The moment that gentle voice echoed in her mind,
a pair of warm hands carefully lifted her from the icy stone path.
Only then did Yae Miko truly see the face of the one before her.
He was a handsome young man with refined features,
dressed in elegant, noble attire—
clearly nothing like the rough commoners who had hurt her earlier.
A human…
Instinctively, fear rose within Yae Miko.
She wanted to tense up, to struggle, to escape from those hands.
But the warmth of his touch,
and the kindness in his gentle smile,
brought her an inexplicable sense of calm.
"Just now… did he say I was cute…?"
"Is this human mocking me?"
"How could anyone think pink fur is cute?"
"The ones called cute are supposed to be the white foxes enshrined in shrines…"
The little fox's confused thoughts
reached Sasayuri's ears
as nothing more than pitiful, soft yips.
"Oh~ poor thing, you're cold, aren't you?"
"Come on—hide in my arms. I'll get you treated right away."
Sasayuri carefully tucked the little fox into his robes.
The heat of his body made her feel indescribably comfortable.
She curled herself up instinctively,
rubbing her rain-soaked fur against his warm chest.
Gradually, wrapped in that warmth,
Yae Miko hugged her own fluffy tail
and drifted into sleep.
…
"Mm… the injuries are basically healed."
"She's probably caught a cold from the rain, though."
"She's far too thin—much weaker than other foxes."
"Lord Sasayuri, you should take her to eat something soon.
I felt her belly just now—she hasn't eaten properly in a long time."
…
"I see. Thank you. I'll take her to get some food right away."
Human voices—
along with that familiar, gentle tone—
once again reached the little fox's ears.
Yae Miko slowly woke up.
Opening her eyes, she found the handsome young man holding her as he walked through the streets of Inazuma City.
"Good day, Lord Sasayuri!"
"Greetings, Lord Sasayuri!"
…
Everyone they passed bowed respectfully to him.
"Lord Sasayuri…"
"So 'Lord'… that's his name?"
"To be called 'Lord,' and respected by so many people…"
"Could he be a great being, like Lady Kitsune Saiguu…?"
Though confusion filled her heart,
the name Sasayuri was etched deeply into her memory.
The first human name she would ever remember—
the man who saved her on a rainy night,
who held her close and warm,
who healed her wounds.
Soon, Sasayuri brought the little fox to the foot of Mt. Yougou,
the homeland of the Tengu of Yougou.
"Here, little one~ roasted bird meat, and tri-color dango~"
He pushed two plates toward her with a smile.
"Go on, try them."
"C-can I really eat this…?"
"But… I'm not a white fox…"
"I don't deserve offerings…"
"B-but… the roasted bird smells so good—!!"
Hunger defeated fear.
The little fox immediately pounced on the roasted bird meat, devouring it ravenously.
"Mmm…!"
"It's so good… so, so good…"
"Better than any leftovers from offerings I've ever eaten…"
"This must be a god!"
"To think… one day, even I would be seen by a god…"
…
"Why does this little fox make such strange noises when she eats?"
Sasayuri chuckled, gently rubbing her small head.
Then he glanced at the untouched tri-color dango beside her.
"…Does she not like sweets?" he wondered.
"Is it only Ei who enjoys the desserts I make?"
"What a waste of preparation."
…
From that day on,
Yae Miko was no longer a lonely little wild fox of Byakko Plain.
She had a master now.
His name was Sasayuri—
a general under Baal, the god who protected Narukami Island.
He was a close companion of Kitsune Saiguu,
childhood friends bound by deep trust.
But at that time, Inazuma had yet to be unified.
The god of Watatsumi Island, Orobashi,
also had his own followers.
Conflicts between Narukami and Watatsumi never ceased.
As one of Baal's great generals,
Sasayuri often followed the Raiden Shogun into battle,
representing Narukami Island in wars that decided the fate of islands.
Most of the time,
Yae Miko stayed beneath the Sacred Sakura,
gazing toward the distant sea,
waiting for the one she missed to return.
Every time, Sasayuri came back smiling.
With him came all kinds of treats—
sweets, roasted meat, fresh seafood.
Those days were filled with longing and waiting,
yet they were the happiest days of Yae Miko's life.
Until one day—
The sky itself changed color under the Raiden Shogun's wrath.
Thunderclouds churned violently.
The sea roared in upheaval.
On that day,
Yashiori Island—where the armies of Narukami and Watatsumi clashed—
was split in two by a single blade.
Orobashi, the god who had opposed Narukami for centuries,
fell beneath the thunder of the Raiden Shogun.
But her master, Sasayuri,
never returned.
Yae Miko's long-cherished dream of taking human form—
a dream meant to be seen by Sasayuri himself—
was never fulfilled.
They were separated by life and death.
…
After countless years passed,
the little fox finally transformed into human form.
On the day she did,
Yae Miko came to Yashiori Island,
standing atop Orobashi's massive skull,
gazing across the battlefield where her beloved had fallen.
"Sasayuri… do you see this?"
"Your little fox has taken human form at last."
"I promise—it's just the way you liked."
"Could you… come back and see me, even once…?"
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T/N:
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