It's not every day you get to meet a Princess.

That's what I had in mind, as I passed my dear sister Yenna the dress I had Ellen make for her. I thought of giving it to her at some point in the year as a present, but it slipped my mind. I'm forgetful like that.

After taking a bath, I chose to dress in a yukata of similar design to the one I gave Yenna, meaning we could look like matching sisters, were it not for my fiery tail and ears having a color vastly different from Yenna's own brunette hair, that was common among the people in this country.

Yenna seemed to absolutely adore her new dress, even though she sometimes called the design weird. Still, she looked quite graceful in it, and I wanted to give her a hug.

No, strike that, I did give her a hug.

Anyways, I ended up telling her to act as someone representing myself.

She didn't quite understand what I meant, so I elaborated.

Simply put, Yenna didn't have a very great chance of getting too far in this village. In this society, "success" for a woman was typically marrying into a good family, bearing healthy kids, and raising them to be upstanding. It didn't necessarily have to be like that, and in a lot of cases you could say it was the same for men. But in this remote village, she wouldn't have many other options.

With the fact that every boy in the village is absolutely terrified of her, she wasn't likely to take that route.

Besides, even if she wasn't feared so much, it's not like I'm going to just let anyone take her.

So I thought—If I'm regarded as something like a divine spirit, couldn't I just make Yenna my vassal?

It's not unheard of. In some of the books I read, many older Spirits who have entire religions based around them, often take on mortals to be their vassals, instead of dealing with people directly. You could consider them like a medium or liaison.

Kitsune don't really do this, considering their loner-type personality, and the fact that individual Kitsune are usually only worshiped by a small group or territory, that happens to live in the area they have chosen to live in. On top of that, Kitsune don't actively seek out worship, and just happen to take care of certain matters because it suits them, or because the humans give them offerings. It's a relationship of convenience, that I feel humans have misunderstood, but maybe I think like that because of my own values.

In the end, Yenna would be taking the role of my follower—or more specifically a subordinate. While I love my adoptive mother for saving me, and caring for me, she knows she has little authority over me. In fact, from society's point of view, she was merely "given the right" to take care of me. I don't have such conceited thoughts, but I'm still willing to take advantage of this world's superstitions and values, so long as they convenience me.

As such, I thought to take Yenna as my own, in the years that I would become independent.

I doubt Yenna's father would much like the idea, considering how he's seen me up till now, but I'm sure that even if he outed my true gender out of spite, by this point it wouldn't mean much.

I think Yenna would even willingly follow me into hell, if I gave her the option.

But for now, I would let her grow up at home, under her parents. And I'd stay by her side all the while.

However, today I'm having her act the part anyways.

I let her know we were meeting the princess, and that she has to be on her best behavior. While there, she'd be my vassal, and because she's bad with words, she's to speak as little as possible.

I taught her a bit of etiquette I knew, including how to walk like a lady, and proper terms and pronouns to use in front of royalty.

I thought her head might explode, so I kept it simple, and she eventually got it.

With that, we left the house, and headed to the forest.

Unsurprisingly, we were greeted quite a few times on our way, and we received a number of compliments. Yenna seemed a bit nervous, but she tried to maintain a smile as she returned her greetings.

"Oh! You finally got her to wear it?" Ellen asked, as she rushed over to Yenna. "You two sisters look adorable," She said, looking over her work with a bright smile.

"T-thank you," Yenna stuttered as she turned bright red.

Smiling at the nervous girl's reaction, she turned to me and asked, "So? Where are you two headed?"

"Hmmm, well, I thought it'd be nice to show of your work," I said with a grin, "But, the two of us are also going to go play in the forest for a while. We'll be back later,"

"I see," Yenna nodded with a slight frown. She seemed to like that we were showing everyone the dresses she made, but was clearly bothered by us going into the forest. "Careful not to get it dirty. That one needs extra care when washing. You'll have to bring it to me,"

"Will do," I nodded with a smile, before waving my goodbyes.

As we walked away, and neared the forest, Yenna spoke up.

"Why'd you tell her we were going to play?" Yenna asked.

"Because the Princess doesn't want people to know she's here."

"Why not?"

"People are after her."

"Eh? Why here?" Yenna asked, as she realized we had come to the cave we found a while ago, that we made into a "clubhouse" for just the two of us.

"To hide her, of course," I answered. "Anyways, the Princess has quite a few people with her, mostly our age. Don't act out, or anything, ok? Just stay calm, and give your greetings."

Yenna gave me a strong nod, as we came into view of the cave—or at least the sheet of clothe covering the entrance, that was covered by mud, leaves and grass, to camouflage it better.

I had Yenna push aside the drape so I could pass in before her, and as we passed through the initial tunnel, we came into view of the other children

What surprised me most when I came in, was that they were all clean, and washed. The dirt and grime was scrubbed away, and their clothes looked to be in much better condition. I wondered how they could possibly have found the water to bathe or clean their clothes—there was a nearby river, but that was a considerable walk away, and it would risk someone being caught by their pursuers.

The only thing that came to mind was... Magic?

Still, the expressions of everyone seemed to be lively, and well relaxed.

As I walked through the hall, with Yenna in toe, I listened for where the Princess was. I could hear her talking with Aniel, and I could also smell her guard was with her.

As I turned around a corner, there, in a room-like cove within this small cave system, sat Aniel and Aire facing each other, with Aire's guard—what was his name again?—standing beside her. Leaning against the wall behind Aniel, I saw the two Fay the group had with them.

Aire turned her gaze towards me, being the first to notice my entrance, and smiled,

"Ah, Toyaru, come in, come in. We were just having a... discussion."

It sounded more like an argument, but I decided to ignore it, and merely smiled, as I walked over, and sat down. Yenna stayed standing behind me, as Aire looked between us, but didn't say anything about her.

"You seem well," I said, taking a look towards Aniel, who was glaring at me the whole time.

"No thanks to you," He said.

"Aniel," Aire snapped at him with a glare, causing him to jolt back a bit in surprise.

"It's fine," I said, as if his attitude didn't matter.

"But, you've helped us hide from our pursuers. Aniel is being rude to our savior," she said as if worried that I would for some reason lead Lein's hunters here out of spite, because Aniel was being childish.

"Like I said; it's fine. Aniel knows. I'm not helping your group for free," I said. "Altruism has its limits, and few thinking creatures would put themselves in harms way for a stranger. Not for free anyways."

"Then, what is it you want?" Princess Aire asked in a worried tone, conflicted as to whether or not she could even offer it.

"He wants my magic," Aniel said with a frown, causing my grin to widen.

"Yep, yep! That's exactly what I want!" I said, pointing at Aniel as though he'd won some sort of prize. I was tempted to pat his head, but had the premonition that he might end up burning my hand instead.

"That fire magic back in the forest. The water magic you probably used to give everyone a bath," I repeated the two magics I've confirmed were used thus far. "And I'm sure you're hiding more," I added on.

He was clearly in a bad mood, as he looked between myself and his princess.

"This guy. Can he really be of much help?" Both myself and Aire frowned at his wording. Guy? He? Oh no... did he see through me? Wait, didn't one of those Fay girls behind him have some super senses?

My scent may be faint and almost feminine by human standards, but even I can tell that I give off the odor of a boy. This girl presumably can hear or smell people from miles away. Something like determining someone's sex would be trivial.

Still, it means seducing him was taken out of the picture. For some reason I feel both relieved and disappointed...

Well, going by his personality, I doubt it would have been an easy task anyways.

"So I guess you figure I haven't done enough, huh?" I asked, looking at Aniel.

"Clearly. You hid us in a hole. We can't stay here forever. It's not practical."

"Eh? Why would I want to keep you lot here forever? Clearly this is a temporary arrangement."

"So? Let us rest here a few days, and then kick us back out onto our journey—after wasting so much time?!"

"Then? All you can do is run and hide. What else do you expect your tiny human existence to be capable of?" I asked, looking at him with narrowed eyes.

"Do not look down on me," He hissed back at me, "I'm sure you see yourself as some sort of higher being just because you've been praised by humans as a Spirit. Don't give me any of that crap!"

"Aniel!" Aire panicked at his words, clearly frightened that he may have insulted me, and I could hear Yenna behind me ready to pounce the poor boy, but I could only laugh out.

I don't think I've laughed this hard in a while.

It felt as though I just heard a ridiculous joke.

One that was so bad, it was somehow funny.

"What's so funny," Aniel said, while I tried to contain myself.

Covering my mouth, I looked on, even as I giggled in amusement.

The boy, seemed a bit confused, but I could only try to contain myself.

As my laughter calmed down into a soft, overjoyed hum, I smiled back at the boy, this time with the first genuine smile I'd shown this lot.

"No, I think I like you, boy," I said, as I straightened my back.

"You are right. I don't know much about Other Spirits, but I myself am but a flesh and bone creature, with a power many other mortals would consider a divine miracle." I looked down at my tail, which I had brought around my body, before looking back up to Aniel,

"However, remember that it is you humans who have put expectation of godhood upon my kind. I, as a mere individual, will put those values and expectations to use as they suit me.

"Despite your hotheadedness, you are at least pragmatic, and don't expect miracles of me. What's more, you understand the value of a fair exchange.

"So then, I likethat you are willful and determined," I said, finally getting to the point.

"However, it also makes me want to break you," I said as my smile cracked into a smirk. Ah, no good, no good. My sadism is showing.

As I gazed between Aniel and Princess Aire, their expressions varied. While Aniel had mild surprise, Aire on the other hand was confused, and worried.

"Break me, huh?" Aniel let out with a sigh. "Just finding out you were a trap nearly broke me," He said with a disappointed expression.

"A trap?" Aire said, tilting her head at the familiar term being used in a not-so-familiar fashion.

Speaking of which...

No, I should probably keep quiet. If he truly is a reincarnator, like I assume, then it's possible I might end up spilling some secret he wants to keep.

"I mean that—"

"Shh!" I try to hush him up before he can spill my secret instead, "It's no fun when people know," I said, "Besides, think about what Kitsune are, and what sort of superstitions people come up with when things don't quite align with what they know," I said, trying to convince him.

After a moment of thinking over what I said, he seemed to have come to his own conclusion, and nodded.

Come to think of it, he knew the term "trap", in a way to refer to boys who look remarkably like girls. There's a very specific subculture that uses the term like that, so I imagine that he at least shares a few hobbies in common...

Wait a moment... Did he die before or after me? How long after? Is the time relation between both our worlds constant?

No... must... resist.

I can catch up on all my shitty anime later. Heck, he might even have different tastes from me.

I might end up stabbing him if he calls my favorite show shit though.

"Ahem," I was pulled from my thoughts, as Aniel let out a mock cough. My attention returned, and I looked between everyone.

Aniel looked me in the eyes with a serious expression. I guess I won't have a chance to tease him, huh? I let out a deep sigh, remembering what I had came here to do.

Back to business.

"So boy. If my sheltering you is not enough, what is it you want in exchange for your secrets?"

With a moment of thought, his gaze turned towards Aire for a moment, before turning to me.

"I want your influence. Or at least, your potential influence."

A hard deal. Something that is certainly worth such firepower. However, it's also something that would require a lot of time and effort on my part.

However, as I began to consider the implications of his offer—

—A deep sense of foreboding overtook me.

—A chill. A crawling down my spine.

—No, through my tail...

Something... Something is wrong...

"I need to go," I hurriedly said, as I leapt to my feet, and almost instantly stopped time.

Something in my head had screamed danger—and it was coming from home.

Author Notes:

Oh look! "Cliffhanger," my most deadly attack!

Anyways, "something" is happening, and that's all you need to know.

Funny enough, I'm currently writing the chapter for Thursday next week, and I'm just barely getting around to explaining what's going on. That said, that also means I haven't reread over this chapter since this weekend, and I'm too lazy to check for mistakes, while I'm writing another chapter...

I also wanted to post an image of how I imagine Toyaru with the Kimono she and Yenna are wearing this chapter, but honestly the face of the drawing annoys me far too much, that I'm still tweaking it.

Anyways, as always Feedback and Suggestions are well appreciated and encouraged!