"Dear Richard, do you know how I came to this island?" Helen asked with a hint of shock in her voice.
"Your ship was caught in a gale, and hit a reef when it was close to the shore," Richard thought for a moment before answering.
"That wasn't my ship. I just told you, didn't I? I was captured by unscrupulous human bandits."
"Time has flown since the battle of Heigar. A millennium passed in the blink of an eye. After a thousand years of recuperating, the Orcs gradually regained their vitality and once again erected their massive wooden totem pillars in the vast Donau Wasteland. Meanwhile, humans had split into dozens of different countries, firmly controlling the Aegean Continent. While most human nations harbored immense hostility toward the Bimon Beastmen, minor border skirmishes constantly erupted between Orcs and humans. Still, no one dared to instigate a large-scale war against the Orc Kingdom again.
Mount Tamerlarya, ever towering on the Donau Continent, served as a massive dividing line. It blocked half of the northeastern Donau Wasteland, thus shielding the Orc kingdom from the prying eyes of the human world.
The Dorott Duchy is the only country bordering the Bimon Kingdom. Known as the 'Nation of mercenaries', it is part of the Yest Kingdom. The Bimon Kingdom faces it across the vast expanse of the Donau Wasteland, with a month-long voyage serving as a buffer zone.
Despite the passage of a millennium, the resentment between the Bimon Beastmen and humans had significantly faded. Trade has started, with traders from human territories travelling all the way to the Bimon Kingdom, exchanging weapons, fabric, books and everyday items for Bimon furs, slaves, and precious magical beast crystal nucleus. However, the gap between the two species hasn't been completely bridged, with no official trade agreements signed.
Under these delicate circumstances, the Bimon and humans subtly eyed each other as adversaries.
The Bimon Kingdom had a high demand for daily necessities and steel cloth from humans. The unofficial trade brought about by human traders was highly sought after by the Bimon Kingdom. Fawkes, a noble from the esteemed Fox Tribe respected for their significant contribution during the millennium war, was stationed in the northeastern frontier by the Bimon King's orders.
Appointing the Fox People from the Fawkes tribe to guard the northeastern frontier was a deep political move by the Bimon King. Only the cunning Fox People could mingle with the devious human merchants and maximize economic benefits.
"My hometown and tribesmen reside in the beautiful northeastern provinces of the kingdom," the little fox narrated.
"So how did those human bandits penetrate your defences and kidnap you and those girls onto the ship?" Richard found this quite strange. "Were the soldiers on your borders blind?"
"Dear Richard, let me tell you a terrifying truth," the little fox bit her lips and said indignantly: "Fawkes' fox tribe is known for their fiery-red fur and tails and it's a top-tier fur and muffler in the eyes of humans — because Bimon furs are more luxurious than those of wild beasts. Among human nobles, it's always a symbol of wealth and power to flaunt a fur coat or boots made from the fur of Bimon Beastmen."
"That's outrageous!" Richard's eyes became bloodshot. He couldn't tolerate such a despicable act of turning intelligent beings into decorative items.
"This is bloody fascism!" Richard growled softly.
"Worse is yet to come!" tears trailed down the little fox's face as she continued, "Fox girls are not only the most exquisite in the Bimon Kingdom, but they also possess an enchanting natural scent — a lifetime memory for anyone who gets a whiff. Human bards have taken to calling this enticing aroma 'fox fragrance'. Fox girls also have a certain allure that can ensnare half the soul of any man with merely a flirtatious glance. Disgraceful humans claim that fox girls can also cure some 'malaises'."
"What is a 'malaise'?" Richard looked at the little fox in confusion.
"Malaise..." Helen paused, trying to find the right words, "I guess it refers to some unusual diseases or statuses. For example, they supposedly have the ability to rejuvenate a senile man."
"Oh~~ I see what you mean now," Richard finally understood.
"That's why, in human territories, jealous ladies often label fox girls as 'vixens.'"
Even though there are beauties amongst humans and some of them may even rival fox girls, human beauties will never possess the natural fox fragrance or allure. Moreover, unlike fox girls, not all of them can boast of such enviable beauty. So, from a fox girl's point of view, we can completely understand the jealousy of human women.
As a result, the auction prices for a fox girl on the human world's black market have soared to alarming heights. Many high-ranking human nobles reportedly enjoy attending salons where fox girls are a main attraction.