The two pursuers were waiting in a common space on the first floor of the inn, looking like ordinary people.

However, Mr. Gark's face was terrifying, and the old woman, who burned everything, had the aura of a champion on her own, giving her a tremendous sense of intimidation.

The air of a great merchant or nobleman is different from the air of a good hunter. This is probably the reason why there is a gaping hole around the two of them.

As soon as he sees me, Mr. Gark's eyes, which are bad enough, turn into those of a criminal.
The burning old lady's expression didn't change that much, but I knew that she was an arsonist who burned her surroundings in the mood.

She seems to think that it doesn't matter what she does as long as she doesn't die, and that it doesn't matter if there is nothing left after killing her.
I'm sure they destroyed the city with a magic society during my vacation, but the fact that they're walking around like this makes them far worse than just a criminal organization.

There was a space around me that I would never normally go near, but Lucia was pulling my hand and I couldn't do anything about it.

My stomach, head, and heart hurt. My body is heavy. I feel like I'm going to vomit.
Citri pulls out a chair for me and I sit down. Then I let out a deep sigh and said.

'Mr. Gark, ............ if you're not busy?'

'Oh! That's the first thing you said?

'I'm not bored, .......'

'Leader, please take this seriously.'

Lucia chided me for my complete resignation. I looked at Citry standing nearby ...... to see if I had any allies, but he smiled at me.
No, no, no. I don't want you to laugh.

This is a scene that would normally attract a lot of strange looks, but as you can see, everyone is very good at avoiding crises, and no one is looking at us.
Several groups of customers were quickly fleeing the scene.

The Abyssal Fire Extinguisher, who tipped his teacup with graceful movements, said in a hoarse voice.

'We have no intention of interfering with the Martial Emperor Festival. It's a bloody festival, I used to compete to the fullest in the past.

'I know, Miss Rosemary. I heard you were banned after you burned the ...... seats.'

This old lady doesn't have a limiter,......, and really, my Liz and Luke are still better than her.

I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do it.
I feel like I'm being stared at even though I'm just being looked at. The power of his eyes is tremendous.

'It's your fault that you left before we had a detailed meeting. I don't know if that was your intention, but I was going to come to the cleats.

I'm glad you forgive me, but why can't I veto your meetings? Celebrity tax is too ...... high.

I glanced from side to side at Citrie, who was frozen in place, and Lucia, who was staring at me.
I regained my composure for a moment.

Let's think this through. This time is better than last time.

Unlike last time, when I was suddenly kidnapped by the Clan House of the Magic Staff, this time I have Citly and Lucia.
Citri is the brain of the party, and Lucia is my barrier. She is an ironclad shield that completely covers even stray bullets. What's more, the old lady of Abyssal Fire is a bit lenient when it comes to her fellow mages.

Even if you run away, she'll come after you anyway. Let's settle this right here while they're still around.
I said hard-boiled.

'So, what was it? Was it about the fox?'

'Idiot, don't mention his name here. I don't know where my ears are. Let's change the location for now, I've rented a meeting room at the Explorers' Association branch.'

It's too much trouble. ...... What's a fox anyway?

At this point, I didn't really understand the important part. I was going to ask him, but I didn't want to, so I put it off.

I knew that it was a crazy organization that was trying to assassinate the emperor, but basically, secret societies were out of my control, so I couldn't really feel the danger.


But I don't really feel the danger of secret societies, because I can't handle them. How many organizations are there? Make it easier to understand.
Why don't you just find them and burn them? What do you want me to do?

Yeah, I know. You want me to help you even if I say no?
Mr. Gark and the old lady won't have enough supporters, so I'll lend you the anthem. Give it back to me now.

I was arguing in my mind in silence, as I couldn't really say anything to these two, when Sitri interrupted me.



'Oh, you're talking about that? Mr. Gurk, I've already prepared a plan for that.


What ......?


'Mu...... have you told Sitri?'

'I haven't ............ told him, but it's heart to heart.'

I leaned in closer to Cicely with all my might.

My trusty party brain was looking at me with a twinkle in his eye.
I don't know what it is, but it seems that Citry has finished preparing the food before I knew it. Thanks for everything, Citri!

............ Are you sure you're okay?

Citry smiles confidently.

'The real first class is over before it begins.

'Kuku kuku ...... you're right, little girl.'

Despite my anxiousness, Sitri provokes the old lady with a cute face.

It is true that there is no one better than me at finishing things before they even begin. In a bad way, though.

Our gazes collide. Lucia stands still, silent, too.
Yeah, yeah. It's best to keep quiet when you don't know anything.

Mr. Gurk lets out a low voice with a wry smile.

'What did you do, Cry? Tell me what you did.'

'I didn't do anything, I didn't, you know.

It was Citri who did it. But when did he do it? How could she know something she hadn't said? My hat's off to her for her insight.
I wonder if the reason why she has been so busy since she came to this town is because she was preparing food. I'm sure she was busy preparing fried tofu, but she's amazing.
You're amazing. Citri is really great.

'Everything is already in the palm of Mr. Kry's hand.



...... I'm going to turn my palm around. Are you sure you're okay?
I'm sure you're not just saying random stuff. You can't say it was just a random thing later, can you?

Such anxiety flashed through my mind for a moment, but I trusted Citrie.


'Yes, yes, I do.

'And Mr. Crye said he'd give me the organization as a gift!

Mr. Gark and the old lady look at me simultaneously.

There's something about Sitri that makes her even more intense than usual. She's intelligent, but at the same time she loves jokes, so I have no idea where she's going with this.

Did I say something like that? I don't remember anything and I can't imagine how I could give you that organization.

I turned my eyes away from the amused Citrine, and let the day pass me by.

'...... Well, all joking aside, ............ we've done what we can do,' Citri said. There's nothing more I can do for you, so you can do what you want.

Citri's power is my power.
As usual, I was trying to put on my best face and make up for it with an appropriate response, but Gark-san twisted his eyebrows and leaned forward.



'Cry. I'm sure you're well aware of the fact that ............ they've got a weapon and are trying to do something with it in this city, aren't you?

You're so persistent. ...... There's nothing more I can say.

'Yeah, yeah, yeah. .................. Hmm?

I think I just heard the wrong word. .......
By the time I blinked my eyes, Mr. Gark had clucked his tongue loudly and regained his position.

'd*mn it, Kry, where the hell do you get your information from? I've been using it for years and never got any, and I only recently got a piece of information from .......'

I'm not sure. .................. Eva ......?'

I'm sorry, Eva ......, my mouth is ...... on its own, but I can't be bothered to ask you questions. I'm really sorry.

'Oh?

And just as Mr. Gark was about to say that, his phone suddenly trembled in his pocket.

I hurriedly took it out to check.
I've gotten used to handling this treasure. Lucia is annoyed because she is forced to recharge it every day.
Gark-san's eyebrows furrowed as he watched me fiddle with my phone in the middle of our conversation.

But the rule is to check your phone as soon as it rings. I read out the text, feeling the eyes of the old lady and Mr. Gark.

'Let's see, ...... "Fried tofu now?

What does "now" mean? .......

The attached photo showed a familiar kitchen and empty plates.
I'm not sure how many times I've looked at it, but it's clearly the room Sitri prepared.

............ Huh? I'm not sure if you've been to ......?
It's true that I've sent a few pictures here and there, but I'm a long way from the desert. .......

Wait, wait, wait. Is this ...... a bad idea? I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that the sister fox is an illusion. If we don't do something, there's a chance that Sora will be fried for fun.

This is no time to be talking about a secret organization.

'Sorry, something urgent came up. I have to leave right away.'

But I'm not going to throw you out.
I think it's better to listen to him this time.
I've heard some disturbing words, and I want to make sure we're all on the same page, including what steps Citri has taken.

But for now, our priority is human life.

We'll have to take some time to discuss it again later, with Cicely. Is it possible that I'm very ...... leader-like right now?

When I was thinking about this, Gark-san clicked his tongue.

'Tsk, tsk, tsk. d*mn it, yeah, I get it. Do what you want. If you want to get results, I won't say anything, but I'll do it myself.

What? No, ............ talk to each other and act in unison--.

I'm not sure if you'll be able to find the right one for you.

The Abyssal Extinction was pointing its bony fingers at me.
The tip of his finger flickered several times. The flashes of light emitted continuously evaporated a few centimeters in front of my eyes. It wasn't a reaction of the warding finger, so Lucia must have been defending herself.

The [Abyssal Fire Extinguisher] breathed on the fingertip of the rising smoke and said,

'Oh, I get it. I owe you. I'll let you have a flower this time, the Thousand Transformations. I'm not much of a thinker by nature. ......'

Confused and unable to say anything, the old woman stood up.

Her back is straight, which is hard to believe in her old age. She is also a little taller than me, and when she was younger, she was often mistaken for a spirit man.

I don't remember owing you anything in the first place, but at any rate, please don't attack me as a greeting. Lucia is looking at you as if she is annoyed, but she is not at all offended.

Her voice was hoarse, but she couldn't hide her latent heat. His eyes were as bright as Liz's.
He should be old enough, but when is he going to retire?

Deep Fire Extinguisher said with a deep smile like a monster. His voice was filled with a power that could not be denied.

'But this is a festival. When the time is right, give me a sign, the Thousand Transformations. I've whipped my old bones to come all this way. We have the retribution of Telm. Do you understand?

'Oh, yes.'

'Tsk. Cry. Don't slack off on the Emperor's Festival either. I'll be very proud if there's a winner from our branch.''

Gark-san clicked his tongue and chased after the old lady as she quickly left.
She's like a storm. What an insolent ...... woman, and Mr. Gark was completely overpowered. It seems that the old lady was already an experienced hunter when Mr. Gark first became a hunter, so there must be a connection.
Do hunters usually talk about retaliation? As for me, I just hope Lucia doesn't turn out like that.

I hope Lucia doesn't turn out like that, although Mr. Gark had a lot to say about that.


You didn't get to hear the ............ story.




I get a new photo on my phone. It's a picture of Sora, confused, making fried tofu.

No, let's start with the easy part.
Why is this happening to me when I just came to see the Emperor's Festival?










The White Fox is a terrible person. That's what I've always been taught.
In class, in our daily prayers, in the lullabies we were sung as children.

Power, wisdom, luck, charisma, caution. And-- cruelty to rival the gods.

The Nine Tailed Shadow Fox is a secret organization. Sora and the other priests are given special powers, but they are not a religious organization.

The organization seems to have originated from the intelligence agency of a now-deceased country, and has grown over the generations thanks to the exceptional skills of its bosses.

It has absorbed many talented criminals and talented people who are dissatisfied with the country, studied its technology, planted its roots in various countries, and has grown quietly but surely.
Until the moment when its power became large enough, none of the people in the surface world were aware of the existence of the fox.

The fox mask is just a symbol. Very few of the members truly believed in the fox god.
The first mask the boss brought back was a special item for Sora and the other fox god worshippers. And the boss needed a cause and a flag that would bring everyone together.

As a result, an organization was formed. A solid organization that would not be shaken by the passing of the years.

The white fox mask given by the gods is the mark of a boss.

The boss of the organization is not hereditary. There is always fierce competition in an organization.


That's why the boss is the strongest in the organization.


It is unclear what criteria are used to select the bosses, but at least until now, no weak person has become the boss.

The money, power, and technology of the organization make the bosses the strongest.
Even high-level hunters who have absorbed mana and materials can't handle him, making him a fearsome presence.

Very few priests have ever seen the boss.
No one knows where the boss is, and there aren't many opportunities to find out if he's real or not.

Even Sora had never seen him before. She had always hoped to see him.

But that didn't mean she believed in its strength.

So when I first found the White Fox, I didn't question it at all even though I couldn't feel the power in its body.
I didn't realize it until I was shamefully tossed about and exposed myself.


I tried to do the best I could. The white fox that appeared was a fake but the mask was real.
Then, I told myself, it was my rightful duty as a priest to serve it.



Until the moment I saw the real thing.



The real one was different. It was more than the rumors I'd heard beforehand.
A disparity of being that makes you understand from the bottom of your soul at first sight.

The air that shattered Sora, who had been trained to remain calm at all times, in an instant made it hard to believe that he was the same person.

Her height and voice make her seem younger than Sora, but age is irrelevant.

There's no way she can fake it. There's no excuse.
It was foolish of me to try to deceive the situation even for a moment.


You can't do anything but lie down and wait for things to happen.




The boss says in an emotionless voice.



'Hurry up, I'll make the next one.


'Yes,............, boss.



But, but, and Sora was now being forced to make fried tofu on the boss's orders.

I didn't know what that meant. Confusion is no longer the word to describe this feeling.

Sora was now making fried tofu in the kitchen that Fake Fox-sama had prepared, just like Fake Fox-sama had ordered her to do.

She moved her hands incessantly, pouring the tofu into the oil. Cold eyes were watching Sora's movements intently.

Her heart was beating like it was about to explode. I don't know what it means, but if I stop--I'll be killed.

In hindsight, False Fox-sama was quite lenient. He ordered Sora but didn't force her, and he wasn't intimidating. But the real one was different.

One after another, the finished fried tofu disappeared into the mouth of Mr. White Fox. The white fox carefully licked the plate and glared at Sora.


'You can't take the world like this. Next.

'!

He was saying the exact same thing as the fake. I feel like I've been bewitched by a fox.

But this time, Mr. White Fox is definitely the real thing. The power I feel is different.
I checked fearfully.

'Oh, with that ...... fried tofu, how can the world--'

'............ Inari Sushi Bento? I'll make it.

The white fox checked a board similar to the one the fake white fox was holding (did the fake white fox say smartphone?) and said.

I'm not sure what to do. I'm not sure what to say. What? Is that true?

'Quick, next. If you don't make it soon, I can't deny the possibility of ............ turning you into fried tofu.''

'What?

There was an intensity in his voice that made me understand that he was serious about what he was saying.

How much of this is true and how much is false?
The fake fox-sama is a fake, but he is saying the same things as the real one. ......? I can't keep up with the information.


After all, who is to blame?



The sofa softly floats up, and you open your eyes.

There was no hint of magic, but could this be the power of the boss, who was said to be comparable to a level 10 hunter?

The boss looks down at Sora from the top of the sofa floating in the air.

'Quick, don't look at me, make it.'

'That ...... boss, aren't you here for the mission?'

There was very little information given to Sora by Gaff.

There's some kind of big operation going on in these cleats. That's why Gaff and the others switched their treasures in advance and came to this city.
They are now concentrating on eradicating the organizations that have been drawn to this city, but that is not the main purpose of the mission they were sent on.

Originally, the priestess Sora was nearby because she had information that the boss might be stopping by.


That's a lot of maneuvering for a busy boss to do. There was no time to fry, let alone sell oil.

When Sora fearfully checked based on a few hints, True Fox-sama said with a straight face.



'I don't care about that, I'll make it.

'Eh! That, in fact, ...... fake, white fox-sama is ............'

'........................ no fried tofu'.

No. This one doesn't listen to me any more than the fake one.
He's certainly a scary man. How did this man get his organization to grow to this level?

Why in the world is he fried? Why does he have Sora, the priest, make them? How many should I make?
There were still plenty of ingredients that the fake fox-sama had prepared. There was no time to worry about the oil being hot.

Could it be that this is my punishment?

A punishment for being tricked into making fried tofu, forcing Sora to make fried tofu forever.
Or maybe it's a joke.

Or was it a joke or something? Was the nine-tailed shadow fox an organization that would make such a joke?
If you're going to execute me, I'd rather you did it all at once.

Just as I was thinking these things, the door opened with great force.

The real boss looked at you from the top of the sofa.

The one who came in was the source of all the trouble Sora was in--the fake fox-sama.
He wasn't wearing a mask, so he wasn't even a fox anymore, but he shouted.

'! No, you can't, Fake Fox-sama! Now, now, now the real one--'

What's wrong with that? In the first place, Sora is on the organization's side.
We should assume that Sora's lie has already been exposed. Then it should be convenient for the fake to come here.

I can't breathe. In front of Sora, who watches with bated breath, the gazes of the real and the fake meet.

There's no way that even the famous "Thousand Transformations" can defeat this boss. The amount of mana and material he sucks in is different.


And that's when Sora realized.
There was no hint of astonishment on the fake's face, even when he met the real one.


The fake fox was silent for a while, then pointed his finger at her and shouted.


'Hey, what are you doing here, you thieving fox! I'll say something too! I'll tell him when I tell him! I'll tell my brother fox! Where's the desert? You should be worshipped! Don't make me make fried tofu! Don't make me make fried tofu!

'? '

What ......, what ......? So, you know him?
The fake fox is a fake? But you know the real one? What? What?

Looks like they're not enemies. If they were enemies, they wouldn't be talking to each other. As the real one fiddled with his phone, the fake one trembled.
I was wondering what he was doing earlier, but it seems he was communicating. What? What? Hmm?


'Fried Will? What's Will? I mean, if you want to eat it so badly, why don't you fry it yourself!

'............!!!'

The white fox-sama clapped his hands and jumped off the sofa. Pushing Sora away, he took out some tofu from the box of ingredients and began to fry it himself.
If you look closely, you'll see a lustrous tail growing out of its buttocks. It must not have been there before, but when did it appear? Does the boss have not only a mask but also a tail?

The tail is wagging. I'm feeling very tired.

The fake fox entered the room, wiped his forehead, and said with a pathetic smile.

'Good, that's one thing settled.

'You, what are you doing?

I hate this. I don't know what to believe.
What am I supposed to do? What's the solution? What do you want to do?

The real white fox looks into the frying pan with a serious face. The fake white fox blinks its eyes with a dumbfounded expression.

Looking at the two of them, Sora felt something inside her crumble with a sound.