The women I set free are obsessed with me

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"How many times must I tell you? Shapeshifting is fundamental to becoming a true fox spirit!"

"Rin doesn't know that! Rin likes herself best now!"

"This isn't about what you like or don't like!"

"Don't know! Rin doesn't know! Won't do even if Rin dies! Aaaaaah—"

Rin covered her ears with her hands. With her eyes tightly shut, she shook her body side to side, making constant noise to drown out Yuhwa's voice.

"Mastah! Gwanny keeps telling Rin to transform! Does Mastah wanna see that?"

"I might?"

"Then Rin will do it!"

Her resolution which was unshaken even in the face of death, flipped like a switch at Karami's casually uttered words.

Yuhwa squeezed her eyes shut and tilted her head back. Her blood pressure seemed to be skyrocketing.

"Mastah, why is old lady so angry?"

"As people age, they tend to get sensitive over small things."

Rin clicked her tongue, eyeing Yuhwa with pity.

"Mastah, Rin won't be like that when she grows up."

"Stop chattering and focus!"

"Okay~"

That insufferable disrespecting brat…

It was all because of the contract, leaving Yuhwa frustrated that she couldn't even give Rin a knock on the head to teach her a lesson.

The lesson proceeded with shapeshifting. In terms of magic, it was similar to polymorph, a type of transformation magic.

It was an essential skill not just for fox spirits, but for any yokai with beauty, allowing them to enchant others and make them willingly offer everything they had.

"Even my appearance becoming younger like this," Yuhwa said, her appearance becoming younger much like when she first met Karami, "can be considered a form of shapeshifting."

"Ooh?"

"No matter how much Rin grows in the future, if you wish, you can maintain your current appearance."

Living an essentially eternal life while being beautiful forever. This was a blessing anyone would desire.

To achieve this, one needed to progress step by step.

"May I ask a question?"

Karami leisurely sipping tea while the two foxes trained, raised his hand.

"Go ahead."

"Why does your way of speaking change?"

Yuhwa nodded. She had been wondering when this question would come up. It was all within her expectations, so she began to answer without hesitation.

"It's about becoming one with your form. When you change your appearance, your behavior should change accordingly. If not, the effectiveness of the shapeshifting is drastically reduced."

"It's not a hobby, is it?"

"It's not."

"I see, so it's a concept thing. I understand."

Karami nodded as came to an understanding on his own. Since he wouldn't listen even if she explained further, Yuhwa decided to ignore him.

As for the shapeshifting that Yuhwa was teaching Rin, transforming into a completely different form from the start was very difficult. Conversely, the closer the form is to the caster's soul and physical shape, the higher the success rate.

The fox people are beastkin, half fox and half human. In other words, the easiest form for Rin to shapeshift into is a fox.

Whoosh.

With a somersault, Yuhwa instantly transformed into a snow-white fox. She exuded a mystical aura that might enchant anyone who encountered her in the mountains.

"Try it. Envision the form you desire within your fox orb."

Rin nodded and concentrated, holding her fox orb. Her spiritual power flowed into the orb, which absorbed her power and emitted a light that enveloped her.

When the light faded, Rin's outline hadn't changed much. Only her hands and feet were covered in pink fur.

"Kyaaaaa! Rin became a furball!"

***

Today's lesson had come to an end. After a series of trials and errors, Rin had somehow managed to grasp the art of shapeshifting.

Now transformed into an adorable baby fox, Rin had taken up residence inside my clothes. She squirmed contentedly in my arms, poking her tiny head out.

"Mastah. It's super warm here."

"Is that so?"

"Mhm. Smells a lot like Mastah too. Hehehe."

Citing such reasons, Rin showed no intention of budging even an inch. Seeing her so blissfully happy, I couldn't bring myself to evict her. I'd consider it a well-deserved reward for her hard work.

"Shall we stop by the cat café on our way back?"

"Rin doesn't like there. Rin doesn't like meow-meows."

"Why?"

"Meow-meows always cuddle with Mastah and leave their smell. Rin doesn't like that."

I knew foxes were territorial animals, but was this about being wary of other animals' scents? Maybe she rubbed herself against me to leave her own scent.

While the cat café brought in a decent profit, it was ultimately just a side business. If Rin disliked it, I needed to restrain myself.

"Alright. Then let's skip it today and buy some meat that Rin likes. We'll also get some skewers that Seira likes."

"Yay!"

We stopped by the market to buy dinner ingredients.

On the way home, Rin slept soundly inside my clothes, exhausted from the day's activities. I walked quietly through the alleyways alone.

Seira's house was located on the outskirts of the city. There were fewer people, the facilities were old, and the security left much to be desired.

While Seira was strong enough to protect herself, it wasn't a place I'd recommend to others.

Why was I suddenly pondering this? Because danger could lurk anywhere, at any time.

"Well, well, who do we have here? Isn't this the famous cat café owner?"

An unfamiliar voice echoed through the deserted alley.

Blocking my path with a hunched posture and hands in pockets was a one-eyed hyena beastkin.

I sensed presences behind me too, and when I turned around, I saw more hyenas had appeared out of nowhere, cutting off my escape route while snickering menacingly.

Seira had mentioned that hyenas, like the street cat people, were among those who caused trouble in the city, known as Scavengers.

She had warned me several times to be wary of them, saying that humans, not being beastkins, were prime targets.

"My, my, what brings the café owner to such a rundown place? And with both hands full of delicious things."

"He's human and keeps a pink fox around, Boss. It can't be easy finding a place to stay. He probably had no choice but to come to this remote area."

"Ah, right. I almost forgot about that."

The one-eyed hyena called 'Boss' clapped his hands together, laughing frivolously as if he'd just realized something he'd overlooked.

Then the laughter echoing through the alley slowly died down. The hyena's eyes still curved in a smile as he looked at me, but it didn't feel like he was actually smiling.

"So, how's business these days?"

"Oh, it's going well enough."

"Kya~ I'm so jealous. You know, I was worried my cat people friends had suddenly disappeared, thought they might've eaten rat poison and died. But turns out they're working at your café? I was so surprised."

"They're all working hard. I'm grateful."

The hyena continued the conversation as if we were close friends.

"Say, have you ever thought about hiring us Scavengers?"

"Unfortunately, all our employee positions are filled."

"Who said anything about being employees? Everyone has their own role, you know."

The hyena subtly revealed his true intentions. Their purpose in approaching me was painfully obvious.

"Let's cut to the chase. What do you want to say?"

"Kya~ As expected of you, chief. I like how straightforward you are. We'll protect your shop. I heard things are crazy with the dog tribe these days? We'll chase all those dog bastards away. We don't like 'em either."

Though hyenas looked like this, they were actually closer to cats than dogs, belonging to the Feliformia suborder. They were more cat-like than dog-like.

What he was saying sounded reasonable enough.

"And the cost?"

"Not too much, not too little. Just give us half of your profits. Kya~ That's pretty considerate, right? Don't you think, guys?"

The hyenas started talking among themselves.

Half the profits?

You've got to be kidding.

"With that money, I could hire trained security guards. Why would I hire Scavengers?"

"Hmm, I'm trying to be nice here. Isn't a merchant's life all about reading the room? But you seem to be lacking in that department. Don't you want to do business in this area?"

Suddenly, the hyena started licking his claws.

It was a not-so-subtle hint to read the atmosphere.

"I see. I was indeed lacking in common sense."

"Right? Good thing you realized it now."

"I forgot there was a job more suitable for hyenas."

A job that would suit hyenas perfectly just came to mind.

"You could handle our food waste disposal. Since we'd be feeding you, there's no need for additional wages."

"What did you say, you bastard?"

The hyena's expression, which had been wearing an ill-fitting smile, instantly turned vicious.

He seemed to be trying to threaten me, but I wasn't particularly scared. Though they looked fierce, their bodies were scrawny compared to their size.

Their rib-showing bodies only evoked pity.

"Ahem, but I don't take male slaves. Are there no female hyenas around? If there are any females who could handle food waste disposal at my shop, I'd appreciate an introduction. I'd pay a small finder's fee, of course."

The hyena's shoulders shook with rising anger, radiating heat.

"This fucker's completely lost it. Did making a bit of money make you forget where you are? You think this is a human city? You think the guards will do anything for you?"

The hyena looked around.

"For once, you didn't bring that pink fox with you? We couldn't touch you before because of the misfortune, but today must be our lucky day."

Confident that the pink fox wasn't around, the hyena's mouth split into a wide grin. He bared his rotten fangs threateningly as he approached me.

Just as the situation was about to explode, Rin poked her head out from my clothes.

"Mastah, it stinks here."

"P-Pink fox?"

"Mastah, who are these spotty ones?"

"They're bad people trying to steal Rin's dinner."

"Wha?! Who trying to steal Rin's dinner!"

Rin suddenly sprang out of my arms, landing on the ground in her beastkin form in a hero pose.

"Even Mastah can't be forgiven for stealing Rin's food!"

Rin charged at the bewildered Scavengers.

A series of pitiful screams echoed through the alley.

***

After easily defeating the Scavengers, we safely made our way home.

While Seira prepared dinner, I sat Rin, now back in her human form, on my lap.

Now's the perfect time.

Ever since hearing the shocking notion that freeing slaves was considered abandonment, I had been thinking.

As someone who would eventually have to liberate Rin and leave Vestia, I was worried about the future where I might be held back after freeing her.

"Rin, being a slave is not good."

"Slave?"

So I thought about brainwashing Rin. No, that wasn't the right word. That could be easily misunderstood. What I was doing was instilling the correct common sense.

I wanted to impart to Rin the understanding that slavery is bad and freedom is good. Rin was still young, at an age where right and wrong weren't yet firmly established.

I was teaching her normal, ethical values so she wouldn't end up with the warped perspectives of those weird beastkins.

"Right now, Rin is my slave. Slaves are of low status, and people often look down on and bully them."

"But Mastah doesn't do that?"

"That's because I'm a kind slave trader. Not everyone in the world is like me. Remember those hyenas from earlier?"

When I compared it to the hyenas, Rin seemed to understand and nodded.

"On the other hand, liberation means becoming free from such things. It's a very good thing."

"Mm?"

"My goal is to liberate Rin and make you free. Liberation isn't abandonment, it's freedom. Do you understand?"

"Rin understands perfectly!"

Isn't that what you say every time you don't understand?

But it was fine. If I kept reinforcing this idea consistently, the concept that liberation is good would eventually take root in her mind.

"So, you shouldn't try to get revenge on me later, okay?"