ã€ŠI&#x27;m a Kitsune?ã€‹


 Chapter 001

    ¡ª¡ªI never truly expected to experience starvation.

    Hunger, maybe. But never the true suffering of starvation.

    But right now, I think I''m starving.

    A pain I was completely unfamiliar with clouded my mind as my eyes shot back and forth frantically.

    My surroundings? An unfamiliar forest filled my vision in all directions.

    I hardly ever leave the house these days; how could I be in a forest?

    Where could I be?

    I can''t seem to muster up the strength to get up, and even moving my neck feels strenuous!

    I try to call out for help, but my voice is something like a gargled mess of incoherent sounds¡ªwhy can''t I speak properly?

    Even so, I attempted to call for help¡ªeven this crying sound should reach someone, right?

    Strangely, I seem to sound like a baby, don''t I?

    ¡ªmy situation couldn''t be anything as ridiculous as becoming a baby, right?

    Ah, forget that for now, my stomach really wants some food, and I can''t help but cry out in desperation.

    Is this what starvation feels like?

    What a joke¡ªlived my life over-eating, and now I''m dying for not eating at all.

    I''m convinced¡ªGod is real, and he''s a prick.

    ¡ªAH!

    I hear someone!

    I can hear them coming!

    Wait a minute, it might be a wild animal, right?

    Dying of starvation sounds horrible, but I can''t imaging being eaten alive sounds any better.

    Ah fuck it, screwed if I do, screwed if I don''t.

    So I let out a cry of help, even as my throat feels like its tearing itself apart. I don''t think my throat was really meant for this kind of shouting, and my cry sounded like a bloodcurdling scream somehow.

    Hey, hey, hey! It''s people!

    Yes yes, I know you''re very surprised to find someone in the woods¡ªnow gimme food please!

    It seemed there were a couple people, but I didn''t have the mind to pay them much care. That said, everyone looks massive! A woman picked up my body, but I didn''t really put much thought into processing that.

    I was starving.

    It felt like I haven''t had food since ever, and¡ª

    My train of thought was interrupted as my face was suddenly shoved into the woman''s chest.

    Ah... Milk... I never knew nipples could give me this much bliss.

    Strike that, I did.

    Ah... Having had a fill of food, I feel like I should put my mind in order, and figure out what''s going on.

    I mean, this woman should be incapable of lifting my body¡ªI''m no twig. Quite the opposite even.

    One possibility that pops into my head is that I really did become a baby.

    How? Did I die? Of what...

    And why was I suddenly in a forest, alone?

    It couldn''t be that I was abandoned, right? I can''t be THAT ugly of a baby.

    But it seems like no matter how I look at it, I was dumped here.

    But what happened before now? I don''t have any memories of my parents. I was at home, on my computer, and suddenly I blacked out. Next thing I know, I''m unbelievably hungry.

    How did I die? And if I was reborn, what happened after that?

    Well, maybe I''ll think about that later...

    I feel sorta sleepy, now that I have some milk in my tummy...

    <hr />

    I somehow got really lucky, huh?

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.When I woke up, I learned that the woman who offered me milk had a child recently. I don''t know the details, but that woman was currently carrying myself, and another baby in her other arm.

    Where am I? In something like a carriage, I think?

    It looks like the woman is having a conversation with a man who''s holding the reins to the horses. Is that her husband? Or maybe a friend?

    What are they talking about? I can''t tell.

    I don''t recognize the language at all. I''m not a language expert, but due to my hobbies, I can at least recognize a number of them by sound.

    This one sounds nothing like any latin languages I''ve heard. Maybe a bit of Germanic in tone and accent, but I can''t recognize any words.

    Shit, now I''m gonna need to learn another language.

    No, I''m gonna need to learn a lot of things, aren''t I?

    Ok, ok. I''ve read a number of "reincarnation stories", so I could probably be considered genre savvy, right? Going from my years of wisdom, there are several patterns.

    Am I in a different world? I cannot confirm it yet, but I will act under the assumption this is true.

    Am I a monster? No, I seem to be a human child.

    What''s my societal position? Well, I''m not a noble or a prince, that''s for sure¡ªI seem to just be a common brat that was abandoned.

    Am I a girl? No, ok, good. I can feel my dick¡ªat the moment I''m wrapped in a cloth, so I can''t actually see it, but it should be fine.

    Ok, so a number of possibilities for me, from now on.

    I either become a great adventurer, join the military, or I''m actually the antagonist to some dating sim I may or may not know. Probably not the last one.

    Hey, what''s this fluffy thing that''s waving around in my face¡ªYIPP!

    T-that... is that mine?

    Hey hey hey...!

    I have a big fluffy tail?!

    I-it looks like a fox tail...

    ...

    I wonder how it feels?

    ...

    O-oh... Ah... It''s kinda comfy...

    <hr />

    Author Notes:

    So here I am again, submitting a story I have low confidence in completing.

    This story actually started as a joke in an /a/ thread a few months ago, where I joked about wanting to be a shota Kitsune. I wrote out a chapter, and some people liked it, so I wrote two more chapters, but they were solely on pastebin up until now.

    The other day I decided to do some editing on the only three chapters I wrote, and maybe expand a bit, and see what people think. I didn''t really add much, other than some rewording, but here it is.

    I have the whole 3 chapters on my blog</a> for those who want to read it. I''ll probably post them here after writing more chapters anyways.

    I''m open to future ideas, like possible plot-lines. Two things I''m really not certain about, are how I should handle OTHER non-human races (template High Fantasy, with elves dwarves and so on, or follow certain types folklore and mythos with extra twists?), and what sort of magic system should I use?

    Anyways, feedback and suggestions are appreciated.

 Chapter 002

    I''m a fox thing.

    A furry, for crying out loud!

    No no, fox girls are cute¡ªwhen it''s not me with the fox ears and tail.

    Right, in addition to the fox tail, my ears are sticking out the top of my head like a fox''s.

    I mean, I''m sure I look quite cute and adorable.

    I like cute and adorable.

    ¡ªBut only when it''s on someone else.

    Still, this confirms I''m in some kinda fantasy world.

    What am I anyways? A fox person, huh?

    Beastkin, Animal people, Wereanimals, Demi-humans... The list of names they go by in fiction goes on.

    They aren''t uncommon in some of the fantasies I''ve read.

    But very often, Humans don''t exactly get along with non-humans, right?

    I''ve confirmed that my caretakers are human as far the eye can tell.

    So why would they pick up a fox child like me? Some kind of misplaced motherly instinct?

    Or sheer altruism?

    Either is fine, but I hope it doesn''t suddenly become a situation where my support will be cut off.

    A scenario like "We''re going to sell you into slavery" or "Foxkin are a delicacy" would be very terrifying, you know? For one, I''ve never worked a day in my life, so I doubt I could handle slave labor. Becoming someone''s snack after being fed and pampered would also be a terribly unfortunate fate. I don''t like the idea of becoming the equivalent of livestock.

    Then again, there is the possibility that I''m here to be their own child''s pet.

    My roommate.

    Another baby, who should be close to my age, considering their mother is still lactating, and neither of us can properly get up under our own strength.

    Because of my angle, I can''t tell much about the other child, but they seem to have the same auburn hair as their mother. The father? I recall him having much darker hair.

    Anyways, I wish I could get up, you know?

    A while ago, the people who saved me arrived at some sort of village, and I was taken into a house.

    But now I''m confined to here, with nothing to do.

    Being a baby is so...relaxing?

    Yeah, actually, I don''t mind it so much.

    I feel kinda in tune with this peaceful atmosphere, with nothing wrong.

    Are babies perhaps natural NEETs?

    But, unfortunately I need my internet.

    Crap, all the manga and novels I was reading¡ªI''ll never get to see how they end!

    Ok.

    Goal #1 for my Other World Life: Find someone else who reincarnated, and have them tell me what happened in all the anime and shit I was watching.

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    I''ll figure out what my other goals are later.

    In any case, I''ve fallen into the habit of playing with my tail.

    The first time I grabbed it, I really shocked myself, and felt a strong tingling down my spine. As you might expect, my tail is basically an expansion of my spine, so it was really sensitive.

    But now it''s really comfy to play with, you know?

    Have you ever played with your tail? Ah, probably not. Well, maybe, but I don''t mean THAT tail.

    It''s really soft, and petting it feels relaxing.

    I really might get addicted to this, you know?

    Ah, I''m being watched while I play with myself.

    That woman from before sure is a peeper, huh? She''s sitting in a chair across the room, while watching me and her own child lay in bed.

    Looking at her carefully, she doesn''t seem to be that old.

    In fact, she shouldn''t be any older than 17 or so? Well, this is another world, so it may be normal to have kids while you''re young. I mean, I''ve known people who had kids when they were younger, so it''s not all that weird.

    Still. She''s looking at me with a big grin.

    Ah, I really hope she doesn''t plan to use me like a sex slave or something like that¡ªI''m pure and innocent after all. Y-you have a husband, s-so it would be indecent of you to do something like that!

    In all seriousness though, I can''t get a read on these people. I need to learn the language already, so I can understand my situation already. It would be nice if humans view the animal people as just another race of people¡ªbut there''s a possibility that''s not the case.

    Perhaps I''m just being paranoid, but you never know how one culture or another view a different group of people.

    It''s distressing not being able to communicate.

    Let''s hurry up and grow up quickly!

    Ah, she''s coming over, she''s coming over.

    Hmm? What are you doi¡ª

    A-ah... She''s petting my t-tail.

    T-that feels n-nice.

    I will allow it.

    <hr />

    Author Notes:

    I figured I would post the only chapters I have written for this. If it catches interest, I''ll probably write more, but the chapters will probably remain short.

    Honestly, I''m not too serious about this particular story. If anyone would like to offer up ideas about where to take it, that''d be great.

 Chapter 003

    Two years seemed to fly by. The passage of time is difficult to keep track of for me, when I''ve done very little that has any routine¡ªbut I can count the winters since "my birth".

    Remembering back, I was picked from the forest just before winter, late in autumn. I only know this, because after a few weeks, the snow fell. Since then, there was another winter, and I''m certain that the next one isn''t too far off. I can sort of feel it.

    So two years seems right.

    The people in this village should have a way to track days here, but I doubt it''s something convenient like a disposable paper calendar exists, in the same way as it did in my old world. How did people keep track of time in the past?

    Putting that aside, I''ve learned quite a lot in this time.

    Language for example¡ªbut I haven''t learned how to read and write very well¡ªthis was a small village, with a poor literacy rate. Reading material is quite scarce, so I''ve focused almost completely on learning the spoken language. As someone who grew up in the modern world, it feels quite weird being illiterate.

    I recently asked my adoptive mother to teach me letters¡ªI despaired when I learned that the writing system uses a combination of a logography and a syllabary. Memorizing thousands of symbols for just standard conversation¡ªhow tiresome.

    Speaking of my adoptive parents...

    They gave me the name "Toyaru", though generally just call me Toya. I sometimes even forget the "ru" part, considering they never use it.

    Actually, though I say "they", the only one who interacts with me is the mother. The father seems to be cautious of me, and doesn''t approach me at all. I don''t mind, all things considered.

    I don''t exactly know their names¡ªI don''t think so anyways. They seem to use affectionate nicknames, that alternate. Think of it like using "honey", or "baby", but they don''t seem to use one or the other for long, so I can''t tell which is their name, and what means what. Just because I''ve learned a fair amount of the language doesn''t mean I understand it all. Damn lovebirds.

    That aside, there''s also the daughter.

    Yes, the other baby was a girl named Yenna¡ªfigures. Because of her, I''ve come to suffer misfortune, you know? I mean, I don''t hate her or anything, and it''s not really her fault.

    But we share clothes.

    It''s... It''s really embarrassing, and borders on humiliating, you know? Being forced to dress as a girl, it''s really distressing you know? The worst part is that after two years, part of me doesn''t even hate it anymore.

    I can''t really struggle against it. Even if I would rather go naked, I can''t resist having clothes forced on me, as I''m only a child.

    Well...

    Saying that I''m "only a child" might be a bit laughable.

    I''m a Kitsune after all.

    I thought maybe there would be a diverse set of nekomimi-like races¡ªraces of people baring animal ears and tails¡ªbut it seems that there aren''t that many.

    My kind is among them, and are believed to be something like Fox spirits. Because of that, I''ve come to associate my species with the "Kitsune" I knew about in my old world.

    Views on them probably vary, but it seems this village see Kitsune in a pretty high regard, as apparently there''s folktales of a Kitsune acting as a Land God, that protects the region from dangers. I''ve considered the possibility that this "Land God" could be my mother, but the tales seem to be hundreds of years old, so I can''t be certain.

    The point about Kitsune being powerful fox-spirits at least coincides with what I know about them from my old world.

    "Mother" has been retelling some of the tales regarding the Kitsune that''s said the guard the area, and what I''ve also learned is that Kitsune have multiple tails, just like in my memories. The only thing she knows is that Kitsune with more tails are usually stronger. I guess younger Kitsune start off with a single tail, and grow new ones as they age?

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Standard stuff I think.

    Except there''s one issue.

    The reason the husband doesn''t seem to want to be around me is because I''m male.

    Kitsune are known to be only women.

    This is probably also the reason I''m being made to wear girl''s clothes.

    I''m seen as a bad omen by the husband, but my adoptive mother wants to hide that entirely. Thinks it''s fate or something.

    I want to retort their way of thinking, but really, this is more convenient for me.

    But a male Kitsune is looked at as an omen, huh? My case seems to be unprecedented, so its not like they have anything to go on, but that''s the conclusion drawn. Uneducated humans are so superstitious.

    So for the sake of avoiding a panic, the mother dresses me up in the same clothes as her daughter.

    I understand the reasoning, but what about when I grow older, and become more masculine?

    For now, I accept the humiliation of cross-dressing.

    But just so you know, I''m not going to like it.

    Probably.

    <hr />

    "Don''t wanna!"

    "Pretty please?"¡ªyou damn little brat!

    "Nope!"

    "Ow ow ow, It hurts! I''ma tell momma!¡ªOoph!"

    That little brat Yenna was pulling on my tail. A year ago, I didn''t really mind it, as long as she only used it as a pillow. But she''s become really rough and possessive of my tail¡ªI find it annoying, when all I wanna do is laze around.

    Just as I threatened to tell on her, she let go of me, and I fell on my ass.

    Still, I made sure to tuck my tail away from her, and looked up at her with my "claws" extended at her, and my face beat-red as I tried to muster a growl. Perhaps I''m being a bit childish, but I blame this new body of mine. I didn''t notice it at first, but I do feel like a child with memories of someone else. It''s a hard to describe feeling, but the best way I could explain it, is if I mention how it seems even my "traumatic memories" have no significance. Food all tastes slightly differently, and I can''t remember ever feeling nostalgia since coming to this world.

    The end result is that my head feels like its been twisted around a bit¡ªI don''t even mind that I haven''t used a computer in two years.

    I have a hypothesis regarding this, but I don''t know enough to confirm anything.

    Anyways, despite my attempt to intimidate her, she merely poked her tongue out at me, completely unaffected. Well of course. My nails are pretty dull and short with them being regularly clipped by my adoptive mother, and I don''t have very sharp fangs to speak of.

    She took a couple steps forward, so I decided I needed to make a tactical retre¡ª"ooph!"

    ¡ªShe tackled me down.

    "Mine~!" Yenna declared, holding onto my tail, as she sat on my pack.

    ¡ªDamn she''s heavy.

    I guess this is what I get for lazing about, instead of running around like most children.

    Maybe I''ll work out later.

    Ow! Be more gentle with my tail please?

    <hr />

    Author Notes:

    And... That''s the last chapter I have written for this story.

    Again, any ideas about the story would be great. I''m not really too serious about this story, but it feels like it''d be kinda fun.

    The two things I mentioned, about not being sure what to do about the story, would be what sort of races should exist instead of just humans (Not too keen on just going straight DnD styled High-Fantasy with Elves, Dwarves and so on).

    And what type of magic system might be good to play with.

    All things considered, I don''t really consider myself very creative.

    Anyways, will post a chapter of "So I''m an NPC now?" later in the week.

 Chapter 004

    ¡ªHah

    ¡ªHiyhah

    I gasped for breath on the floor, wheezing for air as I frown.

    This bothers me in various ways, but it seems that I am considerably weak.

    For the last few weeks now, I''ve tried quite hard to train up my body, considering the mistreatment by my sister. She''s become quite a bother, grabbing my tail and using it as she pleases. So I figured building up some strength might do some good.

    I''ve been allowed my "mother" to play with other village children, and it seems she''s talked about me to various parents about me. I don''t think she''s mentioned I''m a boy though.

    So I was introduced to a group of kids between two all the way up to six.

    The kids took a bit to warm up to me, but it seems most of them were more curious than anything. I honestly feared that I may end up the target of bullying, but thanks to the fact that the Fox Spirits are seen as Guardians, it seems seems that I became rather popular after the initial day or two of odd looks.

    So I joined their games, and what I found was that I was pretty fast, for a child who never went outdoors. But I wasn''t the fastest 2 year-old.

    My sister was.

    Ah, I keep calling her my sister, huh? It''s become a habbit, I guess.

    Anyways, even though I seemed to have a very good affinity for speed, and day by day I got slightly faster, my sister seemed to keep ahead of me, being much more active than me. Because of that, I tried doing some training at home, to maybe build up physical strength, stamina, speed and so on.

    But I can''t take it. I just want to roll up and cry.

    I feel that there are two things working against me here.

    One, this body of mine just seems naturally weak. No matter how hard I try, the only thing I can improve in is my running speed. My reflexes have improved a bit, but all I want is to defend against people after my precious tail.

    Two, my mental fortitude are just weak. On top of being a child in this world, in my old world I wasn''t really a strong willed person, and really let myself go, even when I told myself to get up and do something of value. I was smart and knowledgeable, but ultimately I was too lazy for my own good, and quit half-way 9 times out of 10.

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    There have been some things that I tried pretty hard in, like studying science and computer related stuff, but I feel that I was pretty half-assed even there, and could have done better.

    So it''s only natural for me to feel a bit of pain while working out, and immediately give up.

    But I think I''ve put in a good amount of effort, you know? So I don''t want to all blame it on just my mindset.

    But hey, who cares? I don''t really need to get stronger. Just need to keep that brat Yenna off of my tail.

    If I can out run her, that''s good enough. Certainly that''ll be a great help.

    Right. One, singular goal. There''s no excuse to distract me here¡ªno internet, and I can''t read.

    Before I know it, I''m sitting up, with calm breathes, as I pulled myself up.

    Right. Maybe some laps around the yard?

    In a year''s time, I was outrunning even the fastest kids.

    Of course, they think I''m a girl.

    <hr />

    Author Notes

    Really really short chapter. Already have the next chapter mostly written though.

    I think I have something of an idea of where to take this story, though don''t expect too much. The world will be a lot like our own world, but with a lot of elements taken from folklore, and be seen like how primitive people saw the world. Well, maybe. That''s what I have in mind for now. Basically that means that the world''s format won''t really follow what a lot of web novels have, with magic schools, or fantasy creatures around every corner. Heck, even magic will be more... limited in some respects.

    Well, we''ll see how things go.

    As always, Feedback and Suggestions are always appreciated and encouraged.

 Chapter 005

    "If you put too much force into it, you might break it, or hurt yourself," Ms. Aliuen repeated as she carved into a small block of wood.

    Summer was fast approaching, and it I celebrated my 2nd birthday half a year ago. I''ve started doing laps around the house, and my results are good, but not good enough.

    Still, I''ve begun running throughout the village, instead of just around the house, because it looks weird to run in circles on my own.

    Today, I came by the Aliuen household, mostly out of curiosity. More specifically, I was curious about Mr. Aliuen. He''s the town smith, and practically the only one who knows much about metal, so he ends up being the one people pay a visit to when they need some metal work fixed.

    He had two daughters and a son. The daughters were already married, but the son was the youngest of the three at 12, and was learning from his father to be a smith.

    I was curious about it, so I ended up watching him work on something for about half an hour before I was noticed. I watched him work with quite a lot of focus, on some... thing. A tool? A decoration? I couldn''t tell, but he worked on it as though his life depended on it. Or maybe that''s just an exaggeration. Ultimately, I got the impression that he was a very passionate guy when it came to his work.

    He didn''t notice me until he was already done, and set the item he was working with away.

    The reason I came here, was because I''ve never seen something like this before.

    Out of curiosity, I asked him to teach me.

    He smiled wearily, not sure what to do, and rejected me. With a pout, I asked why.

    "Because young ladies shouldn''t be working at a forge nor with a hammer," He stated.

    "Then teach me about metal," I asked. I knew quite a bit of chemistry and physics, from both being very attentive at school, and from personal research on the web. But I didn''t know any real details about any particular subject.

    For instance, metals and metallurgy as a whole was a mystery to me.

    Somehow, I got him into talking to me, and I listened to his lecture intently, as I tried to absorb the new interesting information.

    At some point, his wife came outside, and seemed to have a misunderstanding.

    "Ah, little Toya?" She asked, seeing my ears and tail. "I see my husband is filling your head with nonsense. Why don''t you come inside? I have some tea if you''d like."

    ¡ªI of course tilted my head in confusion.

    Nonsense?

    Before I had a chance to ask, and before her husband had a chance to retort, I was quickly dragged inside.

    After being served a snack and some tea as "promised" she began talking to me a bit, and dotting on me at the same time. I feel like this wasn''t really a way to treat a 2-year old¡ªdragging them into your house and feeding them. However, it seems some of the villagers who know about me have realized that I''m quite aware of my surroundings compared to others. Even my sister who sometimes seems pretty smart was still quite single-minded.

    Even though I often played with kids my age, I didn''t always act my own age around adults, but that was attributed to my being a Fox Spirit. I don''t really feel "spirit-y" but I''ll go with it if it excuses my odd behavior.

    Anyways, after a bit of talking, I bring up the subject regarding her husband, and she seemed a bit surprised that I was interested in his work.

    "Oh my, proper ladies shouldn''t involve themselves in that sort of dirty profession,"

    "But, I''m not a lady¡ª" I stopped myself before correcting my next set of words, "¡ªI''m a girl!"

    She seemed to laugh a bit at my comment, apparently finding my stubbornness cute.

    "Girls are just very young ladies, is all," She eventually said after getting over it. "If you want to learn something interesting, how about carving?"

    I tilted my head at her for a moment, before taking a quick peak around the room. I hadn''t noticed it at first, but it did seem like the house''s decorations were rather good for an isolated village like this one. The door frame, the small table in the center of the room, even the seat I sat on looked to have some decorative carving done on them, all with similar styles.

    A family of artisans, huh?

    Well, it''s not as interesting as smithing, I think, but I decided to nod.

    Her smile beamed as she got up without another word, and quickly returned with a box of neatly organized tools, and a small block of wood.

    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    "I can''t really let you use and of the tools, but I''ll tell you how to properly hold them, and how to use them, and about the different kinds of material¡ª" And that''s how I ended up falling into her trap, as she explained her... hobby to me.

    I call it a hobby, because this village doesn''t have enough people with enough money to be buying from her. As such, this could simply be called a hobby. Well, no, she does occasionally get work, or sell some of her creations, but the bulk of the money in this household comes from her husband.

    Perhaps this is natural though. Gender roles are quite an important aspect of life here, and even in my old world they influence the type of professions people usually gravitate towards.

    In this world, the bread winner in the family NEEDS to be the man, or else he does not seem competent, and seen as lesser. It was the same in my old world, less than a hundred years ago.

    But now a days it''s normal for the reverse to be true. My single mom made enough to feed myself and my younger brothers, with some extra for entertainment.

    This also goes into how, because they believe I''m a girl, I''m not allowed to work on things they perceive as "men''s work".

    I thought Carving might fall into that, but maybe it''s because carving doesn''t really need much strength that it''s acceptable for women?

    Ah, whatever. I''d rather not be infected by this bizarre way of thinking.

    Injecting some progressive ideologies into this society will also be a pain in the ass, so I''ll refrain.

    As I watch her work, I feel a strange sense of excitement. How odd. I felt the same when watching Mr. Aliuen working, but I somehow thought that it was because of my former (although slight) interest in metallurgy. But instead, it seems like I''m just amazed to see something new.

    Is this new?

    No, it shouldn''t be. I had an art class in high-school where we did some carving.

    And yet, remembering that, I feel nothing. But seeing this¡ªI suppose I''ll add this to the list of evidence for now.

    But putting that aside, this woman¡ªthis craftsman, is really skilled.

    "Can you teach me?" I asked, reaching my hands out, as though expecting to be handed some tools.

    She looks at me with a warm smile, but shook her head, "No no, I certainly can''t do that. Ms. Arii will kill me if you return home with a scratch,"

    Mother''s name is Arii? Or is that the family name of her husband? No enough information.

    But... I let out a disappointed sigh at those words, as I looked at the tools and block of wood in her hand longingly.

    It seems that, for whatever reason, she took pity on me, and made a suggestion. "How about coming here?" She said, patting her lap after she set her tools down. I tilted my head, curious about what she meant, before it suddenly clicked in my head.

    Getting up from my seat, I scurried over to Ms. Aliuen, and as I turned around, I hopped up onto her lap. After a second or two of straightening my dress out under my butt, I looked up at her, "Now what?" I asked.

    "Now, hold onto this, and this," She said, as she placed the small carving knife and the half-carved block of wood onto each of my hands. However, she ended up cupping both of my hands, as she guided them, controlling them something like a puppet.

    "Now, move your hands like this and be careful¡ª"

    Like this, I obtained something like a hobby.

    <hr />

    Author Notes:

    So here''s another chapter of this story.

    In the last Author notes I made a declaration about how I have an idea about how the world will be. I hereby retract that statement.

    I decided I would try to put this story into the same world as another story I previously made up, but never really posted anywhere (or even wrote much of). Mostly because the ideas of magic from that story match up with some ideas I had for this one. I''ll likely end up introducing characters from the other story; might be interesting to write about a character I intended to be an MC, from the perspective of a different MC. Some of these characters you may like, and some you may hate.

    Also, it means that I now have a plot I want to follow, but the plot is more serious, so within a few chapters, expect the tone to shift. I might even end up adding the Mature tag.

    As always, I Suggestions and Feedback are appreciated.

 Chapter 006

    Magic...

    Magic, magic, magic.

    Where are all the books on magic?

    Surely it exists. I heard stories about various creatures with miracle-like powers, Kitsune included.

    I thought, perhaps there were books on the subject.

    Now that I''ve become 4, I''m allowed into the village''s... library. It was really just a room in the Village Cheif''s home, with a few bookcases. It seems that a previous Village Chief collected various books, but it''s still just a room in his house, so I had to ask for permission to enter.

    What I have learned regarding magic is limited, however. For one thing, they don''t have just one word for "magic". I guess it''s similar to how in English, we have various words for it too...

    ¡ªmagic, sorcery, miracles, curses, voodoo, witchcraft...

    In a similar vain, there are different words used for magic used by different creatures. Like on Earth, if you tell a Christian that their god uses "magic", then you may end up with an angry response (depending on the generation). Instead, they prefer to call the magic used by their god as miracles.

    Of course, voodoo and witchcraft are more specific practices, rather than general "magic", but to a third-party, it''s all the same¡ªevil magic.

    And there''s this world. I can find various terms for magic, and they''re always used with specific connotations regarding the user of said magic.

    However, where words like "magic" and "sorcery" don''t mean anything else in English, because we''ve borrowed those words from other languages¡ªin Azurian (the language spoken in this country) most of the words are pretty self-explanatory.

    "Life Force", "Divine Miracles", "Soul Power", "Evil Power", and so on.

    Though, for simplicity, I''ll probably refer to most of these terms as just "magic", and "Life Force" as just mana.

    That''s what they are anyways. "Life Force" seems to permeate the world, and exist in all living things¡ªat least that''s what I''ve deduced from reading the many tales that mention it.

    A common point between all magics, is that they use this "Life Force". A force that beings with life use to impose their will on the world.

    In other words, it''s the fuel to all magic, that is commonly known as mana.

    The rest¡ªI don''t know if there is any fundamental difference between "Divine Miracles" and any other form of magic. I just know that creatures that are put in high regard by humans, like gods, use Divine Miracles. Kitsune are included in this group, of course.

    But the descriptions of these miracles are often vague. After all, I only have stories and retellings to go by. Something like a book to learn magic would probably cost as much as all of the assets in this village put together.

    Thus, this has become a source of frustration, with my being unable to even learn the most basic of magic.

    Actually, I did learn some bits of information that were... confusing.

    Humans can''t seem to use magic.

    There are stories where they can, and then stories where it''s said they can''t.

    I asked the village chief about this discrepancy, seeing as he probably knows what most of the books say, and likely even knows what''s not quite written down. According to him, humans were not bestowed with the power to command nature. However, Magicians are humans who defy this, by using the power of trinkets and weapons with such powers.

    I see, so that''s how it is, huh?

    But then, there are humans able to cut down mountains. Is that not a form of magic? Or are magic swords with mountain-cutting abilities just common?

    Or maybe¡ªphysics as I understand it, simply does not apply?

    <hr />

    When I turned four, I told mother I no longer wanted to wear a dress.

    I came up with various excuses about it, but only two of them are true.

    The first, was of course I didn''t like dressing like a girl. I got use to moving in a dress after 4 long years, but it still irritated me. Ultimately, I wanted to dress like a boy, because I was a boy.

    Second, was that it slowed me down. Even if I was faster than my peers, there were a lot of times that my dress would get caught on twigs or even under my feet, causing me to trip and fall.

    I didn''t wear very fancy dresses or anything. They were plain, and showed the low income of the village. It wasn''t overly girly or anything. But it bothered me.

    My mother refused though, worried that others might find out I was a boy.

    Still, I went around her back, and talked to one of the village tailors. A seamstress by the name of Ellen. No family name, seeing as it''s only some families with those.

    Anyways, she''s the older sister of one of my playmates, so I figured coming to her would be perfect. After hearing my talk about my desire for a different type of clothes, besides dresses, we hashed out a "deal". It''s a bizarre deal, really. She wanted my blessing, in exchange for clothes. I was a bit hesitant about that¡ªwhat exactly did a blessing entail? Something like a wish for her happiness, is all I can understand. It seems she''s getting ready to marry, so she figured a blessing from a Kitsune would surely bring a happy marriage.

    I couldn''t really refuse her though or I felt that I would just crush her mood, so I sort of played along.

    I hope that doesn''t come back to haunt me.

    However, when we began talking, I realized that clothes like those in my old world would be... weird. Heck, I don''t think the technique to weave such textiles even exists.

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.I considered just normal boy''s clothes that''s used in this village, but I somehow felt I would be... out of place?

    Even though I''m a boy, my face looked extremely soft and delicate, and despite my young age, I already looked like a beauty. I have a sinking feeling that I won''t really be growing to be very masculine.

    Still, it feels deceptive to wear a dress, which is almost explicitly an article of clothes girls wear.

    So the two of us ended up having a discussion about it. I started off the talk with the point of my coming to her in the first place.

    "I don''t like dresses; they get in the way and are too stuffy. Mother won''t get me anything else, and wearing boy''s clothes would be weird." She seemed to understand my reasoning, as she got to work taking my measurements. I ended up stripping down to just my underwear, and she started by writing down various numbers.

    I was impressed that she could do math, in this remote poor village, so I figured I''d ask her to teach me numbers later. I know math intimately, but I''m unfamiliar with the digits used in this world, and what operations they use.

    After the measurements, we talked about what might be good.

    During the discussion, an idea popped into my head.

    It was an idea from Earth. One that, while feminine by the standards of this world, isn''t quite restricted to one gender. What''s more, it''s an image I often conjure up when thinking of the fox spirit, Kitsune. A kimono. Or was it Yukata? Pretty sure both are right?

    Of course, Ellen wouldn''t be able to perfectly reproduce it, and that''s fine by me. I also added my own personal touches to the idea, considering I''ve never really wore one in my old life, so I felt it necessary to add some familiarity¡ªnot to mention, if I left it as is, it would basically just be a different style of dress that''s hard to move in.

    In the end, the design came out to be something that only vaguely resembled a kimono, and was more like a robe.

    Thus, I came to wear a rather flexible robe, that came together with one side under the other, and a sash holding it closed. The dress actually only fell down to below my knees, just enough to hide the shorts I wore underneath. At the back, the robe had an opening to let room for my tail to not be stuffed with my legs. The sleeves were loose and baggy, and I even decided to add pockets to their interior, to hold items.

    It cost quite a bit to make it, but oddly enough, when a peddler came by and saw the design, he immediately bought it from Ellen, and it apparently became a popular design among some of the aristocratic women in the kingdom¡ªof course the dress was elongated and the hole removed, and ultimately they became much like the kimono''s I remember in my old world.

    I myself prefer the shorter dress, as it feels easier to run in.

    Somehow, on top of my fox ears and tail, I came to be recognized by the not-kimono I always wore.

    I still yearn for the day I can use magic though.

    <hr />

    Author Notes:

    I thought it would be nice to have Toyaru in a yukata. They''re gender ambiguous, but they''re certainly more feminine for most people. I felt a dress or skirt wasn''t quite right for him, so I went with a robe with shorts on underneath. It''s kinda boyish in concept, but the design of the robe is close to a dress, so it would still give off a feminine appearance. I think.

    I might end up drawing a sketch of what I had in mind.

    When it comes to magic...

    I guess I''ll use a spoiler to explain, and people interested read ahead. If you don''t want to be spoiled, you''ve been warned.

    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>So magic in this world exists as a force of energy that exists everywhere. It''s like a sea of unused power, waiting to be tapped into.

    All living things also naturally accumulate this force, and contain it within their bodies. Humans have no means to consciously use this force though. Magic items and such draw on their accumulated power to produce phenomena.

    However, Humans also can use this magic like Chi, though only instinctively. So a swordsman who has trained his body, and become one with their blade can tap into this power, and guide it through their body, projecting it outwards to create an effect similar to telekinesis or super-strength. Of course, people don''t really consider this magic, and just feel that it''s the force of their own souls.

    Most races also can''t use magic outside of this Chi force, and instead just have some strange characteristics, or are long-lived. Some can actually feel magic. However, almost all magic in this world is specific to a certain race.

    So, Kitsune like Toyaru, has both the ability to move his magic like an extension of his body, as well as a unique ability that comes from his tail. Uniquely, the powers of each tail varies by the individual.

    So there''s the Instinctual Force magic that most living things have but only some learn to control, or even use at all.

    Racial magic specific to certain races (many magical beasts have Racial magic, like Dragons), and is the easiest to control (assuming you have one)

    And there''s also a third type, which I guess you could just say are item locked magics. Difficulty varies.

 Chapter 007

    I somehow became a prankster.

    I don''t understand.

    I wasn''t like this in my previous life.

    Well, it can''t be helped¡ªwhen you have an ability like that, it''s almost like the universe wants you to toy with people.

    I''ve tried restraining myself to only the village kids, and maybe some of the adults I''m more acquainted with, but sometimes I still go a bit too far.

    That said, usually I just misplace certain things, like clothes or toys. Often I''ll completely screw with someone''s sense of directions. And sometimes, I just like seeing people freak out at seeing a (non-venomous) snake or spider crawl out their pants.

    This weird habit of mine began when I turned 8, and learned about my ability. That said, I''ve managed to control myself to show some moderation. It would be bad if people came to hate me.

    On the other hand, I''m quite a tease. Because I''m so fast, I''m not as defensive about my tail, so I sometimes play with the boys, or even girls, with a mock seduction. I don''t know why, but it''s fun seeing them become flustered.

    Is this the onset of my rebellious stage? Maybe.

    Or maybe I just broke?

    There''s a hand-full of peddlers that come by this small village to exchange goods, at regular intervals. Because I''m something like a village secret, I usually hide myself when they come by, but thanks to my newly learned ability, I was able to check on the peddler''s goods.

    Among them, was a mirror. Thinking about it, it was pretty big, so I wonder why he''d bring it to a poor village like this one. He probably was just bringing it through to his next destination?

    Anyways, I may have snapped upon seeing myself in that mirror.

    I still carried the same beautiful face, that had a delicacy that could hardly be described, with soft cheeks, and sharp red eyes that seemed to want to pierce the soul. My fiery-red hair, almost universal among Kitsune, flowed freely down my back, with two long triangular ears popping out of the top of my head.

    Even though my chest was as flat as board, being a man and all, what truly crushed me were the curves of my hips and legs, which seemed to have an alluring charm to them.

    Watching this figure of mine that had somehow diverged into trap territory, and crossed the point of no return, what little pride as a man that I had, just snapped.

    That was 3 years ago now, and even as I enter puberty, I can''t seem to find even a hint of masculinity on this body of mine. The only consolation I have received is that my son seems to be growing with me healthily.

    Still, in my old world, 11 years old is the time when I already began to notice various body hair. Yet, I have not noticed a single stray hair anywhere buy on my head or my tail. My armpits are smooth as a baby''s butt, my face hasn''t grown a single bit of fuzz, and even down there hasn''t had anything to speak of.

    It''s a body many women would kill to have¡ªI don''t need to shave, and my body odor seems to be kept to a minimum. Even my hair is easy to manage despite its length.

    I guess, even though I''m a male, I''m still a Kitsune, which is an all female race, huh?

    According to various books I read, the features I mentioned above are pretty common among Kitsune. It can''t be helped that I ended up with very feminine genetics.

    It just hurts my soul is all.

    Anyways, the only person I don''t really tease like this is my sister.

    Why you ask? Because I live under the same roof as her.

    If I try to toy with her emotions, she''ll just pounce me and beat on me until I apologize. If I pull a mean prank on her, I won''t be able to sleep in my own home. Once I left a few spiders in her dresser and she screamed for hours while they scurried about. I on the other hand, laughed hysterically, basically giving it away that it was me.

    When I went to sleep that night, my tail was crushed, and I was dragged along to be her pillow.

    On the other hand, some of my teasing seems to have made some unexpected... relationships among my group of playmates. This happened when I''d notice the wandering eyes of a boy or girl, and I''d tease them, and practically out their crushes.

    Somehow, a few of these pairs even ended up together...

    You guys?

    You''re not much older than me.

    You shouldn''t already be in a relationship...

    Stop. I''m too lonely to be seeing you guys like this.

    Please?

    Well, I''m not certain these relationships will really last long¡ªthey''re hardly even teens, you know? But in a world where arranged marriages are the norm, it''s not unlikely that they''d be pinned together by their parents, solely for the fact that I had a part in these... matches.

    But it''s not like I put serious thoughts into these matches, you know? The kids around my age are entering puberty, and are all very impressionable. I thought it would be amusing to see them get with crushes that they''d otherwise not.

    Well, I hope I didn''t create a whole generation of unhappy couples in the future.

    <hr>

    Ohen Village resided at the southern border of Senilea, a mid-sized Kingdom when compared to its various neighbors.

    The Kingdom itself had little military power, and instead relied on its allies in times of war. It managed to avoid being the target of conquest thanks to how little resources there were. The forest that surrounded Ohen Village was just a small piece of a greater forest, that acted as a border for the Kingdom.

    The majority of the country was plains and hills, so it at least had a fair amount of farm-land. Valuable, but not quite worth the effort of going to war.

    For the most part, Senilea is mostly populated by humans, and all of its neighbors are also human-controlled nations.

    However, some races just don''t care about such territories.

    Kitsune are lone nomads who travel from place to place unhindered by humans. There are also goblins and other fay that simply travel between borders, ignoring whatever rules the humans make.

    Fay are... well, I''m just calling them that, but Fay are just a collection of sentient races that are just "not human".

    I considered calling them demons or magic races, but "demon" is too dark, and "magic races" is too long.

    I arbitrarily chose "Fay", because of the history of the word in my old world.

    The Azurian language has a singular word for the majority of non-human races, and just generally tack on a descriptive word for certain groups. Such as "Dark Fay", representing the groups that humans were most scared of, and rarely had a good relationship with. Or Civil Fay, who humans consider to be near equals to themselves, and Wild Fay, who are very nomadic wanderers that rarely care to interact with humans.

    You would think that Kitsune fall into the "Wild Fay" category, but you would be wrong.

    My race falls into a classification humans call "Spirits". Unearthly beings that many consider to be divine or close to divine. They are often the object of worship or even great hysteria.

    I''ve been calling my race "Kitsune" for convenience, but in Azurian, the literal translation is "Fox Spirit".

    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    There are a number of other Spirit races, but ultimately they don''t seem to quite be the same kinds of "spirits" that I think of. They all seem to have physical bodies, and don''t quite dematerialize into some astral plane or anything.

    The only real similarities is that individuals of these races often possess overwhelming power over nature.

    Kind of vague, but I guess humans just want to shove things into neat categories, huh?

    "Com''on Toya!" I hear a shout behind me, pulling me out of my thoughts just as my tail is grabbed by a monstrous grip! A shock of pain shoots up my spine as it''s tugged behind me.

    "Ow ow ow!" I end up dropping the book I was reading up till now, as my sister Yenna begins dragging me out of the "library". Unfortunately, my ability is useless once my sister already has a grip on me. "What is it?" I yell back at her with teary eyes.

    "We''re going to play of course," She said with her ear-to-ear grin.

    "Please let me go," I plead,

    "No way. You''ll just run away if I do," She said with a smirk.

    Yenna is peculiar.

    There are two forms of magic a normal human may use.

    The first, is through the use of magic items. I don''t know the details about this, but it seems to vary.

    Second, seems to be more of a physical enhancement magic. I only learned about this type of magic after reading through more than half of the books the village "library" had.

    In many ways, it reminded me of "Chi" or "Ki" from the various folklore in my old world. The people in this world believe that with a powerful will, they can bring out their life-force to enforce their will on the world. Either to enhance the power of an attack, or defend themselves from harm.

    Objectively speaking¡ªisn''t this a form of magic?

    Something like telekinesis, right? It seems to still take up mana, so it makes sense. It''s quite subtle, so it looks like society doesn''t really consider this magic.

    The issue is that this is generally an instinctive ability in humans, and only those humans with strong wills and great experiences can really use these abilities.

    However, what I''ve noticed is that Yenna seems to always be emitting this sort of force-field around her body like a thin armor, and her punches always hit before her fists do.

    I have to wonder¡ªis it really that easy to control this force?

    I''ve tried it myself, and at most I can make a flimsy film around my palm, that barely has enough force to push paper.

    On the one hand, I discovered I also have this ability.

    On the other hand, I discovered just how damn hard it is to control.

    Is Yenna a genius, or are Kitsune just weak with this ability?

    If it''s the former, then it normally wouldn''t make a difference.

    Arranged marriages are common in this village. Normally it''s only rich families who do this sort of practice, but it seems this village commonly practices it anyways. There''s no real harm in it from their perspective, and it''s worked so far. I wonder why the custom trickled down to these commoner families, but it is what it is.

    Under normal circumstances, Yenna would have a fiance picked for her in just a couple years, and she would marry. Her combat potential would end up meaning nothing, and she''d end up a simple house-wife.

    Maybe if she could convince her parents to let her join the military, she could become quite an amazing person. However, she doesn''t seem like the sort to follow authority very well, so acting under a Kingdom would be impossible.

    Then there''s me, seemingly the only male Kitsune.

    With the custom to have parents discuss marriageable partners, there are sometimes a couple candidates, when it comes to families that are well off. It''s not as extreme with noble families, where a prince or princess has dozens of marriage candidates, there are still some occurrences of that here, although rare.

    Mr. Aliuen, the village blacksmith, is well off in this remote village. Being a Blacksmith, he always has the possibility for work in this society. Even if business is sour here, he can always move to a larger city¡ªnot that he needs to, with him being the only smith in town. His son is in a similar position, and I recall there were at least two families trying to get their daughter with him. It was an amusing situation, and they''re lucky it happened before I snapped, or I would have just thrown in more girls.

    However, I have no suitors.

    No family has come to my mother to propose a union with one of their sons or daughters.

    And I''m sure my mother is grateful for that, considering my current circumstance.

    However, the reason is quite simple.

    What does marriage to a Spirit entail? There are no fairy tales on the subject, so is it even possible to find a suitable partner?

    I''ve forgotten because these people have become quite familiar with me¡ªbut I am still part of a race regarded as a divine being. They don''t quite worship me, but they still ask for blessings¡ªwhatever that means¡ªand occasionally ask for some sort of guidance. Even if I look like a child, people still recognize that I have a wisdom beyond my apparent years.

    So back to Yenna.

    Normally, she might have a suitor, and if not, mother and her father would ask around the village so see who might be a good partner.

    Yet she is somehow in the same position as I¡ªfor slightly different reasons.

    The most important reason is probably because she''s too violent. All of the boys in our age group are scared of her. Wouldn''t you be scared of a monster that can pound you into the dirt even as five other boys¡ªthat are all clearly much heavier than her¡ªstruggle with all their might to remove her? Even if you weren''t on the receiving end of that beating, and just saw it, you might be scared of the prospect of being matched with her.

    In the end, she probably won''t marry, and I feel I may be responsible for various reasons.

    For that reason, it seems my adoptive parents have been trying to have another child. But it seems they haven''t had much luck. It''s not like my "blessings" have any real effect.

    Still. What about my life?

    I''m not quite sure what I want to do.

    Part of me wants to find my mother, and learn why I was abandoned.

    The rest of me doesn''t feel motivated enough to care.

    So for now, I''ll continue to play with these children.

    "So what are we playing?" I hear one of the boys ask as Yenna pulls me over to them.

    Curling my lips as an idea popped into my head, I spoke up.

    "I have an idea~"

    <hr>

    Author Notes:

    So timeskip. This chapter ended up longer than usual, but whatever. It''s pretty much an info-dump chapter, with just some stuff going on in the background.

    I realized I''m working on this story more than my NPC one, but eh. I''ll have a chapter for that story out soon enough. I''ve just been wanting to push through this story a bit.

    Toyaru is probably acting a bit creepy in this chapter, considering his age, but that''s more-or-less intentional.

    Plot may be starting next chapter, which is also why I included the info-dump here, but ended up including more than I intended to. Oh well.

    As always, Suggestions and Feedback are appreciated and encouraged.

 Chapter 008

    Before me stood a youth.

    A boy around my age¡ª11, maybe 12 or 13. He was taller than I, but I''m a bit short for my age.

    He wore a vigilant expression¡ªas though he were ready to fight here and now¡ªand behind him were children of varying ages.

    Their attire would scream rich kids, were it not for how shredded and torn their clothes was, and they looked hardly dignified, showing signs of stress and lack of sleep. Their clothes were dirty, and many had what barely amounted to rags.

    I knew neither of these children, but I continued to smile at the boy who took center stage, and got into a stance, as if to protect the dozen or two children behind him. The oldest of the group stood further back with his hand at the sword on his hip, ready to draw if something went wrong. Even he was only about 17 or so, but it looked like his intention was only to protect a young girl at his side.

    Putting two and two together, I can only assume that they''ve been running from something. For several days even. They were still being chased. Even now, it looks like they expect someone to be chasing them. It didn''t seem like they were use to hiking through forest. But what direction are they going? Where did they come from?

    Judging by the wind, and how their scent was carried... they came from... north?

    So they''ve only been in the forest for a short period of time¡ªI doubt they''d make it out on the other side alive.

    But then, that would mean...

    <hr />

    My day started as usual. After "training" a bit by running, I continued to play with my unique ability. I''ve yet to really tell anyone about it, but I think Yenna has an understanding of what it is.

    After a few hours, I dried myself off, and went to read some books.

    At some point, Yenna came by, grabbed my tail, and pull me towards the group of children I often spend time with. It''s a small village, so these nearly two dozen kids are the only people in my age group, and because of that most people in the village knows everyone else.

    Often times we play games that could be described as a sport, but occasionally I bring up an idea to play a game from my past life.

    Today I told them about "hide and seek".

    However, only a few of the kids could actually count any further than 20 or even 10, so I decided to count for them, and not actually take part in the games. Basically, I decided to supervise the game. I would count for whoever is "it", and when they left to look for the others I would check up on them to make sure they''re safe.

    There were no monsters in this area of the forest. This is because many of them have been hunted down, and the rest are smart enough to stay back. Unlike monsters though, normal wild animals don''t quite have the intelligence to stay away from human villages, so I decided to protect the kids in that event.

    However, as the second round of the game was ending, I checked on the boy who was it, only to see him and one other boy being held down by a strange group of children.

    From what I could deduce, Rojji¡ªthe boy who was it¡ªfound Ken''s hiding spot, but as he did, the third party ended up discovered as they were trying to hike through.

    Using that information, it''s reasonable to guess that this group didn''t want to be found.

    "Let the two boys go, you lot," I announced my presence as I closed in on the group. However, it didn''t seem this group was open to just talk.

    A scorching hot trail of white blocked my path as I approached the group. It took me a moment to realize that what blocked me was fire. A flame so hot that it burned white.

    I took a step back at the sight of this, and the flame vanished as I did. Looking over the group, I saw one boy ready to fight me. His stance resembled a martial artist sort of stance, but it didn''t quite look well trained. He was certainly use to the stance, but it had many openings that even I could see. Was he the one who summoned that flame?

    "Run away Toya!" Rojji shouted, as he got his mouth free from the grasp of one of the people holding him down. Honestly, this looked like a gang of kids bullying two weaker kids. But it wasn''t so simple, was it?

    "Rojji, there''s no need to worry about me," I said calmly as I smiled at the boy.

    "So, you''re a magician I take it?" I asked the boy confronting me, as my tail flowed freely behind me.

    The boy seemed to momentarily flinch at my question, before replying with "How do you know I''m not just a Fay or Spirit?"

    "You smell like a human?" I said, tilting my head. He certainly smelled like a human. However, there were two non-humans in their group. Two girls hidden behind some of the kids. They probably didn''t think I saw them, but I at least caught a glimpse of them. And their stench is obvious, considering none of these kids have taken a bath in quite some time.

    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    "I said let the two boys go," I decided to repeat myself.

    "We can''t do that. They saw us. You saw us! You''ll tell them we were here!" He said frantically.

    "Do you truly believe you can take me on?" I said with a grin, trying to bluff my way out of this fight. I had confidence I could kill him¡ªbut I didn''t quite want to do that. I wanted to restrain him, and talk things out.

    "You¡ª" Just as the boy was about to blurt something out, he was interrupted from behind.

    "Aniel, stop!" A girl stepped forward¡ªthe one with a bodyguard to her side. "That''s a Fox Spirit; you can''t kill her or bad things might happen!" She said.

    The girl who stopped him¡ªa dignified girl who I would probably call a Princess, were it not for the splotches of dirt that littered her body. Actually, going by what I''m seeing, she just might actually be a Princess.

    Still, even royalty holds such superstitions about Spirits, huh? The nobles in back also seem anxious by my sudden appearance. However the boy up front¡ªdoes he not know or not care about such superstitions?

    "We can''t risk being tailed, dammit," He said with shaking fists, as a trail of blue flame sparked into existence and floated around his wrist. "I''ll get rid of them, and then we''ll move on," He said in a shaky voice, as if to convince himself.

    "Boy, you understand that even an amateur could track your group through these woods," I finally spoke up. "Killing me will earn you nothing," I said as my smile broadened.

    They were scared. The boy, Aniel, had no idea what to do. He didn''t want to kill me¡ªI could tell. But his situation called for it. To remove witnesses, which knew he and his friends passed through here.

    That meant, that whoever was chasing them was not a monster, but a person. A group of people maybe. Is he afraid of them? Maybe, but I wonder if he''s already killed?

    What interested me most about him was his magic, though.

    Magicians took advantage of naturally existing magic to adapt to their purposes.

    However there was a limit on what can be converted into a "magic item". Because of a Dragon''s physiology, it was possible to kill one, remove its tongue, process it, and still be able to utilize the magical ability of the dragon, to convert mana into fire.

    But a Dragon''s fire only spews forth flame like a flamethrower. Something like pyrokinesis shouldn''t be possible through that method. It''s not like it''s possible to do this method with just any creature though. Human sorcerers have tried and failed to reproduce various magics, using the body parts of fallen monsters and even fay.

    This boy, he''s controlling the flames with such accurate movements, bending it and¡ª!?

    ¡ª"I suggest you cease your magic," I declared with a frown.

    This boy¡ªhe was also controlling the air? I can''t tell what he''s doing¡ªI can only make guesses based on the shift in the winds and the whirl of smells¡ªbut if I had to guess, he''s trying to isolate my breathing air, so he can snatch it away in an instant, if he has to.

    But he didn''t listen to me. He''s not in the mood to talk to me. But it seems he understands¡ªthe more he talks to me¡ªthe more I become more human to him¡ªthe less willing he is to kill me.

    It can''t be helped. I''ll switch conversation partners.

    "Princess, lets negotiate," I called out, ignoring the boy, and looking towards the girl. I stepped forward, ignoring the glare Aniel threw me. As I did, he conjured forth a torrent of blazing white fire which encompassed me in an instant.

    ¡ªbut it was far too slow.

    A moment later, he fell to the ground, and I was already at his side.

    It''s obvious that he couldn''t react to that sort of crazy speed.

    Or rather, it''s impossible to react, when the enemy has the ability to stop time.

    <hr />

    Author Notes:

    Look, it''s Toya''s first ability!

    Also the plot~!?

    But yeah, maybe expect a sudden drop in quality? I dunno. At least, the tone will probably shift kinda dramatically. I''ll try to keep a lot of cheery and fluffy parts though. Toya isn''t really a combat oriented individual.

    Just consider this segment a more serious arc.

    That said, I''m wondering whether or not to have Toya join this group.

    On the one hand, it''ll push the story along towards adventure and exploring the world with a cast. More world building sooner rather than later.

    On the other hand, the tone will change, and may not suit what most readers are reading this story for.

    I''ll make a poll, though people can still post their thoughts in the comments.

 Chapter 009

    With a step forward, flames immediately surrounded me.

    Like a shell, I had no where to escape to, so I activated my trump card.

    Time Re-Calibration.

    I became aware of this ability some time before I turned 8. I was amazed, but my ability to use it seems to be innate. Natural. This was the magic granted to me by my tail.

    The ability felt like a cheat. I could do whatever I wanted, and no one could feasibly stop me.

    Still, I restrained myself¡ªat least a little.

    Remembering the various stories involving superpowers, I tested my ability, learning of its capabilities and limitations.

    The first thing I learned¡ªI can''t go backwards through time. At most I can only stop it¡ªor so I think. It''s possible that I have a maximum "time frame", and it''s just so slow that time may as well be frozen. If it takes years for just a single microsecond to pass, then I wouldn''t be able to tell if time is frozen or not, and I don''t have the patience to wait millennium to measure the distance a coin fell.

    Next I found out that I don''t really get any stronger. If I punch something while time is going slow, it''s not like it''ll go flying off at the speed of light. My punches still hold the same strength. Like only my frame of reference was changed. It''s strange. What sort of physics are going on that I can move faster than sound, but when I run into something, I carry the momentum of a little child? However, the worst part about this, is the backlash from prolonged use of this ability, if I''m not careful.

    On the other hand, it does not take additional mana to sustain a time-frame, but it does take mana to change it. I didn''t quite understand this point either, but it seems the larger the change in time-frame, the more mana it cost. So constantly starting and stopping time was exhausting, but I could just stop time, and live my entire life like that.

    ¡ªAh, about that, it seems the processes of my body run at "real time", rather than at whatever speed I''m shifted into. So just fast-forwarding through time would starve me to death, but slowing it down will let me live hundreds of years without eating, as it would only be a few hours in real time. But my mana won''t recover very much in that time.

    Because of those same reasons, sensations such as pain take quite a while to travel up to my brain, and with time stopped, it''s not like this fire will even burn me. The heat won''t have time to conduct onto me.

    As I easily walk through the white flames that I have to push through, I decide to take this time to look at all of the children.

    As I expected, these were certainly noble children.

    The girl I spoke to earlier bore a necklace with the mark of the Royal Family of Senilea.

    Meaning this girl was one of the Princesses right?

    What was her name? Ah, whatever. I don''t keep up with the Royal Family.

    She was a pretty girl though, perhaps about 13 or 14. He brunette hair was long and wavy, however it showed some signs of abuse, likely from how often she tied or coiled her hair. Her body was... developing I guess.

    She was covered in dirt like the rest of the kids, but still looked determined despite that.

    Responsible even. I want her. But...

    Still, for her to be out here. Does that perhaps mean that Senilea was invaded? News hasn''t made it to the village yet, so these kids probably used a special mode of transportation, but had to travel the rest of the way on foot. Or news probably just propagates slowly in this world. That would make sense too.

    So this lot¡ªa collection of noble children and the royal princess running away from an enemy that''s looking to end the royal family. A scenario like that, right? Or is the enemy related to the royal family? Something like a power struggle? No, why would it only be this bunch of kids? What about actual retainers and guards?

    Anyways, what of the rest of the group?

    Almost all of them are humans. Kids, similar to my group, I guess? But almost all of them seem to wear expensive clothes, made of fabric that I couldn''t even find in this far off village. Much of their clothes is worn and torn though, and some of the kids you could barely tell are wearing something so expensive.

    But¡ªthere were two more.

    These two, they were fay, correct?

    One of the girls seemed to be about 14 years old. She had a somewhat developing figure, and wavy black hair. Her skin was silky white, if you ignored the dirt and grime, so I''m sure she could be quite a beauty. However, she had a tail. A long, black tail, that seemed to flail outwards at the end, giving it a heart-shaped tip. If I had to describe it, it reminded me of a tail you might draw on a devil, or even a succubus.

    The other girl was a bit more eye-catching¡ªmostly because she looked much less human. Her skin was a pale blue, and carried a tint of red. Her ears were pointed and narrow, and by the looks of them, she could probably control their direction with ease, letting her pinpoint the direction of any sound. Her eyes bore a pitch-black iris, and they seemed to expand out larger than normal eyes, as if to catch as much light as possible. She looked to be about 8 or 9, and I would probably consider her face adorable, if her eyes didn''t weird me out.

    Both girls had hid themselves, obviously not wanting to be seen, even if their group was already spotted. Of the entire group, these two looked the poorest and most out of place, seemingly not having eaten very much for a while, and wearing rags that even a commoner wouldn''t be caught dead in.

    If I had to guess, they were slaves. Their wrists and neck seemed to show signs that they use to wear a collar and cuffs¡ªbut it was removed? I wonder why?

    Freed slaves walking amongst runaway nobles.

    What a bizarre bunch.

    Well, whatever.

    I look back to the boy controlling those flames. Aniel, was it?

    This boy¡ªhe looked quite handsome, with short black hair, and a look that was confident in his ability, if not in what he was doing. Like the rest, he had a face full of grime, yet somehow he gave off a mysterious atmosphere. In many ways, he gave off the impression of a protagonist, with his seemingly unwavering will.

    Following his gaze, I could see the spectacle of dancing flames, which spiraled around my previous location. He had taken great care to not burn down the forest, and looking at the movement of the flames, I surmised that the magic he was using earlier was isolating the oxygen to keep his fire from spreading. Has chemistry in this world really gotten that far?

    I wondered for a moment if striking him might send the flames out of control.

    Well, no use worrying about it¡ªif I sneak up behind him, and threaten him, he might end up burning me anyways. Remembering a character from a show I watched, I realized that I don''t know how precise his control is, so I just struck at his neck as hard as I could.

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    I don''t have much physical strength, so I actually hit his neck about 3 or 4 times. With that, I returned to "normal" time.

    The flames evaporated rather quickly without this boy to control them.

    He on the other hand immediately fell to the floor, but I grabbed his collar so he didn''t hit his head, and only fell to his knees.

    My other hand¡ªthe one I used to strike him¡ªwas in quite a bit of pain, but I hid it in my long sleeves.

    "Now then, Princess. We should have a talk," I spoke up maintaining my smile from earlier.

    However, I was not her first priority

    "Aniel!" She shouted, as she came running to the boy''s side frantically.

    Giving a sigh, I explained, "He''s not dead. Just gave him a bit of a beating. Don''t think I''d be able to talk some sense into him. Now explain yourselves, human," I spoke up with the same haughty attitude I carried since arriving on scene.

    She grabbed onto Aniel, tugging him away as she checked his pulse and made sure he was breathing.

    Hmm? Did people in the middle ages know much about a person''s pulse? Well, it is another world.

    As she looked back at me, she introduced herself, "I am the Second Princess of Senilea, and likely sole survivor of the royal family. Princess Aire. I know not what a divine spirit would wish with us, but we don''t have much to give," she pleaded with hesitant yet desperate eyes.

    As she spoke, her guard came to her side, and watched my with attentive eyes, clearly worried for his master. He was about twice my height, but still had quite a youthful face. In a physical fight, I''m sure he could beat me into the dirt, and if I didn''t use my Time Re-Calibration, I''m sure he could even beat me in a race. But I have no need to compete with him.

    Turning my eyes back to Princess Aire, I made my claims.

    "I merely want those two human boys freed safely." I pointed over towards Ken and Rojji. I could have freed them¡ªmaybe¡ªbut even with my ability it would be hard without killing the others.

    The princess cast down her eyes as she considered her options, before quickly looking back up at me.

    "We cannot."

    "And why is that?"

    "We cannot risk being followed by Lein''s Forces. Even if Aniel was being violent, it''s true we cannot just let them go," She pleaded, as she lowered her head to me, "I''m sorry, Esteemed Spirit, but I cannot risk the lives of my comrades!" As I expected, she seemed to treat me with quite the bit of dignity, huh?

    Going by her attitude, it doesn''t seem like I''m considered a risk. Well, I guess it is weird for a Fox Spirit to be raised by a human village, so she probably just believes that I''m fulfilling some duty as a guardian of this area. Despite that, her guard is still vigilant.

    "Hoh~" I let out an amused tone, as I mulled over the bit of information I was presented.

    Lein Empire. Lein... Was that not the nation a few border over to the east? Did they somehow invade our neighbors to the east and make a move into Senilea?

    Hmm. With news spreading at the speed of horseback, I guess it''s not impossible for us to be caught unaware, here in an isolated village where news travels slowly towards, to begin with.

    "So you intend to cross this great forest in order to escape the pursuit of Lein Empire," I stated. "From there¡ªwhere would you go, I wonder? You could have fled west to Kiitland? Surely they would protect you."

    "Kiitland would much rather fork me over to Lein Empire, once they learn how our capital was taken in a day!" She shouted desperately.

    "So instead you head south, abandoning all responsibility as royalty,"

    "We have no other choice. Even if Aniel''s magic is powerful, he cannot take on an army of Dragon Riders alone!"

    Oh? So Lein has pet dragons, huh? I can see how that could make conquest easier.

    "While I understand your struggle, I cannot simply allow you to hold my precious playmates, you see?"

    "P-playmates?"

    "Yep¡ªthose two are my toys, you see?" I figured that if I gave the impression that Rojji and Ken were "mine", she would consent. If they were merely stray village kids, that would be one thing¡ªbut it''s a different matter if they are belongings of a Kitsune. Aniel wouldn''t be willing to let me go regardless, but this girl hesitated knowing this fact.

    "I... Then, if you can promise me that they won''t speak of us..."

    "It''s fine," I shrugged. I really can''t refuse this girl when she looks at me with such a determined look in her eyes. "Let the boys go," I called out to the people in back, who were holding them down.

    They hesitated for a moment, but as Princess Aire nodded to them, they ended up letting go of Rojji and Ken. I motioned for the two to come over, and as they scurried to my sides, I gave the brats pats on the head¡ªthough Rojji is a bit older than me, but that''s fine.

    "Now, I want you brats to head back home, and speak of this to no one,"

    "But¡ª"

    "If you tell anyone, I''ll get Yenna on you," I said cheerfully, which caused the two to flinch, before nodding vigorously and running off.

    "Now then... about you lot," I turned my gaze back to the group, before looking down at the unconscious Aniel.

    With a grin, I looked over the group, and pointed towards the older of the group¡ªthe man who seemed to be Aire''s special guard.

    "You, carry this bit of luggage," I ordered, before turning about on my heal, and walking off into the forest.

    "Wh-where are you going?"

    Not even bothering to see who asked, I answered with a calm an calculated voice.

    "If you don''t follow me, your group will end up dead. Now hurry up," I spoke up.

    The majority of these noble children didn''t interest me in the least.

    That Aniel fellow was the only individual I cared for.

    A magic I''ve never heard of. How did he get it?

    I figured, if I save his miserable life, I can coerce him into spilling all of his secrets.

    If not... maybe I should try seducing him?

    ...

    Ugh... I think I died a little inside...

    <hr />

    Author Notes:

    And we''re back.

    I actually did spend the whole weekend writing, and ended up with 5 chapters. Of course, because I''m a meany, I''ll be pushing them out one day at a time.

    Though, I''ll probably be rewriting parts of the chapters, if I feel I did something wrong, or if I want to change the direction.

    As always, Feedback and Suggestions are appreciated and encouraged.

 Chapter 010

    Achiel and Abach, two of the three moons which orbited this planet were present in the sky.

    Due to the multiple moons, this society never created a concept such as "months". Instead each year is separated by 62 weeks composed of 6 days each, for a total of 372 days.

    Going by the Common Azurian calendar, this was the 241st day of the year 707, putting us in the middle of autumn.

    I had thought there might be some complicated scheme to the calendar, with leap days or something every X years, but it seems that for some reason, season drift does not occur. Well no, that''s not quite right. It seems that the calendar has been offset by close to 6 or 7 days, if you use the solstice as a guide. Meaning that it takes up to around 100 years for an entire day to be offset, instead of just 4.

    I find it strange the planet''s rotation matches up so cleanly with its orbit around the sun, but I''ve decided not to question it.

    Tonight, I take a stroll through the woods, after telling my mother.

    Of course, the reason is to cover the trail of those bumbling idiots who left a track so obvious a blind man can follow it. That said, it would be suspicious if the trail vanished without a trace, so I went to great effort to create a new trail that led further south.

    I did all this with time frozen of course.

    Backtracking the group''s route, I eventually found a small group of men, who seemed well dressed for hiking through the forest, all armed to the teeth. I took a look at their maps and equipment, and wondered how Aniel and Aire''s group could have gotten so far ahead of them. They had already set up camp efficiently, and had a number of lookouts.

    If I had to guess, those brats had quite a head start.

    While investigating their camp, I found something¡ªdrawings that seemed to depict Aire and Aniel. Interesting.

    Within the tent of the one of the captain-like guys, I found a journal that cataloged their mission in detail, so I decided to read through it. More information couldn''t hurt, and besides¡ªI had all the time in the world.

    <hr />

    When I finally left the camp, I made my way towards my little hide-out. A cave in the woods that me and Yenna found, and decided to make it into a cozy "clubhouse".

    There weren''t any signs it was used recently, so we ended up covering the entrance, hiding it from beast and humans alike.

    However, I didn''t quite head there yet.

    Instead, I found a quiet, isolated part of the forest, and claimed up a tree with relative ease. I''m honestly surprised with my amazingly dexterous hands, and athletic body in this world¡ªin my past life I could hardly climb even a small tree.

    Once at the top, I settled myself in, tried to balance myself on a few branches, and calmed my thoughts.

    As I shifted my body into "real time", it hit.

    Pain assaulted me only a few seconds after, as my feet and hands ached and blistered. While I couldn''t feel any skin tear, I could feel my bones reverberate in shock, and all of my limbs went numb following the initial wave of pain.

    The backlash was pretty intense this time.

    After all, I walked a whole day''s worth, and did quite a lot of activity, all in the span of a microsecond. Imagine the soreness you feel from walking for hours without rest, multiplied many times over, and compressed into an instant.

    The only upside is that my body doesn''t seem to waste energy on the actions I performed at those speeds. Or rather, the energy used is too small for me to even notice.

    Still, this ability is inconvenient to use in a fight. Even if I punched someone several times in the face, I''ll probably end up breaking my hand once I shift into real-time.

    Something like a sword, which doesn''t reverberate much damage back to my body¡ªthat might be well suited for me. Maybe. I''ve never used a sword, so I wouldn''t know.

    The really weird part though, is why I can so easily pass through air. Theoretically, the wind should be tearing my skin and eyes apart, right? Why does it so seamlessly pass around me, I wonder?

    Well, no point in complaining about the physics of my power.

    Lucky for me, even though my feet look fairly dainty, my years of running and exercise have mostly toughened them up, so I don''t quite have any blisters on them. My hands on the other hand...

    Still, I force myself to climb down to the forest floor after several minutes of huffing and puffing for air. I was in a rather vulnerable position there, you know?

    After cleaning myself off, and making sure I look proper, I make my way to the hideout which I''ve made those nobles hide in.

    When I enter the cave, I find all of them fast asleep. Even the Princess''s guard was asleep. I noticed nearly all of them except for the princess herself. Her, I could smell further inside the cave, and as I made it to the "room" she was in, I saw her sitting there on a blanket of leaves with Aniel laying beside her.

    A small lamp lit up the small room, and as I entered, Aire looked surprised to see me.

    "O-oh! You have returned," She said somewhat startled, before adding on, "Esteemed Spirit,"

    "Ah, you don''t have to be so humble. You''re a Princess, aren''t you? My name is Toyaru," I said, partly annoyed by the treatment.

    "I am extremely honored," she said, bowing her head to me.

    "Don''t fret over something like that. You''re the first Princess I''ve ever met, so having you be so humble is kinda breaking my image of a princess, you know?"

    "I''m sorry,"

    "Don''t apologize,"

    "No, I''m sorry about Aniel. He should have been my responsibility. I... We, have quite a bit to lose, you see," She explained, while looking down at the sleeping boy.

    I didn''t quite say anything, but I was sort of surprised he was still asleep. Knocking someone out like how I did usually only works for a few seconds, a minute at most. I guess these brats were really tired running through the forest.

    As I looked back up at Aire''s expression, she was still looking down at Aniel''s sleeping face, and I could make out a flurry of emotions expressed on that face¡ªsome that felt like they carried hidden meaning.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere."Oh? I wasn''t aware you two were in that kind of relationship," I teased with a grin as I dropped myself to the floor with my legs crossed. My accusation had no bases, but it couldn''t hurt to talk. Talking was healthy for the soul.

    She seemed to react flustered as she shuck her head and denied my words, "It''s not like that! We''ve just been friends for years, and¡ª"

    She continued to ramble about this and that, and seeing as I had time, and I wanted to hear what she had to say, I pushed her along.

    I asked if perhaps the two were betrothed or something, but she corrected me; the Anozu family, the noble family that Aniel belonged to, was far too low in status to have that sort of relationship.

    Their group was merely a collection of some noble children who ended up playing together at a young age, and formed a childish club. Aire herself only got involved with them years after the "initial group", and they''d stay in touch since.

    "Aniel somehow found one of the city''s secret passages, that led into the castle," She said, having calmed down, as she told her story. "At the time, I was using the passage to get away from Turin, my guard¡ªhe was too overprotective, and I wanted... space, as Aniel called it. I ended up running into him that day, and somehow we became friends. Not just acquaintances who had to socialize as some sort of duty¡ªbut genuine friends.

    It wasn''t long after, that I learned Aniel was some kind of Genius. When he perfected his enchantment research, he gathered up the group, and began treating it all like a secret society, and he put me at the top," she said.

    A secret society?

    "Looks like he intended to start a coup?" I tilted my head.

    "Maybe," She laughed, "But it''s not like it would have had to go that far. If the nobles saw that I had the support of a small but powerful force, my father could have placed me on the throne, instead of my older brother," She explained, but as she did her eyes seem to cloud up, and tear up.

    "I see. That''s quite something," I replied, but not sure how to change the subject. "Ah! I almost forgot. What about those two girls? The non-humans?"

    As she blinked away the moisture that had gathered at her eyes, she gazed back at me for a second, and then back down at Aniel. "They were... two slave girls Aniel took in on a whim," She said.

    "What?"

    "I didn''t quite understand his decision either. Not until we entered the forest anyways,"

    "Oh?"¡ªwait, so they were slaves they picked up after the invasion?

    "The younger girl. The one with the blue skin and weird eyes. Her senses are phenomenal. She was apparently bred from several different fay, until they ended up with a breed with perfect senses, that can even feel magic," she explained. "We were able to avoid wild animals and monsters once we entered the forest. And she even told us exactly when Lein''s hunters entered the forest, so we''ve been able to keep away from them as much as possible."

    That sounds pretty amazing, actually.

    "And the other one?"

    "That one... She claims to be from a clan of noble demons." Demons, or literally Dark Fay.

    Humans aren''t the only race that builds up kingdoms. Even some race of Fay have established great empires that have risen and fallen. Of course, those are usually the ones labeled as Dark Fay by humans, seeing as those are the ones humans usually come into conflict with.

    "Her clan has the power to see the desires of anyone. Aniel said she would be useful for distinguishing people who were just aiming to take advantage of us," She explained.

    "And after buying them, he removed their chains?"

    Aire shrugged, as though she didn''t get it either. It was weird behavior; wouldn''t it be better to keep them from being able to run away? Keep a collar or something on them, and keep them close? But instead he practically freed them, and has them follow from the center of the group.

    It didn''t quite seem like something a noble would do. Or really, anyone raised in this society.

    As I was thinking that, something clicked in my head as I recalled a detail I missed.

    "Tell me about that... Enchantment Research," I asked. It slipped by me when she said it, but... I don''t recall anything like Enchantments. There were presumably spirits with such abilities, but what could Aniel have been researching? That was probably the secret to his magic, right?

    "I... quite honestly don''t know," She said, "It was all over my head, even as Aniel tried to explain it to me carefully," she said with a sigh.

    "I see," I said as I pulled myself up.

    "Where are you going?"

    "Out. To sleep. I''m tired. Took a lot of effort to mislead your pursuers," I said, stretching my arms.

    With a face of surprise, Aire once again bowed her head towards me, "Thank you for all your help," she said, before looking back up at me with a bright smile.

    "Don''t thank me. This isn''t free," I told her, before turning on my heel, and leaving the two alone in the dim room.

    I figured that princess wouldn''t know much about that "Enchantment Research". If it was something like magic research, a mere child probably wouldn''t understand it.

    But Aniel did.

    But is Aniel truly just a child genius? Or is he a bit more than that¡ª?

    <hr />

    Author Notes:

    Somehow I''ve found myself writing for this story a lot. Guess I got sucked into writing for it, and I can''t stop. I guess the way the story flows just has me writing more. Hurts me to have so many chapters waiting, but at the same time I feel that it would be too fast if I just dumped all of them at once.

    Some world building, explanation on one of the weaknesses to Toyaru''s ability, as well as background to Princess Aire and Aniel. Overall just a calm chapter for passing on information.

    Next chapter is a POV chapter for Yenna.

    As always, Feedback and Suggestions are appreciated and encouraged.

 Chapter 011

    Author Note: This chapter is from Yenna''s perspective

    <hr />

    I have a brother.

    But that''s a secret, ok?

    Ever since I could remember, Toya has been my sister.

    But at some point I learned he was actually a brother.

    I was told, "Don''t tell anyone Toya is a boy," by mother.

    "If they find out, someone might take him away," she said.

    At the time, I truly didn''t understand the difference between boys and girls.

    All I knew was that girls wore dresses, and boys didn''t. Girls had long hair, boys had short hair.

    Going by that view, Toya was clearly a girl, right?

    But Toya had something I didn''t. And I don''t mean his ears and tail. I''d see it the few times we took a bath together, and when I asked mother about it, she explained that it was what made him a boy.

    I think it was around that point that a more clear distinction of boys and girls popped into my head.

    So Toya was a boy? But why did he dress like a girl? Why couldn''t I tell people?

    I didn''t know. But it worried me.

    Even if Toya was mean, and didn''t let me use his tail as a pillow, I still loved him.

    Having someone take away my pillow¡ªerrr...¡ªsister was no good.

    Though I say Toya was mean, but he never tried to hurt me, and he''s often really nice.

    But not just to me. He''s nice to a lot of people. He''s made friends with most people in the village, and is really smart.

    But he''s weak.

    We played together a lot when we were kids, and he was sometimes a bit rough, like boys usually are, so I ended up becoming just as rough. But as time went on, I realized just how fragile he is.

    So I ended up protecting him a lot.

    When the girls would say something mean about him, I''d hit them.

    When the boys said something mean to him, I''d hit them a lot.

    When anyone did anything mean, I''d break them.

    Actually, I remember last year, there was this group of older boys. I don''t really know them, but I''ve seen them around, and heard they were trouble-makers. I heard them talking about doing something really mean to Toya. I don''t know why you''d do something like that. Toya was never mean to them, right? It confused me. But it really angered me too.

    I couldn''t forgive them, so I punished them.

    Later that day, the village went into a panic as hunters were sent looking for monsters. Mother told me that some kids in the village were mauled by a beast, but it was never found.

    Still, if it''s running away, Toya can do that.

    It annoys me a bit that he also tries to run from me¡ªespecially with that weird ability of his¡ªbut if he can get away from bad people faster, then it''s fine.

    Yesterday, we played a game Toya had made up. He occasionally makes up games to play, with weird rules, but this one was pretty simple. Everyone goes and finds a hiding spot, while one person waits, and then goes and finds everyone.

    It was the perfect game for Toya, who could smell and hear anyone, and who could run away from any danger. But he didn''t play, saying it wouldn''t be fair, and instead watched over the game.

    However, the game ended early for some reason. I didn''t understand why, but Rojji and Ken came running back, calling off the game. Apparently something happened, but they refused to talk about it.

    I wanted to know where my little sister was, but when I started pressing Rojji for answers, he just burst out crying.

    I''m no good with complicated things, so I decided to go home and wait for Toya, and let him explain.

    But Toya didn''t come home¡ªor at least I didn''t see him come home. Mother said he went out to do something, so I waited patiently. When night finally came, I went to wait in his room, but I fell asleep before he returned.

    At some point in the night, I could hear the door open, and someone walking into the room.

    ¡ª"Sorry for worrying you," it said, as it pat my head.

    I heard a voice in my sleep as someone patted my head, but I was simply too tired to move or really wake up¡ªbut my hands instinctively grabbed hold of the perpetrator, and didn''t let go.

    The voice seemed to panic for a bit, but...

    ¡ª"Fine, I''ll allow it."

    <hr />

    When morning came, I realized I was holding onto my little sister¡ªor brother.

    Even though we were born around the same time, Toya was clearly smaller than me. In height, we were close, but I was slightly taller, and on top of that Toya was much thinner than I. So calling Toya the little sibling makes sense.

    Toya was still blissfully asleep in my arms, and his tail somehow found its way under my head.

    As I pulled myself up, I noticed I was still in Toyaru''s room, rather than my own. Toya was still dressed in that weird robe-dress thing he''s taken a liking to, even though he normally sleeps in next to nothing.

    D-don''t ask how I know that.

    But what upsets me most about the sight, was he was covered in dirt and a few new scratches that weren''t there before. As I looked over his body, he seemed to have been working a lot before coming home.

    What were you doing, you punk?

    I wanted to punch his stomach, and question him¡ªbut I decided to just wait for him to wake up normally.

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.As if on cue, Toya began to wriggle a bit, as his arms and legs straightened out and stiffened, as if he was stretching in his sleep. With that, Toya let out a low, but long yawn, that slowly died off before I saw his eyes cracked open, from the side.

    His eyes scanned the room for a moment, before his head turned to his side, where I sat on my knees on his bed, with his tail on my lap.

    He seemed to stare for a moment, as if processing what was going on while his mind came to life. His expression was seemingly blank, only having a hint of confusion as he returned from his dreams.

    I thought maybe he would push me away and try to run, so I kept a loose hold on his tail.

    But Toya only smiled after a moment, and then tried to pull himself up.

    "Sis, why are you in my room?" He asked, as he looked down at his body and noticed he was still wearing the dirty robe. His face soured, as he looked down at it, and back at where he lay, but he shrugged, before turning his eyes back to me.

    "I was worried. Rojji didn''t say what happened. You told him to not tell me where you were, so I was mad," I said with a pout.

    "I told him not to tell anyone about a certain something," He said with a sigh. I thought maybe he''d be in a bad mood when he woke up, but he merely looked at me with a kind expression as he gave me a pat on the head. "You don''t have to worry too much about me," He said.

    ¡ªBut I do!

    I was about to respond as such, but before I could, he continued, "Anyways, let me change my clothes. This is all dirty now," He complained, as he pushed himself off the bed.

    He looked back at me, with his tail trying to wiggle free of my hands. I considered holding him tightly so he couldn''t escape, but after a moment of petting his tail in silence, I gently loosened my grasp.

    Toya looked at me with a smile, and pat my head once more, but this time with his tail.

    He likes to play with people like that, and for some reason likes patting others on the head, even when they''re older than him. I asked him about it once, and he merely responded in the haughty attitude he sometimes switches to.

    ¡ª"It''s a reward of course! Who wouldn''t want a pat on the head from a cutie like myself?"

    Well I don''t mind it too much. I''ve sort of grown use to it.

    Still, this brother of mine is a troublemaker.

    It makes me want to hit him when I see him playing with the others, touching them with his tail, and talking to them with that weird voice of his, while they turn bright red. Especially when he does it to other girls.

    I haven''t seen him do it again though¡ªnot after I punished him for teasing me like that.

    As Toya began undoing the sash that held the robe to his body, I spoke up.

    "Hey... Toya, where are you going?"

    He looked over at me, with a hint of surprise, but didn''t stop, as the sash fell to the floor.

    "Well, there''s something I have to do in the forest. Some things happened that I have to take care of," He answered as he headed for the wardrobe.

    "Can you take me with?" I asked, locking eyes with him as he took a glance my way.

    "It''s..." He stopped, as if the next words to come out of his mouth were a bad idea. I could almost hear "too dangerous" in my head, and that only made me frown as I looked at him.

    "Take me with you," I demanded, no longer asking.

    He seemed to consider it, as he looked back over to the wardrobe, and opened it. He didn''t give me an answer, and instead he pulled out a robe¡ªa yakata as he called it¡ªwith a design somewhat different from the one he''d been wearing. There was some variety among the robe-like dresses he wore, though almost all of them were plain white, and merely had a difference of skirt length, some stylistic designs, or in some cases had a colored pattern. He had that Ellen girl make various designs, and as he got older, some became a bit more eccentric.

    The one he pulled out was an elegant, fiery red dress. Looking at it, I could only think that it would certainly match Toya''s red hair and tail. On it, I could see various patterns sewn into it, that gave the impression of flames, and along the sleeves, I saw a fox whose body stretched across the back of the dress.

    Eh? There''s no hole for his tail to pass through?

    "Put this on after you bathe," He said, passing me the dress.

    Did he get this one for me?

    Not knowing what to think, I looked between the dress and Toya.

    "O-ok, I''ll go," I stammered, as I carried the dress to my room, and left Toya alone.

    Ah, it''s really pretty...

    <hr />

    Author Notes:

    Alright, so here''s a POV chapter for Yenna. I also have another POV chapter written up for a different character later, so tell me how I did on this one.

    The chapter gives some insight into how Yenna sees Toyaru.

    Anyways, as I look forward in this story, I think to myself, "Holy crap, some of these ideas are really twisted, you know?"

    I haven''t really written too much, but I feel that some people might be off put if I suddenly how many screws Toyaru has loosened since his rebirth. Only thing I can do is continue to write, and hope that his carefree spirit will carry the series.

 Chapter 012

    It''s not every day you get to meet a Princess.

    That''s what I had in mind, as I passed my dear sister Yenna the dress I had Ellen make for her. I thought of giving it to her at some point in the year as a present, but it slipped my mind. I''m forgetful like that.

    After taking a bath, I chose to dress in a yukata of similar design to the one I gave Yenna, meaning we could look like matching sisters, were it not for my fiery tail and ears having a color vastly different from Yenna''s own brunette hair, that was common among the people in this country.

    Yenna seemed to absolutely adore her new dress, even though she sometimes called the design weird. Still, she looked quite graceful in it, and I wanted to give her a hug.

    No, strike that, I did give her a hug.

    Anyways, I ended up telling her to act as someone representing myself.

    She didn''t quite understand what I meant, so I elaborated.

    Simply put, Yenna didn''t have a very great chance of getting too far in this village. In this society, "success" for a woman was typically marrying into a good family, bearing healthy kids, and raising them to be upstanding. It didn''t necessarily have to be like that, and in a lot of cases you could say it was the same for men. But in this remote village, she wouldn''t have many other options.

    With the fact that every boy in the village is absolutely terrified of her, she wasn''t likely to take that route.

    Besides, even if she wasn''t feared so much, it''s not like I''m going to just let anyone take her.

    So I thought¡ªIf I''m regarded as something like a divine spirit, couldn''t I just make Yenna my vassal?

    It''s not unheard of. In some of the books I read, many older Spirits who have entire religions based around them, often take on mortals to be their vassals, instead of dealing with people directly. You could consider them like a medium or liaison.

    Kitsune don''t really do this, considering their loner-type personality, and the fact that individual Kitsune are usually only worshiped by a small group or territory, that happens to live in the area they have chosen to live in. On top of that, Kitsune don''t actively seek out worship, and just happen to take care of certain matters because it suits them, or because the humans give them offerings. It''s a relationship of convenience, that I feel humans have misunderstood, but maybe I think like that because of my own values.

    In the end, Yenna would be taking the role of my follower¡ªor more specifically a subordinate. While I love my adoptive mother for saving me, and caring for me, she knows she has little authority over me. In fact, from society''s point of view, she was merely "given the right" to take care of me. I don''t have such conceited thoughts, but I''m still willing to take advantage of this world''s superstitions and values, so long as they convenience me.

    As such, I thought to take Yenna as my own, in the years that I would become independent.

    I doubt Yenna''s father would much like the idea, considering how he''s seen me up till now, but I''m sure that even if he outed my true gender out of spite, by this point it wouldn''t mean much.

    I think Yenna would even willingly follow me into hell, if I gave her the option.

    But for now, I would let her grow up at home, under her parents. And I''d stay by her side all the while.

    However, today I''m having her act the part anyways.

    I let her know we were meeting the princess, and that she has to be on her best behavior. While there, she''d be my vassal, and because she''s bad with words, she''s to speak as little as possible.

    I taught her a bit of etiquette I knew, including how to walk like a lady, and proper terms and pronouns to use in front of royalty.

    I thought her head might explode, so I kept it simple, and she eventually got it.

    With that, we left the house, and headed to the forest.

    Unsurprisingly, we were greeted quite a few times on our way, and we received a number of compliments. Yenna seemed a bit nervous, but she tried to maintain a smile as she returned her greetings.

    "Oh! You finally got her to wear it?" Ellen asked, as she rushed over to Yenna. "You two sisters look adorable," She said, looking over her work with a bright smile.

    "T-thank you," Yenna stuttered as she turned bright red.

    Smiling at the nervous girl''s reaction, she turned to me and asked, "So? Where are you two headed?"

    "Hmmm, well, I thought it''d be nice to show of your work," I said with a grin, "But, the two of us are also going to go play in the forest for a while. We''ll be back later,"

    "I see," Yenna nodded with a slight frown. She seemed to like that we were showing everyone the dresses she made, but was clearly bothered by us going into the forest. "Careful not to get it dirty. That one needs extra care when washing. You''ll have to bring it to me,"

    "Will do," I nodded with a smile, before waving my goodbyes.

    As we walked away, and neared the forest, Yenna spoke up.

    "Why''d you tell her we were going to play?" Yenna asked.

    "Because the Princess doesn''t want people to know she''s here."

    "Why not?"

    "People are after her."

    <hr />

    "Eh? Why here?" Yenna asked, as she realized we had come to the cave we found a while ago, that we made into a "clubhouse" for just the two of us.

    "To hide her, of course," I answered. "Anyways, the Princess has quite a few people with her, mostly our age. Don''t act out, or anything, ok? Just stay calm, and give your greetings."

    Yenna gave me a strong nod, as we came into view of the cave¡ªor at least the sheet of clothe covering the entrance, that was covered by mud, leaves and grass, to camouflage it better.

    I had Yenna push aside the drape so I could pass in before her, and as we passed through the initial tunnel, we came into view of the other children

    What surprised me most when I came in, was that they were all clean, and washed. The dirt and grime was scrubbed away, and their clothes looked to be in much better condition. I wondered how they could possibly have found the water to bathe or clean their clothes¡ªthere was a nearby river, but that was a considerable walk away, and it would risk someone being caught by their pursuers.

    The only thing that came to mind was... Magic?

    Still, the expressions of everyone seemed to be lively, and well relaxed.

    As I walked through the hall, with Yenna in toe, I listened for where the Princess was. I could hear her talking with Aniel, and I could also smell her guard was with her.

    As I turned around a corner, there, in a room-like cove within this small cave system, sat Aniel and Aire facing each other, with Aire''s guard¡ªwhat was his name again?¡ªstanding beside her. Leaning against the wall behind Aniel, I saw the two Fay the group had with them.

    Aire turned her gaze towards me, being the first to notice my entrance, and smiled,

    "Ah, Toyaru, come in, come in. We were just having a... discussion."

    It sounded more like an argument, but I decided to ignore it, and merely smiled, as I walked over, and sat down. Yenna stayed standing behind me, as Aire looked between us, but didn''t say anything about her.

    "You seem well," I said, taking a look towards Aniel, who was glaring at me the whole time.

    "No thanks to you," He said.

    "Aniel," Aire snapped at him with a glare, causing him to jolt back a bit in surprise.

    "It''s fine," I said, as if his attitude didn''t matter.

    "But, you''ve helped us hide from our pursuers. Aniel is being rude to our savior," she said as if worried that I would for some reason lead Lein''s hunters here out of spite, because Aniel was being childish.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it."Like I said; it''s fine. Aniel knows. I''m not helping your group for free," I said. "Altruism has its limits, and few thinking creatures would put themselves in harms way for a stranger. Not for free anyways."

    "Then, what is it you want?" Princess Aire asked in a worried tone, conflicted as to whether or not she could even offer it.

    "He wants my magic," Aniel said with a frown, causing my grin to widen.

    "Yep, yep! That''s exactly what I want!" I said, pointing at Aniel as though he''d won some sort of prize. I was tempted to pat his head, but had the premonition that he might end up burning my hand instead.

    "That fire magic back in the forest. The water magic you probably used to give everyone a bath," I repeated the two magics I''ve confirmed were used thus far. "And I''m sure you''re hiding more," I added on.

    He was clearly in a bad mood, as he looked between myself and his princess.

    "This guy. Can he really be of much help?" Both myself and Aire frowned at his wording. Guy? He? Oh no... did he see through me? Wait, didn''t one of those Fay girls behind him have some super senses?

    My scent may be faint and almost feminine by human standards, but even I can tell that I give off the odor of a boy. This girl presumably can hear or smell people from miles away. Something like determining someone''s sex would be trivial.

    Still, it means seducing him was taken out of the picture. For some reason I feel both relieved and disappointed...

    Well, going by his personality, I doubt it would have been an easy task anyways.

    "So I guess you figure I haven''t done enough, huh?" I asked, looking at Aniel.

    "Clearly. You hid us in a hole. We can''t stay here forever. It''s not practical."

    "Eh? Why would I want to keep you lot here forever? Clearly this is a temporary arrangement."

    "So? Let us rest here a few days, and then kick us back out onto our journey¡ªafter wasting so much time?!"

    "Then? All you can do is run and hide. What else do you expect your tiny human existence to be capable of?" I asked, looking at him with narrowed eyes.

    "Do not look down on me," He hissed back at me, "I''m sure you see yourself as some sort of higher being just because you''ve been praised by humans as a Spirit. Don''t give me any of that crap!"

    "Aniel!" Aire panicked at his words, clearly frightened that he may have insulted me, and I could hear Yenna behind me ready to pounce the poor boy, but I could only laugh out.

    I don''t think I''ve laughed this hard in a while.

    It felt as though I just heard a ridiculous joke.

    One that was so bad, it was somehow funny.

    "What''s so funny," Aniel said, while I tried to contain myself.

    Covering my mouth, I looked on, even as I giggled in amusement.

    The boy, seemed a bit confused, but I could only try to contain myself.

    As my laughter calmed down into a soft, overjoyed hum, I smiled back at the boy, this time with the first genuine smile I''d shown this lot.

    "No, I think I like you, boy," I said, as I straightened my back.

    "You are right. I don''t know much about Other Spirits, but I myself am but a flesh and bone creature, with a power many other mortals would consider a divine miracle." I looked down at my tail, which I had brought around my body, before looking back up to Aniel,

    "However, remember that it is you humans who have put expectation of godhood upon my kind. I, as a mere individual, will put those values and expectations to use as they suit me.

    "Despite your hotheadedness, you are at least pragmatic, and don''t expect miracles of me. What''s more, you understand the value of a fair exchange.

    "So then, I likethat you are willful and determined," I said, finally getting to the point.

    "However, it also makes me want to break you," I said as my smile cracked into a smirk. Ah, no good, no good. My sadism is showing.

    As I gazed between Aniel and Princess Aire, their expressions varied. While Aniel had mild surprise, Aire on the other hand was confused, and worried.

    "Break me, huh?" Aniel let out with a sigh. "Just finding out you were a trap nearly broke me," He said with a disappointed expression.

    "A trap?" Aire said, tilting her head at the familiar term being used in a not-so-familiar fashion.

    Speaking of which...

    No, I should probably keep quiet. If he truly is a reincarnator, like I assume, then it''s possible I might end up spilling some secret he wants to keep.

    "I mean that¡ª"

    "Shh!" I try to hush him up before he can spill my secret instead, "It''s no fun when people know," I said, "Besides, think about what Kitsune are, and what sort of superstitions people come up with when things don''t quite align with what they know," I said, trying to convince him.

    After a moment of thinking over what I said, he seemed to have come to his own conclusion, and nodded.

    Come to think of it, he knew the term "trap", in a way to refer to boys who look remarkably like girls. There''s a very specific subculture that uses the term like that, so I imagine that he at least shares a few hobbies in common...

    Wait a moment... Did he die before or after me? How long after? Is the time relation between both our worlds constant?

    No... must... resist.

    I can catch up on all my shitty anime later. Heck, he might even have different tastes from me.

    I might end up stabbing him if he calls my favorite show shit though.

    "Ahem," I was pulled from my thoughts, as Aniel let out a mock cough. My attention returned, and I looked between everyone.

    Aniel looked me in the eyes with a serious expression. I guess I won''t have a chance to tease him, huh? I let out a deep sigh, remembering what I had came here to do.

    Back to business.

    "So boy. If my sheltering you is not enough, what is it you want in exchange for your secrets?"

    With a moment of thought, his gaze turned towards Aire for a moment, before turning to me.

    "I want your influence. Or at least, your potential influence."

    A hard deal. Something that is certainly worth such firepower. However, it''s also something that would require a lot of time and effort on my part.

    However, as I began to consider the implications of his offer¡ª

    ¡ªA deep sense of foreboding overtook me.

    ¡ªA chill. A crawling down my spine.

    ¡ªNo, through my tail...

    Something... Something is wrong...

    "I need to go," I hurriedly said, as I leapt to my feet, and almost instantly stopped time.

    Something in my head had screamed danger¡ªand it was coming from home.

    <hr />

    Author Notes:

    Oh look! "Cliffhanger," my most deadly attack!

    Anyways, "something" is happening, and that''s all you need to know.

    Funny enough, I''m currently writing the chapter for Thursday next week, and I''m just barely getting around to explaining what''s going on. That said, that also means I haven''t reread over this chapter since this weekend, and I''m too lazy to check for mistakes, while I''m writing another chapter...

    I also wanted to post an image of how I imagine Toyaru with the Kimono she and Yenna are wearing this chapter, but honestly the face of the drawing annoys me far too much, that I''m still tweaking it.

    Anyways, as always Feedback and Suggestions are well appreciated and encouraged!

 Chapter 013

    I could not understand what this feeling was.

    It felt as though it pierced deep into my heart, and originated from some far off place.

    What is it? Asking such a question only resulted in a single response: Danger!

    It blared within me, resounding deep into my soul, as though it were instinctive.

    No¡ªa sixth sense?

    That''s what it felt like. A sort of perception that I had no awareness of up til now.

    It was as though several strings tugged at my heart, each echoing a sense of fear and unease.

    But... as I paid attention to these feelings, I came to notice¡ªthe sensations were not particularly powerful. Still, it reached deep into me, and echoed out voices of concern and anxiety. Certainly, danger was near, but not eminent.

    What was this?

    Another Kitsune trait?

    I''ve never heard of something like this.

    As I came into view of the village, I saw the source of my unease and panic.

    Lein.

    Dammit.

    I thought they would miss this village, considering their maps didn''t seem to mark it. But I guess they realized that the area was occupied by humans, and found the village. I shouldn''t have made such naive assumptions.

    As I entered the village, things became clear and in focus.

    ¡ªThis was the feeling of nervousness and fear that the people I knew gave off. It wasn''t quite with everyone¡ªa couple of the children I knew, some of the adults I talked to often, mother¡ªbut it wasn''t quite everyone.

    I could feel the worry in their hearts towards the uncertain future...

    No, I should stop before I lose focus. I can''t think straight like this.

    What is Lein''s soldiers doing here?

    They were having everyone gather at the village center, and many of the villagers looked uncertain about what was happening. It seems like the soldiers only just now got here, but the anxiety was clear. I could literally taste it¡ªhonestly, it''s kinda nauseating.

    Still...

    What were they doing, I wondered.

    Looking around, I find a good place to hide myself, perk up my ears, and return the flow of time.

    <hr />

    "Gather the children," a knight-like person commanded, as he sat atop his horse.

    There was a lot of murmuring in response to this demand, for obvious reasons. What did they want with the children? Are they being conscripted? Held hostage? It was a sea of uncertainty.

    In response, a man I was familiar with came to the front. This was the current village chief. He was a tall man, in his 40s or so, with a well built body. I''ve seen him often help the villagers in various tasks, so its no surprise that he''s so well in shape, despite spending a lot of time dealing with more menial things he was responsible for as a Village Chief. I didn''t really call him by name, and instead jokingly called him uncle, considering he was my mother''s cousin, but his real name was Jenn Karmiish.

    "What exactly do you plan to do with them?" He asked with a serious expression. I don''t know too much about him, despite my familiar way of calling him, but he was a dangerous sort, that I heard went out adventuring in his youth, and even took on giant monsters, before he eventually came back to take his father''s place as chief.

    As such, I want to say there''s nothing to be afraid of. But I don''t know the level of those Lein soldiers. Do they know of Aniel''s power? If so, doesn''t that mean they would send very capable people?

    Or are they in the dark about his powers? Then why would Lein have illustrations of him? They sent a pretty large force after the Princess, so I can''t imagine they don''t know about Aniel. But perhaps it''s because they know the Princess is accompanied by a large number of people?

    "We are looking for a group of children. Runaways," the Knight finally said.

    "We harbor no fugitives if that''s what you''re looking for." Jenn clearly knew that this was too large a force to just look for some runaway kids.

    "We''ll search the village regardless. If we don''t find what we''re looking for, we''ll move on," The armored knight responded.

    Was this the danger I perceived?

    Well, I suppose they don''t quite know what the soldiers want. Still, they had little choice, and began to gather round the younger villagers.

    Ohen village was small. I''ve said it before. However, I never truly realized how large the populace was, even for a small settlement. Well, it''s only small when you look at them all gather in one area, but the numbers couldn''t exceed any more than three or four hundred.

    Well, I guess the fact that they all fit into the small village square shows how few they are.

    The forty or so children were all gathered at the front, as the Knight began looking at them one at a time.

    Of course, while this was going on, other soldiers were searching through the village for other children. After all, if the village was hiding someone, they wouldn''t just bring them up when asked to.

    However, at this time, I felt it necessary to reveal myself. There were various reasons. For one, the anxiety held by the populace was rather annoying, and I wanted to sooth their worried. However, I also had a more rational reason. I needed Lein to stay in the area.

    I''m aware Lein has a state religion that worships a Spirit of a different class than I, but I figured that they wouldn''t outright attack me.

    With that that in mind, I stopped time, and placed myself into view, before I once against undid my ability, and spoke up.

    "I want to let it be known, that if your soldiers so much as harm or steal from a single resident of this village, consequences will be paid,"

    Surprise echoed through both Lein''s forces, and Ohen Village''s residence. However, I spotted quite a bit of relieved expressions from many who spotted me, and could even feel the anxiety that pulled at my soul, lessen.

    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    The armored fellow was also among those surprised, as he looked towards me. It seemed he was ready to shout some command towards me, before holding holding back his tongue, as if now noticing my twitching ears and flowing tail. Composing himself in a brief moment, he looked me in the eyes.

    "Please do not worry yourself over our squabbles," the armored man said. "This is between mortal kingdoms."

    So he doesn''t kneel or anything huh? Well, he''s being humble, and somewhat polite. Can''t expect him to kiss my feet or anything. Actually, might be funny to see something like that¡ªah, my sadism is showing.

    Well then, about this guy. I wanted to calm the worries of the village, who probably are scared of being looted¡ªor worst. They likely recognize that the armor and uniform these men wear is not Senilea''s, so they''re frightened at what this foreign army has in mind.

    I want to issue a command, but if I do it might come up sounding like I own this village, which would come with its own heap of problems.

    No, I''ll just issue him a warning¡ªsomething to make it clear that I''m more of a guardian. In that case, my haughty tone should still suffice.

    "I care naught for your politics. You may continue to do your job, so long as you remind your men¡ªfind what you are looking for, but do not inconvenience the kind people of this village any further."

    He looked at me carefully, once or twice over, as if ascertaining what my words meant. Well, I did look like a child, so doubts are understandable. Or maybe that''s not what he was doubting?

    ...

    Come to think of it... both this man and Princess Aire didn''t seem too bothered by the fact that I looked like a child. They just accepted that I was a Fox Spirit, and held a maturity that wasn''t quite my own age.

    Hmm? Is there a detail I''m missing here?

    I remember reading that there were many long-lived races, and I''m pretty sure Kitsune are among them. But, but, most of them grow into full maturity before they stop aging, right?

    Ah, I''m worried. I need to go look up the wording used in books. It''ll trouble me if I stay looking like a child for so long.

    Well, I may be worried over nothing.

    If you live in a world where not all things are as they seem, you probably come to accept that the mysterious tailed child appearing before you, may have the power of divine miracles behind them.

    It''s not like these people truly know the life-cycle of a Kitsune, which is a naturally elusive creature.

    "May I ask a question?" I was pulled out of my thoughts by those words. As I refocusing my eyes on his face, I already concluded what he planned to ask.

    "You may," I answer with a nod.

    "There are a group of human youths who have recently been passing through the forest. Do you know of them?"

    So what do I do from here? I don''t want to sell out Aire. I still want Aniel''s cooperation, and telling the soldiers where they are would be an inconvenience to me.

    I could just lie. But I don''t feel I''m a very good liar. Small lies, or half-truths are what I''m good at. I only require the other person to come to their own conclusions.

    Well, it''s not like these people know any of my quirks enough to tell when I''m lying, and a half-truth is good enough anyways.

    "Of course I do. That magician boy threatened me, so I punished him, and sent the rest on their way."

    It was more-or-less the truth. I left out Rojji and Ken, seeing as they don''t need to be mentioned. And of course I left out what sort of "punishment" I gave, as well as the fact that I helped them.

    "Then, where are the rest now?" He asked sternly. So they knew about "the magician boy", huh?

    I tilted my head, and wondered whether to answer him or not.

    Well, it should be fine with something vague.

    "Well, that''s more than one question. But I can tell you they''re not in this village."

    Come to think of it, looks like they realized the trail I left them was false. How inconvenient.

    Still, now they have no leads. What will they do?

    In the end, they still searched the village for the whereabouts of Princess Aire, but found nothing.

    At the very least they did not harm a single villager, and through my supervision, I confirmed no thefts.

    Perhaps it might have been better to not reveal myself at all?

    A missing coin or two is of no consequence. I did it to ease the worries of the villagers, whose anxieties reached my heart.

    However, that man now suspects me. I can see it in his eyes.

    But he has no proof.

    It''s likely they will setup camp nearby¡ªand that''s fine.

    I''ll talk to Princess Aire about this.

    But first, I need to go do some research on Kitsune, before my own anxieties drive me nuts.

    I-i won''t always be a short shota, right?

    <hr />

    Author Notes:

    In the previous chapter''s comments, people made the assumption I was going to kill off the parents or do something tragic, which legitimately surprised me. Ultimately the chapter turned out to be very anti-climactic. I honestly don''t think I''ll be killing off the parents so easily. After all, despite how much I mention them in the story, there''s very little development with them. Feels like it''d be cheap to kill them off here, even if I wanted to.

    So next chapter on Monday, seeing as I already have next week''s lineup ready. I''ll probably write more over the weekend, but I''m having something of a lull right about now. I just finished next Friday''s chapter (Chapter 18) last night, and it''s really dark for what I normally write. Just giving a heads-up I guess.

    Well, I''ll see what people think next week.

    For now, feedback and suggestions are appreciated and encouraged!

 Chapter 014

    Not finding what I was looking for, I decided to return to the cave which I hid Princess Aire in. For the sake of not being followed, I traveled from the village to the cave with time frozen.

    As I made it back to the cave, I could feel one more ache of anxiety. A rather strong one. Worry, Fear, Nervousness, Duty.

    It was odd that I still had this feeling, so what could be causing this ache now? But as I returned time to its original flow and made my way into the cave, I was tackled to the ground by a red kimono-wearing girl!

    Suddenly, the unease I was feeling was washed over by relief, and as I looked up at the girl who had crashed me into the ground, I saw Yenna, who''s face was buried into my own dress, as she clung to me. Ah, so this one too...

    "Come now, there''s no need to be so physical," I said, as I pet the worried girl on the head. "You''re gathering everyone''s attention," I whispered into her ear.

    Without a word, she pulled herself away from me with an expression that couldn''t decide between worry, relief, and anger, before she spoke to me.

    "You dumbass. Leaving me like that out of nowhere," she said to me.

    "Sorry sorry, guess I should have explained, but something came up."

    With an angry pout, and an audible "hmph", Yenna turned her face away, and puffed out her cheeks.

    I could hardly resist, so as I pressed my finger against her bloated cheek, I smiled at the sound of air escaping her lips. She in response groaned, as she pulled herself off the ground, and gave me a hand.

    Over it already, huh?

    As I took her hand, and pulled myself to my feet, I noticed there were plenty of onlookers, but I chose to ignore them.

    Putting aside everything else, I walked passed Yenna, towards the room that was unofficially designated as Princess Aire''s. Yenna followed close behind.

    As I entered the cove, there was a silence that overtook the room. Looks like they heard the bit of commotion, and were waiting for me.

    "It seems there was something that required my attention," I said, bringing my trademark smile back up.

    "Is that so? You left without any warning. Your... servant was about ready to chase after you,"

    "Yes, I did worry this poor girl, didn''t I?" I said, taking a peek back at Yenna, who tried maintaining a blank expression, but couldn''t help averting her eyes.

    "Still. Lein is watching over your village for the time being," Aniel said, as he got into a thinking pose.

    How did he know?¡ªah, the Fay girl with the powerful senses, huh? What sort of physics are going on that she can accurately hear what''s happened all the way in Ohen?

    Well it''s magic. Thinking too much on the subject will hurt my brain.

    ¡ªActually...

    I wanted to ask this girl about the limitations of her ability. There were certain things I wanted to know, but... No, I shouldn''t sidetrack this conversation any further.

    I shifted my gaze between Aniel and Princess Aire. "I suppose it''s time we get back to business," I said. "Right, well the situation has more or less escalated," I said.

    "Yes, thanks to you."

    "I had my reasons," I said frowning at Aniel.

    "Well now that they suspect you''re hiding us, we have no choice but to lay low until they leave," Aniel argued back. So that girl''s hearing is that good, huh?

    "That... might not be a good idea."

    Before I could answer, Aire spoke up instead.

    "Because if we wait too long, Lein will send more soldiers here to look for me. If they suspect Toyaru is hiding me, they will search the area, or any place Toyaru is known to frequent."

    "Then we''ll have to escape while they''re occupied here," Aniel suggested.

    "Actually, it''s more complicated than that," I said.

    As the two looked to me, I only gave an eerie smile, as I narrowed my eyes in a bit of amusement. Ah, it might be a bit mean to point out this fact...

    "Lein doesn''t merely want to exterminate the royal family. They want to crush it. Meaning, they want you to submit, Princess Aire."

    Her expression seemed to twitch, seemingly aware of what I meant, but not quite certain.

    "Submit?" Aniel asked.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    "Declare yourself and Senilea a vassal of Lein. If you refuse... Well, you have other uses," I said as I looked between the two.

    "How could I ever submit to them!?" She shouted indignantly. "They... they''ve murdered my family!"

    "That... is not quite the case," I corrected.

    Shock seemed to be evident on Aire''s face, as her eyes widened, and she seemingly resisted demanding answers.

    "Your siblings are being kept alive for the time being. Your father however, has gone into hiding."

    "How do you know this?" Aniel interjected before Aire could say anything.

    "I found Lein''s camp last night. Went through reports and logs they had on them. It was all written there."

    "But... Why? Why go to the trouble of looking for Aire?" Aniel asked.

    "They want to control the populace," Princess Aire said. "If they get a member of the royal family on their side, it legitimizes their power. The rest of the Royal Family can just be used as hostages."

    "And I''m guessing you knew this already?"

    "No... I suspected it though," She said dejectedly.

    Her life was certainly in danger. Killing her would be easy for Lein, and maybe even beneficial. They wanted her out of the way, one way or another. But if she escaped, and then came back to condemn Lein, it could hurt their hold on the populace. Still, Lein has her family hostage. She probably wouldn''t be able to say anything, but she''s decided to forego that, and merely escape with her life. As long as one of her siblings gives in, the rest will at least be spared as bargaining chips.

    Aniel didn''t seem to notice this possibility, but it probably bothered Aire for quite some time. And now she has confirmation.

    "So? What do you intend to do princess?" I asked with a smile that only seemed to broaden.

    If she escaped now, knowing that her family is alive, imprisoned, she might not be able to handle it. The anxiety and guilt of having abandoned them. It might be better if they were already dead in that case. Or at least if she thought they were.

    ¡ªAh, but I''m not so nice to let her escape such thinking. Seeing that anxiety ridden face, as her fingers fidget and she thinks with all her might, unable to come to a decision¡ªsomehow, all of it just excites me. Am I a bad person? Nah. I want to help her, but seeing her suffer a bit from her own regret isn''t in itself a bad thing, right?

    "I can''t fight," She said, looking down at her own hands, which tightly clung to her dress. "Maybe if father were here, he might know what to do," she said. "With Aniel''s magic, he might know of a good way to topple our enemies, without sacrificing too much," She convinced herself.

    "Sacrifices will be made no matter what decision you make, girl," I tell her, "Your father is still only but a human."

    "And you''re what?" Aniel asked with a glare, as if communicating a secret only we know. Of course he caught onto me; the fact I understood his reference to a "trap" should have been obvious.

    "I am but mere flesh and bone," I said with a grin. Turning back to Aire, I let my tail float over towards her, and hover inches away from her face as if pointing towards her, before I continued, "Your father is not here. Whatever decision you make is your own. However, I''ll lend you this meager self of mine. So, use me as you wish," I said, as I pulled myself to my feet, and turned about.

    As I made my way to leave I stopped and turned my head back towards Aniel.

    ¡ª"Ah, I didn''t mean use me literally, by the way."

    ...

    ¡ª"Dumbass, don''t go putting nasty thoughts in my head!"

    <hr />

    Author Notes:

    And we''re back!

    Next chapter is a POV chapter.

    I did end up rewriting parts of this chapter back on Friday or something, so it''s possible I missed something that seems inconsistent, because I only reread it once or twice.

    On another note, I was wondering about changing the name of the series. What''s everyone''s input on that?

    Anyways, feedback and suggestions are well appreciated.

 Chapter 015

    Lisya Mira Asack

    A name I have not been allowed to call myself in quite a while.

    Aniel instead prefers to call me simply "Liz", which annoys me to no end, but I can''t possibly object. He is my only caretaker as of now. Even if he denies it, and even allows me to call him by name, he is still my "master".

    As a noblewoman, I never expected to be made into a slave.

    I don''t quite remember how I ended up in chains two years ago. But before I knew it, I was sent away by boat across the Ures sea, and ended up in human territory.

    No longer was I a proud member of the Asack clan; instead I was merely just another "Dark Fae" with a terrifying ability. However, either through luck or sheer negligence, the fact I had an ability was unknown to my slavers.

    None the less, I was stripped of my name and all possessions.

    Because I had the right look, I was going to be dressed up and given more to eat.

    I wasn''t naive. I knew what to expect as soon as the slaver told me that.

    Still, I defied them all, and refused to eat but the most meager of meals. Truth be told, I wanted to starve myself to death, but I didn''t have the will for it. Eventually, the slaver had mostly given up on me, and stuck me with some of his other "merchandiser."

    Among the Slave Merchant''s other "belongings" was another girl. Because we were both close in age, and "dirty fay", he kept us together. I knew not what race the girl came from, but she was a quiet sort. Even so, I tried practicing my Azurian with her, and she would occasionally respond. I came to learn that this girl had a peculiar ability, and that she was actually worth quite a bit. Many times more more than myself, even if the slaver knew of my own ability.

    I didn''t think we would know each other for long, but I still wanted someone to talk to.

    Then came that day. The slaver brought in another customer.

    I knew what these customers wanted before they even came in. I could feel their intent and desires. I used this ability of mine to continuously avoid purchase.

    If a client wanted cute and innocent, I would become the epitome of defiant rebel, with the mouth of a sailor.

    If a client wanted exactly that, I would switch to submissively innocent, or whatever else they didn''t want.

    My slaver found this baffling, with how my attitude seemed to change without warning, but he eventually gave up on me, and decided to find someone who either didn''t care about my attitude, or somehow loved the idea of a girl with mood-swings.

    However, I never considered the idea that a client would simply want the use of my ability. I never got a chance to make up a plan to avoid such a scenario.

    The client brought in however, was a child younger than me. He immediately bought the young girl I had befriended, and after turning his eyes on me, he asked the slaver about me.

    He was warned I was a hard to deal with slave, and then explained how I managed to avoid purchase all this time. However, he bought me anyways, before I had a chance to give him a bad impression.

    I later learned that he already knew about my race, and that the slaver''s story only confirmed it.

    It was later that I learned of his circumstances, and why he purchased me.

    <hr />

    "Liz, I need you," Aniel said to me as he grabbed my shoulders, and sat me down beside Violet, the other young girl Aniel bought. For an instant, my mind flared up at the first possible thought that his words triggered. But I knew a moment later what he truly meant. My ability didn''t allow for such misunderstandings.

    Just a moment ago, I walked in on Aniel having a private conversation with Violet. I didn''t quite hear what they were talking about, but from what I could feel from Aniel, it was clearly about that Fox Spirit from yesterday.

    "Y-yes, what do you need?" I couldn''t really refuse him. Despite my pride, I was still a slave, even if Aniel asked nicely. This boy probably didn''t see it like that after breaking my chains, but I truly had nowhere else to go. I couldn''t cross the sea on my own after all, and he had been kind enough to give me food in exchange for cooperation.

    "That Fox will probably be coming later today. I want you by my side, to determine whatever intentions they have," He said. "I don''t trust them."

    I could tell. He was truly irritated about the Fox Spirit. However, a few minutes ago while he was talking to Violet, his feelings towards that Fox Spirit suddenly turned into disgust.

    I wonder why?

    What did you tell him, Violet?

    I''ll ask her later.

    Not long after, that Princess made her way into the room, now fully refreshed after having washed herself in the warm water provided by Aniel.

    She never truly liked me. It seems that she was jealous towards me, though I couldn''t understand why. I eventually came to the conclusion that it was because Aniel was nice to me. Again, I couldn''t understand why. Certainly she is a Princess, and I a mere slave, even if I was a noble in the past.

    Why is Violet ok?

    The two quickly began talking.

    "Toyaru came by last night. I told her about our circumstances, and she did a lot to hide us. I want to cooperate with her."

    "Toyaru?"

    "The Fox Spirit who was kind enough to spare your life," Aire answered Aniel''s question frankly. However, this answer only served to irritate him further.

    Thus, an argument about what to do broke out between the two.

    This sort of thing wasn''t that uncommon. This is probably the 10th time I''ve seen them argue like this. I was told that this group has been friends for years. Even so, Aniel and Aire are apparently treated as the "leaders" of this gathering. Aniel is knowledgeable and quick witted, however I think Aire seems much wiser. Sometimes I even feel she knows much more than she lets on.

    It wasn''t too long before I heard Violet to my side speak up.

    "Th-they''re here," she stammered.

    But no one heard her nearly silent voice but I. They were too caught up in their discussion.

    And just a moment later, I saw the Fox Spirit from yesterday appear, accompanied by another girl behind her. That Spirit bore a devilish smile, which seemed to look for trouble where she went. In fact, that''s the impression I had of her from her thoughts and desires.

    Not quite deceitful, but very playful; as though everything was in one way or another a game to her.

    Thus, began an argument of another sort.

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.<hr />

    The conversation didn''t last too long. Less than an hour in, and the Fox Spirit stiffened. Their face became grave, and before anyone knew it, she had vanished before our eyes, leaving only a few parting words.

    "Wh-where is she?" Aniel said, his eyes searching the room, as if expecting something her to reappear at any moment.

    "At the village," Violet said, with her eyes closed.

    "What?!" The one who shouted that, was the girl the Esteemed Spirit had brought in. What was her name? No, she never gave it, did she? "Why did she go back?" She asked nervously.

    However, while the rest of us were still surprised that she could travel so fast, it seemed this girl at least was familiar with this speed.

    But Violet merely answered the girl''s worries. "The people who were chasing us are at the village," She explained. Violet hardly understood the situation. All she knew is that we were being chased by "bad people"¡ªLein, Senilea, kingdoms and the sort are beyond her. She was never educated beyond learning different smells, and how to hold a conversation. Bred slaves are like that when young.

    However, worry seemed to fill the girl, as she fought between going after Toyaru, and waiting there. Until now, I didn''t really pay attention to this girl¡ªshe seemed to be an attendant that the Spirit brought in. However, from the girl''s feelings, I could sense a powerful desire to protect that Fox.

    I wondered what sort of relationship these two had, that she as a human thought she could protect a Divine Spirit. After all, she was able to cross such a large distance in a mere instant.

    "Calm down. Your master will return," Aire spoke up, "If you leave now, you might miss her on her way back," She said.

    The girl seemed surprised for a moment, but as she looked at Princess Aire, she slowly relaxed, giving a nod. Still, anxiety still filled her heart, and her worry was clear.

    "How about waiting for her out by the entrance?" She suggested. The girl in the strange red dress quietly nodded, deciding to take that advice, as she let out a deep breath, and went to wait outside.

    "Now then," Aniel began, as he turned towards me. "What do you think of that fox?"

    I widened my eyes, as I realized he was talking to me, before going into deep thought.

    "She''s a pervert who seems to think of everything as a game," Were the first things out of my mouth. Aire gasped at my words, but Aniel...

    "... No, I know that much," Aniel said with a sigh. "What''s... her... intentions?"

    "She means what she says, I think," I told him. "She doesn''t seem to want to trick you or anything, but she still wants to get everything she can out of you¡ªespecially your magic. But she... really wants to break you."

    Just as Aniel was about to respond¡ª

    "Ah, the Fox Spirit is talking with the bad guys," Violet suddenly said.

    Aniel''s attention was taken by those words, and as if forgetting I was here, he had Violet repeat the conversation she could hear. Like that, we spent a minute or two listening to her imitation of their voices.

    When the conversation came to a close, Aniel sat in thought for close to an hour, while the Princess checked on everyone else. As the Princess returned¡ª

    ¡ª"They''re back," Violet said in her usual calm voice.

    <hr />

    When she returned, it seemed the Fox Spirit''s mood was somewhat sour. Of course, because of her own actions, she risked exposing Princess Aire, but that didn''t seem to be what she was sour about.

    Still, she didn''t want to endanger Princess Aire. Quite the opposite.

    After all, she wanted the secrets to Aniel''s magic. Even I wasn''t quite sure how he could preform such abilities as a human. Was there a race that could do everything he could? He was secretive about how his powers worked, and I''m certain only Aire has an idea.

    When that Fox Spirit looked in my direction, I wondered for a moment if she wanted something from me. But from her thoughts, it seemed more like she was interested in Violet.

    About her ability. How did she know about that? Aire maybe told her last night? Well, it seems people always have an interest in Violet.

    They quickly returned to their conversation, and I tried to listen intently, but I somehow felt out of place in this room. Eventually the Fox Spirit left with some parting words for Aire and Aniel.

    After that, Aniel had me and Violet leave, so that he could talk to Aire alone.

    I wasn''t sure what they intended to talk about, but I complied and left with the young girl I thought of as a friend.

    As we returned to a corner in the cave away from everyone else, I remembered I intended to ask Violet something.

    "What was it you were talking to Aniel earlier this morning?"

    If I remember right, it had something to do with that carefree Fox Spirit, right?

    "Master wanted to know what he could about the Fox that knocked him out, so I told him that they had a huge amount of magical power." the young child said.

    "Hmm? Is that all?" That should be obvious. Most Spirits are said to dwarf other races in sheer quantity of magic power.

    "No... I told him how their power looks to be equally split between their body and his tails."

    "I see..." That makes sense. A Fox Spirit with more tails is said to be more powerful, so it seems reasonable to assume most of their power is within their tails¡ªor so I concluded with a nod.

    Wait... Tails?

    "Didn''t she only have one tail?"

    "Hmm, I meant the one between his legs," Violet said innocently as she tilted her head.

    "Hmm? What, she hid another fox tail between her legs?"¡ªWas it to hide her true power?

    "No? Not a fox tail... Like... Like the one all boys have? It didn''t have as much magic power as their Fox tail, but it was still there."

    Oh, I see. That tail.

    ...

    ¡ªWait, what?

    ...

    Ah... I think I just broke a little inside.

    <hr />

    Author Notes:

    Woo, Another PoV chapter, this time from one of the Fey girls that are in Aniel''s group.

    Just thought it would be interesting to see it from the perspective of someone else not quite involved.

    Regarding the title change... I thought of making a poll, but realized I could only come up with a very "Light Novel" esque title. So never mind.

    So as always, Feedback and Suggestions are appreciated!

 Chapter 016

    I think the meeting went well.

    I mean, I was interrupted midway through, but the meeting itself went well none the less.

    As we approached the village though, I had to split up with Yenna. She hated the idea, but I calmed her down with a hug or two. Actually, she hugged me, and cracked my back a few times, but it ultimately calmed her down.

    ¡ªAh, I forgot how it felt to have one''s back popped like that.

    It''s pleasant.

    Anyways, I couldn''t simply walk into the village like nothing happened. I revealed myself to those soldiers, and they now suspect that I''m involved with Princess Aire.

    I was worried about the implications, but I''ve calmed down after thinking things through.

    Before that though, I ended up sneaking into my home, and getting dressed into a more plain dress, before dropping off the beautiful red one with Ellen. It would trouble me if it got any more dirt on it, or if I tore it while staying in the forest.

    After that, I truly became a resident of the forest. Well, I explained to mother and some of my close acquaintances, but they seemed to understand. After all, coming under the army''s radar, they knew it wasn''t quite a good idea to stick too closely to them.

    So like most Fox Spirits, I sort of ended up becoming a forest dweller. Somehow though, I didn''t find it too bad. I found a nice place to nap, and with my senses hardly anyone can sneak up on me. On top of that, the nearby river allowed me to wash my clothes regularly, and I was still able to bathe without worry.

    Hmm? Aren''t I worried about someone dropping by to watch me?

    Let them!

    Damn lolicon perverts.

    Ah... I was one of those lolicon perverts once, too, huh?

    It''s not like I haven''t had contact with anyone though.

    Whenever the kids would go out to play, I''d join them for a game or two, and talk with them while I''m at it.

    I still visit the Aliuen family regularly, where I learn about metal and forging from the husband, and learn about carving and different materials from the wife.

    I talk to the village chief Jenn often, and still read through various books (though at this point I''ve found myself rereading books I already read).

    I visit Ellen to fix up any scratches on my dress, and play with her baby while I''m at it.

    Though, I do come by the Thenri family more often than I use to, to drop off any wild animals I happen to hunt, in exchange for some money and hunting tips (things like learning where certain animals usually live, or what kind of trails they leave behind). I use the money to pay Ellen for my dresses, and to purchase food whenever I''m tired of just meat. Everyone''s nice and friendly, but I don''t feel right just taking things for free, even if they offer it.

    Overall, my interactions with the village have stayed largely the same, with some minor changes.

    Of course, I''ve also been keeping an eye on Lein''s camp.

    A party of soldiers were sent south to continue their pursuit just in case, but the bulk of the force have setup camp near the village, and have been monitoring the area.

    Senilea is of course conquered by Lein, and news has reached the village, so you could say these soldiers have a legitimate right to occupy the area. But the residents are still afraid of them, with how blatantly they walked into the village, and inspected them. Perhaps I''m also at fault, considering I directly confronted them and antagonized them, but what''s done is done.

    I''m not as calculating as I like to pretend I am.

    Ah, on top of that, it seems they sent a messenger bird to Lein.

    Maybe if I was more attentive of their camp I would have been able to stop the message from being sent, but it''s too late now.

    It''s been at least two weeks since I met Princess Aire.

    Reinforcements should be arriving about now, right?

    I mean, Senilea is "average" in size, compared to its neighbors, but that''s no larger than some of the tiny countries back in my old world.

    Two weeks. The messenger bird should have arrived within a day or two. Following that, it shouldn''t have taken any more than a week for enemy forces to arrive. Less, if they traveled by Dragon, but their Dragon Riders are probably too valuable for this. In fact, they''re probably being prepared for the next invasion.

    Going by the news, you could call Lein''s current move a Blitzkrieg, so they probably intend to invade Kiitland next. Or they already have. It''s probably a good idea Aire''s group didn''t keep going west.

    With that in mind, it looks like Aire and Aniel are properly preparing for war. That''s nice and all, but I don''t want to involve the villagers, you know?

    That said, I''ve not really helped the bunch very much at this point. At most I''ve given them food and shelter, but the deal was to let them use my "influence" as a spirit.

    So it''s understandable that Aniel hasn''t shared his secrets with me.

    But at this rate it''ll be quite a while before he shares anything with me.

    I can''t help but ways to get it out of him.

    Beating on him until he talks is impractical. He''s a bit stronger physically, and with his magic I wouldn''t really have a chance, unless I planned to just knock him out¡ªbut in that case I can''t talk to him.

    The other idea... well, even though I don''t want to do it, I feel oddly open to the idea of seducing him. I''d bet my left testicle that I was straight¡ªbut then again my personality has been affected a lot by this body of mine, and I feel "open" to the idea, though not quite there yet.

    That said, I''d have to hide it from Yenna, or she''d kill me. I try not to be flirtatious in front of her, so it helps I can hear or smell her approach.

    Well, with nothing else to do, I''ve decided to just go along with their plans.

    It seems they intend to fight the forces sent here, outside of the forest, and from there they intend to regroup with Aire''s father. I''ve been feeding them the reports that Lein receives, and it seems the King has been leading a bit of a rebellion. One could say, that with the King escaping their grasp, they botched their invasion into Senilea, because the country isn''t quite known for its military power¡ªunderestimating a nation with little political power or military might is expected.

    But it''s not like the King is winning. All he''s managed to do is evade capture, and annoy the enemy.

    Aire has an idea of where the King might be hiding, and wants to leave the city as soon as Lein''s reinforcements arrive. That way she can crush them before heading after her father.

    I thought she was expecting far too much from Aniel at first, but I forgot about the other twenty background characters that followed these two around. I had already learned from Aire that Aniel had researched "Enchantments", so I made the assumption that his magic may be related to that. I hadn''t quite expected for Aniel to conjure several enchanted items for his small army of Magicians.

    Scary scary.

    I''m sure they''ll be fine with this much.

    Learning that the magic really is enacted by a magic item, I thought to steal the pendants those children wore, but decided against it.

    I didn''t know if they had some special activation requirement, or were set so that they only worked with one person. On top of that, I wouldn''t learn how to create one, and would ultimately break any trust I had built with Aniel.

    Just learning that Enchanted Items with this level of power can be created, is enough for now.

    <hr />

    "Are you eating well?"

    "Mhmm,"

    "Have the armored men come by and said anything?"

    "Hmm, one came by to talk to father. Asked him some questions and then left. That''s all,"

    "I see."

    "Ah! Aishel beat up Rojji today. Got into a fight about something. Dunno what it was about. Uncle Jenn broke it up before I could ask, but Rojji already had a black eye,"

    "Ah, that idiot''s pretty big, but he punches like a baby,"

    Yenna and myself sat in a small clearing just outside the village, surrounded by trees and tall grass. I wore a plain white kimono, and had my regular sandals to my side, while I sat barefoot, with my toes wiggling joyously in the breezing air.

    Between us was a small basket of snacks the two of us were sharing, while she recounted her day.

    It seemed like a normal day all around.

    The fact they talked to her father isn''t much cause for concern¡ªwe never really interacted, but his worry about me more-or-less vanished with time. Sometimes I wonder if he even remembers I''m a boy.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    We''ve had these little short get-togethers, seeing as Yenna insisted on meeting regularly.

    I don''t really mind them. I don''t have much else to do than hunting and spying.

    I''ve some how become a real fox, huh?

    Anyways, I''ve come to notice that Yenna has begun to... develop. It''s still too early for there to be much noticeable, but her chest is still there.

    I wonder if Yenna is one of those early bloomers? I''ve known some girls like that in my old life who at 12 or so had a handful, but I wonder if that''s a matter of genetics, or diet?

    Ah, I should stop before my mind strays¡ªI feel that Yenna would instinctively hit me for losing myself in such thoughts. Even though she doesn''t seem to know about such thoughts...

    Hmm, thinking about it, I''ve decided on Yenna''s life arbitrarily, without asking her say, haven''t I?

    With that in mind, I swallow bit of sweet crackers I was chewing on, and ask.

    "Sis. What do you plan to do?"

    "Probably just going to go play with the others later," She answered simply.

    "No no, not what do you plan today," I said, "Like, in life."

    "... I dunno," She said as she tilted her head. "I never thought about it."

    I expected a more grandiose dream on the level of fairies and unicorns, but thinking about it clearly, I guess that''s unreasonable of me.

    After all, I come from a society where from a young age we''re constantly fed dreams, and asked what we want to be, while being told we could be whatever we want to be. After all, I lived in a country where theoretically, I really could become anything, if I put in the right effort, and maybe had the right timing and luck.

    Something like becoming President was certainly unlikely, but it was still a very real possibility.

    In this world though, the right to rule is reserved by families with power, and inheritance is law. Aishel''s father is a village hunter, and he himself will probably grow up to also become a hunter. He has probably never even considered the possibility of becoming something else, and if he has or will, it''s likely he will eventually come to consider it an unlikely or even unattainable dream. He never has to make a choice, because he is choosing a path that was set before him.

    However, Yenna...

    Well, as a woman, it''s not like she has anything to inherit, as mean as that sounds.

    That being said, because of that, she more or less has the freedom to do as she pleases, profession wise. But she has no special skills. Being young, she could probably learn something even now, and I feel that she has the ability to learn anything, if motivated to do so.

    In my mind however, I can only imagine her with a single role.

    But it''s likely just my being selfish.

    "Then, how about working for me?" I said, putting a hand to my chest in confidence.

    However, she merely tilted her head, as thought she didn''t understand. After all, what kind of "job" would she have under myself?

    "And do what?" She asked.

    "Protect me, of course," was the only response I could give.

    "I already do that, though," She said with a frown. Ah, so she does, huh? There was that one group of punks... Well at least she handled it so I didn''t have to.

    "I mean like, a soldier, but only for me," I said with a light laugh, "Or maybe a guardian would be a better word? I guess I could just call you my agent," I said, as I shifted my head to the side in thought. Maybe I''m being a bit conceited here? Even though people see me as an object of worship, it''s not as though I''m a real god or anything. Having something like an agent is probably too much.

    "Your agent? What would I do?" She asked curious.

    "Like I said; you''d fight for me when I needed you too! Or, just follow me where I go. Honestly, I just think it''d be nice to have someone I know around," I said before swallowing a large cookie.

    "Heh~ Then I''ll do it," she said, jumping to her feet.

    "Ah, you don''t have to do it now. I''ll be around anyways, so you just have to grow up nicely. Besides, you don''t know how to fight just yet," I reasoned.

    "But you need me to protect you now. I''ll start now. I can learn!" She insisted.

    Well, it''s true, it''s not like there''s anything stopping her at the moment. I''m not going anywhere or anything. Ultimately the position she''s taking on has little weight, or legitimacy.

    Like my friend who wanted to make me his "science guy" for some "company" he was making, when he was 15.

    Well, this has slightly more implications and weight than that, but still.

    "Well, alright, I''ll teach you what I know about fighting," I told her. I did take a few martial arts classes, and I had some scuffles growing up. It''s not much, but it''s better than nothing. Heck, having her train at all would be a good thing.

    As I pulled myself to my bare feet, I gestured for Yenna to approach. She scurried towards me, as I placed my hands on her shoulders, and guided her onto her knees. She seemed a bit confused for a moment, but put up no resistance, as she sat before me.

    "Then, Yenna Arii. I hereby name you my agent," I said reaching out to her, and held her face in my palms, "Do well to represent me, dear sister," I told her, before kissing her forehead.

    It was a childish ceremony. Looking at it from the outside, I''m sure it looked like nothing more than two children playing a game of pretend.

    But to me it had something of a symbolic value.

    And to Yenna? I couldn''t be too sure. But through that mysterious bond which linked her to me, I could feel grace and duty wash over her, as she sincerely accepted my words.

    While I intended to wait a couple years to do this, I somehow felt it necessary to start now.

    Perhaps the recent events have made me feel rushed, so I couldn''t resist taking her "soul" as my own.

    "Now my little sister. I need you to go home, understand?"

    Much unlike her, she said nothing, but merely nodded with a new dutiful expression.

    "Don''t speak of this to anyone yet. Just act as though nothing has happened, except when you''re with me," I explained, as I drew back my hands, which till now had cupped her face. Ah, she''s really pretty when she has that expression¡ªready to carry out any task I give, no matter how ludicrous.

    "Then. I''ll be going. Be sure to take that basket, and tell mother I loved her snacks," I said, grazing my tail against the side of her face, one last time before departing.

    <hr />

    Rushing through the forest, I felt quite an excitement overflow me.

    However, only part of this was my own excitement. I could feel Yenna''s love and excitement flow into me through that bond. Well, it relieved me to think that such a thing also allowed me to feel such a heart-warming feeling. The first time I noticed this bond, it was from the anxiety and fear the villagers felt, so I assumed that maybe this was a warning system, regarding those close to me. But I''m not quite sure about that yet.

    However. as I ran through the forest, and began walking across a shallow stream¡ªa bolt of white light pierced the air in front of me, stopping me in my tracks.

    "Ah... You decided to show yourself?" I asked, turning my eyes words the direction of that bolt.

    There, standing between two trees stood a figure I''d never quite seen before. However, their scent had been all over my forest, and through the village recently. It''s impossible that I wouldn''t notice them.

    A tall woman, in the prime of her youth. Well, taller than me anyways. She had a beautiful aura to her, and I''m sure that if it were the old me, I would be quite captivated by her. Even now, the only reason I can avoid staring is because¡ªas conceited as it sounds¡ªI would rate myself a bit higher.

    However, instead of a dress or even a yukata like my own, she wore something much more suited for travel and battle, giving the impression of a warrior.

    I could tell... This girl was here to fight.

    "So? What have you been doing, meddling in my woods?" I asked, as I turned myself towards the woman.

    The silver white hair which framed her face was far from her most peculiar feature.

    After all, she bore two triangular fox ears, and four long tails which sprouted behind her.

 Chapter 017

    I don''t think religion was ever for me.

    I simply never believed in the Supernatural.

    Honestly, even now I''ve found myself using physics and chemistry to try and explain it all. It seems to all work by some sort of logic, and if that''s the case, you could analyze it, until magic itself is just another branch of science.

    That''s often a setting in fiction, isn''t it?

    Clark''s 3rd law even states that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. Thus the reverse¡ªany sufficiently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science¡ªmust also be true.

    Well, I also have quite a bit of self-worth, so I could never bring myself to worship a being who hid behind stories of his own greatness, but never truly showed himself.

    So even if one of the religions of my world turned out to be true, I wouldn''t suddenly convert, considering the 4 billion years of Earth''s existence where this god never made its existence clear¡ªin fact you could say they went out of their way to disprove themselves¡ªnor did they gave me any reason to worship them.

    After all, can worship¡ªof all things¡ªbe so cheap?

    I would much rather give my praise to true saints, and great benefactors to humankind.

    If it''s just about "creating me", there are my parents.

    Ah, but then there are cults.

    There''s nothing wrong with cults in of themselves. But there are plenty of stories in my old world, about cults formed by people who merely wanted to set themselves up as a god, or child of god. Some supernatural creature that is meant to be worshiped.

    More often than not, these cults are created from people who are mentally unstable. Not that they''re sick or inferior, but they are depressed, or unsure of themselves, and thus easy to take advantage of.

    Worship to those undeserving of such praise and misguided love.

    However, what if there was a being who could answer ones prayers? All they asked was for your love and acceptance, and in return they offer you their gifts. Well, it wouldn''t be so simple; even a being of such power needs something of value in return.

    But what if?

    After all, I live in a world of magic now. Beings called Spirits are regarded as divine entities, and many cults have shown up with a Spirit as their core.

    Entire countries run by a being with enough power to end cities.

    Take Lein, for example.

    Not the country¡ªbut the Spirit.

    Lein is a spirit who has lived for at least two hundred years. In that time, he gained immense power, and various human followers. He was of a rare class of Spirit, named Bijkarru. The more literal phrasing of their name in the Azurian language, would be "Spirit who herds beasts."

    You could call them Beast Tamers or something, but I guess it''s weird to use a class name to call a species.

    Their race looks almost entirely human, save for the fact that they live into their prime for hundreds of years. What''s more, their name comes from the fact that they are able to tame any beast.

    I thought maybe they could also brainwash humans, but it seems their mental abilities don''t quite work well on rational creatures.

    Even so, that was enough for Lein, who was able to quell the flood of monsters which harassed the humans in his area for ages.

    With that, he was able to obtain some measure of fellowship, and it wasn''t long before he grew to King-like status, and was worshiped as something like a god. Thus, the country Lein is a thearchy¡ªa nation ruled by a god.

    Thinking back on it, it makes sense that Lein would have Dragon Riders, when their leader is the tamer of all beasts, and the dragons of this world are hardly sentient.

    What''s more, if Lein himself were to come to a battle field, all beasts in the area, including the enemies own horses, would become his ally.

    Still, there is a downside. They are a rare breed, for a very particular reason.

    While Kitsune are considered rare because of their elusive nature, Bijkarru are rare because of their nearly sterile fertility.

    In fact, there''s a story about one who had great riches and a kingdom to himself, and how he spent hundreds of years trying to pass on his legacy, but eventually died without a single heir.

    Well anyways, Lein has named his country after himself, so he at least has some kind of legacy if he decides to kick the bucket. On top of that, he gets to be the first in history to command a Blitzkrieg in this world.

    With DRAGON RIDERS.

    Hmm? What was I getting at?

    Ah, there''s still this woman in front of me...

    "Oh, I''m sorry, I sort of dozed off. What were you saying?"

    Ah, she''s angry.

    "I could tell," She said in a serious tone, with a glare that could melt ice.

    Moments ago, this woman confronted me by shooting a bolt of white light. I didn''t get a clear look at it, but I can assume that it was this woman''s ability.

    What''s more, she''s a Kitsune like myself.

    Behind her, I can see 4 flowing black-tipped silver tails, which served as a reminder that this woman clearly had quite a bit more power than myself.

    However, she didn''t smell much like me. When I found traces of her scent in the forest, I thought maybe we were related, but her scent was quite different from my own. Any thought that she could be my mother was quickly dashed.

    On top of that, she appeared in the forest only recently, leading me to conclude what her reason for being here was.

    "Where are you hiding Princess Aire?" She asked. Right, she also asked that earlier.

    If I had to guess, she is an agent of Lein. Sending a Fox to hunt a Fox, huh?

    What''s more, she is adamant in her suspicion that I have sided with the Princess.

    I imagine she''s had trouble tracking my scent, so how could she have known?

    No, if she could track my scent properly, she would have already found Aire, so what''s her evidence based on?

    Or is she the hot-headed type that makes assertions without bothering to back them up?

    No, she doesn''t seem like that type.

    "I''ll tell you what I told the armored uncle; I don''t know where they are," I said¡ªa blatant lie.

    She merely huffed out some air in annoyance, but before I could do much more, I noticed that I was flying through the air.

    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡ªWhat?!

    As I soared, my back collided against a tree trunk¡ªthe air inside my lungs seemed to vanish with that crash, and I found myself unable to focus or think.

    I let out a fit of coughs, as I tried to return my stolen air, but I found my arms were already bound by that point!

    Quickly scanning my body, I realized that vines and tree bark had made their way around my arms and legs, and that they stiffly held me in place.

    "You''re a real pain to pin down, you know?" the strange woman said as she walked over to me. Hah... even with this pain in my chest, she really is pretty, huh?

    "How about you go find her yourself, you little bit¡ª" Before I could finish my insult, a white streak of light shattered against my leg. It produced only a shallow cut, but was still painful enough to interrupt me, and produce a groan.

    "Just so you know, I was holding back," She said with an irritated voice. Looking up at her, I couldn''t quite tell if she were telling the truth or not, but at the very least it didn''t seem like she intended to kill me.

    Still, what was that? It certainly wasn''t a laser¡ªI wouldn''t even see it if that was the case. It was the same as before too. Well, it''s one of her abilities is all I can tell.

    I''ve confirmed the usage of two different magics used by this girl. Those light beams, and this plant controlling ability. If my hunch is right, she should have two more.

    "Well child? Where is the Princess?" She asked with a stern expression. Ah, breaking her sounds like it would be nice...

    If I wasn''t tied like this, escape would be trivial. Heck, I might even be able to beat her up a bit.

    Ah, this girl probably knows I have some kind of movement ability. After all, she did look for my scent quite diligently, so she likely observed something like my moving very fast, or even blinking in and out of existence.

    The fact she hasn''t found Aire''s cave just east of the village is probably a miracle.

    "I see," She said, as she narrowed her eyes.

    I see? You see what...

    ... No...

    She couldn''t be, could she?

    However, she merely looked down at me. Ah fuck...

    Is she a mind-reader? Damn bitch...

    "I heard you were raised by humans," she began to speak. "I guess it makes sense that you''d be as vulgar as them," She commented, as if to confirm my suspicion. "However, I don''t quite understand why you''d choose to live with them, and form so many chains around yourself."

    Chains? The way she said that¡ªit sounded like it had more significance than just disliking humans.

    "Hmm? You don''t know?" She asked, in genuine surprise, as she looked at me with a bit of shock. "No, I suppose it makes sense to have some level of ignorance. But to think you never noticed,"

    "Then? Are you going to tell me, or not?"¡ªShe''s a mind reader, but it seems she can''t see too deeply into my mind. Maybe just what pops to the surface, like these thoughts of mine, or what I''m about to say.

    "... No," She said. Looks like she knows all I want it to see how far her powers go. "I''ll confine you here until everything is over. Then, I''ll have to... re-educate you."

    That doesn''t sound nice.

    Well, I''ve heard enough.

    Before anything more can happen, I quickly shut off the flow of time.

    Thinking about it, it seems she didn''t quite understand my ability even up till now. Perhaps because this culture doesn''t really have a solid grasp of time and how it flows? Or maybe she didn''t quite catch the stray thoughts regarding my own ability. My powers have limitations, so I imagine hers do to.

    With time frozen, I look at my arms and legs, locked in place by hard wood and vines.

    Tugging on my arms a bit, the vines move with my body like any normal vine might. At least it''s not stiff and hard, but it''s still a pain to get out of these bindings.

    My yukata has a knife in the pockets I''ve had stitched to the inner sleeves, but when I''m bound like this, it''s too difficult to grab it.

    Well, I had all the time in the world, so I spent quite a lot of it trying to reach for the pocket, by twisting my wrist, and tugging on my own sleeve. But it was too far.

    I realized for a moment that I could just scratched through the sleeves with my claws, but...

    But... my nails, you know? I''ve put a lot of effort into making them nice and sharp. Well, guess I''ll have to use them eventually.

    In just a few minutes, I managed to cut a hole into the pocket of my inner sleeves, and like that, the knife was in my grasp.

    Getting free after that was a breeze... Well it still took hours, but time was frozen, so fuck it. The knife looked like it had lost its edge quite a while ago and was practically unusable by this point, so I merely tossed it away once I was free.

    I had a spare.

    Now then, I think it''s time for a little bit of punishment¡ª

    I''ll even out my nails later.

    <hr />

    Author Notes:

    Huh... People were pretty off the mark about our newcomer.

    Well, I guess I didn''t really hint at the idea that some Spirits might work for a kingdom or other spirit.

    On another note, I think I''ll be constructing up a bit of Azurian language, to make naming things more consistent. For now, there''s only a handful of words, and I''m pretty much going to have most all character and place names be one or more Azurian names. I''ve mentioned the "Azurian" language a lot, and I''ll probably give some background on it eventually, but basically there are a large cluster of countries which speak Azurian, in one dialect or another.

    Kiitland is not one of those countries, so its name is not in Azurian.

    Lisya is not from a country that speaks Azurian, so her name isn''t either.

    Toyaru''s name... well, I''ll cover what that means in a later chapter.

    For now, Feedback and Suggestions are appreciated and encouraged!

    PS. Azurian "r"s are rolled, and "n"s that are surrounded by vowel sounds should make an "ng" sound, (Like "Aniel") but it''d probably be subtle anyways.

 Chapter 018

    Author Warning: Darker overtones this chapter, compared to previous ones. (Torture)

    Walking up to the strong and confident woman whose name I had yet to learn, I could see that just before stopping time, she had raised an eye-brow, as if she heard my final thoughts, but didn''t quite have time to react.

    In my past life, I had some measure of confidence in my ability to fight. I was a nerd, but I was a nerd that could fight back. That said, I had a weight advantage over most people, and so I could put a lot of force behind my punches and kicks.

    In this world, I''ve become a dainty fox¡ªwhat little weight I can gain even while overeating all flows to my hips, or just seems to vanish. While it''s great for maintaining a figure, I also can''t seem to build much strength or endurance.

    My pain tolerance is fine though, so even if I can''t fight very well with this delicate body, I can at least take a few punches.

    Well, it''s fine. I have the power to stop time after all.

    As I walked up to her, I took a close look at her attire. Mostly, she wore thick cloth, layered with leather. It was not very visually appealing, but it would protect her body from the elements, and perhaps a bit more. But it''s useless against me.

    I grabbed the hem of her top, and pulled up on it. Her top was tucked into the pants she wore, so I just had to apply a bit of extra force to free it. Once the hem was free, I pulled it up, exposing the woman''s tummy.

    A soft and squishy pale white stomach, devoid of any muscle, but with just the right amount of fat. Honestly, are all Kitsune like this?

    Well, whatever. Her guard was down, and her stomach is relaxed.

    Taking that into account, I pulled back my fist, and punched her.

    Well, I punched her a few times. I was careful though, making sure my punches landed without spraining or twisting my wrist.

    With as many times as I hit her, I imagine there would at least be some recoil for her, and I tried making sure she would go in the direction of the stream, where the trees didn''t quite reach.

    As I returned time to about half of real-time, I suddenly felt the jolt of pain shoot through my arm, as I felt the recoil of my attack, and the soreness from using a knife to cut through wood for hours.

    Similarly, my victim was confused for a second as she felt her body pushed backwards to the side. She stumbled, before tripping onto her butt.

    From my perspective, it all happened in slow motion, and I could see the instant where her face began to contort into pain, and let out a groan.

    Taking no mercy on the girl, and relishing in the act, I brought my leg up, and released a powerful kick towards her face, taking care to avoid her temple¡ªI wanted her to feel the kick, not pass out from it. If there''s any consolation regarding this feminine body of mine, my legs at least pack some force behind them.

    She had no time to block, as the high-speed kick further pushed her towards the stream of water.

    I don''t know what the limitations on her plant controlling ability is, but I want to assume there''s a distance limit of some kind.

    As I returned the flow of time to normal, I watched the girl roll on the dirt for a moment, as she stopped herself, and tried to pull herself up, clearly shaken by the sudden change in circumstance.

    "Now now, don''t give me that look," I said in response to the confused and bewildered expression she tossed me, as she barely managed to get to her feet. "You should know, you hurt me quite a bit, and then interrogated me. I have every right to fight back," I told her.

    ¡ªIn response to that, her eyes narrowed, and a moment later 4 white bolts were fired at me.

    I quickly stopped time, and decided to have a look at what these bolts were. There were very fast, and if I had waited even a moment later, they would have already hit.

    What''s more, when I took a look down, I noticed that there was a plant''s stem which was already working it''s way around my foot, but hadn''t quite grabbed hold. I didn''t notice it because it didn''t actually touch me, but it was about ready to restrain me once more. So without any hesitation, I cut the stem, and moved to observe those light bolts.

    Looking at them closely, they sort of resembled a shard of broken glass. But they glowed. If I had to make a guess, it was probably some super-heated compressed air or something. I couldn''t know for sure, but it was magic after all. It could be any number of things I don''t understand. After all, my cut from earlier wasn''t cauterized, so my guess is probably wrong. It might be some metamaterial or something?

    Well whatever. For now I''ll avoid it.

    As I walked around her attack, and then circled around my target, until I was behind her, I returned time to its normal flow.

    "What?!" She said, as she looked about but didn''t see me. "Did he runaway..?" She seemed to consider for a moment.

    Can she not sense my thoughts?

    Well, that''s fine.

    I reached forward, grabbing a fistful of hair as tightly as I could, and used all of my body weight (not very much of it) to yank her down to the ground once more. Of course, she shared the same physical weakness as me, so my small weight was just enough.

    As she fell, it looked like she tried to grab hold of some kind of support, but there was none. Before the two of us could splash into the water behind us, I froze time once more to get out from under her, and began picking up rocks from the stream. As I deactivated my magic once more, I came to realize that I''ve never used this much mana at once. Well, I could last for quite a bit longer at least.

    As she splashed into the water, she fumbled, trying to pull herself back to her feet, now with her heavy wet clothes.

    I thought perhaps she would try and continue the fight, however...

    ¡ª"I submit!"

    She shouted that with her hands held up towards me, in a gesture I could only interpret as surrender.

    "Oh? But this was your fight?" I said with a smug smile, as I took one, two steps towards her.

    However, a feeling of arousal seemed to wash over me, and goosebumps caressed my flesh into a state of excitement.

    "¡ªP-please? Let''s not fight," She said, her voice changing by several octaves. Ah, she really is quite a beauty isn''t she? That silver hair only added to her allure, and as I took slow steps towards her, I took in her radiance.

    I wondered, is she interested in girls? Or perhaps she saw through me..?

    Ah, but I''m certainly aroused, and perhaps it really was time for the fight to end.

    "Yeah, no more fighting, let''s just... get to know each other? My name is Sentra. What''s yours?" She asked, with a small smile forming on her face.

    "Toyaru," I answered in a half-daze.

    However, as I walked into her range, and looked into her eyes which flaunted her sense of superiority, I had a single thought...

    ¡ªThis person clearly doesn''t know what''s about to happen.

    Balling my hand into a fist, I shot it forward, colliding with her chin!

    She clearly had not seen it coming, despite how telegraphed my swing was, and she ended up falling into the stream once more.

    Confusion and panic written on her face, she tried to use her hands to back away, but as I slowed down time, not quite stopping it to save on mana, I walked around behind her, and sat down. I reached forward, coiling my arms around her neck, and then reaching both of my legs around to lock her arms behind her. It was a weird grapple to say the least, and it was only feasible with my tiny stature, and her awkward position.

    Restoring time to how it was, I began a struggle with Sentra, who thrashed as she tried to free herself from my improvised hold. Her arms were trapped in a weird position behind her, and I held her head and neck in my grasp. Even though she should be physically stronger than me, her arms weren''t quite enough to resist the lock of my two legs.

    I noticed one of her white shards being produced right in front of her, and then being shot backwards at me, but I was too close to her for her to really hit me, and she ended up missing.

    I thought she might try to grab me with plants, but I didn''t notice the movement of any plants. I wasn''t sure if she had an effective range, or if it was because she was half drowning, as I would repeatedly submerge her head into the water. However, there could be underground movement I''m not aware of.

    "Come on, come on, you''re the one who wanted to play," I said in an excited voice that I don''t think I''ve ever really used.

    Sentra choked, as she tried to voice a complaint, "kH-how? You should be under my spell''s effect," She tried to say, but a lot of it came out more like gibberish.

    Spell? Is that what this sudden feeling of arousal is? Charm Magic?

    "What do you mean? Of course I am," I whispered into her ear in a loving voice, as I once more choked her. "You certainly charmed me, and I can''t resist you anymore," I said. "I want to have you and break you so badly," I whispered with a chuckle, before submerging her head into the water once more, as she struggled.

    Moments later, she became much more frantic, as she tried to escape, no longer using her Charm magic. I could only assume that she looked into what I was thinking, and that the knowledge of what was to come was much more frightening than she could have hoped for.

    But honestly, I was far too excited to stop now, even without her magic.

    "Now now, don''t move too much," I said, as I punched the girl in the face. "This is only part of your training. Understand?" I said with a grin.

    "Please, no!" She tried to shout, but my grip didn''t loosen at all.

    Out of the corner of my eye, I could see some plants moving, however, neither really came too close. Is it because the plants themselves have a range they can move in? I guess she can''t just add mass to plants, and instead has them bend and coil, huh? Well, there''s some leaf-like plants in the river, and I noticed they tried to wrap around me, but you know, their grip is pretty weak.

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    "Well if you just submit to me now, I''ll reconsider your treatment," I said, as I slightly loosened my grip around her neck, though still holding her body down. She could at least breath properly, so I gave her a gentle pet to let her think it over. "Just abandoned your former master, and I''ll be sure to treat you well," I said.

    Of course, she could see in my own mind that "treating her well", was only slightly better than her alternatives. It''s not like I intended to kill her or anything. But maybe that''s what terrified her most?

    "Y-yes, ok!" She said in a shaky voice, as I caressed her face from behind.

    "Truly?"

    "Yes! Truly, I''ll do as you say!" She claimed.

    It''s been said that when torturing someone, they are likely to give false information. Anything to end the interrogation. Well, I''m not really after any particular information.

    I just want to break this girl. When it comes to this sort of thing, I''m just an amateur, but lets just do some tests.

    "I don''t believe you," I said, finally letting the girl go, if only for a moment, before grabbing onto her hair, and shoving her face into the water once more. She struggled for a moment, but I didn''t bother holding her down for long. I pulled her face back up to meet my own, only after a few seconds.

    "Do you know why I don''t believe you?" I asked with a devilish grin.

    As she once more peered into my thoughts, her face paled.

    Simply put, I didn''t quite expect her to break that easily anyways. Giving into pain and the fear of death is one thing; coming to accept and submit to your torturer is another. And like I said, those under torture are willing to tell any lie to make it stop.

    "I guess we''ll have to play," I said, which startled Sentra even more, as she tried to back away frantically. She fired a bolt at me once more but it was quite slow compared to before, and had sloppy aim. Perhaps her frantic state messed with its power? Still, I''m sure she has quite a lot of mana compared to me.

    However, at that moment, I realized that she decided to take a more desperate approach. A handful of trees began to shake and quiver, as they pulled their roots from the ground. Of course, if neither of the trees can quite reach, just move the trees, huh?

    Well, it''s not like they can catch me.

    As I shifted myself into a slower rate of time, I decided to toss the rocks I picked up earlier, all aiming at her. Of course the rocks traveled at normal speeds, considering my strength wasn''t really great, and because of that, I could alternate the course of each rock easily.

    The 5 seconds it took for those rocks to hit Sentra was as long as a minute from my perspective. But I had patience. I would beat her bloody, break her, and build her right back up. That was my intention.

    The first rock hit her squarely in the forehead, causing a scratch which sprouted a light amount of blood. The next two landed on her stomach, but as expected they harmlessly bounded away from the thick clothes and leather

    However, the next one crashed against her hand, smashing into her fingers. They wouldn''t break from just this much, but it was at least painful. She flinched backwards at the pain caused by the rocks all simultaneously hitting her.

    She held onto her hand with her free hand while also pressing both hands against the bruise on her forehead, but as I walked around her, she frantically looked about. Of course, she could only see me as a blur. She was in a frantic state, unable to defend herself.

    However, each attack only slowed down the approaching tree golems of hers.

    She was a powerhouse, I''m sure. Any army of humans would easily fall to her in the wrong battle field, and I''m sure with her control over plants, and her ability to charm her enemies, even Aniel would have trouble with her. She could create a shelter from her plants, while firing white bolts that he has no way to defend against, and at the same time being surrounded by plant-life. If he carelessly set fire to the forest, it could at best become a draw¡ªwhere both of them end up dying, but even that is unlikely.

    However, she is now pinned against an opponent who is immune to crowd-control abilities, and who can take out an enemy before they even realize they exist. She had a bad match up with me, and her Charm ability merely sent my own desires into a state that was only a detriment to her.

    Lein, that god-king, probably made her into his one-man-army, and has made her gain much experience in combat thanks to her abilities. Learning that Princess Aire was protected by both a powerful magician who could take on dragons, and an unknown Kitsune, Lein probably thought it suitable to send Sentra.

    Well, even a god isn''t all knowing, huh?

    Still, because of that, it''s possible that Sentra had never truly experienced a defeat, or even despair of this scale.

    Ah, it''s nice seeing that frantic expression.

    As I walked behind her ever slow moving body, I took the chance to kick her behind the knees, destroying her balance, as she came down on one knee. As she slowly looked back up, there I was in front of her, watching with a grin plastered on my face, as I slowly sped time back up.

    In fear, she lashed out at me with her claws, but I managed to step back just enough for her to miss, but I ended up grabbing onto her middle finger just as it passed me up, thanks to the fact time was still moving a little slowly for me.

    She stiffened, as her hand was stopped, with her single finger in my grasp. With a smile, I wasted no time as I began to twist her finger backwards.

    She screamed, asking me to stop with that expression that was so clearly afraid of pain.

    However, I didn''t stop, and her hand let out a weird sound as her finger was twisted out of place.

    As I let go of her mangled finger, I cupped Sentra''s face, which was plastered with an agonized expression.

    "Don''t worry about that; I can always have it fixed once we''re done with the rest," I said, making sure she didn''t look away from me.

    Still, that fear she showed continued to strike chords in me, as I couldn''t help but look at her ecstatically, with her at my mercy.

    She had plenty of mana, I was sure. But she knew it was practically futile. Her plants were easy to avoid for me, her bolts couldn''t hit when her mind was so struck with panic, and neither of her mental based abilities would help¡ªin fact they may even make it all worst on her.

    Still, I didn''t want to risk being attacked by those bolts, so I did the only reasonable thing. I gouged her eyes with my thumbs. She didn''t see it coming, as my claws pierced her eyes at once, and my thumb crushed them, even as she screamed in pain.

    Her golems seemed to shake, as they collapsed, once more into the ground, though two of them ended up falling over, and crushing other trees.

    As I let go of her face which had began to let out tears of blood, I reached for her hand once more, and brought it up. I''m sure her eyes would have widened in shock if they were still there, as I grabbed hold of one of her fingers.

    "No... No please!" She shouted as I once more twisted another finger out of place, stopping once the weird and queasy noise sounded out, and her finger looked like a mangled mess.

    Already Sentra had become a sobbing mess, and by the fourth finger she no longer bothered to beg, yet still let out a cry of pain. She couldn''t run even if she tried. I was too fast, and so she could do nothing more but sit there and take it.

    With all the screaming, one might worry about someone hearing us out here, but we were quite far from any of the village''s usual hunting grounds, or Lein''s camp. The only person who should be able to hear was that girl with Aniel, with the violet skin.

    One finger at a time, I went about breaking them all out of place. Even her thumbs were dislocated, However, by the time I got half way through her second hand''s fingers, she fainted.

    Well, I had intended to break her toes afterwards, but this is fine.

    Honestly, even though I want to say my pain tolerance is high, I don''t think I could handle my fingers being broken. In some ways, I''m impressed she lasted as long as she did.

    Though, I suppose the pain sort of just all blurred together by the time I started on her second hand.

    Well anyways, I wasn''t done here.

    For the time being I left her there (with time stopped, of course), and went to get some rope and cloth from Ellen''s place, making sure to leave the appropriate amount of money.

    Once I was back, I went ahead and bound, gagged, and blindfolded Sentra.

    From there, I slowly dragged her by her four tails over to where Aniel was.

    He should have adequate healing magic.

    I need to fix my new toy, and finish breaking her in.

    It''ll trouble me if my new toy had unusable hands, and was blind, you know?

    Ah, come to think of it, there''s Yenna. She might get jealous of my new toy...

    Oh I know, maybe I can use her as a punching bag to teach Yenna how to fight?

    She''ll love that, if I tell her she tried to hurt me.

    I''m such a sweet brother/sister, aren''t I?

    <hr />

    Author Notes:

    So that was a thing.

    Honestly, I thought I could have added some more cruel methods in, but figured twisting someone''s fingers (and gouging out their eyes) is gruesome enough for now.

    So, find out what happened to Sentra next week!

    And of course, Toya does in fact intend to learn about his race from her. He just needs to make her more... docile.

    Anyways, as always, Feedback and Suggestions are appreciated and encouraged.

    Please leave a review if you enjoyed the story thus far!

 Chapter 019

    I currently sat before Princess Aire, while holding a warm cup of tea. I sat on my knees, in a pose I know is rather well known in the East, back in my own world. Though, I merely did it to complete the image of a Kitsune I have in my head.

    It''s even the reason I looked for tea.

    Well, it wasn''t really tea. Actually, I don''t really know what tea is. I''ve only really ever bought tea as powder or tea-bags, and never did much research on it. I have a wealth of trivia, but even I don''t know everything.

    Do you need a specific kind of leaves, from a so called "tea plant" for it to be called tea? Or is it just about the method it''s made in? I didn''t have the internet to find out.

    Well anyways, it''s some kind of drink, made from the leaves of a local plant.

    As it turns out, this world doesn''t quite have a concept of tea. Or at least, if it does, the society I live in has never heard of it. It''s a big world, and it''s not like I live on the sole continent. There are supposedly two known continents and several large islands, and it''s possible that a tea-like drink has already been produced.

    It makes sense though. I''m pretty sure tea in my old world was something that originated from Asia, and was only popularized after it was imported into Europe.

    Besides, how many people are likely to just put special leaves inside of heated water?

    Because I''ve had quite a bit of time in the last two weeks since Princess Aire arrived, and Lein''s soldiers appeared, I did a lot of experimenting.

    I went about looking for different plants, especially those with exotic scents. Sometimes I tried mashing different types together, and mixing them in water.

    I eventually found a shrub at the corner of a mountain some distance away from the village. It wasn''t quite like tea that I could remember, but neither was a lot of familiar food I''ve eaten. Still, it had a nice aroma when brewed, and gave a strange calm when I drank it.

    When I found this shrub, I went ahead and looked for more, examining the environment they grew up in, and how they reproduce. Of course, it''s only been a week since I found them, so I''ve mostly just been taking notes. I''m not at the level where I can mass-produce anything, but I thought it''d be interesting to introduce this as a beverage.

    Thus, a game of patience between me and nature began.

    Well, at the moment I have enough to have "tea parties" like this. Though, we''re in a cave, lit by so-called light-orbs, a common magic item among the wealthy who can afford them. So this scene is not very elegant.

    Still, the Princess seemed to enjoy the tea, which I was quite pleased about.

    "So," She began with a hesitant expression, not sure how to say what she wanted to. "I heard from Aniel that you brought something... interesting," she said.

    "Ah, you don''t have to worry about that. It was a person I wanted him to heal," I said cheerfully.

    "So I heard. But why did you risk bringing them here?" She asked worriedly.

    "They were unconscious," I said with a shrug. "Besides, they were someone I needed to interrogate. After all, they were an agent of Lein," I explained.

    She widened her eyes, and seemed almost absentminded enough to drop her cup, but she didn''t.

    "Why would you bring someone like that here?!"

    "That''s why I came to talk to you," I tried to answer, but she merely responded with another question,

    "Where are they now?"

    "Like I said, it''s a secret. They''re not really needed anymore, you know?" I said with a smile. "They''re not a threat as they are now. However, it''s likely your pursuers already know that I am assisting you," I informed while taking a sip of my tea. "If that''s so, you don''t have much time, so I''d prefer if you got going before they took someone I know hostage,"

    Aire showed her surprise, before considering my words.

    "I''ll need to consult Aniel," She said.

    "Do as you wish," I said, "But I''d prefer not to involve the villagers too much."

    "You''re fine with us just going as is?" She asked. "Aniel hasn''t given you what you wanted yet."

    "It''s fine. I''ve provided you information, shelter and food, but I doubt that boy feels that is equal trade for his knowledge. He hasn''t had the chance to use my image for his cause, and it''s possible he won''t have to, once you have the king at your side."

    Aniel had proposed using my "influence", to gather up strength. I may not be well known, but being a Kitsune in a country that regards Kitsune as higher beings, it wouldn''t be hard to gather followers to build up an army.

    At the time though, he did not know that the King was alive and not in the hands of Lein.

    I told them myself, because it gave them reason to stay, and to remove the soldiers who''ve taken residence nearby. At the same time it meant that the soldiers would be staying, and with that Aire''s group could crush them, and any coming reinforcements.

    Simply put, I didn''t have too much confidence in being able to build up an army with my image alone. As such, I thought it would be better to put them in a position to weaken Lein, and thus gain "favors" over time.

    However, I did not expect the arrival of another Spirit.

    Sentra is a mind reader, who seemingly knew I hid Princess Aire.

    I captured her, as I couldn''t simply release her to reveal any information. However, that also means that pretty soon, the camp of soldiers will begin to wonder where their Fox Spirit has wandered off to.

    If they suspect she has been taken prisoner, or killed, then they may begin taking more dangerous actions. I''d rather they didn''t come after my precious people, so I want them killed before that.

    I feel that I would be riddled with quite a bit of guilt if people I knew died because of my careless plan.

    Thus, I''ll aide them in their attack on Lein''s camp, however I''ll make sure to keep myself from being seen. After all, I don''t quite want to be affiliated with the royalty of Senilea. I am merely helping in order to obtain Aniel''s knowledge.

    "I find it hard to assume that you would do so much without having received anything yet," Princess Aire said, after a small sip of her tea.

    "It''s true that it pains me to see such knowledge go, however it''s not as though I''ve received nothing," I said, as I produced a metallic disk from my sleeve. It was a coin-like object made from a silvery metal like chrome or zinc, and had a number of holes along the inner circumference, likely for threading a string or wire through it.

    Aire clearly knew what it was, as her eyes widened.

    "That''s¡ª"

    "Aniel went ahead and lent it to me for the help so far," I said, "At least I won''t be held back by injuries any longer."

    "So he gave you healing magic?" She asked, to which I nodded. "Isn''t that what you wanted?"

    I shuck my head with a sigh. "I wanted to learn how his magic works. But I can already tell from just looking at how plain this coin is, I won''t be able to gleam anything useful from dissecting it. I want to know how it''s created, and how it works. And Aniel knows that this knowledge is worth many fortunes. Especially with someone like myself," I explained.

    "What do you mean?"

    "Tell me, what do you think would happen if any kingdom acquired the method to produce any number of magic items?"

    "They... They would flourish. They would become a powerful military force able to take on any number of nations."

    "And why do you think Aniel did not hand over that knowledge to your father? Surely if he did that, your right to succession would be guaranteed."

    "Because... He said it would be better to instead restrict this to only elites. Himself and a small army, and instead demonstrate their capabilities."

    "But why wouldn''t the king be told anyways? He doesn''t need to distribute the knowledge to gain your father''s favor. The fact you had a follower with such capability would be enough. Yet he chose to hide it."

    She looked down at her cup, as if in thought.

    "I don''t know why," she admitted.

    "It''s because he doesn''t want to destroy the world," I explained. "A power which can create an unlimited number of magic items. The potential for its power is boundless. After all, consider this magic coin, which can accelerate ones healing, and repair even the worst of scars. I do not know what principle it works on, but what if he could make it restore vital organs or replace limbs? Or what if you could raise the dead? Worst; what if someone discovers a way to destroy the world many times over?"

    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡ªAfter all, with magic it wouldn''t just be theoretical to produce thousands of nuclear bombs, and destroy all life.

    In my old world, terrorist attacks have yet to utilize nuclear weapons, for the sole fact that obtaining enough of the radioactive material is not easy.

    But if one was to utilize magic, you could easily either gather it from the world around, or possibly even produce it with fusion.

    I thought something along the lines of spreading this knowledge to all major powers would do some good, with the fear of mutually assured destruction. However, Aniel has had much time to think this over.

    This world is not developed enough for such a tactic to work, and developing it to such an extent in his life time would be near impossible. On top of that, because it''s so easy, if the knowledge fell into the wrong hands, calamity could very easily spread.

    Sure, the people of this world don''t quite yet have the knowledge to understand the power of the atom, but it''s a real possibility. Besides, there are many other weapons of mass destruction you can produce with this magic.

    So I understand why Aniel would want to keep it secret.

    "I never considered such a thing was possible," Aire said with wide eyes.

    "Of course. Aniel right now possesses the knowledge and means to end the world. And he''s scared of that possibility. As such, he will not give such knowledge lightly. However, I have plenty of time. Aniel won''t die so soon."

    ¡ª"However, warn him that there are those who can peer into his mind. Such beings should be avoided at all costs. It would be nice if he didn''t cause the end of times because of carelessness."

    The conversation ended with that, and I decided to make my way out after saying my proper goodbyes to the princess.

    <hr />

    I decide to check on the village once more.

    I''ve slowly come to learn about the strange bond that I''ve formed with various people. As I become aware of it, I learn that I can peek at these people individually. Observing the state of one I have bonded with will take quite a lot of practice. For one, I don''t really see through their senses or anything. Instead I merely receive an unfiltered stream of their emotions. Not even concrete thoughts. At the moment, nothing quite seemed like anything was wrong, but I decided to see for myself, after stopping time.

    I didn''t want Lein to spot me entering the village, nor did I really want any of the villagers to know.

    I wanted to assess the situation without alerting anyone.

    But I found nothing out of place.

    I found it strange that the soldiers had yet to make a move. Well, it hasn''t even been a day yet; it''s possible they think Sentra is out scouting.

    When I checked on Lein, it seemed to be business as usual.

    Looking through the various logs written by the soldiers, I found what I was looking for.

    For a moment I wondered if Sentra merely decided to ignore the human soldiers, and scout for me. After all, it seemed she didn''t like humans, from our conversation.

    However, she dutifully reported her arrival to the captain of this lot, and she agreed to give regular reports every few days.

    I thought it might have been convenient if she reported relatively recently, however, it seems that she hasn''t been back in about three or so days, which the captain seemed worried about.

    She appeared in my forest a little over a week ago. However, three days ago... That should be around when I started catching her scent in my usual hangouts, including inside the village. Did she feel that she was close, and it was no longer necessary to stay in this camp?

    She likely had a whiff of my scent for quite a while, but wanted to pin down my routine.

    Well, I ultimately captured her, but because she hasn''t reported back in a while, it''s likely that the captain will need to act under the assumption that she was defeated.

    If that''s the case, he''s going to wait for reinforcements, and then try to take me on.

    Eh, it''s a bit nauseating reading the enemy''s plan to try and corner me with hostages.

    I want to kill them all now, but it would be exhausting, and I don''t feel my current knife will last for so many necks.

    I will leave Aniel to handle them, and I''ll take care of anyone attempting escape. I''ll be sure to destroy any form of communication they have beforehand. That mostly includes messenger birds, as it doesn''t seem this world has developed a form of instantaneous communication.

    That said, I don''t know if now is the best time to attack. There''s no sign of reinforcements, even after 2 weeks. They should have arrived by now. It would be bad if Aniel''s group exhausted themselves in one fight, only to be cornered from behind by another fight.

    However, that little girl they have with them¡ªthe one with the super senses. It should be fine with her around. Maybe.

    Hmm, it feels strange, but, somehow I feel like I should have triggered some sort of flag, that would set me on a quest with Princess Aire and Aniel, leaving behind this village.

    But Aniel clearly doesn''t want me with him, and Aire hasn''t even suggested the idea that I go with her. I''m presumably a valuable war potential, but she doesn''t seem like she wants to use my power. What little help I''ve provided seems to just be necessary for them. I can''t provide much more without just going out and murdering all of Senilea''s enemies, but I''d rather not do something so strenuous with my ability.

    Well it''s fine. I have plenty of incentive to stay where I am.

    <hr />

    Author Notes:

    So I''ve gotten into the habit of posting a chapter a day, excluding Saturdays and Sundays. It''s a good system for me, to keep me writing, seeing as I''ll probably start procrastinating if I suddenly stop. I''ll probably hit a wall when I''m not sure what to write, but at the moment I''m doing well.

    So today, on a Saturday, I posted the chapter I had ready for Monday, for two reasons.

    The first is that Monday is my Birthday, and I don''t want to have to remember to post a chapter on my birthday.

    The second is just as a response to the controversy from last chapter. Honestly, I''m sort of interested in how there was two very distinct views on what Toyaru did last chapter. I''m not really going to spend much time to explain Toyaru''s motives here in the Author notes; but I''ll give my insight.

    Toya isn''t the hero. He''s the protagonist, but he is by no means a hero. Will he protect those he cares about? Sure. Beyond that, everyone can go to hell. People can call him scum for that if they want, but that''s more or less how I''ve built up his personality till now, and I feel I''ve made that pretty clear. But I''m curious about what people thought Toya was going to do with a Fox who attacked him, bound him, read his mind, and planned to have some people he agreed to shelter, killed? Torture can be considered "too far" by some, but what isn''t too far?

    That said, I have gone back and edited future chapters I already wrote, mostly to get rid of some ambiguity, and to make other things more ambiguous. But the story is overall still the same, and Toyaru is still not some saint.

    If you want a protagonist who is an altruist beyond reason, well there are a number of those here and there.

    Anyways, just felt like I''d get that out there. (I ended up writing more than I thought I would, but oh well)

    About this chapter; well, you probably won''t find out what happened to Sentra until... well, not now. She''ll actually be missing for a few chapters.

    So then, Feedback and Suggestions are always appreciated and encouraged.

    If you like this story (or even if you don''t), please leave a review, and tell me what you love/hate, so I can improve! (Or you can send me hate mail, because apparently my friend has always wanted to get hate mail. I can just send him the hate mail.)

 Chapter 020

    "It''s weird that you come to see me like this," a feminine voice said, as the figure before me stretched about in leisure, under the faint moonlight.

    Before me was a small cove with a large blanket laying on the ground, and pillows strewn about. In the center was a beauty comparable to models, despite their young age.

    But I wasn''t fooled by his appearance. Though pretty, I hardened myself to his charms.

    "I thought I''d sneak up on you while you were sleeping, maybe kick you a bit to wake you up," I admitted. He was a headache to deal with, so harmless spite might have brought some relief.

    However, he merely chuckled, as he rubbed his eyes, "Heh, I seem to sleep rather light," he claimed.

    "Next time, don''t make a sound," he added.

    Honestly, I was pretty quiet, I think. Some sort of animal instincts, I guess?

    This idiot, Toyaru. I''m sure he''s another reincarnator like myself. Well, not like myself. He''s a bit different than I. Even disregarding the difference in race. Our personalities also clash. I can''t see ourselves becoming very good friends, and when I think of him, I want to punch him.

    He''s far too childish, and it rarely feels he takes anything seriously.

    Liz''s analysis of him supports that idea.

    While I don''t see myself as super stringent, our situation is very dire, and I would prefer it if he took things more seriously.

    And then there''s the incident from yesterday.

    Violet warned me beforehand about what was going on, but when he came to me with an unconscious Kitsune, whose fingers were mangled, and eyes were scratched, I didn''t know what to think.

    He didn''t explain who she was, what she wanted, and what he intended to do with her.

    All he said was to heal the girl. I wondered for a moment how he knew I had such capabilities, but it''s probably not that strange. He''s been coming and going regularly, and watching me as my friends and I practice magic. I''ve ended up using my healing pendant on the clumsy Miishar more than once, and I haven''t really asked Violet to stop him from watching us.

    That said, I didn''t have the time to spare, so I handed him a variant of the healing pendant I kept around. Its power efficiency was low, but that shouldn''t matter to a Spirit.

    However, I didn''t come here to talk about that.

    "You said seem," I pointed out. "Does that mean you usually weren''t like this?" A personality change after reincarnation. It''s not unexpected. My journal mentioned some kind of change like that, but my own memories are too vague to make a comparison.

    "That''s quite right," Toyaru said with a nod. "You understand, right? After all, we''re Earthlings," He spoke, switching from Azurian to the ever familiar English, as a grin formed on his face. So he really is a reincarnator, huh? However, Earthling, huh?

    "I don''t think using that term is quite right," I pointed out. After all, we were still on a variant of Earth. Just another timeline or parallel dimension. Calling us Earthlings is misleading, when everyone on this world is one too. However, Toyaru didn''t understand what I meant.

    "You''re not from Earth?"

    "No, I am. At least, I think I am." I haven''t shared this secret with anyone, since waking up that day. I have knowledge that is not my own; who would believe me anyways? "I know English, and I understand a lot of the science that isn''t present in this world. But..." I hesitated for a moment, delving back into my own foggy memories. This Toyaru may not be trustworthy, but we can at least exchange information. "I don''t quite remember anything from that time,"

    "You weren''t born with your memories, but you have your knowledge?"

    "No, I was born with my memories. But I ended up hitting my head when I was a child,"

    It''s a ridiculous story, and Toyaru agreed.

    Head trauma shouldn''t work like that, despite what novels and fiction normally tell us. It''s possible to have some form of memory loss from head trauma, but it usually recovers with time. But then, what if human biology is different in this world? Or if the mind just works different, if it''s in the case of reincarnation?

    After all, we both have experienced some changes in our thinking. According to Toyaru, all food, even familiar food tastes quite different, and certain memories seem more dream-like than anything.

    If I had to guess, the memories of our past lives aren''t properly adjusted into our brains, so all of the proper connections don''t exist. Taste and Smell are qualities determined by memory, so it''s not strange that food could taste differently if your memories are improperly moved.

    I suppose I''ll research the cause of our reincarnation later.

    Still, I explained my story to him, and he listened attentively. His usual teasing side seemed to be gone for the moment, but I''m certain it would return. It''s an annoying quality that he simply cannot resist.

    It seems that when I was born, I quickly learned the language, and began writing a journal. This was supposedly a very ingrained habit of mine, and it was intensified with how the world around me had so drastically changed.

    It seems that it wasn''t long before I discovered that a certain magic item, could be modified to directly interfere with the structure and function of magic. I have no confidence that my current self would have noticed such a quality, Unfortunately, it wasn''t too long after that an accident occurred, and the current me was born after a serious blow to the head.

    Well, despite the memory loss, it''s not like there was a big commotion or anything; who cares if a three year-old loses his memories, if he was an introvert who no one talked to, to begin with?

    Well, when a maid gave me the journal I had written, completely in English, I ended up restarting the research on Magic I had been doing beforehand.

    Well, I left out most details, but...

    "Did you discover something that manipulates a fundamental force?"

    Toyaru could at least make assumptions. I wanted to say no, and deny him. He was both wrong and correct, but that stemmed from his lack of understanding how "Magic" worked.

    Even I only came to understand magic through various experiments, so I can''t imagine Toyaru could grasp it.

    "Something like that," I said, deciding on a vague approach.

    However, he didn''t seem disappointed. I heard of his talk with Aire, and he clearly understood the danger of this magic. In a way, it''s strange that I continued my research knowing full well how disastrous things could turn up. I guess it was a left-over excitement from my past life; the dream to experience magic, huh?

    But still.

    "You understand the importance of this being kept secret. So I''m letting you know at least that much."

    "Is that so? It has nothing to do with you having fallen for me?" Toyaru asked with a smile, as he tried but failed to strike a "shy" yet flattered pose.

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere."I''ll kill you," I stated plainly with a glare.

    Here comes his teasing again. I probably wouldn''t mind it if our relationship were better, but the way we met, and with our current circumstances, I can''t help but be wry of this individual. He''s a Fox after all, and while I''m not one to listen to superstition, I get the feeling this one is rather sly.

    Toyaru laughed at my remark, as he spun about, and dropped himself back onto the ground, atop his blanket and pillows, with his legs crossed. Following that, he let out an outrageous claim, with a wide grin plastered on his face.

    "Right, right. You have your harem troupe; what could you possibly need with another beauty?"

    T-this little shit... "Ha-harem!?" I shouted out flustered. "I''ve no idea what you''re talking about!" I said.

    "What? The princess and the two slave girls? Not to mention that young one... you lolicon," T-this idiot, something like that would never be allowed!

    "There is no such relationship! Besides, polygamy isn''t a legal practice in Senilea."

    It''s true. Sure, there was some disappointment learning that (for some reason I could not understand) but it wasn''t as though I truly had any such goal.

    Toyaru seemed shocked, as he tilted his head, and asked, "What? You''re not allowed to have multiple wives? What about concubines?"

    "I have no such ideal!" My face was hot, and I''m sure he could clearly see how I wanted to avoid this topic, but he wasn''t the type to consider other people''s circumstances.

    I would much rather consider romance and love later, AFTER our current predicament is taken care of. It''s not like I''m blind to my surroundings, but now isn''t the time.

    "Anyways, so what did you come here to talk about?" Toyaru suddenly asked, switching back to the Azurian language.

    I let out a sigh, cooling my head down as I jumped back to what I wanted to talk about. There were a few things. I already explained my circumstances, and I seem to more-or-less understand his own. But, there was something from earlier I could explain.

    "A few things. But first, you called us Earthlings. But I want to ask. Have you noticed the stars?"

    So, I went ahead and explained.

    My journal described that many of the constellations seemed to match up with Earth''s. There were slight differences in timing, but that could be explained with a slightly re-positioned Earth.

    Ultimately, this Earth seems to be just a tiny bit further away from the Sun, and possesses three moons.

    Achiel, Forno, and Abach.

    Their existence is a mystery to both of us, but when I explained how the shape of the western part of the continent seems to match up with the Earth continent named "Europe", Toyaru was some-what convinced, though he still carried his doubts.

    Of course, I don''t remember much of how Europe looked. I could only take what was said in my journal as fact.

    However, the current cartography was too primitive to reliably trust, so Toyaru chose to withhold judgement.

    Toyaru pulled himself back up, as he began to gather his belongings, and stuffed them all into a leather bag.

    "So? What do you remember?" He asked.

    I figured he would ask that.

    "Family, occasionally. Some close friends, I guess. Most names are a blur though. I just remember they exist, and maybe I''d recognize them if I saw them,"

    Strangely though, my academic knowledge has mostly stayed in tact. Math and Science are well, but things like history and geography seems to have taken a hit.

    Toyaru looked like he wanted to ask a more difficult question. Something that he seemed afraid of the answer to. But as he put up a hopeful expression, I thought it might be something serious.

    "Do you... remember any entertainment you use to watch?"

    ... Or it might be something silly.

    Well, I decided to be honest with him.

    "... No, I only remember some vague references," I said with a shrug. "Nothing like plot details or even the names of shows I watched."

    ...

    Toyaru let out a sigh.

    A very long, drawn out, defeated sigh.

    Following that:

    "Fuck!"

    "Mother fucking, shit, whore fuck fuck, slut, shit, bloody damn fuck..."

    ¡ªHe began to let out a fury of slurs, in some sort of blind rage, as his threw his arms about in tantrum.

    "Damn fucking land-whale slut, shit, fuck fuck fuck

    Shitty shit shit, fuckity fuck fuck.

    "All I wanna do is catch up on my shit, BUT NOOOoo!

    "Who''s a trap gotta s/fuck to get some damn fucking other-world shows?!

    "God can go eat a dick, I''m fucking killing someone, dammit!"

    ¡ªI was in pure shock, looking at him in confusion. Was it really that serious to him? I thought perhaps he had finished, but after a short pause...

    "ELEVEN YEARS! You know how long Eleven Fucking Years is?

    "No, strike that, Eleven fucking years on a world with three-hundred and seventy-fucking-two damn days!"

    ¡ªAh, he''s lost.

    "Then comes this kid. This mother fucker. I don''t know when he died, but he doesn''t remember either!

    "Ah, but maybe, just maybe he remembers how all my shit finished, you know?

    "But the fucking bitch doesn''t remember!!"

    Is he talking about me? He''s talking about me.

    Is he done now?

    As if to relieve stress, he let out a loud groan he had bottled up until now.

    "Ok... I''m done now. Ok... If two people can reincarnate from our old world into this one, there should be more, right?

    "Right, it''s not the end of the world yet. I don''t have to kill everyone.

    Now, calm down. You still have stuff to do, right?"

    ...

    ¡ªA silence passed between us, as he looked over to me with the same fox-like smile as always.

    "I... Didn''t think you could talk so... colorfully,"

    ...

    "Ah... did I say that out loud?"

    ...

    I couldn''t stand the look of embarrassment that seemed to slowly crawl onto his features, so, I quickly changed the subject.

    "Well anyways, we intend to attack Lein''s camp before sunrise. After that, we''ll be leaving almost immediately," I explained.

    "Well in that case I''ll join that attack," Toyaru asserted.

    <hr />

    Author Notes:

    And I''m back. So, I originally wrote this chapter from Toyaru''s perspective, and decided to switch to Aniel''s, but I don''t feel I did a great job.

    I already had some of Aniel''s backstory planned out; in fact he was actually the main character of another story I had planned to do, but only wrote one chapter of, and never posted anywhere. But I feel that I didn''t do a very good job of showing his thoughts. I kinda tried to portray his lack of trust with Toyaru, but it''s probably pretty flimsy.

    Anyways, I think I''ll shift over my schedule to Tuesdays through Saturdays. Why? No real reason.

    As always, Feedback and Suggestions are appreciated and Encouraged.

    If you like the story (or don''t) please leave a review!

 Chapter 021

    The battle was meant to be a surprise attack, but it seems the enemy camp was able to react to it pretty quickly, even if it was far too early. Well, I guess that''s what you''d expect from trained soldiers.

    Still, they had almost no chance.

    I cut off their methods of long distance communication, while Aniel cut off any sort of escape route.

    Aniel created a quantity of magic items that he distributed to his friends. In the last two weeks, he spent much time teaching them how to control this magic¡ªpyrokinesis.

    In a way, I kinda of want it, but I chose to settle with healing in the end.

    While "fire" matched my image of a Kitsune, I would rather be practical. After all, my main ability has a backlash with the potential to severely injure me, and I want assurance that I can recover from such a possibility.

    Anyways, it''s kinda scary fighting against a group with control over fire. Oddly, their fire wasn''t white like Aniel''s, but instead the standard orange-red of most flames.

    I wondered if perhaps Aniel gave them weaker versions, or if Aniel designed his magic with his knowledge in chemistry in mind? Something like, you can''t make white flames if you don''t know the physics of fire. On Earth, something like that is basic chemistry, but in this world? I guess it''s a miracle they can produce fire at all. Unless the magic item has that as a default function. Well, it gives me some insight to how his magic works, at least.

    Ah, I went off on a tangent there.

    Still, there''s not much for me to say.

    Lein''s camp is getting roasted without much resistance, and anyone who manages to ward off the flames through Ki is taken care of by Aniel personally.

    I was quite amazed though. I was under the impression that Ki was mostly instinctive, but watching a soldier trained in its usage brush off fire? That''s quite amazing.

    It seemed that some of those soldiers are even able to create small bubbles to protect themselves and others.

    However, even they need air to breath, and without it, they drop like flies.

    It''s actually sort of entertaining watching this struggle.

    It''s a battlefield, sure, but I don''t feel any of the tension myself. I feel quite relaxed and at home, even.

    Am I a battle maniac? No, in that case I would be excited to join the fray, huh?

    No, instead I merely enjoy watching two factions struggle. Like some sort of sick and twisted sport.

    Even though Lein has lost plenty, and Aniel none, it''s still possible for things to go wrong. After all, those children have limited reserves of mana. They won''t last forever like this, but Lein has quite the number.

    Still, because of the early attack, Aniel was able to surround the camp in flames, making escape difficult. Worst is how the children fight with a considerable distance, and with the aid of healing magic. If I look closely, I can even see arrows being deflected by a wall of wind, while the kids stay in groups of 5, taking out enemies surrounding them.

    In all, it''s 4 groups of 5, all proceeding through the camp as they eliminate the soldiers. Aniel himself wasn''t quite in any one group, instead supporting all four, as he took care of troublesome enemies.

    It''s amusing to watch, really.

    I guess even if a novice with the perfect sword can''t defeat a master with a stick, a novice with a strong enough gun can easily topple an army of trained masters.

    Speaking of which, I knew that Aniel has been forced to kill before meeting me. I''m also under the impression that he didn''t much like the feeling. But he was forced into a situation where he had no choice. After all, he was protecting those close to him.

    But for this plan, he had to force those very people he was protecting, to also kill other humans.

    Though, it probably wasn''t that hard; these people are after their lives, and have affected their lively hood.

    If you can convince someone, "they''re evil", "they want to kill you and your family", and so on, you can convince them to kill anyone, even if their own morals go against it.

    All humans are capable of murder.

    But...

    Somehow, this setting has really cheered me up, you know?

    Still, I have my part in this plan.

    <hr />

    "So? Where are they?" I asked the young blue-skinned girl, who I recently learned was named "Violet" in English. I wanted to punch Aniel for such an unimaginative name, but I suppose no one in this world would notice the English name, and just assume Aniel used some weird syllables.

    "A small group over here, and another here." She said, pointing at two spots on a simple map. I had drew up a map of the area several days ago, just to get an idea of the terrain, and maybe for planning. It came in handy, especially because Violet''s perception of distance and scale is amazing.

    With her instructions, I went and tracked down the two groups. From their distance from the camp, and the direction they were headed, they were actually a group of scouts, and were returning after hearing the commotion.

    My job in this operation was to get rid of anyone who makes it out of the camp. Of course that includes nosy scouts that were already outside.

    Killing. I don''t think I''ve ever killed a human.

    Insects and animals and such, I''ve done that plenty. But never quite a human.

    I wondered to myself if I would be ready when the time came, and part of me was sort of excited.

    However, as I sliced open these people''s throats all at once, only one thought crossed my mind.

    ¡ªSure is convenient I can''t get blood-stains with time stopped.

    I didn''t really feel anything in regards to their lives.

    Since when was I a sociopath?

    Well, I suppose knowing of the possibility of reincarnation sort of just makes you lose stock in the value of life.

    Whatever. Not like this is a normal situation anyways. After all, these bastards scared people I knew, and even intended to use some of them as hostages. Punishment needs to be severe.

    Well, maybe death is too far for that, but it''s a matter of circumstance.

    Anyways, after that, I take a look at the perimeter, but I don''t really spot anyone. Still, when I return to Violet, I''m given instructions, and follow them swiftly.

    She''s quite the scary ally. She''s a bit shy, and of few words, but that ability of hers is beyond my comprehension. Is it echolocation? I can''t tell, but I''m certain that there should be too much sound for her to accurately pin-point humans in such a large area. What''s amazing is that she can also point out where on a flat 2D map these people are at.

    She has quite the internal map.

    Calling her a cheat is an understatement.

    But she was bred to be like this, huh? Breed Fay with interesting sensory abilities, and over many generations, you get the perfect hound. Or so, that''s what seems to have happened, according to Princess Aire.

    Still, looking at her I don''t get the idea she''s built to have powerful senses like that. Her snout isn''t any different than a human''s, and her ears are only superficially different from a human''s, and should at best just allow her to pinpoint sounds a tiny bit better. Her senses are likely aided by magic, is all I can gather. The fact she can sense magic is probably an indication of that.

    Anyways, I took care of some random stragglers who do manage to escape the flames, all of them more or less heading in the same direction. I can imagine they want to report this attack, but I don''t let them.

    ...

    I want to relieve stress, but this is sort of boring.

    Stop time, slice throat, come back, restart time, wait, receive instructions, go back.

    Rinse and repeat.

    Well it''s fine. I get to learn about internal organs, I guess?

    But as the numbers begin to thin, and I notice many enemy soldiers in the camp begin to surrender, I wonder what to do. I''d be board if left like this, but...

    Ah, another soldier making his escape, huh?

    I consider what to do about them, but... I decide to let them run for a bit, chasing close behind. Even if he''s physically more fit than I, shifting time to suit me isn''t so difficult.

    But, as he escaped the sight of the camp behind, I decide to act now, slicing his legs. With their tendons sliced, he fell to the ground,

    Of course, he was confused and frightened of what just happened. He couldn''t possibly defend against me.

    But... What am I doing?

    I''m not quite sure.

    Honestly, after beating on Sentra a bit, I wondered about my own sadism. I certainly enjoyed toying with that girl, and the effect of her Charm certainly brought out quite a few demons. Just because she canceled her Charm ability doesn''t mean I suddenly became not-excited. How often do you suddenly become not-turned-on, just because you closed the porn tab on your computer?

    I don''t want to blame her magic, but it felt as though it ignited my excitement, and even now as I remember that feeling, I can''t help but want to recreate the experience.

    Yet, it''s somehow all off...

    As the man tried to move, he let out a groan, from the sudden realization that his ankles and knees were sliced open.

    "What happened?!" He called out, as he tried to pull his sword out, but his weapons were already gone.

    "I''m sorry to say, but you will become my playmate," I said, as I stared him down with a slight smirk.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    "That Fox Spirits?" He muttered with wide eyes, "What do you want with me?" He called out.

    "I just wanted to play, you see?" I said, as I mounted him from behind, and plunged a knife into his back, putting my weight behind it. "Like this, see?"

    However, my knife didn''t go far, with most of it being stopped by the man''s leather armor, but it still ended up cutting into him.

    "Hmm, I''m not very good at this," I said. "I''ll need to practice a bit."

    The man below me however, was in pain, and as he tried to roll over to push me off. Though I thought I could hold him down a bit, mostly going by my past experiences...

    ¡ªBut I once again forgot that I was as light as a feather, and found my leg crushed under the man''s weight.

    I let out a loud grown of pain, and the soldier didn''t feel it was necessary to take care of me. It was clear that my leg had been popped out of place by his weight alone.

    I cursed, as he rolled his body away, and tried to crawl to safety.

    However, I merely pulled my dress up, to expose my thin right leg, which was clearly bent in an awkward position.

    That was stupid of me, huh?

    As the man pulls off of me, I try to pull away so I can fix my leg.

    ¡ªAn instant later, I find a fist crashing into my face, and my small body crashes into the dirt.

    I was already on the ground, and basically went into a sitting up position, to having my face in the dirt while dazed and confused.

    Ah, that''s right, I''m pretty weak, aren''t I? Should I have disabled his arms? Sounds like it would have been a good idea¡ª

    ¡ªMy mind goes blank as I feel another punch to my gut, and air escapes my lungs...

    Those fists aren''t at all like Yenna''s, who holds back when hitting me. They''re the fists of someone who wants to kill me.

    Still, despite being painful, I get the feeling this isn''t his full strength. Well, it makes sense. He''s crawling on the forest floor exhausted, and can''t use any hip movements for his punches. These punches are from his sheer force of will, and the strength behind his tired arms.

    However, my head is spinning too much to think much, even as I feel myself grabbed, and pinned to the ground.

    I only now notice that the soldier before me is crying with a desperate expression, as he throws down a fury of slurs at me.

    He hits me again, and again, and every one of those punches hurt beyond anything I''ve ever felt.

    I feared for a moment that perhaps he would ravage me¡ªit wasn''t uncommon for something like that to occur in ancient times¡ªbut he was clearly in too frantic a state to think of such things. In fact, he likely sees me more as a monster than a girl, at this point.

    So, this is what struggling for your life is?

    It feels so vulgar, seeing it up close...

    Ah, but it''s somehow very endearing...

    As the hail of fists comes to a stop, I notice that there was blood on the man''s fists.

    Is that perhaps my blood?

    As I look up at the frantic man, who still looked down at me in fear, I could only crack a smile, before realizing that my inner cheeks were filled with blood. Trying to swallow it before speaking, I look into his eyes, say to him "Are you done? If you''d like, I could maybe kill you quickly," as I reached out my hand to touch his face.

    His fists trembled at my touch, as I caressed his cheek, and wondered what went through this man''s mind.

    He wasn''t interesting or special. He was just a single man, who I felt was desperate to survive.

    Or was it that he was merely afraid of me?

    Death¡ªI''m sure he''s accepted that end.

    But what about pain that comes with it?

    I guess it''s not very nice of me to try and torture him.

    But you know, I''m in quite a lot of pain right now. I don''t think I''d be able to kill him very easily. One stab won''t be enough.

    Hmm? Don''t I have some kind of ability for that..?

    Just as I''m thinking that, two large hands ring around my neck, and I feel my throat close, as I become unable to breath.

    Ah, this would be bad, huh?

    Maybe I shouldn''t have threatened him like that.

    Well, I don''t seem to feel any animosity towards these people.

    I claimed I came to kill them for worrying the villagers, but it''s really much more complicated than that. I don''t think I was quite that petty.

    Really, I could have left this to Aniel''s group, but I decided to take it on myself.

    Why?

    Because I wanted to experience what killing felt like.

    Certainly there was some excitement behind it, but thinking about it, I think I preferred watching others fight instead.

    Still, my current situation was easily avoidable if I took proper precautions.

    Eh, too late for that.

    ...

    ... Ah, that''s right, I can stop time, can''t I?

    Remembering that simple fact, I quickly stop the flow of time, and like that, my pain vanishes. Still, my head remains numb and groggy, hardly able to make sense of anything. For a moment, I try to heal myself¡ªbut magic that depends on the flow of time doesn''t work when time is frozen, huh? Seems like common sense, but oh well.

    Still, at least the need for air isn''t so desperate anymore. As I fumble for my knife, I wonder for a moment about what to do...

    Well, I guess I''ll slice this guy''s tendons so he''ll let me go already. But, as I try bringing the knife down, I find it''s pretty difficult to cut into his flesh. Well, I guess my strength has really left me.

    It took me quite a while of tedious motion, but eventually, I think I managed to free myself.

    However, as I returned time to its original flow, the man fell on me, having lost all support.

    Aggh... Crushing me... Get off, please?

    Still, I decided to use this time to heal myself, and then began pulling myself backwards, to slide out from under him.

    The healing magic was limited, but it was able to heal the bruises and cuts I got. My twisted leg hurt a bit, as it was pulled back into place, but it was fine.

    I noticed that the man had stopped his incessant slurs, and was instead panting really hard, very clearly in deep fear. Well, that''s obvious. He''s afraid of me.

    Still, now that my head is clearing up, I feel sort of embarrassed for being so stupid.

    With this ability of mine, I underestimated this lowly human, just because I could kill him without resistance. But as soon as I was in pain, I was too confused to even defend myself.

    I guess I overestimated my pain tolerance, huh?

    Ah, but, did I enjoy that?

    ... Hmm, I guess a sadist can be a masochist, right?

    Well, what to do about this guy?

    For a moment, I think, what about emasculating him? Certainly, I remember hearing how ancient armies would do the same to their enemies to demoralize them. And it would certainly break him.

    But, I decide against it.

    I''m all covered in blood, and seeing as I''m not very skillful when I cut his tendons, he''ll probably die of blood loss soon. There''s no point in crushing a dying man. I''ve realized at least that much.

    So I cut open his neck after watching him for a moment.

    What was all this?

    I feel that I had some enjoyment, but...

    I thought my experience with Sentra opened something up in me, but maybe I''m seeing things from the wrong angle? Sure, I didn''t hesitate too much to kill those men, but at the same time, I didn''t feel any enjoyment. It was dull. Mechanical.

    You could say I don''t value life as much as I use to, but it doesn''t seem like I gain any pleasure from taking it.

    So I thought, maybe if I cut someone up? But I ultimately screwed up, and had the shit beaten out of me.

    So what was it all for?

    I suppose all people will search for what excites them.

    So what am I looking for here?

    I tried to recreate the excitement from yesterday, but failed.

    This last man though. I felt quite the excitement¡ªknowing the fear he held of me as he desperately fought.

    As he saw me as something else, and struggled to escape.

    Even as he bound me into the ground, there was some measure of enjoyment.

    Perhaps I just want to be feared...?

    I suppose I''m just a pervert...

    With a sigh, I call out, "I''m going to go take a bath. If you need my help... Well, just tell Aniel to make a signal, or something,"

    No one should be able to hear me this far out, but I''m sure that Violet girl heard me.

    I''m tired though, so I''m going to go take a bath in the river.

    <hr />

    Author Notes:

    So I actually rewrote this chapter at the last minute. There were a number of things I didn''t like about it, and I didn''t feel it headed in the sort of direction I wanted. That said, I sort of procrastinated with making those changes, and ended up posting several hours later than I usually do.

    On that note, it looks like I''m slowing down in terms of writing chapters. I still have a week''s worth of chapters written in reserve, but as the current arc is coming to a close, the next arc feels like it''ll return to being slow moving once again. Well, I hope people will bare with me, as I write more about the sadistic trap kitsune sociopath, and his merry adventures.

    As always, Feedback and Suggestions are appreciated and encouraged!

    If you like this story (or even if you hate it), please leave a review with your thoughts!

 Chapter 022

    I''ve never washed clothes by hand, in my old world.

    I never had to, who does? We have washing machines and such.

    There are occasions where something needs to be washed by hands, but rarely is it ever clothes.

    As such, I had Ellen show me the proper way to wash my clothes. She insisted I shouldn''t need to as an Esteemed Spirit, but I made her do it anyways.

    It''s a simple technique, when it''s a material like cloth.

    That said, I wanted to wash off blood. So I came to the river to directly scrub out the blood before it could set into my yukata. I was in a terrible mood, and getting a permanent blood stain would only worsen it.

    I thought it would be bad, but it turns out fresh blood is surprisingly easy to scrub off in water. Well, it took me quite a while and I even ended up stripping down to do so, as the clothes I wore underneath, and even my skin had some blood.

    Ah, a cute little fox girl boy, naked in the river as he scrubs clean his yukata and undergarments.

    Surely no one will walk by and catch me in the act like some sort of cliche.

    No seriously, I didn''t think someone would come by here, but I could hear footsteps through the forest. They''re light, so probably a child. But due to the lack of wind, I can''t tell who it is by smell.

    As such, I decided to slide on my underwear just in case, and considered putting on a bit more, but quite frankly I didn''t really care about being caught naked¡ªI''m just trying to cover up my true gender at this point. It''s become natural to do so.

    Well, they might question why my clothes seems to have blood, but let them. I could explain it as being animal blood or something, seeing as only that Violet girl and myself can tell it''s human blood by smell.

    However, the figure which appeared from the forest turned out to be someone I was not expecting.

    "Ah, I''m sorry," a soft voice said in slight panick, before that figure hid behind a tree.

    It was that succubus-like girl with Aniel''s group. I think Aire said she could... read my desires or something, right? What was her name?

    "Don''t mind it," I said casually, as I returned to scrubbing my clothes. "You came here for something, correct?"

    "W-well, Aniel wanted to know where you were, and I thought you would be done with your bath. He wants your input on what to do with the prisoners who surrendered."

    "That so?" I didn''t think I''d get input on that. Quite honestly, I didn''t care. "Well, if it were up to me, I''d just impale them all on pikes to scare away my enemies. Buuuut... That probably isn''t a good idea. Might scare the villagers too, and spread disease."

    It was a joke of course. There was no point in "scaring away my enemies," when I had none to scare away.

    However, this girl seems displeased by the idea. Well, that''s obvious.

    "It''s a complicated problem. He can do as he likes with them. Sell them as slaves, or whatever. Kill them for all I care." It didn''t really effect me, but I guess he can''t just leave them here. And taking them back with him would slow them down. In fact, accepting prisoners at all with their current plan was problematic. They didn''t plan to stay here after the battle, and carrying prisoners was troublesome.

    "You can probably use them as hostages. I''m not taking care of them, tho," I added, as I pulled my dressed out of the water, tried to dry it a bit, and hung it on a branch for now.

    "Maybe if it was just a handful of them to toy with, but I don''t wanna babysit a camp of losers," I said, as I turned back towards the girl. She avoided eye contact as I looked towards her, and I wondered. Does she know I''m a guy? It''s not that far-fetched an idea. If I were but a girl, this aversion to my nudity would be trivial, right?

    Well, she''s affiliated with that Violet girl, so it''s a high possibility.

    "So is that it?" I asked, walking over to the girl.

    "N-no, there''s something else," She said, as she cast her eyes down, but didn''t quite say anything.

    "Well, I can''t read minds," I said, as I tried to urge her to go on.

    "It''s... Aniel was wondering if I could stay here, until they''re done with the rebellion," She said.

    "Hoh?" I let out a sound of intrigue.

    I didn''t have a problem with babysitting a bit, if it was to gain some favor from Aniel.

    However¡ª"Is it Aniel who wants this, or yourself?"

    "It''s... Aniel," She claimed, as she bowed her head to me.

    However, he didn''t seem like that sort to me. Well, I do have trouble reading him, so who knows, but leaving this girl behind? I''m certain she still has use to him, at the very least.

    "I see. You see yourself as a burden," I said. This got a reaction out of her. "Right. You''re a noblewoman, who hardly exercised a day in your life, right? But Aniel''s group, even if they''re amateurs, have at least trained up their body for maybe a year or two, right?"

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    I knew some details about this girl and the others, but I was guessing for anything else. I had some limited information, but...

    "They don''t like you, right? Or rather, they don''t care about you. And you can see it with that ability of yours. You slow them down, with that weak body of yours. But I can see the type Aniel is. He won''t complain about you, if he feels responsible for you, right? Tells you to call him by name, even though your social status is practically dirt, and he talks to you with some level of dignity, right? But yet, you only slow him down, and now you want to throw yourself away for him."

    Ah... Is she crying? Not quite yet, but I can see her face turning red, and water gathering at her eyes. So I was that close, huh? Well, you don''t need powers to read a person who broadcasts their feelings.

    "So then, girl? What is it you want? You can see my desires. Which of those desires did you plan to exploit?" I asked, deciding to stop teasing her.

    "I... I..." She seemed to hesitate, as if she knew the answer to my question, but wasn''t sure if she was allowed to speak it, "I thought I could appeal to your need to control people!" She shouted with her head lowered. "I-i''d be happy to do as you wish, until Aniel returned for me!"

    "Is that right?" Come to think of it, was I a control freak? Well... That would explain a number of things. Though, it''s pretty embarrassing she would admit it like that. But, despite what she says¡ª"Well taking care of another pet doesn''t sound all bad. But you know, what if I decide to do something perverted to you?" I asked with a smirk.

    She can see my desires. I assume that includes even the ones I''m not fully aware of. So surely she''s at least some hint that I could potentially assault her.

    "Y-You''d never do something like that, w-with that human g-girl around!" she stammered.

    Human girl? Does she mean Yenna?

    Wait... Is that true?

    ... Huh, she''s probably right.

    I''d probably be killed if I tried.

    "... Well, I personally don''t care. If you want, I can keep you around, but you should talk to your master about such insecurities, instead of bottling them up. That idiot will listen. He won''t know what to do, but he''ll listen."

    Actually, I doubted I could just keep her in the village. Not only is she a fey with a weird tail, she''s a dark fey with the ability to see ones desires. How would humans treat this girl? If she''s under my protection, they''ll probably overlook her, but she''ll still be ostracized... I honestly don''t know what I''d do with her.

    Maybe I could keep her in a cave somewhere, but it''d be a drag to feed her. I just got a new pet I need to feed every few days¡ªcome to think of it, I haven''t fed her since I captured her, have I? I always was a bad pet owner.

    So having her go back to talk things out with Aniel is better.

    But, for a slave¡ªa former noblewoman no less¡ªto be so docile and submissive to this boy, to the point that she''s willing to be left behind to keep from slowing him down...

    It''s kinda amusing.

    "He won''t listen," she insisted.

    "And so you want me to snatch you away?" I said as I walked towards her with a grin, and placed a finger under her chin, before bringing her up to face me in the eye.

    "Girl, what is it you want? Tell me, and perhaps I''ll offer my blessing," I said.

    ¡ª"Do you wish to not be a burden to him? Or..." I let my words trail for a second, as she looked at me with those gradually widening eyes.

    She knew exactly what I had in mind.

    ¡ª"... is what you really want his heart?"

    It might be a bit mean, but starting some love drama around that Aniel might be a bit funny.

    <hr />

    Author Notes:

    And there''s this. I would like to consider this the end of "Volume 1", but really this is hardly an ending type of chapter. By next chapter, Aniel''s group would have already been gone, as they intended to leave immediately after the attack. Well, I think a few more chapters are needed to wrap up this Volume, considering there''s still one more... issue to handle, and that''ll take a few chapters to cover.

    Anyways, I''m wondering if I should bother going back to add "[V1]" to all the previous chapters, and just restart the counter for [V2], once I get there. Probably too much work (see: not much work at all) so I''ll probably just keep counting up into infinity.

    Anyways, as always Feedback and Suggestions are appreciated and encouraged.

    If you like/hate this story, please leave a review so my ego can further inflate.

 Chapter 023

    How long has it been?

    Two days? I think that''s how long it''s been. I can''t tell.

    My body says it''s only been two days, but I have no real way to tell.

    Perhaps it''s my mind playing tricks on me.

    It doesn''t help that I''m trapped in an eternal darkness.

    I can tell I''m being held by my feet upside down. my arms are bound behind my back, and my tails are all tied together. I can''t quite tell what sort of clothes I''m wearing, but it doesn''t quite feel like my usual.

    The nearest plant is outside of my range, and with my eyesight stolen from me, I cannot properly use my bolts.

    I thought it would be a good idea to relearn to use this ability, however I did not know where I was, or have a good idea of how to practice like this. With the blood pooling to my head, it feels difficult to think, and I may end up hurting myself.

    With my ears filled with cloth, it''s also hard to hear anything, and the cloth over my head, covering my face and nose, makes it hard to smell anything.

    I underestimated my enemy. Or rather, I attacked without fully understanding their ability.

    That girl, she bested me.

    No, perhaps she was actually a boy?

    That''s impossible, but thinking back on it, their thoughts seemed to imply such a thing.

    I didn''t have the luxury of contemplating the meaning of his thoughts at the time though; I was desperate to defeat that Fox.

    However, a boy Fox Spirit? I''ve never heard of such a thing. But... their scent, how did they smell? Like a Fox Spirit. But... did it smell like a boy? Perhaps. I may have came to the conclusion that she merely had a mate of some sort, but she was quite young, so I can''t be sure.

    When it comes to mating, any boy a Fox Spirit gives birth to¡ªalthough it is a rare occurrence¡ªturns out to be the race of the father, while any girl comes out to be another Fox Spirit¡ªat least most of the time.

    This isn''t a trait unique to our race, however. The all-male Reobijj tribe that I''ve heard quite a lot about, is similar. That said, I have heard of a few instances of females being born among their kind.

    I suppose an exception was bound to happen.

    However, since waking I''ve been here alone, and hungry. Worst of all is my pride and dignity was horribly stained after relieving myself. What could I have done?

    I thought he would interrogate me, but he merely overlooked me, and left me here bound. I don''t know where I am, but not a single piece of plant-life was within my grasp. All too far and out of reach.

    What? Wh-what''s that?

    Suddenly, I feel a squirming at my feet.

    A lot of squirming. Ah! It''s... they''re bugs. Insects!

    A feeling of disgust and fear seemed to wash over me, as I began to struggle once more.

    It was a horde of insects which crawled down my body, and the sensation panicked me.

    W-why!? From where?!

    I was not bitten or hurt, yet as they traveled my body, I could not help but want to scream out at the top of my longs. My frantic squirming only seemed to excite the swarm of various critters as they covered my body. I felt them squirm about me, and for a moment I wondered if this was how I''d die?

    Surely it doesn''t hurt now, but to be swarmed like this... Did they intend to eat me alive!?

    However, only a moment later¡ª

    ¡ªWater splashed all over me, and I found myself wet.

    The bugs? Gone.

    Who splashed me with water?

    No, I knew who it was.

    As I felt my ankles freed, rather than falling to the ground like one might expect, it was as though I was already on the ground. It was certainly disorienting, and the sudden changed caused me to go dizzy for a moment.

    However, I didn''t miss this chance¡ªpushing away my captor, I took the chance to run.

    I had to escape.

    I had to get out.

    However, only three steps forward, and I was once more defenselessly on the ground.

    I should have known. I learned that he had the ability to control time during our fight. He displayed quite a speed, so just trying to run with legs that had mostly fallen asleep and were numb, was pointless.

    Once more my feet were bound, and I noticed the clothes I wore being removed. They were simply cloth, certainly not my own, but it seems that he was unbinding my wrists and ankles to remove it, and quickly rebinding me.

    Is he about to...?

    No, I quickly realized what he was doing as he began pouring water on me.

    He was cleaning me? Like a child? How humiliating.

    He scrubbed my body down with a rag, cleaning my filth away. I felt that he may have gone too far with cleaning, however he then began to dry me.

    To be seen and touched like this by that bastard...

    I expected to once more be tied upside down, however instead, I was pushed onto some metallic surface. A cage? He''s putting me in a cage? As I tried to move, I realized the cage was not that large, and even if I wasn''t bound, I wouldn''t be able to stand up. In fact, it was barely enough to sit down.

    Still my tails seemed to be freed, and were no longer cramped together. My legs on the other hand... Before I knew it, my ankles were no longer bound together, but instead rope seemed to tie them to my thighs, forcing my legs to remain bent.

    Without any way to balance myself, I''m practically on my knees, slightly hunched over.

    Then, I felt that the cloth bag which up till now covered my head, was removed. As air travels into my nostrils, my sense of smell seems to return, as I gain some awareness of where I am.

    Or rather, I can smell my captor¡ªToyaru. "Spirit of Fortune"¡ªA laughable name. If only I could have some of that fortune.

    He''s nearby, practically in my face. His scent is strong, and now that I have the time, I can tell¡ªthis fox is certainly a boy.

    I could even feel his excitement, as he watches me shiver before him.

    I feel his hands graze my cheek, as he begins to caress my face. I would bite him if I could, knowing that he''s merely toying with me.

    ¡ª!

    I suddenly realize an idea. If this boy continues to touch me like this, does that not fulfill the requirements?

    ¡ª`Quite pretty. Though, she''s still not ready. Maybe I should starve her a little longer?`

    As I expected, I became able to see his thoughts. All I need is to be able to perceive him, but that doesn''t quite mean just sight, now does it?

    But I see. He intends to starve me. It was distressing, but if that was the case, I could at least try to harden myself to his tactics.

    As if on cue, my stomach began to rumble in hunger.

    ¡ª`Well, I guess people need water and food. Wouldn''t want my pet to die,`

    As I was processing what he meant by that, the cloth around my mouth was removed, and the gag shoved into it was pulled out. Finally I could talk, but my throat was too tired to say anything. Any sounds I made was ever so quiet, but before I could voice a complaint, a spoon was shoved into my mouth.

    Th-this bastard! Does he intend to feed me by hand?!

    However, as he held my head by my chin, I felt that I really had no power to refuse. Besides, the food wasn''t that bad. Nothing luxurious, but it was edible. From the boys thoughts, I figured it was a sort of soup.

    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    The food wasn''t bad, but once it was over, he once again shoved the gag into my mouth before I could resist, and the second cloth was tied around my lips to secure the gag in place.

    Then, the bag was once more placed over my face, and the small world of smells became much smaller.

    <hr />

    Weeks passed, I''m sure of it. Yet, hunger never came.

    Only a day or two after that fox left, all sounds vanished, and I could no longer smell anything. I couldn''t feel the cloth or rope that bound me, or anything at all. It was as if my body ceased to be.

    Worst of all, I was lucid through it all.

    What happened? I didn''t know.

    However, it scared me. Something is going on, right?

    What is it?

    Where is that Fox?

    Did he forget about me?

    Am I already dead?

    I don''t feel anything. I haven''t felt anything in a while.

    It''s maddening. It''s horrifying. I... I don''t want to be dead like this.

    What about everything before this? To have been left like this, alone in some nowhere.

    Surely, Lein should have sent someone to retrieve me. Right?

    What would they find of me?

    Or perhaps¡ªwas I abandoned?

    After all, a four-tailed Fox Spirit losing to a Fox with but a single tail is a laughable joke.

    But I could do little against his speed.

    I suppose this is proof, that even with all this power, I still only ranked as a low-class Spirit.

    I tried to be useful, but with each tail I grew, the power behind it was weak¡ªat least compared to my inborn tail, my power to command all plants. It was the power that Lein praised me for, and took me under his protection for.

    However, gaining power for my kind was not so easy. So I employed another method at Lein''s suggestion.

    Many times I doubted if such a method worked as well, and many times I cursed my misfortune to find such inadequate abilities. But I could not doubt him, could I? Even now, I shouldn''t doubt him, as he did it all for me...

    But... aren''t I here because of him?

    <hr />

    That thought echoed inside of me, with little else able to distract me in this eternal darkness.

    While it was complicated, it was certainly true.

    I came to hate myself for having this doubt in me, and for being unable to refute it.

    But, this loneliness¡ªit crept into the deepest corners of my heart, and brought out a fear and anxiety I have never felt. Never have I experienced such a sensation of "nothing".

    It was maddening.

    If it were only my sight, I could learn to cope, but all I have now is my own thoughts. I felt that I might even forget what my own voice sounded like, or how to talk, if this went on.

    But all my thoughts eventually came back to excuses.

    If I didn''t fight that fox...

    If I didn''t take that mission...

    If I didn''t take Lein''s help...

    If I didn''t give up on enduring myself...

    If I wasn''t so weak...

    If I wasn''t so afraid of being alone...

    Why am I here? I don''t want to feel this. I want to go back. I want to feel warmth, I want to hear sound, I want to see color, I want to smell food...

    Is it too much to ask? Can I not just peacefully enjoy comfort?

    I want to hug myself in warmth, but I can''t even feel my arms.

    Even feeling cold would be better than this, but instead I feel nothing.

    I''m scared.

    I was never scared of the dark. Even without sight, I could navigate in the dark well enough.

    But this was beyond that.

    I can''t help but seriously consider¡ªam I truly dead?

    <hr />

    ¡ªWarmth!

    Sweet warmth. I can feel it!.

    How long has it been since this sensation has enveloped me?

    I could not feel neither cold nor heat, but to suddenly be blanketed by this warmth, I couldn''t help but shiver in delight. I don''t even seem to mind that the scent of that fox caresses my nose as I rub my face against the ever familiar sensation of a warm hand.

    The cloth in my ears was removed, and I could hear a familiar, giggling voice, as I cherished this moment. An eternity of nothingness¡ªsurely I have never experienced anything so frightening! For it to be over...

    "I have food," a soft voice whispered into my ear. "Would you like some?"

    I was hesitant. Wait, wasn''t this person my enemy?

    No, he was merely defending himself, isn''t that right?

    If he intended to kill me, he wouldn''t just poison me.

    But how do I answer...?

    I decided, to timidly nod my head up at the first voice I heard in so long.

    After all, I had a hunger that, though not very great, felt massive compared to the "nothing" that I felt before.

    Just like before, my gag was removed. However I seemed to forget to close my mouth. Actually, it seemed like my body movements over all was sluggish. I haven''t controlled myself for ages after all. As a hand held up my chin, I was slowly fed the same soup from before¡ªyet it somehow tasted amazing luxurious than before. I wanted more as I greedily swallowed the soup and hung my mouth open for more.

    "Aww, quite an adorable pet," a voice rang out in amusement, but I cared little for that. I was hungry, and this commoner soup felt like the greatest thing there ever was.

    However, after only 10 spoonfuls, no more came.

    "That''s enough for now." the soft voice said.

    But I could smell there was more. Surely... surely they would not starve me further, right?

    "P-please," I tried to say, but found that I slurred over my words, after months of not being able to talk. "I don''t want to be alone again," I begged.

    That darkness, that loneliness. How could I experience it again?

    Even if I was to be blind forever, thatexperience was not something I wanted to have again.

    However, as a hand came up to my ear, and began to lightly scratch it, I heard his ever soft whisper cheerfully say, "Don''t worry, I''ll be back tomorrow. Just be a good girl, ok?"

    I could do nothing more but nod.

    I had no right to refuse.

    <hr />

    Author Notes:

    So this chapter provides some insight into Sentra herself, and also some clues regarding Kitsune.

    It''s not too difficult to figure out exactly what happened to Sentra, and honestly I kinda feel lazy for going this route, but at the same time it sort of just fits with the story.

    Don''t have much else to say. I''ve actually slowed down in writing chapters a few days ago, and at this rate the daily dose chapters might stop, thus sending my poor readers into a state of withdrawal. I might take a short break at that point, and just write up more chapters though.

    On a related note, I''m thinking of getting a donation link (after I reach the 50k word requirement), seeing how broke I am, like all the time. It probably won''t affect my schedule much, beyond maybe some motivation. Think I''ll end up commissioning an artist if I get enough though. That''s assuming my shitty story has enough people willing to throw away their money for me.

    Anyways, as always Feedback and Suggestions are appreciated and encouraged.

    If you like/hate this story, please leave a review, and maybe senpai will notice you. (He probably won''t)

 Chapter 024

    Aniel''s group departed without a goodbye, and then moved on as planned.

    That girl, whose name I learned was Lisya, also went with them after some convincing.

    She learned pretty easily what I truly wanted from her, but she decided to go along with it with some persuasion.

    Aniel was by no means dense, and seemed at least aware of the princess''s feelings, while Lisya herself had managed to bottle up everything.

    So I told her to actively approach him.

    He''s a stiff guy, and I''m guessing that not much changed from his past life, despite his memory loss. I mean, people still write diaries? I know he called it a Journal, but if it''s something he wrote to detail his day, that was definitely a diary.

    Keeping his serious attitude in mind, he''ll probably resist her during the trip, but I convinced her that there are two reasons why she should aggressively throw herself at him now instead of later.

    ¡ªFirst of all, once everything has settled down, and and Aniel is more open to forming a more intimate relationship, it will already be too late. He''ll likely be swamped by suitors if everything goes according to plan, as he''ll be recognized as some sort of war hero. Heck, he might even jump up in noble rank by quite a lot, and thus have the right to become Aire''s consort.

    ¡ªSecond and probably most sever; that boy doesn''t seem like the type who knows how to unwind. Or if he does, he refuses to do so. He may have had the wisdom of an adult, but he still had the body of a child, and he could only take so much stress. If Aire ends up trying to compete, even if the ensuing drama is funny, it would be better if she agrees to share.

    I honestly can''t see a single appealing thing about that boy beyond his face, but I guess people can''t help who they like.

    Well it''s fine; I expect to be rewarded generously for this when I meet up with Aniel. Even if it causes him quite a bit of distress at first.

    That said, I got something valuable out of that exchange.

    Information.

    Not from her directly, but as a result of the exchange itself.

    Well... I''ll put that aside, because there''s various conjecture I can come to, but I want to ascertain somethings before I make bad conclusions. For that, I want to finish breaking my pet in, and get answers out of her.

    First, I decided to go feed her for the first time since I captured her the other day.

    There was a cave out in the mountain, that the villagers practically never came through. That''s where I kept my little fox.

    I had nailed some rope to the ceiling of the cave, so I could hang her upside down, but now that I''ve come to check on her, I realize that was a terrible idea. She was filthy, having shat and pissed on herself. It''s not like you can hold it in forever, I guess.

    Well, before anything, I go ahead and get a cage from the Thenri family.

    When I return, I decide to... play a little prank on my toy, gathering up various insects in the area, and placing them at her feet. They were all generally harmless to humans, but I''m sure she can''t know that.

    It seemed to work great as she panicked, squirming for dear life. But, as the insects began to crawl too far down, I splashed a bucket of water onto her, washing away most of the insects, but I went ahead and removed the rest by hand.

    After that, I untied her feet, but stopped time, so that I could gently set her down. It wouldn''t be funny if she busted her head.

    Of course, with her feet freed, she frantically tried to escape. Either by instinct or intuition, she dashed towards the cave exit, but I stopped her in no time at all.

    I took on the careful job of disrobing her, and setting her filthy clothes aside.

    Time stopping powers came in handy here, as it would be difficult to remove this without her struggling.

    After that, I had a bucket of water prepared, and began to wash her by hand.

    Not even a minute had passed before I thought, "What the fuck am I doing?" but figured it was the responsibility of a pet owner to make sure the pet was healthy and clean. I do remember washing down a pet dog I had in my previous life. This isn''t too much different.

    So I took the job seriously, as I made sure she was perfectly clean after such a degrading thing. Well, she probably found this humiliating, which sort of added to the fun.

    With that, I stuck her in a cage, and bound her in a way that she could still move, but in a really restrictive and uncomfortable way.

    After that, I decided to take a look at her face, to make sure she was clean there.

    As I held up her face, I didn''t see anything off.

    Well, she is quite pretty. Though, she''s still not ready.

    I considered the idea of starving her a little longer, however, as though on cue her stomach began to grumble.

    I laughed a bit, but realized people need food and water. I wouldn''t want my pet to die.

    So, I decided to feed her by hand.

    Why by hand? Because I felt she would refuse it any other way, so this seemed necessary.

    Once I was done, I took my things and left.

    Her dirty clothes were burned, but those weren''t really "her clothes" to begin with. They were just something I bought as a spare for her, but I don''t feel like washing them, nor getting her new clothes again.

    Her original clothes were packed away for later.

    From there, I decided to head home to Yenna to talk.

    We had a small chat, before I had the idea to do some tests.

    The two of us actually spent two days on these tests.

    Tests regarding my powers, of course.

    I wanted to see if it was possible to bring someone into my ability.

    The result?

    Absolute nothingness.

    That''s what Yenna described.

    Thinking about it logically, it makes sense.

    For me, my power compensates the fact that my body can''t send me sensory information. It tells me up and down, and lets me feel resistance, so I know where my limbs are, even if the nerves in my limbs can''t send information that fast.

    Best of all, I can see in perfect color, even if there isn''t any light hitting my retina, yet my eye-balls can only send so much data to my brain.

    After all, my bodily processes are still working at their real-time level, despite the fact that I can move at will, without harming myself.

    But most of these benefits are not extended to Yenna.

    As such, slowing time down to half, means that her ability to see is slowed down. On top of everything becoming motion blurry, everything is darker as well.

    Worst of all, she lost responsiveness in her body, as all her senses began to lag behind her mind.

    It was an interesting discovery to say the least.

    If I tried accelerating towards a factor of 50 or 60, we reached a boundary where Yenna could no longer sense anything, except for the occasional random sensation. Many times that, and it''s basically like the mind was completely disconnected from the body.

    Of course, I didn''t want to scare Yenna too badly, so we only did these experiments for a few seconds at a time.

    After various toying, I still couldn''t "will" my ability to work properly on her.

    It''s a bit of a disappointing limitation, meaning that there''s little use in speeding up other people with me. On the other hand, I did learn that I could apply my powers to her, without applying them to myself.

    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    That said, if we break contact, Yenna returned to normal time immediately, no matter what I tried.

    I thought it was strange, considering my power only allows me to "cancle" it, if I apply the same amount of mana to return to normal time, but after a bit of testing, I realized that it takes double the amount of mana it takes for myself, to apply my powers to something else.

    This rule even applies to my clothes, and I never noticed because the mass was so small. It seems to be some kind of assurance so that an object doesn''t become lost in time.

    In the end, the Net mana usage is the same, but for objects that are not my own body, I end up throwing in the "cancellation mana" ahead of time.

    Actually, I sort of wondered WHY my clothes needed to be shifted out of time, if they were still reacting at normal time... Well, I suppose I''ll find out through some testing later.

    So the next day, we did some experiments to see "what counts as contact".

    First off, being in the same medium of fluid (air or water) does not count.

    However, having a solid object with contact between both of us does.

    I though, what about the Earth below my feet? But I quickly realized the issue with that. If I try, it requires me to expand my magic throughout the entire planet, and effect everyone on it.

    I simply don''t have the mana for that.

    I could affect just the ground that connects us, but as soon as either of us lose contact with that bit of earth, then contact is broken.

    Well, we ended up trying various materials, but it seemed like Yenna was getting bored, so we decided to play with the others.

    With Lein''s army taken care of, I no longer had to hide any longer.

    After a few games, and after instigating a fight or two between the kids, I had mother make some soup, which I once again took to my pet.

    Thanks to my time stop ability, the soup remained nice and warm, without a single drop all the way up to the mountain.

    As I reached the cave, I saw my pet laying in her cage, and for a moment I wondered if she was asleep. Well, I couldn''t know with her face covered, but after a moment of watching her, she seemed to shift around, a bit, and I confirmed that she was at least awake. So, setting down the bowl of food, I went over to Sentra''s cage, and touched it. For a moment, I thought, "What am I about to do?"

    It was a purely evil idea, really.

    I knew that humans could not last long in complete isolation. What''s more, being deprived of ones senses was many times worst, as the ultimate form of isolation.

    Practically speaking, Kitsune are just a different kind of human. Or so I concluded.

    I picked a number...

    One-Hundred-Thousand.

    100,000

    That''s not quite a large amount of zeros, but it''s still a big number.

    If I accelerated time by a factor of one-hundred-thousand, then it would take me over two months to experience even one minute.

    Well, this world doesn''t have a concept of a month. So, with about 70 days, that would be 11 weeks, going by the 6 days a week system in this world.

    From the perspective of anyone under my ability''s influence, time may as well have just stopped.

    But it''s enough.

    With that number in mind, I try to extend my power onto the cage, and its contents¡ªSentra the proud yet degraded Fox Spirit.

    And for one minute, I watched.

    It was like watching footage play in fast-forward, as she seemed to panic for the first seconds. But after less than 5 or so seconds, she stopped moving, as she lay on her side. Perhaps I would have thought she was dead, but she was still breathing, so I continued. Still 5 seconds should be... almost 6 days?

    For the next fifty-five seconds, she didn''t move at all. After all, she probably never considered that she actually was moving at all.

    From her perspective, the first few seconds of her flailing around was probably her trying "but failing" to move or feel anything, before giving up. Five days of desperate struggle, but not feeling anything, before eventually giving up.

    Thinking about it, this is kinda cheating, right?

    Something like breaking down the walls of a person''s mind, and building them back up¡ªthat''s something that should take days, weeks, maybe even years.

    But I''m not that patient.

    It''s the reason I don''t bother training my body despite the pain. Long-term goals are nice, and I have some myself, but I much prefer instant gratification, if it suits me.

    Once the Sixty long seconds were over, I canceled the use of my power.

    She almost immediately reacted, as her ears perked up, and she turned her head about. I couldn''t directly see her ears due to the cloth bag on her head, but I could see the indentations in the cloth move. As she became aware that her senses had returned, and that her body was once again hers, she huddled up, as if to feel her own warmth. As I opened the cage, her ears twitched, as she looked over in my direction.

    Of course, being deprived of all senses, I''m sure she''s over sensitive to stimuli at this point.

    As I removed the cloth from her head and pull out the cloth I stuffed into her large ears, I cup her face like a child, as I usually do.

    I wasn''t sure what to expect, but she was delighted, as she seemed to rub her face against my hands, experiencing the first bit of warmth she''s felt in months. It was amusing, watching her act like this, and I couldn''t help but let out a giggle.

    She was likely quite alone in all this time, even if for me it was only one minute.

    I then remembered I had a bowl of soup, so I whispered into my pet''s ears,

    "I have food. Would you like some?"

    As expected, after only a moment of hesitation, she nodded.

    Thus, I ungagged her, and she left her mouth open, expectantly.

    So I once again fed her by hand.

    Unlike before, she didn''t struggle, and instead was quite docile, taking the spoon, and savoring every second of it, before I pulled away.

    Still, she held her mouth open, as if expecting more.

    After commenting diminutively about how adorable she looked, I continued to feed her, one spoonful at a time.

    However, as I came to my 10th spoon, I thought, it would be better if I hold off. I didn''t want to spoil her so early, and it was better to make her dependent on me.

    So, I stopped.

    She didn''t quite like that, as she began to beg me not to leave her alone, but...

    "Don''t worry, I''ll be back tomorrow," I said, giving her a pat on the head.

    And just for good measure, "Just be a good girl, ok?"

    <hr />

    Author Notes:

    So, this chapter actually starts off where Chapter 22 left off on, and then covers Toya''s perspective of Chapter 23. It also explains exactly what happened, and also gives some insight into how Toya''s powers seem to work. Not much else to say about this chapter.

    On another notes, decided to change my workflow. Instead of writing my chapters into an HTML document, I''m using Markdown for its simplicity, so I can convert it to HTML and BBCode easily, without worrying too much about formatting. Not that it''ll affect you guys.

    As per usual, Feedback and Suggestions are appreciated and encouraged!

    If you like/hate this story, leave a review and let me know how awesome/shitty my story is!

 Chapter 025

    My routine had returned to normal, once Lein''s camp was crushed.

    I''m certain that by now, Aniel''s group already crushed the incoming reinforcements as well, and are proceeding deeper into Senilea.

    Well, their problems aren''t really mine anymore, but the village does wonder what happened to the soldiers that suddenly vanished.

    With them gone, I go back to sleeping in my adoptive mother''s house, and occasionally being glomped by my sister, when I''m not being attentive.

    Playing openly with the other kids has also returned to being a common sight, and I''ve gone back to regularly strolling through the village.

    Well, the village chief at one point asked me what it was that Lein was after in this village, and I figured being honest couldn''t hurt at this point.

    "It was Princess Aire. She asked for protection, before heading back to find her father," I informed.

    Needless to say, he was shocked, but he seemed to understand, and promised not to tell anyone.

    As for my pet, I''ve been coming by to give her food regularly every day, as promised. Each day, I''d slowly increase how much she was allowed to eat, before leaving.

    In this way, I have shown her the worst possible hell for her, while also showing her that I could be kind to her if I wish to be.

    Actually, it''s about time I usually go feed her, but...

    "Toya, where are you going?" I was stopped by my sister Yenna.

    "I''m going to go feed my new pet?" I answered with a head tilt.

    "A pet?"

    "Yeah. It attacked me, but I decided to tame it, and now it''s my pet."

    "Show me!" She demanded, seemingly delighted by the idea of a "pet".

    I actually haven''t shown Sentra to Yenna. I at first thought to let her become a punching bag, so I held her upside down. However, I decided to go a different route all together.

    "Well, in that case, let me pick something up from Ellen''s place," I said.

    I thought about just going to feed her today, but I suppose it won''t be a bad idea to let her stretch her legs a bit, a test her current state.

    ¡ªAnd like that, we headed to Ellen''s.

    Yenna has actually come by Ellen''s a few times to have yukata''s made for her, ever since meeting with the Princess. It seems that she roped mother into buying her some dresses, and has since switched over to using them. Well, I think she looks lovely in most of the clothes she already has, so I have no problem with her copying me. In fact, I''m sort of delighted.

    "Ellen~" I called out, as I took a knock at her door.

    I only had to wait a moment before the door was wide open, and I was greeted by a familiar smiling face.

    "Toya! Have you come to play with little Linna?" She asked. Linna was her daughter, which I sometimes played with, considering Ellen was the first person whose marriage I "blessed", effectively making Linna''s birth in some indirect way my responsibility. Right? I may be pushing it though. Still, cute babies are cute.

    "No, I''m sorry. I actually wanted to pick up that dress I asked of you," I said with a smile.

    "Oh, alright," She said with a bit of disappointment, as she headed inside, and quickly brought back a folded black dress. It wasn''t made out of anything expensive, though the dyes used to make it were probably a bit much.

    "Thank you. I''ll come by for Linna later," I cheerfully said, as I handed the dress over to Yenna to carry.

    She gracefully accepted the luggage, and the two of us got going.

    <hr />

    For most of the journey, Yenna kept her mouth shut, showing quite a lot of patience, unusual for someone her age. However, after an hour of walking through the woods, and hiking over hills, it seemed Yenna''s patience had reached a limit, and she couldn''t help but ask.

    "Why so far?"

    "Because I didn''t want people to find it," I said.

    "Who''s this dress for?" She could clearly tell it was too large for her or me.

    "My pet," I said simply.

    "... Is your pet a person?" She asked with a frown.

    "Something like that," I said with a short laugh. "They tried to attack me, so they can find the princess and kill her, so I beat her up, and made her into my pet," I explained.

    "Doesn''t that mean she''s like a prisoner? Or a slave?" She asked, tilting her head.

    "But I like pet better," I said. She didn''t retort that, but she didn''t seem as excited as before anymore. I guess she doesn''t like my semantics game.

    Well, that''s fine.

    "Hey, I''m gonna go kill that boar over there. I forgot to bring food this time," I said, as I pointed over at a wild boar that had yet to notice our presence.

    I merely stopped time, and without the small pig even realizing I existed, I stabbed through its eye, and into its brain, while simultaneously slashing at its throat.

    It wasn''t very large or anything, but it could probably feed a small family for a few days.

    "Think you can carry this?" I called out to Yenna as I returned to normal time.

    Running over to me, she nodded as she looked down at the dead boar, and handed me the dress.

    If she was much older, holding a boar like that probably wouldn''t be so weird. But...

    Well, to put things simply, I''ve asked Uncle Jenn to train her. I did try teaching her how to fight a bit, but I wasn''t of much help. So I asked Jenn, an experienced soldier about it.

    It seems he was amazed by how easily she wielded her life force, and decided to teach her himself.

    I asked that he keep it secret of course, but he said that Yenna is some sort of genius. It would honestly be best if she were to join the military, and marry into a military family, but I told him my intention to keep her. He did seem troubled for a bit, saying it would probably stifle her growth, but I let him know that I''ll let her gain some real experience.

    Still, that was just a week ago, so she hasn''t had much time to train. Jenn gave her pointers on how to "control" her Ki, but it seems to be completely natural to her.

    That said, despite being a genius she has trouble using weapons. She can''t extend her spirit into them, and they often just end up breaking in her hands. So Jenn plans to teach her exclusively to fight with her bare hands, if it turns out she has no ability to use weapons.

    She''s effectively going to become a brawler, and with that she''ll become several times more scary.

    What I find amazing though, is that Jenn can fight her pretty well.

    It made me wonder if Jenn could take on Aniel if he was serious.

    Putting those thoughts aside, we continued onward, until we reached the mountain, and hiked up to the cave.

    Once we reached the cave, I decided to set down a piece of cloth, and then set the folded yukata on top of it, as well as a towel.

    "Can you prepare the boar outside," I told Yenna, who nodded. It''s convenient having her around, seeing as I didn''t want to bother with cooking right now.

    Sentra could already hear me, as she perked her head up, with excited ears, and some of her long flowing tails also showed excitement.

    Of course, because it was time to eat, right? Could she smell the boar, I wonder?

    As I opened her cage, I went ahead and let her out, lightly tugging on her hair so that she''d crawl out on her own accord. I no longer had her ears stuffed, or the bag over her head, so she could easily smell and hear now. On top of that, just the other day, I decided to stop gagging her.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    "A-are we going somewhere?" the timid girl asked. Of course, I''ve never really gotten her out of her cage until now.

    "You''re going to wash yourself," I said, as I went about unbinding her legs and arms. As I expected, she was much too docile at this point to escape. The absolute loneliness was probably the biggest factor, but giving her some good food to eat after, probably helps. She already understands there is no use trying to escape now.

    However, once her legs were free she merely stumbled over, as if she didn''t know how to use them. Of course, for the last week or so, she had been crawling on her knees alone, and she also spent "over two months" immobile, so it''s possible she has almost forgotten what it''s like to move her muscles.

    I also ended up removing the cloth that held her fingers together, and from being able to move.

    All of this seemed to surprise Sentra, as she began to touch her nude form for the first time in a long time. She had an amazed expression on, as she touched up her legs, and even touched her fingers.

    However I noticed that she seemed very clumsy with her movements, and wasn''t quite coordinated. Well, I guess two months of sense deprivation is bound to cause some damage to her psyche. Will she need to relearn to fight..?

    ¡ª"My... fingers are fine?" She asked, amazed. Ah, come to think of it, she probably didn''t know I healed her, huh?

    However, as she moved her legs a bit, while sitting there on the floor, it also looked like she was massaging them after they had fallen asleep for so longer.

    "Here''s a rag, and a bucket of water," I said, setting the bucket down beside her, and giving her a couple sets of rags. "I''m going to go prepare some food," I said to her.

    She nodded excitedly, as she seemed happy by the new-found freedom of her limbs. Of course, Yenna was preparing the food; I was merely watching Sentra clean herself down, and Yenna outside prepare the boar. It seems she brought back some firewood, and started a fire just outside the cave.

    Thinking about it, I basically had Yenna cook without even basic tools. Well, I have a couple knives on me, so I end up lending one to Yenna. It''s not much, but it''s something. Should make her job easier.

    Still, Yenna''s not that experienced with this, so I have to wonder if I''m pushing her, and I want to ask, but she has quite the determined expression. I''m actually scared I might insult her if I ask if this is fine for her.

    Well, I guess building up her experiences like this is fine.

    As I look over at Sentra, it seems she had washed down most of her body with quite a bit of effort, and as she began washing her face, her blind-fold ended up coming off.

    I forgot to remove that, huh?

    I didn''t think much more than that, however she seemed to gasp in shock.

    As her eyes were suddenly filled with dim light, she squinted in surprise, as she looked about.

    "W-what? My.. my eyes?" She couldn''t believe it.

    "I had them healed," I said, as she looked at me for the first time.

    Aniel didn''t quite perfect his healing magic. It worked on most types of cells¡ªespecially those that already regenerate well enough¡ªand he could at least restore the structure of most tissue. However, that was enough for the level of damage done to her eyes. I did end up cutting into them a bit with my nails, but it''s not like I damaged her retina much, and it''s possibly she would have recovered on her own anyways. Though, I don''t know how long that would have taken.

    A family member in my past life once had a piece of metal shot into his eyes, and he was able to see quite well after a bit of treatment, and a few weeks of recovery. It wasn''t too much of a shock that scratching her eyes could be healed.

    "I... can see..." She said, looking at her hands. Her voice seemed to crack as she sent me a questioning look, "Why would you?" She couldn''t believe that I would go out of my way to heal her like this. Of course, she probably also didn''t realize the potential that she may have healed on her own regardless. Though, I guess that''s not guaranteed without medical treatment, huh?

    "I said it before, didn''t I? You''re my pet from now on," I said.

    When I gouged her eyes, it was purely to keep her from using her light bolts, or reading my mind.

    To be honest, I knew Aniel had a variety of magic, and even observed him using healing magic on abrasions and minor wounds, but I had no reason to assume he had magic with such powerful restorative abilities. I ascertained that he could heal something like scratches and such, so I thought fixing her mangled fingers would be possible. Her eyes were just a possibility. Of course, there is the problem with conservation of mass, so trying to restore a limb would either need the limb to be reattached, or somehow a way to convert matter into flesh. At least according to Aniel.

    I can''t imagine how the magic works, but I''m amazed Aniel could create something like that. Couldn''t Aniel basically be some kind of great healer?

    Well, it''s better not to dwell.

    Before I knew it, Sentra was crying. Well, I could back off, and let her cry her eyes out, but I decided to sit beside her, and scratch behind her ears.

    What''s that?

    Aren''t I bothered sitting so closely to a naked woman?

    What do you think I am? Some 12 year-old sleazy teenager who can''t control his impulses?

    Oh wait...

    I''m an 11 year-old sleazy teenager, in this life, huh? Well, I can still control my impulses. Most of them, anyways.

    Putting that aside, she eventually calmed down, though I wasn''t quite sure what she was crying for to begin with. As she turned her eyes towards me, I saw neither hate nor fear. Instead, it was uncertainty.

    As I gave a bright smile, I pulled myself up, and walked over to where I placed her knew clothes.

    "Then, Sentra the Fox Spirit, pledge yourself to me, and I will ensure you are never alone again," I said, as I passed her the dress.

    She easily caught it, as she looked down at the folded yukata, before looking back up at me.

    "Do you agree to my terms?"

    As she brought the dress close to her chest, she nodded her head with a soft "Yes."

    Of course she said yes. She had little other choice, all things considered. I had grasped at her weakness, and shown my power over her.

    Her response was expected.

    However, what was most unexpected about that, was the phenomena which took place immediately following her submission.

    As I felt a strange tingling crawl down my spine, and up my tail, I shot a look at my lone tail, and...

    ... It split in two.

    Immediately following that, I was hit by a truck called Yenna.

    <hr />

    Author Notes:

    Look look! Another tail!

    Anyways, as of about a week ago, I stopped writing chapters for the story, and we''ve now caught up to everything I wrote. I''ll probably spend a few days getting my motivation back to write a few more chapters, and decide where to take the story from here. I''m pretty open in this regard, so if anyone has ideas, fire away!

    As always, Feedback and Suggestions are appreciated and encouraged.

    If you like this story, or maybe hate it with a passion, please read a review and give me attention.

 Chapter 026

    My growth spurt should be anytime now.

    That¡¯s what I told myself to preserve my ego.

    It¡¯s really distressing being so small, when in my past life I was rather tall.

    I¡¯ve grown up a bit in the last couple of years, but my height just barely hovers around 5 feet or so.

    Well, that¡¯s an estimation I had to get myself, of course. The measurements used in this world aren¡¯t quite those from my old world. Countries in the Azurian influence seem to use a system that is close to the metric system in theory, but the exact dimensions are still off, and living in this remote village I don¡¯t really have access to the required education.

    So I approximate using my knowledge of the imperial system.

    Well it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m sure I¡¯m not THAT small for a 14 year-old.

    Look, I¡¯ve grown two inches in the last few years! Almost...

    ¡­

    Well, since reincarnating into this life, everything has mostly gone smoothly. There are the occasional hiccups, but nothing¡¯s really killed my endless cheer yet.

    Things have been rather peaceful in Ohen Village, with some interesting stuff thrown in here any there.

    Yenna has a little brother now. It was inevitable considering the family needed an heir, and Yenna wouldn¡¯t do. I wasn¡¯t surprised to find out that they¡¯ve been trying for several years, but it¡¯s surprising it took so long.

    Anyways, his name is Forno, named after one of the moons. Specifically, it¡¯s the moon that takes the longest to finish its cycle. Not sure if that was intentional or not.

    On that note, I say ¡°Yenna¡¯s brother¡±, because I no longer live in that household.

    I¡¯ll be honest, I wasn¡¯t too terribly attached to the house. While I care for my adoptive mother greatly, our relationship seems rather awkward looking at it from the outside. She basically provided me with shelter and food, and left me to my own devices. That was a great help to me, but that¡¯s hardly how you take care of children, and I think she was too hesitant to really form a serious relationship with what is essentially a demi-god.

    My adoptive father was similar, being reluctant to interact with me in any way.

    There were times I thought he may have been up to something nefarious, but it all seemed to be nothing to worry about in the end.

    At the start, he seemed to fear me as some sort of omen, but as I developed into a feminine figure, I think he came to the conclusion that male Fox Spirits just happen to also look like women, so people writing stories could never tell.

    Sentra seems to reject this notion. I¡¯ll get to that later though.

    That said, I¡¯ve also left because I¡¯m something of a hinderance.

    They won¡¯t say that about me, sure, but by my age I should already begin learning about whatever profession I intend to take on.

    Not that they expect me to take on any such job. As far as humans are concerned, Fox Spirits are free-spirited beings that do as they like.

    My situation is weird, and the difficulty is probably reinforced by the fact I maintained my memories in this life.

    My surroundings don¡¯t quite know what Fox Spirits even do. And neither do I. Well, I could just do as they expect, and laze about...

    If I was simply born into this world without even the slightest memory of my old self, then it¡¯s likely I would have merely chosen to bask in the praise and worship of my surroundings.

    ¡ªAt least that¡¯s what I would try to do for a few years, until the influx of emotions built up to the point that I couldn¡¯t handle it, and decided to live outside the village, or in the worst case scenario, potentially kill them all to end the screams, only to learn even that doesn¡¯t help.

    After all, the so-called ¡°Divine Heart¡± is a dreadful trait of Kitsune.

    Sentra explained the details to me a few years ago.

    <hr />

    ¡°It¡¯s a bond. A chain that ties the souls of others to yourself,¡± She explained. ¡°A few other races have a Divine Heart as well, but the conditions and effects vary.¡±

    It seemed simple enough to grasp.

    It explained the strange feelings that poured into me from other people, and how I could grasp the location of all of my friends and acquaintances.

    However¡­

    ¡°Have you ever wondered why Fox Spirits tend to be loners?¡± She asked me 3 years ago.

    ¡°Is it cause you¡¯re shy?¡±

    I honestly didn¡¯t know the answer. It occurred to me there should be a reason, and I figured it was something like just being a natural recluse. But then, I never had such tendencies, did I?

    In fact, bizarrely enough my reclusive nature from my past life seems to have been replaced by my very playful and active nature in this life.

    It seems to be some brain chemistry at work, but it wouldn¡¯t explain why Kitsune are always alone, away from any civilization.

    On top of that, I¡¯m pretty sure Foxes were pack animals, yet I¡¯ve never heard of Fox spirits forming any sort of communities, and Sentra says that she has only ever met a handful of other Kitsune.

    ¡°It¡¯s because of the Divine Heart. We have no control over it, and it often becomes unbearable to ignore the emotions in people,¡± She said, as she looked down at her fidgeting fingers.

    ¡°The conditions that bind others to us is vague, and done without our own consent.¡±

    ¡ªImagine experiencing both the excitement and glee from a crazed murderer, and the terror from their victim.

    ¡ªAnd if you try to punish the murderer, you can even feel his own fear, and pain.

    That¡¯s quite the scary draw back.

    However, there was a question I felt didn¡¯t need to be asked.

    ¡ªCan¡¯t you just shut out the voices?

    If she could, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem. I can ignore all but the most desperate cries, or listen in on more happy ones to lighten my mood.

    But she couldn¡¯t, right?

    And going by what she¡¯s said, it doesn¡¯t seem other Kitsune can either.

    So then, what makes me special?

    After all, I should have been flooded with various emotions by now, and yet I¡¯ve only really become aware of this strange ability when the anxiety of the whole village reached a peak.

    Once I realized they exist, I became able to peek at specific bonds, and see the conditions of individuals.

    But it seems that¡¯s a bit abnormal.

    Not so much that I could isolate specific bonds, but the fact that I could block out others.

    Is it a result of my reincarnation? I¡¯ve theorized this before, but my rebirth has had quite a few side-effects.

    Or maybe it has to do with my gender? After all, there is no known instance of a male Kitsune before me. Something like a difference in hormones or genetics could have subdued the emotions I perceive through my ability.

    Well, to prove either of these, I would need more people who reincarnated as Kitsune.

    Well, I could probably prove, or at least gather evidence for the first one, if I find reincarnators who have mental abilities that act different from those of their race.

    Unfortunately, identifying reincarnators is close to impossible. I was lucky with Aniel, as he happened to speak the same language, and share at least one hobby that he was ingrained enough in, to understand a reference.

    What if Aniel didn¡¯t speak English?

    What if he didn¡¯t watch anime?

    What if he wasn¡¯t from the same Earth as myself?

    Well, someone will come along eventually. Fox Spirits are a long-lived race, after all.

    Putting that aside, Sentra also explained one last crucial detail

    ¡ª¡±The requirement for Fox Spirits to obtain more tails, is to pass a certain threshold of bonds through your Divine Heart.¡±

    By some sheer coincidence, Sentra¡¯s submission to me formed the final bond I required to trigger my second tail¡¯s manifestation.

    But I suppose that would explain why Fox Spirits are not completely hidden from the world.

    <hr />

    ¡°So how are the shrubs doing?¡± I asked, checking up on my adorable little pet.

    ¡°They¡¯re doing well. This batch over here looks ready, so I¡¯m harvesting the leaves.¡±

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡ªI realized that the best way to take care of plants, was to have someone with plant-related abilities care for them.

    It seems that Sentra¡¯s plant magic has various utility, and even grants her an innate understanding of most plant-life. Of course, things like fungi and algae seem to be outside of her reach, as they aren¡¯t really plants.

    So I had her cultivate those plants I found for use as tea.

    With how obedient she has become, she quickly accepted the task, and I¡¯m on my way towards mass-producing them.

    I¡¯ve questioned why I would bother with something like a business endeavor, but you know¡ªeven so-called Spirits need money.

    That said, the village seems to have taken a liking to the ¡°tea¡± I¡¯ve introduced, and I¡¯ve also reached out to the other nearby villages.

    Well, Ohen village is pretty remote, so the nearest villages take quite a while to reach.

    So when I say I ¡°reached out¡± to them, I actually mean that I sent Sentra to be my representative.

    What? Two days of walking is far, and even using my time-stop ability, I¡¯ll tire myself out by the end. Sentra can use her powers as a mode of transportation, by carrying herself across the forest. I¡¯m allowed to use my followers for convenience, aren¡¯t I?

    Actually, when it comes to Sentra, it took several weeks to reteach her how to walk, and fight again¡ªit¡¯s not like you spend two months in a vegetative and can just get up without issue.

    In that time, I didn¡¯t waste a single moment conditioning her to obey me. I was her only support in that time, and the only person she was made to acknowledge. Of course, I also let Yenna glomp her a few times, to let her know that she is even below Yenna. A sort of loose hierarchy with no real meaning.

    She has become docile and obedient enough to trust with quite a few things. In fact, I even gave her a test to measure her loyalty, and she seems willing to protect my life.

    On top of that, it doesn¡¯t seem that she reads my mind, unless I explicitly order her to.

    Our bond at least allows me to see hints at what her thoughts might relate to, so I¡¯ve some confidence in this. It¡¯s not at the level of being able to read her mind, but it¡¯s adequate for seeing through a person¡¯s acting.

    ¡ªSo this is Stockholm Syndrome huh?

    A complete dependence on your captor.

    To the point that you identify with them, and form a bond with them.

    Even if I didn¡¯t violate her physically, you could equate this to a more personal violation of her being.

    Scary stuff.

    That said, she¡¯s unstable.

    Figures. I did ¡°break her¡± with a very horrifying trauma.

    She already had issue with being left alone, but now she¡¯s absolutely terrified of being alone, and sometimes he seems to freak out in the dark.

    She might easily break at some point in the future if we become separated for any significant amount of time. I can send her off to a nearby village, because she has the capability to go to and from, in a few hours with the help of her plants.

    However, she¡¯s unable to sleep alone, and becomes anxious when either me or Yenna aren¡¯t around for long.

    It¡¯s another part of the reason I decided to move out, as her building anxiety and fear would even prevent me from sleeping.

    Given enough time, I think she¡¯ll recover some confidence as she heals, and I¡¯m fine with her gaining some independence.

    As long as she remains beside me, anyways.

    ¡°Hmm, after this, go practice with Yenna,¡± I ordered her, as I pet her head. She didn¡¯t answer immediately, instead calmly accepting my petting, with lowered ears.

    But after a short pause, she nodded her head, ¡°I¡¯ll be done soon,¡± she said.

    ¡°Great. Princess Aire sent a letter. We¡¯re going to be a bit busy soon,¡± I said, patting her on the back, as I got up and walked away.

    After Princess Aire met with her father, she began sending me messages¡ªAniel developed a method to send me mail extremely quickly.

    The exact details are.. complicated yet simple. It hurts my head thinking about it though.

    It¡¯s basically some coordinated launch of an envelop, guided by magic. The fact something like that could be created without GPS or an accurate map just hurts my head thinking about the math involved.

    The contents of the latest letter is a different kind of complicated.

    Basically, Lein is receiving significant push back from the nation known as Arnne. It¡¯s a nation from further west, that¡¯s decided to crush Lein, and is rallying up the nations that are discontent with Lein¡¯s occupation.

    Of course, this is hardly a black and white scenario. Countries aren¡¯t inherently evil and their rulers are often just trying to obtain as many benefits as possible¡ªwhether for themselves or their people.

    The Spirit Lein has a significant force behind him, being a creature with the power to tame any beast. Many of those beasts are monster which had once infested the country he lives in, and now he operates them as an army.

    Arnne was able to repel Lein¡¯s quick Dragon Rider assault, and has decided to retaliate.

    Many of the Kingdoms unhappy with Lein¡¯s occupation have decided to join forces for the moment, but it¡¯s likely that the end result will come out with Arnne merely replacing Lein, so as a result there are also a number of Kingdoms that have decided not to cooperate¡ªthe end result is the same no matter which nation wins.

    Objectively speaking, I can¡¯t see an issue with merely being someone else¡¯s vassal, but I suppose neither of these two super nations care about the people in the countries they are about to fight over.

    It reminds me of how the superpowers in my old world fought over smaller countries, rarely caring about the people within them.

    Of course, here the issue is much worse, with the limited means of communication. Even if Arnne or Lein cared about the people they are stepping over, it¡¯s not as though they can hear their voices from so far away.

    Ultimately, whichever Empire comes out on top, the rulers of the smaller Kingdoms gain little benefit, and many will even be replaced.

    Putting all that into consideration, the Royal Family of Senilea does not plan to submit to either force.

    Of course not. They have Aniel on their side, and with that, the potential to become another super-power.

    Well, looking at the current situation, I can¡¯t tell if I would get along with Aire¡¯s father, or if I would want to punch him in the face.

    I personally don¡¯t give a shit about politics or the squabbles countries are having.

    But I guess it was all my decision to cooperate, so why not?

    <hr />

    Author Notes:

    So I realized I wasn''t going to write anything, if I didn''t have a due date. Giving myself lax due dates has never been a good idea, and I think I''m more productive under pressure.

    So here I am with Chapter 26, to push me along in my writing. I''ll post Chapter 27 Tuesday, and from there we''ll see if I can continue my daily chapters.

    So last chapter, a lot of people made suggestions about Toya''s second tail. I probably should have said that I already had something in mind, but I will say that many of the ideas were interesting, and almost made me reconsider. But for now, I''m keeping the second tail''s ability a secret, until we get to that point in the story. The ability may surprise you, but I feel you''ll agree that it''s fitting for Toya.

    On another note, I decided to get a donation button for this story, because I''m a greedy degenerate.

    I''m using Patreon, because why not? So if you have money to waste on a degenerate like myself, become a Patron by clicking the button below. For every $2, I will post 0 extra chapters!

    Or don''t. I''ll survive either way (though I''ll probably cry myself to sleep every night as a result)

    So as always, Feedback and Suggestions are appreciated and encouraged!

    If you like, or even hate this story, please leave a review to let me know how much I suck.

 Chapter 027

    Let¡¯s say you knew a child.

    She¡¯s adorable, and cute, and you want to take her home.

    However, as she¡¯s grown up, you realize she¡¯s become a little trouble maker, and it¡¯s probably your fault somehow.

    She bullies the other kids her age, and is surprisingly aggressive.

    She¡¯s taken on the habit of playing pranks, and likes to be a tease.

    Worst of all is her tendency to punish the biggest kid, simply for being bigger than her.

    This is Linna; the adorable oldest daughter of Ellen the seamstress.

    At five years old, she has two younger twin siblings, a brother and sister, born just two years ago. Even though I¡¯ve played with the twins plenty, I¡¯ve played with Linna for much longer.

    Her trying to imitate Yenna¡¯s and my personality is fine.

    It¡¯s a bother to the other parents, but I don¡¯t really mind it. She¡¯s cute.

    So Ellen has asked me if I could take care of her occasionally. I question her leaving Linna was such a bad influence, but it doesn¡¯t seem she sees it like that.

    That said, I¡¯m glad that our relationship is casual enough that she doesn¡¯t feel bad about having me babysit, just because I¡¯m some kind of Divine Spirit or something.

    Senilea is a country that especially looks highly on Fox Spirits, due to some long history with them. Saying that a Fox Spirit is no different from nobility or even royalty wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration.

    Me? I¡¯m not royalty material.

    I mean, I wouldn¡¯t mind being pampered and all, but the attention and expectations are overbearing.

    I¡¯m content with just being a local guardian, I guess.

    ¡°Toya!¡± Linna shouted, as she jumped at me.

    ¡°Hey, little Lin, what¡¯s up?¡± I asked her casually, as I pat her head.

    ¡°I¡¯m not little!¡± She asserted with a pout as I rolled my eyes.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with being little, you know?¡± I said with my eyebrows raise. I wanted to say something along the lines of, I even like smaller girls, too, but I held my tongue.

    I didn¡¯t want her to go around beating on the girls that were smaller than her too.

    So I merely picked her up, and pulled her onto my shoulders.

    ¡°If you weren¡¯t little, I wouldn¡¯t be able to hold you like this,¡± I told her, as she laughed. Of course, it took all my strength to maintain her on my shoulders.

    It¡¯s really sad, considering I use to do this all the time with my little brothers and cousins without a sweat, and now I can barely stand.

    ¡ªOr so I thought.

    A sharp screech resounded in my ears as I ended up falling down face-first into the dirt, and Linna¡¯s butt roughly popped my back. She somehow managed to not hit her head, and instead was perfectly fine, sitting on my back.

    Linna¡¯s cry quickly turned into a laugh as she got off of my back, and urged me to get up.

    ¡°Again! Again!¡± She said with a smile.

    As I pulled myself up, I began patting down the dirt off me, as I smiled down at Lin.

    ¡°How about later,¡± I said with a sigh. ¡°For now, how about I take you to see something fun?¡±

    Ellen likes for me to take care of this brat, so I thought taking her along my day was fine.

    ¡°Alright!¡± She cheered as she excitedly jumped in the air.

    So I took her to watch the spar between Sentra and Yenna.

    <hr />

    Lin sat on my lap, as the two of us looked down from the top of a large tree. My bare feet swung freely over the edge of the thick branch, while Lin excitedly watched on.

    Sentra and Yenna had already began their sparring match before I arrived, and it was clear that Sentra had the overwhelming advantage.

    Plants flew about, lashing at Yenna no matter how she tried to avoid, while white missiles of light attacked at her openings.

    Yenna had developed quite a lot of strength in the last three years. She still can¡¯t beat Uncle Jenn in a head-on fight, so I figured having her fight an opponent higher than even him, could be a good idea.

    For several months after Sentra¡¯s awakening, I had her train her mind back up, and retrain her powers.

    Due to my assault on her mind, she had trouble using her powers, and needed to be rehabilitated. Seeing as she already ¡°knew¡± how to fight and use her powers, it didn¡¯t take too long for her to reach the level she was at before our fight.

    It was just a matter of getting her back on her feet.

    Yenna on the other hand never had any semblance of combat experience, so she has to be taught from scratch.

    From Jenn she learns technique and skill, and with Sentra she¡¯s learning application.

    That was my plan.

    However, perhaps Sentra is too high a bar?

    Humans don¡¯t have a reasonable way to fight against such powerful long-distance attacks.

    That said, Yenna is fast. Inhumanely so.

    In these three years she¡¯s trained with Jenn Karmiish, she has learned to enhance her own body¡¯s power with her own force of will¡ªthe magical ability which humans have come to call soul force, or ki.

    She has little to no talent when it comes to expanding this force unto weapons, however she still manages to wield it so freely.

    Thus, she¡¯s been taught exclusively how to reinforce her durability, and amplify her strength by many times over.

    With every explosive kick, she sends her body flying like a rocket.

    Sentra¡¯s Light Bolts barely have an effect on her solid defense, and capturing her is near impossible. Even if she catches her, Yenna easily breaks her bindings.

    However, Yenna can¡¯t advance.

    As such, she can¡¯t attack Sentra, who has a vast supply of magical power, against Yenna¡¯s dwindling force.

    With every tail, the capacity of magical power stored within a Kitsune¡¯s body increases.

    I doubt Yenna has even close to half of my own magic power, let alone Sentra¡¯s.

    So she has to fight more strategically, instead of trying to brute-force everything.

    That¡¯s what I want to teach her, but I¡¯m not really a great teacher.

    Perhaps if I got Uncle  Jenn to observe these fights? He might carry some interesting insight.

    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.I¡¯ll consider it.

    Lin excitedly watched, from my lap, as she tried to keep up with Yenna¡¯s insane speed.

    I¡¯m worried about this brat trying to take up after her, but if I keep my eye on her, it should be fine.

    Besides, Ellen is already teaching her tailoring and stuff, or whatever it is she teaches her. I hope she loses that bullying habit.

    As I¡¯m thinking that, Yenna ends up picking up a stone while dodging one of Sentra¡¯s tree branches. As she lands on her feet, Yenna pulls back her hand, and an explosive shock wave passes through me as she launches the rock at Sentra.

    However, a wall of wood is quickly erected before her, and the attack ends with an explosive rumble.

    Wood is torn apart, splinters flying everywhere¡ªbut both sides seem mostly unharmed.

    Three years ago, I don¡¯t think Sentra would have been able to block that.

    Her control over hard wood was always slow and clumsy, so I made her practice control over it. I taught her about cellular biology, and explained the general structure of plants, particularly wood.

    I can¡¯t know how it feels to use her powers, but it seems my knowledge has at least helped her refine the use of her abilities, and control thick trees with very fluid motions.

    However, it looks like that attack took a lot out of Yenna.

    If the rock itself was merely propelled to super-sonic speeds, that would be one thing.

    However, Yenna can¡¯t apply her Ki to other objects, and instead relies on enhancing her own body.

    Thus, she forcefully swung her arm at super high speeds, which would carry a higher cost than just launching a small rock through directly applying the force to it.

    Well, I guess the end result is close to the same.

    But this sort of sparring is quite dangerous, isn¡¯t it?

    I suppose it¡¯s fine, if it¡¯s only Yenna being a bit brash, but it would be bad if Sentra got severely injured by that sort of attack.

    Well, I decided I¡¯d seen enough, so I let out a loud clap, catching both combatant¡¯s attention.

    The two hadn¡¯t noticed mine and Linna¡¯s arrival till just now, but it seems neither of them reacted too surprised. I¡¯ve been popping in and out of their practice like this, for a while now, so they should have gotten accustomed to this.

    ¡°Ok, I think you two have done enough,¡± I say, as I grab hold of a loose branch, and drop from the high tree, gently bringing Lin down with me.

    As I descended, I let my feet land on the sandals I left below, and set down Lin on the ground.

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking next time, I could get Jenn Karmiish, the chief of Ohen Village, to spar you,¡± I said looking over at Sentra. ¡°I figured it could give Yenna a reference to learn from,¡± I added.

    ¡°Understood,¡± Sentra acknowledged my words with a short bow.

    ¡°As for you. Try not to use such a dangerous move during a spar,¡± I said, looking over at Yenna, who avoided eye contact, hoping that it would somehow mean I wasn¡¯t talking to her, if she didn¡¯t see me looking right at her.

    ¡°Or better yet, don¡¯t use it at all.¡±

    ¡°B-but I can¡¯t fight her otherwise,¡± she complained.

    ¡°Then learn to fight her,¡± I scolded. ¡°If you waste all your energy on hopeless attacks, what will you do when you¡¯ve exhausted yourself?¡±

    Even though I said that, I wondered if it was even possible for humans to overcome the distance between them and Greater Spirits.

    Soul Force is a trait shared by most races. However, only humans and fae without combat-related magic really choose to refine their usage of this weapon, because it is the only one they have. Spirits rarely choose to practice its usage, opting for the more powerful magic they are born with.

    Even Fox Spirits like myself have the ability called Soul Force, that I¡¯ve termed ¡°ki¡±. However, with the overwhelming power we gain from our tails, there¡¯s little reason for us to practice it.

    I personally am unable to conjure up very much force.

    I¡¯ve been told that it¡¯s amazing I can conjure up even a bit of Ki without prior training, but it¡¯s disappointing how little of it I can make.

    At best, I think I can manage to irritate someone¡¯s skin, if they¡¯re close enough.

    All that being said, I want Yenna to be prepared, and to understand the difference between what a normal human can do, and what a Spirit is capable of.

    This overwhelming power is exactly why Fox Spirits are regarded as divinities in Senilea, and many other Kingdoms.

    But I want to test the limits of humans in this world, by pushing Yenna to fight what is otherwise deemed an impossible fight.

    Still, it¡¯s quite amazing how durable she is. She received plenty of attacks that could break bones and shatter most well trained men, but she hardly has a scratch.

    So this is the Reinforcement technique Uncle Jenn taught her, huh?

    However, it seems I¡¯ve depressed Yenna.

    With a sigh, I pat her head, and smile at her.

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go rest,¡± I said.

    I can¡¯t be too hard on my cute little sister. I¡¯ll let her play with my tail a bit.

    Just one though.

    <hr />

    Author Notes:

    And... I think I''m gonna be making quite a few calm chapters for a while, even though I''ve hinted at something big coming later on. On top of that, I have no clue if I''ll even be writing consistently with how I am. I ended up pushing this chapter to today, instead of Sunday, because I wanted to push myself to write more. Well, I guess that''s not working out.

    Well, I never really had a consistent schedule, and it was amazing I could motivate myself to write as much as I already did. I think it might be a good idea to get an "editor" who''d get on my ass about writing, while also bouncing ideas off of them. Well, for not, I''ll just start writing Chapter 28, and see when I post it.

    Anyways, as always, Feedback and Suggestions are appreciated and encouraged.

    Please leave a review, to either inflate my ego or pop it. I mean, you just have to click a rating, and click submit, so why not?

 Chapter 028

    It was embarrassing.

    Not losing to Sentra, but being scolded by Toya in front of her.

    According to Toya, we¡¯re like a ¡°pack¡±, and because Sentra was defeated and broken by Toya, she is the lowest in the pack¡¯s ¡°hierarchy¡±.

    However, it¡¯s without a doubt true that Sentra is stronger than me. Which means that Toya is stronger than me too, right? She beat her by herself, didn¡¯t she?

    So what use am I?

    But Toya says it¡¯s because of ¡°bad affinity.¡±

    I¡¯m a ¡°brawler¡± who needs to get in close to beat down my enemies, while also able to take on the attacks of others.

    Sentra is a ¡°sorceress¡± who attacks from afar, and specializes in keeping her distance from attackers.

    On the other hand, Toya can stop time and circumvent most defenses¡ªputting him outside of any usual classification.

    Because of that, a fight between me and Sentra becomes one of attrition, and because Sentra is a Fox Spirit with a vast amount of Divine Force, she has the upperhand.

    Toya says that I need to learn to push through her defensive wall, and build up my speed. Once I do, beating her should be easy.

    But at the same time, Toya has Sentra learning to control her plants faster.

    I think I¡¯m stronger than I was when I first sparred Sentra. But Sentra is also stronger than back then too.

    It frustrates me.

    However, I made a promise to Toyaru. I want to protect her and stay by their side¡ªeven if I¡¯m the one who ends up protected. If I¡¯m not strong enough, I¡¯ll get stronger then.

    ¡ª¡°Don¡¯t push yourself too hard,¡± Toyaru said, as he handed me a small muffin from the basket.

    He suggested we rest, but I still had too much on my mind to realize the basket of snacks Toyaru brought out. Even the little Lin who was playing with some of Sentra¡¯s tails, had became an afterthought, as I reached for the muffin and took a bite from it.

    ¡°But I¡¯m supposed to be able to protect you,¡± I complained.

    ¡°Incorrect!¡± Toya denied with his usual theatrics, as he pointed his right index finger at me. ¡°You are my agent; not my bodyguard. You are to represent me,¡± he explained.

    ¡ª¡°Take Sentra for example; I¡¯ve sent her down to the nearby villages to represent me as their guardian spirit. Like you, she is my agent, and I¡¯m using her mobility to communicate with those that would be troublesome for me to do.¡±

    It sounded more like he was being lazy.

    Did he merely want me to do his chores?

    ¡°Then why are you teaching me to fight?¡±

    ¡°Because things will not always go so peacefully. With my continued involvement with societies, fights will break out, countries will wage wars, and occasionally one of you will need to fight in my place. And like I said, you must represent me. It would be disgraceful if my representatives were in some way inadequate,¡± He said.

    ¡°As such, not only are you two my negotiators¡ªyou are also my war potential,¡± Toya said with that seemingly innocent smile he always gives.

    War Potential? Like his soldiers, right? What war does he expect us to fight for him? There¡¯s the fight that Princess Aire is going to have to participate in, but where is our place in that? Why is Toya interested in throwing himself into this war?

    Hasn¡¯t he said himself that he belongs to no nation?

    Is he fond of the Princess?

    Or perhaps he wants something from her? Toya hasn¡¯t quite explained it all to me yet.

    I feel that he still sees me as a child in various ways, and he doesn¡¯t realize that I¡¯ve matured enough to understand complicated things. I¡¯ve had Sentra teach me about the world in these last three years, so I like to think I¡¯m pretty smart.

    Yet he still doesn¡¯t see it.

    But perhaps it¡¯s because during our spars, I lose myself and I can¡¯t drop my brute-force tactics.

    I get irritated and frustrated, and try to punch down all my obstacles, especially those which refuse to be toppled.

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.Perhaps that is why I have taken to using Sentra? As payback and to relieve my stress¡­

    ¡°So, I want you, little Yenna, to be the most powerful human there ever was,¡± He said, giving me an impossible goal.

    Weren¡¯t you the one who told me not to push myself? Like, two minutes ago?

    <hr />

    After giving me that outlandish goal, and taking a few snacks for himself, Toya took little Lin, and began heading back to the village.

    I stood up, and looked in the direction Toya headed. I couldn¡¯t tell what he would do after he drapped her off, and how much time that would take, but I wanted to have another short spar with Sentra. To¡­ cool off.

    ¡°Again,¡± I snapped, looking over at the four-tailed woman, and got into a fighting position. She looked at me with slightly widened eyes, but didn¡¯t complain, as she moved the small basket to the side with her vines.

    With little warning, I sprung forward, hoping to catch the Fox off guard.

    ¡ªShe¡¯s never off guard.

    A wall of bark is suddenly in my way as I try to punch through. However the thick wood supporting it refused to budge, as I gave it more and more punches. Was she repairing it as I hit it?!

    Groaning annoyed, I try to circle around, however a cocoon had been formed around her, and I have to wonder¡ªhow will she attack me like this? She can¡¯t see from inside, right?

    No, I forgot about it, but she¡¯s used this ruse once before. She¡¯s not inside the shell!

    As I jump into the air to avoid the incoming branches and vines, I find myself defenselessly in the air.

    My arm is snagged by a free flowing vine, and without much time to react, I am sent flying through the crowd of trees, until landing against the base of a tree trunk.

    That¡­ was not painless.

    A normal person could have easily died from that.

    ¡°Oh no!¡± I heard Sentra shout, as she hurried over to my location. Ah, so she was hiding in that tree, huh?

    I don¡¯t try to move much, as she comes over to me with a worried expression, and fumbles with her clumsy excuses.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, I saw the chance¡­ But I didn¡¯t mean to be so rough,¡± She said, as she leaned down beside me, whose back was embedded into the tree behind me.

    However, she suddenly gasped and went silent as I grabbed the back of her neck.

    She didn¡¯t resist, as she gave a knowing expression, and her eyes became calmer.

    <hr />

    Author Notes:

    Surprise Chapter!

    ...

    Well... What is one to do?

    So over Spring Break I was on a cruise and had zero time to write. However, I wanted to write this chapter, and started shortly after I came home, but then about half-way through, I put off writing the rest.

    Perhaps I''ve lost a lot of motivation, even though I''ve strangely thought up some future ideas to aim for.

    Hmm, well, I''ll continue to write as I can, and post chapters as I can, but I doubt I''ll be able to return to my daily chapter schedule.

    Anyways, so this chapter was a POV chapter for Yenna, a bit older than last time. I tried to portray a much more mature, or different mind-set now that she''s 14, and not 11. Not a huge jump in years, but it''s a large difference when you consider how much closer that is to adulthood in this world, and how even in our own world, one''s outlook changes drastically as they progress into adolescence. Maybe that''s also why I had trouble with this chapter? Before Yenna''s personality was childish and simple, but now I feel that I don''t know how a 14 year-old girl in the (fantasy) middle-ages should have acted. Ultimately, most of the chapter was narration of her frustration, and how she deals with it. Also, with how Toya still pretty much sees her as a child.

    Anyways, as always feedback and suggestions of all kinds are appreciated and encouraged!

    If you liked the story, or even hated it a bit, please leave a review so I can get better! (Or to break/fuel my ego. Which ever works)

 Chapter 029

    Ever have a vision?

    A dream so vivid and detailed, you feel like you could reach out and touch it?

    I¡¯ve never had something like that before. In fact, I could hardly remember having any dream of note.

    And yet, I woke up this morning, and could vividly remember a series of events that transpired within my dream.

    An immortal boy, and his obsession for an angel.

    Fifteen friends and their quest for home.

    And a careless dragon who connected everything.

    Where did such a vision come from, I wonder?

    I somehow feel that these visions relate to me in some way.

    Since coming to this world, I¡¯ve tried to keep an open mind. I don¡¯t plan to immediately accept anything as absolute fact, but if someone told me there were ghosts and phantoms, I would have to keep that in mind.

    With magic being a very real component to this world, anything is possible.

    So mysterious visions like none I¡¯ve had before? I can¡¯t just dismiss them as wild delusions.

    Perhaps, I will have another vision eventually.

    But observing the vision leads me to feel that this vision really doesn¡¯t have anything to do with me. The people within were unknown to me, though I can¡¯t be sure I¡¯ll never meet them.

    On top of that, the world seemed off.

    I¡¯ve never heard of an angel-like race in this world, and dragons are beasts without sentience in this world.

    In fact¡ªthe moon I saw within those visions seemed nothing like the three moons of this world.

    ¡ªHah, I must be going crazy.

    Taking this too seriously.

    Anyways, as I pulled myself out of my sleep, I let myself stretch out, and look around. I ended up sleeping in the woods, with very little clothes on again. Alone this time.

    I am surprisingly comfortable sleeping anywhere. I thought it was just a trait carried over from my past life, seeing how prone I was to sleeping whenever and wherever I feel like, but according to Sentra, it¡¯s natural. There are apparently plenty of races that have this sort of disposition.

    That said, I don¡¯t have any particular place I like to snooze at, and if it came down to it, I would prefer some shelter over my head.

    These days I actually take naps in the trees, but for a long comfortable sleep, I stay on the ground, somewhere stable, or have Sentra create something like a tend with her powers.

    Am I scared of wild animals or monsters?

    Well, my perception to danger is sensitive enough to bring peace of mind.

    Sentra on the other hand needs someone to keep her company. I use to comfort her to sleep, but nowadays I just have Yenna do it so I can have a bit of time to myself.

    ¡ªDo I occasionally sleep with the two of them?

    Of course.

    Nothing dirty happens tho.

    But honestly? I¡¯d get away with it if I tried.

    Maybe.

    Yenna may see me as unreasonable and has enough awareness to know when I¡¯m taking advantage of her¡ªbut even if I issue her a ridiculous command, she¡¯ll probably end up doing it. She¡¯s loyal and dedicated like that.

    And Sentra? Sentra is far too dependent on me, and I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she was the one who asked me.

    ¡ªBut my views on sex are considerably different from what they use to be.

    It¡¯s strange when I say it outloud, but I sort of see it as an almost sacred thing.

    It¡¯s strange that I think that, though. My values have probably just been skewed, and considering something ¡°sacred¡± feels out of character for me.

    It¡¯s not like I¡¯m terribly tempted to ravage Sentra, despite her beautiful figure. I simply don¡¯t have the desire. Even when Sentra charms me, I just want to tie her up and hang her upside down in a waterfall, or just beat on her a bit till she begs me to stop.

    ¡­

    Actually, am I a fucked up person?

    ¡­

    Nah¡­

    So anyways, I probably shouldn¡¯t keep Uncle Jenn waiting.

    Yesterday, I spoke with him so that he could have a spar with Sentra for Yenna to learn from. She seems like the type to learn by example, so I thought it would be a good idea.

    He heard rumors about Sentra, and how she apparently represented me during her trips to the nearby villages, but he had never seen her for himself.

    So he seemed rather interested to meet her himself. As an adventurer, Jenn Karmish has various experiences, and he has seen a Kitsune for himself before, but never has he spoken to one, let alone fought with one.

    So I think it¡¯ll be an interesting experience for everyone involved.

    <hr />[/hr]

    ¡°You¡¯re bringing her?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Ellen likes it when I watch after her, and besides, Lin is cute!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re going pretty far into the forest. You make this hike regularly?¡±

    ¡°Of course. While it¡¯s good to stay near the village, being too close could be problematic,¡±

    ¡°If you say so¡­¡±

    Ah, I think he was being rude there?

    Well it¡¯s fine, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m really some sort of high noble.

    ¡°But you know, you don¡¯t look like you make this trek very often,¡± He suddenly said.

    Huh? What? ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    His remark came out of nowhere, but I didn¡¯t slow down, and continue to navigate the forest while holding Lin¡¯s hand. She seemed too occupied with a flower in her hand to care much about our conversation.

    ¡°You¡¯re pretty good at hiding your fatigue, but your breaths are too harsh and irregular,¡±

    Is that so?

    No, I think he¡¯s right. I¡¯m not feeling any soreness, but I do seem to be lacking in stamina. It¡¯s not really a problem for me though; I have the ability to travel large distances in an instant, without incurring any fatigue.

    ¡°You have a movement-type ability, correct?¡±¡ªOh! He remembers?

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I can be anywhere in an instant,¡± I say, paraphrasing the details of my ability.

    ¡°Use it less,¡± He said.

    ...

    ¡°What? Why?¡±

    However, he merely continued to walk, and as I looked at his back, probing for an answer, he remained silent for a long while, until finally¡ª

    ¡ª¡±You might get taller,¡±

    H-hey! Who said I want to get taller!?

    But before I could argue, the clearing by the river came into view. Sentra sat on the ground with her eyes closed, as if meditating, while Yenna seemed to practice her punches and kicks.

    ¡°Toya! Uncle Jenn!¡± Yenna shouted, as soon as she noticed our arrival.

    ¡°Yo! We¡¯re here!¡± I said enthusiastically, completely dropping the earlier talk with Jenn.

    Sentra cracked open an eye as her head turned towards myself and Jenn, and with a single fluid motion, she pulled herself to her feet and made her way towards us.

    ¡°Good Morning Mistress,¡± She greeted with a slightly bowed head, and then turned to my guest. ¡°Good Morning Jenn Karmish,¡± She said with her usual soft tone.

    Jenn on the other hand seemed surprised about something. Perhaps it was the 4 flowing tails, or the beautiful silver hair, but something about Sentra seemed to have caught Jenn¡¯s mind.

    Well, she is a beautiful girl after all.

    ¡°It¡¯s good to finally meet you, Sentra,¡± He said, extending out his hand to her. She smiled in return, as she took his hand with a shake and nodded.

    ¡°Likewise. It¡¯s good to put a face to the master who taught Yenna her martial skills,¡± she replied. ¡°Toyaru says that the two of us will be sparring today for her sake, but I hope to see the skills of a Human Master,¡± She said.

    ¡°I too, hope to learn from this,¡± Jenn admitted.

    I decided on now to cut into the conversation. ¡°How about you two get ready. Jenn, you¡¯re gonna use that spear?¡±

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    I gave Jenn the option to make use of a weapon if he wanted, and he decided to bring along a long rod with a blade on one end. He said it was a very versatile weapon, and fit his style of fighting just right.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± He affirmed, as he stamped it on the ground to affirm his pride for it.

    ¡°Very well. Lin, go sit with Yenna. Sentra, go stand over there,¡± I ordered the two girls.

    As they obediently left Jenn to me, I elbowed him in the side, and said ¡°You¡¯re married, you old fart.¡±

    Of course, I ditched him before he could retort.

    Having no other choice, Uncle Jenn resigned himself to the battle, and met Sentra in the center of the clearing.

    ¡°Ok you two!¡± I shouted from atop a tree, ¡°I want you two starting off 4 meters apart from each other. When I say ¡®go¡¯, the spar will begin. Anything goes, but try not to kill each other,¡± I said in high spirits.

    As the two took their positions, and Jenn lowered himself into a stance, I shouted out the beginning of the spar!

    ¡°Go!¡±

    Immediately following my signal, Jenn dashed forward, quickly closing the distance between himself and Sentra. Clearly Sentra was some sort of long-range fighter, so keeping close, within Jenn¡¯s range of attack, was the best idea he had.

    However, this tactic was seen through¡ªSentra managed to throw a ball, a wooden ball that quickly morphed and expanded into sort of net.

    Jenn, managed to slice through the surprise net, however his advance was delayed enough that Sentra had time to gather her attack! A moment, later, a torrent of tree roots erupted from the earth below Jenn, and attempted to encapsulate him!

    Through some sort of intuition or foresight, Jenn managed to dance around the various tentacles. However this detour gave Sentra the time she needed to back off and escape his range. As she neared a pair of trees, she chose now to fire off 5 concurrent bolts of white light. However, Jenn managed to easily avoid these attacks, and continued his assault.

    This time however, the two trees behind Sentra came alive, as they twisted and turned, splitting up as they both began to shoot forward powerful branches towards and around Jenn.

    However, Uncle Jenn¡¯s movements were too swift to be captured, or even impeded, and with every step he came closer and closer to Sentra.

    I watched the transaction bemused. Not even a minute had passed, and the field had been made a mess, while Sentra seemed to almost be cornered.

    Jenn Karmish¡ªcurrent Chief of Ohen Village, he was known as a powerful traveller in his past, and is likely a powerful war potential within the Kingdom of Senilea.

    However, my understanding is that he refused military service in favor of taking over the village as his father¡¯s sole heir. Seeing as Senilea isn¡¯t often in a position to fight wars, they acknowledged his refusal, but reserved the right to draft him in the future.

    Honestly speaking, I can¡¯t be sure just how powerful he is among humans, considering Senilea does not harbor very many threats, but going by stories of his past, Jenn¡¯s adventures weren¡¯t restricted by borders, and he claims to have slain many large beasts.

    On top of that, in the last 30 seconds, I would say he was stronger than many of the soldiers Lein sent after the princess.

    This man has the strength and confidence to lead a small army, despite having passed his prime.

    A Lower Spirit like Sentra is barely an obstacle to him.

    Even as she tries to restrain him, Jenn is able to blow away any obstacle she puts in his way at will. His spear shreds through the trees put in his path, and as she puts up walls to defend herself, he dances around them, and cuts them down.

    Before someone with decades of combat experience, Sentra who has only fought up til now by crushing weaker foes from a distance, can¡¯t compete.

    Her strategies can¡¯t account for his agility, and any attack thrown at him is blocked or avoided.

    Realizing this, she attempts to make an escape¡ªbut her route is intercepted by a flying missile that crashes into the ground before her.

    Jenn tossed his spear, shredding whatever was in its path.

    Sentra froze in her steps, looking at the spear for a long moment.

    She probably realized by now, but he could ended the fight at any moment.

    A spear fired from afar with the power to shred obstacles and people. Jenn merely stood there with a broad smile after having fired his spear, without moving further¡ªas if declaring the spar had been won.

    However, a throwing technique, huh?

    Wasn¡¯t that Yenna tried to do before?

    No, this is different. Yenna seems to have a talent for controlling her Spirit Force, but she¡¯s unable to extend it towards objects other than herself. Not even her clothes, which means she often fights barefoot to prevent her shoes from being destroyed.

    So what Yenna did before was merely use all her force to throw a regular stone.

    Uncle Jenn on the other hand does not have this handicap. So he launched a spear infused with his Spirit.

    Even now, the spear oozed his spirit, and the air around it seemed to spiral, as if threatening to cut anything that approaches.

    He¡¯s been using this technique throughout the fight¡ªa Spirit Force technique that finely sharpens the air around oneself. It¡¯s difficult to control, so Jenn still needs to dodge most attacks, but focusing this at the proper time and place, he can easily destroy Sentra¡¯s improvised defenses.

    You might say it was a bad match.

    However that¡¯s just not true. Sentra has more fire-power, and has higher potential to win, if she utilized her attacks properly.

    But she has no experience fighting an enemy like Jenn Karmish.

    ¡°That was quite the spectacle, Uncle. However, don¡¯t you think you finished that a little too early?¡± I decided to give my input on the fight.

    As he turned to me, he cracked a smirk, ¡°Hah, I¡¯m sorry. I think I got carried away,¡± He admitted.

    ¡°Yes, yes. Now do it properly, or Yenna won¡¯t be able to learn,¡± I said. Of course, I was also learning from this, and had already began devising counter-measures against an enemy like Jenn.

    ¡°Better yet, just keep going. Yenna, get down there and help Sentra,¡± I said. Yenna looked to me with surprise, however a moment later, she nodded and flung herself towards her teacher, fists ready.

    ¡°Hey! Hold on! I need to get my¡ª¡±

    ¡°When an enemy drops his weapon, be sure to capitalize!¡± I announced without offering Jenn a moment to breath.

    In a panic, Jenn continued onto the second round of this spar.

    <hr />[/hr]

    Author Notes:

    So, I wrote a third of this chapter weeks ago, and have been putting off finishing it for a while. I already knew what the chapter would be, but didn''t have the drive to write it till an hour ago. Honestly, I need some way to pick up my motivation. I wanted to solicit donations, being flat broke as I am, but really? Money doesn''t motivate me very much (which is why I don''t make promises like "reach X $$$ for extra chapters!"). Maybe I could get a ghost writer to write my story for me, lol... Nah...

    Anyways, the dream mentioned at the start of the chapter has nothing to do with the joke Chapter 256 I wrote for April Fools (which I have since deleted)

    Next chapter (whenever it comes) will pick on the 2v1 spar, probably.

    Be sure to leave a rating for my story, and remember that any and all feedback and suggestions are appreciated and encouraged.

 Chapter 030

    Yenna¡¯s dash forward created a powerful wind-trail that radiated outward as a gust.

    Sentra¡¯s plants regrouped, creating an encirclement.

    Neither combatant was willing to allow Jenn Karmiish to even approach his spear.

    Within seconds, Yenna was on him, throwing in her usual punches and kicks. Before Jenn however, these attacks were a mere child flailing their fists around.

    He was able to redirect Yenna¡¯s attack, guiding her like a doll, and flung her towards Sentra.

    Of course, Sentra was quite a distance from either of the two, and managed to catch Yenna mid-air with her flowing branches.

    The two seemed to communicate something at a glance, and as if they had rehearsed the maneuver before, Sentra flung Yenna at full speed towards Jenn, using the branches as an arm. Jenn attempted to break the distance between himself and his spear, but Yenna¡¯s high-speed approach was more than a little vexing to him.

    With little other choice, Jenn caught the flying girl with his bare hands, using his superior reach and mobility to grasp Yenna¡¯s shoulder, as he side-stepped out of her direct way, and redirected her forward-momentum by spinning her body around him in a movement that could be likened to a dance¡ªand halted after a single rotation.

    For a moment, it appeared there was some sort of vortex around Yenna¡¯s body, but it vanished as soon as Jenn grabbed hold of her. If I had to guess, she put up a shroud similar to the one Jenn had earlier to shred through Sentra¡¯s trees. However, it seems Jenn was able to disperse the technique, and caught her with relative ease.

    However, he didn¡¯t stop there¡ªas he let go of Yenna in mid-air, he brought his knee up to her gut, sending my little Yenna flying to the side.

    With that speed and direction, Sentra didn¡¯t have time to help Yenna, so she ended up crashing through a tree in the distance. Luckily Yenna had erected a cushion around her own body, but I doubt it completely got rid of the pain.

    Seeing the futility of their previous plan, Senra resorted to long-ranged bombardment.

    Holding out her open palm towards Jenn, an array of Light Shards formed before her.

    Light Shards.

    Sentra is able to create these glass-like javelins, and propel them forward. They can be produced anywhere, and be fired at very high speeds, however they rely on Sentra¡¯s own senses. That meant that they almost always fire towards the focus of her vision, and an enemy with a keen eye could potentially avoid them.

    She can try to create a Light Shard out of her field of view, by she¡¯s unable to properly aim them in that case¡ªI¡¯ve had her practice, but how easy is it to draw a circle on a sheet of paper behind you, and then make a dot in the center?

    However, what baffles me about these javelins, is that I can¡¯t tell what the hell they¡¯re made out of. They seem to shatter and disperse quickly, and don¡¯t leave a trace of ever existing.

    An early hypothesis was that they were hot air held together by a magnatic field, but when put in a container, the container suddenly loses mass when they vanish¡ªand of course, they¡¯re not hot at all.

    This is one of the two times that I have been unable to attribute the behavior of a magic to my knowledge of science.

    According to Aniel¡¯s brief explanation, there are three main qualities to magic.

    The first is its ability to directly convert magical energy (mana) into physical energy.

    The second is for mana to communicate with mana.

    And the third is mana¡¯s retention of information.

    Aniel¡¯s healing magic uses these three concepts. Mana seems to be gathering information at all times, so mana that circulates within the body retains information on how certain cells are meant to operate and repair themselves. Using that, the magic communicates with the mana it uses as power, and instructs it on what cells to move about, converting that mana into the proper energy.

    Without the ability to convert into Physical Energy, then there would be no use for us humans who live in the physical world.

    Without the ability for mana to communicate, the magic would have no way to know when and where to be.

    And without the ability to retain information, not only would the healing magic not work at all to begin with, it¡¯s also likely that mana would forget its instructions immediately.

    The same logic can be applied to Aniel¡¯s fire magic. He has the mana search for oxygen, nitrogen and carbon, instructs it to gather these ingredients through kinetic energy, and produce fuel through applying the necessary energy, and then ignites it.

    Because it takes no energy for mana to simply communicate and move about, the only time mana is ¡°used up¡±, is when it converts into some form of physical energy.

    In fact, Humans in this world are able to use magic, because all creatures in this world have a passively active magic throughout their bodies, that reacts to our mental state.

    How did it get there?

    Who knows?

    But in the end, that means there is a logic to all magic, and it¡¯s just the natural laws being manipulated by a force of nature that wasn¡¯t known in my old world¡ªMana.

    So, that leaves me with two questions¡­

    ¡ªWhat are Sentra¡¯s Light Shards made out of?

    ¡ªHow does my time-manipulation power work?

    The Light Shards have mass, until they no longer want to. Nothing I know of in science can explain this phenomena.

    On the other hand, my own ability to manipulate time around me, is even more baffling.

    How can I move? If time is stopped, the air around me should be absolutely solid. On top of that, the signals in my body shouldn¡¯t even be able to create chemical reactions in my muscles to move.

    How can I fall? Shouldn¡¯t the Earth not be applying any force on my body?

    Most of all, how does my brain even operate like that? If I¡¯m thinking at over a million times normal time, then doesn¡¯t that mean I would need a million times more oxygen to fuel my brain?

    Aniel would probably have some idea of how our abilities might work, or maybe having that Violet girl examine it in action would be a good idea. She was able to sense magic directly, right?

    As I watch Jenn dodge and block the rain of white light, I wonder about what he said earlier.

    My body is certainly underdeveloped. It¡¯s as though my growth was stunted at some point.

    There are plenty of reasons this might happen.

    Undereating, a muscular disease, inactivity, and so on.

    However, the main suspect is my time-stop ability, just as Jenn suggested.

    I already know that for some reason, I don¡¯t seem to burn up oxygen when accelerated to an impossible rate. In fact, I rarely feel physical fatigue as a result of my ability¡ªjust some pain from stomping on the ground a lot.

    Somehow, my power is completely circumventing my own body¡¯s energy supply, which means I could run a marathon without any fatigue, and at worst just experience some soreness in my feet.

    On the other hand, my muscles aren¡¯t developing at all, because my ability alleviates all the strain from my body.

    ¡ªAh, Yenna¡¯s back up. Doesn¡¯t look like Uncle Jenn has noticed yet.

    This inconvenience means my physique will continue to grow at a very slow rate. On the other hand, I think my ass has been growing out quite a bit. Am I getting fat?

    How pathetic. I¡¯ve grown far to use to this ability.

    But how can I fix this, I wonder?

    Well, I could go on a journey. Yeah, something like a vacation sounds nice.

    Plus, it¡¯ll get me and Yenna acquainted with the surrounding world.

    ¡ªAh, looks like Yenna¡¯s sneak attack failed.

    She tried to circle around Uncle Jenn, and strike him between the gap in his guard, just as he was dodging one of Sentra¡¯s javelins, but he easily caught her and redirected her into the ground.

    Interesting¡ªJenn hasn¡¯t directly attacked Yenna, and has mostly avoided being hit by her at all. Instead he¡¯s relied on redirecting her, destroying her balance wherever possible. He did give her a knee to the gut, but the force behind that seemed spread out, and deliberately slowed to allow her time to defend herself.

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Ah, Yenna grabbed onto Jenn¡¯s arm before he could separate from her.

    With a tenacity of a beast Yenna uses the opportunity to wail on Jenn, as she brings her fist up to Jenn¡¯s face.

    However, even with a monster attached to his arm, Jenn remains calm as he tries to block and resist her assault. Yenna¡¯s first punch lands on Jenn¡¯s crossed arms, but as Yenna pulls back her fist for successive hits, Jenn attempts to obstruct her, reaching toward her pulled back arm, attempting to rob her of any leverage.

    The idea seemed sound. Stop a punch before it has any momentum in it. Without the leverage to move one¡¯s arm, they should be unable to punch.

    ¡ªBut what caught me by surprise was that Yenna was able to land a clean punch across Jenn¡¯s face, even as he tried to restrain her.

    ¡ªIs Yenna physically stronger than Jenn?

    However, Jenn only briefly faltered. Even as he had to defend himself against the monstrous girl attached to his arm, he managed to swiftly evade Sentra¡¯s long ranged attacks.

    Even though her barrage of Light Shards were able to keep Jenn in place momentarily, Sentra ceased her aggression as soon as Yenna entered the fray. As such, she shifted to using her plants, attempting to restrain Uncle Jenn¡ªbut his agile movements evaded capture, even as he struggled with Yenna.

    Honestly, it was amazing how he could shift his focus between two enemies at once.

    ¡ªHowever¡­

    He fell for her trap.

    For much of the battle, Jenn was moving towards the path with the fewest plants. He correctly assumed that Sentra¡¯s plants could only stretch so far, and that Sentra herself must have some sort of range of control¡ªbut as a result he slowly was distanced away from his spear.

    On top of that, he never considered the threat of roots below the ground.

    A person can only split their focus so much¡­

    He was too occupied trying to free himself from the stubborn Yenna¡¯s grip.

    So, as he stepped onto a bare patch of dirt, he had no time to react when an encirclement of tree roots shot inwards from around him, binding him in a split second.

    He attempted to shred his restraints to pieces, but the loss of momentum allowed more plants to coil themselves around both himself and Yenna.

    Sentra didn¡¯t waste a single moment, focusing on the surrounding plants and encasing Jenn with bark and wood, while skillfully prying Yenna away.

    ¡ªJenn Karmiish was thoroughly captured.

    I dropped to the ground seeing that the fight was pretty much over.

    ¡°Good job! Good job!¡± I shout out enthusiastically, giving a light clap. ¡°That was a very entertaining fight to watch, and it gave me an idea of your various styles,¡± I said.

    However, just as Jenn was about to reply, I raised my hand to silence him, ¡°However, it¡¯s no good if you are all timidly holding back.¡±

    ¡ªNeither of them were fighting at full power. Well, it¡¯s understandable that they wouldn¡¯t be trying to kill each other.

    Yenna was pretty ferocious in her attacks on Jenn, but even she held back her strength by a considerable degree.

    Jenn? I don¡¯t know the full extent of his power, but I can¡¯t imagine that I witnessed it just now. Maybe I should have let him retrieve his spear?

    And Sentra¡­ Well, her control over plant-life has gotten better in the last couple years, but she could have done better. There¡¯s not much more she could do with her Light Shards either, seeing how specialized that ability was. She probably could have ended the fight sooner with her Charm magic¡ªbut she seems to have developed an unexplained trauma regarding that.

    ¡°Well¡­ going into a serious fight¡­ wasn¡¯t really what you wanted¡­ was it?¡± Uncle Jenn struggled in his bindings, trying to adjust his weight as he talked.

    ¡°If you hold back too much, Yenna will never learn,¡± I said, as I walked over towards the person in question, and gave her a knock on the head.

    ¡°Oww!¡± She complained, as she grabbed her head in a pout, but didn¡¯t retaliate.

    ¡°Gotta give her some negative reinforcement, so she¡¯ll know not to be reckless,¡± I explained to Jenn Karmiish.

    ¡°And if I injure her?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that,¡± I assured, as I pulled Yenna¡¯s hand into mine.

    ¡°Anyways, I think I¡¯m gonna go on a vacation,¡± I declared.

    ¡°A vacation?¡±

    ¡°Right, like a journey! Gotta familiarize myself with the locals!¡± I claimed.

    Of course, there was also fact that I needed some exercise. Traveling a bit around Senilea before the war breaks out sounds like a nice idea.

    ¡°Sentra. I¡¯ll be taking Yenna. While I¡¯m gone, take care of the garden, and watch over the villages,¡± I said, turning towards her shocked expression.

    ¡°B-but M-ma-mistress!¡± She stammered in a panic. ¡°You¡¯re leaving me¡­ alone?¡± She said with anxious eyes, a deep seated fear rising up.

    That right. Sentra can¡¯t be left alone for long, can she? Otherwise she¡¯ll break out into an anxiety attack, and eventually a fit of deranged paranoid crying.

    Should I take her instead of Yenna? No, then Yenna will be the one that¡¯s troubled about my well being. Take both of them?

    Hmm¡­

    ¡°Sentra, how about staying with Mr. Karmiish here? He¡¯s a married gentleman, so he wouldn¡¯t do anything scary, right Uncle?¡± I said, throwing a glare over at Uncle Jenn.

    Uncle Jenn noticed my piercing glare, probably offended, but said nothing about my wording. ¡°She can stay at my home. We have room, and it would be an honor to shelter an Esteemed Spirit,¡± He claimed, before adding, ¡°Could you get me out of this now?¡±

    ¡°See? He¡¯s a reliable guy,¡± I said, ignoring the entrapped Jenn.

    Sentra seemed to process the information for a while, as she looked towards Uncle Jenn, who was still trapped in many layers of wooden shells that hugged his body and restricted all motion.

    After a moment, she seemed to accept the situation, and gave a nod.

    ¡°When can I expect your return?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Who knows? A couple weeks?¡±

    ¡°Hey? Are you two ignoring me?¡±

    ¡°I see. Then I will be sure to take care of everything on this side,¡± She assured me.

    ¡°That¡¯s great. Anyways, take Lin home, and let Ellen know I¡¯ll be gone for a while,¡± I said, as I turned away from the group, and began pulling Yenna along with me.

    ¡ª¡°H-hold on, don¡¯t I get a say?¡± Yenna complained after finally catching up with the conversation, confused as I carelessly dragged her along my journey.

    ¡ª¡°H-hey, Seriously, are you going to let me out?¡±

    <hr />

    Author Notes:

    Anyways, 5 chapters into the arc, and I think we''re headed in the direction I had in mind for it. Where will it go? Wait and see!

    So I had the idea of releasing chapters on Patreon first, and then pushing them out on RRL after a week. I realized that''d be a stupid idea, because of how inactive I am with writing (due to fluctuating motivation), and I doubt anyone wants to pay $2 a month for my crummy story. So I''m just posting this chapter now, and I figure forcing people to pay for an incomplete story is just silly. I may end up compiling an ebook after a certain point is reached, though. But that depends on whether or not my motivation lasts.

    That being said, what did people think of the chapter? I didn''t really focus too much on the fight, despite what was going on, and a lot of it was actually exposition on magic, based on what Aniel has told Toyaru (either in person, or through letters)

    But now, Toya will have a chance to go out and explore a bit, instead of being cooped up in Ohen village.

    Anyways, as always, feedback and suggestions are both appreciated and encouraged.

    If you like this story, or even if you don''t, be sure to rate the story!

 Chapter 031

    I would like to say we actually got lost during our trip a few times.

    It would make for a more interesting story.

    At most it was tiring, and nothing more. The stamina I had just a few years ago seems to have diminished, and both Yenna and I found ourselves taking a break every 5 hours.

    I think this is the first time I¡¯ve felt muscle sores like these, ever since I turned six¡ªaround the time I discovered my time-stop ability.

    It was simply more convenient to move around by stopping time, and even when I didn¡¯t use it, I didn¡¯t really walk for very long distances.

    ¡ªI guess this confirmed that my ability negated any strain on my body, huh?

    I actually considered renting out a horse, but knowing me, I would probably get into some kind of trouble and lose the horse.

    So I decided to walk.

    It only took a few minutes before Yenna calmed down, and started following me on her own.

    With no better destination, I decided to take the main road northward, and pass through some of the nearby villages. On top of that, I thought about visiting a few of the towns in the region.

    Going by land-mass alone, the whole of Senilea can be compared to some of the smaller European nations in my old world. The majority of the country is filled with flat fields and grasslands, so agriculture is an important part of Senilea¡¯s economy. There are small woodlands scattered throughout, and the southern quarter of the country is pretty much all forest.

    However, mined resources like metal need to be imported from allied nations, which means that Senilea itself has trouble keeping up as a military state.

    Before Lein¡¯s attack, Senilea¡¯s position was already shaky, being a good source of food, surrounded by vultures who would like said food. I don¡¯t know the full history of the country, but I think the former Azurian Empire had a major role in uniting much of the region, and carving it into distinct Kingdoms, when at the time there were merely scattered city-states.

    After the Empire¡¯s fall, the Azurian nations became loosely related Kingdoms that were more-or-less allied. It¡¯s the only reason Senilea has managed to remain an independent Kingdom, rather than be invaded by its neighbors.

    This meant that if one nation ever did try to invade, they would receive push-back from another ally.

    Now? Senilea has merely become one of Lein¡¯s checkpoints, that happens to produce a large amount of food.

    Just because the king is hiding, does not mean Lein doesn¡¯t control the kingdom and all of its assets. The king and the army that continues to support him, are effectively rebels.

    Yes, many of the citizens of Senilea still recognize the royal family, but politically and economically, it doesn¡¯t carry much weight, when you consider this isn¡¯t a democracy.

    Lein has the authority to keep the citizens in check for now, and given a generation or two, the populace will barely remember the Senha Royal Family. Of course, to an ageless Spirit like Lein, a human generation is inconsequential, so he probably has enough patience to wait out the people¡¯s discontent.

    Until then however, he has sent governors to the various territories he¡¯s acquired in this conquest. These politicians would negotiate with the lords of the region, and came to an understanding¡ªat least most of them have.

    After that, the appointed governors began to manage an expanse of territories, and Senilea itself has been split into two or three governing regions (depending on how you count them) for the time being.

    It¡¯s a shame people in this era can¡¯t just get along. But in a world of god-like immortals, Empires crop up consistently.

    Well, even in my old world¡¯s history, Empires weren¡¯t uncommon, but they didn¡¯t show up at this rate, did they?.

    However, observing the villages I passed through, It doesn¡¯t seem like this society has entered anything like an enlightenment age. The advancement in technology has stagnated, and if historical records are to be believed, it¡¯s been like this for quite a while.

    The cause is likely the existence of Spirits who are constantly shifting the political landscape, without allowing time for reasonable advancements to form. On top of that, the Central Wall limits trade with the eastern people of this continent, which may also explain the fewer plague outbreaks in this world compared to my own.

    The Central Wall¡ªquite a mysterious phenomena, that.

    ¡ªAs you might imagine by the name, it¡¯s a barrier formed at the rift between what you may call Europe and Asia, back on Earth.

    I haven¡¯t seen any maps of the continent or where the wall is located, so I can¡¯t get a proper sense of scale of where exactly this barrier is relative to my memories of the continent.

    However, you can still bypass the wall by going south, but this still limits the amount of trade, and requires travel through harsh terrain.

    Still, I¡¯m quite curious in this ¡°Wall¡±.

    I read about it among Jenn¡¯s library of books.

    It¡¯s said to be a magical barrier that prevents all passage, but the first mentions of it began in books roughly six hundred to seven hundred years old.

    Before that period, there seems to have been some developing trade between the East and West. I asked Jenn on the matter, and he says the wall doesn¡¯t have any records of who built it, or why, but it sort of just appeared out of nowhere.

    It must have been quite a shock to the people of that time, but I can guess the cause.

    ¡ªA Higher Spirit.

    Spirits are roughly split into ¡°Lower Spirits¡± and ¡°Higher Spirits¡±, based mostly on the scale of their power.

    Sentra and Myself would be classed as Lower Spirits, however my first ability makes me a wild card, that allows me to topple Higher Spirits, given the circumstance.

    Lein on the other hand would be considered a Higher Spirit, for his vast control of an army of powerful monsters. On top of that, I don¡¯t doubt that he probably has a powerful body.

    The classifications of races and individuals based on power, is completely arbitrary. However, it provides a sense of scale for people. Especially those who aren¡¯t particularly powerful.

    ¡ªHumans and Fay effectively fall into the same ranking, though Fay usually have some sort of advantage, but not enough that a human can¡¯t reach or surpass them. Generally, these two are considered the Mortals.

    Lower Spirits on the other hand, are a ranking that are difficult to surmount by individual mortals. What makes them more dangerous is their capacity for longevity, giving them more experience over mortals, so even Spirits without special powers (Like the Northern Aknel Spirit clan) become powerhouses if they can live long enough.

    But Higher Spirits are an opponent that not even nations dare to challenge. Whether it¡¯s because of their ageless experience, or city-crushing power, Higher Spirits can¡¯t be defied by mortals.

    Jenn Karmiish was able to fight head-to-head with Sentra, a Lower Spirit with a fair bit of power and the capacity to crush an army. This is because of the vast difference in experience, and the fact that simply being a ¡°Spirit¡± doesn¡¯t guarantee power.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    But Higher Spirits are a different matter. While it¡¯s possible to ¡°upgrade¡± into a Higher Spirit, natural-born Higher Spirits are monsters beyond compare.

    There¡¯s a small clan of Gods-on-Earth in the Eastern side of the continent, whom are a race of near immortals that have existed for eons, and are believed to be without equal.

    Scary to think that there are living WMDs in this world.

    So I suppose technological progress in this world is unneeded. It might even be trouble waiting to happen.

    So, I wonder if the Central Wall was put up due to that?

    Quite a powerful being had to have put down that wall. What was their reason?

    <hr />[/hr]

    ¡°Toyaaa¡ª¡­ can we go back now?¡±

    ¡°Denied!¡±

    Yenna once again pleaded with me to return home, but I shot her down.

    We¡¯ve only been gone a week, but I can imagine why she¡¯d like to go home. However, I want to at least reach the nearest town before that.

    If we skipped the villages, and didn¡¯t stay the night at them, we could have reached the town by now, but at the current rate, we should reach it by tomorrow.

    ¡°I¡¯m boooored,¡± Yenna complained. The two of us carried a bit of luggage on our backs, but naturally I had Yenna carry the bulk of it, to get her use to heavier loads. So I ended up packing clothes I don¡¯t even intend to wear on this trip just to act as training for her.

    She seemed to have trouble at first, mostly because of the awkward balance, but now she doesn¡¯t seem to even notice the extra weight.

    I wonder if I should have her do this more often, with gradually increasing weight?

    ¡°Hey sis, wanna have a race to the town?¡± I asked.

    ¡°No,¡± She refused. ¡°You¡¯ll just cheat anyways,¡±

    Of course I will¡­

    ¡°So, how about a game?¡±

    ¡°... What kind of game?¡±

    ¡°I think of something that I see, and tell you a color, so you have to guess what I¡¯m describing,¡± I state.

    ¡°... Sounds boring.¡±

    Of course it does¡­

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s try it. Something simple¡ªI see something green!¡±

    ¡°Trees,¡± She said without hesitation. ¡°That¡¯s all there is around us¡­¡±

    ¡°Right, right. Ok, how about you try?¡±

    ¡°Orange-red,¡± She said.

    It wasn¡¯t an exciting game or anything, especially when there wasn¡¯t very much around us to begin with, but it helped pass the time.

    At least it wasn¡¯t completely silent anymore.

    ¡°Orange-red? Err¡­ flowers?¡± I didn¡¯t see any flowers that color, but maybe Yenna did?

    ¡°Nope,¡± She said with a faint smile.

    Ah, wait, is this a trick question? Shifting my gaze about, I wonder if there¡¯s anything that color, until it hits me.

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± She said with a slight laugh. It felt obvious once I remembered my hair and tails are a very fox-like fiery red.

    I decided to take my turn, and quickly took a survey of the surroundings. There weren¡¯t a lot of things to choose from, and there were a lot of colors that overlapped.

    But¡­

    ¡°Pink,¡± I said.

    ¡°Pink?¡± Yenna asked, confused. After all, what could be pink in this road?

    The answer to that was¡ª

    ¡°¡ªA Person?¡± She asked.

    ¡°No, not a person,¡±

    ¡°No, I mean, look! A person!¡± She said, pointing ahead of us.

    There, laying on the side of the road, passed out, was a person, just like Yenna said.

    The two of us exchanged a glance at each other, before hurrying over to the boy on the ground.

    I sat my bags down on the side of the road, as I approached the body. The person lay on the ground face down beside a tree. At a glance I didn¡¯t spot any injuries, but I didn¡¯t calm down just yet.

    I pulled on the person¡¯s shoulder, and turned him over, revealing a youthful boy. He seemed to be about 15 or 16, but what was really interesting was that he had an oriental face. Was he from the far East?

    Wait, why is he out here?

    He has a pulse, and he¡¯s breathing steadily. Is he exhausted?

    ¡°Hey, wake up, you,¡± I shake the boy¡¯s body a bit as Yenna comes to my side.

    ¡°He has a weird face,¡± She comments, tilting her head.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say something rude at a time like this.¡± I reached for my bag and retrieve a canteen of water from it.

    I splash a bit of water on the boy¡¯s face¡ªand it seems to do the trick. The boy gasps in surprise, as he pulls himself upright, and breathes heavily. He seems to be in shock?

    ¡°Hey boy, do you understand my words?¡± I asked.

    The foreigner finally turns his eyes on me, as if finally noticing I exist, and raises his eyebrows, just as his face turns a tinge of red.

    Yes yes, I¡¯m a beautiful little lady. Please speak Azurian. I don¡¯t know any other language, you know?

    ¡°I-I¡¯m Auden,¡± He said shyly, as he tried to avert his gaze. That¡¯s an Azurian name, isn¡¯t it? This boy might be a halfy, right?

    ¡°I¡¯m Toyaru, and this is Yenna,¡± I introduced myself and my sister with a smile, before turning serious. ¡°So, what are you doing on the side of the road?¡±

    Once more remembering his predicament, the boy darted to his feet, and looked around in a panicked frenzy.

    ¡°M-my sister,¡± He said in a stutter. ¡°They have her!¡± He said, looking back into the forest. Just as he looked like he was about to dash into the woods, I placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

    ¡°Who has her?¡± I asked. I was curious and I had time to kill. Showing a bit of altruism every now and again couldn¡¯t hurt.

    However, as he looked back at me, Auden showed a desperate expression.

    ¡°I need to go,¡± He said, shrugging off my hand, and disappearing into the forest.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to follow him?¡± Yenna asked, as if knowing what was on my mind.

    ¡°What makes you say that?¡± I asked, turning a smile to her.

    But she didn¡¯t answer my question, and merely picked up the luggage I set down.

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep walking towards the town. Try not to promise something stupid,¡±

    Promise something stupid? Like what? I don¡¯t normally make weird promises with people, do I?

    <hr />

    Author Notes:

    So what can I say?

    Well, if you look at the beta version of RRL, you''ll notice that I''ve split the story into two "Acts" so far, with Chapter 26 being the start of Act 2. With that in mind, I actually have a route planned for where to go from here to Act 3''s end, so I hope everyone will enjoy the rode.

    I don''t have anything in particular to say about this chapter, other than it being the start of something else (probably).

    Anyways, all feedback and suggestions are appreciated and encouraged!

    Speaking of feedback, I often get a lot of comments here and there that have issue with parats of my story¡ªparticularly about how unhinged Toyaru is. Honestly, I expected that, and like I say every chapter¡ªyour feedback is appreciated and encouraged.

    Actually, I find you people who like Toyaru to be the weird ones. Then again, I''m also weird like that, heh...

 Chapter 032

    I had no real reason to help this boy I only just met.

    But then, I had no real reason to help Princess Aire, back when we first met.

    When I consider that time, Yenna¡¯s words make sense. I did make strange promises, and pulled myself into a war I had no business in. All because I was interested in magic, and was overall bored.

    That said, I doubt something like that will happen again.

    As I follow this fellow, Auden, I take in the various scents in the air and note that he was retracing his steps.

    If I had to guess, he and his sister were running away from someone, and his sister was captured or injured, and he had to leave her behind. He was probably too scared to turn back for her. So why did he turn back now?

    A pretty girl¡¯s face, perhaps?

    I¡¯m flattered.

    But the boy is exhausted. He won¡¯t make it like this.

    So, I sped ahead of him, following the trail of his scent.

    Luckily, his scent-trail was less than an hour old, and the boy didn¡¯t seem that experienced in stealth, so I could easily just follow the physical trail he left behind, and use his scent to guide me along.

    However, it wasn¡¯t very long before I caught the smell of blood.

    It¡¯s wasn¡¯t very strong, but it was hard to miss.

    As a Fox Spirit, my sense of smell is much better than a human¡¯s, but not quite as good as a hound, or even a real fox¡¯s.

    That said, the scent of blood¡ªhuman blood at that¡ªhad some very serious implications.

    And almost immediately after, I came upon a clearing in the woods.

    It was a very unnatural clearing, with the trees twisted out of place, and blown apart. The ground was stained with blood, but there weren¡¯t any bodies laying around.

    What the hell did this?

    Hey hey, I didn¡¯t unwittingly agree to help a monster that could do this sort of thing, did I?

    Or was the sister the one attacked by a monster?

    Maybe she and her pursuers were attacked and eaten?

    I doubt it, but it¡¯s entirely possible.

    On the other hand, Auden¡¯s sister might be surprisingly powerful but was overwhelmed anyways, and the bodies were all taken away.

    Just what I need. More scary as fuck women in my life.

    Either way, I doubt the girl is in the best of shape. There¡¯s a mix of different people¡¯s blood here and there. She was likely outnumbered, and captured.

    Killed? Possibly. But where¡¯s the body?

    Still, what kind of person could have caused this much carnage?

    It¡¯s possible that boy¡¯s sister is some sort of trained martial artist that¡¯s skilled with the use of their Spirit Force.

    On the other hand, he may be a Fay of some sort. I didn¡¯t spot any peculiar features on the boy, but there are plenty of Fay races without any strange outward features. On top of that, I¡¯m not familiar with many of the races in the Eastern half of the continent, nor in the Southern continent, except for the most prominent ones.

    I look around the carnage, taking note of how the trees seemed to have been blown away. It was like some sort of explosion occurred.

    ¡­ Followed by an implosion.

    I reach the epicenter of what was probably a very dangerous event just an hour ago. Trees are both torn outwards, and even pulled into the center.

    ¡ªAnd then I spot it.

    A hand.

    I rush over to a fallen tree, and notice the person underneath. They¡¯re not moving, but I don¡¯t expect them to be.

    The slow shallow breathing my ears barely pick up on, indicates that they¡¯re out cold.

    For a moment, it seemed like they were crushed under a tree, but the tree that fell on them was rather small, and light enough that even I could move it aside¡ªthough it likely knocked them out. I pulled the person onto their back, and rolled them onto a smooth patch of ground.

    This person was probably Auden¡¯s sister.

    Just like her brother, she had an asian-like face and black hair.

    Unlike her brother, she had a horn sticking out of her head.

    A horn? Yes, a horn.

    It protruded from just above her forehead, and pointed upwards. If she were to headbutt someone, it would absolutely ruin their day.

    So, was she really a Fay?

    Why didn¡¯t her brother have a horn? Perhaps they¡¯re half-siblings then? That seems to make sense, I think.

    Still, horn or no horn, she¡¯s a pretty girl. Not quite on Sentra¡¯s level, but she has her charm.

    I observed her body, and used the healing trinket to mend any of her minor wounds. She had a nasty gash on her leg, and while I could seal the wound, the tissue likely won¡¯t reconnect properly, so I expect there to be some permanent damage.

    Once I applied as much healing as I could, I decided to try to wake her, splashing water on her face, or shaking her shoulders. But she seemed content to ignore me.

    ¡°Wake up, you brat!¡± I said in hushed annoyance.

    However she merely mumbled complaints in her sleep, as she rolled away from me.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡­

    I reached my hand forward, and grasped the girl¡¯s horn. With the delicacy of a walrus, I yanked her head up, and shuck her around a bit. I figured if I spin her head a bit, she¡¯ll wake up.

    The girl was clearly annoyed and she groaned out sleepily with a frown.

    ¡°Staaahp¡­¡± she cried out, and weakly tried to slap my hand away.

    So I complied, letting go of the protrusion. She was now seemingly awake, and holding onto her head, recovering from the shaking just now.

    ¡°So? You awake?¡± I asked, keeping my hands to myself.

    However, she seemed to stiffen at my question, and slowly turned her gaze towards me. As our gazes met, I took note of her blue eyes¡ªcome to think of it, weren¡¯t Auden¡¯s eyes red? Even in this world, that sort of eye color is rare among humans, so I guess the two really are some sort of Fay? Well, it¡¯s too late to say that now.

    As she stared over at me, I gave the girl a warm smile, and asked, ¡°So what¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Elaze,¡± She said, as she tried to pull herself to her feet, but instead flinched in pain¡ªthe wound in her right leg made it painful for her to use.

    ¡°Careful. I couldn¡¯t heal your leg properly,¡± I warn. ¡°Mind if I call you Ela?¡±

    ¡°I do mind,¡± She said immediately, her gaze turning icy towards me.

    ¡°Aww, why?¡± I asked in a pout.

    ¡°Can you stop that?¡±

    ¡°Stop what?¡±¡ªI tilted my head, curious about what bothered her. I didn¡¯t think I did anything to offend her, did I?

    However, she didn¡¯t answer me, and merely huffed her breath, and turned away from me. I found that slightly annoying. In my 14 years of life in this world, not many people really treated me as someone not worth talking to. I¡¯m pretty much regarded as a divine being, you know?

    Does this girl not see the fox ears and tail? Or does she not care?

    ¡­

    I¡¯m not getting anywhere here.

    As such, I pull myself to my feet, and extend a hand towards Elaze.

    ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go see your brother,¡± I said.

    ¡°My brother?¡± She asked, clearly surprised. ¡°W-where is he?!¡± She asked, quickly grabbing my hand and yanking herself upright.

    ¡ªIf only I actually had the weight or strength to support both of us.

    Her quick and rash actions had completely destroyed my balance, and I would have fallen forward, if instead Elaze didn¡¯t come crashing into me instead.

    Ela herself didn¡¯t have any time to hold her balance, and her forward momentum sent her tipping forward¡­ right over me.

    ¡ªThe result was that I ended up crushed beneath Ela.

    Thankfully, she wasn¡¯t very heavy, and our sizes weren¡¯t very far apart. But what really annoyed me was¡­

    ¡°Guh¡­ Now my dress is dirty,¡± I said, trying to push Elaze off of my body. However, she refused to get off, and instead grabbed hold of me even tighter.

    ¡°You mentioned my brother!¡± She said, a face of clear dedication filling my view. ¡°Where is Auden?¡±

    ¡°... How about you get off, and I take you to him?¡± I asked, pushing her up and off of my body.

    ¡°Oh¡­ Umm¡­ Ok,¡± She said, suddenly becoming meek and obedient as she tried to hold herself back.

    I managed to pull myself to my feet, and carefully pat down my green Yukata. Ah, damn, I also got some blood on it. Darn, that¡¯s gonna be a pain to clean off later.

    ¡°Can you take me to see him, now?¡± The girl, Elaze asked again, clearly growing impatient as she watched me dust off my dress.

    ¡°You¡¯re pretty demanding of a Spirit, for a little girl, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Spirit¡­¡± She murmured, as she looked me up and down. Did she not realize until now¡­?

    ¡°My mother always said Spirits were just idiots who let a little power go to their heads,¡± She spit out.

    Oh this girl.

    How adorably naive.

    ¡­ I¡¯ll discipline her later.

    ¡°Ow ow ow! Let go~!¡±

    ¡°Yes yes, you¡¯re the one who wants to go see your brother. Shut up and deal with it!¡±

    ¡°H-hey?! Where did this horn come from?¡± She asked flabbergasted.

    And so, I dragged the sister along by her horn to go see her precious brother.

    <hr />

    Author Notes:

    It''s a shorter chapter than usual Only slightly though.

    I think I like this chapter, but maybe not. My ability to "develop" and "flesh out" characters is in serious need of practice, so I hope that my character interactions don''t come off as stale or boring.

    As a note, "Elaze" would be pronounced Eh-La-Ze, as Azurian words/names are phonetic. So not like "Blaze" with an "E" at the start. Similarly, "Auden", is like Aw-den.

    As always, Feedback and Suggestions are appreciated and encouraged. This includes honest opinions of what you think about the chapter/series, and ideas about how you think the story could progress.

 Chapter 033

    ¡°Let go¡ª!¡±

    I came from this way right? Yeah, this way seems right. I should run into Auden like this.

    But what do I do with the siblings after that? I could just let them go. They are no more my responsibility than I am theirs.

    ¡°Are you lost?¡ªowowow! Stop~!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not lost. Your brother might be though, so I¡¯m just looking for him.¡±

    I figured I should at least bring the two siblings together, one way or another. However, it looks like that emotional wreck lost his way.

    Well, I could find him with my sense of smell, so I guess I¡¯ll just head to the main road.

    ¡°Can you let go now¡ª?¡± She complained.

    With an exaggerated sigh, I released Elaze¡¯s horn. Following that, the youth reached up to her head, and began poking at the horn on her head. She gave a weird expression that seemed somewhere between confusion and worry.

    ¡°Was that not there before?¡± I asked. She did seem confused about it earlier, didn¡¯t she?

    Elaze didn¡¯t bother to gaze my way, and merely shuck her head slightly. ¡°Nope¡­ It feels different from mother¡¯s too,¡± She said.

    Her mother¡¯s? ¡°Your mother has a horn too?¡± I asked.

    ¡°She had 3,¡± She corrected.

    So she¡¯s some kind of fay, then?

    I see¡­ A race that develops secondary physical traits later in life. They¡¯re not unheard of, but they are somewhat rare.

    But one that grows horns over time?

    I have no recollection of such a race. But then, following her appearance, it¡¯s likely a fay tribe from the east. Jenn¡¯s books don¡¯t cover much about the East, and Jenn himself has never travelled that far either, so I don¡¯t know where I could gather information about her race.

    I¡¯m curious because I want to know what sort of power this girl has.

    She¡¯s a dangerous wildcard until then.

    She unlocked some sort of power, and it allowed her to wreak carnage back there. Or at least, I believe it was her. It could have been a monster of some sort¡ªit would explain why there were no other bodies in the area.

    But if a monster was willing to eat her pursuers, why not her?

    An alternative to the first option is that her power actually vaporized her enemies¡ªwhich brings me back to her being a dangerous wildcard.

    I legitimately don¡¯t want a possible ticking time bomb laying around, who may or may not cause unexpected damage at a moment¡¯s notice. I already have me around.

    ¡°So, you two were running away from some people, right?¡± I asked, deciding to ascertain the situation. ¡°What did they want you and your brother for?¡± I considered the possibility had to do with the pair being Fay of some kind. However, going by Elaze¡¯s reaction, it wouldn¡¯t have been feasible for people to point them out. That is¡ªunless their mother¡¯s status as a fay became known.

    The fact they¡¯re foreigners shouldn¡¯t really factor in. People are certainly xenophobic, but they shouldn¡¯t be chasing them out of a village for that.

    But I shouldn¡¯t exclude either option, as it may have involved a xenophobic extremist group.

    Wait... I should probably stop guessing these extreme ideas. Next I¡¯ll come to the conclusion that she¡¯s actually an alien princess running away from bounty hunters from another world.

    Wait, is she?

    As I took a glance over to Elaze, it seemed she was in deep thought, unsure about how to answer my question.

    ¡°I have no idea,¡± She said, after a long pause and a shrug. ¡°I don¡¯t think we did anything to insult anyone. Auden and I just take care of a little shop in Karinth.¡± She explained. Karinth was the third largest town in Senilea, and largest in the region. So they came from there, huh?

    Elaze continued her story.

    ¡°But just the other day, a man comes into the shop while I¡¯m in the back, taking care of some chore the manager gave me. He takes a look around and spots Auden. According to him, as soon as they made eye contact, his arm was around Auden¡¯s throat, and asking questions.¡±

    ¡°What kind of questions?¡±

    ¡°I dunno. Auden couldn¡¯t remember. That boy gets forgetful when he¡¯s panicked,¡± She said with a laugh.

    ¡°So? What happened?¡±

    Elaze laughed as she remembered the scene. ¡°Well, I heard the commotion. Thought it was someone trying to rob the store, so I did what the manager always said to do in that case, and grabbed a sword.¡±

    ¡°There was a sword lying around the shop you were working at?¡±

    ¡°Of course. It was a weapon smith¡¯s shop,¡± She stated, as if I was supposed to know that tidbit.

    ¡°Anyways,¡± She continues, ¡±Big guy doesn¡¯t even notice me as I come into the store from his side. Oh, I was pissed when I saw him holding Auden like that.¡±

    ¡°And you stabbed him?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You ever try stabbing someone with a good cloak of Spirit Force? It¡¯s like poking a rock. I¡¯m not even trained,¡± She said in a self-deprecating manner.

    ¡°So how¡¯d you get away?¡±

    Prompted by my question, Elaze stopped walking, and grinned.

    She held her hands before herself, and grasped an imaginary pole¡ªlike grasping onto a sword in both her hands. She then pulled back the phantasmal sword, and got into a some-what familiar stance¡ªwith her legs apart and the ¡°sword¡± to the side of her body, she reminded me of a baseball batter, wielding a bat.

    ¡°Like this,¡± She said, as she swung the imaginary sword¡ªbringing it down to the ground, and arcing it back up.

    ...

    ¡­

    ¡ªA low blow to the groin.

    ¡°I felt that,¡± I said as I crossed my knees, and a shudder traveled up my spine.

    ¡°Well, he sure did. For good measure, I went ahead and bashed his head with the sword, before Smith Krook came in after hearing all the noise. He took a look at the nearly unconscious dude on the floor, and then told us to leave, cause there would be more. And there were.¡±

    Oh? A clue then?

    ¡°So some sort of gang is after you and your brother?¡±

    ¡°No way,¡± She denied, before dropping a bombshell of information, ¡°Those were totally Karinth town soldiers.,¡±

    What. Did. You. Just. Say¡­?

    ¡°Ow ow ow, let go! Let go!! Let goooo~!¡± Elaze shouted as I pulled her horn roughly.

    ¡°Hey¡­ Elaze? You¡¯re not some kind of criminal, are you?¡±

    ¡°N-no way! I couldn¡¯t possibly be!¡± She denied profusely.

    ¡°Oh?¡± I exclaimed exaggeratedly, pulling her horn down below my eye-level. ¡°So there¡¯s no reason that the authorities might want to capture you?¡±

    ¡°W-well¡­¡± So there is something!? ¡°Ow ow! Don¡¯t yank it like that!¡± She cried.

    ¡°Well you see, I¡¯m in something of a pinch, aren¡¯t I? Abiding a criminal can be a crime itself, you know?¡±

    ¡°N-no! You¡¯re wrong. There¡¯s no way they could have known about the scam,¡± She suddenly said.

    ¡°Scam?¡± I asked.

    ¡°F-first, let go,¡± She pleaded with teary eyes.

    I looked at her with scrutinizing eyes. What am I to do?

    Simply put, both of them were brats. Elaze and Auden. Or rather¡ªthey¡¯re teenagers. Effectively troublemakers by nature. This society doesn¡¯t have the concept of a ¡°teenager¡±, so they¡¯re technically both adults now, but Auden is an emotional wreck, and I can already tell Elaze can¡¯t keep her hands to herself.

    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.She mentions a scam, and it hardly surprises me.

    However, why would they injure her to such a degree for something like a child¡¯s scam?

    If what she says is true, then there¡¯s an issue with the story somewhere.

    What¡¯s missing?

    With some reluctance, I released Elaze¡¯s horn, and turned my eyes forward. As I began walking, I waved my hand for her to follow.

    ¡°So? Tell me what else you have to say?¡±

    <hr />

    ¡°Auden!¡± Elaze shouted excitedly as her brother came into view.

    The boy had somehow gotten so far off track, that when I came upon his scent and began tracking him, we found ourselves making circles, and even coming upon the road, multiple times.

    His sense of directions were so skewed, that he actually ended up walking towards Karinth.

    And as we came upon the boy who was wandering aimlessly through the forest, I found myself witness to the reunion of these twins.

    I learned from Elaze¡¯s story that the two were actually fraternal twins. They didn¡¯t quite know their father, but their mother took care of them until a few years ago, when she died from sickness. A crowded orphanage took care of them until several months ago, when they decided to take care of themselves, and were hired by an old Smith willing to teach Auden the trade, and kept Elaze around to do miscellaneous tasks.

    That said, it¡¯s not easy to live like that, so Elaze began scamming people on the streets to make enough to live. How much exactly? She wasn¡¯t specific about it, but she sweared that it shouldn¡¯t have been enough to kill her over, and that she was subtle enough, that she figured the city guards wouldn¡¯t notice.

    As I considered the information, I called out to the siblings.

    ¡°Ok, so I helped you two back together. Let¡¯s get moving,¡± I said casually.

    Elaze looked to me as she hugged her brother, and questioned, ¡°Where too?¡± The two didn¡¯t have many other places to go to. They didn¡¯t know their father, and any family on their mother¡¯s side would be completely unknown.

    It¡¯s not as though I could take them in; I live outside because I feel like it, but I doubt the two would adapt to just sleeping out in the forest with me. It probably wouldn¡¯t be very polite to just ask the villagers back in Ohen to take care of them either.

    So, I can¡¯t just take care of them like nothing, can I?

    Well, I probably could, if I had people build me something like a shrine or temple, but I feel that I would hate myself for ordering something silly like that.

    However, I had to do something.

    ¡°To Karinth,¡± I said.

    Elaze scowled at me for even suggesting returning there.

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you listening? People want to kill us there!¡± She said, breaking away from Auden, who was still processing the reunion.

    ¡°Yes, and I can reason with them,¡± I explained. ¡°I am a Fox Spirit, after all? We¡¯re sort of a big thing, around here.¡±

    Elaze opened her mouth to retort, however it was Auden who spoke up first. ¡°Umm¡­ Thank you for helping my sister,¡± He began in a low voice, avoiding eye contact with me as his face turned red. ¡°But, when is the last time you were in Karinth?¡±

    ¡°Never,¡± was my answer.

    Auden nodded, and explained.

    ¡°A few years ago, I think, you could have walked into Karinth, and asked for a throne in your honor,¡± he said, fidgeting with his fingers. ¡°But Lein outlawed worship of other spirits,¡± He explained.

    I see. So, only worship Lein himself, huh?

    But, Lein has subordinates that are Spirits, too. So it¡¯s not like I¡¯d be hanged or anything like that for just walking in.

    ¡°And? I¡¯m sure I can weasel my way in, and ask about your situation.¡± If it¡¯s a natural born Senilean, then I can¡¯t imagine they would deny a Fox Spirit. A ban on worship rarely kills a religion in just a handful of years.

    Besides, this situation is bugging me. I want to know why these two are being pursued. Or perhaps, I¡¯m just curious in the¡­ potential of these twins¡­

    ¡°And if you can¡¯t find out anything?¡± Auden asked worried.

    ¡°Well, if things go sour, I could probably protect you long enough to get you some place safe,¡± I said with a shrug. It couldn¡¯t be that hard to watch after some brats.

    Ah¡­ I made another promise¡­

    Elaze seemed to calm down from seeing her brother try to talk to me with a beat red face. With her own pale face and blue eyes, she looked at me and asked, ¡°Why would you help us?¡±

    Good question¡­

    ¡°Dunno¡­ Bored I guess?¡±

    <hr />

    Author Notes:

    I''m alive! Mostly. I just finished writing, and decided now (4 in the morning) was as good a time to post a chapter as any other.

    Anyways, this took a while for me to post. There are a number of reasons for the delay.

    There were like, two or three versions of this chapter, and I really wasn''t sure how to write it. On top of that, I lost a TON of motivation soon after posting chapter 32. And then I was dragged onto a cruise a week ago, so I did have some time constraint. But mostly it was motivation. I know where I want to take the story, but I have trouble typing it all down.

    Anyways, there''s something I want to clarify. It seems that there''s a slight bit of confusion, because of the uneven cast of characters. I''ve avoided answering questions about it in the past, partly because I wasn''t sure myself, and partly to just keep it ambiguous. But I think I need to clarify now, before my motivation gets shot again.

    There won''t be a harem. While it seems I''ve already surrounded Toyaru with a few girls, I don''t actually plan to give him something like a harem. Why? No particular reason. I guess I''m tired of writing about harems, while not actually having the skill to flesh out more than one girl anyways.

    If there''s any sort of romance... Well, I''ll just let people keep guessing.

    On another note, sinyueliang drew our little shota kitsune, Toyaru!</a>

    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>

    As someone else wisely said, "The ''kawai as fuck'' level on that is over 9000!" (paraphrasing, of course)

    And as always, feedback and suggestions are appreciated and encouraged!

    Leave a review or comment to let me know what you think of the story, and how I can improve!

 Chapter 034

    ¡°It¡­ It¡¯s been a long time, young lord.¡±

    ¡°Yep, sure has.¡±

    ¡°Can I ask¡­ to what do I owe this visit?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re being cold! Colder than usual.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Right, well, I hadn¡¯t seen you in a while, so I wanted to see what happened to you.¡±

    ¡°¡­ How did you know I¡¯d be here?¡±

    ¡°Hah¡­ I asked Teacher about where you were, but he didn¡¯t know. Father also refused to talk. That idiot. I don¡¯t know why he didn¡¯t send me to get you¡­¡±

    ¡°So you broke into your father¡¯s things, and found out where my last mission was¡­? If that¡¯s all, I would hope that you would leave.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with you? A boy travels from far away to rescue you from peril, and you want to send me away?¡±

    ¡°¡­ As you can see, I am not in peril.¡±

    ¡°Was it that old man? I can tell he¡¯s crazy strong. Is he keeping you here?¡±

    ¡°He is unrelated. I am merely enjoying his hospitality for the week.

    ¡°Hey, why are you so docile? Normally you would have scolded me for following you all the way out here. And what¡¯s with that soft voice? Like you think I¡¯m gonna bite you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry young lord¡ª¡±

    ¡°And that! You never apologize! What¡¯d they do to you?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Perhaps it¡¯s best if you leave.¡±

    ¡°I can bring an army.¡±

    ¡°An army won¡¯t stop him.¡±

    ¡°So there is a guy¡­ I¡¯ll get that bastard, and¡ª¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t stop him.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Hey, what the hell did this guy do to you?¡±

    ¡°The same he would do to you. So please¡ª¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°What happened to you?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t talk about it¡­¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    ¡°I never thought I¡¯d see you cry.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ I can¡¯t do anything¡­ Even if I ran, he can find me, and do terrible things to me¡­ I can¡¯t fight back¡­ I can¡¯t even resist him¡­¡±

    ¡°Hey, hey... don¡¯t worry¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got this¡­ I¡¯ll go find him, and kill him,¡±

    ¡°Wait¡­ don¡¯t do anything stupid!¡±

    ¡°Hey, now that¡¯s more like it, haha.¡±

    ¡°Listen to me!¡±

    ¡°Look, I¡¯m going to go beat the shit out of the asshole that fucked with you, ok? I¡¯m going now.¡±

    ¡°OK... ok¡­? That word¡­ W-wait!¡±

    ¡°What is it this time?¡±

    ¡°I think¡­ he¡¯s like you.¡±

    ¡°Like me?¡±

    ¡°Yes. A reincarnator.¡±

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    <hr />

    Author Notes:

    So I''m alive. Sorta, kinda. I''ve been distracted, writing between a chapter for this story, and another. I had this scene in my head, so I ended up pushing Chapter 34 to 35, and inserting this here. I was intentionally vague with what is going on here, wanting to plant seeds for future plot threads.

    With some deductive reasoning, you could probably figure out who is who, but let''s just leave it at that.

    Anyways, I haven''t really written much lately. Like I said, I swapped between writing a new chapter for this story, and my other story, "So I''m an NPC Now?", but I haven''t had the motivation to write very much. Instead I''ve been playing Mount and Blade, and Civ 5 for the last few days, in various other things for the last few weeks.

    That all being said, I''ve been wanting to publish a novel for quite some time, but for one reason or another, I never got around to it. So I thought, "What if I publish this story?"

    Chapter 1 to 25 is of adequate length and content to release as a single volume. With some editing and adding additional content to flesh out some of the more rushed developments, I thought it could be pretty good, and adding more content would actually incentivize people to buy it.

    But what does everyone else think? I actually have a rough outline for where to take the story for at least 2 or 3 arcs, but I''m pretty indecisive in choosing what to do. When I look back at the early chapters, I feel like Toyaru''s adoptive-parents aren''t talked about enough. His mother has no lines, and his father''s distrust isn''t really explored. It''s sort of just brushed off in the end, but his interactions with people are vague and only "talked about". For this sort of thing, I would like an editor who could go back with me to edit those earlier chapters, and help me write more... filler? fluff? just more content to fill the void.

    Anyways, vote on what you think I should do, and if anyone wants to volunteer as editor (or illustrator?), that''d be great.

    And as always, feedback and suggestions are always encouraged and appreciated. Leave a comment on your thoughts, or a review to give me an ego boost.

 Chapter 035

    As I walked down the dirt-road, I could hear the twins bickering behind me. Like any pair of siblings, they seemed to have differences in just about every aspect, and the fact they were twins didn¡¯t seem to help.

    The topic of their argument was currently the beautiful furball known as Toyaru.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s a bad person,¡± Auden insisted. Despite his nervous attitude otherwise, he was able to speak clearly when it was just him and his sister.

    ¡°It¡¯s not whether he¡¯s good or bad, Auden,¡± Elaze explained. ¡°He¡¯s just not right.¡±

    Even as they whispered amongst each other, my ears could clearly hear their voices. I allowed them some ¡°privacy¡±, but I couldn¡¯t help be listen in. What confused me most, was why Elaze didn¡¯t seem to trust me.

    I don''t think I''ve done anything worth her scorn or distrust. I messed with her a bit, but I never showed her any malice. Maybe I offended her in some way, without meaning to?

    Well, either way, I''ve decided to first meet up with Yenna. After that, there were two options. I could try communicating with the town¡¯s guards and try to ascertain why the the twins were attacked, or we could all just head back to Ohen village, and just have the two under my protection for a while. This world still follows the ancient rule of ¡°Might Makes Right¡±, and Spirits such as myself, especially Kitsune which are regarded as divine beings in this region, have the right to act selfishly just like any noble.

    Elaze''s race seems to be combat-capable, so with some training the two should be able to survive on their own. There''s worry about that coming back to bite me in the ass, but I should be able to handle anything that comes my way.

    I''m me.

    What''s really curious is how I''ve formed a bond with Auden, but not Elaze. The bond with Auden only formed after I returned to him with Elaze, so I couldn''t use it to track him earlier, but the lack of a bond with Elaze is just further proof of how much she distrusts me. The Divine Heart is presumably very fickle, and has low requirements to trigger, but it won''t form with anyone who hates me or has a strong distrust for me. Sentra made that clear to me.

    "Fine! We''ll follow him. But I am NOT getting near any soldiers," Elaze suddenly burst out in frustration.

    Well... I guess we can just head back to Ohen? I was sort of excited about visiting a large town like Karinth for the first time, but I suppose it can''t be any more fascinating than what I''m already use to, so I¡¯ll follow Elaze¡¯s wish.

    On the topic of my Divine Heart, I noticed a while ago that Yenna actually stopped traveling, and probably began to set up camp so it shouldn''t be long before we meet up with her.

    The incoming rain is probably the reason she started setting up camp.

    I could smell the incoming wind a while ago, and my guess is that Yenna noticed the sign in the clouds. The twins don''t seem aware, and even though there''s no reason to tell them, I still thought to tell them about our current plans.

    With that in mind, I dramatically rotated my body around on my heel, and faced the two with an authoritative pose. The brother and sister pair stopped in their tracks, and focused on myself. "Well, my sister should be up ahead, waiting for us. We''ll catch up to her, and then we will negotiate your future arrangements. Understood?" I declared.

    "Understood!" Auden responded affirmative to my demanding tone.

    "Sister?" Elaze muttered, completely ignoring my act. Well, at least she''s paying attention.

    "Good. Let''s go then!" I said with enthusiasm. As I once again turned around in a flash, I continued the trek forward¡ªcompletely ignoring Elaze''s muttering about my theatrics...

    Well, I didn''t ask you either.

    However, we didn''t make it too much further before my ears perked up in caution, and I stopped my feet. My long triangular ears twitched and probed, focusing in on a new sound. The approaching march of horses. I counted 7 different sets of steps approaching at a reasonably quick pace.

    However, I figured this group had nothing to do with the twins. They were coming from behind us, after all. These horsemen were headed towards Karinth.

    Besides, I doubt Karinth would be sending guards this soon. There''s no reason to assume these brats could wipe out the previous party. Unless they know about the sister''s potential ability, but in that case they wouldn''t have sent fodder in the first place.

    Someone on Uncle Jenn''s level would have been more than appropriate.

    Unless Jenn is actually a special case?

    ¡ªOr¡­ is this girl the special one?

    I couldn''t see the party just yet as a result of the curved and hilly road. Thinking about it clearly, I decided it would be a good idea to hide myself. It would be a pain if some issue popped up relating to me being a Fox Spirit. I don''t want the extra attention from the town, if I''m just going to end up turning around and not going.

    "Hey, you two," I said, quickly appearing before them with both my index-fingers pointed at either of them. Before either of them could respond, I continued, "Pretend I''m not here. We have company."

    With that short message, I used my time-stop abilities to vanish from sight, and entered the trees.

    ¡ªNow, let me just start by saying that a week ago, I was definitely out of shape. Not fat or anything, but I had no stamina, and very little strength.

    Now let me finish by reminding you that one week is not enough for my lame ass to kick into high gear and become some super athlete.

    So of course, climbing up the trees was a stressful. Not immediately, thanks to the strange quality to my Time-Stop ability that basically nulls pain and fatigue.

    But once I resumed the flow of time, I could feel the strain on my muscles¡ªI didn¡¯t use any energy to climb, but force was still applied to my body. These inconveniences are inconsequential to someone with my abilities, but it was still no reason not to improve.

    So, I ignored the mild discomfort, and focused my attention onto the road.

    "Where''d she go?" Auden asked confused, as he looked to and fro in panic.

    Elaze was similarly shocked, but was much more subdued, as she calmly but vigilantly scanned the surroundings.

    However, once my words had set in, and the surprise of my disappearance passed, Elaze sighed, "Forget about him," she spat.

    "He said someone''s coming," She remembered, and looked both ways down the road. The sound was still too far away for human ears, but it wouldn''t be long before the two groups would meet.

    "What? Where? Is it more bad guys?!" Auden questioned. However, Elaze decided it didn''t matter. Grabbing ahold of Auden, she continued walking forward.

    "H-hey? What about Toyaru?" He asked flustered.

    "Who knows? Who cares? He said to pretend he''s not here, so just keep walking," She said.

    I knew she''d catch on. It wouldn''t go well if these two were just standing here waiting for someone to come by. So, it was best for the two to continue walking as if they didn''t know or care about the incoming group.

    Elaze probably figured out that I''m nearby and watching, and even though Auden is a nervous wreck, he should be able to figure it out as well.

    They had nothing to worry about.

    Unfortunately, this also meant I had to get down from my tree, and just follow behind on foot.

    <hr />

    "You two, halt!"

    Elaze had the right idea.

    ¡ªAct like any other group of kids who may be using this road. Take an interest in the approaching party, who are all riding on horse-back.

    ¡ªNotice that they are some kind of soldiers.

    Kids in the area might look up to knights and soldiers like this, whom punish criminals, but at the same time they would know not to annoy and anger these people. So, be anxious. Not afraid, but uncomfortable with what might happen. Avoid eye-contact, keep your heads down, and pass them by without incident.

    The party of 7 horse came into view, and as the sound of hooves traveled, the two looked back to see what was coming. Without raising suspicion, they continued walking, and got out of the way of the horses.

    For a while, it seemed the soldiers would ignore the pair. Most of the group took no interest in them, so it didn''t seem like they were looking for anyone. However, the boy in the center of the group who rode atop a unicorn¡ªyes, a goddamn horse with a long ass horn coming from its head¡ªcommanded the siblings to stop.

    This boy was clearly a noble of some kind¡ªOn top of his temperament compared to the other soldiers, he was fashioned in an exotic attire that set him apart from the six uniformed solders surrounding him.

    ¡ªSo the twins halted, keeping their heads low without saying anything, but doing as instructed.

    ¡°Look here,¡± the young leader ordered. Elaze trembled for a moment. She had hoped that she could hide her head behind Auden, that way her horn wouldn''t be noticed. But with a direct order from a noble, as commoners they had no choice but to do as told.

    Auden turned without any delay, nervousness expressed clearly on his face.

    Elaze on the other hand waited a second, before slowly turning her body around. ¡°Yes, sire?¡± She turned her pale yet calm face towards the unknown noble. ¡°How may I be of service?¡± She said humbly, trying not to disrespect the important newcomer.

    The noble boy raised his eyebrows, seeing the horn that sprouted from Elaze''s forehead, but he didn''t seemed too surprised by it. I half expected a more exaggerated reaction, but it didn''t seem things would escalate that far.

    ¡°I have a few questions I would like you two to answer. I hope you have the time,¡± he said with a smile.

    ¡°Certainly sir. We are in no rush. My name is Elaze, and this here is my brother Auden. Don''t mind him; he''s a bit daft when it comes to new people,¡± She said. Auden seemed a bit surprised and flustered, but he didn''t deny his sister''s words.

    The boy seemed pleased with her cooperation, but did not reveal his own name.

    ¡°From where, and to where are you commuting?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Elaze hesitated for a moment. She knew this question was coming, but how to answer it was another matter. She couldn''t mention the soldiers that were chasing them, right? On top of that, she wasn''t too familiar with the smaller villages in the area, even though she should be travelling between them.

    ¡°We are actually planning to meet with an acquaintance on the road. You see, we don''t have any family left, so we don''t really know where we will be going,¡± She said.

    It was a strange story.

    Not unlikely, but strange.

    If her family died, why not wait for the acquaintance to arrive at the village she was in? They didn''t seem prepared to travel either, so that could imply they had nothing else. If their acquaintance was willing to meet them half-way, why not travel the full route?

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.But the strangeness of the story also meant she could avoid naming where she came from, and all without lying.

    However, the young boy seemed to realize the girl was hiding her circumstances.

    ¡ªBut he didn''t press for answers.

    No, the boy thought for a moment, looking between the twins as if in thought. He took a glance towards the sky, and then came to a realization of some kind.

    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t take this the wrong way, but would you two be comfortable with an escort?¡±

    ¡°¡­ An escort?¡±

    ¡ªAn escort?

    ¡°Yes. A storm is coming, and it¡¯ll likely reach long before you reach your destination. If you would like, you can ride with my Knights. I¡¯ll feel bad if I left a pair of kids out in the rain like this.¡±

    Elaze tilted her head, in mild confusion. She took a glance at the sky as well, but it didn¡¯t seem she could glean any information from what she saw.

    Of course not; predicting the weather from the clouds alone was a skill that required specialized knowledge. A girl with a commoner¡¯s education like Elaze wouldn¡¯t know anything about that. Even I¡¯m only roughly aware of weather patterns.

    However, what should I do?

    ¡°What do you think?¡± Elaze asked Auden in a hushed voice.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Auden admitted a bit nervous. ¡°I think he¡¯s a nice guy.¡±

    ¡°Of course he¡¯s nice. He wants something,¡± Elaze grumbled quietly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be rude,¡±

    ¡°Anyways, I think we should at least go with him part way.¡±

    ¡°Part way?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, the fox said his sister was waiting for us up ahead,¡± She said, before turning back to the noble boy. ¡°Sir. If you would allow us to travel part of the journey with you, that would be very kind,¡± Elaze said.

    It seemed Elaze didn¡¯t want to owe too much to this man. She seems less antagonistic against him, but that¡¯s probably because she respects a political authority more than she respects ¡°spiritual powers¡± or whatever.

    Ah, but what a drag.

    This meant I¡¯d have to go ahead of them, and meet up with Yenna. I didn¡¯t expect the soldiers to realize it was going to rain soon, and then offer the twins a ride.

    Well, I guess it means less walking for them.

    Ugh¡­

    But what about me?

    ¡­

    The strange development led me to skipping ahead of the twins and the escort of 6 or so soldiers. I thought it would be awkward to come out of the woods and ask for a ride too.

    When I eventually came on Yenna¡¯s camp, I noticed she had set up the two tents we had packed. Actually, we had three prepared tents, in case one became damaged. Up until now, the two of us slept separately, so I wondered for a moment why didn¡¯t she prepare the last tent, for the siblings.

    ¡ª¡±One tent for you and me, and another for the brats,¡± She said as if it was obvious. For some reason, her gaze kept shifting to my two tails, but that was probably my imagination. (Help me)

    In any case, the fact she called the siblings brats not only shows how much my vocabulary has rubbed off on her, but also that she doesn¡¯t really want to put up with them.

    In any case, I ended up helping Yenna set up the camp further, but honestly there wasn¡¯t much for me to do, that Yenna hadn¡¯t already done.

    So, I laid down a mat on the grass to the side of the road, and waited for the twins.

    But what should I do from now on? I should return to Ohen Village, right? Well, I don¡¯t have much time to laze about. I¡¯m certain that Aniel has left a message for me by now, and I should be preparing to go to the capital.

    I have many decisions to make in the coming days. I agreed to side with Aniel, to raise morale as a Divine Spirit, and to assist in the battle effort in whatever way I can.

    But I don¡¯t want to end up tied down to this kingdom.

    I¡¯ll protect Ohen, and the people I care about there, but the Kingdom of Senilea is just a place Ohen Village resides in.

    On top of that, the Divine Heart should have an effect on me. According to Sentra, it would be difficult to ignore the emotions of others, and yet with me, I have trouble hearing them in many cases. It¡¯s likely because I¡¯m a male, that my powers developed slightly differently, but I can¡¯t confirm this theory without a larger sample size.

    No¡ªMaybe it¡¯s simply unique to me? Like a mutation. Or as a side-effect of my rebirth.

    Speaking of my Rebirth, I wonder how many other people from my world have reincarnated here? Or maybe reincarnated in other worlds?

    Is there a connection between myself and other reincarnators? Me and Aniel are the only ones I know of, but Aniel¡¯s memory is unreliable.

    Maybe after the battle with Arnne and Lein, I¡¯ll do some studying. Or some traveling. The bonds I gain through the Divine Heart directly trigger the formation of new tails, so meeting new people will lead to gaining more power, right?

    Ah, but then there are the negative sides to the Divine Heart¡­ Sentra says that her symptoms seem to have lessened recently, and I only rarely become unable to ignore my own symptoms¡ªbut if I start socializing with hundreds and thousands of people, won¡¯t the stress pile up?

    ¡ªMaybe if I use the method the Lein had Sentra follow?

    The side-effects are much more subdued, but Sentra feels that the result gave her subpar abilities. I would disagree, but considering the method, and the fact I have no knowledge of how magic works, she might be onto something. I don¡¯t know what sort of abilities Kitsune normally unlock with each tail, and whether or not the abilities are pre-determined. As such, I think I will just take her ¡°advice¡±.

    As I was indulging myself in deep thought, my ears perked up at the arrival of guests.

    ¡ªThe boy and his knights from before, along with the two twins.

    I could see them a short distance away, but was already getting anxious. So, I pulled myself up, and decided to take a walk in their direction.

    It didn¡¯t take long before we were close enough to shout, and they slowly decelerated as they approached. They had already come to halt by the time we were only meters apart.

    I smiled up at the troop, looking directly at the young, yet handsome leader of this group. As I looked at him, I thought, from where is he from, anyways?

    ¡°Hello there!¡± I decided to greet the group with my usual enthusiasm.

    The boy however looked at me with eyes wide, and some interest. After a moment of going over his thoughts, he returned my greeting, ¡°Hello there, fare maiden. My name is Ezder Lenson,¡± He said, with a short nod. ¡°What can I help you with, that you stand before myself and my trusted knights?¡±

    ¡ªEzder Lenson. The name isn¡¯t familiar, but then I don¡¯t really middle with the nobility of the region. Still, the fact he gave his name to me immediately shows he has some respect for Fox Spirits, right?

    ¡°I am Toyaru, though you may call me Toya if you wish. However, I don¡¯t have any particular request from you, but I do advise that your group take shelter. There is a clearing to the side of the road nearby, where me and my companion have set up a small camp to wait out the storm. If you are headed toward Karinth, you will be caught in the rain.¡±

    As if on que, the booming crackle of thunder stuck somewhere in the distant forest, and echoed all the way down here through the trees.

    Ezder looked out into the clouds with a frown, and seemed to realize he wouldn¡¯t make it, no matter how fast his horse carried him.

    ¡°Thanks for the warning. I¡¯ll take you up on that offer,¡± He said, loosening the formality in his speech, almost immediately.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Let¡¯s go,¡± I said, and turned back around, towards the camp.

    All the while, Elaze¡ªwho was sitting on the back of a horse right behind one of Ezder¡¯s knights¡ªstared at me with eyes wide, as if she couldn¡¯t believe how blatantly I had just lied and manipulated Ezder.

    Well, manipulated isn¡¯t the right word. I just wanted to give them a reason to stop here, and then later take responsibility for the twins, without revealing myself as ¡°the acquaintance¡± she mentioned.

    ¡ªAh¡­ Now I get it.

    ¡°Miss,¡± Ezder said, pulling me away from my epiphany. As I took a peek back at him, he nervously scratched his cheek as he spoke. ¡°It may not be very far to your camp from here, but it seems rude to let you walk while we ride on horseback. Would you permit it¡ª?¡±

    He was right. It wasn¡¯t much further, and was even in sight. However, why deny a ride on a horse? Or rather, a Unicorn?

    So, I decided to tease the youth, and interrupted him mid-sentence.

    ¡°Oh? Are you trying to flirt with a beauty such as myself? You haven¡¯t fallen for me, have you?¡± I asked with a large grin on my face, while covering my chest in mock-modesty.

    ¡°No, no, please don¡¯t joke like that,¡± Ezder said with a laugh, brushing off my attack. ¡°I already have a girl I care for you see,¡± He admitted.

    ¡°Aww, how pleasant,¡± I said, loosening my face into a more subdued smile. ¡°To be in love must be nice,¡± I said, walking up to Ezder¡¯s horse. ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case, I will accept your offer,¡± I said, and hopped onto the white Unicorn, situating myself behind Ezder, with both of my feet hanging off to one side of the horned-horse.

    ¡°Umm,¡± Ezder seemed to nervously hesitate. ¡°I was thinking you could ride with one of my Knights, actually¡­¡± He said.

    Yep, he may have someone he likes, but like most adolescent body, he melted at a girl¡¯s touch, it seems. Not one to let a chance go by, I wrapped one of my arms around his waist to keep me from falling, and then asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Surely there¡¯s no problem if I just sit here, right?¡±

    ¡°Nope, no problem at all,¡± He managed to say.

    I wanted to laugh, but I managed to contain myself.

    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s go~¡±

    <hr />

    Author Notes:

    We, I''m alive! Mostly.

    So what have I been up to? I actually got around to rewriting the first two to three chapters, which is something, thought you can''t see this update on RRL. I made some changes to the introduction, though nothing that would change the course of the story. I haven''t written much more than that though.

    I was actually experiencing something like writers block when it came to writing this chapter (which was how Chapter 34 came to be, instead). The other day, I went to Colorado with my brother, and through the long wait in a car, I had the chance to focus and write. The weed cookies I ate in Colorado may have helped.

    Anyways, here is Chapter 35. We are almost half-way through this Act, so for now bare with me. I''m going somewhere with all of this, I promise!

    Please leave a comment, rate the story, and give any feedback or suggestion!

 Chapter 036

    The trek to my camp was short. Barely even a minute, but my fun fizzled out pretty quickly. I thought Ezder would be completely flustered by my teasing, but after just a few tens of seconds, he had calmed his nerves, and managed to ignore my advances.

    Bored with the noble boy, I turned my attention towards the twins.

    Auden as expectedwas nervous, fidgeting incessantly as he held tightly to a knight, whom looked as though he was ready do anything to be rid of Auden.

    On the other hand, Elaze was glaring daggers at me for being so indecent with the noble Ezder.

    Her displeasure with me was genuine, and the more time I spent around her, the more I came to understand what it was that she hated about me.

    The long and short of it:

    ¡ªNearly everything.

    If there¡¯s anything specific, I think she hates the way I act in such a haughty and provocative way. Yes, I¡¯m self-aware enough to know I sometimes push things too far, but it¡¯s already become a habit.

    ¡ªI¡¯m not going to change just to please her.

    However, she seems to know I am not really a girl. She couldn''t, could she?

    As we came up to the camp I had set up with my sister Yenna, the horses were guided into the clearing, and I hopped off my ride.

    "So this is your companion?" Ezder asked, as he looked towards Yenna, who was preparing food.

    "That''s right! She''s my sister, though not by blood," I said pridefully. "A beautiful girl, isn''t she?"

    Ezder smiled warily at my comment, as he climbed off his horse, and his knight guided the steedaway.

    "That she is," He finally admitted. "But I already have another, as I told you," He reminded me.

    I shrugged, "Probably for the best. She bites."

    A moment later, I felt a searing pain at the top of my headas I found myself falling to the ground. My face landed in the dirt, with my hands spread wide and the world spinning erratically. I pushed my hands down against the earth, trying to get onto my feet.

    "See what I mean?" I groaned, before rolling myself onto my back. There above me, I saw Ezder with a look of shock, and Yenna with a stern scowl right next to him. "Don''t worry about me... Get your tents set up," I said, as I began rubbing my head. Ezder isn''t quite sure what to do, whether to help me up, or pretend he saw nothing. After all, I was a Spirit, struck down by a little girl. However, he seemed to understand this wasn''t an unusual happening, and decided to move back to slowly his men. I could swear I saw a smirk form on his lips as he turned away.

    "They''re staying?" Yenna asked in a hushed voice.

    Come to think of it, I didn''t explain that part to her, did I? "Yes. They''ll set up camp, and then leave when the rain dies down."

    She didn''t say anything for a moment, only taking a glance from me, to the several knights, and of course the twins. She had something on her mind, and something seemed to bother her, especially when her eyes landed on the knights and the noble boy.

    "Aren''t they enemies?"

    Pardon me? "Enemies?"

    Yenna looked at down at me for a moment after I said that. I wasn''t sure what she meant, so pulled myself up into a sitting position, and began to pat away some of the dirt from my body. Yenna seemed to give up on me, and walked towards the knights. I wondered what it was she meant byenemies. Did I miss something about them? Was I too busy playing around to notice something vital...

    "Sir Knight, I see your companions have been tending to two children. Are they perhaps your prisoners?" I hear Yenna from a distance with my sharp ears.

    "No My Lady.Our Young Lord spotted them on the side of the road, and kindly offered to escort them to the nearest town." The response of one of the Knights was both calm, yet proud.

    "My. Surely tending to the common children of a foreign land isn''t the obligation of a Lord. He must be quite charitable to extend his grace onto them," Yenna said.Wait... Foreign land?

    However, the knight laughed. "I thought the same, but that boy doesn''t worry about common sense. Besides, they may be unfamiliar, but these can''t be called foreign lands, now canthey?"

    "That is true," Yenna said sweetly.

    What did they mean by that? Surely I''ve missed something. A crucial detail. I take a glance around at the Knights and Ezder. They''re from a foreign Kingdom then? But then... Don''t tell me...

    "However, you needn''t worry about a stranger''s children like so. You Knights have your Lord to look after, and caring for those children will only slow you down. My Lady Toyaru is willing totake overguardianship of that pair, if your Lord will allow it. I have already erected a second tent those two can share." Yenna pushed the conversation along, even taking those kids under my protection, despite her disapproval. I guess it''s a good thing I had Jenn''s wife give her classes on etiquette.

    "Hmm, I see. You make a good case," the Knight nodded before the pair exchanged their partings. The twins would probably be coming over to my camp in a moment, but before that, I saw Yenna stomping her way towards me. Oh boy...

    Before I could back away from her, she pinched a hold of my long left ear, and began to drag me along. "Ah! Ow ow, let go, I''ll walk!" I protested as she dragged me along behind her. Despite the proper lady-like tone she used with the Knight just a moment ago, she had no qualms with abusing me in front of everyone. "Com''on, what''d I do~?" I moaned as she pulled me into our tent, out of view of the Knights, and thrust me onto the floor. Free of her mean fingers, I curl my legs up, and try to bury my head between my knees, while holding onto my ears.

    "That hurt," I protest.

    However, Yenna merely scoffed at my childish behavior. "They''re from Lein," She stated.

    So it really was like that.

    "The sigils?" I asked.

    Yenna nodded. "I learned most of the family sigils of Lein from Sentra," she explained.

    I sighed out, as I threw myself onto my back. So, I spoke with and hit on the enemy, without realizing it. No, that''s perfectly fine. They shouldn''t know about my involvement with Aniel and Princess Aire. However... did they come by Ohen?! Maybe, but it doesn''t seem like they were here to start trouble.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    I wonder.

    "Just continue as we are," I finally said. "No need to antagonize them."

    Yenna seemed neither satisfied nor annoyed by my answer. Just apathetic. As ifdealing with my whims was too much effort for her to think about. Without another word, she turned about, and made her way to greet the twins. Meanwhile, I thought about my plans.

    <hr>

    Just as expected, the heavy rain struck sooner than Ezder''s group originally anticipated. Luckily they had erected temporary shelter, and everyone was comfortable. Yenna lay asleep before, with my tail within her gentle embrace. She was still a child, and her old habits never truly died, but I have grown to not mind it much. It was still the middle of the day, but with nothing else to do in such a cramped environment, Yenna grabbed onto my tail and went to sleep. I couldn''t sleep though, and instead lay awake, victim to her cuddling.

    It''s possible I would have to fight Ezder in the future, and even kill him. Why not get it over with now? Well, I don''t want to kill a guy I just offerred peace with. Besides, he was just a child. Yes, we were a similar age in this world, but he seems childishly innocent. Killing him would be shameful after all this. And if a noble boy happened to die and go missing within Senilea, then it might prompt Lein to focus more on subjugating the region''s rebellion. At the moment, Lein can''t focus on one Kingdom or the other because ofthe war with Arnne. The current situation is preferable.

    Unable to sit still, I decide to slow downtime to a halt. I gently pull my tails free from Yenna''s grip, careful not to hurt myself in the process (although with time stopped, I wouldn''t notice any pain until I resumed it) and then I made my way out of the tent.

    For quite a while after discovering my powers, a certain question bothered me to no end;Why can I move, if surely the air is frozen?

    How could the air particles have enough time to move out of my way, and why is it that a vacuum isn''t formed in my path? Even when I move objects, the air just seems to fill the gaps as though everything in the world is only pretending to be in slow-motion.So one day when it rained out, I took the opportunity to explore the village with time slowed down until every raindrop was suspended in the air. I had believed that maybe my powers would "reanimate" any fluid I got near or touched, but that wasn''t what happened. Instead, as I touched the raindrops, the fluid seemed to glide around my skin. If I passed my hand through drops of water, they would deform around my hand, and once my hand was gone, they merely reformed on the other side.

    It was a strange phenomena to see at the time, and even now as I walk through drops of suspended water, I wonder about the strange nature of my primary ability.

    I walked through the camp, first checking on the twins. However, Elaze was nowhere to be found, despite Auden sitting there anxiously. With a frown, I move to the other tents, counting every knight, and even taking note of Ezder talking with his guards. The knights were all accounted for, but Elaze was missing. Where could she be... I thought of returning my speed to normal, and using my hearing and sense of smell to track her down, but instead I decided to look for foot prints. Rain might normally wash away tracks, but they also make it easy for certain tracks to form. The dirt had turned to mud, and thickly defined tracks littered the camp. However, the one set which left the twin''s tent led outside the camp.

    And so, I followed behind. What could this girl be doing, going into the woods during the rain? I was curious. I don''t know why, but I was. I hadn''t spoken to her nor Auden since Ezder appeared, and something told me to talk to her.

    And there, surrounded by trees in the rain, was Elaze. I wasn''t sure what she was up to, but it appeared as if she were focusing, with her eyes closed, and hands spread in front of her. With a grin on my face, I walk over to her side, just behind her shoulder, and immediately shift time into normal speed. Rain began to pour down on me, so I reached out, and tapped Elaze''s shoulder.

    "What''cha doin out here?" I asked casually.

    Elaze, the horned girl, spun around in a fright, a look of shock and surprise plastered on her face. However, the muddy earth wasn''t so kind to her, as she spun too quickly to stop. Her foot slipped, prompting a scream for her as she lost her balance. But before she could fall, I stepped in, wrapping my arm around her back, and catching her. She responded and grabbing hold of my yukata, and bringing her hand up to my shoulder as she tried to regain her balance.

    I smiled down at her face, as her expression turned from surprise to anger.

    "A little jumpy, aren''t you?" I quipped in amusement.

    "What do you want?" She asked, turning her eyes away, but didn''t let go of me.

    "I just wanted to know why you left your sweet brother behind? He looked pretty anxious."

    "He''s safe, isn''t he? That''s good enough."

    I shrugged with a smirk, and helped Elaze up onto her feet. She quickly let go of me, and turned away from me. As if nothing had happened, she returned to doing what she was doing before I interrupted her. Whatever that was.

    "Not gonna tell me what you''re up to?"

    "Is that any of your business?" She asked, closing her eyes as she once against stretched her hands forward.

    She was right. It wasn''t any of my business, and yet I still waited for an answer. I watched as her hands seemed to move, and her attention intensified. She had all but forgotten me, opting to pretend I wasn''t there. I had not much else to do, so I watched her carefully. I concluded she was doing some kind of meditation, out here in the rain, but surely she must be worried about getting sick. I could heal any fever I got with the charm Aniel gave me, and Kitsune were already resistant to disease as a long-lived race. But Elaze shouldn''t know I could heal her, so either she was betting on her Fayblood, or she just didn''t care.

    However, after watching her for many long minutes, I noticed something.

    Her horn was pulsating. It was a dim glow, but there was certainly light coming from it. Was she trying to master her power, perhaps? For me, using my abilities is instinctive. Like my tails have a mind of their own, and I just use their powers. But perhaps for other races, their abilities require practice. Like learning to walk for a human.

    "Your trying to control your power?" I asked.

    Elaze frowned as her horn lost its glow, and her attention turned towards me.

    "Mother said that it''s not a power to control, but unleash. I was to learn how to release it when I have to."

    "A power you can''t control, huh..." So shedoes have a combat ability of some kind. "What''s it do?"

    She looked down for a moment, before sighing. "When I used it on my pursuers..." She paused for a moment, as she wrapped her arms around herself. This was the first time she mentioned that incident herself. "When it happened, I didn''t mean to do anything. I was just desperate. I told Auden to run away, and thought I''d use myself as bait. I was hurt, so I''d only slow him down. But when they caught up to me..." She shivered, as she remembered something unpleasant. "The looks on their faces. They weren''t just going to capture me or even kill me. When I realized that I was outraged. Thosebastards! Using people like toys, because they have a little power over them. And then... a throbbing pain in my forehead later, I found myself waking up to see you," She said.

    "Well, you killed them somehow," I said with a shrug. "You even got rid of their bodies somehow."

    "And I don''t know how I did that!" Elaze snapped. "It irritates me! Mother said that when I need it most, my power will burst forth to protect me! But I can''t just pass out and destroy everything at the last moment! How can I protect my brother like that?" She cried out in frustration.

    "So, you think there must be more to your power than just a one-off attack?"

    "There has to be!" She shouted at me.

    I stay silent for a moment, before smiling. I stepped towards her, she inched back, but before she could get far, I placed my open palm atop her head, scratch her wet hai and speak calmly. "If what you want is the power to protect your brother, I''ll help in whatever way I can. It sucks being useless, but there''s no doubt in my mind that this horn here has some interesting secrets," I said, and grasped her horn.

    She looked at me, eyes probing me for something. As if she expected me to turn around with a "Sike!" just to toy with her. But when she finally acknowledged I was serious, she closed her eyes, let out a sigh, and nodded. "Ok. I''ll stick with you until I can protect my useless brother," She said.

    I smirk, letting go of her horn, and spinning around. "Well, let''s go back. Don''t want to worry him too much, right?"

    From behind, I hear a faint, "Right," as I begin walking back to camp. I turn a glance to the young girl, and see her bashfully following behind me.

    It''s nice when she goes all meek like that.

    Having her be all feisty and neglectful is also nice.

 Chapter 037

    "Where did you go?" Yenna asked me as I entered our shared tent and escape the pouring rain.

    "I had a talk," I answered nonchalantly, as I grabbed a towel, and began to try myself off. My Yukata was soaking wet, so I began to undo the sash that held it to my body.

    "With they noble boy?" She asked with a frown.

    "No," I denied, as the belt-like cloth fell to the ground. As I spread open the bizarre orange-red dress that had come to be associated with me, I revealed the casual tunic and shorts I wore beneath. They weren''t quite as wet yet, but I still felt the need to change out of them. I reached into my luggage, pulling a spare set from my bags, and quickly switched into it. All the while, Yenna watched grumpily.

    "You''re surrounding yourself in more dangerous people," She finally said, concluding that I must have talked with Auden or Elaze. Possibly even recruited them.

    "That''s right," I said, as I slipped the spare tunic over my head. "I don''t intend to live my life in secrecy forever. The villagers have been good to me, but they can''t keep me hidden much longer," I informed Yenna. Once I had changed my clothes, I set aside my dress, hoping to dry it off when the rain settled down.

    After a short silence between me and Yenna, I spoke up again. "When I went into the woods to find the boy''s sister, I came into a clearing. Trees were leveled, and blood was scattered around. But the only body I found was that girl''s. Elaze. She didn''t remember what happened, but all she had to show for it was a horn protruding from her forehead. I thought, this, this girl is dangerous. She''s a wildcard. And I want her."

    As I gazed to my sister and vassal, she looked back at me with worried eyes. "You always like getting into trouble," She finally said. I expect her to berate me and condemn my actions, to get into an argument. I expected it¡ªand yet nothing happened. Sometimes I wonder just how badly I underestimate this girl. Maybe if I were more open with her then...

    No, there''s nothing to be done about it. I''ve already set my mind to a course, and Yenna knows it.

    With nothing else to say, I dropped down beside my dear sister, and lean over, letting my head settle into her lap. "Com''on. I''ll rain for a few more hours, so let''s not spend that time talking about depressing matters," I urge, my ears twitching in excitement. "I''ll let you play with my ears this one time," I offer, trying to sooth my ferocious sister.

    She let out a soft sight through her nostrils, before her hands reached up to cup my ears. A smile formed on my face, as my eyelids slowly closed shut. I''ll be causing you more trouble from now on, so be sure to watch my back.

    <hr>

    The rain went on into the next morning despite my prediction of "a few hours." Although its strength varied, Ezder''s and my camp were forced to stay put until the water ceased. When I woke the following morning, I peaked my head out the tent to see the busybody knights preparing for departure, and recovering from the long night of rain. I saw Yenna helping out, and wonderedif she was just trying to make them leave faster.

    When I turned my attention to the inside of the tent, I realized my wet yutaka was replaced by a clean set that was ready for me to slip into. It was one of my darker yukatas, with a color similar to tree bark or coffee, and was decorated with leaf patterns. I stood up to pull the thing around me, and wrapped the wide pink-ish sash around my waist. After I fastened my clothes on and slipped into my sandals, I stepped out into the world.

    Some eyes glanced towards my confident figure, but there was clearly work to be done. I spotted neither Auden nor Elaze, so I figured the twins must have been sleeping. It was already day time however, so as I barged into their tent, I kicked Auden awake. "Wake up, you brats!" I ordered, before kicking Elaze awake as well. Neither seemed pleased to be woken up in such a way. Auden groaned, slowly opening his eyes, but Elaze had jolted upright the moment I kicked her. I noticed that she wasn''t wearing any clothes underneath her blanket, and remembered that she was also out in the rain.

    As Elaze looked at me with a glare, as if telling me to get out, I placed a hand on her horn, and smirked.

    "Dead."

    "Wha¡ª?"

    "You two will clean up the tent, and pack it. I''ll tell Yenna to lend you some clothes. Say goodbye to the kind Lord while you''re at it," I said, before turning around to go talk with the aforementioned lord.

    Ezder had just finished consulting one of his Knights when I approached him. "Toyaru... It seems the two of us will be parting here," He said with a casual smile.

    "Indeed. Yenna spoke with you?"

    "She spoke with my knight, yes. He relayed to me that you plan to take custody of those two children?" He asked for confirmation.

    I nodded, taking a glance at our surroundings. "I have quite a bit of free-time, so I thought I would take those brats along to where they need to go," I stated.

    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it."You call them brats, but I''m pretty sure the five of us are pretty close to the same age," Ezder said with a chuckle. "You''re quite strange, Toyaru. Not many Fox Spirits are willing to interact with others, especially not for long periods of time," the young lord said with a raised eyebrow.

    I shrugged, and opted to not explain my reasoning. Most fox spirits simply can''t interact with all that many people. I was just a special case.

    "Well, whatever your reasoning, I wish you well," Ezder said after a short pause. "If you ever need me¡ª"

    "I won''t," I interrupt with a smirk. "You might need me though," I tease. As I approach him closely, within a foot from him, I near my face to his with the best confident smile I can muster, and whisper. "And if you do need me, all you have to do is call for help. OK?" I say as my hand presses against his chest.

    The Young Lord swallows a ball of saliva at my advance, and laughs nervously. "I don''t think I''ll be needing it, but thank you for the offer," He said, as he slowly backed away.

    I watched as he slowly regrouped with his Knights, and smile to myself.

    A connection was made in that last exchange. My Divine Heart had linked me to him.

    Enemy or not, from now on I''ll have an idea of where he is. Unlike Sentra with her Divine Heart, I can''t peer into his thought and emotions unless he experiences abnormally intense feelings, but just knowing the location is fine for now. He''s a Lein nobleman within a rebelling territory. There aren''t many reasons he might be here for. It''s best to keep tabs on ones potential enemies.

    As for the link conditions for the Divine Heart, I think I''m slowly beginning to understand them better. It''s all speculative at this point, but I hypothesize that we Foxes are meant to be social creatures, and that the Divine Heart is a contract that forms automatically in one of two conditions:

    <ol>

    <li>When one becomes subservient to the other. In this case, "subservient" doesn''t need to mean kissing a Fox''s ass, but most forms of submission are valid. For example, the leader of a tribe, or ones parents.</li>

    <li>Under the acknowledgement of equals. Usually, you could say this is for allies to form a contract, but you could also say that true enemies fall into this category as well.</li>

    </ol>

    Sentra''s contract falls into the first category. I forced her into submission through force, and she yielded, before going as far as to serve me. Unfortunately, the Contract can, and often is initiated without the consent of either party. Sentra did not want to be linked to my Divine Heart, and even if I rejected her servility, the contract would still be formed.

    The second condition appears to be more predictable, but less likely to form, especially in a society based on caste systems. A general won''t form the same link with just a common soldier, nor would a worshiped deity fulfill this condition with a follower (though this relationship might fulfil the first condition).

    However, Ezder and I are both entities that could be considered on an even plane. He may be a noble-boy with land to control, but I''m a Fox Spirit worshiped by many. Our exchange a moment ago, offering help to each other in that way, was another form of acknowledging we were in some way equals. Whether that was a good thing or not was beside the point.

    Regardless, I don''t think the Divine Heart''s second condition evolved in order for me to aide my allies. If that were the case, then the link that bound me to a servant would be different than one which bound me to an "ally". And yet, both links operate in the same manner; the only difference is how they''re established.

    That''s why I am certain that the Divine Heart exists in order to compete with my rivals.

    <hr>

    The goodbyes following that were short. I wasn''t big on formalities, and Ezder wasn''t willing to push it, so his group parted ways after a simple goodbye. He spoke with Elaze shortly, and they were gone.

    My camp stayed put for the time being, although we did wrap up the tents in preparation for our departure. However, I and Elaze had clothes to dry up due to our adventure in the rain. Although I had plenty of spare clothes due to my journey, Elaze and Auden only had the clothes on their backs, so Ela''s wet clothes was replaced by one of Yenna''s yukata dresses. Yenna was actually a pretty big girl for her age, and Elaze was only a year older than her, but around my size. Still, Yenna wouldn''t allow some strange person to wear my clothes, so Elaze had to deal with wearing clothes a tad too large.

    Then again, isn''t that natural for this era? Buying clothes a few sizes too big, and growing into them? After all, clothes can''t be reproduced on such a massive scale as in my world. I decided not to think too much about it. Maybe Aniel will revolutionize textile or something.

    "So where are we going?" Auden asked, as he looked at his sister in the strange new clothes.

    "We''ll head back to my home-base once our clothes are dried," I informed, "From there, I guess I''ll get you ready for fighting, huh?" I said, glancing at Elaze. "I think I can get you a nice sword. Think you could use a sword? And I mean to cut, not as a blunt weapon," I asked with a smirk. The horned girl rolled her eyes at my comment, but shrugged soon after.

    "I''ve never used one. But I think I can learn with a good teacher," She said.

    "Good. I have a good teacher," I informed her.

    "W-wait, what are you talking about? You''re gonna learn to fight?" Auden interjected, as he narrowed his eyes at his sister.

    "Of course! I need to be able to protect you. I can''t rely on this fox forever," she explained.

    "Toyaru," Yenna suddenly interjected.

    "Excuse me?" Elaze asked as she shot Yenna a look.

    "The fox''s name is Toyaru. You will address heras such," Yenna informed. Come to think of it, I never did tell them my name, did I? Ah, wait, when I introduced myself to Ezder I did. I guess it was just never necessary, was it?

    "Whatever," Elaze said, turning back to Auden. "We can''t just rely on Toyaru''s protection forever," She reasoned.

    "Then me too!" Auden insisted.

    The twins both shot me a look, as if realizing it was my decision to make. After all, I was providing the tutor.

    I groaned, as I realized talking Jenn into this wouldn''t be as easy as having him teach Yenna.

    "Fine, fine," I said. "I''ll ask Uncle Jenn if he has time," I said.

    The protective sister, and the cowardly brother. Both want to learn how to fight.

    Hopefully training them will become a good investment.

 Chapter 038

    ¡°How much further is it?¡±

    ¡°A few days away.¡±

    We had only walked for half a day before Auden anxiously asked. Of course he¡¯d be nervous. From what I knew, neither of the twins had left Karinth since they were young, so the idea that people would live so far away was probably unnerving for them.

    My answer didn¡¯t seem to be what he wanted, as he quietly whined to himself.

    ¡°Auden, stop,¡± Elaze demanded. ¡°If we¡¯re going to spend the next few days together, no one wants to hear you cry,¡± She spouted out, clearly irritated by the long walk till now. The road was wet and muddy, insects flew about, and the only home they ever knew was now the den of their enemy.

    It¡¯s no wonder the twins were on edge.

    ¡°If we¡¯re stuck on this journey till Ohen, how about we chat,¡± I say enthusiastically. ¡°You two worked under smith, no? What did you do exactly?¡±

    Auden hesitated, nervous about what to say. ¡°W-well, we weren¡¯t really apprentices or anything,¡± He admitted. ¡°We just helped keep his shop tidy while he worked,¡± he explained.

    ¡°So you didn¡¯t learn anything about crafting weapons, huh?¡± I asked, a bit disappointed.

    ¡°We learned the basics,¡± Elaze answered with a shrug. ¡°Most of Ol¡¯ Gren¡¯s orders were done in bulk by recurring customers. Wewere just there to greet and educatenew customers, and to do that we had to understand the craft and how different items were forged.¡±

    I hummed in acknowledgement, as I thought it over. When I remembered the two worked at a smith¡¯s shop, I thought perhaps one of them properly knew the craft, or were at least in training. However, they were basically just salesmen, who had to have a basic understanding of their product.

    I considered throwing Auden with Mr. Aliuen to learn proper blacksmithing, but he has his son to worry about. Come to think of it, I wonder if I should have a weapon forged for me? All the great legends have a great weapon they¡¯re known for. My current ¡°combat style¡± favors the dagger, but I think it¡¯ll be a good idea to learn how to fight with a proper weapon.

    Jenn, he uses a spear, right? That could work¡­

    ¡°Hey Yenna, do you think I¡¯d be good with a spear?¡± I asked, glancing over my shoulder.

    ¡°A dagger would suit you better,¡± She said. She thinks so too, huh¡­

    ¡°Why a dagger?¡± Elaze asked, apparently curious.

    ¡°Because Toya¡¯s power lets her be sneaky,¡± Yenna explained. ¡°And fast. A sword or spear would only keep the enemy on guard around her.¡±

    ¡°Please. Even if they have the perfect defense, I can take ¡®em,¡± I boast.

    ¡°Do you know for sure? You can puncture a Spirit Cloak, but what if they have protection much more powerful than that?¡± Yenna lectured. When it comes to fighting, I guess she¡¯s learned a lot from Jenn.

    ¡°But I wanna look cool, like those heroes of legend!¡± I complain, throwing my arms out in the air.

    ¡°What are you, a child?¡± Elaze asks, mildly baffled by my display.

    ¡°You should keep the advantages you have. Not throw them away just to look nicer.¡±

    I shrugged, and acknowledged she had a point.

    I wasn¡¯t that desperate to look cool or anything. I¡¯ll just have Mr. Aliuen make me a nice sturdy dagger for me, and be done with it.

    <hr>

    The majority of the trip was like that. We bickered and complained, had a few interesting conversations, and then we set up camp to sleep. The following two days weren¡¯t very different, but I got the feeling that Yenna had become slightly more accepting of the twins.

    However, on the final day of our trip, with Ohen village just a few leagues away, Elaze asked a question neither of us were expecting.

    ¡°Why does Toya pretend to be a girl?¡±

    Yenna had immediately dropped our luggage in response to this question, and had reached for Elaze¡¯s throat, presumably to tear it out. However, I had enough sense of mind to stop Yenna. Before our luggage had even hit the floor, I grabbed onto her hair, and pulled back on it.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°What are you doing, dear sister?¡± I asked, as her hand halted, inches from her target.

    ¡°She¡¯s not supposed to know,¡± Yenna said curling up her fingers, as if giving up on strangling Ela.

    Elaze on the other hand had a delayed reaction. She hadn¡¯t even noticed Yenna turning around and aiming for her. When everything had registered, her eyes widened. She hiccupped, as she tried to step backwards, as if dodging Yenna¡¯s hand that had already stopped. With a frightened look on her face, Elaze lost her balance, and fell onto her bottom on the dirt road.

    As she looked up at Yenna and me with a scare look, she stuttered, ¡°I-i was just c-curious. Y-you don¡¯t ha-have to answer me,¡± She managed to say.

    Auden on the other hand looked between the 3 of us, completely confused, wondering what just happened.

    ¡°How long have you known, Ela?¡± I asked, looking down at the poor girl who looked about ready to soil herself. I couldn¡¯t blame her; she had never been in a real fight outside of blacking out a few days ago, but she just came inches away from losing her head because of a bad question.

    ¡°I-I, don¡¯t know,¡± She said, averting her eyes from me, as if I wanted her to play dumb.

    ¡°I¡¯m serious. When did you figure out I was a boy?¡± I asked.

    ¡°A-a boy?¡± Auden asked in amazement, his eyes showing exaggerated shock.

    ¡°When we met. I just kinda¡­ knew, you know?¡± Elaze finally said, as she looked down. ¡°Y-you¡¯re not gonna kill me because I know your secret, are you?¡± Her voice seemed to carry a trace of resentment, as she remembered the promise I made to her in the rain.

    Of course she would assume that. Yenna nearly killed her without asking a question.

    I sighed, and kneeled down to match Ela¡¯s eye-level.

    ¡°What do you know about Fox Spirits?¡± I asked her seriously.

    ¡°I¡­ They¡¯re¡­ long-lived, and are said to be beautiful. And, they have great powers and many tails,¡± She said, looking up to me, but avoiding eye contact.

    ¡°But have you ever heard of a Fox Spirit that wasn¡¯t a woman?¡± I asked.

    Her eyebrows furrowed. She went into deep thought, as if looking for an answer, but¡­ ¡°No. In fact, Fox Spirits are only women,¡± She said, as if coming to a realization. ¡°Then, what are you?¡± she asked, the previous fear having nearly washed away, replaced by curiosity once more.

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯m a Fox Spirit,¡± I said with a shrug. ¡°I just happen to have been born male,¡± I said. ¡°Now, when you take in consideration the superstition of the masses, what do you think they will assume about a boy, found in the woods with ears and tails that mimic a Fox Spirit¡¯s? Especially people who look up to Fox Spirits? Won¡¯t you think they will see me as some sort of imposter?¡±

    She looked at me for a moment, as if digesting what was just said. Surely she understood. People were irrational; especially uneducated people. Something that falls out of the norm is more often than not seen as bad, by the uneducated.

    ¡°And thus, you two will remain silent about this subject. Understand?¡± I said, glancing over to Auden to see him nod hurriedly. Ela tilted her head in a careful nod. ¡°Good. Let¡¯s go,¡± I said, jumping to my feet, and holding a hand out for Ela.

    As she pulled herself to her feet, Auden spoke up.

    ¡°You were a boy the whole time?¡± He asked, his face turning red, as he remembered my previous actions, especially with Ezder.

    ¡°So what if I was?¡± I said with a smirk, as place my hands on my hips.

    ¡°But you¡¯re into¡­¡± Auden seemed to stammer, not sure how to put it into words.

    ¡°What¡¯s it matter what I¡¯m into?¡± I asked with a chuckle, as Elaze got onto her feet, and let go of my hand. ¡°If it makes you feel better, I¡¯m intogirls,¡± I said with a grin, before slapping Elaze¡¯s ass, ¡°Like your sister here,¡± I added.

    Ela didn¡¯t quite see my joke as amusing, so I ducked my head as she swung her arm to hit me, and then I stepped back and away from her, just as she tried to throw me a second punch.

    ¡°No, that doesn¡¯t make me feel better,¡± Auden said with a deep frown. I laughed at the two¡¯s expense, before carrying on with the journey.

    Yenna seemed bothered by just letting the two know my secret, so I walked closer to her and asked curiously. ¡°Did someone tell you to kill anyone who finds out about my secret?¡±

    She didn¡¯t answer for a short few moments, before giving me an answer. ¡°Mother said that if people found out you were a boy, that they would try to hurt you. So¡­¡±

    ¡°I see. Well, I appreciate your willingness to protect me, but not everyone is an enemy. Not yet anyways,¡± I say, and pat my sister¡¯s back.

    Taking an anxious peek at me, she asked, ¡°Then when will they be?¡±

    ¡°Soon,¡± I sighed out. ¡°Very soon¡­¡±

    I knew the time was approaching when Aniel would send for me. At that time, I will have to travel towards Senha, the capital of Senilea. I will capture the praise of Princess Aire¡¯s followers, possibly gain more power in the process, while providing the needed moral to resist Lein andArnne..

    Despite that, I will be surrounded by potential enemies. People who can¡¯t be trusted, and who want the throne to go to someone other than Aire. I¡¯ll be seen as a political tool.

    Honestly, it might just be simpler to declare Senilea itself mydomain.

    Or something like that¡­?

 Chapter 039

    Our strange group of four didn¡¯t just waltz into Ohen. For one thing, the twins looked like foreigners, and Ela had a horn poking out above her forehead. I couldn¡¯t just bring back strays and expect for the villagers to take care of them.

    So as we neared the village, we took a detour into the woods. Around this time, Sentra should be caring for my not-tea leaves, and sure enough, there she was.

    As we made it into the open field, cleared out by Sentra ages ago, there she was, tending the plants. Sentra likely heard our approach, but did not immediately come to greet us. Instead, she finished up the small task she was doing before standing up, and turning to gaze at us. Her four silver tails, flowed smoothly behind her, as she brushed her hair aside. ¡°I see you¡¯ve brought guests,¡± She said with a quiet whisper only I could hear.

    I smiled. ¡°I want you to make a cabin for these two,¡± I ordered Sentra. She took a look at the twins, before nodding. ¡°Also, was there anything in the mail for me?¡± I asked with a smirk.

    Sentra¡¯s ears twitched, as she nodded. ¡°It came in yesterday in the evening,¡± She informed, reaching into her satchel, and pulling out a sealed letter. As Auden and Elaze whispered amongst each other, clearly surprised by the sight of another Fox, I stepped over to Sentra and took the envelop.

    The message was sent through a magic Aniel had developed. It was a sort of teleportation magic, that fly the envelope on a trail of magic, and drop it off at its destination. It¡¯s travel was several times the speed of sound, but with such a small size any sonic boom would be inaudible. However, when it stopped, it was designed to flash several times, as a beacon for me to retrieve it before just falling to the ground. For that reason, the envelope was rolled into a metal canister to keep the letter clean.

    However, the envelope was also protected by a layer of magic. If someone tried to open it improperly, the whole thing would catch on fire, and send a powerful signal, which Violet would be able to sense.

    Simply put, I didn¡¯t trust Sentra with sensitive information. I wasn¡¯t completely stupid.

    Each envelope had instructions on how to ¡°unlock it¡±, written in English. Either a password, or some sort of ritual, like spraying water on it, and wrapping it in one of my hairs. But this one was different. The envelope simply said ¡°Tear seal in Accelerated Mode.¡±

    In other words, the envelop was set to catch fire immediately, and that I was to read its contents with my power. This message was for my eyes only.

    So I did as I was told. I shifted into an accelerated state, slowing time down to a snail, and then, as I was told, I tore the seal off the envelop. The message as usual was in English.

    Waste no time. Travel to Senha as fast as you can.

    Lein has mobilized. We believe they intend to crush our resistance.

    Bring that Fox woman you have as a hostage.

    Do NOT let anyone but who you bring know you¡¯re coming!

    <hr />

    I don¡¯t know how long I spent reading that message.

    Going by its contents and the lack of a ¡°password¡±, this was an emergency situation. Of course, the line, ¡°Lein has mobilized¡± is one I need to interpret. Are they sending an army of soldiers? Dragon riders? What?

    What¡¯s more, the third line:

    Bring that Fox woman you have.

    Why bring her specifically? Does she have value as a hostage? Certainly, she was a close servant of Lein so she might be worth something, but she isn¡¯t as valuable as an entire Kingdom, right?

    Did Aniel learn something he hasn¡¯t told me?

    I looked on both sides of the note, held the note up to the light, checked for signs of hidden writing, but nothing. Aniel was keeping me in the dark.

    No, he was keeping Sentra in the dark. She could read my mind after all. Well, I¡¯ve disciplined her to not go peeking around in there, but it¡¯s not a bad idea to stay vigilant around her with sensitive information.

    And the last comment.

    Does he think there are Lein spies in Ohen?

    It¡¯s a possibility.

    Well fuck. What to do?

    I¡¯ll go, but how do I leave on such short notice?

    If it were just me, I could trek all the way to Senha, and it would be as though only an instant had gone by. I would be exhausted as fuck, but I could make the journey nonetheless.

    But he doesn¡¯t want me to come alone.

    Sentra for sure is coming.

    Yenna? Probably. She¡¯s good war potential.

    The twins will have to stay with Jenn, no doubt. The cabin will have to wait.

    I quickly resume to normal time, and shoot a look towards Yenna. ¡°We need to go now. Escort these two to Jenn. I¡¯ll hurry ahead and fill him in,¡± I said. ¡°Sentra. Pack our luggage. We¡¯re headed to Senha.¡±

    <hr />

    I didn¡¯t want to waste any time, so I travelled to Jenn¡¯s place using my time-stop ability. I entered his home at the center of the village, and made my way towards his study. He seemed to be doing paperwork at the moment, but I didn¡¯t have time to be polite and wait for him to finish.

    I undid the effects of my power, and called out. ¡°Uncle Jenn.¡±

    The old man, still with traces of vigor in his eyes, looked up to me with raised eyebrows. ¡°You¡¯ve returned,¡± He commented, before frowning. ¡°But not for long.¡±

    I nodded to his assessment. He¡¯s perceptive like that.

    ¡°What do you need?¡± He asked, setting aside his work for the time being.

    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind if I drop off some children for you to babysit,¡± I asked, scratching my cheek.

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.Jenn seemed to frown, as he looked down at me with stern eyes. ¡°Explain.¡±

    I averted my gaze, not wanting to spill everything to this man. It¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t trust him; in fact I trusted him a lot. Maybe a little too much? But I felt that if I told him everything, he would get mad, or try to fight in my place. And yet for some reason, I didn¡¯t want him to fight in Princess Aire¡¯s war.

    ¡°I found them along my trip. They had nowhere to go. I was planning to take care of them myself, but a matter has come up, so I¡¯ll probably be gone for a while, and I¡¯m taking both Sentra and Yenna,¡± I explained briefly.

    However, Jenn continued to frown, and then shuck his head before letting out a deep sigh. ¡°I still think you shouldn¡¯t involve yourself,¡± Jenn stated. He knew about my deal with Princess Aire, so he should know that I am headed for Senha. He doesn¡¯t approve.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already involved myself,¡± I said with a faint smile. However, as I turn around, and begin to make my leave, he stops me.

    ¡°There¡¯s one more thing you should know,¡± He announced.

    <hr />

    After a short talk with Jenn, I decided to write short farewells to my closest friends in Ohen. It was a standard letter, explaining that I¡¯ll be gone a few weeks. However, as soon as I got two sentences written, I remembered the poor literacy rate of this time. Mildly frustrated, I tear the pages apart, and decide to just let Jenn tell them I¡¯ll be away.

    I took the chance to instead take a walk through the village. It had been a while since I did so at my own leisure, and with all the crap that was about to go down, I thought I deserved it.

    Mr. Aliuen was hard at work as usual, and his wife was looking on at him from the door with a faint smile. Ellen was teaching her daughter Linna how to sew, while Linna struggled like a lost child. I even checked up on my old playmates just to see if they were alright.

    My adoptive mother seemed to be reading a book, alone. I wondered to myself if I should have spent more time with her. She raised and protected me all these years, so it¡¯s the least I could do, right? Brushing her hair aside, I leaned forward to give her a kiss on the cheek. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later,¡± I whispered¡ªknowing full well she couldn¡¯t hear me¡ªbefore leaving her behind.

    As I made my way out of the village, I passed up Yenna and the twins, and took a moment to look at them. Ela had a hood pulled over her head to cover the eye-catching horn. It¡¯s a shame, but I wouldn¡¯t get much time with the twins, despite everything. I kinda like them; Auden¡¯s timid nervousness is fun to tease, and Ela¡¯s attitude is refreshing too. Well, I¡¯ll have time to connect with them when I get back.

    With my tour of the village over, I walked north and waited for either Yenna or Sentra to return. I shifted myself back into normal time, and while sitting atop a tree I waited.

    I contemplated my next actions from here. I¡¯ve been mostly playing around the last couple years, waiting for Aniel¡¯s signal to move. Why did I agree to be his banner? I haven¡¯t forgotten; I want the secrets behind Aniel¡¯s magic. In theory, I should have already had all the leverage I needed for the exchange in information. However, Aniel knows the true value of the knowledge he possesses, and even by saving his life once or twice, he won¡¯t just give it to me. In truth, the value of knowledge varies by who has it. If you told a medieval commoner the detailed process to create a nuclear bomb, even wrote it down for them to think it over and digest it, that information would be worth nothing to them. However he is hesitant about exchanging such information with me, because even though I may not be some sort of nuclear physicist, I have a basic understanding of Physics and Chemistry, and with my longevity I should be able to create Weapons of Mass destruction¡ªeventually. That is probably his fear.

    But the lives and hopes of his friends are worth more, and he¡¯s grown to strongly desire the enthronement of Princess Aire.

    That is why I¡¯ve allowed myself to become a political tool. But only for Aniel and Princess Aire. My desire to understand is great enough that I don¡¯t mind doing absurd tasks, like becoming the center of a cult, or fighting a war. Hell, I¡¯ll go the extra step and kill all their enemies, if they want me to.

    The two of us are willing to do something undesirable for something we strongly desire.

    I guess that¡¯s what one calls a compromise.

    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Yenna¡¯s voice suddenly dragged me from my musings and back to reality. I took a look down towards my flaxen haired sister, and smiled.

    ¡°Just about what¡¯s going to happen from now on.¡±

    ¡°Are you thinking of reconsidering?¡± Yenna asked, a trace of hope in her voice. She¡¯s already made it clear she doesn¡¯t want me fighting something pointless like a war, but¡­

    ¡°I¡¯ve already made my promise,¡± I said with a shrug. ¡°If I turn back now, what good would my word be?¡± I reason with her. ¡°Besides, I want to learn the secrets to Aniel¡¯s magic,¡± I stated.

    Yenna had nothing to respond with, however while waiting for Sentra to arrive with the supplies, Yenna went ahead and climbed up the tree I was in, sat beside me. After a brief period of calm silence between us, she spoke up, ¡°Are we going to where our enemies will be?¡±

    I nodded slowly. ¡°Aniel and the Princess can probably be trusted. Other than that, it¡¯s just you and me,¡± I said, reaching my hand up to her head, and bringing her closer. She didn¡¯t resist, as the two of us enjoyed the song of birds and insects.

    ¡°She¡¯s coming,¡± I whisper, and then reach my leg over Yenna¡¯s lap, and demanded ¡°Bring me down,¡± before sticking my tongue at her childishly.

    Yenna rolled her eyes at me, but still brought me into her arms, holding me in a Princess Carry, before she dropped from the thick branch we were sat on. As we descended, her foot pushed against the tree trunk, killing some of our momentum, before finally having a smooth landing. Yenna was willing to play along with my games up to this point¡ªas soon as we reached the ground, she dropped me onto the dirt, letting me hit my ass.

    ¡°Ow,¡± I complain, as Yenna walks away from me, leaving me to pull myself up.

    As Sentra came into view, she looked between us, seemingly tempted to ask what happened, but she kept quiet. As I stood up, I stretched my body a bit and found myself yawning.

    ¡°Alright,¡± I said after letting out a breath. ¡°Let¡¯s go then!¡± I exclaimed.

    Sentra nodded, before approaching a tree. As she reached her hands forward, her magic began to work. As her hands moved, and seemed to dance, the tree became deformed, and stretched out. Like her usual magic, the tree began to move at her beckoning, turning into a fluid at her command as a large bulb forms from the tree. A round cancer-like growth formed from the tree, and at Sentra¡¯s gestures, the mass of wood split itself from the tree.

    The mass of tree-flesh continued to shape itself at Sentra¡¯s will,twisting in on itself, and bulging out until it finally took the form of a chariot, bearing branch-like legs.

    This would be our vehicle for much of the way to Senha. This was apparently a magic technique she developed ages ago, and used to travel far distances in a short time. Although she wasn¡¯t use to using it with other people aboard, it shouldn¡¯t take her long to get adjusted to the imbalance.

    But with it, we could bypass the main routes, and cut straight forward thanks to its maneuverability, and the fact it could traverse all terrains. It¡¯s rather convenient, and almost makes me wish I was born with this ability.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go!¡± I announced as the three of us boarded the chariot.

    ¡°I¡­ mistress, I suggest holding tightly to the railing,¡± Sentra said as she began to move the vehicle.

    ¡°Right right, now let¡¯s go!¡± I repeat, just as the freak of nature chariot shoots forward!

    As it turns out, I have motion sickness.

 Chapter 040

    Cars, boats, planes, and even a motorcycle that one time; I¡¯ve ridden on each and everyone one without any issue.

    However, not long after Sentra¡¯s living tree-chariot took off at high speeds, I immediately felt dizzy, and my stomach was about ready to barf up its contents. I had motion sickness.

    In my past life, I remember experiencing some nausea when trapped inside a car for hours at a time, but this was much more intense than that feeling. Fuck, I had to vomit out the side of the chariot! Me! Vomit! I don¡¯t remember the last time I had vomited, and here I was painting the forest brown and green!

    Yenna had worriedly asked if they should stop, but my pride wouldn¡¯t let me fall to this.

    Curse you, fate!

    To think that I would have motion sickness in this world. I¡¯m sure I would have enjoyed this sort of ride, but my head keeps bouncing around, and my stomach won¡¯t settle down.

    This probably relates to my enhanced senses, actually. My sense of balance and hearing should be much greater than a human¡¯s. However, Sentra seems to be quite use to this, so I wonder if I¡¯ll grow out of this too.

    After several long, agonizing hours, Sentra had begun to run low on Magic. With that, she had slowed the monstrosity one might call a vehicle, until it finally stopped. In exaggerated excitement, I threw myself out the back of the chariot, hugging the dirt as I exclaimed!

    ¡°Land! Dirt! Solid, unmoving earth!¡± I said, as my fingers dug into the soil.

    ¡°Is he ok?¡± I heard Sentra ask nervously behind me.

    Until now, Yenna seemed worried about me, however¡­ ¡°He¡¯s back to normal. He¡¯s fine,¡± She said, as she picked up the luggage, and carried it off the chariot. ¡°When will you be able to use your magic again?¡± Yenna asked Sentra.

    ¡°I¡¯ll need a full day to recover most of my power,¡± Sentra said, seemingly disappointed in herself. ¡°But even then, I won¡¯t be in my best form,¡± She admitted.

    I groaned as I pulled myself to my feet, and took a glance around. Without any landmarks, I wasn¡¯t sure about where we could be, so I stepped towards Yenna, and reached into the bag she held. From within, I pulled out a rough map of the region, copied over from maps and descriptions in Jenn¡¯s library.

    ¡°We headed straight north, right?¡± I muttered to myself in a tired and dreary tone. We had crossed a road on two occasions, so I tried to guesstimate where we had to be. Even though I was sick the entire ride, I still tried to pay attention. Frowning a bit, I found the two roads we could have possibly crossed, but if that was the case, we were much further north than I suspected.

    ¡ªHow much fucking energy does Magic convert into? I would say it¡¯s extremely impressive, if we could cross this far, merely on the Magic power contained within a single woman. The units? Hard to say, but it¡¯s surely within range of a hundred miles or so. Shit, we¡¯re practically almost there!

    However, there should be a river further ahead, and on foot it would take a few days to reach. It¡¯s a shame we can¡¯t cross the rest of the way by Sentra¡¯s power.

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s keep going,¡± I said grumpily, taking a few steps forward but immediately coming to a stop. First, I needed to rehydrate, after ejecting so many fluids. I reached into my robe, and pulled out a small container of water. Gulping down as much as I can, I ignore Yenna¡¯s advice to rest, and continue my trek forward.

    Honestly, I just wanted to put the embarrassment behind me, and that damned chariot won¡¯t let me forget. Still, I¡¯m amazed that in this day and age, there are ways to cross a hundred miles in a few hours. Just need a way for Sentra to refuel, and we¡¯ll be in business.

    However, in the end, I was too exhausted to make it much further. So, I turned to Yenna, arms stretched out, and commanded simply, ¡°Carry me.¡±

    I was unfortunately rejected with a swift hit to the head.

    Because I couldn¡¯t go on with my built-up fatigue, we decided to set up camp here, and continue moving in the morning. As I watched Yenna prepare our meal, I leaned back on my makeshift bed, and asked Sentra, ¡°Hey, is it normal to have so much Magic Power?¡±

    It was a simple question; I had never used up all of my own magic thanks to my pretty cozy life, but watching her have so much was kind of amazing.

    As Sentra held up her knees to her chest, she slowly nodded her head. ¡°All Fox Spirits have extraordinary Magic. You should have noticed it when your second tail sprouted; the more tails, the more power,¡± She explained as if it were obvious. But that sort of connection seemed pretty boring. So what? Fox Spirits just gain more power and energy to use that power as they gain more tails? It feels like a level-up system.

    What¡¯s up with that?

    Couldn¡¯t a Fox Spirit just be born with all their tails, and infinite power? Why the need to bond with people? So bizarre. So¡­ arbitrary.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°Sounds boring,¡± I finally said. ¡°At least with the Spirit Force we all have, mastery over it is a matter of skill, not an artificial rewards system¡± I complained.

    ¡°That¡¯s just the way the world works,¡± Sentra said, as if my way of thinking about it was just weird.

    I honestly didn¡¯t have anything to say against that. She was right; that¡¯s just how the world is. In the same vain, humans must die of old age, even though it should be possible for their bodies to reconstruct their telomeres without developing cancer.

    The only reason things aren¡¯t like that is simple¡ªchance.

    The world is a chaotic and uncaring place. As Yenna hands me and Sentra our meal¡ªstrips of smoked goat meat¡ªI wonder about how the chances that I was born a human and now reborn a Fox Spirit, must have been incredible. If we presume that all living creatures have a soul, and that people have no choice in where their soul ends up, what would I have done were I to be reborn a goat? Would it be some other Fox Spirit chewing down on me, or maybe the farmer who tended to me?

    Well, chance is such a scary topic when you start delving into hypotheticals and other conjectures. Luckily for me, I am here now in the physical world, where chance is nothing more than a mathematical abstraction¡ªthe world is clockwork; being born, dying, being reborn, meeting Yenna¡ªnone of it is truly random. Even meeting Sentra.

    As I eat, I take a glance towards the girls, both of whom were eating in silence, and posed a question. ¡°If Fox Spirits tend to avoid people, how many tails do they usual have?¡± I have two tails, and Sentra four, but it should be rare for Fox spirits to interact with people if their Divine Heart will randomly create unnecessary bonds.

    Sentra shrugged at my question. ¡°I¡¯ve seen others of our Race, but the number of tails vary,¡± She said. ¡°Older ones have more tails, normally,¡± He said, ¡°Not that it¡¯s easy to tell a Fox¡¯s age, but unless they¡¯re a complete isolationist, they would have had to interact with plenty of people. Build that up over hundreds of years, and it¡¯s only inevitable that more tails would grow,¡± She said.

    ¡ªShe has a point. Maybe an isolationist Fox would never grow more than her first tail, but then Sentra probably has never met such a Fox. And I doubt there are many like that anyways, because no one truly wishes to be alone, haunted only by memories of the dead and old acquaintances.

    So unless one plans to go crazy, they must interact with other people.

    If a Kitsune merely had the Divine Heart and nothing else, this wouldn¡¯t be a problem. It¡¯s not often that someone you just met would feel so awed by you, that it would trigger the Divine Heart. But Kitsune are also regarded as divine beings.

    Quite paradoxical, that the reverence they receive is the very reason Foxes choose to seclude themselves.

    ¡°Think there are others that try to create bonds with animals?¡± I asked curiously.

    ¡°Beasts aren¡¯t normally so willing to submit to your will,¡± She pointed out. ¡°A pet is a big investment, so I imagine it would be quite slow to create bonds in this way,¡± She said, her voice suddenly becoming lower.

    ¡°Then, I suppose it¡¯s great that you had help, huh,¡± I remarked, as I bit into the last of my food. However, at my comment, Sentra seemed to shiver and shrink, her shoulders coming together, and tails coiling closer to her.

    I concluded that she didn¡¯t want to keep talking about this subject, and I could understand. Maybe I should stop setting off mines like that? Especially considering where we¡¯ll be headed.

    ¡ª¡±I did have help, yes,¡± She eventually said, despite my assumption. ¡°It was the easiest way to grow in power, so Lein allowed me to bond with his beasts,¡± she said, retelling a story she had already told me before. ¡°It was a simple matter of just meeting them, and him commanding them to yield to me. In some cases I had to defeat them in a battle for them to truly yield, and thus bond.¡±

    Strangely, her voice seemed much calmer than I thought it would be. She¡¯s not as scared as the last time she spoke this story.

    ¡°However, it wasn¡¯t all beasts,¡± She suddenly said. ¡°I did have a friend too,¡± She said. She had a friend?

    ¡ªI expected her to go on, but her voice merely stopped there.

    A friend, huh? My impression until now was that Sentra was only tied to Lein by a lord-and-servant type of relationship. However, if there¡¯s a friend she remembers¡ªone she remembers fondly even¡ªwouldn¡¯t that threaten my hold on her?

    After mulling over my thoughts, I pulled myself to my feet, and stretched out my arms and legs.

    ¡°Going to sleep?¡± Yenna asked.

    ¡°Yenna, I have a question,¡± I stated, disregarding her question, as I went to her side, and sat down. ¡°If I told you to swear off love, would you do it?¡±

    Yenna took a moment to process what I had said, giving me a strange look before answer with a befuddled, ¡°I¡­ why?¡±

    I shrugged, ¡°Maybe I¡¯m paranoid about you turning on me?¡± I said. Not that I was. But thinking about Sentra¡¯s allegiances got me thinking about Yenna¡¯s. ¡°Maybe I don¡¯t think they are the right person for you?¡±

    Although she thought for a moment longer, her eyes seemed to wander, at one point even sticking to Sentra for a moment. I knew about their hidden relationship¡ªand actually, I think Yenna knows that I know. If anything, I think it¡¯s Sentra who hasn¡¯t realized I know, if only because she¡¯s too traumatized to use her mind-reading ability on me.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t endanger you,¡± Yenna eventually said. ¡°Everything I do, it¡¯s¡­¡± She paused, before letting out a breath. ¡°With everything I do, I make sure you won¡¯t be harmed or disgraced,¡± She said, suddenly turning serious for a moment.

    ¡°Good!¡± I said, patting her back with a grin, as I pulled myself up. ¡°Just watch my back, and don¡¯t run away with some hooligan. I need you to give me a few good hits when I misbehave,¡± I said, as I walked over to my mattress. I let myself drop down onto my back, arms stretched out as I let out a yawn.

    ¡°Tomorrow, we¡¯ll be walking all day,¡± I said.

    ¡ªAlthough I¡¯ve been walking for the last week, I can¡¯t complain. It¡¯s better than riding that tree-like monstrosity on legs.

 Chapter 041

    When I awoke, I found that it was still dark out, and I remembered I went to sleep slightly earlier than usual. My fatigue had faded since yesterday, and now I felt like I could take on the world! Or at least part of it. After stretching out my body, I decided to begin putting my belongings away to save Yenna the trouble. Of course, I also tried to stay as quiet as I could, not wanting to wake my traveling companions.

    After that, I brewed some ¡°tea¡±, using the small pot we brought along, and the bag of ¡°tea leaves¡±. At this point I¡¯ve effectively settled on just calling them tea leaves, even if technically wrong. Who¡¯s gonna correct me? Aniel?

    Putting aside what to call the damn plant, I served myself a cup, and took a few sips. North of here we¡¯ll have to cross a river. I should be able to cross it with time stopped, but Sentra and Yenna¡­ Well, the river isn¡¯t so wide that they can¡¯t jump over it or something. Yenna has incredibly strength so leaping over it might be possible, and Sentra can create a raft or catapult.

    After that will be a couple day¡¯s trek to reach Senha.

    We could hypothetically reach the location today¡ªYenna could sprint most of the way there, and I could just stop time and walk there. However, in that case the three of us would be out of pace with one another, and one of us might get lost on the way.

    Alternatively, I could use my power to drag them along, but that would be the worst thing we could do. In addition to Sentra having a panic attack, Yenna would also be deprived of all her senses for the length of a few days, while I¡¯m forced to carry them. Carry them with only myself in accelerated time? I still can barely lift them, and I¡¯ll go crazy in the absolute silence that would last for even more ¡°days¡± to me.

    As I finish up my drink, I start putting everything away. Honestly, coffee is a better morning drink than this ¡°calming¡± tea, but I just needed something to drink, and calm my nerves. With the sun still far beyond the horizon, I decide to check the camp¡¯s perimeter.

    Technically, this world is quite dangerous, and we probably should keep at least one person on watch. But this region doesn¡¯t have very many beasts thanks to their regular expulsion by soldiers, and the fact that more intelligent beasts tend to avoid humans all together. Besides, the three of us are rather light sleepers anyways¡ªwhich is also why I¡¯m currently making every effort to reduce noise.

    After a short stroll around camp, I decided to sit beside Yenna, as I had already rolled up my own mattress and put it away. I expected her to wake up immediately after I got close, but thankfully she didn¡¯t seem to notice or mind. At this point, I wished I had a book to read, but decided to stave off boredom by drawing into the dirt.

    After several minutes, it was Yenna who woke up next, only groaning softly as her eyes lazily cracked open. I took a look down at her as her eyes wandered from side to side, landing on me as she smiled. She let out a light sigh as her eyes once again closed, and she began to wiggle her body, stretching her torso without getting up.

    She let out another breath, and sat up, taking a quick look around to make sure everything was fine. As her eyes came back to me, she sat up to embrace me, her flaxen hair falling over my face, as I returned the hug. ¡°What¡¯s with the hug?¡± I whisper with a light chuckle.

    As she slowly broke away, she looked down my chest for a moment, before looking back at me. ¡°I just kinda felt I had to,¡± She admitted with short smile on her face. But then, her expression became somber, as if there was something troubling her.

    ¡°Yesterday, before you went to sleep,¡± She whispered, just barely loud enough for me to hear. I had an idea of where this might be going, but I let her finish. ¡°Were you giving me your blessing, between me and¡­¡± She didn¡¯t finish her next word, but I know who she was talking about.

    ¡°I was telling you, you can be with whoever you want. Even her,¡± I said with a shrug, as though it weren¡¯t a big deal. However, Yenna didn¡¯t seem to think so. Instead she began to frown as though I had somehow answered wrong. I wondered for a moment that I had said even her, as though Sentra was an outsider of some kind, but¡­

    ¡°It was to protect you,¡± She said.

    ¡°¡­ Explain.¡± I couldn¡¯t exactly follow what she meant. She made out with Sentra to protect me? What?

    Yenna took a glance towards Sentra, as if to confirm she was asleep, and although she couldn¡¯t tell at a glance, Yenna seemed convince.

    ¡°You called her a pet when you first introduced me to her. I don¡¯t know what you did to her to make her like that,¡± she began, a hint of reproach in her voice before she continued, ¡°but even though she was attached to you, I always had a feeling that something bad might happen.¡±

    I see¡­ So she was aware that Sentra¡¯s current affiliation with me was due to being tortured. And Yenna¡¯s right; Sentra is a liability. But I¡¯ve found her far too useful to just throw away. Not to mention, she would make a good bargaining chip with Lein when the time came for negotiations.

    ¡°But you¡¯re stupid and careless,¡± She said. ¡°You won¡¯t lock her up, kill her, or anything,¡± She whispered to me in a hushed voice. ¡°So I thought, I¡¯d¡­ try to control her,¡± She said, looking away from me.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°¡­ Geez,¡± I sighed out, as I pulled Yenna back into a hug. ¡°You don¡¯t need to throw yourself away for my sake like that¡­ Not for a useless brother like me, anyways,¡± I said, while patting her back. ¡°I told you; you can do whatever you want,¡± I repeated.

    ¡­

    ¡°Still, I can¡¯t imagine all of that was pretending,¡± I said, pulling her forehead to mines, and grinning right in her face. ¡°You sure looked like you enjoyed it to me,¡± I said teasingly.

    Yenna however didn¡¯t find me all that amusing, as her teary expression suddenly turned confused before shifting into a deep frown.

    My playful teasing was rewarded with three good bruises to my head.

    Sentra woke up not too long after, so our trio got to work packing our belongings. I didn¡¯t want to waste too much more time idling about, when we could be making our journey. Soon enough, we were on our feet, and headed north.

    ¡°There¡¯s the river,¡± I mumbled, looking back and forth. It was about as thick as I imagined, maybe a bit wider. There didn¡¯t seem to be any strong rapids or anything, so even a small boat could get across, but swimming bare likely wasn¡¯t a good idea.

    ¡°I could probably form a boat,¡± Sentra suggested. She could probably weave a basket-like boat for the three of us to cross in, but then I remembered¡ªmotion sickness.

    Nearly barfing up my contents already, I waved Sentra off. ¡°You two can do that. I¡¯ll just get to the other side on my own,¡± I said, turning my gaze to the river.

    With a simple thought, the river froze, the birds¡¯ song ceased, and the world¡¯s very rotation came to a stop. Although the water appeared to freeze, I wasn¡¯t truly moving a super high speeds or anything. After explaining the nature of my ability, Aniel had once concluded that I could probably be in a very weird super-position-like state, where I don¡¯t truly exist at the moments that time is frozen. Although I can push around a solid object freely, anything less viscous that oatmeal is like a hologram that melds around me.

    So, as I step into the river, my foot passes through the water as though it weren¡¯t even there. I hesitate as I continue to walk in a straight line, but ultimately the need for oxygen is non-existent. My body is still ¡°operating¡± at normal speed after all, so I won¡¯t need to take another breath for at least a year or two.

    Once I made it to the other side of the river, I start up time, and look back towards Sentra and Yenna. The two are mildly surprised at my having teleported across the river without them, but I merely waved back at them with a slight grin.

    I sat down in the grass, and watched Yenna facepalm, before passing instructions along to Sentra. I couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying, but Sentra used her magic to command the grass, and weaved it just as she said she would, into a boat.

    As they slowly made their way across the river, I went ahead and focused on the bonds I¡¯ve formed with my Divine Heart. Call it reconnaissance. I may not be able to peak at a person¡¯s feelings through my bonds, but I can ascertain their location despite being a great distance from them. The bulk of my bonds were far south, concentrated within Ohen village, with some spread around the dotted villages south of Karnth town¡ªthose bonds mostly formed in the last weeks, when I went to visit. The situation there hasn¡¯t change much at all.

    However, beyond that region, there was also Aniel¡¯s group, which was north of here already. I never formed a bond with Aniel; his personality and incompatibility with me never allowed it. But Princess Aire and her followers are still people of this region, who are awed by the Fox Spirits, so I was connected to those couple dozen fellows not long after we met.

    However, there was one more bond.

    That¡¯s funny¡­

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Yenna asked. As my eyes popped open, I finally came to realize that the pair had made it across the river while I was focused elsewhere.

    ¡°I was just assessing our allies¡¯ locations,¡± I answered.

    ¡°I see. What can you tell me?¡± Yenna asked curiously.

    I shrugged before explaining the situation. ¡°I think Princess Aire and Aniel have already retaken Senha. News hasn¡¯t travelled south yet because it was so recent, but the spies in the city have ways to communicate, with things like trained birds and the like. Now that they¡¯ve usurped the Lein puppet state, they expect another attack pretty soon to retake the capital. So Aniel wants me to come and tide over the populace with the faith that a Fox is on their side.¡±

    ¡ªOr at least, this is what I think his current plan is. His letter to me wasn¡¯t quite this detailed.

    ¡°So everyone is in Senha?¡± Yenna questioned.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± I nodded to her, as I pulled myself to my feet. ¡°However, I also noticed someone else,¡± I said, prompting Yenna to look at me quizzically. ¡°It looks like our friend Ezder isn¡¯t far off either,¡± I said.

    Yenna¡¯s eyes seemed to glaze over at Ezder¡¯s mention, and sighed. ¡°So he¡¯s a friend now? Do you plan to hit on him again?¡± She asked, as if criticizing me.

    However I merely laughed. ¡°Nothing of the sort,¡± I said, waving off Yenna¡¯s gaze.

    However, as I turned around to face north and continue our trek, something happened.

    Without warning, a burning sensationsprouted from my side. Something had been plunged into my body, and as I looked down to see what, I saw a bloody pike protruding from my robes, stabbing out from my stomach. Pain quickly overtook me as I felt a squirming inside of me, as though something had taken root within me, and was now making itself at home.

    As my eyes shot up towards Yenna, I only saw a glimpse of her shocked expression, before she vanished. No, she didn¡¯t disappear; she was flung away towards the river!

    As I tried to move, the pain inside only seemed to intensify, and I realized that the pike lodged inside me was held there by something¡ªsomeone, behind me. With this realization, I grabbed the knife hidden within my sleeve, and attempted to slash and stab at whoever was behind me, but the weapon they had stabbed me with prevented my from turning my body around.

    ¡°Fuck!¡± I could only utter, as my visioncontinued to blur.

    As my world continued to fade to black, a cold feeling welling up inside me, I could hear a muttering repeating the same phrase, over and over again, over a light sobbing.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

 Chapter 042

    ¡°The Princess is busy. You will have to wait until her appointments clear up. Set up a meeting through the proper channels, if you wish to see her.¡±

    For the umpteenth time, I find myself turning away more and more visitors, seeking a word with Aire. It should be a guard doing this sort of task, but not only are most of our guards and soldiers busy preparing for the inevitable confrontation, many of those seeking an appointment are of high standing, and willing to throw their weight around. If this were a time of peace, then these things would operate more smoothly, but probably because this isn¡¯t a time of peace, those nobles and merchants have much to worry about.

    A shift in power leaves many worried, and nobles who cooperated with Lein during the occupation are worried about losing their position, now that the Royal Family is in control again. Or rather, it¡¯s Princess Aire herself who¡¯s in control, under the name of the Royal Family.

    Retaking the city was simple enough. We managed to make use of the hidden tunnels laid out throughout Senha and the Royal Castle. After deposing the Lein Governor, and wrestling control of the city from within, we immediately freed the Royal Family¡­ or at least those who were imprisoned here.

    Some of Aire¡¯s sisters and brothers were here, even some of the King¡¯s concubines; but the King and Queen, Aire¡¯s parents, as well as the eldest Prince were apparently held elsewhere.

    I allowed Aire to have her reunion with the family she thought dead, while at the same time I instructed Louy and Elya to begin reining the families under control. I wanted to weed out potential traitors before they became an issue, and I also wanted Aire¡¯s rule to be cemented in the minds of the people.

    Most of all, I wanted her family to see that Aire was to be Queen.

    I had suspected that her family would be kept as hostage against the nobles who swore fealty to the Royal Family. Technically that includes most all of the noble families, however many of them still follow an honour system that keeps them to their words, and many of them also have significant power within the realm, so throwing them away isn¡¯t an option. Soon enough, Aire herself had began to issue orders, calling to arms our allies.

    However, she finally gave me the dreaded order I had hoped would never come.

    ¡°Ask Toyaru to come. We will need some of her fortune in the coming war,¡± She said to me. This order was something I dreaded. Not because I feel Toyaru isn¡¯t trustworthy, but that I believe he is extremely unreliable. I still haven¡¯t told anyone that Toyaru is a boy, and even instructed Violet and Liz to keep shut about it.

    Speaking of Liz, Toyaru has really made the last few years awkward. When we left Toyaru behind, Lisya became extra clingy, and I realized she was using her powers to try and seduce me. I already had a suspicion that she was fond of me, but she wasn¡¯t this forward until she had that talk with the damn fox.

    ¡°You¡¯re all business, and no fun,¡±¡ªand then there¡¯s this woman.

    ¡°Maria please. I have no time to be playing around,¡± I said, as I returned to my office. ¡°We can¡¯t have Aire¡¯s coronation until we rein in the families, and we can¡¯t rest until we know who is an ally, and who is an enemy.¡±

    The older woman smiled at me with a light chuckle. Her violet eyes gazed around my office as I sat down, but I knew by now that in reality she was gazing thru the walls, peeping on everyone like some kind of pervert. ¡°And that¡¯s why you want the Fox¡¯s help? The other reincarnated,¡± She said with an accent not too common in this region. ¡°With her supporting the Princess, the nobles will fall in line, right?¡± She asked, tilting her head.

    ¡°That¡¯s her plan,¡± I said with a sigh. It¡¯s a quick and efficient idea, but it relies too much on a wildcard like him.

    However, she merely chuckled to herself, as if something funny had been said. With a quizzical glance from me, she cleared her throat. ¡°Well, I just find it ironic that the Western faiths see the Foxes as divine beings,¡± She said. ¡°After all, in our old world, weren¡¯t Kitsune and related beings a product of far-east mythos?¡±

    Even I had noticed that bit of irony. ¡°That¡¯s just how things turned out.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m interested in meeting a Fox from the West. What I¡¯ve heard about them is interesting,¡± she said.

    Looking up at Maria with my eyebrows raised, I asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t they the same back in the East?¡±

    ¡°Oh my, no. The Foxes I knew of only grew tails after a hundred or so years. I never heard of a Divine Heart, until I crossed the straight, and made it to this side of the wall. You even say that they possess multiple powers for every tail, but the Foxes I know only have a single ability each, and each tail only gives them more magic to their disposal.¡±

    This bit of information surprised me a bit. Was that so? ¡°The thing Toyaru called a Divine Heart seems to have cognates in many races from the African continent, and even some Fay races here have a variation,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯ve never heard of this type of bonding ability?¡±

    However, Maria shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve travelled to every corner of Asia, and I found nothing of the sort,¡± the explorer said. ¡°But that is interesting. I suppose the Foxes that made it to this side may have ended up having little pups with the races that have this Divine Heart,¡± she said, as she began to draw up a hypothesis.

    Although sometimes this woman made a good conversational partner when it came to some of the sciences, our interests didn¡¯t always align. I couldn¡¯t care less that the Foxes on either side of the Great Wall were somehow different.

    I want to know why did the ¡°Divine Heart¡± ability not exist in the East. The East is blocked off by a magical wall that prevents anyone from passing it without the ability to fly above the clouds. What¡¯s more, the only information we have on it is a small trickle that occasionally slips from the East, such as this woman Maria.

    According to Violet, reincarnaters have a peculiar abnormality in their magic system that is distinct enough to recognize after seeing it once or twice. That was how Violet found Maria several months ago¡ªor maybe it was Maria who found Violet? From what I understood, both Violet and Maria could see the flow of magic. To do this, they both extended out tendrils of magic that touched and felt active mana, which to each of them was like a bright beacon of light that couldn¡¯t be ignored.

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.However, Violet was a special case, where her ¡°tendrils¡± stretched out in all directions without distinction, while Maria¡¯s were connected to her eyes and could only work by relaying information to her optic nerve. Maria believes that one of Violet¡¯s ancestors were from her own clan.

    In either case, the Eastern continent was a foreign place in every sense of the word. Having information on it was useful in case it was ever needed. I could do without Maria¡¯s personality though¡ªif ¡°Maria¡± was even her real name.

    A knock at my door brought my attention away from my thoughts, as Violet entered.

    ¡°Aniel. Toyaru¡¯s sister has arrived,¡± She said.

    After a short silence, I asked, ¡°Just his sister?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s approaching the castle,¡± She nodded with her ever stern expression.

    Giving out a sigh, I say ¡°Bring her to me.¡± This is trouble. Why isn¡¯t that Fox with her?

    ¡°She has a sister?¡± Maria asked, as I was contemplating what this meant.

    ¡°He, he has a sister. Though, not by blood.¡±

    ¡°Oh? I see,¡± She said as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal.

    ¡°Not surprised?¡± I asked, but she only shrugged.

    ¡°Even monosex races occasionally have the oddball blacksheep. Of course, even the Foxes in the East have records of a few Males in their past. But I don¡¯t believe there are any alive today. Apparently their males tend to be rather self-destructive,¡± She said with a chuckle.

    Oh great. Now I learn this. And so many things suddenly make sense now.

    ¡°Oh my, she is quite pretty,¡± Maria said, as her eyes gazed at the floor.

    ¡°I thought you couldn¡¯t see people with those eyes of yours.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t. But her magic system¡­ It¡¯s so pretty and alien,¡± she commented, as her eyes moved along, scanning the floor like she was trying to get a clear view of an ant. ¡°What sort of race adopted that Toyaru fellow?¡±

    ¡°Baseline, as far as I know,¡± I answered, as I turned back to my paperwork. Considering the variety of people in this world, and taking into account that every other race was at least genetically human, there was no proper way to refer to just ¡°regular humans¡±. So, me and Maria used the English term, Baseline to refer to the breed of humans in this world whose magic system only consists of the so-called Spirit Force that most other races also posess.

    ¡°A regular human? I don¡¯t believe that. This kind of mutation is too extreme,¡± She said as if in awed.

    My pen stopped moving for a second, as I looked back towards Maria. She said the same thing about me, when I told her I was born of human parents.

    ¡°Is she reincarnated?¡± I wondered.

    ¡°No, she¡¯s missing the right characteristics¡ªthis mutation is also much more radical than yours or mine,¡± She said, as her eyes had raised from the floor up to the wall. ¡°Actually, now that I get a good look at her, it¡¯s more like her Magic System was tampered with,¡± She said.

    However, a moment later, the door to my office was flung open. There, the auburn haired girl that I only saw a few times, several years ago, sood with an enraged expression. Her name was Yenna, wasn¡¯t it? I was worried when I didn¡¯t see Violet, however the bluish colored girl quickly ran up behind Yenna, clearly out of breath. It seemed that Yenna had run ahead of the slow Violet to meet me at once.

    This was bad.

    ¡°Where is Toyaru?¡± I asked seriously.

    ¡°That bitch Sentra took him!¡± She said in a rage.

    Bringing my hand up to my temples, I sighed out. ¡°Did she break out of her shackles or something?¡±

    Yenna¡¯s angry look further became enraged. ¡°Does it matter?!¡± She asked. So they didn¡¯t even restrain her¡­?

    ¡°Where¡¯d they take him?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± She shouted. ¡°She threw me into the river, and by the time I got out, they were both gone.¡± Although it seemed she was angry at me, part of me could tell that she was more angry at herself.

    ¡°When did this happen?¡±

    ¡°Earlier today,¡± She answered immediately. ¡°I ran here as fast as I could. You have to find him!¡± She demanded.

    I¡¯d love to go get him, just so I could punch him in the jaw for being stupid. But I have no way of tracking him. Not without sending Violet out to search, which is entirely out of the question. However, the fact the White Fox only took Toyaru and didn¡¯t kill him might be a good sign.

    ¡°We¡¯ll look for him. But the fact she didn¡¯t just kill Toyaru is a good sign for us. If you bring Maria here with you, I¡¯m sure she can help. She has a wealth of experience. The enemy is bound to have left a trail of some kind,¡± I said.

    ¡°Trying to get rid of me?¡± Maria asked amused.

    I shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s your type, so I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll thank me later,¡± I said.

    ¡°My¡­ type?¡± She asked.

    ¡°You know, like¡ªwhat¡¯s the word?¡ªAn androgynous shota?¡±

    ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s best we get going,¡± Maria suddenly said, as she grabbed Yenna¡¯s shoulder, and made her way for the door.

    ¡°Wait,¡± I called out, stopping the excited fujo at the door. ¡°What else do you know?¡± I asked the confused Yenna, whose eyes shifted between the suddenly excited Maria and the calm and serious me.

    ¡°T-there¡¯s nothing else that comes to mind,¡± she said, gently trying to part from the excited Maria, but finding that they were practically glued together. ¡°Oh, there was one more thing!¡± She said.

    I nodded, prompting her to continue.

    ¡°Before Sentra attacked us, Toyaru mentioned that a Lein noble was nearby.¡±

    ¡°A Lein noble?¡±

    The girl nodded. ¡°We had met him by chance a few days ago, but he must not have been aware of Toya¡¯s¡­ affiliation with the Princess.¡± I nodded, understanding the gist of what she was saying. So the noble somehow ended up bound to Toyaru by the Divine Heart, so Toyaru can ascertain his location now.

    However, Lein seems to be acting faster than expected. If it was a few days ago, then the noble likely was already within our borders by chance, and decided to join the war effort against us.

    ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡± I asked. Knowing ahead of time would give us an idea of that person¡¯s fighting style, if he¡¯s a threat, and if he would have value as a hostage. As Yenna spoke, I got ready to write down the name to look up later.

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember his whole name,¡± Yenna admitted. ¡°But his first name was Ezder.¡±

    Upon hearing that name uttered, I dropped my pen and doubted my ears. It couldn¡¯t be¡­ ¡°Ezder Lenson?¡± I asked, looking up at Yenna with wide eyes.

    Yenna nodded, as if the full name had clicked in her head. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it!¡± She said.

    Fuck. Oh fuck. God dammit¡­

    This cannot be happening. This fast? We¡¯re not ready.

    Hitting the table I stand up and look to Violet. ¡°Tell the Princess that Ezder Lenson is within our borders, and marches to Senha!¡± Violet, dutiful as ever, nodded to my order and swiftly flew out the door.

    Maria on the other hand was openly curious, and didn¡¯t seem to notice as Yenna¡¯s arm was pulled away from her grasp. The woman asked, ¡°Who is Ezder? What¡¯s the panic?¡±

    ¡°Ezder Lenson,¡± I repeat the name as I begin to draft up an emergency order to our allies.

    ¡°Son of Lein. The reason for this war.¡±

 Chapter 043

    Waking up to being punched in the face was new.

    The inside of my head sloshed around like a bucket enduring an earthquake. When my mind slowly began to settle down, another hit sent me into further confusion. When I finally had my head on straight, I expected another punch, but when nothing came I hesitantly opened my eyes, and looked up at my assailant.

    ¡°Hey there, handsome,¡± I blurtered out with a smirk. However, my wisecrack only rewarded me with another hit, this time with a wooden bat. Or maybe the other times were also a bat; I dunno.

    As I tried to move my arms and legs, I found that my ankles were bound together, unable to move at all, and my arms were similarly restrained, spread to both sides as if I were being crucified. Not only that, my body was strapped to some sort of brace that kept me from wiggling my body at all, and when I looked down in addition to being almost completely naked save for a simple pair of shorts, I saw that the floor was removed to reveal a hole that went down several hundred meters, so even if I broke the chains I would immediately fall to my death.

    I see. They took into account my time-stop ability. For some reason, even when I stop time, the effect of Gravity on my body also accelerates, so I wouldn¡¯t have time to think of some clever maneuver to save my life. They couldn¡¯t possibly have known this, but nonetheless my options are limited from the start.

    I looked forward, and there he was. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting to meet again so soon,¡± I said to my captor. ¡°I don¡¯t mind BDSM play, but the heights kinda scare me, Ezder,¡± I said with a smile.

    Ezder wasn¡¯t having any of my crap, and once again the bat was swung at me, though this time towards my ribs. I coughed up in pain, and tried to contain a groan of pain, but Ezder jabbed his weapon into me with a scary expression on his face.

    I grit my teeth, and tried to bare the pain, but honestly it¡¯s been a long time since I felt this much discomfort. Ezder stood before me, the angry judge to my crimes. Things had slowly began to fit together, as conclusion after conclusion set itself in place.

    During my next short respite, I breathed heavily, before asking, ¡°This is about Sentra, isn¡¯t it?¡± Part of me actually expected a spoken affirmation to come from him, but Ezder¡¯s expression merely grew to even greater rage, and as he once again swung the club in his hands, it collided with the side of my leg, crushing my knee in the process.

    I let out a loud and pained groan, upon feeling something in my leg actually break. I moaned, squirmed, and shivered in pain as I tried to break free.

    I recalibrated time, trying to escape that pain, and although the feeling had mostly subsided, the phantom pain continued to ebb at my mind. I tried to move, but just as I had found earlier, nothing truly seemed to work. The frame my body was strapped to was too sturdy for me to wiggle around in¡ªmy limbs had not even a centimeter of room to move. There was no way I could continuously bang on the material until it broke; at best I might break my bones, at worst I might fall to my death. Only my head had any kind of wiggle room to it, but there was nothing I could do still.

    When I eventually had the courage to return to normal time, pain once again overtook me. I cried out for a moment, as my mind slowly tried to dull the pain. But it just wasn¡¯t dull enough.

    ¡°Part of me wondered,¡± Ezder finally spoke up. ¡°What happens to you Fox Spirits when your tails are removed?¡±

    As I looked back up to Ezder whose expression had never changed from the undying rage, I wondered what he could mean by that. Trying to wiggle my lower spine, I almost sigh in relief as I realize that my tails are still there, albeit restrained.

    ¡°Turns out, they just turn to ashe, and reform on your body,¡± He said. My face froze as I looked back up in confusion. ¡°Yeah. When Sentra told me about your Time ability, I decided to cut your tails off. But they just grew back!¡± He said as if it was some kind of comical joke by the universe.

    ¡°But, I doubt your other parts grow back,¡± Ezder said, before swinging the club at my left leg once again. I let out another scream of pain, which I tried to contain inside of me to little effect.

    I could feel my limb broken in several places, and wondered if I¡¯d be able to walk with it again. ¡°Walking is gonna be a hassle now,¡± I complained, looking down at my useless leg.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.¡°Walking!? Hah! There¡¯s a lot more you won¡¯t be able to do!¡± He said, bringing his bat up high, and smashing my right arm with it.

    Although it hurt more than I could bare, I hid my screams behind laughed.

    ¡°Ahaha¡­ Haha¡­ Fuck, there goes my arm. Haha¡­ I won¡¯t be able to write anymore¡­ Ahah, more importantly, I need to learn how to jerk off with my left hand,¡± I blurted out, while trying to endure my pain.

    Ezder still didn¡¯t find my jokes funny, and after smashing my LEFT arm too, he pressed the bat against my stomach.

    ¡°I considered letting some of my men have their way with you,¡± He said with a stern and angry expression. ¡°Some of them don¡¯t mind the extra bits, and wouldn¡¯t mind training a biter, I¡¯m sure.¡±

    The meaning of his words didn¡¯t really excite me. In fact, the blood had drained from my face as I wondered if he was serious.

    ¡°But I¡¯m not you,¡± He said, as he set aside the bat, and pulled something from his pocket. A round, disc-like amulet. As he focused on the disc, I could feel a warmth over myself as my wounds were sealed, and bruises fixed. Even my broken bones seemed to set back into place under the influence of that magic amulet.

    Right, the healing charm that Aniel had given me. It was on my body at the time Sentra stabbed me. Come to think of it, the gaping wound I was expecting to feel in my stomach isn¡¯t there anymore. Although the amulet is impressive, it can¡¯t heal wounds that the body can¡¯t heal naturally. Meaning that Sentra took care to avoid my organs.

    I laughed at myself. Fuck. So this is what happens when you¡¯re careless.

    With a chuckle I look to Ezder with a cheeky smirk, and ask, ¡°You¡¯re not me, but you still plan to torture me?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t play stupid,¡± He said with a raised voice, as he thrust his club into my face. I felt one of my teeth crack open from the force of his strike, and blood spew from my mouth. ¡°This is punishment! For what you did to Sentra! You bastard, I¡¯ll have you beat within an inch of your life!¡± He said in a rage, before smashing my ribs with the wooden club. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll bring you right back,¡± He said, as he healed me once more. ¡°Before doing it again.¡±

    I groan. ¡°I have an appointment, so think we can cut this short?¡±

    ¡°And we¡¯ll see about fixing that damned attitude of yours,¡± He said. As he brought his club into his two hands and got ready to swing, one thought occurred to me.

    This is going to be a long week.

    ¡°Is this, what she meant by re-education?¡± I suddenly found myself asking, with a bit of a chuckle.

    Ezder looked at me with a scowl, but didn¡¯t say anything, as if waiting for me to explain what I meant.

    ¡°When I first met Sentra,¡± I began, recalling that meeting a few years ago, ¡°She had restrained me, and then said to me she would¡­ re-educate me,¡± I said, my grin showing off my fangs as I looked Ezder in the eyes. ¡°Isn¡¯t it fair that I, after being attacked and restrained, then told that I would be re-educated, in turn do the same to her?!¡±

    However, rather than argue with my reasoning, Ezder merely resorted to beating me senseless.

    He smashed my arms, broke my legs, shattered my fingers. And then healed everything right back up. He never once got close to me, nor tried to touch me himself. Every time it was with that wooden bat. When it looked like the blood-stained club was about ready to break, he had it replaced.

    With nothing to say between us, I had long since learned to keep my mouth shut.

    I screamed, groaned, and even found myself in tears. But I didn¡¯t speak out of turn out of fear that I¡¯d only flare up his rage.

    At one point, I thought to just have time slowed down, and wait out his attacks, but I felt my dread intensify as I watched his bat come at me over the course of hours. And when it finally hit, the pain didn¡¯t set in for even more hours, but the psychological effect was excruciating. I felt myself going mad, bound to this position while waiting for an inevitable pain. So I took his beatings the normal way, only using my time-stop ability to ease the pain and to give me respite.

    I tried to use my second ability, however under the constant attack and Ezder¡¯s overwhelming rage, I couldn¡¯t muster up the focus to use it properly, and even when I could Ezder merely ignored it.

    I had suspected Ezder wanted to break me down, and build me back up, like how I broke down Sentra and then made her reliant on myself. However, I quickly discarded that possibility. Ezder did not want to brainwash me and bring me to his side or anything. No, he was close to Sentra, and he wanted to punish me for what I did to her. Not to break me down, but to simply break me.

    He wanted revenge, and I could do nothing but break and cry.

    I once thought I might have had masochistic tendencies. Sometimes, I¡¯d put myself in situations to be harmed, just for the thrill of it. The tinge of pain after being hit was something I thought to be pleasant.

    ¡ªBut having my bones and flesh repeatedly broken and bruised has shattered this fetish-like self-delusion. In truth, I only ever wanted to be in control. This was as far away from that as possible.

    I don¡¯t want to hurt.

    I don¡¯t want to cry.

    I don¡¯t want to be weak.

    It wasn¡¯t until who knows how long before Ezder allowed me time to rest. He didn¡¯t speak, merely looking at me with a rage in his eyes before eventually turning around and walking away. It wasn¡¯t until now that I had the chance to better observe my surroundings, but fatigue and exhaustion had long since caught up to me.

    I didn¡¯t have the presence of mind to think of much more before closing my eyes, and hoping to get a good night¡¯s rest.

 Chapter 044

    Were it not for my Divine Heart, I¡¯m certain that I would have lost complete track of time by now. Keeping track of everyone I knew, I was able to gauge the time of day, and slowly counted the days as they passed, specifically using the times that they slept as a marker.

    To keep me thinking, each day I would count. The first day, I counted by ones. The second day, I counted by two. The third by three. And so on.

    Every day, Ezder came and beat me bloody with that wooden club of his. Apparently they fed me something while I was asleep, because I don¡¯t remember being fed anything otherwise. The only person I have seen until now was Ezder, but my senses tells me that Sentra is nearby too, her scent lingering on Ezder¡¯s body.

    Although the first few days I said nothing, I felt the need to speak by the end of the third day. So as he once again fixed my dislocated arm and shattered knee cap, I spoke up.

    ¡°If this is punishment for what I did to her, why don¡¯t you let Sentra do the punishing?¡± I had finally asked, looking up at him with a twisted grin.

    ¡°You little monster,¡± Ezder said between grit teeth. ¡°You know what you did to her,¡± He said, pressing the club against my chest.

    ¡°Heh¡­ Hahaha!¡± I found myself laughing, ¡°I see. She is too afraid to face me. After stabbing me in the back, she can¡¯t even face me? A coward!¡± I blurted out to the dark-haired boy before me.

    I think I understood the situation to some extent. I¡¯m certain Sentra hates me. But she¡¯s more afraid of me than anything. That explained those words she continued to repeat before I blacked out. I¡¯m sorry.

    Even after she¡¯s stabbed and kidnapped me she wants me to forgive her.

    Hearing my speculation, Ezder once more smashed his club into my ribs, cracking several of them. Although it hurt like fuck, I had slowly learned to muffle my pained screams into a groan. Before every hit, I made sure my tongue wouldn¡¯t be bit off, and grit my teeth.

    The pain never lessened, but I had more-or-less grown to prepare for it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you speak like you know anything!¡± He said.

    Coughing out a bit of blood, I chuckled to Ezder.

    I was in some sort of castle tower, or maybe a refitted silo? Below me was a pit leading to my death, and the only entrance or exit was the door behind Ezder. Ezder himself stood on a platform that was close enough for him to swing his bat at me. I was suspended in the air in a cross, by a rod that was attached to the metal brace my body was fastened to. Nearly naked, Ezder could beat me in whatever way he wished, watching as my limbs twisted, and skin turned purple.

    This was just what I could see though. From my hearing and smell, I concluded that no other people had entered this room even while I was asleep. Despite the scents of various people outside drifting into the room, Ezder was the only one who came to visit me.

    Or at least, he¡¯s the only one who enters the room.

    ¡°I forgive you,¡± I said with a faint smirk.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want your godforsaken forgiveness,¡± Ezder said, as he prepared another strike.

    ¡°I¡¯m not talking to you,¡± I said with a chuckle, causing Ezder to freeze for a moment. His head turned towards the doorway, and although no one was there, I still continued, ¡°Come on out, Sentra,¡± I ordered.

    For a moment, nothing. But after a few more seconds, the timid white fox stepped out from behind the passageway, and revealed herself. Ezder seemed to tremble, hiding his rage, before he spoke.

    ¡°Hey, Sen, what are you doing here? Come on. You don¡¯t need to be here.¡±

    ¡°No please. Stay,¡± I said with a grin.

    Sentra looked between the two of us, trembling in fear at what to do. Of course she was nearby. She tried to mask her scent so I wouldn¡¯t notice she was there, but that only created other out of place scents. Not to mention the two of us learned to hide our scents together, so even though Sentra was more efficient with her mastery of plants, I could still pick up on the signs she left behind.

    And besides, there was simply no way that Ezder could leave Sentra alone for such a long time. She had to be nearby. When I realized this simple fact, I decided to test my hold on her.

    However, I realized now, that Ezder¡¯s beatings will probably intensify as a result.

    ¡°Sentra dear. Why did you stab me? That wasn¡¯t a very nice thing to do,¡± I said, prompting Ezder to look at me with a wild rage in his eyes.

    ¡°I¡­ I was afraid,¡± She let out in a sob.

    ¡°Afraid of what? That I would hurt your friend here?¡± I asked, tilting my head like I always did when asking a question. Sentra nodded, her sobs intensifying as she tried to hold back her fear.

    So Ezder really was a friend of hers. Well, that was pretty obvious at this point. Still, it was regretful that this was how I ended up captured and beaten to a bloody pulp. I wanted to punish that crying girl, beat her a bit¡ªbut watching her conflicted expression, and trembling body, I could only sigh out.

    ¡°Like I said; I forgive you for stabbing me,¡± I repeated, throwing my head back haughtily, despite my current position. ¡°Now get me down from here. I promise not to harm your little friend,¡± I said, focusing my eyes on Sentra¡¯s.

    ¡°Stop it!¡± Ezder shouted at me, before Sentra could take a single step towards me. ¡°He¡¯s manipulating you Sen. Look into his head, you know he¡¯s just trying to trick you!¡± He said desperately to her.

    Ah, well, he has a point. I might not kill Ezder, but I would certainly punch him a few times and make up for the teeth I lost. Those don¡¯t grow back!

    However, telling her to read my mind? I chuckled silently to myself.

    ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t!¡± Sentra said at Ezder¡¯s suggestion.

    ¡°Can¡¯t what?¡±

    ¡°Looking into someone¡¯s head without permission. That¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s unforgivable,¡± She stammered out, trembling under Ezder¡¯s shocked gaze.

    ¡°He¡¯s the enemy! All the things he did to you! He broke you, and you broke free if his hold!¡± He said, grabbing onto Sentra¡¯s shoulders as she tried to back away. She was afraid. Afraid of what, exactly? ¡°You¡¯re free now!¡± He repeated. ¡°You don¡¯t have to listen to what he said. You are your own person,¡± He said, his voice cracking, as he pulled Sentra into a hug.

    ¡ªHowever, ¡°She¡¯s not free,¡± I said. Although I expected Ezder to snap back at me, he only responded with a flinch, as his hug around the conflicted Sentra tightened.

    ¡°None of us are truly free anyways,¡± I continued. ¡°Sentra is just less free than you or I,¡± I informed Ezder.

    ¡°Go back to the room,¡± The foreign lord whispered into my white fox¡¯s ears as he embraced her. As I opened my mouth to object however, Ezder swung about, smashing the side of my gut before I could utter a word. As I tried to catch my air in a panting fit, I saw Sentra fidgeting, as Ezder once more asked her to leave. As he guided her out the room, the two of them vanished from my sight as I tried to catch my breath.

    I¡¯m sure he¡¯s wondering what I did exactly to make her so adverse to using her powers¡ªor maybe he knows, but hopes she could break free? Well, in a way, it was a trauma she first developed in our fight. However, if left alone, maybe she could have recovered a bit, and used her mind-reading after some therapy. But now? She could no longer bring herself to read a person¡¯s mind, especially not one who didn¡¯t consent to it. It was deemed a taboo, and she has the experience to go with it.

    It was slightly inconvenient for me, in regards to utilizing her power, but it was also important to prevent her from being able to read my mind. I couldn¡¯t have my cake and eat too. So to prevent her from reading my mind, even casually or by habit, I had her undergo a form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. In the end, even reading the mind of a stranger or enemy was a taboo.

    In this case, I suppose that decision was the right choice.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    Maybe.

    Eventually, Ezder alone returned, a scowl on his face. However, part of me wondered if he only put up that scowl for me. He glared at me, looking to my stomach where he had attacked me earlier. I took a peek down, only to see inflamed red, before looking back up at Ezder.

    With a chuckle, I broke the awkward silence between us.

    ¡°It¡¯s called Stockholm Syndrome,¡± I said.

    I expected an immediate response, however Ezder only glared at me for a few long moments before nodding, ¡°I know what the fuck it¡¯s called.¡±

    Letting out air through my nose as I chuckled, I grinned down at Ezder. ¡°So, you¡¯re a reincarnater too,¡±

    ¡ª¡°Don¡¯t you dare¡ª¡± As he spoke up, he once again jabbed the club in his hand against my bruised gut, this time with a considerable power behind it, prompting a pained scream from me as he continued, ¡°¡ªput me¡ª¡± he twisted the bat, making sure that I could feel my organs make room for his blunt weapon. ¡°¡ªin the same category as you!¡±

    I could only groan and whine as I tried to recover from the damage I had taken. Eventually, as was standard practice already, Ezder began to heal my body using that amulet. As my body was mostly set into place properly, I let out a soft sigh of relief.

    I doubted I would be able to endure this for very long, not only psychologically, but there was also the worry about the amulet¡¯s limitations. However, I understood Ezder¡¯s way of thinking a little bit more.

    ¡°Torture¡± in the traditional sense is taboo to him. It¡¯s a relic of his ¡°Modern¡± upbringing. But he hates me enough to bend that taboo of his. In that way, maybe I¡¯m lucky? Hah! Look at me; considering myself lucky after having most of my bones broken several times over.

    I thought perhaps this would be the end of our session together, however it seemed that Ezder still couldn¡¯t release his rage from before. His hands trembling as he looked down to my feet, he grit his teeth before once more approaching me.

    ¡ª¡°You, bastard!¡±

    Ezder, in a sudden outburst of rage, raised his club above his head. Unable to move, much less escape, I became the target of his savage attacks once more. I could hear my bones smash to pieces as he struck my limbs. Seeing how much force each strike held behind it, I was certain that before now, he was holding back.

    He made sure not to strike my torso, but all four of my limbs became sacrifices to his rage. I screamed and cried, tears welling up under my eyes as I endured the pain. My body was wrecked, and I was barely able to respond with any of my banter. Amidst my pain, my old jokes didn¡¯t seem quite as funny, and yet, I still laughed. I laughed to hide just how much pain I was in, but perhaps the tears in my eyes gave it away.

    After Ezder screams of rage and anger had subsided, and he stood there panting before me, looking at me with eyes that could only be described as looking at filth, I wondered when he would kill me. He wants to release his rage on me, for what I did to Sentra. But killing me would be quicker, and ensure Sentra could be ¡°released¡± from me.

    However, his means of torture wasn¡¯t what I was expecting either. They were more like a child trying to beat on another child as revenge¡ªsavagely smashing every bit of my body only to repair it afterwards. I could understand the revenge aspect, but wouldn¡¯t a noble like him have access to professional ¡°interrogators¡±? He wants to carry out the punishment himself because Sentra is important to him, but he doesn¡¯t seem to be using the most effective methods to break me.

    I had wondered why this was the case, up until a while ago, but the fact Ezder is probably anti-torture in his past life likely played a big role.

    However¡­ ¡°Heh¡­¡± I let out a low chuckle, as I realized something funny. That laugh suddenly burst out into a hysterical cackle, as Ezder looked on at me with a frown. Even with my limbs broken, and pain flowing thru my body, I could not help but to laugh at this marvelous joke.

    ¡°She¡­ She begged you not to kill me? To go easy on me?¡± I said, while laughing like a madman. ¡°Don¡¯t kill him, she said, right? Right?! Haha!¡±

    I was genuinely laughing. Not just to cover up my pain or hide some secret, but laughing from the deepest core of my soul. Her loyalty to her Friend was quite strong, so much so that she couldn¡¯t bare to have him fall to misfortune. But that didn¡¯t mean she I didn¡¯t have a hold on her mind.

    ¡°You hope, you wish, that the poor girl would go back to her old self, but there is simply no changing what has happened,¡± I shout out. ¡°You cannot erase the mark I have left on her soul, any more than you can change who she is,¡± I mocked the boy.

    Ezder looked up to me, his expression stern as he waited for me to finish. As if he was marking off every word I was saying. Counting the number of strikes he would lay on me. I could tell already that I would be punished even harsher for what I¡¯m saying, but I can¡¯t seem to care at this given moment.

    ¡°Your beautiful friend, isn¡¯t she? You care for her, but she is no longer the girl you once liked,¡± I said, before coughing momentarily. ¡°Fuck, I have a cold,¡± I muttered, before looking back to Ezder with my ear-to-ear grin.

    ¡°Are you done yet?¡± He finally asked me.

    I almost chuckled and laughed, just to spite him, but I was running out of laughs by this point, and only let out a light chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s your side that started the war,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s the result of your actions that she¡¯s like this now.¡±

    As the stoic mask cracked ever so slightly, and hints of rage creeped into Ezder¡¯s features, it looked as though he had something to say. But with not a word leaving his lips, I suddenly felt something.

    I don¡¯t know the cause, but pain had overwhelmed my being. Every inch of my body, every corner of my mind. I couldn¡¯t even scream or let out a moan; even my throat and lungs felt as if they were submerged in a sea of lava. It felt as though my very soul was set over an open flame and left to cook alive. My eyes had rolled to the back of my head as I was bathed in raw suffering. Even ¡°enduring¡± the pain was an impossibility.

    Everything screamed and ached, and not a single coherent thought could form¡ªI simply wished and hoped for it to all stop. I couldn¡¯t bare it much longer, and even found myself pleading for death. Yet no intelligible sound left my lips¡ªno consistent string of words formed in my head.

    When it had finally stopped, and color returned to my world, Ezder had already gone.

    What the hell was that? It was a terrible sensation that seemed to attack my very core. Although I wanted to laugh it off, I couldn¡¯t. That feeling was terrible, so terrible that it etched a fear into my heart that I couldn¡¯t shake off.

    I shuck and trembled for some time, wondering what the hell that was. A mental attack. It had to be. Fuck¡­ Since when could Bijkarru do that? I thought that could only control beasts and wild animals? How does one defend against that?! After a moment, I had even noticed that my body was healed up, which meant that I was passed out for a while.

    After fidgeting alone for some time, contemplating what to do, I noticed a scent in the air. It was a peculiar plant I was already familiar with. It could only be one person. What could I say? Would she free me? With little else to lose, I sighed.

    ¡°You know, I may have forgiven you, but Yenna might not.¡±

    I waited one second, two seconds, ten seconds, before eventually Sentra stepped from behind the wall, wearing a loose gown to cover her curves. She had apparently come to check up on me, and make sure I was alive. She didn¡¯t speak immediately, but I could tell she wanted to respond.

    ¡°B-but everything she did was to deceive and control me,¡± She finally spoke up, casting her eyes down. ¡°She never¡­¡± She hiccupped, unable to finish what she was saying.

    I wondered for a moment, before... ¡°So, you heard our talk?¡± I asked curiously, to which she nodded. I see. However¡­ ¡°Yenna¡¯s not that good an actor¡± I claimed, trying to shrug my shoulders, but finding I couldn¡¯t move them, just as usual.

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± She asked, turning her eyes up to look at me.

    ¡°I mean what I said. Yenna can¡¯t hide her feelings very well,¡± I said. ¡°Her thoughts are basically an open book,¡± I said. Well, I may have been exaggerating. Even I didn¡¯t know everything she thought about. Often times, she even surprised me by how smart she was, breaking away from the ¡°meat-head¡± archetype I envisioned her in.

    But her emotions weren¡¯t so often hidden. Now, whatever feelings she had for Sentra, I can¡¯t attest to. Not without asking the girl herself. I was honest when told Yenna she could love who she wanted, but I don¡¯t know her emotions.

    However¡­

    ¡°Just get me out of this thing, and I¡¯ll smooth things over with Yenna,¡± I urged.

    However Sentra shook her head as tears seemed to form under her eyes. ¡°Please, don¡¯t make me do this,¡± She pleaded. ¡°You¡­ You¡¯ll kill Ezder,¡± she said, looking up to me.

    It gave me a sour taste in my mouth, remembering that I was stabbed in the back in order to protect Ezder. I understood to some degree her worry. She was dependent on me, and even now had trouble denying me, but now I learn that if Ezder is in danger, she¡¯s willing to protect him above all else. On the other hand, the same could be said about Ezder trying to harm me.

    I looked down at Sentra in silence for a moment, unsure of how to communicate with her. As I opened my mouth to speak, hoping for something to come out, all I could muster was, ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±

    However, Sentra stepped back, shaking her head as she shivered. As tears welled in her eyes, she looked to me, ¡°I know you¡¯re lying!¡± She said. ¡°I don¡¯t need to read your mind to know what,¡± She sobbed. As she fell to her knees, she fidgeted, clearly conflicted about what to do. She probably doesn¡¯t want me being beaten and bruised like this. But the alternative would break her heart, she concluded. How troubling for me.

    ¡ªHowever¡­ If she wouldn¡¯t free me, then there was at least one thing she could do.

    As she finished her sobbing, Sentra slowly pulled herself to her feet, and turned around, no longer wanting to look at me. So I spoke up.

    ¡°If you won¡¯t rescue me yourself, then tell Yenna where I am,¡± I said.

    With her back to me, Sentra halted. She considered my words, not looking back for a good minute or so, before she began to walk. She didn¡¯t say ¡°No¡±, I thought.

    I once again concluded, this was going to be a long week.