“So… are they some kind of underground syndicate? Like a group involved in illegal human trafficking or the slave trade?” I ask, my voice hushed.

  The moment Eris mentioned the Crimson Order, a dark, insidious image took shape in my mind—an organization lurking in the shadows, pulling the strings of a sinister world hidden beneath the surface. The way she gritted her teeth, the way her fists clenched at just the mention of their name—it only made my curiosity burn even stronger.

  After all… she hated them.

  She despised them enough to massacre those bastards without hesitation. Not a single one was spared.

  “Yes, but they’re far worse than just that,” Eris replies, her frown deepening. A moment of silence follows as she gathers her thoughts, her eyes dark with something unreadable.

  Then, finally, she speaks.

  “Felicia, do you remember what I told you earlier about our two worlds—Terra and Faunae?”

  I blink. “Huh? Terra… and Faunae?”

  The names take a moment to register before realization strikes. “Ah! You mean the human world and the Furren world?”

  Eris nods. “Exactly.”

  As the memory resurfaces, I recall the tale she shared with me back on the clock tower, when the sun was setting, painting the sky in gold and crimson.

  Once, long ago, humans and Furrens were never meant to meet.

  Terra was the domain of humans, while Faunae belonged to the beastfolk. Two entirely separate worlds, each existing in isolation.

  That is, until one day, a dungeon gate opened.

  A bridge formed between these two realms, and in an instant, the balance of both worlds shattered.

  What followed was war.

  A brutal, relentless conflict that raged for centuries.

  Humans and Furrens, two species that had never known each other’s existence, were suddenly forced into a bloody struggle for dominance, land, and survival.

  But…

  Despite the horrors of that war, peace was eventually forged. A fragile, hard-won coexistence emerged from the ashes. Over time, both races learned to share their worlds, to build something greater together.

  That was the history Eris had told me.

  But now…

  “What does this have to do with the Crimson Order?” I ask, my brows furrowing.

  Her question earlier had felt completely out of place, and I can’t help but wonder—how could an organization as vile as this one be connected to the very foundation of our world?

  Eris closes her eyes and leans back, letting out a slow, deliberate breath.

  “It has everything to do with them,” she finally says, her voice lower now, heavier. “Even though Terra and Faunae are at peace, there are still those who refuse to accept it.”

  I stiffen. “Wait… are you serious? There are people actively trying to destroy that peace?”

  A cold chill trickles down my spine.

  Of course, I knew there were still places where tensions lingered, where wounds from the past had yet to fully heal. Some towns weren’t as open-minded as Mistvale, where humans and Furrens lived together in harmony—working side by side, sharing meals, laughing as friends, even forming families.

  I had assumed the worst of those tensions were behind us. That whatever lingering hostility remained was nothing more than fringe hatred, isolated and weak.

  But this…

  This is something else entirely.

  Eris opens her eyes, and for the first time, I see it—pure hatred burning in them.

  “That hatred is the very foundation of the Crimson Order,” she says, her voice cold and sharp as steel. “They exist to tear this peace apart.”

  I swallow hard. Gulp.

  And then, slowly, Eris begins to explain.

  The Crimson Order. Also known as the Order of the Blood Sun.

  A group so vile, so deeply rooted in hatred, that their existence alone is enough to make my skin crawl.

  “They were founded long ago,” Eris murmurs, her voice laced with disdain. “By powerful knights—men who once fought for the human side in the ancient war against the Furren.”

  At first, these knights were simply warriors, bound by duty. But their hatred ran deeper than the battlefield.

  To them, coexistence was unthinkable.

  Their belief was absolute:

  Humans are the chosen race.

  A superior, sacred bloodline, gifted by the Creator Gods.

  Destined to rule the land, to tame and conquer nature itself.

  And to these knights, anyone with beast-like traits—the Furrens—were unnatural.

  Lesser beings.

  Abominations.

  “They never even tried to understand us,” Eris continues, her lips curling in disgust. “They looked at our ears, our tails, our claws, and instead of seeing people, they saw something… grotesque. Something that shouldn’t exist.”

  The thought makes me shudder.

  And then—she lists their twisted reasoning.

  Each sentence, each dehumanizing thought they harbored toward Furrens, sends another sharp chill down my spine.

  ‘Why do these creatures have animal ears?’

  ‘Are they born from humans mating with beasts?’

  ‘What kind of unnatural thing is this?’

  ‘Are they cursed by the devil?’

  ‘They must be cursed, right?’

  The more she speaks, the more my stomach twists.

  Their logic was simple, cruel, and deeply flawed.

  Since humans were superior to animals, and Furrens shared traits with animals… then surely, Furrens were lesser too.

  No different from wild beasts or monsters.

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  No more than livestock.

  I swallow hard, nausea creeping in.

  Eris exhales sharply, shaking her head. “It’s like taking the finest wine and mixing it with filth, in their minds,” she says bitterly. “They believe sacred human blood must never be tainted. That’s why their symbol is the Blood Chalice—it represents their obsession with ‘purity’ and their supposed superiority.”

  I feel a chill crawl up my spine.

  Even though I know this world isn’t perfect—even though I knew there were people who still harbored hatred toward Furrens—hearing it so clearly, so plainly spoken, makes my skin crawl.

  And then—Eris speaks again.

  Her voice is lower now, darker.

  “There’s more,” she says. “Do you know why Furrens make up the majority of sex slaves?”

  Ba-dump.

  My heartbeat stutters.

  The question slams into me like a punch to the gut.

  I stare at her, wide-eyed. “W-What?” I stammer, my throat suddenly dry.

  Where the hell did that come from?!

  For a moment, I don’t know how to answer.

  Eventually, I manage to blurt out, “I-I’m not sure… is it because… we’re more beautiful?”

  It’s the only answer that makes sense to me.

  Because—yeah.

  Catgirls are cute.

  Wolf girls are beautiful.

  Fox girls have their own charm too.

  I like fox girls a lot.

  But… less than catgirls, of course.

  Still, as soon as the words leave my mouth, I know—that’s not it.

  And suddenly, I’m not sure I want to hear her answer.

  --------------------------------------

  Then, just as I feared, Eris’s response only deepens my horror.

  Her voice is grave, each word sinking into me like a weight dragging me down.

  “Because, in their tradition, Furrens aren’t considered people at all,” she says, her tone sharp with barely concealed disgust. “Among many noble families, a husband is expected to be faithful to his wife. He’s forbidden from laying with another woman—unless, of course, it’s a Furren. They believe it doesn’t count as cheating if it’s not with a ‘real’ person.”

  I feel my stomach churn.

  A sickening wave of nausea rises in my throat.

  To them, Furrens are nothing more than animals.

  Not human. Not worthy of rights. Not even people.

  And suddenly—it all clicks.

  That’s why those men targeted me and Eris.

  That’s why they planned to sell us.

  Because to them, there’s nothing wrong with it.

  It’s a perfectly acceptable industry in their eyes.

  A twisted, vile trade where no one sees anything wrong.

  My hands clench into fists.

  “Wait…” My voice is shaking now, as the realization hits like a hammer. “If I remember correctly… all those men were human!” I gasp. “And they wanted to sell us to nobles!”

  Eris nods solemnly. “Exactly. That, plus the tattoo I noticed on them, makes me almost certain they were members of the Crimson Order.”

  A heavy silence settles between us.

  The weight of it is suffocating.

  At last, I find the courage to speak.

  “But even so…” My voice is quieter now, yet thick with frustration. “Can’t the Guilds do something? What about the laws? Why do they allow this to continue? Why let these people keep committing such… such horrible crimes?”

  I can’t understand it.

  I don’t want to understand it.

  How can a world that recognizes Furrens as people still allow this to happen?

  Eris meets my gaze.

  For the first time tonight, she looks… tired.

  “Well,” she begins quietly, “it’s a lot more complicated than you think…”

  “What?” My anger flares. “How complicated can it be? Furrens are recognized by law, right? Crimes against us should be treated the same as if they harmed a human! And surely,” I press on, desperate for a logical explanation, “the law forbids forcing anyone into slavery, right?”

  Eris lets out a slow, bitter sigh.

  “Yes,” she admits. “The law does prohibit forcibly turning someone into a slave. Anyone caught in the act would, theoretically, be punished severely.”

  She pauses.

  Then, she closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and says something that sends ice down my spine.

  “But… it’s not illegal to own a slave.”

  My breath catches.

  Eris opens her eyes again, and I hate the look in them.

  That weary, exhausted acceptance—like she’s explaining something so obvious, something so hopelessly ingrained into this world that it’s futile to fight.

  “And once someone already owns a slave,” she continues, her tone flat, “how can you prove that the situation was illegal? That it wasn’t consensual? No one listens to a slave’s testimony.”

  I feel sick.

  No.

  No, no, no.

  She keeps going.

  “On top of that, practically every noble house owns Furren slaves,” she says, shaking her head. “The demand never disappears. As long as there’s a market, there will be traffickers. And even if the Guilds want to fight it—some of these noble families are too powerful. Too big to touch. Too dangerous to go against.”

  Her words lodge in my throat like a blade. She pauses, and I can feel my pulse pounding in my ears.

  I want to argue.

  I want to scream.

  I want to believe this world is better than that.

  But—

  I can’t.

  Because deep down…

  I know she’s telling the truth.

  “So, basically…” I whisper, my voice barely audible over the gentle ripples of the bathwater, “the law exists… but it’s powerless. It changes nothing.”

  Eris exhales heavily, closing her eyes for a brief moment before nodding.

  “Yup. That’s exactly it.”

  Her words settle over me like a suffocating weight.

  So, in the end, as long as these criminals aren’t caught red-handed, they’ll always find a way to slip through the cracks.

  And that means, for years—for centuries—countless Furrens have been forced into slavery, their lives shattered beyond repair.

  Endless catgirls, fox girls, wolf girls…

  My heart clenches.

  My ears droop, my hands ball into fists beneath the water, and before I know it, my eyes are stinging with unshed tears.

  I think about them.

  About those who were never saved.

  About those who lost everything.

  A world where they were hunted.

  Stripped of their freedom.

  Their voices ignored.

  Their pain unseen.

  And yet—people still pretend everything is fine.

  “…Well, at least Mistvale is safer than most places,” Eris remarks after a moment, her voice softer now. “Mainly because the Guildmaster here is a Furren.”

  I sniff, quickly wiping my eyes before the tears can spill.

  “Yeah…” I nod.

  I hadn’t really thought about it before, but now that I do, I realize just how lucky we are to be living here.

  Guildmaster Karlogen… he must have worked hard to keep Mistvale safe for Furrens. Maybe, thanks to him, this town has become one of the few places where we can live without fear.

  A rare sanctuary.

  Eris suddenly swims closer, reaching out to take my hand.

  Her touch is warm—steady.

  “Felicia,” she says gently, her fingers squeezing mine. “When I’m not around, please try not to stay out too late. And if you ever notice anyone suspicious, tell Karl or Gordon right away. Okay?”

  I meet her gaze and nod firmly.

  “Nn! I promise.”

  Reflecting on everything that’s happened tonight, I begin to truly grasp the reality of this world—the ugly reality I had been oblivious to until now.

  Discrimination still exists, even in a world of magic.

  In some ways, it’s even worse than back on Earth.

  Well… I’ll just have to be more cautious from now on.

  “So…” I begin, deciding to change the subject, “is that why you hide your true identity?”

  Eris blinks.

  “Are you, like… an undercover agent or something? Secretly working to take down criminals?”

  As the words leave my mouth, I start piecing everything together.

  It makes sense, doesn’t it?

  Eris must be some undercover catgirl cop!

  She knew about those men. She probably already suspected they were part of something bigger. Maybe that’s why she pretended to be affected by the Nightmare Orchid—to draw them out.

  If that’s the case, then holy crap—that would make her even cooler than I thought!

  However—

  Eris suddenly looks away.

  Her lips part, like she wants to say something, but hesitates.

  For the first time tonight, I see uncertainty in her expression.

  And for a split second—

  I catch a glimpse of pain in her eyes.

  Oh.

  My heart sinks.

  I was wrong, wasn’t I?

  “Eris?” I ask quietly, my curiosity wavering.

  She exhales. Then, in a low voice, she admits:

  “Actually… that’s not the reason I hide my identity.”

  She pauses.

  The hesitation lingers too long.

  She bites her lip, her brows furrowing ever so slightly.

  “I… I can’t tell you yet.”

  I see.

  Ah… this isn’t good.

  I’ve touched a wound, haven’t I?

  I shouldn’t have pried.

  “…It’s okay,” I say softly, offering a small, reassuring smile. “You don’t have to tell me everything if you’re not ready.”

  Eris blinks at me, surprised.

  “But…”

  “I trust you,” I say simply.

  Her breath hitches.

  And in that moment—

  I see it.

  Relief.

  Like a flicker of light breaking through the dark, I see the way her shoulders relax just a bit. The tightness in her gaze eases.

  Ah.

  She was afraid I would push, wasn’t she?

  Afraid I would doubt her.

  But how could I?

  Eris has given me a home.

  She’s protected me.

  She’s been nothing but kind to me.

  She saved me twice.

  Once in the dungeon.

  And again tonight.

  If she has a secret—

  If she has something she can’t tell me—

  Then fine.

  Because who am I to judge?

  I’ve been hiding things, too.

  I never told her I used to be a man.

  I never told her I was from another world.

  I lied about losing my memories.

  Yeah…

  I’m not in any position to demand the truth from her.

  “…Is that really okay?” she asks, her voice uncertain.

  I nod.

  “Yeah. Absolutely. Just tell me whenever you feel comfortable. If you never want to tell me, that’s fine too.”

  Eris stares at me for a long moment.

  Then—

  She smiles.

  A small, soft, grateful smile.

  “Thank you, Felicia,” she murmurs.

  And just like that—

  The tension between us melts away.

  I feel like I can breathe again.

  “…But at least,” I add quickly, my tail twitching with renewed curiosity, “would you tell me your adventurer rank? Please? I’m dying to know! I’m so curious!!!”

  Eris giggles.

  A genuine, lighthearted giggle that sends small ripples across the water.

  “Hehe, I’m actually A-rank.”

  “WHAT?? A-RANK?! You’re not S-rank?!”

  I nearly jump out of the bath.

  All of that insane speed. That inhuman strength. That blood-drenched, monstrous combat performance earlier.

  And she’s telling me she’s only A-rank?!

  HOW THE HELL DOES THAT MAKE ANY SENSE?!!

  Eris stifles another laugh at my reaction.

  “Nu nu, I’m not that strong yet,” she insists, waving a hand dismissively.

  Then—her gaze softens.

  She leans back, exhaling slowly, her blue eyes turning hopeful. She lifts a hand, watching the bathwater ripple between her fingers.

  “But one day, I will be. And when that time comes… I’ll finally be able to enter that dungeon.””

  She pauses.

  “…And I’ll be able to see my father again.”

  Bluebery.