Chapter 9 - Foxes.

As twilight faded, night enveloped Inari Mountain. The Inari Shrine, usually sparsely populated, had already closed for the day. The shrine maidens had returned to their chambers. In the darkness, the silent shrine was lit only by a few stone lanterns, their faint light feebly pushing back the gloom.

This was the current state of the Inari Shrine in the Human Realm, peaceful and quiet. But not far behind the main shrine hall, across a small grove of trees, existed a secret realm. This was the true dwelling of a god in the mortal world.

Amidst the dark woods lay a tranquil pond, as clear as a mirror. Beside the pond stood a two-story building with white walls, red beams, and flying eaves with blue tiles. Though called a building, it seemed more like a two-storied pagoda that had been specially widened to increase its space. Around the building, countless paper lanterns emitting a soft glow floated unsupported in mid-air, illuminating the surrounding night.

This was where Miketsu usually lived. This space was a secret realm created by splitting an entire area off from the Human Realm. Although located just behind the shrine, ordinary humans could never discover its existence. Besides Miketsu, Tsuruha, and a few other foxes, no one could enter. This was where Miketsu had first awakened.

Normally, this place was extremely quiet, with only the sound of flowing water from the pond and the tinkling of wind chimes on the eaves. But now, things were a little different.

"So! What on earth are you usually doing! Sleeping?! A yokai that big snuck halfway up the mountain and you didn't notice a thing!"

"Didn't I assign you patrol duties? Where did you patrol to?! Don't you usually boast about how keen your noses are? Were they all stuffed with fried tofu today?"

"What would have happened if something had really happened to Lady Uka today?!"

...

Inside the small building in the secret realm, a dozen foxes of various sizes sat together on the veranda. They were arranged neatly in several rows, their heads bowed and ears drooping, collectively facing the interior with dejected expressions.

Before them stood Tsuruha, several times their size, raging furiously and bombarding the foxes with a series of questions. The foxes just took the scolding in silence, none daring to make a sound.

Inside the room, Miketsu, having just bathed and washed off the bloodstains, was kneeling on a tatami mat by a table, dressed in a thin yukata. She was drying her wet, white hair with a cloth, watching the scene with a deadpan expression.

The scene reminded her of a homeroom teacher scolding students in her past life. Tsuruha, as the leader of the Inari Mountain foxes, certainly had a lot of authority.

But for the usually gentle and approachable Tsuruha to be this angry was something Miketsu hadn't expected. Was it because it concerned the safety of her god?

After drying her hair, Miketsu looked up through the window to check the moon's position in the sky. Estimating the time, she realized Tsuruha had been scolding them for nearly two hours. She decided to speak up.

"Um... Tsuruha, that's probably enough. As long as they know they were wrong, it's fine. Besides, nothing happened to me in the end."

Hearing Miketsu's voice, the dejected foxes looked at her as if she were their savior, their eyes shining brightly. Miketsu was very familiar with this kind of look; it was like a child being scolded by their parents seeing their grandparents...

"Lady Uka, you mustn't indulge them in this! The mistake they made this time is extremely serious!" Tsuruha turned her head and said indignantly. It seemed her anger would take a while longer to subside.

"No, it's not just them. I also bear a deep responsibility. To let a yokai like the One-Bite Yokai sneak onto the mountain under my watch... Lady Uka, you are still in a weakened state, unable to use your divine power. If something had happened, our deaths would not be enough to atone for it..." As she spoke, Tsuruha suddenly became overwhelmed with self-reproach, which made Miketsu feel awkward. For a moment, she didn't know what to say. After some thought, she decided to change the subject.

"One-Bite Yokai? Is that what that monster was called?"

"Yes... It's a yokai that uses its tongue to create sounds and illusions to lure humans, and then swallows them whole with its true body once they get close. Even among yokai, it's considered a vicious one..." Tsuruha paused, then answered Miketsu.

"That yokai is far stronger than an ordinary beast. Even a regular fox can't handle it. I never thought you could defeat it without releasing your divine power, Lady Uka. It was truly an eye-opening experience for me."

"Heh, that was purely luck..." Miketsu said with a dry laugh. She had only succeeded by seizing an opportunity for a desperate, surprise attack. In a direct confrontation, she didn't know how many times she would have been torn to pieces by that yokai.

"It was more than just luck. Defeating a demon is, in essence, a testament to your courage, Lady Uka, to confront evil for the sake of salvation. As I thought, you are, in essence, that same compassionate and kind deity, willing to risk everything to protect living beings." As Tsuruha spoke, her gaze softened considerably. She believed she had found a shadow of the former Inari god in Miketsu.

"Is... is that so..." Being praised so highly made Miketsu feel a pang of guilt. Honestly, grabbing Saburo's hand had been an impulse. She hadn't thought it would expose her to the yokai. If she had known the risk, Miketsu felt she probably would have chickened out.

"Phew... In any case, this has been a profound lesson. From now on, you must remember to patrol properly. Do not let any more yokai onto this mountain." Seemingly thinking of Miketsu's safety, Tsuruha's mood eased a lot. She decided not to continue the scolding and turned to the crowd of foxes.

Hearing Tsuruha's words, the foxes were greatly relieved. But just then, a clear female voice rang out at an inopportune moment.

"Not letting any yokai onto the mountain... easier said than done..."

Hearing this, the foxes collectively flinched and turned their heads toward the source of the voice. It was a white-furred fox among them.

As if she were a plague, the other foxes quickly scattered, keeping their distance from the white fox and leaving her isolated in the middle, making it easier for Tsuruha's gaze to lock onto her. Read at Novels Haven (novelshaven.com)

"Hey... why did you all run away?! Didn't we agree I'd start and you'd back me up!?" The white fox freaked out at her companions' actions.

"Konkiku..." Tsuruha's gaze was sharp as she spoke the name in a heavy tone.

"Ehehe... Sister Tsuruha, is... is something the matter?"

Konkiku responded with a smile that was polite yet awkward.