Chapter 83: Hunt the Gumiho (1)

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The Ghost Bear had been defeated. Rin had obtained the gumiho's power and became a six-tailed fox. Our business in White Cloud Valley was concluded; all that remained was to return.

But first, we had to decide what to do with the fox elder.

"What should we do, Master? He seems useless now. Should I kill him?"

Rin's chilling words flowed as effortlessly as breathing, her claws extended, poised to kill at a moment's notice.

The elder seemed resigned to his fate, calm in the face of his impending death, but my thoughts were a bit different.

"Let's keep him alive."

"Why?"

The elder looked up in surprise.

Don't misunderstand. I'm not doing this for you.

"Shouldn't we let him witness firsthand how foolish his choices were when Rin is reborn as a gumiho?"

The best way to drive someone mad is to make them regret their past actions to the point of begging for death.

Their own choices, of their own volition.

The worst possible outcome resulting from those choices.

The goal was to let him wither away slowly, staring helplessly at an irreversible past. Besides, after all the torment he had inflicted upon Rin, it would be too anticlimactic to just kill him outright.

"Okay. I'll do as Master says."

Rin nodded in agreement.

The elder lowered his head weakly.

"Yaaaawn…."

Rin stretched her arms wide and yawned deeply. Her eyes blinked slowly, betraying her exhaustion. Understandable, given her triumph over the Ghost Bear and the grueling trial she had endured.

She must be quite tired, both physically and mentally.

"Do you want to rest?"

"Mhm. Just a little…"

Rin leapt towards me, somersaulting in midair before transforming into a small fox. She landed gently in my hand and wriggled her way into my clothes.

I'd heard that being smaller was more comfortable? Maybe because being smaller conserved more energy? Well, being tiny would certainly be more comfortable than being a giant.

I stroked Rin, who had settled deep in my abdomen, from outside my clothes.

"We will be departing now. Whether you choose to stay in the fox den or leave White Cloud Valley is up to you, but you must stay alive until Rin becomes a full gumiho."

As we left, I didn't forget to bestow my final 'blessings' upon the elder's future.

***

—Wow. Even horses can talk?

We had returned to Vestia.

The gumiho observed the city curiously.

"Horses have always been able to talk."

—Back in my day, horses couldn't speak.

It was an era when beastkin were still mere beasts.

Those classified as beastkin rather than beasts due to their intelligence were extremely rare.

The fox clan was a prime example, and aside from the turtle beastkin known for their wisdom, there were practically none.

But now, even passing dog beastkins and cow beastkins could converse. Literally every Tom, Dick, and Harry had found their voice.

"You're distracting me. Stop messing around and go back inside."

—How fussy.

Since she could see everything through Rin's eyes without having to come out, the gumiho obediently withdrew her spirit form.

As she observed the changed world with fascination, a question suddenly occurred to her.

—Why are you hiding your tails?

Rin, now a six-tailed fox, was walking around with only one tail visible. Karami answered on Rin's behalf.

"If people knew a gumiho had appeared, it would cause all sorts of trouble."

—Really? In my time, when I appeared, both humans and yokai would prostrate themselves before me.

"That's why Rin is living like this now."

The gumiho tilted her head, not quite understanding. What she noticed next were the uneasy glances from the people around them.

"It's the Pink Fox again."

"I thought she had left since we hadn't seen her recently, but I guess not."

"But hasn't she grown a lot since we first saw her? Do they usually grow this fast?"

People were wary of Rin. A miracle occurred and they parted like the Red Sea. While Rin had grown accustomed to such reactions, it was unfamiliar to the gumiho.

—Why are they acting like that?

"The Pink Fox is known to bring misfortune. They're avoiding Rin."

—And you just let them? Mere beasts looking at a fox goddess as if she were a plague? I would have torn them alive.

"That's why Rin lives like this. You were sealed before you could become a fox goddess, remember?"

—I was just one step away. If I hadn't been betrayed, I would have won.

"Of course you would have."

Karami conciliated her half-heartedly.

"Seira, we're home~"

Upon returning to the city, the two first stopped by their house. Seira appeared, wiping her wet hands on her apron, presumably having been doing the dishes.

"You took longer this time. Did something… Oh, for heaven's sake."

The moment she spotted Rin, now a six-tailed fox, Seira let out a deep sigh. After seeing this happen so many times, she was too tired to even nitpick anymore.

She just accepted it.

"You've grown again. I suppose it wouldn't be unreasonable to call you a proper young lady now."

"Right? Isn't Rin much prettier now?"

"Yes. You could probably get married soon."

She had grown taller, her baby fat had disappeared, leaving a more defined jawline. Rin, having shed her childish appearance, now exuded the charm of a fresh young woman.

Males, being the foolish creatures they are, might forget she was the Pink Fox and come courting, even at the risk of death.

"But Rin will marry Master. Right, Master?"

"Slaves can't marry their masters."

"Huh? I-Is that true?"

"Marriage is something done between equals. That's why I told you, didn't I? Being a slave isn't good. Tell me, what is good?"

"Liberation!"

"That's right. Let's do our best to achieve liberation. We're almost there."

As Karami patted her head, Rin grinned happily.

"What will you do now? Are you going to rest?"

"No. We need to go to the Celestial Pavilion. There's something I need to show."

***

Since escaping the shrine and taking residence in Rin's body, the gumiho's expression, once full of mischief, changed for the first time.

—This place…

It was the Celestial Pavilion.

As they approached, the gumiho's lips tightened, her expression eventually fading entirely. The energy emanating from within the Pavilion resonated with her very soul.

The group entered, their visits now so routine that even the staff greeted them with warm smiles.

Karami and Rin returned the greetings, naturally making their way to the restricted head merchant's room.

Once a maze-like journey, now the door appeared before them as soon as they climbed the stairs, as if urging their swift entry. Yuhwa's intention was clear.

Opening the door revealed the sky itself.

A fox, diligently working among the clouds.

The gumiho's eyes widened.

—Celestial Fox…?

"So you've finally brought the gumiho."

Yuhwa sighed heavily. With her Heavenly Eye, she could naturally see the gumiho in her spirit form.

—Why is the Celestial Fox here?

"She's Rin's magic teacher. The only one who could teach Rin magic."

—The Celestial Fox teaching magic to a gumiho? Don't talk nonsense. Heaven's dog would never do such a thing.

Long, long ago.

A snow-white fox with blue eyes was born into the fox clan. They called her the White Fox.

The White Fox possessed an extraordinary talent for magic unmatched by any other, her intelligence surpassing her kin. Her foresight became prophetic.

The heavens took notice, extending their hand. To which the White Fox grasped, ascending.

She became the Celestial Fox, bestowed with the Heavenly Eye, taking on the role of Heaven's Messenger, ensuring the world flowed like clouds.

From the Celestial Fox's perspective, it was the ultimate success. But to the fox clan, she was a traitor to her kind. If not for her, they believed, the world would have been under fox rule by now.

"I understand your feelings. Perhaps even the heavens did not foresee that I would one day help the gumiho."

—Don't lie! You may fool these dull-witted ones, but you can't deceive my eyes!

"That's right. Your eyes can't be deceived. So don't try to deceive yourself either."

The gumiho knew best what that meant.

Yuhwa's power as the Celestial Fox had significantly weakened. Even this space they were in was unstable.

Her power was fading because she had helped the gumiho while bearing the title of Celestial Fox. Similar to how a god's divine power weakens when believers lose faith.

—Why…?

Why would the Celestial Fox help the gumiho?

She didn't do this in the past, did she?

Back then, no one was by my side…

"You could say it's thanks to finding a good master."

Yuhwa let out a wry laugh at Karami's sudden self-praise, while Rin clung tightly to her master. Even in such a moment, she didn't forget to inhale his scent.

Only the gumiho couldn't join in, like a stranger from a different world.

—…What is this?

The gumiho frowned, overwhelmed by an unpleasant sensation. She retreated into Rin, concealing her presence.

Yuhwa narrowed her Heavenly Eye, gazing intently at the gumiho curled up inside Rin.

It must be complicated.

So much has changed from the past.

She must be quite unsettled.

Even Yuhwa sometimes found it hard to believe. Everything had changed so much with just the addition of one human.

Perhaps, as he said, they might even liberate the gumiho from the Mandate of Heaven, but…

"…"

Yuhwa looked up at the sky. An ominous energy was gathering over Vestia where the gumiho resided.

Now that the gumiho has finally regained her sixth tail, Heaven will no longer stand by idly.

A storm is brewing.

***

Deep in the forest, a steep cliff looms.

In this eerie place where even the moonlight barely reaches, a shrine stands.

Fox statues arranged symmetrically, black and white fox fires roaming about—the Shadow Moon Shrine. A figure leisurely strolls through its grounds.

In oriental-style clothing blending black and white, with a black tail, and an eye patch covering where the eyes should be.

She was a fox woman.

A fox spirit.

One of the Three Great Fox Spirits who exist in the world, the Dark Fox Heukbi—the fox who reverses fate. A small light sparkles in her black fox orb.

"So, this moment has come again."

The Mandate of Heaven, obtained through a deal with Heaven.

It's time to hunt the gumiho.