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Chapter 3
[If the Mountain Lord had gained a sage’s power, he would’ve already ascended. Why are you bringing up immortals?]
Suspicious, the titmouse pecked at the fox’s tail. The fox flicked its tail irritably and replied:
[I just thought it might be possible. They say that all ascended spirits go to the Immortal Realm. If that’s true, then they can see what we can’t, hear what we can’t, and use powers we can’t even imagine.]
[…Don’t tell me you actually believe those rumors?]
[If not, then how else do you explain the Mountain Lord’s current state?]
At the fox’s confident retort, the titmouse fell silent, as if at a loss for words.
I had nothing to add either. All I could do was assume that time had been turned back, since the fox and the titmouse were alive again—beyond that, I knew nothing.
The fox and the titmouse were close to me. We had exchanged contact for a long time; they were friends, one might say—though it seemed they didn’t think of me that way.
They must have held onto the memory of when I rescued them. For me, it had been nothing significant.
Because of that bond, they were at least willing to entertain this absurd story. And because I trusted them, I had told them in the first place.
[Maybe an immortal intervened, and in exchange for turning back time, the Mountain Lord consumed all the energy he had gathered so far?]
[…That does sound plausible.]
[A normal being couldn’t even attempt such a thing. If it were me, I’d probably dry up and die before I could turn time back—or maybe I’d only reverse a tiny bit.]
I recalled the hand and voice I had felt right before death—something I hadn’t explained to them.
“If such is your wish.”
If that voice belonged to an immortal… did it grant my wish? If so…
[Believe it or not, it doesn’t matter. …I may be weakened, but this could be a chance.]
Their gazes fixed on me.
[A chance to take revenge on those human bastards of the Blood Sect.]
[Uh, Mountain Lord… I don’t want to spoil the mood, but… you’re much weaker than before. And the Blood Sect? We don’t even know for sure they exist.]
[He’s right. And Mountain Lord, you rarely got involved in human affairs before…]
[True. But energy can be gathered again. And I’ve already decided—I’ll kill those Blood Sect bastards who killed you two and used me like a puppet.]
If I had been told to start again from zero, I would’ve been lost. But I had gathered massive energy once before.
My core had shrunk, and my energy had decreased just as much, but the size of the space that had once stored that energy remained the same.
Since that space was still large, gathering energy again would be easier than the first time. I still had the knowledge, the senses.
[There’s one more problem, Mountain Lord.]
The fox wagged several tails lightly as it spoke.
[If what you said is true, then those people are the most troublesome kind of humans to deal with. And you know almost nothing about the human world, right?]
[…And why do you think I called you here?]
The fox’s brows furrowed. But soon it curved its eyes into a smile.
[I mean… I don’t really have any reason to help you, do I?]
[…]
[Well, it’s surprising to hear beings like that exist, but since you’ve told me… I’ll be able to handle them. I’m a nine-tailed fox, you know? Not so easy to kill. As long as I know about them, I can figure out lots of countermeasures.]
Yeah. I expected that answer.
Since I had predicted this, I didn’t react much.
Maybe my response was unexpected, because the fox fell silent and watched me nervously.
[Uh… Mountain Lord?]
[I’ve known you long enough to expect that kind of line.]
[O-oh? Then I can do whatever I want?]
[Sure. Do whatever you want. I’m weaker than you—how could I possibly force you?]
At my calm reply, unease flashed across the fox’s face. I added:
[By the way… did I ever tell you exactly how those people killed you two?]
[ …?! ]
[I told you what they were—the Blood Sect—and what they did to me, and how you died. But I never once explained how it happened.]
[Uh… uh! Mountain Lord! W-wait!!]
[The scariest predator is the one whose nature is unknown. Go ahead and handle them alone. I’ll survive with the titmouse.]
The titmouse, who had been watching blankly, rushed to my side.
[Mountain Lord, I’ll do whatever Mountain Lord wants!]
[Thanks. I’ll need your help until I grow strong again, but I promise—I won’t let you get captured and humiliated by the Blood Sect.]
The titmouse chirped happily and snuggled close.
It was just like usual, except I’d grown so small that I ended up buried between its wing joints.
‘…It’s surprisingly warm?’
Ugh. The fact that I even thought that made me want to die. Normally, it buried itself in my fur, not the other way around.
To hide my embarrassment, I tapped the ground with my tail—but then the fox’s anxious voice reached me.
[Uh, M-Mountain Loooord?]
[I hear some nonsense somewhere.]
[Mountain Lord! I was joking! Really! How could I ever defy the great Mountain Lord?]
[Ah, sounds like a fox barking in the distance.]
[MOUNTAIN LORD!! I WAS WRONG!!]
[Titmouse, shall we go?]
While scratching my ear with a hind leg, I asked. The titmouse immediately replied:
[Mountain Lord, should we look for a place with lots of herbs?]
[Yeah. I should gather energy first.]
I took a big step forward. Even if I had shrunk, I couldn’t lose my tiger dignity.
‘What the—why is my stride so tiny?!’
I cursed inside. To cover the distance I usually traveled in one step, I had to move my legs like crazy!
I stomped hard, annoyed—but instead of a thud, there wasn’t even a sound. My anger flared more.
Beside me, the titmouse watched nervously. I glared at it, then tried to walk with as much dignity as possible.
[M-Mountain Loooord… I was wrong…]
Before I’d even walked a few steps, the fox cut me off and lowered itself flat to the ground.
[Move, you dark-furred fox brat.]
[N-no, really, I was wrong…]
The fox rolled onto its back, belly up.
[They’re the same ones who got you too. I shouldn’t have spoken so lightly. If what you said is true, they killed me as well.]
[…And?]
[Mountain Lord needs my help too, right? Isn’t that so?]
The fox, belly exposed, smiled with its eyes.
[Among all the spiritual beasts, who else besides me likes mingling with humans, having abandoned the idea of ascension? Who else knows how to transform into a human?]
I fell silent. That was one of the reasons I told the fox my story.
‘To hunt human Blood Sect members, I need to blend into human society.’
To hide a tree, hide it in a forest. And this fox knew how to make me a tree.
As I stayed silent, the fox’s tails swayed gently.
[I’ll help you, Mountain Lord.]
[Just words?]
[O-of course…?]
[Pledge it with your core.]
The fox’s fur bristled in shock. I calmly flicked my tail.
[If you do, I’ll pledge my own core—promising that you won’t be captured and killed by the Blood Sect.]
The fox didn’t show it outwardly, but I could tell its mind was racing.
[…Fine, Mountain Lord. I can feel you’re serious. I’ll pledge with my core.]
Sitting upright, the fox spoke in a solemn voice.
[Until the Mountain Lord takes revenge on the Blood Sect, I’ll give all the help I can.]
[What about lies?]
[I won’t deceive you. But let me at least joke sometimes.]
[As long as it’s not something disastrously stupid.]
[Do I look that dumb to you?]
[And all help means?]
[Everything. That’s what you want, right? Until the Blood Sect falls, collapses completely, and never rises again.]
[Good. Then I too pledge with my core. I’ll risk everything to keep you from being captured and killed by them.]
Only then did the fox sigh in relief.
[Ugh, Mountain Lord… you scared me. You weren’t serious, right?]
I looked away from its grinning face. Its tails bristled again.
[W-were you serious?]
[…]
[Aaaaaah! Answer me, Mountain Loooord!!]
The titmouse shivered too, its feathers puffing up. I pretended not to notice.
Sorry. I meant it. I’m not in a position to protect a fox who hates the idea.
