Chapter 49

Yurika’s adrenaline had kicked in, allowing her to make it up the next part of the pass in near record time. Her muscles were still sore and the bruises on her arms and legs were aching but she kept heading up towards the Princess Shrine.

Imagine her surprise when the duo of Kaede and The Hound came around the next bend towards her.

“Yurika-chan!” Kaede cried out, practically tripping over herself to reach her friend. Yurika grabbed Kaede’s hands when the oiran approached. “I’m so glad you’re okay!”

The two girls embraced quickly as The Hound caught up. “Me too. Thank you for getting her out of there, dog-boy.”

“I see that your spirit isn’t broken, Yurika. That was reckless though.”

Yurika laughed nervously, rubbing the back of her head. She was already dreading what Yukiko would say about her state when they got back to Nagato and was choosing to ignore that for now.

“Gakkun showed up and started fighting that man.” Yurika said, looking between the two. “It was perfect timing too, I didn’t have anything left to fight him with.”

Kaede grabbed Yurika’s hands, excitement in her eyes and the island girl looked away bashfully before both of them shook it off. This was not the time to revel in anything.

“I’m glad that boy showed up then. Seems like he’s more reliable than I gave him credit for.”

“He’d have been with us if you didn’t kick him into the ridge to begin with.” Yurika said, her eyes narrowed at the Hound.

“Now, now…” Kaede said, intervening before the two started to argue.

“Wait, why are you two here? Where is that little girl… actually, who is she?”

Kaede quickly explained what had happened once they reached the peak and how the young girl, Umie, was the last member of the moon kingdom and how she had found the decaying ruins of Kagura’s treasury. About how she had watched the different futures where the moon fell and how to prevent it.

About how she had seen Kaede stop the calamity.

“Oh, wow! Kaede-chan is a destined heroine!” Yurika said, suddenly and Kaede vehemently shook her head.

“It can’t be me.”

“Kaede-chan…” Yurika started but the Hound shook his head slightly. He had already tried to get the oiran to accept her role but she was adamant.

“...did your little rabbit friend explain how Kitsuya got to the island?”

Yurika nodded with the question before gasping, quickly turning around and coming face to face with Inari. Kaede tensed up as The Hound quickly activated his shroud and appeared from Yurika’s shadow, protecting both of the girls.

“My, my. The beast is certainly ready to pounce.” Inari’s speech was less aloof than it had been the previous cycle. Her outfit had also changed, from the typical red and white garb of a priestess, to a black and red kimono dress, with the pattern of some unknown, silver flower on the left side of the top. It was barely clinging to her shoulders, revealing them and her collarbone, upon which rested a collar with a bell made out of glass, gleaming in a prism of colors in the sunlight. The skirt ended just above her knees, her long, exposed pale legs ending in a pair of laced-up black boots that ended beneath her knees.

The most striking change was to her face. Her eyes, still amber, had irises akin to that of a wild animal. They were encircled in what one would assume was red eyeshadow and there were two different line markings across both of her cheeks that instantly reminded Kaede of whiskers. Her mouth, wide open in a grin, had two long fangs protruding from the top row of her incredibly sharp teeth. Her silver hair was much thicker and longer than it had been when the girls met with her at the shrine.

Yet, somehow, none of this was the most shocking change to the saishu’s appearance.

The most prominent and dramatic change were the pair of silver fox ears that pointed towards the sky, as she glared directly at the Hound.