Heroine's Protector

Lucan was having a nice dinner. He didn't need to cook or clean the temple anymore. All of this was done by Maris, so he didn't need to worry and could enjoy his life to the fullest.

As he was having a great time, someone came to the temple gate, pounding loudly. Lucan frowned, not liking the person banging at his door at night.

"I'll go and check."

"No, leave it to me. You take all the plates and wash them," Lucan said. He pushed his chair back and got up. He went to the front door and heard the loud banging. He opened the door and saw a young man with long hair. The man was about to bang on the door but stopped. He was anxious and spoke hurriedly, "Priest, please... come to my house. My parents... they... they... they," he was having difficulty speaking.

Lucan cast a spell, calming down the young man. "Now tell me."

The young man, who had been anxious and panicked, calmed down and spoke, "Something happened to my parents. They are screaming in pain, saying their chest and head hurt a lot."

"Um... give me a second, and I'll come with you," Lucan said and went inside.

"Maris, I'm going out."

"I also..."

"No, you're still a child, so stay at home at night. I will lock the door from outside," Lucan said and grabbed some potions. "Be good and go to sleep."

"Um," Maris reluctantly nodded.

Lucan patted her head and went out.

Maris watched Lucan as he left. She curled her lips, went to her room, and lay on the bed. She looked at the fox toy beside her and grabbed it. "How long do I have to wait? When will I be grown up?"

Maris asked, but the fox toy was silent. It was just a toy and couldn't reply.

"Well, let's stay up until the priest comes back," Maris decided and looked at the ceiling, humming a tune, but her body was used to sleeping at this time. Soon she dozed off, her head nodding and eyelids drooping.

Within an hour of Lucan leaving, Maris had fallen asleep.

---

The temple had two entrances, one at the front and one at the back. The front entrance was locked from the outside and the back was locked from the inside.

Now, two men dressed in black arrived at the back entrance. One of them, with a stick, began to open the back entrance. It took him ten minutes, but he opened the door.

He looked back at his partner and nodded at him. He went inside without making noise, and his partner followed behind.

The two of them, silent, soon found the place where Maris was sleeping. One of them went forward to grab Maris, but before he could touch her, a white shadow moved at a fast speed, hitting him on the jaw. He felt as if the world was spinning round and round. He stumbled around, hitting the table and wall before falling down.

When he opened his eyes again, he saw a white fox on two legs with two red, terrifying eyes locked on him.

The man's heart skipped a beat. He felt as if death was looking at him. He was so terrified that he didn't notice that beneath the white fox's legs was his partner, almost dead.

In a matter of seconds, he was also on the floor, unconscious while the white fox stood above him.

Then, the white fox quickly returned to Maris's arms, peering at her face as she slightly stirred.

"Priest."

Maris was asleep, seemingly dreaming. The white fox, relieved, quietly snuggled back into her arms. The white fox's fur, which was real, became fake, and its ruby eyes returned to just two red stones. It also stopped breathing, becoming just a toy.