Plin Ch 4.10

In the deep stillness of early dawn, Hugo suddenly awoke from a light sleep. The weight beside him was gone. He closed his eyes and reached out, groping the empty space beside him, but only heard the rustling of sheets.

“Haa…”

A sudden unease gripped Hugo, and he sat up abruptly. Even in that brief moment, his mind raced with various possibilities.

Did the fox run away? Was he kidnapped while I was sleeping? Did he go to the bathroom? Did he collapse outside? Is he sick? Is he conspiring with someone? Or…

Hugo’s anxiety dissipated before he even turned on the light.

It was natural for his side of the bed to be light.

A small fox was sleeping soundly on the bed. Its pure white fur glowed brightly even under the light of the morning star.

“So small…”

Did it even weigh 7kg? It was tiny. Excluding the tail, it barely reached the span of three of Hugo’s hands.

He gently touched it, barely grazing the fur, and the fox whimpered softly. It seemed to wrinkle its nose slightly. Hugo gently stroked the fox’s back.

He bit his lip, a strange, inexplicable urge suddenly stirring within him. That little black nose… He wanted to touch it. Hugo brought his index finger close to the fox’s nose.

Sniff. Sniff.

A faint, slightly cool puff of air brushed against his finger. Hugo, holding his breath, gently touched the fox’s nose with his fingertip and then pulled away.

Perhaps because it was sleeping, its nose was a little dry. He gently rubbed it, and the fox coughed, a little mucus coming out. The wet nose glistened. Hugo quickly pulled his hand away.

He would just look. This was a precious moment. Full transformations were rare, even when alone. They usually occurred when extremely weak, near death, or in danger. Especially for such small animals, the risks during transformation, when indistinguishable from a regular animal, couldn’t be ignored, so he knew they rarely, if ever, fully transformed in their lifetime.

But what if… Suspicion arose. What if this was just a regular white fox, not Plin? Hugo, still hysterical from almost losing Plin to someone earlier that day, lifted the fox’s tail.

“Oh, poor thing…”

The hole beneath the tail was red and swollen. This was proof that this fox was indeed Plin. Relieved, Hugo clicked his tongue exaggeratedly and lowered the tail. That’s when it happened.

He met the gaze of two round, brown eyes. The ears were also perked up in surprise.

“Ah… you’re awake? Go back to sleep.”

The fox, as if disoriented, tilted its head and slowly lifted its paws. It rolled over, exposing its belly.

“Uh… what is this? A sign of… affection?”

Hugo, shamelessly uttering words like love, knelt in front of Plin. He awkwardly stroked the fluffy white belly.

Exhausted from hours of s*x and multiple orgasms, Plin, hoping his body language for ‘surrender’ had been properly conveyed, closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep.

***

[Footage: A white vertical line cuts through the sky and touches the clouds. Citizens raise their phones to film the unprecedented sight.]

[Anchor: A waterspout phenomenon has appeared over High Forest. Citizens enjoying the second day of the Snow Blossom Festival are gathering to take pictures.]

[Citizen Interview: At first, there was a loud bang. Then I saw black wings covering almost the entire sky. We thought it was some kind of festival performance, but then we realized it was real. In all my life, I’ve never seen a dragon…]

[Anchor: It turns out that Mr. Mo, a dragon, fully transformed and actually flew in the sky. While citizens enjoyed the unexpected spectacle, avian species with a wingspan exceeding 1 meter are required to obtain prior authorization from the National Transportation Ministry before flight. This raises concerns about a violation of flight safety regulations. The reason for the sudden flight remains unclear. The Forest Police Department has announced its intention to summon and investigate Mr. Mo, the dragon.]

The news report clearly showed the influence of the Idrohann family. While they mentioned the minor offense of violating flight safety regulations, that was the extent of it.

There was no mention of the damage formally protested by the park management office, such as the number of trees knocked down in High Forest Park, the depth of the ground gouges, or the fact that a partial park closure was inevitable due to the extensive repair work required. Furthermore, the suspicious group that attempted the kidnapping wasn’t mentioned at all.

It was treated as a curious and amusing incident. The footage shown wasn’t of the devastated land but of the mystical sky with the waterspout, clearly demonstrating their intent.

“Avian species, my ass. Am I a bird?”

Hugo grumbled, mostly satisfied after watching the video, yet still complaining.

Early in the morning, the winter snowflakes outside the lattice window sparkled in the sunlight. From his hospital bed, Thibeau, who had sent the news link yesterday, swallowed his simmering anger and said,

– The investigation will be handled informally. It falls under the emergency exemption clause of the prior authorization rule, so you don’t have to worry.

“How are you feeling?”

– You ask that now? How much would you have regretted it if you had to see me at my funeral after running off with your lover?

“I knew you wouldn’t die.”

– …How is Mr. Plin?

“Plin…”

Hugo looked at Plin, curled up asleep beside him.

He had spent the entire night stroking Plin’s belly, the ‘symbol of their love,’ and even blowing raspberries on it, but while he dozed off, Plin had transformed back into his human form. However, his tail and ears remained. Hugo stroked the fluffy tail fur.

“He’s still sleeping next to me. He must have been really scared yesterday. I spent all night comforting him.”

Hugo casually caressed Plin’s body, covered in marks. With a satisfied look, he traced the marks he had left and pulled the blanket up to Plin’s shoulders.

– Understandable…

“So, who’s handling the investigation into the attempted kidnapping? You’re injured, so you’ll be limited in your movements.”

Hugo spoke as if he was more concerned about Thibeau’s functionality than his health.

– I was about to discuss that matter. The bodyguards who left earlier were kidnapped on the road before they even reached the square. We’re currently tracking their location. Considering the target and the scale of the operation, you probably have a good idea who’s behind this.

Ethan. The timing fits. Hugo was scheduled to be appointed as an outside director at the upcoming headquarters shareholders’ meeting. It was a nominal position meant for stock options, but it was a significant move in terms of succession. It was enough to make Ethan feel anxious. It was a despicable tactic, but there was no better way to unsettle Hugo than by kidnapping Plin.

Ethan had been harboring rosy hopes while watching his half-brother suffer from an incurable disease bordering on madness. Now that those hopes had been dashed, he would be seething with resentment.

– We can’t rule out the possibility that they’ve realized Mr. Plin’s fluids are medicinal for you, Executive Director.

“That’s a possibility.”

– If so, Mr. Plin’s life could be in grave danger. We need to move discreetly to gather evidence. I’ll stay behind the scenes and provide support. I’ll report back with the necessary personnel shortly.

“Alright. Anything else?

– …There’s a matter I’d like to report when you return. It’s not urgent.

His voice was thoughtful. Hugo assumed it was a troublesome issue and didn’t press further.

***