My Scumbag System Chapter 466: Naughty Satori Gets a New Pet

"Circumstances evolve."

"Not with such haste. Not without specific—"

The entrance swung open, interrupting the accusation about to be voiced.

Pink-hued hair was the first to grace the doorway.

Then came eyes of a gradient blue, widening impossibly the moment they landed on me occupying the mat's center.

"SATORI!"

Soomin propelled herself across the training area with the sheer exuberance of a golden retriever spotting its owner after an extended absence.

No prior notice.

No wavering.

No regard for the fact that I was drenched in sweat and had just been thoroughly thrashing Raphael.

Just an unadulterated burst of enthusiasm, embodied by a hundred and twenty pounds of rural charm and supernatural fox spirit.

She impacted me like a missile achieving its designated target.

Her arms encircled my neck.

Her legs clamped around my torso.

Her face buried against my shoulder, her entire being pressing against mine with an intensity of affection.

"I missed you, I missed you, I missed you terribly!" she exclaimed, the words spilling out in a rapid, breathless torrent.

The Fox spirit within her began to stir, drawn by the closeness, the scent, and whatever instinctual recognition supernatural predators share.

I could perceive it in the sudden surge of her body heat.

In the way her grip intensified with a power far exceeding the muscular strength of her human form.

In the subtle alteration of her breathing from exhilaration to something more primal.

"Hey, Soomin," I stated carefully, acutely aware of Raphael observing this unfolding scene with growing apprehension.

She retracted slightly, just enough to meet my gaze, her hands still clasped behind my neck.

Still clinging.

Her eyes appeared more vibrant than usual, the gradient blue encroaching further into her irises.

A faint, supernatural luminescence flickered at their edges.

She brought her nose to the curve of my neck and shoulder.

Inhaling deeply.

A slow, deliberate draw, pulling my scent into her lungs.

Her whole frame stiffened against me.

"Why," she inquired slowly, her voice already descending into that unsettling cadence, "does your scent carry traces of a feline?"

Oh, dire circumstances.

Oh, significant trouble.

The Fox spoke next, and Soomin’s voice underwent a complete transformation—deepening by half an octave, becoming husky, menacing, and intensely possessive.

"Naughty Satori," she purred, the sound resonating against my throat. "Acquiring a new companion merely because I was away on assignment for a few days?"

Her fingernails extended subtly where they pressed against the nape of my neck.

Not quite fully formed claws.

But progressing.

Morphing gradually.

"Attempting to grow stronger in my absence?" The Fox's grin revealed an abundance of teeth as she pulled back to face me, the expression predatory and sharp. "Seeking to supplant me?"

"It’s not what you think," I countered, maintaining a steady tone.

"Indeed?" She sniffed again, this time with more deliberate intent, analyzing the olfactory signals with supernatural acuity. "The scent profile indicates a two-tailed youkai. Potent. Female." Her eyes flashed a full, vivid blue, mortal reasoning yielding to her fox instincts. "And she has been exceptionally close to you. Within your private quarters. Within your sleeping space. Upon your very skin."

Raphael was retreating towards the exit, driven by the survival instinct of one who has witnessed enough wildlife documentaries to recognize the signs of an impending predatory strike.

A prudent individual.

"Soomin. You must listen to my explanation."

"The Fox is attentive." She inclined her head, a movement unnervingly precise. "Soomin is also listening. We are both keenly interested in the reason Master carries the scent of another predator. Another female predator who has been asserting her claim."

"She is a ward. A familiar. It’s a distinct arrangement."

"Similar to myself?" The query was disarmingly mild.

"Different. You are you. She is a feline companion."

"Yet she has occupied your chambers." The Fox’s voice was laced with a dangerous, intrigued purr. "Your sleeping area. Among your linens. I detect your personal fragrance. Your hair cleanser. The fabric treatment Natalia utilizes. And her scent." Her tongue flicked out, drawing a swift path across my jawline. "Permeating your presence."

Nel observed with an audible tone that suggested amused concern.

Undeniably.

"Soomin. I implore you to regulate your breathing and engage in logical thought."

"I have no desire to breathe. No wish to deliberate." Her hold tightened. "My impulse is to locate the feline and assert dominance. To make clear her place relative to mine."

"She is currently upstairs. In the company of Celeste."

"The frigid enchantress?" A subtle shift occurred in the Fox's demeanor—calculation superseding raw territorial aggression.

"Precisely."

"Hm." The Fox pondered this, tilting her head in the opposite direction. "A convergence of ice and flame seldom ends harmoniously. The feline likely miscalculated her alliance. Her chosen pack."

"Celeste poses no threat to her."

"My concern was not for the feline." The Fox's grin broadened, revealing an excessive number of teeth. "It was for the inevitable consequences faced by the princess when she intervenes between a fox and its quarry."

A solitary, white tail materialized behind Soomin, appearing spectral and flickering with ambient supernatural energy.

The gymnasium's atmosphere grew intensely hot, its temperature surging by ten degrees within a mere ten seconds.

Raphael had managed to flee into the corridor, the door closing firmly behind him.

A complete chicken.

A clever chicken, mind you, but a chicken nonetheless.

"Soomin," I stated with conviction.

"Yes?" came the dual reply, one from the human girl and the other from the fox spirit, uttering the word in perfect unison.

"Let me go."

"Absolutely not."

"Please?"

"Say I'm your favorite."

"You are my favorite."

"Say it with genuine feeling." Her fingernails tightened their grip on my neck, stopping just short of piercing the skin.

Taking hold of her face with both my hands, I compelled her gaze to lock directly with mine.

I ensured she could perceive my earnestness.

"You are my favorite scout," I declared distinctly. "My most valued early warning system. The only individual whose intuition I rely on to signal when something feels amiss or hazardous. No one else possesses your instincts. No one else can accomplish what you do."

The Fox's demeanor shifted, the aggressive undertone gradually receding.

Only a little.

But enough.

"Truly?" The question held a trace of vulnerability and doubt—utterly Soomin, devoid of the Fox.

"Truly."

She blinked rapidly, and the vibrant blue hue in her eyes faded as if a dimmer switch had been turned down.

The spectral manifestation of her tail flickered once, then twice, before vanishing into thin air.

When she spoke again, it was purely Soomin—timid, sweet, and overwhelmingly mortified by her recent actions.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed, the apologies spilling out in a frantic torrent. "I never intended to act so strangely! The Fox, she just—she sensed another predator and thought—and I couldn't control it—" She buried her face in my shoulder once more, but this time out of shame, not possessiveness. "I'm the worst. You must think I'm completely out of my mind now."