Free Web NovelVieya had no desire to waste words on the fox-masked woman’s flowery speech.
This was a simple matter.
Even back when she was still in school, she’d already known that some “special professions” were very good at selling themselves—the better they packaged their image, the more profit they could earn.
As a former movie enthusiast, Vieya knew this trope inside out.
And besides—what kind of decent person would be performing a sultry strip dance in a place like this?
A fox was a fox, after all. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
Especially a white-furred one.
Vieya let out a cold snort and strode toward the fox-masked performer on stage. Each step across the hollow wooden floor made a sharp thud, thud, thud.
“G-guest... what do you intend to do?” The fox woman shrank back, curling her fluffy tails around herself, her voice trembling with cautious fear.
“I’ll give you two choices.”
Vieya walked up to her, face to face with the woman who stood about the same height. Her green eyes held not a trace of extra emotion.
“The first choice: you tell me your identity, your origins, and everything you know about the group behind you. Then you’ll let me out of here.”
“The second: you keep playing dumb in front of me, and I’ll tear down everything in this place—starting with you.”
“Now,” she said coolly, “which one do you pick?”
Vieya’s voice pressed down like a weight. She reached out and plucked the fox mask from the girl’s face, revealing a young and surprisingly delicate countenance.
If Vieya weren’t also wearing the appearance of a pretty young woman, the scene would have easily looked like a thug accosting an innocent girl.
“The first option means life. The second means death,” Vieya said, and while removing the mask, she simultaneously cast Appraisal.
Yet the result was far from what she expected. There was no unreadable “????” interface, nor any overpowered stats.
Before her stood a fox-tribe monster girl who looked no older than thirteen or fourteen, her status screen utterly ordinary—aside from a natural charm skill, everything else was unimpressive.
So ordinary it was abnormal. Vieya frowned deeply. Her Appraisal skill was long past the level of error.
Even when she’d used it on Flaviel back then, it had displayed accurate values, and anything unscannable—hidden skills or statuses—would at least appear as question marks.
This situation reminded her of that time at sea, when the fog rolled in and ambushers attacked... Could it be—
This fox girl was merely bait.
A distraction placed in front of her to draw attention, while the real serpent hid somewhere deeper in the mist.
Vieya’s head began to ache. Why was it that when she’d been a Hero, she’d never run into these kinds of shady organizations—yet the moment she died, they started sprouting up one after another like mushrooms after rain?
“You people really are geniuses,” she muttered.
She gripped the fox girl’s soft white ears with one hand and hissed through her teeth, “When I was at my peak, you all hid like cowards and didn’t dare show your faces. I actually thought you’d learned to behave. Heh. Now that I’m like this, you keep crawling out to make trouble for me. Should’ve dug you all out from underground and slaughtered every last one when I had the chance.”
“I-I’m sorry... wuwuwu...”
The fox girl collapsed to her knees, trembling and stammering in terror. “I—I truly don’t know who they are. They all wore masks... They told me that if I kept any guests who entered this theater here, they’d release my sisters...”
“Honored guest, I’ve practiced dance since childhood. All I ever wanted was to make guests tip a little more, I never meant to hurt anyone...”
“You may not have meant to, but have you ever read a book? Do you even know what accomplice liability means?!” Vieya twisted the fox’s ear harder.
“I-I’m sorry! I’m already the most literate in my entire clan—oww!” The fox’s round eyes brimmed with tears, reddening fast.
Smack!
Vieya gave her rear a light kick. “Crying again? You hurt people and still have the nerve to cry? Get up already. You answer, I’ll ask. If I catch you lying, I’ll cut off one of your tails each time.”
“G-guest... maybe I should just stay kneeling,” the fox whimpered, shaking.
“Kneel all you want, if you like it so much.”
Vieya dragged over a chair, sat down, laid the Holy Sword across her knees, and tossed her outer coat over the fox’s head.
“Tell me this: why did I get transferred from Mount Aisa’s shrine to this theater? And if I destroy this place completely, what happens? Do I end up in some random location, or do I return to where I was before?”
“Guest...”
The fox woman clutched the coat to her chest, voice trembling. “I’m just a lowly fox. This theater was given to me by a masked person I don’t even know. But if you really wish to leave early... I can ask the leader of the masked ones for permission.”
“???”
Vieya’s mouth twitched. Either this fox was insane, or the leader she mentioned was. Or maybe the whole organization was insane from top to bottom.
You just said you’re “lowly,” and the next moment you’re telling me this place—a theater that’s obviously a tier-six artifact—was gifted to you.
And your leader—what, are they some kind of online customer service rep? You can just contact them directly like that? What nonsense.
At that thought, Vieya unexpectedly felt a strange calm settle over her. She paused, then asked evenly,
“...Fox, what’s your name?”
“Ah? Th-they call me... Hu Xiaoqi.”
Vieya: “Then tell me, Hu Xiaoqi—do I look stupid to you?”
“...No.”
Hu Xiaoqi looked up timidly, then quickly lowered her head again.
Shink!
The Holy Sword gleamed, sliding between the flared tails behind her and stabbing into the floor. Hu Xiaoqi froze stiff, her face draining of color. “G-guest, what are you doing?”
Vieya rose, stepping behind her. Hu Xiaoqi obediently shifted her tails aside, exposing the blade embedded in the floorboards.
“I just want you to understand that I can take your /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ life whenever I choose.” Vieya drew the sword back, her voice like ice. “Now, will you lead the way honestly?”
“Can I at least tell the masked leader first? If the leader doesn’t permit it and I still let you go, my sisters will be punished...” Hu Xiaoqi said weakly.
Vieya: “......”
Two minutes later—
Hu Xiaoqi returned after contacting the leader, her expression apologetic. “I’m sorry, guest... the leader says you have to stay here with me for three days before you can leave. Unless...”
She hesitated, hugging one of her large tails to hide her face, voice muffled and shy like a bashful child.
“...Unless you and I have a child together. Then you’d become one of us, and I could send you away anytime.”
“......” fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
“Unbelievable.”
Vieya let out a quiet sigh. She realized she was far too kindhearted—for actually believing the fox’s nonsense and waiting the full two minutes for her to “report” to that so-called leader.
“Insult after insult... Do you really think my patience is endless?”
Vieya’s green eyes sharpened, cold as blades. The Holy Sword’s point rose, pressing toward Hu Xiaoqi’s throat.
“Die, you stinking fox!”
