Priestess of The Red Lotus (6)

[Let's stop now. You're badly hurt.]

"Fuck… who are you to order me around?"

Miya's eyes were red due to the blood.

Miya, glaring at the Nine-tailed Fox with narrowed eyes, snorted in derision before turning her arrows of resentment towards the magic beast.

"Ah, right. It's because of you. Useless fox. Can't even protect your master. This is why things always end up like this. What can you actually do right? What were you doing until I ended up in this state?!"

[…]

"I thought you might be of some help when I made the contract, but you turned out to be just another useless insect. Uwaahaha…! Hic… hic. Fuck… Fuck!!"

When her power was taken by Elmetona the Ethereal, the Nine-tailed Fox lost consciousness and was then taken over by the demon.

It was as if she had been asleep. It remembered nothing of what had happened.

However, seeing Miya in tatters, it wasn't hard to guess the circumstances before and after.

Amidst the flames, Miya continued to shed bloody tears, repeatedly cursing.

The Nine-tailed Fox Mae quietly watched her master fall apart, mulling over a conversation it had with the young Miya in the forest of death.

─'What are you doing? You're wearing a flower ring on your index finger… Ah, Mae, this goes on the ringer finger. Wait, this is your hand, right?'

─ 'Eek, it's your foot?!'

─ 'Alright~. It's a flower ring from Miya. With this, we've become friends!'

─ 'Huh? A human and a magic beast being friends…? Why bother questioning it? If we're friends, we're friends.'

─ 'I really like it. Being able to be friends with such a pretty magic beast.'

"What are you staring at, fucker? Aren't you going back right now?"

She was such a lovely child.

The Nine-tailed Fox, overlaying past memories with Miya, continued in a nostalgic voice.

[I'm sorry. Blame me for my incompetence in failing to fulfill my duties as a familiar. I'll take my punishment later. Still, even so, won't you allow me to be by your side for now?]

"What?"

[You are my only friend. You saved me. In that quiet forest, you led me, who was suffocating in loneliness, to a bright world.]

The Nine-tailed Fox let out a wistful smile.

[Miya, you are my light. I love you. So… give me the chance to share that sorrow.]

"…Pfft!"

Eventually, Miya burst into laughter as if she found it amusing.

It was a reaction the Nine-tailed Fox had not anticipated.

"'Friend'? 'Led me to a bright world'?"

Miya felt dizzy. Despite her physical condition being a mess, a surge of exhilaration sharpened her senses.

A deep-seated malice and extreme excitement, as if filling her insides, urged her on.

To immediately harm those who irritated her.

"What a load of nonsense."

[Miya…?]

Isaac, sitting atop the escort carriage, steadied his breath.

Is she about to reveal a truth she had been hiding?

Miya let out a twisted smile. Her face was far from her usual beauty, grotesquely swollen and full of blood.

With her head spinning, she thought.

Undeniably, she had entered into an exceptionally unfair familiar contract with the Nine-tailed Fox, more so than with anyone else.

No matter how things turned out, the Nine-tailed Fox could not terminate the contract with Miya at will, and the master's orders were absolute.

Moreover, her status as the Priestess of the nation of the Land of the Fire Blossoms wouldn't change, as she had already firmly established herself in that position.

The only one to be hurt emotionally was the incompetent familiar, the Nine-tailed Fox, who couldn't even protect her master.

Miya had been contemplating when to reveal the truth, all the while immersed in anticipation of the Nine-tailed Fox's eventual downfall.

In the end, the Nine-tailed Fox would follow Miya through despair and regret. How entertaining would that be?

Intense anger and excitement, the 'malice' that Alice had shed, had consumed Miya.

"Lean your ear towards me for a moment."

The Nine-tailed Fox Mae leaned in, bringing its head close to Miya.

With a voice tinged with laughter, Miya revealed the truth.

"That… wasn't me."

The little kid who risked her life to show kindness to the Nine-tailed Fox Mae.

The "True Priestess" Isaac wanted to protect in the first round but ultimately failed to.

"It was my damn sister."

Twin sister.

It was the real Miya.

[…What are you talking about?]

The Nine-tailed Fox seemed to have its thoughts frozen for a moment.

[What do you mean, what are you talking about?]

The black-haired girl in front of it was, without a doubt, the one who had saved it.

With her extraordinary powers, there was no doubt in the fox's mind that she was her master.

But now, what was she talking about? The Nine-tailed Fox couldn't comprehend what she was talking about.

[No… you're Miya, aren't you? There's no need to deny yourself like that…]

"I've stolen everything my sister built up. You're the same. You're just my property." Said Miya. No, Miya's sister.

"So, why did you so foolishly agree to such a damn idiotic familiar contract? You moron. Tsk tsk."

[Miya…?]

"Now shut your mouth. It's an order."

With a shocked expression, the Nine-tailed Fox got up.

Slightly parted lips, eyes wandering through the air.

No one heard the conversation between Miya's sister and the Nine-tailed Fox amidst the flames.

However, those who watched could definitely guess that a conversation had taken place that had mentally shocked the Nine-tailed Fox.

Suddenly, the Nine-tailed Fox remembered a conversation it had with the young Miya.

─ 'I have an older sister. Mei, my sister. She's articulate and incredibly cool. I want to be like her someday.'

Miya's sister. Her name was Mei.

After forming the familiar contract, it was reported that Mei had gone missing from Miya's side.

Was it actually Miya who had gone missing?

"Khhhh. Pathetic fox. Incompetent, unable to even protect its master…"

Clatter!

Boom!

"…?"

Chunks of ice extinguished the flames that had enveloped part of the dueling ground.

A silver-blue-haired male student, Isaac, stood firmly in front of Miya's sister, Mei.

Dispelling her flames, which had already reached their limit, was an easy task.

He peered down at Mei with his cynical red eyes. His gaze was so cold it could chill the heart of anyone who saw it.

"Fuck, Senior? Why are you here? Trying to meddle again…?"

"Don't you think it's strange?"

Isaac knelt on one knee and grabbed Mei's left wrist, lifting it.

As pain shot through, she groaned and made a face filled with disgust.

"You insect, how dare you touch my body…! Huh?"

Mei's eyes widened in shock.

It was strange.

To form a contract with a magic beast of 8-stars or higher, a familiar contract circle was needed.

The 8-star familiar contract circle Isaac had received from the Candy House Witch was exactly that.

He had witnessed the familiar contract circle on her wrist activate when Mei used the Nine-tailed Fox's power.

That was why he grabbed her wrist, to remind her of this puzzling point.

"You're clearly out of mana. So how do you think the Nine-tailed Fox is out here in perfect condition?"

Demons awakened by the Evil God were all born with dangerous powers.

It just wasn't always prominent because Isaac had been dealing with demons as soon as they appeared.

However, consider demons such as Vera the Summoner and Elphelt the Evanescent.

The former was born with the power to dominate any familiar, even those who had made a contract with someone else.

The latter was born with the power to neutralize mana.

All of them were endowed with unbelievably incredible abilities.

How much more so for Elmetona the Ethereal, who had lived significantly longer than them?

The demon stole both the Nine-tailed Fox and Mei's mana.

Its ability was Complete Deprivation.

It first forcibly nullified the contract between Mei and the Nine-tailed Fox, and then it was able to freely control the power of the Nine-tailed Fox.

"Ah…"

Mei's face turned pale with shock.

She felt it. The Nine-tailed Fox contract circle had already disappeared. This was proof that her contract with the Nine-tailed Fox had been annulled.

Only then did Mei realize the identity of the unease she had been feeling.

She no longer felt connected to the Nine-tailed Fox.

It was as if they had become complete strangers to each other.

"Ah, aah…!"

She had to obtain whatever she wanted to be satisfied.

She had taken everything from her sister because she coveted everything her sister had.

Mei's face twisted. At first, there was shock, then a sense of being wronged, followed by sadness, and finally, anger adorned her expression.

Not being able to have what she wanted…

…And the fact that what was hers had been taken away…

…Gave her a terrible sense of loss.

Finally, Isaac drove home the truth that Mei wanted to deny.

"For reasons unknown, your contract has been terminated. Your familiar is now free."

The memory of rummaging through trash cans for a piece of bread filled Mei's head.

Their damned parents had abandoned the twin daughters and ran away long ago.

Mei was left alone with her sister. The daily hunger and the selfish people who, despite living in wealth, didn't share even a single piece of bread and looked at them as if they were insects, were deeply resented by Mei.

She recalled the memory of clutching a handful of sand on the beach.

Just like the beach where she could scoop up sand at will, Mei desperately wished for immense wealth that she could freely gather.

To be free from poverty and have a status that bowed to no one was what Mei fervently dreamed of.

And it was none other than her twin sister, Miya, who became the key to that dream.

Her sister, born with the sacred flame, possessed the qualities of the Priestess that the Nation of the Land of the Fire Blossoms had long desired.

The Priestess was selected through a process. Only by passing the notorious screening conditions could one be recognized as a Divine Maiden and become the Priestess of the Land of the Fire Blossoms.

Black hair as fine as silk and eyes like obsidian.

One must have fair skin, not be flat-footed, possess the mental strength to endure a month in darkness, must possess the element of fire…

…And not have even a small scar on their body.

Those were just a few of the requirements. Only those who passed the strict examination criteria, which filled several pages over a three-month testing period, could attain the position of a Priestess.

Eventually, Miya became the Priestess and, in an instant, obtained everything her sister Mei had wished for.

Miya wanted to make a fresh start with her sister, who had lived a hard life. She had no doubt that their future would be filled with happiness.

However, the emotion that Mei felt towards her sister was neither joy nor pride.

It was boiling jealousy.

"Aaaaah…! Ah, aaaaah…!!"

Mei trembled all over, screaming incessantly as if struck with aphasia.

The healing team carried her away on a stretcher, and Isaac and the Nine-tailed Fox silently watched her leave.

Priestess Miya.

In the memories of the first iteration, recalled during the Trial of Sandstone, Isaac was immersed in deep regret for those he couldn't protect.

Thus, he had harbored even greater affection for them.

This included the Priestess.

However, Isaac was not pleased with the new "Priestess's" arrival, belittling her in his thoughts, and without hesitation, he took revenge on her for any incident that angered him.

He never regarded her as a comrade or as someone he needed to protect.

Since the Priestess, one of the comrades who stood against the Evil God alongside him, was not the black-haired girl being carried away on the stretcher.

The Nine-tailed Fox Mae lowered its head.

[What have I… until now… what have I done…]

As the Nine-tailed Fox seemed to be heartbroken, Isaac stroked the beast.

It was quite easy to realize what conversation had taken place between Mei and the Nine-tailed Fox.

The Nine-tailed Fox looked at him with teary eyes.

"Horan, the 3rd Martial Imperial Court of Haeseo."

[…?]

"Go to its basement."

Isaac whispered in a soft and soothing voice.

In Horan, Land of the Fire Blossoms, the 3rd Martial Imperial Court of Haseo was an abandoned palace in a very remote location.

It was wrapped in strong barriers and ironclad security, forbidden even to high-ranking officials of the Land of the Fire Blossoms.

Only the Priestess and her registered familiars could enter and exit the Martial Imperial Court.

It was for religious reasons, but Miya's sister, Mei, exploited this.

"Now you're free. Go ahead, even if it feels like you're being fooled."

There…

"…You'll find someone you've wanted to see."

A Priestess was a being who handled sacred flames.

The only reason Mei was able to prove her qualifications as a Priestess and solidify her status by displaying sacred and unusual red flames to the people of the Land of the Fire Blossoms was because…

…She had trapped her sister, who had fallen for her trickery, and used her as a source of mana.

Status, power, wealth. Mei wanted everything that Miya had obtained.

She overlooked the fact that… it was like grains of sand. Even if she clutched it for a moment, it would quickly slip through her fingers.

The only reason such a thing was possible was because Miya deliberately fell into her sister's trap.

She thought it would be better for the Land of the Fire Blossoms if her more competent sister became the Priestess.

Miya likely didn't know that her choice would lead to the creation of a tyrant.

Isaac looked into the Nine-tailed Fox's eyes with indifference.

Now that the Nine-tailed Fox had regained its freedom from Miya's sister, Mei, and knew the truth, there was nothing to hesitate about.

It was time for the sleeping Miya, who avoided fate and responsibility, to finally awaken and confront the Land of the Fire Blossoms with the truth about serving someone unworthy of the Divine Maiden's qualifications.

This would undoubtedly cause significant political upheaval and public confusion, but it was a necessary ordeal for the Land of the Fire Blossoms to endure.

The Nine-tailed Fox's eyes widened.

[How do you know that…]

At that moment, the Nine-tailed Fox realized.

From the first day of the entrance exam, Isaac had been extraordinary.

Indeed, her instincts had not been wrong.

[So, it's you…]

Is he the Nameless Hero Mei had been searching for?

It must have been this man who had slain the demon that emerged from the shadows.

A being who had reached the realm of an archwizard performed incomprehensible acts as if they were only natural.

Especially if he was a Nameless Hero, he would be viewing this world from a higher realm, understanding even the incomprehensible domains, far beyond the Nine-tailed Fox itself.

It made sense that he would be able to find out the true position of the Divine Maiden.

"See you later."

[…]

The Nine-tailed Fox Mae engraved the smile of the legendary archwizard in her eyes.

The freed fox magic beast turned into fox fire, soared into the sky, and began to depart somewhere.

If, just if, what Isaac said was true… it promised to repay that grace.

Everyone gathered at the outdoor dueling ground and watched the fox fire cross the night sky. It looked like a beautiful meteor.

Thus, the Nine-tailed Fox departed far away in search of a dear friend.

***

It was silent and cold.

Flames were lit inside the dark abandoned palace. With every step, the sound of crumbling stones could be heard.

Upon closer inspection, a tiny hole hidden by a bookshelf was visible. Perhaps it was made to let air circulate.

Pushing the bookshelf aside revealed a passage. Inside, there were stairs leading underground.

Descending the stairs to the basement, a gradual warmth was felt.

Upon reaching the basement, a crackling sound was heard.

In the center of the basement, amidst gently flowing, unusual blue flames.

A girl was suspended in mid-air, asleep as if time had stopped, with only her billowing black hair quietly dancing.

As if longing to see her, the Nine-tailed Fox captured the beautiful girl's image in her teary eyes for a long time.

[Miya…]

The Nine-tailed Fox Mae extended flames.

Whoosh!

The flames emitted by the Nine-tailed Fox damaged the large magic tool filling the surroundings.

The comfortably sleeping girl regained consciousness as the magic tool malfunctioned, causing a disturbance in its flow of mana.

Miya slowly opened her eyes.

She looked around in a daze. When the Nine-tailed Fox came into view, a gleam appeared in Miya's eyes.

Gradually, Miya's body descended to the ground.

Finally, as the blue flames completely died down, she could not muster the strength in her legs and fell to her knees.

It was because she had stepped on the ground for the first time in a long while.

"Mae…?"

She had been wandering in a dream.

The times she had happily chatted with the Nine-tailed Fox were repeated countless times in her dreams.

To Miya, the Nine-tailed Fox was a precious friend.

The Nine-tailed Fox silently approached and rubbed her cheek against Miya's.

Taken aback, Miya soon smiled softly and embraced her long-lost friend, savoring the warm touch.

She could not tell what had happened.

But it seemed clear that the Nine-tailed Fox had come to rescue her, allowing Miya to smile.

[I missed you.]

"…I'm sorry I couldn't come to find you sooner."

Miya rode on the back of the Nine-tailed Fox Mae and left the ruins.

The sound of insects pierced her ears. Around them, there was nothing but broken building debris and bushes.

The night sky, seen for the first time in a long while, was incredibly beautiful. The ethereal moonlight and bright stars were dazzling.

She had been helplessly asleep since falling into Mei's trap, but leaving the Priestess's position to her sister was entirely Miya's own choice.

She wanted to see for herself the results of her choice…

She was determined.

"Let's go, Mae."

The Nine-tailed Fox Mae, carrying the true Priestess, moved forward.

The night deepened.