Lisya Mira Asack

A name I have not been allowed to call myself in quite a while.

Aniel instead prefers to call me simply "Liz", which annoys me to no end, but I can't possibly object. He is my only caretaker as of now. Even if he denies it, and even allows me to call him by name, he is still my "master".

As a noblewoman, I never expected to be made into a slave.

I don't quite remember how I ended up in chains two years ago. But before I knew it, I was sent away by boat across the Ures sea, and ended up in human territory.

No longer was I a proud member of the Asack clan; instead I was merely just another "Dark Fae" with a terrifying ability. However, either through luck or sheer negligence, the fact I had an ability was unknown to my slavers.

None the less, I was stripped of my name and all possessions.

Because I had the right look, I was going to be dressed up and given more to eat.

I wasn't naive. I knew what to expect as soon as the slaver told me that.

Still, I defied them all, and refused to eat but the most meager of meals. Truth be told, I wanted to starve myself to death, but I didn't have the will for it. Eventually, the slaver had mostly given up on me, and stuck me with some of his other "merchandiser."

Among the Slave Merchant's other "belongings" was another girl. Because we were both close in age, and "dirty fay", he kept us together. I knew not what race the girl came from, but she was a quiet sort. Even so, I tried practicing my Azurian with her, and she would occasionally respond. I came to learn that this girl had a peculiar ability, and that she was actually worth quite a bit. Many times more more than myself, even if the slaver knew of my own ability.

I didn't think we would know each other for long, but I still wanted someone to talk to.

Then came that day. The slaver brought in another customer.

I knew what these customers wanted before they even came in. I could feel their intent and desires. I used this ability of mine to continuously avoid purchase.

If a client wanted cute and innocent, I would become the epitome of defiant rebel, with the mouth of a sailor.

If a client wanted exactly that, I would switch to submissively innocent, or whatever else they didn't want.

My slaver found this baffling, with how my attitude seemed to change without warning, but he eventually gave up on me, and decided to find someone who either didn't care about my attitude, or somehow loved the idea of a girl with mood-swings.

However, I never considered the idea that a client would simply want the use of my ability. I never got a chance to make up a plan to avoid such a scenario.

The client brought in however, was a child younger than me. He immediately bought the young girl I had befriended, and after turning his eyes on me, he asked the slaver about me.

He was warned I was a hard to deal with slave, and then explained how I managed to avoid purchase all this time. However, he bought me anyways, before I had a chance to give him a bad impression.

I later learned that he already knew about my race, and that the slaver's story only confirmed it.

It was later that I learned of his circumstances, and why he purchased me.

"Liz, I need you," Aniel said to me as he grabbed my shoulders, and sat me down beside Violet, the other young girl Aniel bought. For an instant, my mind flared up at the first possible thought that his words triggered. But I knew a moment later what he truly meant. My ability didn't allow for such misunderstandings.

Just a moment ago, I walked in on Aniel having a private conversation with Violet. I didn't quite hear what they were talking about, but from what I could feel from Aniel, it was clearly about that Fox Spirit from yesterday.

"Y-yes, what do you need?" I couldn't really refuse him. Despite my pride, I was still a slave, even if Aniel asked nicely. This boy probably didn't see it like that after breaking my chains, but I truly had nowhere else to go. I couldn't cross the sea on my own after all, and he had been kind enough to give me food in exchange for cooperation.

"That Fox will probably be coming later today. I want you by my side, to determine whatever intentions they have," He said. "I don't trust them."

I could tell. He was truly irritated about the Fox Spirit. However, a few minutes ago while he was talking to Violet, his feelings towards that Fox Spirit suddenly turned into disgust.

I wonder why?

What did you tell him, Violet?

I'll ask her later.

Not long after, that Princess made her way into the room, now fully refreshed after having washed herself in the warm water provided by Aniel.

She never truly liked me. It seems that she was jealous towards me, though I couldn't understand why. I eventually came to the conclusion that it was because Aniel was nice to me. Again, I couldn't understand why. Certainly she is a Princess, and I a mere slave, even if I was a noble in the past.

Why is Violet ok?

The two quickly began talking.

"Toyaru came by last night. I told her about our circumstances, and she did a lot to hide us. I want to cooperate with her."

"Toyaru?"

"The Fox Spirit who was kind enough to spare your life," Aire answered Aniel's question frankly. However, this answer only served to irritate him further.

Thus, an argument about what to do broke out between the two.

This sort of thing wasn't that uncommon. This is probably the 10th time I've seen them argue like this. I was told that this group has been friends for years. Even so, Aniel and Aire are apparently treated as the "leaders" of this gathering. Aniel is knowledgeable and quick witted, however I think Aire seems much wiser. Sometimes I even feel she knows much more than she lets on.

It wasn't too long before I heard Violet to my side speak up.

"Th-they're here," she stammered.

But no one heard her nearly silent voice but I. They were too caught up in their discussion.

And just a moment later, I saw the Fox Spirit from yesterday appear, accompanied by another girl behind her. That Spirit bore a devilish smile, which seemed to look for trouble where she went. In fact, that's the impression I had of her from her thoughts and desires.

Not quite deceitful, but very playful; as though everything was in one way or another a game to her.

Thus, began an argument of another sort.

The conversation didn't last too long. Less than an hour in, and the Fox Spirit stiffened. Their face became grave, and before anyone knew it, she had vanished before our eyes, leaving only a few parting words.

"Wh-where is she?" Aniel said, his eyes searching the room, as if expecting something her to reappear at any moment.

"At the village," Violet said, with her eyes closed.

"What?!" The one who shouted that, was the girl the Esteemed Spirit had brought in. What was her name? No, she never gave it, did she? "Why did she go back?" She asked nervously.

However, while the rest of us were still surprised that she could travel so fast, it seemed this girl at least was familiar with this speed.

But Violet merely answered the girl's worries. "The people who were chasing us are at the village," She explained. Violet hardly understood the situation. All she knew is that we were being chased by "bad people"—Lein, Senilea, kingdoms and the sort are beyond her. She was never educated beyond learning different smells, and how to hold a conversation. Bred slaves are like that when young.

However, worry seemed to fill the girl, as she fought between going after Toyaru, and waiting there. Until now, I didn't really pay attention to this girl—she seemed to be an attendant that the Spirit brought in. However, from the girl's feelings, I could sense a powerful desire to protect that Fox.

I wondered what sort of relationship these two had, that she as a human thought she could protect a Divine Spirit. After all, she was able to cross such a large distance in a mere instant.

"Calm down. Your master will return," Aire spoke up, "If you leave now, you might miss her on her way back," She said.

The girl seemed surprised for a moment, but as she looked at Princess Aire, she slowly relaxed, giving a nod. Still, anxiety still filled her heart, and her worry was clear.

"How about waiting for her out by the entrance?" She suggested. The girl in the strange red dress quietly nodded, deciding to take that advice, as she let out a deep breath, and went to wait outside.

"Now then," Aniel began, as he turned towards me. "What do you think of that fox?"

I widened my eyes, as I realized he was talking to me, before going into deep thought.

"She's a pervert who seems to think of everything as a game," Were the first things out of my mouth. Aire gasped at my words, but Aniel...

"... No, I know that much," Aniel said with a sigh. "What's... her... intentions?"

"She means what she says, I think," I told him. "She doesn't seem to want to trick you or anything, but she still wants to get everything she can out of you—especially your magic. But she... really wants to break you."

Just as Aniel was about to respond—

"Ah, the Fox Spirit is talking with the bad guys," Violet suddenly said.

Aniel's attention was taken by those words, and as if forgetting I was here, he had Violet repeat the conversation she could hear. Like that, we spent a minute or two listening to her imitation of their voices.

When the conversation came to a close, Aniel sat in thought for close to an hour, while the Princess checked on everyone else. As the Princess returned—

—"They're back," Violet said in her usual calm voice.

When she returned, it seemed the Fox Spirit's mood was somewhat sour. Of course, because of her own actions, she risked exposing Princess Aire, but that didn't seem to be what she was sour about.

Still, she didn't want to endanger Princess Aire. Quite the opposite.

After all, she wanted the secrets to Aniel's magic. Even I wasn't quite sure how he could preform such abilities as a human. Was there a race that could do everything he could? He was secretive about how his powers worked, and I'm certain only Aire has an idea.

When that Fox Spirit looked in my direction, I wondered for a moment if she wanted something from me. But from her thoughts, it seemed more like she was interested in Violet.

About her ability. How did she know about that? Aire maybe told her last night? Well, it seems people always have an interest in Violet.

They quickly returned to their conversation, and I tried to listen intently, but I somehow felt out of place in this room. Eventually the Fox Spirit left with some parting words for Aire and Aniel.

After that, Aniel had me and Violet leave, so that he could talk to Aire alone.

I wasn't sure what they intended to talk about, but I complied and left with the young girl I thought of as a friend.

As we returned to a corner in the cave away from everyone else, I remembered I intended to ask Violet something.

"What was it you were talking to Aniel earlier this morning?"

If I remember right, it had something to do with that carefree Fox Spirit, right?

"Master wanted to know what he could about the Fox that knocked him out, so I told him that they had a huge amount of magical power." the young child said.

"Hmm? Is that all?" That should be obvious. Most Spirits are said to dwarf other races in sheer quantity of magic power.

"No... I told him how their power looks to be equally split between their body and his tails."

"I see..." That makes sense. A Fox Spirit with more tails is said to be more powerful, so it seems reasonable to assume most of their power is within their tails—or so I concluded with a nod.

Wait... Tails?

"Didn't she only have one tail?"

"Hmm, I meant the one between his legs," Violet said innocently as she tilted her head.

"Hmm? What, she hid another fox tail between her legs?"—Was it to hide her true power?

"No? Not a fox tail... Like... Like the one all boys have? It didn't have as much magic power as their Fox tail, but it was still there."

Oh, I see. That tail.

...

—Wait, what?

...

Ah... I think I just broke a little inside.

Author Notes:

Woo, Another PoV chapter, this time from one of the Fey girls that are in Aniel's group.

Just thought it would be interesting to see it from the perspective of someone else not quite involved.

Regarding the title change... I thought of making a poll, but realized I could only come up with a very "Light Novel" esque title. So never mind.

So as always, Feedback and Suggestions are appreciated!