Deal

I was in a magic circle within four walls covered with fox girl posters, on an unknown plane. I knew that the placement of the candles, symbols, and colors all served a purpose, but my knowledge of ritual magic was limited. Nevertheless, I knew the symbols used for trapping the guests summoned from another plane in the circle in case they were unfriendly.

Unfortunately, breaking spell circles was beyond my abilities. I looked at my summoner, It was difficult to read his eyes through his glasses. Given the possibility that he was a powerful wizard, it was better to grant his will and become free than to fight.

''Ears must be fluffy,'' he said with a dead serious face, pointing to one of the fox girl posters. ''Don't forget the canine teeth.''

''Okay, I will see what I can do,'' I said. Crossing my legs in the circle, I focused on the candles and called out to the light element. There was no way I could jump twenty-five levels and evolve, but a good illusion would do.

I felt the light was here, it was willing to help me but when I tried to copy one of the fox girl posters, I couldn't. Taking a deep breath, I imagined that the light surrounded me in spectrums of color.

''What is the problem?'' Summoner asked.

I didn't break my posture, focused on my senses, ''This dimension... is so poor. I can't feel any energy. How are you cultivating here?''

''We don't,'' he said. ''Can't you evolve into a fox girl?''

I opened my eyes and looked at him. I might not be able to use the light, but I had other options. If I can make him see me in his mind as what he desires...

''Stop!'' He stood up and walked away from me. He had a shining cross in his hand, hurting my eyes. ''You really didn't think I would summon a demon without protecting myself against demon powers?''

''I was just trying to grant your wish,'' I said. ''I do not intend to do any harm. All I want is to go back to the plane I came from.''

''So why did you try to enchant me?''

''This is just how my breed... oh nevermind.''

Stretching the cross in his hand towards me, he approached the circle. ''I warn you, don't try funny things. It won't work.''

I had to turn my face as the shining of the cross hurts my eyes. Why were you so afraid if it wasn't going to work? I thought but didn't say out loud.

''So you won't be able to evolve into a fox girl, right?''

Considering which answer is safer, ''Actually,'' I said. If I said I couldn't be the fox girl, would he send me back or would he not waste energy on sending me back and leave to die on this plane? ''I lack the resources to evolve here,'' I said.

''What do you need?''

What do I need? Well, I didn't think about how to answer that. I tried to remember what the fox said about the paths of evolution. What determined what someone would evolve into? Luck, blood tie, treasures, achievements...

''I need another fox to guide me,'' I said.

If there was a fox girl around here, he wouldn't call it from another plane, so he couldn't bring someone and ask me to evolve. At the same time, it doesn't completely eliminate my prospect of evolving, but I was saying that I had to go back to evolve. Furthermore, what I said was not exactly a lie, and if there was some kind of lie detector I was hoping it wouldn't work.

''Are you saying you have to go back to be a fox girl?''

Hell yeah! It worked! Now, I needed him to have no suspicion that I was manipulating him. What he just said?

''You see, I can't cultivate here. To move on to the next stage in my evolution, I need to cultivate,'' and I added, ''under the guidance of another fox.''

''Hmm...''

Trying to look as innocent as possible, I gave him time to think. There were only bits of energy in the air, in light of candles, compared to my plane. Even so, the magic circle was vibrating, radiating waves of energy. The ability to gather this degree of energy on such a poor plane meant he would be a genius elsewhere. Though I doubted he was aware of this.

''How do I know you didn't trick me into sending you back?''

''What do you want me to do?'' I asked.

''You will promise me. We will make a real deal as taught in ancient scriptures. You will come back to me when you evolve into a real fox girl with tails and ears and everything. If you don't, the laws of the universe will punish you.''

''Okay,'' I said. Since I don't plan to evolve into a fox girl, 'when you evolve into a real fox girl' will never come.

''Now I'll put my hand into the circle and we'll shake hands. Don't try to attack me, otherwise the circle will punish you.''

Since I'm a good girl, I shook his hand and didn't try to attack. A black air appeared around our hands and took the form of chains. I heard a voice in my mind when the chain wrapped around my wrist, ''This agreement is protected by the laws of the universe.''

Couldn't help shivering, ''Now send me back,'' I said.

''Ah,'' he took his hand out of the hoop and headed to his chair. ''I traded a week of my life and get an hour with a demon. Once an hour is up, you will return to your own plane.''

''You... you tricked me!?''