Living with the Dangerous Beast-Chapter 59: Monk’s Memory

Overwhelmed with emotion, the monk knelt on one knee on the ground.

He placed his hand on the fox’s head, feeling the silky fur beneath his palm.

“Sohwa.”

“...Yes?”

The monk patted the head of the good-hearted and endearing fox.

Pleased, Sohwa closed her eyes and laid her ears back.

“You really are a kind-hearted fox.”

“Of course, Monk. You won’t find another fox like me!”

The monk chuckled.

Memories of their first meeting flooded back.

Having devoured countless humans, his karma was to guard a small, neglected hermitage.

However, the monk never left the river during the hot seasons and stayed holed up in a cave during the cold seasons.

Rumors that the hermitage had been swallowed by an Imoogi kept people away, so he didn’t need to go out.

Each day was monotonous and boring.

And while observing the natural order of the mountains and rivers change, a tiny, malnourished fox appeared at the hermitage, boldly stealing the offerings left by villagers.

The fox, having regained her health, began to run around the hermitage.

Though it was a bit annoying, the monk didn’t bother to care about her presence, and the fox seemed unaware of him.

If the fox had been more troublesome, he might have eaten her up.

But she seemed destined to die soon enough, so he left her alone.

One day, the incessant barking disturbed his sleep to such an extent that he finally revealed himself in his human form before the surprised eyes of the bothersome fox.

He had intended to chase her away, but lacking a name to call her, he ended up naming her on a whim.

“Small, bothersome, yet somewhat appealing to the eye... From now on, your name shall be Sohwa, a ‘Small Flower.’”

When the fox curled up, its fluffy white fur reminded him of a chrysanthemum, hence the name ‘Sohwa’ came to his mind.

Sohwa, having been separated from her pack at a young age, was too innocent and naive due to her lack of proper education.

It seemed she had nowhere else to go if chased out of even this small mountain.

Feeling a sense of pity for her future, he took care of her, and to his astonishment, the foolish fox brought home a tiger, doting on him as if he were cute and lovely.

The tiger, even as a small cub, had a nasty temper.

He had tried countless times to persuade Sohwa to get rid of the tiger, warning that raising it would bring great disaster.

But for some reason, Sohwa, who had always been so obedient to his orders, refused to listen when it came to matters regarding the ill-tempered cub.

「I’ll send him away once he’s healthy, Monk. Don’t worry.」

That’s what she said at first.

But as the tiger grew stronger and began dragging Sohwa around, she then said:

「I’ll send him away once he’s a bit bigger, Monk. Don’t worry.」

By the time the tiger had grown enough to look like a fierce young boy, the monk was adamant.

The ferocity in the young tiger’s eyes reminded him of the legendary tiger of Mount Taeryong, who supposedly killed his mentor and was struck by divine retribution.

‘The legendary tiger that lived for a thousand years and eventually became a demigod....’

From some point on, the monk had even begged Sohwa to get rid of the tiger.

「I’ll send him away once he’s fully grown, Monk. Don’t worry.」

And so, Sohwa kept postponing the separation from the tiger.

Eventually, she stopped visiting the hermitage as frequently.

「Why do you keep telling me to send him away? I hate you, Monk!」

Annoyed by his warnings, she stopped coming altogether.

Moreover, after seeing the his shed skin, she never visited the hermitage alone again.

The naïve fox had finally realized the truth.

That he was an Imoogi.

This little fox was the biggest coward, jumping at the slightest breeze.

She wouldn’t even make eye contact with larger animals, much less speak to them.

The only ones she mingled with were raccoons or cats.

It was puzzling how she had seen the skin he had hidden deep within the cave.

The only one cunning enough to drive a wedge between him and the fox had to be that tiger.

One day, while he and the tiger still regarded each other as thorns in their sides, Dohwi came to the hermitage alone.

The ruthless tiger declared that Sohwa was his mate and threatened to kill anyone who revealed his true nature.

Furious, the monk consulted the golden eagle, the sage of Mount Seolhak, who knew everything.

He said the tiger was a malevolent demon who should never be touched.

That seemed true, for when Dohwi came to seize the precious orb from the monk, he declared:

「If I want something, I must have it, no exceptions.」