Chapter 43: The Photo That Caused Chaos

The Fire Fox Queen held Ivy and June in her embrace, her gaze shifting slightly as she easily noticed the subtle twitch of Asher's hand.

Her naturally upturned, smiling lips curved even more prominently.

"Yip~ Yip Yoooo~"

The Fire Fox Queen proactively stretched her two large ears toward Asher, even bending slightly to keep them at a height where Asher could easily reach with just a single motion.

Asher: "..."

His hand trembled slightly again.

Faced with such temptation, was there really anyone who could resist?

Asher's hand inched upward.

The next second, a furious Little Raven launched a flurry of winged assaults at Asher's arms.

Asher hurriedly cupped the enraged Little Raven in his palms, trying to soothe her.

Little Raven: '╭(╯^╰)╮Too late! Men are all untrustworthy. That stupid fox can't possibly be better than me.'

Fuming, Little Raven lowered her head and pecked fiercely at Asher's hand—the same one that had just reached out toward the Fire Fox Queen—leaving no room for misinterpretation.

Asher coughed awkwardly, trying to play it off,"Well, uh... Little Raven is my bonded beast. Of course, I like Little Raven the most," he declared with utmost seriousness, evading the subject entirely.

Little Raven: 'o(￣ヘ￣o＃) I don't believe you. You were just about to touch her.'

Asher quickly switched tactics. "How about a little grooming, Little Raven?"

He began to skillfully smooth down Little Raven's feathers along her back, stroke after stroke.

Familiar movements soon had Little Raven squinting in comfort, her swelling fury ebbing away bit by bit.

Just as this strange tension seemed about to dissolve completely, Little Raven's gaze suddenly locked onto that of the Fire Fox Queen.

Little Raven: "Provocation? That stupid fox is definitely provoking me, right?'

Fire Fox Queen: "Yip yoo~", 'Yes, this fox has evolved. This fox has grown stronger. What are you going to do about it?'

Peaceful resolution? Forget about it. Little Raven and the Fire Fox Queen looked ready to throw down any moment.

June quickly pulled the Fire Fox Queen back, while Asher did the same with Little Raven, ensuring maximum distance between the two beasts. He focused on calming his own.

"You can't beat her right now," Asher started with a brutally honest statement.

Little Raven, who had just been hopping mad, instantly froze, staring at Asher with her small black eyes, 'Fine! I'll get stronger too.'

'And then I'll snatch back my beastmaster's heart from that stupid fox.'

"The plan sounds good," Asher encouraged as he stroked Little Raven's head. "We'll get stronger together. Then you can face her head-on. Until then, let's bear with it a little, okay?"

Little Raven hopped on Asher's palm a few times before reluctantly nodding. The little tuft of feathers on her head bobbed along, reflecting her begrudging acceptance, 'Fine, I'll endure—for now.'

Meanwhile, June's attempts at appeasement weren't going nearly as smoothly.

The little Fire Fox? A symbol of rebellious youth.

The Fire Fox Queen? A pro-level rebel.

Faced with June tugging at her large ears and nagging nonstop, the Fire Fox Queen chose to recline leisurely on the sofa, slowly licking her paw.

What? Stop provoking the bird? Sorry, the fox didn't hear a thing.

June: [Rage Meter: MAX]

But one glance at the Fire Fox Queen's captivatingly graceful posture, and all her anger deflated like a punctured balloon.

"Ugh!" June grumbled, puffing up her cheeks before diving back into the Fire Fox Queen's fur, aggressively rubbing her face against the big fluffy tail.

The Fire Fox Queen lay flat, allowing herself to be hugged and rubbed without a care.

By then, Asher had finally calmed Little Raven down and placed her back on his shoulder. He walked over to June and Ivy.

"Now that little fire fox's evolution is complete, you've all worked hard today. Rest up tonight, and we'll discuss any remaining matters the day after tomorrow, during the holiday," Asher suggested with a smile. "I'll head back first."

Since the Fire Fox's evolution had been successful, everything else would follow naturally—no need to rush.

June gave him an "OK" gesture.

"Oh, right." June suddenly perked up, raising her head from the fluff. "Since the new evolved form of Little Fire Fox was developed by you, why don't you give her a new name?"

It felt a bit odd to keep calling such a large fox "Littile Fire Fox."

"Fire Fox Queen," Asher answered promptly. "Doesn't her evolved appearance remind you of a proud queen?"

June rubbed her chin thoughtfully, scrutinizing the Fire Fox Queen from head to toe,"It does, I suppose... but that rebellious attitude kind of overshadows the queenly vibe."

Upon hearing this, the Fire Fox Queen's three long tails wrapped tightly around June's legs. Her gaze toward June radiated pure betrayal.

June turned away, steadfastly avoiding the fox's eyes.

Unable to resist the allure of fluff yet still wanting to discipline a rebel, June quickly mastered the art of selective ignoring.

"Would it be okay for me to show her off to my friends?" June asked. "Do I need to keep this secret?"

The Fire Fox's evolution was Asher's research accomplishment, so even if June wanted to brag, she wouldn't do it without his consent.

"No problem," Asher replied nonchalantly.

"Photos, then? Sharing them on social media? Oh, and send me a copy too," he added with a chuckle.

With Asher's permission, June instantly perked up, her weariness from a long day at the mines vanishing completely.

"Post it on social media? Nah! What if someone blocks me—then I wouldn't be able to brag properly." June exclaimed, waving her hands excitedly. "I'm sending this photo to everyone. I want the whole world to see my gorgeous big fox."

And just like that, June got to work.

She posed with the Fire Fox Queen, Ivy snapped photos, and they spent time editing for maximum effect. After a flurry of activity, June sent the photos to everyone in her contact list—every single one, ensuring her bragging rights were fully exercised.

"Don't worry, I'm only showing off. If anyone asks, I'll just say I don't know anything. And really, I don't." June promised Asher with utmost sincerity.

Asher nodded.

He wasn't concerned.

The requirements for the Fire Fox Queen's evolution—especially the need for a high bond level—were enough to stump most people. Reverse-engineering the method? Not everyone was as simple as a Honeybug.

Satisfied, Asher left with Little Raven perched on his shoulder.

Late that night:

June's parents, who returned home in a hurry after seeing the photo: "???"

Don, eagerly opening the photo: "???"

June's so-called 'frenemies': "?????"

Forget sleep! Don't think you can avoid explaining this.

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