Soft sunlight filtered through the cracks in the wooden house as the Foxy village stirred to life. Inside, the quiet room was filled with the soft breathing of two children. On one side lay Riku, pale and unmoving under the blanket—still trapped in the grip of the curse. Beside him, curled up with eyes just beginning to open, was Ren.
Slowly, he blinked the light away and looked at Riku's tranquil but weakened state. His fluffy fox ears rose just slightly as he slept, and his soft tail poked out under the blanket.
Before Ren could move a muscle, the door opened slowly. Lily stepped inside quietly. She was careful not to wake Riku and gently walked to Ren's side. Her warm smile returned the moment she saw the small child awake.
"Good morning," she whispered.
She looked at Riku and sighed softly. She attempted to wake him like always—softly brushing his hair out of the way, softly talking—but he did not move.
Lily then looked back at Ren, who sat upright now, calm and observant. Though he looked like a four-year-old, he had never spoken a word since hatching. Lily had assumed he couldn't speak yet—maybe a side effect of how they found him.
She smiled at him and lifted him up, holding him tenderly. "Let's go somewhere important today."
As she stepped out into the courtyard, a few guards and servants noticed them. Their eyes widened as they saw her carrying a human child.
"A human? In the royal house?"
"Lady Lily is holding a human child…?"
Their whispers spread quickly.
Soon, Kael appeared from the side, eyes locking on Lily and the child in her arms.
"Lily?" he asked. "You're taking him outside?"
"I'm heading to see Mother," Lily said softly. "I want to tell her that I've adopted him."
Kael hesitated, then walked beside her. "You know we can't just say we adopted a human baby who hatched from an egg…"
"I know," Lily said, her voice steady. "We'll need to make up something convincing."
Kael furrowed his brow, trying to think. "Maybe… maybe we say we found him in the forest? Alone?"
"We could say he was protected by some kind of artifact," Lily added. "He was injured and had no memory."
Kael nodded. "That might work."
They remained in silent thought, attempting to get the pieces to fit.
And then, suddenly, Ren sat up and spoke softly but firmly, "Mom… Dad… I have an idea."
Both Lily and Kael froze mid-step.
Kael blinked in shock. "He… he can talk?"
Lily looked down at Ren, eyes wide. "You can speak?"
Ren nodded with a small smile. "I just didn't feel like it before."
Kael stared in amazement. "Why now?!"
Ren grinned. "Because I have an idea."
Lily and Kael exchanged a long glance—part confused, part amazed.
"Well… what's your idea, sweetheart?" Lily asked, brushing his golden hair gently.
Ren explained in his childish voice, "Let's say you found me in the forest. I was hurt, and I had an artifact that protected me from monsters. I don't remember anything from before. And I want to stay with you because you healed me."
Kael blinked a couple of times. "That's precisely. what we were attempting to determine.".
Lily smiled graciously, eyes shining.
Kael chuckled. "You've really made it easy for us."
With their scheme in place, the trio went to the Queen's quarters.
As she entered the big wooden chamber, Queen Elowen—straight and dignified and unruffled—glanced up from her scrolls. Her silver hair glimmered like moonlight woven together, and immediately she seemed to command.
"Lily. Kael. And… who is this?" she asked, raising her brow as she looked at the child in Lily's arms.
We wanted to speak with you, Mother," Lily replied quietly. "About him."
The Queen stepped down and walked toward them. Her violet eyes rested on the small boy.
"A human?" she said quietly. "Where did he come from?"
In that moment, Ren's system softly whispered in his mind:
[Race: Foxy]
[Name: Queen Elowen]
[Level: 29]
[Status: Healthy]
[Position: Matriarch of the Foxy Village]
So, she's the highest-level Foxy… and the Queen, Ren thought, watching her carefully.
Lily began, "We found him in the forest, while collecting herbs for Riku. He was injured and unconscious, but there was a protective artifact around him. We brought him home, healed him, and… he says he remembers nothing."
Kael added, "We want to adopt him."
Queen Elowen slowly bent to look Ren in the eyes. "He's so young… and so lovely. How could anyone abandon him?"
She touched his cheek lightly, then looked at Lily and Kael. "Are you sure?"
Lily nodded.
Then the Queen asked softly, "And what about you, little one? Do you want to live with them?"
Ren looked up, his golden eyes shining. "I do. I want to stay with Mom Lily and Dad Kael."
The Queen smiled warmly.
"You should know," she said gently, "our Foxy race is not strong. We are kind and supportive, but we cannot give you the power or safety other races could."
Ren nodded. "That's okay. I just want to stay with them."
Moved, Queen Elowen took Ren from Lily's arms and turned to a nearby attendant.
"Gather the village elders. Tell them we have adopted a human child into the royal family."
The servant bowed and ran off.
Then the Queen looked back at Ren with a proud smile. "From this day forward… your name shall be Aurelian."