《Hikari Okami: Kitsune Series》 Ch. 1: Kitsune Prince The dark skies above the yoshiwara district were alight by the bright celestial lamps surrounding theplace. From the inn, voices and music playing could be heard as yokai patrons seemed to be enjoying thecompany of their companion. The kurokumo ¡°dark cloud¡± inn, was well known among the yokai as an establishment which catered to the unique needs of all who went there. The Kaze no Yuki ¡°faded purity¡±who have been trained from an early season to bring great pleasure to anyone who pays homage to thekurokumo inn. Among whom, was Hikari, who seemed to be well known for his frequent visits to the place. The upper level of the inn was reserved for those of noble birth who were given the privilege of having their very own Kaze no Yuki attend to their needs, among them, was one whose beauty was highly spoken of. As a result of this, she became the companion of Hikari, she was known by the name, Kayo.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. In one of the rooms was a kitsune, with pointed ears sticking out from long, platinum lavender-blue hair, with matching eyes of dark piercing pupils. He had razor-sharp claws that seemed to extend from slim well-tended hands, dressed in a pink and gray flowery pattern kimono with feet clad in a geta ¡°wooden slippers¡±. Hidden within layers of kimono was a specially made sensu ¡°hand fan¡±. The kitsune seemed to be lying on a well-made, multicolor futon that was laid over the tatami ¡°woodenfloor¡± while sipping sake from a sakazuki ¡°wine cup¡±. His eyes lazily followed the movement of hiscompanion, watching her head slightly bent while playing on the koto with her fingertips dancing all overthe strings; causing the room to become alive with notes which seemed to emanate from the instrument. Ch. 2: Kitsune Prince Kayo was one of the few yokai with delicate feminine features closely resembling those of a human; with silken raven hair held in a finely crafted kanzashi ¡°hairpin¡± and soft eyes the color of sapphire. She was dressed in a flowery red, black, yellow and blue yukata with well-tended slightly long claws, her feet were clad in white sock and geta. After a while, her fingers stopped playing as she raised her head and turned to her patron. ¡°Please, Hikari-sama. Forgive me if you would be so kind, I would like to change my clothing so that I can always look my best for you.¡± ¡°Do as you wish. I do not see the need for you to change what you are wearing but if it would please you, then get on with it,¡± He replied as he dismissed her with his hand. Standing up from the small wooden stool she was sitting on, slowly she bowed her head to him as she said, ¡°Please excuse me, Hikari-sama. I¡¯ll be back very soon.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Hikari watched as she left the room while he allowed his mind to be filled with the thought of his family, he remembered not seeing Taiki in almost three seasons. The only ones that were within reach was Ayumu and Himiko, who were always busy with so many duties. Thinking back, he remembered his friend, Ritsu-no-kami of the Inari Shrine; who had promised to pay him a visit also, but he hadn¡¯t seen him in almost a season either. ¡°Was life as guardian of the humans that hard?¡± He wondered to himself, not too long after a familiar presence was felt in the room. ¡°Hikari-sama, haven¡¯t I told you to always put up a barrier, you never know where your enemies may attack from,¡± said a yokai with hair of golden hue, streaked with a hint of brown with the length reaching half of his back. He had eyes of emerald hue which were filled at the moment with amusement. Well-trimmed claws protruded from his hands, and he was dressed in a plain kimono of inner white and outer blue color. Ch. 3: Kitsune Prince ¡°Ritsu, I just thought of you not too long before you appeared before me, be rest assured, for I never leave myself unguarded, unlike some.¡± ¡°As a friend, I¡¯m just showing my concern for you, now, let me come to the main reason why I¡¯m here. Word has reached me that your mother wants you to take over for her as the supreme leader, is that true?¡± Ritsu-no-kami asked as he watched his friend closely for any sign that he may be hiding something from him. ¡°Mother has yet to tell me that, although word has also reached me about it. But for now, I just want to see it as mere idle talk.¡± As Ritsu-no-kami was about to speak, they heard a knock at the door as a voice spoke, ¡°Sorry for the disturbance but I have an urgent message for Hikari-sama from Chiho-sama.¡± Wondering what it was, Hikari responded, ¡°You can come in.¡± On entering, the messenger bowed his head as he reached into the side gathering of his kimono for the letter issued by Chiho-sama. Bringing it out, he handed it to Hikari who then read the letter, through it all, no one made a sound as they watched him; who at the moment seemed very annoyed.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Please excuse us for I¡¯ll like to speak with Ritsu alone,¡± said Hikari to the messenger who, on hearing this bowed before them as he made his way out of the room. ¡°Ritsu you know that you and I have been friends for a long time. It is on this ground that I ask a favor from you, please allow me to take your position as guardian among the humans for a season. After which, I¡¯ll take over from mother as the next supreme ruler.¡± ¡°So, it is really true, is that what the letter was about?¡± asked Ritsu-no-kami. ¡°You know my mother is never direct when she says things, according to the letter, she says that I have to take over before I celebrate my fiftieth season which to my knowledge, will be very soon.¡± ¡°You do know that humans are very different from us. Some are as terrible or if not worse, but they have a great capacity to show love which goes beyond their limitation as a lesser being. Take heed never to break the rule that binds us, yokai. You must never fall for a human or lay with one. It is forbidden which is punishable by barring your entry into the yokai world; to be condemned to spend your life among the humans as one of them, although I doubt your mother would kill you for doing that even if you¡¯re supposedly immortal.¡± ¡°Finally, avoid humans who possess powers like us for they are called ¡°onmyouji¡±, who go about sealing yokai. I was able to live among them without detection because of my unique ability to suppress my aura, making me appear human.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t take me for a fool, of course, I know the rules and I¡¯m not one to be swayed by such fleeting emotions. There are duties waiting to be fulfilled as the next supreme leader.¡± Ritsu-sama agreed to relinquish his position as guardian of the Inari shrine to his friend; then he went on to explain the duties expected of a guardian. Ch. 4: Kitsune Prince He remembered his friend¡¯s warning to avoid the night of the Tsuki no mangetsu ¡°night of the lunar moon¡± for on that day, the onmyouji go hunting kitsune and other yokai. Unknown to them, Kayo had overheard what had been said as tears slowly trailed down her cheek, reaching to her face and seeing tears on her fingers, made her realize how much she loved Hikari. With that came regret, for she knew it was a hopeless love. It was forbidden for a Kaze no Yuki of the kurokumo inn to fall in love with their patron, for they are only tools to bring pleasure to their owners.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Slowly making her way away from the room where Hikari was, she dried her eyes with the sleeves of her yukata. Kayo resolved never to reveal the love she had for him; most especially to one who was from the strongest noble family in the yokai world. Once Ritsu-no-kami was done speaking with his friend, leaving the same way he came as his body slowly disappeared until there was no trace of him left in the room. After which, Hikari rose from where he sat to leave on a journey into the unknown world of the humans, for a moment, he felt a slight regret for not waiting to bid his longtime companion goodbye. ¡°I hope she can forgive me one day.¡± With that thought in mind, he left the inn to begin his journey. Ch. 5: Kitsune Prince An immense yokai aura seem to announce Hikari¡¯s presence into the world of the humans. He came in through a tori gate located at the entrance of the Inari shrine that connected the world of the yokai and the humans. On reaching the human world, he began to observe the brightness of the sky and his surroundings, watching as the humans passed by going on with their activities. Wanting to know more, he allowed his senses to flare out seeking as much as he could without physically going to those places. As a creature of the night, he was not yet used to the intense brightness of daytime. Deciding to come out later in the night, he swiftly headed straight for the inner room of the shrine to assume his duties as guardian. On entering the shrine, he noticed that his friend, Ritsu, left the place looking unattended. He saw ancient mystical scrolls, books and spiritual ornaments lying carelessly around, as one used to refinement and neatness, the whole place struck him as odd. Reaching down, he began picking the things lying on the tatami and arranging the place. ¡°If I keep going at this pace, I¡¯ll never finish until sundown.¡±Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. With that said, he released his kitsune no maho ¡°demon fox magic¡±, not too long after, the place was looking sparkling clean. Making his way out, he saw a grown blooming senbonzakura ¡°cherry¡± tree, not too far were small jizo statues erected to the east of the shrine; while to the west, was a Shishiodoshi with a zen garden. ¡°At least he was able to take care of the shrine surroundings,¡± he mused within himself. Walking to where the senbonzakura was, it reminded him of home. Closing his eyes, he allowed his kitsune no maho to fill the air. As though with a life of their own, they began wrapping around the blossoms as they danced in the wind as the sun shone brightly. Once his turbulent emotion was under control, he made his way back to the shrine to wait for night to come. As a fully realized kitsune, he had reached the point where he could assume the form of a human; without his tail neither sticking out, nor having to resort to using a kitsune no ha ¡°demon fox leaf¡± to appear human. On the night when Hikari decided to take a walk among the humans, unknown to him was this was the night of the Tsuki no mangetsu, when the moon becomes the color of peach with the absence of stars from the sky. As head of the onmyouji clan, Kamo no Yasunori, would call his men to perform a special seal to renew the ritual that warded off yokai from entering the human world; to maintain the balance between the human and that of the yokai world. Ch. 6 : Kitsune Prince They placed a special barrier in the area where yokai are most likely to be by using a seal binding spell. This places the yokai in a special barrier sucking their spiritual energy, then sending them to jigoku, where they ultimately become soulless spirits stripped of spiritual powers to break free. It has been said, that none had ever escaped jigoku and lived to tell about it, the only ones that can come and go are those who are endowed with tremendous yokai power. Kamo no Yasunori, master of onmyou magic and spells, praised alongside Abe no Seimei as a highly skilled onmyouji, had dedicated many years to studying the act of demon slaying and use of spells to protect the human world from the influence of yokai. Dressed in a pink and gray flower print kimono he watched the humans walking by. The whole place was alive with noise and activity, he suddenly felt a sense of unease, as though he was being watched.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. He found it strange that the humans avoided walking towards and around where he was, not knowing he was already in an onmyou barrier. He saw some men dressed in black kimono with some strange talisman pointing towards him and uttering words that felt powerful, despite his lack of knowledge about what was been said, it dawned on him that he was already under the control of the onmyouji, as he watched in defeat while the onmyouji completed the sealing ritual. ¡°Hurry, do not let the kitsune escape. Use the spells I taught you to bind him!¡± Kamo no Yasunori commanded, as he rallied the men to gather around the yokai as they chanted in unity. ¡°Watashi wa anata ga futatabi kono ji o arukimawaru geretsuna ikimono kara tochi o tame ni Kotoamatsukami o yobidashimasu.¡± Ch. 7: Kitsune Prince Afterwards, a shining blue light emerged from the seal; binding the kitsune and shutting off the flow of yokai energy from within the barrier as he was taken into the world of no return. On seeing he was surrounded by a wall of blue light, while being whisked away to a very dark place, in anguish he said, ¡°I brought this on myself. Had I not assumed human form, this would not have happened. In my foolishness, they saw the chance to prey on my weakness,¡± he said closing his eyes in defeat. He cursed himself for his carelessness by not sensing their presence before it was too late to act, drifting into an unnatural sleep, waiting for the time when he will break away from the powerful barrier and take his revenge.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. One Year Later¡­ In her dream, Murakami Miyako saw a person dressed in a pink and gray flowery kimono with lavender-blue hair and pointed ears sticking out from it. Nails that appeared almost like claws and slim feet, covered in white socks and slippers made of wood. Each time she slept, her dream seemed to be the same. On waking up, whenever she tried to remember, it all seem hazy in a way. Ch. 8: Kitsune Prince At the early age of three, she grew up in an orphanage because of a car accident that claimed the lives of her parents, leaving her as the only survivor. Upon checking her into a hospital, the doctors saw no bruises or bleeding, so she was discharged and sent to the orphanage; since no one showed up claiming to know her. Life at the orphanage was hard as she lived off scraps of food, hand-me-down clothing and used schooling materials as those were the things she was privileged to have. One of the things that made life more difficult was the unusual color of her hair; as one born with blood-red hair, no one understood why she would have that color. So, this caused her to be treated harshly.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. She was often teased by other children in the orphanage as an ainoko ¡°mixed blood¡±. Some had dared to whisper that she must have been a bastard child of some foreigner as she passed by; even the matrons of the orphanage avoided her as much as possible. Feeling frustrated and lonely at such a tender age, she learned to shut down her emotions; never allowing what she heard from people to affect her way of life. Even when she got into high school there was not any difference. She was treated as though invisible and by the age of sixteen, she was told to start looking for jobs so that by her eighteenth birthday she would have left the orphanage. Luckily, she found a part-time job at a food caf¨¦ and a grocery store, with both jobs close to the orphanage; she began saving money. As soon as the time came for her to move, a representative of the orphanage stood as a guarantor by providing the falsified document showing she was twenty-one to meet the apartment renting requirement. Ch. 9: Kitsune Prince Lately, her dream was starting to bother her as it no longer looked as if it was just a dream. This time, she saw that he opened his eyes, which were lavender-blue with piercing dark pupils, as he called to her to rescue him. ¡°How can I save you? Where are you? Are you real?¡± She began to feel agitated with tears gathering in her eyes. Lately she didn¡¯t know why she was beginning to think her ¡®dreams¡¯ were real, because it was as though they were communicating face to face. He told her he was held captive in a barrier by magic spells, which was used to bind and seal him away.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. She remembered asking him how she was able to talk to him, for which he replied that he didn¡¯t know, but what he was sure of, is that she appeared to have some sort of powers which seemed to be similar to those of a priestess and that the power was strong enough to break the seal and release him. ¡°You¡¯ll have to allow me to perform the kitsunebi ¡°demon fox possession¡± technique on you so that I can use your body to locate where I am. You utter the sacred words to break the barrier keeping me captive, once that is done, I¡¯ll be free.¡± ¡°How does it work?¡± she asked while trying to stay calm. Ch. 10: Kitsune Prince ¡°I¡¯ll have control over your body and guide it to where I am, then take something from you that would be strong enough to weaken the barrier. After which once I break free, I¡¯ll release you from my hold.¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t agree, what will happen?¡± she asked. ¡°This is the only time that I have ever asked a human for help, I am putting my pride on the line by pleading with you to come to my aid, just this once and I¡¯ll never ask anything of you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a wicked person. Of course, I¡¯ll help you, just let me know when you¡¯ll be performing this technique that you speak of.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be doing it now, just be prepared for you will have no control whatsoever over your body, for your will would become mine.¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°That sounds scary! I think I¡¯m about to have second thoughts.¡± ¡°I promise you this, that no harm shall befall you. You have my word on that. Kyosei kitsune suimin,¡± he said. Hikari uttered the sacred words from his mouth; using his mental link to the human who was finally under his control. He sensed the emotions from her past life and current life; seeing the pain she endured, the grief as a child for the loss of her parents, her uncertainty about the future, the deep loneliness of growing up in a strange place with people who clearly hated her. He felt some remorse for using her to bring about his release but at the same time, he was happy to have someone with powers strong enough to break the seal. He found her to be a fascinating human who didn¡¯t know that she possessed a power that rivaled those of a yokai. ¡°Was it possible she was a real priestess?¡± He thought, as he kept leading her out of her house to the place where he was sealed away. Ch. 11: Kitsune Prince Miyako kept walking as though in a trance, feeling a presence within her as she watched people pass by; without really seeing them as though she was observing them from afar. On getting closer to where she worked at the food caf¨¦, her body suddenly stopped at a particular spot; she noticed people were not looking at her. It was as though she wasn¡¯t even there. A strong urge overcame her as she bit into her palm, watching in dismay and horror as blood began flowing from the wound. ¡°Akuma no shoheki wa watashi ga mujitsu no seinaru chi o kaiho shimasu.¡± She spoke strange words she didn¡¯t know, she uttered and smeared blood on an invisible wall that she could only sense, but not see.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Suddenly, she heard a sizzling sound as a dark spiraling hole appeared, the opening kept getting larger and larger until she saw something emerge from it. She realized she just released the creature of her dreams. As soon as he was completely out, the opening disappeared. Walking towards her Hikari held her hand close to his mouth as he spoke some healing spells to close her wound after which he released her from his technique. ¡°You were of great use today, I thank you for that.¡± He bowed slightly to show his gratitude. ¡°What did you think you were doing, making me bite myself? Why didn¡¯t you tell me that you would do that to me?¡± ¡°If I had told you, would you have heeded my pleas for help?¡± On hearing that, Miyako knew that if he had told her, then she would most likely not have gone out of her way to help him. Ch. 12: Kitsune Prince ¡°You really are real,¡± she said while looking at him from all sides. She was surprised when she saw a tail protruding from behind him. ¡°Can I touch your tail?¡± ¡°As you please, just once and that will be all.¡± She ran her finger over his tail and she felt it twitch slightly from her touch, she noticed it had a fluffy feel. She wished she could touch it more, but remembered he told her just one touch. Straightway she took her hand off, not wanting to annoy him. ¡°If I may ask what are you? And why do I have the power to release you?¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°I¡¯m a kitsune from a strong noble family, as to why you were able to release me, I saw that the spiritual energy you possess closely resembles those of a priestess. You seem to share the same color of hair as those of an ancient priestess clan. I think they were called the Miko clan.¡± ¡°My name is Murakami Miyako, if I may ask, could you please tell me your name?¡± ¡°Hikari, is my name. Nice meeting a human who isn¡¯t really human.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?! I¡¯m human you know?!¡± she replied angrily. ¡°If you would permit me.¡± Stepping forward, he brought her closer to himself. Tilting her head towards him, he bent to seal his lips with hers to replenish some of the energy he lost while sealed away. He knew that she had no need of the immense power dwelling within her, for he perceived she had no knowledge of how much power her body held. After taking in his fill of her energy he slowly released her. Ch. 13: Kitsune Prince Miyako knew that one moment she was standing away from Hikari, and the next, she was swept into his arms as her mind went blank when his lips touched hers. She didn¡¯t know for how long it lasted, but the feeling of been held close lingered on as she struggled to regain her voice ¡°Why¡­did you kiss me?¡± ¡°You call that a kiss? I was merely nourishing my body.¡± For a moment, she felt a strong emotion swell up within as the feeling of discomfort washed over her. She couldn¡¯t believe that he callously dismissed what she knew to be her first kiss, instead, she quietly whispered to herself, ¡°Stupid Hikari.¡± Hikari kept looking around trying to feel the air for threats to him and the human, while glancing towards her from time to time as they talked, since the last encounter with the onmyouji nearly caused him to be completely drained of spiritual energy.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Seeing he wasn¡¯t really paying her much attention, Miyako continued to look at him fascinated by the unknown being that stood by her, feeling as if she was in a dream not wanting to admit that all this was real? ¡°Let¡¯s go human, before the onmyouji get here. I do not want you to be in harm¡¯s way,¡± Hikari said as he waited for her to follow him, he knew that there was no way the onmyouji would come out to challenge one as old as him; except on the night when he unknowingly blunted the effect of his powers by assuming the form of a human. Thankfully, his mind unconsciously sought out a highly skilled Priestess who according to his observation of her, seemed to be unaware of how much power she possessed. Ch. 14: Kitsune Prince ¡°Who are these onmyouji, you speak of? She asked. ¡°They are humans who wield powerful spells and magic, whose power closely resemble those of a yokai. They are ruthless with any human that associates with a yokai.¡± Feeling a bit frightened by what she heard, Miyako decided to do as he said not wanting to be a victim of an unknown assailant. ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be going to where you¡¯re staying. I need to be sure that you¡¯re properly protected from any form of spiritual attack now that I know that there are still some surviving onmyouji in this age and time.¡± Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°Are you trying to suggest I may be under attack because I helped you?¡± Miyako felt frightened by what may happen to them, she didn¡¯t want to be caught up in whatever things he said that could occur from her association with him. ¡°Right now, your safety is my priority before I head back to the Inari shrine. I don¡¯t want either yokai or onmyouji to attack you as a result of my lingering spiritual power that may have been left on you due to the kitsunebi technique I performed on you and also when you touched my tail.¡± ¡°I never said I needed your help, so don¡¯t try to force your way into what isn¡¯t your business!¡± she retorted sharply. Ch. 15: Kitsune Prince ¡°Anyway, it is getting late. Let¡¯s hurry to where you¡¯re staying.¡± Deciding not to argue with him any longer, she followed him obediently as they made their way through the crowed lively street. While walking, she noticed people were not looking at them or walking close to where they were; as though there was an invisible wall separating them from other people. Not wanting to start another round of questions with him, she decided to keep the strangeness of what was happening around them to herself. Unknown to her, Hikari was releasing a spell of protection to guard them as they passed in the mist of the humans. He did not want to leave it to chance that she may be attacked by anyone.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. On getting to her apartment building, she noticed that none of the residents were walking about; assuming they might be asleep or at work as the place seemed quiet. She climbed the steps leading to her place. Once she arrived, she remembered she didn¡¯t lock her door for she wasn¡¯t conscious enough when leaving earlier. Opening the door, she allowed herself in as Hikari, closely walked behind her. All the while observing the human who just saved his life ¡°Strange, she isn¡¯t asking anymore questions, as a young female is she supposed to allow any male entrance into her home?¡± he thought to himself , not knowing where the possessive feeling came from as he felt irritated by the possibility that she allowed just anyone in. ¡°Do you allow just anyone to come and see you?¡± ¡°Why do you ask?¡± she said. ¡°I told you to take me to where you lived, and you didn¡¯t put up a fight. Do all humans act this way?¡± he said in a tone that barely suppressed his anger. Ch.16: Kitsune Prince ¡°You are the first person that I have ever invited into my room.¡± Miyako wondered why Hikari was acting in such a manner. ¡°Or maybe he¡¯s jealous that I allowed any man into my room?¡± she thought to herself. After she said that, Hikari felt a measure of relief wash over him as he could not imagine any human male coming close to her. He wondered where such strange emotions were coming from for he never fought over anyone, not to mention a human at that. ¡°It was not like she possessed the beauty that Kayo had ,so why am I getting anxious over her?¡± he asked himself. One of the first things Hikari noticed about her apartment was the size, the space seemed small to him. He saw she didn¡¯t add any personal touches to the place, almost as if she was going to be moving out at any time.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°Why is it that you don¡¯t have any flowers, ornaments or paintings? This doesn¡¯t look like a place anyone lives in.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time for that, I work long hours and after that, I can¡¯t wait to sleep in my bed.¡± ¡°You could always make time to add something colorful, as a way to show my gratitude, let me give you something to brighten the place.¡± Hikari released his kitsune no maho into the air, it began to work its way into creating the things he wanted to give to her. He was puzzled as to why they were no longer the light blue color he was accustomed to. Instead, it was now the color of white. He wondered if it was because of his stay in jigoku that brought about this change. Slowly, the painting of the senbonzakura tree, which reflected the bright pink hue of the flower began to appear on her wall. Afterward, a small ikebana ¡°living flower¡± appeared; to finish it up, he created a lime green vase for the flower. Ch. 17: Kitsune Prince ¡°Thanks, but you didn¡¯t have to give me a flower, the painting would have been just enough for me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll need to start placing protection spells around you and your place, for I do not want you to be in danger.¡± Hikari muttered the special protective spell as he released it to surround her and the apartment building, after he was done, he asked her where the bath was. Pointing to the entrance behind the kitchen, he went to where she directed him. Miyako could not help but wonder why she suddenly felt her life had just taken a turn for the worse, when suddenly she heard him shout and she rushed to see what was wrong.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. ¡°What happened? Why were you shouting?¡± ¡°There is no hot bath; are there any hot springs around?¡± ¡°Was that why you were shouting? For a moment, I thought something terrible happened. There are no hot springs around. Why don¡¯t you go to your house and take your bath, or a hot spring, or where ever it is that you take a bath.¡± sounded a vexed Miyako Feeling irritable, Hikari decided to leave her bathroom, he couldn¡¯t imagine himself taking his bath in such a ridiculously small tub, taking his leave as he waved her goodbye. Heaving a sigh of relief, she shut the door behind him. Miyako couldn¡¯t help wondering what brought them together as the events of the day began to sink in. Her eyes became heavy and she made her way to the bed to lay down. Before closing her eyes, she turned to look at the beautiful flower in the vase that he gave her. With a smile on her face, she slowly drifted into a restful sleep. Ch. 18: Kitsune Prince Hikari floated all the way to the Inari Shrine; something he didn¡¯t want to do while the human was around him. ¡°Was I scared of how she would have reacted being carried in the air?¡± he wondered, while landing on the ground. Noticing that the shrine seemed to have a lingering scent of evil, he released a spell to ward it off and he watched as it disappeared. Walking into the shrine, he made his way into the inner room hidden from human eyes.Discarding his Kimono and loin cloth, he entered the hot tube he prepared using his Kitsune no maho. Once done cleaning himself, he rose to dress. Thinking back to his time with the human, he didn¡¯t know if she could be reliable.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Even though she wasn¡¯t a usual human, he sensed a kindness from her; despite growing up in an environment where she didn¡¯t receive much love or kindness. He thought to himself that it would be interesting to get to know her more. Hikari wandered around the shrine at the late hour of midnight, he kept putting protective spells and evil warding spells around the place. Using his Kitsune no hi ¡°demon fox fire¡±, he lightened the lamps lining the entrance to the shrine, watching as they glowed in the dark. He noticed the offering box was half full with the coins the worshippers dropped each time they came to the shrine to offer prayers for blessings. He emptied the box, allowing it to float into the air as he read the desires of each person through the coins. Once he was done, he took the coins into his room before heading out to go house to house, granting each desire; according to what was within his power to do. Ch. 19: Kitsune Prince Slowly, he felt the approach of dawn as he made his way back to the shrine. Deciding to rest in order to build up his strength, he took off his geta, then settled on the futon ¡°flat mattress¡± to rest as he closed his eyes. Miyako woke up to the sound of the alarm clock as it buzzed at 6 am, knowing that her first job required that she be at the food caf¨¦ by 8 am. She quickly made her way into the kitchen to prepare breakfast before heading for the bathroom to take a shower. It took twenty minutes to be fully dressed and she rushed to check on breakfast. Within another ten minutes it was ready. After she sat to eat, she quickly cleared the dishes then packed her bag, locked the door and made her way out of the building for work, as usual, the day was starting to get busy, seeing school children heading for school and people rushing to work.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Upon arriving at work, she saw the manager, Ichikawa Hayao, a man in his thirties. She greeted him while heading to the locker room to place her belongings, before starting the day. The food caf¨¦ majorly served pastries and lemonade drink, with the occasional tea by the side. Business was booming, and the manager was thinking of opening another branch some miles from where they were. Since she was working part-time, he spoke to her of considering the position of becoming the manager at the new store. She had been working with him for a long time and was familiar with the setup of the food caf¨¦ which was opened by 9 am and closed by 5 pm. Miyako told him she¡¯ll let him know of her decision before the new branch opened for business; the day was busy as usual and before long, it was time for her to start at the grocery store; which was a walkable distance from the food caf¨¦. On getting there by 3 pm, she saw the place was busy for the day as people were walking about loading food into their shopping carts. Ch. 20: Kitsune Prince Without wasting time, she made her way to the cashier lane to begin her day. The day went by in a blur of activities as the time drew closer for her to leave, by 9 pm she packed her bag to head for the apartment as her mind went back to the strange creature she met yesterday. ¡°Is he going to show up?¡± She wondered, while walking home. He seems to know some things about her that she wasn¡¯t even aware of, like being from an ancient priestess lineage. Thinking back, she noticed she knew so little about him. On getting home, she saw none of her neighbors were around as she went straight to her apartment. The first thing she noticed, was the painting on her walls as her eyes drifted to the flower on her study table.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. She wondered why he would go through such lengths to show his gratitude to her for rescuing him, and yet his words sounded sometimes cruel whenever he talked to her; but his actions seemed to contradict what he said. Thinking aloud, ¡°He better not come here tonight, I¡¯m not in the mood to receive any visitors. The one day I had to myself and he went and took my time by forcing me to release him from where he was.¡± Walking to the kitchen, she prepared a light meal. After eating, she took a bath before heading to her bed to prepare for the next day of work. In her dreams, she saw a young woman dressed in a white and blue yukata, chanting some words that caused a whirlwind to form; she chanted another word as fire formed beneath her fingertips, releasing spell after spell, by issuing commands from her mouth. Ch. 21: Kitsune Prince She spoke to Miyako in her dream, saying, ¡°My name is Yukihime, for I am one of the few that possess the power to control all elements. No matter how strong a priestess is, she will always need someone to assist her.Therefore, young miko priestess, you are the last descendant. I show you these things to let you know that a tough battle lies ahead, work together with the kitsune of the Inari shrine; for together, the both of you will defeat the enemies that will be coming.The onmyouji are getting more bloodthirsty to seal both good and bad yokai. Our job as priestesses, is to maintain the balance between both worlds, heed my warning young priestess, for if you do not, then you and the kitsune would be destroyed.¡± With that, the vision disappeared, leaving Miyako in a dreamless sleep. As evening approached, Hikari rose up to take a walk around the shrine, noticing the cherry blossom tree located behind it was looking as though they were withering. Using his powers, he caused the withering parts to blossom once again. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Night finally came as he continued to watch the cherry blossom sway to the movement of the wind as the moon cast its light on the blossom. Taking his sensu, he began to practice the different defensive and offensive techniques. Afterwards, he decided to leave for Miyako¡¯s place, not wanting to shadow her mind because this would make her aware of his presence. The purpose was just to observe her from afar to see how she was doing. On getting there, he saw the barrier surrounding her apartment building was still intact as he made his way through to her room. Watching the peaceful expression on her face as she slept, he moved soundlessly around the place studying everywhere, before making his way to where she laid, placing a kiss on her forehead. ¡°Sleep well little human,¡± With that, he went out the same way he came. Ch. 22: Kitsune Prince With a start, Miyako, woke up from her sleep as the alarm kept buzzing. Standing up to turn it off, she made her way to prepare breakfast in the kitchen before taking her bath. Thirty minutes later, she was set to begin her day. Leaving the room, she locked the door, and headed down the corridor linking the stairs and left the building. Making her way to work, she completely forgot about the dream she had of a woman dressed in ancient attire, showing her different fighting skills coupled with spells and magic. Miyako thought back to when she felt a slight impression on her forehead when she woke up. ¡°I feel like I dreamt that Hikari came over and kissed me on the forehead?¡± Blushing as the thought crossed her mind. Deciding that it may just be a dream, she kept walking fast so as not to be late for work. On arriving, the manager was already there as usual, after a greeting, she made her way to put her belongings in the shop locker, then began setting the store to get ready for the arrival of the customers.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. The day went by as the food caf¨¦ was bustling with activity, people going and coming in as they ordered off the menu. Later at her job, her boss called her aside that he had left some pastries for her in a wrapped paper towel to take with her when she leaves. Thanking him for his generosity, she took it from the utensil room countertop and placed it inside the locker. At the grocery store, she made her way to begin checking out the shoppers until it was time for her shift to end, feeling tired and sore she took her bag exiting the store. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can keep doing this job for long. I need to look for something that will pay well and wouldn¡¯t require me working long hours,¡± thought Miyako. On getting home, she decided to warm the pastries her boss gave her earlier at work, happy that this time there would be no need to prepare dinner as she made tea while settling on the tatami ¡°wooden floor¡± to eat her meal. ¡°I don¡¯t know if he eats human food, it would have been nice to share this with him. Anyway, why do I care if he does. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s forgotten all about me; he may already have someone waiting for his return.¡± For some reason, she felt bothered by the thought of a woman waiting for his return. Ch. 23: Kitsune Prince After clearing the dishes, she made her way to the study table; touching the ikebana flower and looking at the beautiful drawings on the wall, remembering how he placed them in her room. ¡°I want to speak with him, but I don¡¯t know how, I wonder if he would even show up?¡± she thought to herself. Lying down to sleep, Miyako kept thinking of what the next day would bring. She was yet to let her manager know of her decision concerning the position of manager at the new store. ¡°I need to make up my mind so that if I¡¯m not taking it, then he could look for someone else to fill the position.¡± she thought. Thinking back to what Hikari told her about some sort of power lying within her. ¡°I should have asked him more about it, maybe he¡¯ll help me understand more about myself. I need to know who or what I am.¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Feeling sad as memories of dark times at the orphanage resurfaced. Clearing her mind of those thoughts, she tossed around until she found a comfortable position on the bed, before settling down for the night. This time, she dreamt of Hikari carrying her in his arms as both floated in the air, enjoying the sight of the night together. Hikari had been in his chambers all day, wondering whether to go to the human¡¯s house as the day slowly came to an end. He thought about his family in the yokai world, wondering when he¡¯ll see all of them again. He thought of the human whose life he would be endangering because of his carelessness when he got captured by the onmyouji. He made a promise to himself to see her well protected. Not one to break a promise, he resolved to do everything in his power to keep her safe. Watching the sky, he used his kitsune no maho to cause the leaves around him to float in the air, creating a musical sound with the wind only heard by a being like him. Ch. 24: Kitsune Prince ¡°This place must be getting to me. Why would the memory of so long ago be resurfacing?¡± he thought aloud. ¡°One of these days, I¡¯ll have to ask the human if we could go to some places together.¡± as the thought crossed his mind, he wondered why he wanted her by his side. The next morning when Miyako woke up, what she saw destroyed the initial dream she had about him. Lying next to her in bed, with his arms holding her close, was Hikari. ¡°What are you doing in my bed?!¡± she asked, forcing her voice to sound annoyed so that he would not detect how embarrassed she felt. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would be safe on your own. That is why I decided to spend the night with you.¡± ¡°What do you mean by spend the night with me? I didn¡¯t ask for your protection, I have been doing fine on my own before you came, so you can leave now!¡± As her voice rose in anger. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°Calm down, young human, I didn¡¯t do anything to you while we slept¡­.¡± ¡°You had better not! You¡¯re the first person to sleep in the same bed with me. You cannot even imagine how I feel right now, you invaded my space and you¡¯re not even sorry!¡± ¡°You have my sincere apology! I just wanted you to be safe,¡± said Hikari, as he wondered why she was getting agitated over such a trivial matter. ¡°You can go now, I¡¯ll be fine,¡± while saying this, she inched forward to make her way out of the bed. ¡°What is there to eat, I¡¯m sure you humans must need food to survive.¡± ¡°How can you expect me to prepare food in the state I¡¯m in?¡± Wondering why he couldn¡¯t see that his words were rubbing her the wrong way. ¡°Very well, tell me what there is to know about how you prepare your food, then I¡¯ll take over from there,¡± he said in a placating tone. ¡°As soon as I¡¯m done taking my bath, I¡¯ll show you what you need to know.¡± With that, she left him for the bathroom. ¡°Humans sure are difficult creatures, what have I said to cause such anger? Especially, so early in the morning. Now I know she doesn¡¯t want me here¡­ but still her safety is of great importance.¡± thinking to himself. Ch. 25: Kitsune Prince In the shower, she allowed the warm water to rinse the soap suds from her body, as soon as she was done, Miyako stepped out, only to be met on the way by Hikari. ¡°You scared me! What are you doing here; didn¡¯t I say that I¡¯ll teach you once I am done¡± ¡°I was wondering what was taking you so long.¡± ¡°You can wait for me in my room while I use the bathroom to change,¡± she said while trying to calm down. ¡°There is no need for that, let me come back later so that you can have some time to yourself,¡± he said as his eyes trailed over her body ¡°Stop looking at me, like that!¡± Miyako said as she felt her face blaze with embarrassment, suddenly conscious of the towel covering her body.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°I¡¯m leaving so do whatever it is you want to do.¡± with that he swiftly left the room. ¡°Stupid Hikari¡­just barging into my room without letting me know.¡± Walking over to her closet to select the clothes she would be changing into, once she was done, she laid on her bed to rest. ¡°How I wish he didn¡¯t leave so soon, even when I told him it was okay to stay.¡± After waiting outside for a great while, he made his way back; seeing she was already dressed. ¡°I¡¯ll be going to work soon, so make yourself comfortable while I¡¯m gone. But first, let¡¯s get on with what I promised to show you.¡± Making her way to the kitchen, she showed him how to make rice with miso soup and grilled fish for breakfast. Hikari keenly watched how she went about it. ¡°Let¡¯s leave it to cook. Once it is done, then I¡¯ll show you how to serve the food.¡± "You have my gratitude for showing me how to cook a human food.¡± Miyako kept quiet, for she didn¡¯t know how to respond to his words, which caused her to experience a warm feeling in her heart. Ch. 26: Kitsune Prince While they waited for the food, she filled the time by cutting some vegetables that would be used for their meal. Then, began doing some light cleaning around the room to keep her eyes from wandering to the creature who seemed to captivate her by his manner and appearance. Even when she wished to talk to him in a nice way, she just didn¡¯t know why it always came out wrong. "I don¡¯t know why his presence makes me feel hot and cold at the same time. I feel a strange sensation moving down my body.¡± thought Miyako. After the food was done, he watched as she served it onto the plates, noticing the way in which she set them on the tray, before placing them in the middle of the bed, gesturing with her hand for him to join her in eating. ¡°Thanks for the food,¡± he said while waiting for her to start eating. Once done, they cleared the plates together after which, she began preparing for work. ¡°I¡¯ll be returning tonight you can wait until I come, if not, then I¡¯ll be seeing you next time.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be here when you come back.¡± As soon as she left, he felt the emptiness of the place. It struck him at that moment, that it was her personality that brought the place to life, he wished that night would come quicker so that he would be able to see her again.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Making his way to her bed, he curled to his side releasing the kitune no hi to assume different shapes. After playing for hours upon hours, he closed his eyes freeing his mind to wander. ¡°I just have to wait¡­.¡± he muttered. At work, Miyako was a bit distracted for she didn¡¯t know if Hikari would be alright being all alone by himself, her manager seemed to notice this saying, ¡°Murakami-san are you okay? You seem a bit spaced out.¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± she quickly replied. ¡°You don¡¯t sound okay, but if you insist, I will not pry.¡± The day was not any faster, a lot of students came around, some with their dates to the food caf¨¦. Mostly cakes and drinks were ordered, only a few asked to be served tea. The day went by in a blur as her time came to leave for her other job. Bidding her manager, a hasty goodbye, she headed to the grocery store where she would be closing for the night. Entering the store, she noticed there were not enough people shopping. ¡°This is going to be a very long shift.¡± she thought to herself. True to her words, the day seemed to drag on until it was time to head for the apartment. ¡°I hope he will still be waiting for me when I get there.¡± Picking up her pace, she began walking faster in hopes of seeing him, finally making it to the apartment. On reaching the end of the stairs, she saw him waiting for her at the door. ¡°What are you doing outside?¡± she asked. ¡°I was waiting for you; I just couldn¡¯t stand how lonely it was in your apartment any longer.¡± ¡°But I told you, I¡¯ll be coming back.¡± She didn¡¯t know whether to be angry with him, or feel happy by his words. Ch. 27: Kitsune Prince ¡°Please, do not be angry, I just wanted to see you.¡± Miyako felt that same warmth filtering through her, feeling choked with emotion; not remembering a time when anyone had waited for her return; instead, she said, ¡°Don¡¯t let me get used to this.¡± Together, they made their way into the room as Miyako told him she would teach him how to make cucumber salad, grilled mackerel and potato stew. ¡°Let me take a bath and change. Then we¡¯ll start preparing the food,¡± she said while taking a change of clothes with her. ¡°Go on, I¡¯ll be waiting when you¡¯re done,¡± he replied, watching her head for the bathroom. ¡°Humans sure are particular about their appearance,¡± saying to himself. In the bathroom Miyako allowed the water to soothe her sore muscles wondering how long she could keep working this way. ¡°One of these days, I may have to return to the university to complete my education because I can¡¯t keep on juggling jobs,¡± speaking aloud to herself. Drying up then changing into the clothes she brought with her, she opened the door and headed for her room, noticing Hikari was laying on her bed. ¡°Are you asleep, already?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t know what to do with myself. That was why I decided to lie down.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s make dinner.¡± Standing up, he walked with her to the kitchen to start the preparation of their meal, this time it seemed to take longer than that of the morning food. ¡°Why is it taking so long?¡± he asked. ¡°Because, we are doing something different this time,¡± she replied. After a while, the food was ready as they settled into a familiar routine of dining on the bed, then clearing up to wash the dishes. ¡°Time, in the human world seems to move fast; here I was waiting anxiously for your return and next, we are through with dinner.¡± ¡°One of these days, I hope you will tell me what it feels like to live in your world,¡± she replied. ¡°There is nothing to really talk about, just that it is very different from your world, do not concern yourself about it.¡± Miyako decided not to respond, hoping for the day he¡¯ll learn to open up to her, even if it meant not being able to visit where he lived in the other world. ¡°It is time for bed since I have an early start tomorrow.¡± She headed to the bed and saw that he followed her, ¡°What are you doing? You know I can¡¯t share the same bed with you.¡± As the memory of what happened when she woke up caused her to feel funny inside, for she didn¡¯t want to tell him that it was herself, that she couldn¡¯t trust to be on the same bed with him. ¡°You know, I will not touch nor harm you.¡± ¡°Tomorrow I¡¯ll have to get a futon for you, one of these days we should go to some places together.¡± Pushing the bed cover aside he settled down for the night, wondering why the human was acting in such a strange manner. Giving his body as much distance from hers, he waited until she was fast asleep; knowing he could not sleep as she could, for a yokai never had need of sleep like humans did. The next morning, Miyako quietly left for work, not knowing that Hikari knew the exact moment she woke; but pretended to still be asleep. Ch. 28: Kitsune Prince Miyako received a call from her manager while on her lunch, that at the back of the store she had a visitor. ¡°I have never had anyone come to see me at work, I wonder who it might be. It had better not be Hikari sneaking away from the house to visit.¡± with that thought in mind, she went to the back of the store, only for her to see a man she didn¡¯t know. ¡°Good afternoon, I was told you wanted to see me. I don¡¯t mean to be rude, but who are you?¡± as she asked this, she saw her manager cast a curious glance towards her and the stranger. ¡°If it is no trouble to you, can we step out so that we can talk in private?¡± he said, not bothering to answer her question. Deciding to co-operate with him, they headed out of the store, not once did she turn to look at her boss; for fear he may get the impression that she was in a dangerous situation and call the police. Outside, he turned, saying, ¡°I know you have a kitsune staying with you.¡± On hearing this, she gasped in surprise.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°How did you know I have someone staying with me? Her voice held a hint of fear. ¡°Let me warn you, if you decide to take sides with the kitsune, you will not be spared. This is a message from my master, you will do well to heed the warning.¡± ¡°Who are you and why are you threatening me?¡± she asked. ¡°You do not need to know who I am, separate yourself from the kitsune. If not, you would not be shown any mercy,¡± in a voice filled with menace. ¡°I just need to know what he may have done to deserve such hatred.¡± ¡°Hatred, you say? This has nothing to do with you, so don¡¯t involve yourself in the matter of us, yokai.¡± Afterwards, his body slowly became as the wind, blending with the very air until she could no longer see his form. She turned to head back inside, praying what she had seen was not seen by her manger. ¡°I¡¯ll have to find a better time to tell Hikari, maybe after we come back from our sightseeing.¡± Forcing herself not to think about the unusual event that occurred, she continued the daily routine at her job, relieved that the next day was going to be a day off to spend with Hikari. ¡°I wonder if it was because of what the man said that makes me wish for tomorrow to come so quickly,¡± she thought. Ch. 29: Kitsune Prince The next day came, she and Hikari started by going to the theatre to watch some movies, they got their tickets and sat. ¡°Why does this feel like am on a date?¡± She thought. ¡°There seems to be a lot of people gathering here,¡± he said. ¡°Some are here on a date, while others came to watch the movie.¡± ¡°What do you mean, when you said, they are here on a date?¡± he asked. For a moment, Miyako hesitated to say what she meant, not wanting him to think that it was the reason why she brought him with her. ¡°Hmmm¡­. meaning, that when you bring a male or a female that you like, with you.¡± The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°That means you like me?¡± he pointedly asked.¡° What? I don¡¯t like you! Why would you say something like that?¡± Her voice rose in a panic. ¡°If you think that way, then why am I here with you?¡± on hearing this, Miyako felt a pang of regret, it was not her intention to make him feel that way. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I only misunderstood what you said, I don¡¯t hate you.¡± After that, Hikari didn¡¯t speak a word the whole time they were there. She felt the tension between them, but knew who was to blame. Dejected and wishing that the movie would come to an end. Shortly after, it ended, and people began to file out of the theatre. Being the last ones out, she didn¡¯t know what to say to him, feeling the wrongness of her actions. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what I said.¡± ¡°As long as you¡¯re sorry, that is all that matters,¡± he said. She still felt that he had not accepted her apology, to make up for this, she said, ¡°Let us go to the amusement park.¡± The park was just a train away, with that, they boarded the train heading for Osaka. They stood all through, since there was never a time when the train was not full of people; with only seats to accommodate just a few. Ch. 30: Kitsune Prince Finally, they arrived at their destination and got off the train. The distance between the park and the train station was so close, she knew that when the time came for them to leave, they¡¯ll be able to make it; even if it was the last train for the day. On getting there, they saw so many people; both school students, children, and adults, all catching fun in various ways. Some were walking around just looking at the rides and other attractions in the place. Pointing to one of the rides, ¡°I want to be on that one,¡± said Hikari.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°Which one?¡± she asked. ¡°The one that moves really fast with screaming people in it.¡± ¡°Oh¡­. that!¡± she replied in a bored voice, for deep inside, she was terrified of the ride; but didn¡¯t want him to know. ¡°Take me to that place so that I can experience what those humans feel.¡± T hey had to wait in line to pay for the ride, then another line to take turns taking the ride; finally, they were next. Stepping into the ride with the safety belt firmly in place, it set into motion. At first, it started out slow, then later, it was moving so fast that Miyako didn¡¯t know when she started screaming, wishing desperately for it to come to an end. Ch. 31: Kitsune Prince Gradually, the speed of the ride reduced; it was then she noticed Hikari laughing as though having the best time of his life. His hair blew freely in the wind. He turned to her, the expression in his eyes was captivating; even without words, she could see the gratitude in them. At that moment, if he had asked for anything, she would have granted it to him. That was when she realized how much Hikari meant to her, but with that, came a sense of sadness; for she knew he wasn¡¯t human, just as she wasn¡¯t like him. She didn¡¯t know tears had gathered in her eyes until she heard him say, ¡°Why are you crying? Did I do something to upset you?¡± in a voice filled with concern. ¡°No, it is just me being emotional. You didn¡¯t upset me in any way.¡± She lied, to protect what she had discovered.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Hikari felt she was hiding something but decided not to push the matter. ¡°Let¡¯s go down for some ice cream,¡± she said to him in order to divert his attention. Stepping out, they made their way to the ice cream stand. After having their order taken, they sat on one of the benches which had some shaded tree, to enjoy their ice cream and to observe the scenery. ¡°I want to go through all the rides here,¡± said Hikari in a serious tone. ¡°You do know that they are not free. And secondly, we must line up twice before getting the chance to enter each one. Let me rest a while, so I can have the energy to follow you,¡± she said tiredly. ¡°I really appreciate you taking me out to see these, for I will have these memories to take with me when I leave.¡± Ch. 32: Kitsune Prince He explained that he came here to fulfill his duties as the guardian of the Inari shrine, and would have to return to take over as the supreme leader of the yokai world. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to leave; but if you have to, then I¡¯m not going to hold you back.¡± ¡°Humans sure are very confusing creatures.¡± She interrupted him by saying, ¡°You don¡¯t seem to get what I mean, that aside, let us not destroy the time we have together.¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Miyako wondered why she could not bring herself to tell him of the strange visitor she met at work. She didn¡¯t know how the man and Hikari were connected. Leaning backwards, she closed her eyes to rest; not knowing when her body succumbed to the strong pull of sleep, she leaned on his shoulder. As soon as Hikari saw she was soundly asleep, he gathered her into his arms as her head rested on his chest, his fingers ran through the tendrils of her hair. ¡°She sure is strong-willed for one so young,¡± he muttered to himself as it struck him how a human could become so important to him, in such a short time. In that moment, he felt a sharp pain pierce his heart at the thought of leaving the human he held in his arms, wishing that she could be by his side, always. Ch. 33: Kitsune Prince Miyako woke with a start as she saw they were the only ones left in the park. "Why didn¡¯t you wake me upwhen you saw people leaving?¡± The last train left at 6 pm, unfortunately, she woke up almost an hour after. ¡°I saw you were sleeping so soundly it would have been cruel to wake you.¡± ¡°So, how are we going to get back now that the last train has left?¡± ¡°We could travel by air.¡± Not waiting for her to protest, he picked her up and together, they floated away fromthe unseeing eyes of the humans. Deciding that this could be the right time to let him know of the strange visitor she had at work, she looked at Hikari.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Hikari, there was someone that came to see me while at work, he threatened that his master would come after me if I choose to have you at my place. He neither told me his name, or the name of his master.¡± ¡°Miyako, I think it is time that you move with me to the shrine so you will have protection. If you stay whereyou are, then the lives of your neighbors will be at great risk.¡± She thought about what Hikari said, for it would be selfish to stay at the apartment while putting thelives of her neighbors in danger. Also, lately he had abandoned his duty at the shrine just to keep her safe. ¡°You¡¯re right, I will move out tomorrow since it is already too late to start packing today.¡± With that said, they headed back to her place for the night. Once arriving, Hikari opened the door only puttingher down when they got into the room. ¡°Thank you, for today,¡± said Miyako. ¡°It is I, who has to thank you, for showing me parts of your world. It is time for you to lay down and rest, there is much to do tomorrow.¡± They both made their way to the bed, lying side by side, waiting until she was asleep before Hikari gathered her into his arms and closed his eyes to rest. Ch. 34: Kitsune prince On a sunny afternoon, the preparation for Miyako to move into the shrine and leave both jobs, became final. After contacting the food caf¨¦ and grocery store of her decision to quit, she let her landlady, Kazuhiko Eiko, know of her intention to leave; for which the elderly woman was very understanding about. She knew Hikari¡¯s life as well as hers, would be at risk; they knew that the enemy was getting closer. It would not be fair to him to be following her about and more importantly, he needed to fulfill his duties as guardian of the shrine. Miyako move to the shrine had been relatively easy on her since she didn¡¯t have much in terms of personal possession. ¡°I wonder if the worshipper would think it strange that there are people living in the shrine.¡± she said. ¡°I made sure to hide our presence from them, you can see them, but they cannot see you.¡±The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°That¡¯s a relief. I don¡¯t even know what I¡¯d say if someone stopped me to ask for my reason to being here.¡± ¡°Stop worrying, everything is going to be alright.¡± Later that evening, they were interrupted by the presence of a messenger who happened to be a yokai fish, bowing in greeting as the messenger said, ¡°I come with news from Amabie-sama, the great yokai of the eastern lake. My mistress wants a favor of Hikari-sama of the Inari shrine and is willing to do anything, if her request is granted.¡± ¡°What is it that she seeks?¡± asked Hikari. ¡°My lady wants Hikari-sama to grant her wish of becoming human, for a long time now, she has been observing the humans and has seen certain things. She wishes to enjoy the human world but still wants to retain her yokai power; word has reached my mistress of how your kind could grant the impossible.¡± For a moment, Miyako felt lost for she could not understand why a yokai would want to appear human. Ch. 35: Kitsune Prince As the thought crossed her mind, aloud she said, instead, ¡°Is the change going to be temporary?¡± she asked. ¡°My mistress didn¡¯t say how long she wanted it to last.¡± ¡°Hikari, what do you think?¡± ¡°Tell your mistress to see me tomorrow night so that she will know of my decision.¡± ¡°Thank you, Hikari-sama. I will be sure to let Amabie-sama know.¡± If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Bowing to them, the fish yokai turned and left the same way he came in. Making sure that there was no one else but him in the room, she asked, ¡°How was the yokai able to enter. I thought the barrier would keep everyone away? You didn¡¯t tell me that you had the power to alter appearances?¡± ¡°Yokai, like the one you just saw, are harmless. That is why they can pass through the barrier; my aura will protect you at all times. Remember when we went out the other day to see those places together? Didn¡¯t you notice that I appeared as close to a human as possible-¡± She interrupted by saying, ¡°Yes, that is true. I remember, but you also sported some ears and claws; along with a tail, the first time we met in person.¡± Ch. 36: Kitsune Prince ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t be surprised by what I can do; since I told you of my true nature..¡± She cut him off by saying, ¡°What do you mean by that? Are you saying that there is nothing you cannot do?¡± ¡°It means, that I possess powers like those of the kyubi, who are known to create and destroy at will. Therefore, things like transformation is like child¡¯s play to her. It took almost half a season to perfect the technique, that is why Amabie-sama seeks my help.¡± ¡°So, you mean that right here and now, you can create a living thing like... let¡¯s say a baby from scratch?¡± she asked. ¡°I have never tried creating anything human; but it is not something that is beyond my power to do.¡± ¡°Can you show me?¡± ¡°If I do, are you going to take care of it?¡±This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Oh....I didn¡¯t think that too far ahead, on second thought, that feels wrong if you do that. I have been meaning to ask you this, why do you refer to your mother, as the kyubi?¡± ¡°First and foremost, I have always seen her as the leader of all yokai than as my mother because she is always on one journey or another, visiting different clans, attending meetings and doing other things that is expected of the position. Thereby, leaving me to attend to the welfare of my brother and sisters whenever she was away; which is always most of the time.¡± ¡°Now I understand why. Do you hate her for leaving you to take care of them while she was away?¡± ¡°I do not hate her since she was merely fulfilling her duties as leader; but there were times I would have wished she were there to watch our growth and train us to become stronger. Right now, I do not know if I am strong or wise enough to take the position as leader of the yokai.¡± ¡°Believe in yourself, just as I believe in you. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll make a great yokai leader.¡± Feeling moved by the words he heard from Miyako, deep within, he hoped that her belief in him would not be destroyed. Now he had a new task; which was to live up to the way she saw him. With that, came a sense of happiness which caused a smile to appear on his face. Ch. 37: Kitsune Prince Miyako knew that Hikari could not see the effect of what his smile was doing to her, he had a sparkling aura around him causing her breath to catch, in order to cover her sudden discomfort, she asked,¡°What is so funny?¡± ¡°I just feel happy that you show so much faith in me,¡± he answered. ¡°Anyways, let¡¯s begin to plan the arrival of our guest tomorrow, I have no idea what a yokai eats, although you on the other hand, happen to be an exception.¡±If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°We can feed on flesh, be it human or yokai. At times on spiritual energy of lesser demons or that of humans.¡± ¡°Are you telling me, that she will be feeding off me?¡± Her voice rose in alarm. ¡°What do you think? Or do you have someone that will be willing to become food for a yokai?¡± asking in silent amusement, only teasing her. ¡°Don¡¯t even go there. On a serious note, what are we going to do because I don¡¯t think I can host such a guest.¡± ¡°Yokai like, Amabie-sama, should be able to take in human food. She wants to know what it feels like to dwell in the mist of humans, what better way to start if not by trying out their food.¡± Miyako understood the logic behind his reasoning. Ch. 38: Kitsune Prince ¡°Then let¡¯s go to the market tomorrow to get the ingredients for the dishes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll look for where she can get good sake to drink.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± ¡°Where will we be hosting, you know the shrine doesn¡¯t have a huge room for us to entertain.¡± ¡°For that just leave it to me, I¡¯ll come up with something,¡± he said in a reassuring tone, secretly he had planned on using the Kitsune no maho to create the extra room to welcome their guests. Afterward, they began preparing their dinner, once done, they both ate in silence as each was preoccupied with the thought of what tomorrow would bring. It was Hikari, who broke the silence by saying, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to go beyond what you can do to host our guest tomorrow. Just act as you¡¯ve always done toward me; but never speak directly until you have been asked to, and if you have any questions for her, then politely tell her so. Yokai like Amabie-sama, take these things seriously so you do not want to appear rude. She will be talking to me most of the time, so you do not have to worry yourself about what to say.¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Are you saying that I¡¯m a rude person?¡± she asked in a tone of disbelief. ¡°I¡¯m not saying that you¡¯re rude, but the way a yokai of noble birth take things are very differently from the way humans do. I, on the other hand, would not be offended by the way you address me because I know that is what makes you the person you are. But others may not see it that way. If this offends you, then I¡¯m deeply sorry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not offended, this only came as a surprise to me. I¡¯ll have to be very careful when speaking. It was a good thing you pointed it out to me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let it surprise you because this is only the beginning. Who knows, you may have more opportunities to entertain yokai that are even greater than the likes of Amabie-sama.¡± ¡°Thanks for letting me know, now I¡¯ll be sure to watch what I say when I am with her,¡± she laughingly said. Together, they cleared and cleaned up the dishes before heading to their separate rooms to prepare for the next day. Ch. 39: Kitsune Prince Before she slept, several thoughts came to mind. ¡°I have to look and behave myself for Hikari¡¯s sake. I cannot bring shame to him no matter what, even if I must make my face up for the first time and ask for more advice from him before she comes, just anything to appear as one who is refined. I hope she doesn¡¯t hate me....¡± with that thought in mind, she finally fell asleep. In her dream, a yokai supposedly meant to be Amabie, looked disappointed in her as she began asking Hikari in a very angry tone, why he had brought a human that was so rude to serve her. Turning to see how Hikari would respond, only to see that he didn¡¯t even look at her; as though he was thoroughly ashamed to have known her. She kept tossing on the bed all through the night in a nightmare created from her very own fear. The sound of birds chirping announced that morning had come but Miyako was still sleeping due to the nightmare that she had, causing her to be sleep deprived for most of the night. It was when Hikari barged into her room to see if she was up that he saw her still sleeping. Walking softly to where she slept, he took his time to study her room. She still had the flower that he gave her, although the painting on the wall which was his other gift to her, was still in her former apartment; since it was not one that she could carry. He had hoped that she would ask him to make another for her, looking closely, he saw that the flower looked as though she spent a lot of time taking care of it, for it was close to the window where sunlight would reach it.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Humans sure are strange, for even when it seems hopeless to tend to something so weak, she places so much attention on it,¡± he said, while walking back to where she slept. He gently touched her hair, allowing the tendrils to slid through his razor-sharp claws lightly, tracing it; feeling the power it held for there was never a time her hair had failed to capture his gaze; but he didn¡¯t want her to know how much she affected him. ¡°Miyako, it is time to wake up,¡± he spoke softly into her ear. Thinking she was in a dream where Hikari was touching her hair, it was when she heard him speak that she then knew, it was no dream. Slowly opening her eyes, wondering why he was sitting so close to her. ¡°I¡¯m awake now, so you can stop touching me,¡± she said in an irritable voice. ¡°Why does he always look so good, even early in the morning; while I, on the other hand, look so messy.¡± she thought. ¡°Let me take a bath, then I¡¯ll join you to prepare breakfast before heading out to the market,¡± she said. Hikari reluctantly left her side as he reached for the door to give her the privacy she sought. After he left Miyako wondered why she acted so terribly despite all he had done for her. Standing up from the bed, she went to the bathroom that Hikari had created in her room using his Kitsune no maho. Whenever she saw it, this always reminded her how much he went out of his way to make her more comfortable.