ron scratched the back of his head shyly, then seemed to remember something and grabbed my wrist.

Healing magic flowed from Ron’s hand.

“Shushu, is your power okay? I can barely feel it now. You’re not in pain, are you?”

“Yes. I think I used up all my power destroying the magic circle. Actually, I feel lighter now, so it’s fine.”

I turned my gaze to look for Franz. He had received a critical wound but was definitely still breathing.

Noticing my gaze, Ron pointed behind him.

Franz was lying straight, with Rena watching over him.

“I treated Franz first. He avoided vital spots, so he’ll be fine.”

“That’s a relief. Thank you, Ron.”

My eyes met with Rena’s, who was looking after Franz.

When she saw me, she stood up and bowed her head respectfully.

Ah, I blinked for a moment, wondering what it meant.

The look in Rena’s eyes was no longer contempt or anger, but sincere respect.

She had accepted and acknowledged me as a member of the Ulpes.

Tears welled up, but I held them back and nodded.

“By the way, where is Berdin?”

I had confirmed that he was hit while jumping into the magic circle and turned back into a wolf, but…

Karden raised his hand and pointed.

“Berdin is over there.”

Behind the guarding soldiers, a large gray wolf was lying down, bound in shackles.

Several other wolves were also visible.

When I tried to stand up, Karden quickly supported me.

“Shuvelia, are you trying to go to him? It’s dangerous.”

“I have one last thing to do.”

Seeing my determined expression, Karden sighed lightly and wrapped his arm around my shoulder.

“I can’t stop your stubbornness.”

Berdin, who had turned into a massive gray wolf, was breathing heavily.

I stopped in front of Berdin, cradled in Karden’s arms.

Sensing our presence, Berdin weakly lifted his eyelids.

The wolf glared at me with vengeful eyes as if wanting to kill me. Bloody fangs were visible between his breaths.

“You won… fox of Ulpes. Kill me… with your own hands.”

Karden reflexively drew his sword to protect me. I reached out to stop him.

“It’s okay. I’ll handle this.”

I approached the wolf and placed my hand on his bloodied head.

I could feel a tiny bit of my power remaining, though I thought it had completely disappeared.

It might have been Ruel’s final gift to me.

I closed my eyes and concentrated.

Ruel’s hidden true power was the queen’s ability to control the minds and memories of shapeshifters.

Ruel feared that she would go berserk and lead the shapeshifters to destruction, so she fled to another world to prevent herself.

I used that power on Berdin for the first and last time.

I made him completely forget his vengeful memories and past.

Now Berdin would lose his shapeshifter power and live as an ordinary wolf.

The light disappeared from Berdin’s eyes, full of venomous resentment and anger, and he gradually fell into sleep.

The wolf’s contorted face regained its original peacefulness.

Looking down at Berdin, I bid him a final farewell.

“Forget your resentment and live as the wolf you were meant to be. Berdin.”

I stood up with Karden’s support.

My head was still dizzy, and I staggered from the lack of strength in my body.

Karden was startled and embraced me.

In his arms, I rubbed my cheek against him like a baby fox, acting spoiled.

“Your Grace, let’s go back to the Northern Castle, shall we?”

Karden’s hands cupped my face.

His tenderness, encompassing my entire being, brought a gentle smile to my face.

His face came down and pressed against my forehead. He smiled freshly and whispered sweetly.

“Yes. Let’s return to the Northern Castle together. My companion.”

I closed my eyes as I felt Karden’s lips gently covering mine.

When we return to the North, I want to walk through the white birch forest holding his hand tightly.

I want to walk endlessly through the snow together, hand in hand, leaving our footprints side by side. Forever together.

 

The Fluffy Baby Fox Only Bites the Crazy Villain End

 

T/N: Normally, I’m thrilled when I finish translating a novel, but here my first reaction was: THAT’S the ending?! Something’s missing! ⊙▂⊙

I really enjoyed this novel—light reading for in-between times—and I’ll miss my Fluffy Fox and Karden, but…

What was that business with Franz at the end? First, I thought, “Do they really need to drag his character through the mud in these final chapters?” And then he finds out in such a clumsy way that Ruel isn’t even there anymore? My poor boii…(ᗒᗣᗕ)՞

One more chapter wouldn’t have hurt the whole story. Does she have no powers left now? What happens to all the innocent shapeshifters? The nobles will surely try to make their lives hell. Will Ruel’s uncle ever learn the truth?

And why is NO ONE addressing the horrible things that the king did to the wolf shapeshifters/tribe?! That history could actually help restore the image of the shapeshifters! Hello?! The shapeshifters were victims too! The king literally massacred them and stole their powers for his own gain, but everyone’s just like “oh well, ancient history” and moves on? Just saying, exposing that truth could have changed everything about how people view the shapeshifters!

I mean, this massive historical injustice gets brushed aside while the ending rushes through everything else. The whole conclusion felt so hastily wrapped up that we didn’t get proper closure on any of these important plot points.

Just like some characters didn’t really contribute anything to the story. Best example: OG FL Olivia. Where was she the whole time? And if I remember correctly, there was a slight feeling that she was interested in Karden… well, better than falling back on the “OG FL = evil” plot point, I guess. (=🝦 ༝ 🝦=)

Also, Shushu at the end became such a classic FL that I don’t like—the “I’m gullible but I can do everything” type. Why on earth did she follow Rena?!

Speaking of Rena, she was simply hateable. If that was the author’s intention, they deserve my deepest respect.

Ugh, such a big rant, but I really do like the novel, I swear.

Just one more thing: I missed a bit more interaction between the two protagonists. Yes, we all know how they feel about each other, but an “I love you” at the end would have been nice, especially when everything else was wrapped up so quickly. (˵¯͒〰¯͒˵)