Chapter 55

The Hare let out a primal roar as Inari’s magic surged through him. Her words blinded him with rage as his eyes fell upon Kaede and Yurika, both standing at the precipice of the shinkan.

His bloodlust quickly consumed him as he rushed across the stone slab.

The Hound flapped his shroud and sank into the shadows instantly before appearing from Yurika’s shadow, grabbing both of the girls’ arms and throwing them back into the chamber. Yurika had no time to object as she and Kaede fell back onto the tatami before the Hound disappeared from view once more.

The Hare was almost at the threshold between the areas now but the Hound appeared behind him, sliding his arms underneath the flailing arms of the Hare, before grappling him to the floor.

“Sir Hound!” Kaede cried out, extending her arm towards the boundary as the two tumbled off the slab, out of sight.

Inari clicked her tongue, watching the two fall. She clenched her right hand into a fist, her long claws drawing blood but she ignored it as she stared across the boundary between the shinkan and the starscape at Kaede and Yurika.

Kaede’s eyes met Inari’s and, despite feeling the same shiver as before, she stood up, mirroring the fox’s pose. Yurika, shocked at Kaede’s action, took her spot beside her, also staring the former priestess down.

“Isn't it already bad enough that your actions ruined the moon kingdom? How many more people are you going to mess with until you’re satisfied, Inari!?” Kaede yelled, her clenched fist shaking. “Why do you enjoy seeing suffering!?”

“No. The moon kingdom deserved to fall. It deserved more!” Inari snarled at Kaede. “Don’t act so self-righteous, you’re just a spoiled little brat like that princess, never wanting for anything. Never struggling! You wouldn’t understand those outsiders, so don’t pretend to sympath–”

“You’re wrong, I’m no–”

“Kaede-chan’s not like that!”

Kaede’s eyes widened as Yurika stepped forward, yelling at Inari. “Just because she was born in the palace, doesn’t mean she doesn’t have her own struggles!”

“Yurika-chan…”

“You talk about someone being self-righteous but have you looked in an actual completed mirror before!? You think you’re the only one who has suffered? You’re the only one with struggles!? Get over yourself, fox-girl!” Yurika’s face was practically against the threshold as she continued.

“You’re not special! Every single person has their own struggles. Most people just knuckle under and overcome it! So why don’t you get over your–”

Inari swung her arm out, the threshold between the shinkan and the starscape moving further away from her and brushing past Yurika. “Enough! I tire of these distractions from the main event!”

The wall separating the two continued to move slowly towards Kaede and Yurika turned to tell her to run, but to her surprise the oiran had untied the bundle with the bells and Gakuto’s jian from her back and purposefully crossed through the threshold just as it reached her.

Inari stopped the starscape’s expansion, smirking. “My, my, my. Perhaps this sheltered girl is different from the one on the moon. Sending others to fight her battles. Can’t you tell that she’s using you too?”

Kaede gritted her teeth, closing her eyes and clenching her fists tightly. She took a deep breath before opening her eyes, locking them on Inari before she stepped further into the star-filled dimension.

“I’m not going to listen to your lies anymore, Inari!”

Yurika stepped over to Kaede, her kodachi drawn and pointed at the fox, standing back to back with the oiran, giving her a quick nod.

“You hear that, fox-girl! We’re both done listening to you talk!”

Inari clicked her tongue, one of her long fangs pushing into her bottom lip as she glared at the two girls.

“Loathesome pests, the whole lot of you!”