Joon-Wo looked around and realized that he was imprisoned inside a small room in a village shop—somewhere completely unfamiliar. Before he could understand anything, a glowing system notification appeared before his eyes:
[First Task: Approach the prince and stay by his side.]
He froze. Prince?
Then he remembered what the system had told him earlier—
The system explained the task clearly: he must approach the prince, and if he completed it, he would receive a Golden Apple. With that reward, he would gain the power to freely shift between his human and fox forms.
Just imagining that possibility made Joon-Woo's heart leap with excitement.
Prince Leon Glacierborne.
The kingdom's brightest heir—more handsome than imagination itself.
A man blessed with three types of magic: ice, holy, and darkness, though the public only knew about the first two.
Golden hair that shone like sunlight on fresh snow, deep blue eyes, and only twenty-one years old.
As Joon-Woo tried to steady himself, he noticed the villagers outside suddenly grow silent. Strong, confident footsteps echoed through the shop's hallway.
Prince Leon had arrived.
Realizing this was his chance, Joon-Woo—still trapped in the form of a white fox—cried out loudly to grab the prince's attention.
Leon turned toward the sound.
His expression softened instantly.
"What a beautiful white fox…" he murmured.
Without hesitation, the prince stepped forward and bought him, lifting Joon-Woo gently into his arms. Before Joon-Woo could understand what was happening, he was already being carried out of the village and toward the magnificent royal castle.
Once inside, Prince Leon headed straight to his private chambers and called for a maid.
"Clean this fox properly," he ordered. "Give him a warm bath and make him comfortable."
The maid bowed respectfully and took the small fox from his arms.
The moment the bath began, Joon-Woo felt a wave of embarrassment—his tiny ears grew hot. He tried to pull away, even attempted to run, but the maid held him gently yet firmly. After thoroughly washing and drying him, she carried the now clean and fluffy fox back to Prince Leon's room and quietly left.
Leon studied the white fox for a long moment.
"A small, pure-white creature…" he whispered. "You need a name."
After thinking for a moment, a soft smile appeared on his lips.
"I'll call you Snowflake."
And with that,
Joon-Woo's new life with the crown prince truly began.