The Little Fox

We all went on high alert when Stella mentioned the demonic aura. Harper gasped, "Oh no... I haven't fed it today..." She was supposed to kill the middle-aged man, but I'd ruined that plan. Now it was nearly midnight, and the evil fox had come to claim its due.

One day without a sacrifice meant the evil fox would take Harper's life instead - this was the contract's ironclad rule, as the man in black at the bar had clearly explained to her.

Harper trembled violently as the eerie palanquin descended amid swirling demonic winds. It was carried by four children, with a little girl leading the procession holding a lantern. Step by deliberate step, they advanced toward our shop.

"Don't be afraid! I'm here!" Stella positioned herself protectively in front of Harper.

Antonio rose, his knife already in hand. I stopped him with a gesture - humans he could handle, but this fox was a demon.

"Impudent Harper!" The lantern-bearing girl scolded in a childlike voice. "Why have you withheld today's blood tribute? The Fox Fairy Queen is displeased - the consequences will be severe!"

The girl wasn't human either - fox ears twitched atop her head, and a long tail dragged behind her, suggesting a young fox spirit still mastering its human form.

"Mistress Fox Fairy, I... I'm sorry..." Harper stammered from behind Stella's protective stance.

"Sorry means nothing!" The little fox snapped sharply. "Present yourself now to aid the Fox Fairy Maiden's cultivation, or face a far more gruesome death!" Her practiced words carried such supernatural weight that Stein nearly collapsed to his knees.

"Nonsense! Some 'Fairy' - just a three-tailed fox demon putting on airs!" Stella retorted.

"How dare you!" The little fox whirled on Stella. "Such disrespect toward the Fox Fairy Matron!"

"Heh, that's rich." Stella squared her shoulders. "I am Stella, disciple of the Celestial Master House. Let your so-called 'Matron' come down and speak for herself!"

"Celestial... Master?" The little fox faltered, casting a nervous glance back at the palanquin before scurrying to confer with whatever lurked inside.

Seizing the moment, Stella whispered urgently to me, "Ror, I know how to break the curse - slay this fox and it's over. Harper isn't the only victim. If we don't kill it, more girls will suffer. This is for the greater good!"

I frowned. "The idea has merit, but can you handle it? You didn't bring any magical implements today."

Stella insisted, "It doesn't matter. If we don't kill it now, we won't get another chance."

Just then, the little fox scurried back before the sedan chair. The white lantern instantly turned blood-red. As she turned her head, it transformed completely into a fox's visage.

"Mother Fox Fairy says Celestial Master's flesh is even better for cultivation. Tonight I'll slaughter you all!" The little fox bared her teeth, eyes glowing ferociously as coarse fur sprouted across her body.

With a sharp crack, the lantern shattered. Demonic mist billowed outward as the little fox extended her limbs, wreathed in ghostly black energy, poised to pounce.

We all braced for attack - especially Stella, who already had a yellow Taoist talisman pinched between her fingers while her free hand formed intricate seals.

But then something unexpected happened. With a sudden whoosh, white smoke erupted behind the little fox... and the sedan chair lifted into the air, fleeing into the night!

"Ahhh...?" We stood bewildered. The little fox looked even more confused - what happened to killing the Celestial Master?

The situation turned comically absurd. True to their nature, the three-tailed fox had played its classic trick - using the little fox as distraction while making its escape.

"So much for being powerful," I muttered. At the mere mention of Celestial Master, it had fled outright. The real victim here was the little fox - thoroughly betrayed and abandoned.

Now only the young fox spirit remained. Against our group - including an actual Celestial Master - the newly manifested spirit stood no chance. Fox spirits at this stage could barely manage simple illusions; any armed adult could handle one, let alone our entire group.

With a soft flump, the little fox dropped to its knees faster than the three-tailed fox had fled. "Spare me, great ones! I've never killed anyone! I just gained sentience and that three-tailed fox forced me to serve!" Reverting to human form with puppy-dog eyes, her milky pleading voice carried genuine fright.

"Haha, what do you think - does fox meat taste good?" Stella sauntered forward and grabbed the fox's ears. The fluffy appendages looked irresistibly soft and cute.

"Tastes awful! Super stinky! Don't eat me! I've learned my lesson! Waaah..." The fox wailed with human-like sobs.

"Oh? Foxes can cry too?" Stella tugged the other ear, clearly enjoying herself. Amused by the creature's reactions, she began alternating tugs, thoroughly entertained. The little fox endured the discomfort silently - hardly in any position to complain while at our mercy.

Even a fox must bow its head when under another's roof!

"It wasn't me! It was that Fox Fairy mother... I mean, that three-tailed fox who made me say those things! Waaah... Please let me go! I'll return to my deep mountain den and never come out again!" The little fox trembled violently, tears streaming down her face as she pleaded. Thankfully no outsiders saw this scene, or they might think we were bullying a child.

This little fox had an uncomplicated face - she must have just entered human society, still unfamiliar with human ways and without a proper human visage.

"Thinking of leaving? What wishful thinking! But I don't kill lightly. I'll consult my master first!" Stella declared.

I suspected Stella couldn't bring herself to kill the creature directly. Had it not followed the three-tailed fox into wrongdoing, it wouldn't have fallen into our hands. Fortunately it hadn't killed anyone yet, so we could spare it temporarily.

Stella instructed us to find a large cage. Since ordinary cages couldn't contain a fox spirit, we added special restraints - an anklet and bracelet. Stella further secured the cage with Taoist seals and yellow talismans. When the little fox reached out to touch the bars, she recoiled as if electrocuted, yelping in pain!

This setup was foolproof - escape became virtually impossible for our captive.

I found myself puzzled. Was that three-tailed fox truly so weak? Did this mean it wasn't powerful after all? Yet despite its fear of the Celestial Master, ordinary people remained no match for it - Harper's danger hadn't passed.