20 The Ten-Tailed Fox I
I had never seen anything so intimidating. Even Elysir when she gets jealous is not this scary. This snake was glaring at me not like I was its food, but more like I was an inferior unimportant being.
"What is it that you wish?"
I felt the urgency to be careful with my words, perhaps due to my nature as a demigod I don't feel the inherent need to bow down, instead... I just feel aware and alert. It is as if my senses were saying 'You could die in an instant'.
My family in my previous life always had a saying. There was no door you couldn't open if you asked politely and thus... that is the strategy I'm planning to use instead of spouting random bullshit.
"Are you the one cursing Yasaka's body?"
"... I am certainly inside that nine-tailed fox's soul, inhabiting it".
"Then I wish for you to let her be, leave her body".
"And what do I get in exchange for that?"
Well, I didn't think that far.
"What do you wish?" I returned the question right back to her. So far the politeness tactic is working wonders, I mean... I'm not dead.
"My wish? I wish for silence and quietness... a place I can inhabit and feel at peace. A place I can sleep soundly for thousands of years without waking up. Would you give me that? Can you give me that?"
Is this some sort of philosophical question? She sort of answered my question with a poem, should I build her a small shed in the garden with extra insolation or something like that?
"I could try to find a place for you so far as you leave Yasaka's body"
"How can I trust you? Every living being has always tried to take advantage of my power... but never delivered, what makes you any different, Ray Lux?"
Philosophical all-knowing little snake, huh? She probably can read my mind as well and here I am thinking nonsense. Ray, don't swear, don't insult the snake.
"Sorry, I can't promise you anything. I can only promise you that I'll try to find a quiet place in exchange for Yasaka's body... in the meantime, I wouldn't mind if you take mine".
"Are you sure? Once I enter your body, there is no coming back".
"..."
Damn, am I sure? potentially sacrifice my life for a busty blonde furry nine-tailed-fox heartbroken and depressed mama? There are so many appealing adjectives. Oh, I have made dumber decisions in my life with worse payouts. Why the fuck no? My instincts are kicking in... busty mothers must be protected and massaged, no matter what.
"Go ahead, Ouroboros... it is a promise, you shall leave Yasaka's body and in exchange, I'll find you a home of peace and quietness".
"Very well, Ray Lux. But I must first test whether your body is an appropriate vessel for me".
"What if it is not...?"
"Then you shall die"
"... can I retreat what I just said?"
"No"
Okay, this is bad... but If I don't have faith in my beliefs, who will!? No matter what busty mothers must be protected, they must be protected!
"Are busty mothers that good?"
"Hell yeah!"
The snake didn't make any expression, probably because it couldn't... otherwise I'm sure disappointment or disgust would be displayed there. Who cares what this beautiful philosophical snake things? I have a way of living and I'll stick to it.
She released her tail and circled me, wrapping itself around my body and settling her head against my chest for a few seconds. I didn't feel any danger, any squeeze or any energy invade my body. But if I had Ophidiophobia, I might as well have a heart attack.
"Very well... I accept this deal".
The darkness began seeping out of this world and my overbearing golden light engulfed it, revitalising its flame and turning it into a golden blazing hell. I see it now, this was indeed Yasaka's soul which had been dying due to the influence of Ouroboros but now, with it gone my power is finally allowed to work its wonders.
I didn't feel anything at the start but then, instead of feeling bad... I found myself feeling... stronger.
"It is quiet, warm just a tad bit noisy... I like it here"
"It is good to know, please enjoy yourself inside me, no pun intended"
"I shall watch over you... until you deliver what you have promised, Ray Lux. When the time is nigh, I shall come before you in my true form, until then, allow me to slumber in peace".
*RUMBLE!!*
...
[RANK UP!]
[Infant Demigod -> Adept Demigod]
[Space 20% -> 50%]
[New Authority: Infinity -> 20%]
[New Authority: Void -> 5%]
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When was the last time I slept so well? For the last year, everything has been painful. For the last five years, everything has been stressful. My beloved mate was killed in front of my eyes and I didn't even have time to mourn his death.
I killed one of them but got severely injured in the exchange, trying to protect my daughter and flee back to Kyoto. That man with the long spear put his big black snake inside of me, I barely managed to escape with my life and my daughter's.
From that moment on I have received nothing but threats. My position as shrine maiden is feeble, plenty of Youkais long to take it even within the West Youkai Faction. I had no option but to ask an old comrade for help.
But she was the cause of it all... she was the first to betray me and I didn't even know.
It hurt, it hurt so bad… that thoughts of death began lingering in my mind for the briefest second, a level of mental degeneracy I hadn't ever experienced. But now... now it doesn't hurt anymore. It felt like everything was nothing but a nightmare that I had come across.
Now it is warm and cosy… now I feel loved once again. This embrace makes me feel a degree of security that not even Koutarou could bring me.
I want to stay here forever, it feels like my father coiling his tails around me, strolling me on his back along the green grass of a sunny day in summer alongside my mother. So pleasurable, I long for those days.
I yawned and my eyes opened in a light-up room that smelled nice, the sun was entering the window with open curtains, its rays flashed on the quilt covering me.
I realised I had that mysterious boy in my embrace, Ray.
He was still sleeping soundly, looking ever so sweet... one day this boy would grow up to become a fine man. My intrusive thoughts prevailed and I touched his nose, rubbing it and releasing a slight giggle.
He has some sort of power, I realised yesterday when a mere touch of his made me change my perspective completely.
His eyes fluttered open, they were golden and slit like that of a ferocious beast, so enchanting.
"Ray-kun, good morning".
"Yasaka-san… how are you feeling?"
"I feel… like I have never felt. I don't know what to say, thank you…"
All I could do was hug him and sob, it was as if for years I was blind and light was cast upon my eyes again. All it took was one night for everything to disappear... my problems were still there, but now they no longer looked threatening or suffocating.
"It was nothing… you looked like you needed a hug~"
"I needed a hug from you, sweetie".
I caressed his cheek and delivered a soft peck, anyone's hug wouldn't have done... it had to be him.
"Do you want to sleep a bit more?" He asked as if he had been reading my mind, it was already day; I had to check up on my daughter, and feed her. There are videos for me to survey, work to do, and paperwork to sign. But I don't want to leave his side.
"Would you allow me to embrace you a bit more?"
"Yeah… I don't mind if it's you"
I didn't even try to resist the urge to giggle, this boy... is he really ten years old?
"Don't mind me if I do~"
With his permission, I didn't hold back and took him against my body, a bit annoyed by the clothes on both ends, I wanted physical contact so much but I didn't know if it would be appropriate.
'So good…'
I may not have resisted the urge to giggle before, but I refused to moan out loud in front of him. Before I realised my lips were pecking him all over and my hands lost control of themselves until I reigned them in.
Why does he feel so good to the touch, t-this is ridiculous.
"I won't pry on the nature of this power but… is it a secret?"
"It is".
It is no wonder they want to keep their identities a secret, such a miraculous power... I will have to work hard and may even need to delete all records from this incident before anyone can get their hands on them.
A power that can neutralize the Ouroboros Dragon? Such a power would be coveted by the highest of gods, starting from Amaterasu-sama.
"To think it is capable of getting rid of even the Ouroboros curse".
"I couldn't get rid of it".
"Oh?"
"I took her in my body".
It took me a while to process what he said until anxiety came crashing down on me as if the nightmare had just returned.
"YOU DID WHAT!?"
"I took her in my body, I asked her politely to leave your body and she did? isn't that wonderful, she's a very decent individual".
