The Psychopathic Beast Emperor-Chapter 121: A Stubborn Fox

Foxes are known for their slyness and stubbornness, especially when it comes to things they really want, and Lily wasn’t exempt from it. In fact, as a fox beast-kin, these aspects of her were heightened to such a point that she could barely sleep.

Walking through the streets towards the southern wall to do her morning chore, Lily looked like an "undead zombie". She hadn’t gotten much sleep for the past few days after her episode with Bahamut. She couldn’t get him off her mind. His voice, his hands on her neck, his breath on her skin... just thinking about it made her shiver.

Her eyes glinted with a dangerous light that made people avoid her as she walked through the streets. Her disheveled red hair was everywhere, blowing and swaying without any holds. Lily had gone crazy from love.

But was she truly crazy? It wasn’t like she was doing anything with the man she loved. She had been rejected for the first time. She had more chances to try again. The first time was her fault... He was a man saddened by his lover’s condition. He was a man at his lowest, and she used his weakness at the time against him.

Any sane person could tell that what she did and the result she got was beyond mere rejection. She was even lucky that he didn’t kill her, but the fox girl, the fact that he didn’t kill her was enough reason for her to keep trying. She didn’t care if Exildra was even in the picture anymore.

"I JUST WANT MY SHARE!" Lily exclaimed with a bestial snarl, making the disciples close by her scurry away. They knew how strong she was from the trials about a month ago. She was among the top dogs of the first years, and those people, no matter how they were, were not to be messed with. That had been proven twice now when Bahamut and Sel beat up senior disciples and some egoistic junior outer sect disciples, too.

They beat them up even when they were weak and hungry. That showed just how strong those who passed the trials and got elders as their masters were. They were beyond the levels of their peers.

With a disgruntled and crazy expression, Lily reached the southern wall. There, she picked up a worn broomstick. She walked steadily up a raised embankment that ran along the inner side of the wall, a long stretch of stone path that overlooked the outer perimeter of the sect. It was quiet here at this hour, save for the occasional patrol disciple and the distant rustle of wind brushing against the trees beyond the walls.

Her duty was simple... Sweep the walkway, clear the dust, leaves, and stray debris that gathered overnight. It was a task meant to instill discipline, calm the mind, and give a sense of mortality. Unfortunately for whoever, Lily Kurama’s mind was anything but calm.

The broom dragged lazily across the stone, making a soft scratching sound. Her movements were mechanical, proving how accustomed she had become to her morning duty, but her thoughts were not.

’Plan one!’ she thought as her red eyes glowed with a sharp and manic light.

’Apologize properly.’

She paused mid-sweep.

"No," she muttered. That would require admitting she was wrong, and while she knew she was wrong...

"That’s boring,"

Yes! Foxes had pride, and that was one. Though this was a small amount of pride mixed with a huge dose of stubbornness.

’Plan two... Accidental encounter...’

Her ears twitched at this.

"Yes!" Now that had potential. She would "coincidentally" run into him. She would then trip and fall, then grab his arm, maybe cling a little. Her tail flicked excitedly behind her.

"Then I apologize... softly..." she murmured. Her face flushed slightly. "...while holding him."

She stopped sweeping again. A beat passed...

"No, wait. That might get me killed."

She resumed sweeping, faster this time.

’Plan three...’

Her eyes gleamed dangerously.

"Challenge Exildra."

The broom froze while a strong gust of wind passed by. Even the air seemed to reject that idea.

Lily tilted her head.

"...No," she said after a moment.

"Too risky." She wasn’t suicidal... Mostly. A few passing disciples glanced at her from a distance, then immediately walked faster.

’Plan four...’ Her steps slowed, while her expression turned thoughtful.

"Cook for him?" she blinked. "That... might work." Food was universal, comforting, and non-threatening... most of the time. Her tail swayed slowly.

"But... what if he thinks I poisoned it? And... I don’t know how to cook..." Her face darkened. "That would be bad."

She imagined Bahamut staring at her coldly, refusing the food. Her heart clenched.

"Unacceptable! The way to a man’s heart is his stomach..." but she lacked that way. She couldn’t cook. If she ever tried, she would poison Bahamut without even trying.

Plan rejected!

’Plan five...’ She had now stopped sweeping entirely and was biting her nails. Then her eyes lit up again.

"Train harder."

She nodded.

"Yes."

That one felt right.

If she got stronger, stronger than before, stronger than others, then he would notice her. Her grip on the broom tightened.

"I’ll become someone he can’t ignore..."

Her aura flared slightly, causing dust around her to scatter. A nearby disciple who had just climbed up the steps froze, then slowly backed away.

"...Creepy..." he whispered under his breath.

Lily didn’t hear him, or maybe she did and didn’t care.

She continued sweeping, her movements becoming sharper now.

’Plan six...’

Her lips curled into a small, dangerous smile.

"Persistence."

Simple, direct, and unrelenting... Truly fox-like.

"I’ll just keep going," she said quietly. "Again and again... until he gives in."

Her eyes glowed faintly.

"That’s how this works."

There was no hesitation in her voice, no doubt, just stubborn certainty. She paused again, leaning on the broom as she stared out beyond the wall. The early morning sun had begun to rise, casting soft light over the distant lands.

"...You didn’t kill me," she murmured.

"To you, that might’ve meant nothing..."

Her grip tightened.

"But to me..."

Her tail swayed slowly.

"It meant everything."

A slow breath escaped her lips, then she straightened, lifted the broom, and continued sweeping. Her steps were steady now, her thoughts focused, and her resolve unshaken. Because if there was one thing a fox never did, it was give up on something it wanted.

And Lily Kurama?

She wanted Bahamut... badly.

...

The northern wall was far less peaceful than the southern side. Where the South had silence and sweeping duties, the North was all about labor.

Logs, huge, thick, and freshly cut logs, were stacked in uneven piles across the open ground near the wall. Disciples moved back and forth, carrying, dragging, and stacking them into organized formations for later use.

It was loud and tiring, and it was very, very annoying. Bahamut dropped a heavy log onto a growing stack with a dull thud, rolling his shoulders slightly as he exhaled.

"...Why are we even doing this?" he muttered. "We have abilities. We have strength. Why are we still doing manual labor like log carriers?"

Beside him, Sel lifted another log with ease, placing it down with far more precision.

"Discipline," Sel replied calmly. "And control. Not everything should be solved with power."

Bahamut snorted. "That sounds like something someone who enjoys suffering would say."

"I don’t enjoy it," Sel said flatly. "I just don’t complain every five seconds."

"I don’t complain every five seconds," Bahamut shot back immediately.

"You complained three seconds ago."

"That doesn’t count."

"It does."

"It doesn’t."

"It does."

"It doesn’t..."

"Shut up and carry the log."

"...Tch."

Ren, in his smaller form now, sat comfortably atop one of the stacked logs, swinging his legs like he was at a festival instead of a work site.

"Entertaining," he commented, munching on something he definitely wasn’t supposed to have. Bahamut grabbed another log, lifting it onto his shoulder. Just as he took a step forward...

"—Hh—!"

He suddenly froze.

"Hh—ACHOO!"

The sneeze echoed louder than it should have. A few nearby disciples flinched. One even dropped his log.

Bahamut blinked.

"...What?"

He rubbed his nose, clearly confused.

Sel immediately turned toward him, his expression sharpening slightly as he stepped closer.

"Are you sick?" he asked.

Bahamut frowned. "No."

"You just sneezed."

"So?"

"You don’t sneeze."

"...That’s not true."

"It is."

Bahamut opened his mouth to argue, then paused.

"...Wait," he said slowly. "Do I sneeze?"

Sel crossed his arms. "I’ve never seen you do it."

Ren suddenly spoke up from his perch, his voice calm.

"I’m sure his life is about to get more chaotic than it already is."

Bahamut and Sel both froze. Slowly... they turned their heads toward Ren. Ren stared back innocently.

"...What?" he said.

"...No," Bahamut said.

Sel’s expression darkened slightly.

"...No," he agreed.

Ren tilted his head. "No, what?"

Bahamut’s eye twitched.

"Don’t ’no what’ me," he snapped. "You know exactly what you’re implying."

Sel sighed, already feeling a headache coming.

"...Red hair," he muttered.

"...Red eyes," Bahamut added.

"...Unstable behavior," Sel continued.

"...Neck-grabbing enthusiast," Bahamut finished.

Ren nodded. "Ah. So we’re all thinking of the same person."

"No," Bahamut said quickly. "We are not thinking of her."

"We are definitely thinking of her," Sel corrected.

Bahamut shook his head. "Nope. Not happening. I refuse."

Another sneeze built up...

"Hh—!"

He froze again.

Sel took a step back.

"...Don’t," he warned.

"Hh—ACHOO!"

Bahamut sneezed again.

This time louder.

Ren slowly stood up on the log, looking into the distance like a wise sage.

"The omen repeats," he said solemnly.

"This is not an omen!" Bahamut snapped.

Sel rubbed his temple.

"...She’s coming, isn’t she?"

"No," Bahamut said firmly. "She’s not coming."

Ren pointed dramatically toward the horizon.

"Somewhere... a fox stirs."

"Stop it," Bahamut growled.

Sel exhaled slowly.

"...You know what’s worse?" he said.

"What?" Bahamut asked.

Sel looked him dead in the eye.

"You didn’t kill her."

Bahamut froze.

"...Don’t remind me."

Ren nodded seriously. "A grave mistake."

"I’m surrounded by idiots," Bahamut muttered.

"Correction," Sel said calmly. "You’re surrounded by consequences."

Bahamut picked up another log aggressively.

"Let her come," he said.

Ren and Sel both looked at him.

"...Really?" Ren asked.

Bahamut paused.

Then his expression twitched slightly.

"...Actually... no. Don’t let her come."

Sel nodded. "That’s more realistic."

Ren sat back down, grinning.

"Too late," he said.

Bahamut and Sel both looked at him again.

"...Why do I feel like you know something?" Bahamut asked slowly.

Ren just shrugged.

"I’m just a bunny."

A distant breeze passed through the northern wall.

For some reason, it felt... ominous. Bahamut sneezed a third time.

Sel closed his eyes.

"...We’re doomed."