Chapter 107:
– Haru –
It looked like it was shaping up to be another busy day at the Foxhole. Before midday even arrived, friends, and regulars alike were already streaming in through the doors, their chatter and laughter quickly filling every inch of space. Plates clinked, cups rattled, and the sweet and savory scents of sizzling bacon, buttery pancakes, and fresh-baked bread filled the air.
I loved days like this. Everyone was smiling, chatting excitedly, and enjoying the food I'd cooked for them. It made my heart swell with pride and happiness.
But at the same time, it put me a tad bit on edge. A busy day meant all the people here were relying on me, and that was bad if I suddenly had to rush out the door to save my reckless little sister from whatever crazy trouble she would inevitably find herself in with Tanya and Maelle…
At least Ranni had decided to follow after them. With a literal goddess keeping watch, there wasn't much out there that could pose a real threat.
Turning my attention back to the main counter, I spotted Milim, gleefully inhaling plate after plate of food as if she'd never eaten a proper meal before in her life. Sauce dripped down her chin as she stuffed pancakes and scrambled eggs into her mouth at a speed that honestly should've been impossible, even for her. Beside her sat Rimuru, who was savoring each bite with dramatically exaggerated delight.
"Oh my god," Rimuru groaned loudly, eyes fluttering closed in bliss as he chewed. "This food is soooo much better than Shion's cooking!"
I certainly hoped so… I'm pretty sure a raw hot pocket left out in the sun for days on end and infested with ants and roaches would be better than anything she could cook…
He opened his eyes and tilted his head up at me, his golden eyes growing wider as he blinked rapidly, trying his absolute hardest to look adorable. "Hey Haru~" he said sweetly, pitching his voice just high enough to try and sound cute. "You know, maybe you could give Shion-chan some cooking lessons sometime? Pleeeease?"
I stared down at Rimuru, unimpressed. Sure, he had a pretty face and delicate features when he was in his human form. But I knew damn well he was just a slime guy pretending to be cute, hoping I'd fall for it.
"Oh, hell no," I scoffed, rolling my eyes dramatically. "Absolutely not. I want Shion nowhere near my kitchen, Rimuru. Ever."
Rimuru's cute act dropped instantly, his shoulders slumping heavily. "Come on, Haru! It's not that bad, really!" he pleaded weakly.
I crossed my arms firmly, giving him a flat stare.
Rimuru wilted even further, sinking into his stool with a defeated sigh. "Ugh, the gods have forsaken me. It's hopeless…" Rimuru then said that his subordinates in his village had been growing a bit jealous at how much time he'd been spending in my restaurant which was why I hadn't seen him in a while. "Shion also got it into her head that she can surpass you in cooking if she tries hard enough…" he grumbled.
That was never happening. I think we all knew that.
Was that really why Rimuru hadn't been coming around as much lately? Honestly, I'd just assumed he was busy.
Or maybe Rimuru had just made all of that up and had actually been avoiding the Foxhole because he was scared of accidentally running into my mom, Yasaka. Ever since his hilarious failure to win her heart.
I couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped my lips as I remembered the look on his face when she'd gently but firmly rejected his courting attempt.
I looked around the busy restaurant, noticing drinks getting low and dirty plates piling up. It made me miss having Enri around. She was always so helpful and fast, moving easily through the crowded tables with a cheerful smile. She would take care of things even before I noticed they needed doing.
But I was really glad she was out there having fun and experiencing life outside this place. Enri was doing great at school, making new friends, and figuring out who she wanted to be. That was way better than spending her life just serving tables at the Foxhole. I knew she'd come back in a heartbeat if I asked, but I wouldn't do that.
Plus, having a teenage girl who was so openly infatuated with me around all the time did make things a bit awkward. I could see it in the way she blushed whenever I smiled at her or how her eyes lit up whenever we talked. It was flattering in its own way, but it definitely made me feel a bit uneasy. Maybe, once she'd had time to grow up a little and figure things out for herself after graduation, things might feel different. But for now, I decided it was best to wait and let her experience life first.
Milim gently tugged on my sleeve, pulling me from my thoughts. I glanced down and saw her big, bright eyes staring up at me. She swallowed nervously, her cheeks slightly flushed. "Hey, Haru, you were spacing out again," she said softly, a playful smile on her lips. "Were you thinking about how pretty I am?"
"I'm always thinking about how pretty you are, Milim," I answered immediately, trying to keep a straight face despite my obvious teasing.
Her eyes sparkled at my words, and she giggled sweetly, covering her mouth with her hand as she made cute little "ehehehe" sounds.
"Pffft." Nearby, Naruko snorted loudly, drawing our attention. She stood leaning against the counter, a sly smirk on her face, her nine fluffy red tails swishing gently behind her.
Milim immediately frowned at Naruko, her playful mood replaced with irritation. "What exactly is so funny, Ninja fox girl?" she asked.
"Oh, nothing," Naruko said casually, flipping her vibrant red hair over her shoulder with exaggerated ease. "I'm just enjoying knowing that I've got one up on you, oh great pink-haired destroyer," she teased. "Especially since Haru was with me last night—all night long."
Milim's eyes widened at that reminder, and her face quickly turned the same shade of bright pink as her hair. She spun back around, locking her intense gaze onto mine with an expression of pure determination. "Haru! You're taking me out on a date next!" she demanded, pointing at me dramatically.
A wave of muffled laughter and snickers rippled around the restaurant. Vicky elbowed her sister Amy playfully, whispering something that made Amy burst into giggles, hiding her face behind her hands. Alicia, the new French girl, chuckled softly and raised an amused eyebrow, her voice carrying clearly enough for Milim to hear as she teased gently in her rich accent, "Looks like someone is getting jealous, no?"
The other customers nearby shared sly grins and exchanged amused glances, clearly entertained by the playful drama unfolding at the counter. One of the Nord companions, whose name I honestly couldn't remember since they all looked pretty similar to me—big, muscular, and loud—made a loud remark. He chuckled deeply, his voice booming across the restaurant. "That Milim girl would make a fine Nord woman, bold and fiery! Too bad she's shorter than a goblin!"
I winced slightly, knowing immediately he'd just made a huge mistake. In an instant, faster than anyone could track, Milim vanished from her seat, leaving behind a gust of wind that rustled the napkins on the tables. Before anyone realized what was happening, a loud crashing noise erupted from the far wall, followed by a pained groan as the Nord slid down onto the floor, dazed and confused. "Eh? What just hit me? I think me arm is broken…"
Milim reappeared quietly on her stool as though nothing had happened. She calmly picked up her fork again and took another bite of her pancakes, her expression innocent except for the small, satisfied smirk at the corners of her lips.
Everyone stared at her wide-eyed, knowing exactly who had just knocked the Nord flying, even though none of us had clearly seen her move but me.
The door to the restaurant swung open, and I glanced up just in time to see Gustave step inside with his girlfriend Sophie right behind him. The two of them froze for a moment, their eyes wide as they took in the busy, buzzing atmosphere of the Foxhole. Gustave's hand rested lightly on Sophie's back, like he was guiding her through a battlefield instead of a brunch rush.
They scanned the room quickly, and their gazes locked onto one specific table—the one where Vicky, Amy, and Alicia were chatting and sipping from their drinks like they didn't have a care in the world.
Come to think of it, shouldn't Vicky and Amy have been at school by now? Were they actually skipping to hang out here all day?
I tilted my head and let out a small shrug. I mean, I wasn't their dad. They could do what they want.
Gustave and Sophie marched straight across the restaurant with a mix of worry and determination on their faces. Their eyes zeroed in on Alicia, or more accurately, on the girl they clearly recognized as someone else entirely.
"Maelle! You had us worried sick!" Gustave said sharply.
Alicia looked genuinely confused, her eyes widening as she glanced nervously between Gustave and Sophie. She hesitated, tugging slightly at the edge of her sleeve. "I think you might have the wrong person," she said softly, her voice uncertain and quiet. "Maelle just left, actually. She was with a little fox-eared girl."
Gustave immediately scoffed, clearly not buying her story. He crossed his arms over his chest, his gaze hardening. "I'm not falling for that, Maelle," he said sharply. "You might soon be an official member of the expedition, but you're still my responsibility. You shouldn't have entered this dangerous place without informing anyone!"
"Hey!" I protested loudly, my fox ears twitching with irritation as I glared in his direction. "My restaurant isn't dangerous!"
At my voice, Gustave and Sophie finally seemed to notice me standing behind the counter. They both froze, their expressions turning from stern to uneasy in the blink of an eye. I could practically see their minds flashing back to the last time they'd seen me—when I saved Lumiere from that terrifying wave of death magic.
Before either of them could find their words, Milim suddenly hopped onto the top of her stool, pointing dramatically at Gustave. Her eyes blazed fiercely as she shouted across the room, "Yeah! Haru's restaurant isn't dangerous at all! If you lie again, I'm gonna punch you straight through a wall!"
"Doesn't that kind of confirm the new guy's point?" an Asari muttered from a corner booth, her voice just loud enough to cut through the rising tension in the room. She didn't even look up from her drink, but the sarcasm in her tone was impossible to miss.
Milim's head snapped toward her instantly, her eyes narrowing like lasers locking onto a target. A heavy, almost comical silence followed as the entire restaurant seemed to freeze for a second.
The Asari finally looked up, saw Milim's unamused death glare, and quickly raised both hands. "Okay, okay! I'm shutting up now! Don't mind me!" she squeaked, sinking lower into her booth and grabbing her cup with both hands like it was a shield. The tension broke slightly, replaced with a few stifled laughs from nearby tables.
Gustave cleared his throat and muttered something that was probably meant to be an apology—maybe to me, maybe to Milim. It was hard to tell with how jittery he looked, his eyes flicking nervously between us.
He reached a hand out toward Alicia, clearly trying to guide her away or maybe just convince himself she was who he thought she was. But before his fingers could even get close, Verso stepped between them in a flash, his arm snapping out like a barrier.
"Lay off my sister," Verso said firmly.
Gustave blinked in confusion. "What do you mean your sister? Maelle is an orphan."
Alicia let out a frustrated sigh and crossed her arms. "I'm not Maelle," she grumbled. "She ran off with that little fox-eared girl…"
"What!?" Gustave mumbled.
That's when Sophie stepped closer and pointed at Alicia's sleeve. "Gustave, look at her arm."
His eyes dropped to the band on Alicia's sleeve, and he visibly paled. "EXPEDITION ZERO!?" he gasped, stumbling back a step like the air had been knocked out of him. "Where did you get that?"
Verso stepped forward again, this time holding out his own arm. His armband also had a Zero on it, clear as day. "We got them because we were there," he said calmly. "We were members of the first expedition ourselves."
"That's impossible," Gustave muttered, staring between them like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. "Are you really saying she's not Maelle?"
"She's obviously not!" Vicky piped up, floating off her chair and poking Gustave in the shoulder with a finger. "Stop being rude, old dude."
Gustave reeled back in offense. "Old dude!? I'm only thirty-two!"
Vicky snorted. "That's like, twice my age, you fossil." She chuckled, clearly enjoying herself, and turned to grin at Verso. "By the way, you're a dinosaur."
Verso sighed dramatically but played along with a half-smile. "Dinosaur sounds better than fossil, at least."
"As nice as this all is, I'd really like to know what's going on here," Gustave finally said, stepping closer to me. He cast another quick, wary glance at Milim before carefully sliding onto the stool next to her, clearly cautious not to provoke her again. Milim gave him a side-eyed look, her expression a mixture of smugness and amusement.
He turned his attention to Naruko next, offering her a warmer nod. Naruko flashed him a playful wink in response.
Then, with a curious frown, Gustave turned fully toward me. "Why was it only Sophie and I who could enter? The leader of Expedition 33 also wanted to come inside to speak with you about everything that happened last night, but the door simply wouldn't budge for him," he explained, clearly baffled.
My tails swished slowly behind me as I placed my finger thoughtfully on my chin. "Hmm," I said, drawing out the sound as I pretended to think deeply about it. "You see, some people can just walk into my restaurant whenever they feel like it, and others can't," I explained, shrugging lightly. "I guess he just didn't pass the vibe check?"
Or more like the Ranni check? Although now that I think about it, why does she let bad guys come in sometimes? Just for the entertainment value of watching them get embarrassed and beat up?
Gustave stared at me for a moment, looking even more confused than before, and I couldn't help but chuckle softly at his reaction. "Anyway," I said with a friendly smile, gesturing toward the kitchen. "Do you want to order some food or something while you wait for Maelle to get back?"
"Get back from where?" he asked nervously. "What was that about a fox girl?"
"I think she and my sister flew over the ocean to go play on the continent." I told him.
"WHAT!?" Gustave and Sophie both shouted at the exact same moment, their voices echoing through the busy restaurant and causing several heads to snap toward them in surprise. "We have to go rescue them!" Gustave practically launched himself off of his stool, his frantic movement sending it flying backward and nearly knocking Milim off hers.
She yelped indignantly, arms flailing for balance as Gustave rushed past. "Hey! Watch it!" Milim shouted after him, already winding up her fist for a punch aimed squarely at his retreating back.
I quickly stepped in, catching her wrist just in time to stop her from chasing after him. Of course she let me, there was no way I could stop her punch if she didn't want me to.
"Easy there, Milim," I said softly, trying to calm the fiery glare in her eyes as Gustave and Sophie rushed toward the exit. Sophie glanced back briefly with an apologetic look before following her boyfriend outside.
Milim huffed loudly, reluctantly lowering her fist, but still scowling fiercely.
I shook my head slightly, letting out a tired sigh. "Some people are just rude," I muttered quietly to myself.
– Kunou –
"Adventure, adventure! We're going on an adventure! Gonna slay all kinds of monsters, scary and mean! Oh look, there's one right there!" Kunou sang loudly, skipping happily along the rocky path. Her fluffy tails bounced behind her as she pointed excitedly at a creepy knight-like monster standing ahead. "Its metal armor gleamed eerily in the dim light, and the creature raised its huge sword and shield menacingly, ready to fight!" Kunou sang again.
"Not a chance..." Before it even had a chance to move closer, Tanya swiftly raised her rifle with practiced ease. Her eyes narrowed with focus, and a bright glow erupted from the tip of her gun as she fired a powerful magic bullet. The monster exploded into scattered pieces, metal shards flying everywhere.
Kunou jumped up and down, cheering wildly. "Woohoo! You got it, Tanya-chan! You're amazing!"
Nearby, Maelle stood completely frozen, her eyes wide and mouth hanging open in shock. She stared at the smoking spot where the monster had just been, clearly not believing what she'd just seen.
"I always imagined Nevrons were these super scary monsters," Maelle said shakily, glancing between Tanya and Kunou in disbelief. "But here you two are, just casually blasting through every single one without even breaking a sweat!"
Tanya's voice was steady as always. "Monsters, no matter how big or strong or ugly," she said, adjusting the strap on her rifle as she walked ahead of the others, "you can always bring them down. Doesn't matter if they've got teeth the size of trees or magic dripping out of their eyeballs. They follow instincts. Patterns. They're predictable." She paused for a moment and glanced back over her shoulder at Maelle, her expression sharp. "But people?" she said, her tone dropping a little. "People are different. Doesn't matter how weak they are compared to you—they're always more dangerous than monsters. Infinitely more so..."
Kunou walked a little closer, her fluffy tails swishing gently behind her with each light step. She nodded solemnly in agreement. "Mm-hmm," she hummed. "Momma always told me that. Onii-chan too. Monsters fight 'cause they're hungry or scared or cursed. People fight for stupid reasons."
Maelle stiffened, clearly unsettled by Tanya's words. Her brow furrowed and she rubbed her arms as if a cold breeze had passed through her. "That's… creepy," she said under her breath. "But… that doesn't really apply here, right? I mean… there aren't supposed to be any humans alive on this continent. It's just ruins and monsters out here, right? So we don't have to worry about that… right?"
Kunou tilted her head, and before she could open her mouth, Tanya turned fully around to face Maelle.
"Oh really?" Tanya said flatly, raising an eyebrow. "Then explain why two human men have been literally trailing us for the past hour?"
Maelle's eyes went wide. "W-What!? No way! Humans? Are you sure!?"
Kunou lifted her chin and sniffed the air, her fox ears twitching like little radar dishes. "Yup," she said cheerfully. "One of them smells like old leather and cheap tobacco, and the other one… mmm… kinda like sweat and sour beer. Blegh." She wrinkled her nose and made a face. "They've been creeping behind us since we crossed that broken bridge. But they're not coming out, so that means they're boring scaredy cats." She crossed her arms and gave an exaggerated sigh, puffing out her cheeks. "Anyway! I wanna see that fun village you talked about, Maelle! The one with the living puppet people!" she said excitedly, bouncing slightly on the balls of her feet.
Maelle blinked at the sudden shift in tone, then looked down, her expression turning sheepish. "They're called Gestrals," she murmured. "But I… I don't actually know where they live. The book I read didn't say…"
Kunou's shoulders slumped, and all nine of her tails drooped behind her. "Aaaaaawwwww…"
A sudden thump echoed across the rocky trail—sharp and deliberate, like the solid strike of wood on stone.
Kunou's fox ears perked up instantly, twitching toward the sound. She spun around with a curious tilt of her head, golden eyes scanning the path behind them.
An old man slowly approached, each step punctuated by the steady tap of his cane. His long black coat flapped slightly with the breeze, the fabric worn and weathered with age. His face was lined with deep scars, and one of his eyes was milky white, blind. The other eye, sharp and piercing, darted between the three girls before locking squarely onto Maelle.
"Alicia?" the man said gruffly, his voice raspy like dry leaves rubbing together. "What are you doing out here? And what happened to your face? It's… healed."
Maelle groaned, her shoulders sagging in frustration. "Ugh, seriously? Again?" she muttered. "Is this just going to be a thing now? Everyone mistaking me for her?"
Kunou couldn't help but giggle. She took a playful hop toward Maelle. "You're lucky!" she chirped brightly. "Having a twin sister would be so much fun! You could do all kinds of pranks!"
Next to her, Tanya let out a subtle shiver, a visible tremble running down her spine. She didn't say anything, but her expression briefly flickered with something like horror at the thought.
RUDE! Kunou pouted at her sister.
The old man frowned, clearly not pleased with being ignored. His grip tightened on the top of his cane, and he barked, "ALICIA, ANSWER ME!"
Maelle whipped around and faced him, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "I'M NOT ALICIA!" she shouted. "Even if I look like her! Even if we're… like… secret sisters or something weird like that! I'm still me, okay?! So quit yelling at me!"
The man's face twisted in confusion, as if trying to make sense of her words. His gaze swept over all three of them again before he finally asked, "What the hell are three little girls doing on this cursed continent anyway?"
Kunou stepped forward proudly, planting her hands on her hips with a big grin on her face. "We're hunting monsters and searching for the magic puppet people!" she declared cheerfully. "They're called Gestrals, and they're supposed to be super mysterious and creepy and cool!"
"...I see," the man muttered darkly, his one good eye narrowing into a sliver of cold steel. Without another word, he reached up with a trembling, weathered hand and gripped the handle at the top of his cane. With a sharp metallic shing, he pulled free a hidden blade.
Kunou's eyes widened. Okay, that was actually a pretty cool sword.
"Then I'm afraid I can't let any of you live," the old man said, his voice turning harsh and cracked like shattered glass. "Slaying the Nevrons… it will hurt her. And if that happens, my family—everything we've worked for—will be destroyed. Ruined." His grip tightened on the sword, his shoulders trembling now—not from age, but from emotion. Rage. Desperation. "You all must die!" he barked.
"Wait, what!?" Maelle cried, stumbling back a step. Her hands flew up defensively. "What are you talking about?! We don't even know who you are! We're not trying to hurt your family! Humans aren't supposed to fight each other! We're supposed to work together to stop the Paintress!"
Kunou just lowered herself into a crouch, golden eyes narrowing like a predator. A low growl rumbled in her throat, her fox ears pressed flat against her head. All of her tails flared out behind her.
Her momma had always been clear about one thing, when someone's gone full-on crazy villain mode, you couldn't reason with them. They didn't want to listen. They were already off in their own scary little world. So, you either ran away or you beat them up. And right now? Kunou really wanted to beat him up. For being mean. For scaring Maelle. For talking about killing her sister!
Tanya stepped up beside her. She reached into her coat and pulled out a jagged-edged bayonet. With a practiced twist, she snapped it onto the end of her rifle. The sound echoed with a satisfying click. "Fucking bring it, old man," Tanya hissed. Her eyes locked onto him. "I've killed thousands of arrogant blowhards like you."
Maelle made a strangled noise behind them. "Thousands!?" she squeaked, her voice cracking. "What the fuck, Tanya!?"
– The Real? Renoir –
Thousands!? Renoir's mind reeled, his thoughts sputtering in disbelief. What in the world was that girl even talking about? Thousands of kills? How!?
His stomach turned uneasily. Things were spiraling out of control far quicker than he'd anticipated.
He remained hidden in the shadows nearby, his heart thumping anxiously in his chest. He watched nervously as the painted copy of himself moved closer toward Alicia and the two blonde girls. And his daughter was standing right in its path.
He bit back his frustration, gritting his teeth. This wasn't how things were supposed to go.
One of those blonde girls had been the massive fox monster earlier. He'd seen it himself! Renoir still couldn't quite wrap his head around how such a transformation was even possible. But he pushed aside the swirling confusion. He had far bigger worries to deal with:
Alicia was in danger!
Renoir stared intensely at the copy of himself. If Alicia was injured here—if this strange painted body was harmed—what would happen to her real form in the outside world? Was it even still breathing back in the gallery, or had her soul completely merged with this painted body? The uncertainty gnawed at him relentlessly.
He desperately hoped for the latter. If Alicia's soul had fully taken over this painted form, then at least the deep scars marring her face would have vanished. At least then she'd be whole again, beautiful and undamaged. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, briefly overcome by emotion. It was strange, maybe selfish, but he couldn't help wishing for that outcome. They could bury her old body in the family cemetery and he would bring her back home, completely unmarred by that tragic fire.
Yes, Renoir was still fully determined to destroy this cursed world to reclaim his family. But first, above all else, he had to ensure Alicia survived this encounter. She wasn't prepared for this fight. Not yet. He could see it clearly from the tension in her posture and the wild panic in her eyes.
His muscles tensed, preparing to move forward and intervene. He wouldn't stand by helplessly while his child was threatened, even if it meant revealing himself to her too soon.
But just as he was about to glide forward, a slender hand appeared from the shadows and firmly gripped his shoulder.
He froze, an icy shiver racing down his spine. Slowly, Renoir turned his head and saw her clearly: a striking woman with luminous blue skin. Four delicate yet powerful arms extended gracefully from beneath flowing robes that shimmered softly.
"Thou mustn't interfere," she spoke gently but firmlyt. "Let the girls face this trial. 'Tis an important test of their mettle and growth!"
"W-Who the hell are you to tell me what to do?" Renoir snapped, his voice low and sharp with a mix of anger and unease.
The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted how shaky they sounded.
His body was tense, on edge. The woman who had appeared behind him—this eerie, elegant creature with porcelain-blue skin and four arms—was unlike anything he'd ever seen. She looked almost too perfect, too smooth, like a living sculpture pulled from some forgotten dream or nightmare. Her presence was suffocatingly calm, but it was that very calmness that unnerved him. Like standing beneath a frozen lake and realizing the ice beneath your feet was far too thin.
Where had she come from? Renoir thought, his eyes narrowing. How did she sneak up on me without so much as a whisper of warning? I didn't sense a thing...
He stepped back a little, heart pounding as he tried to steady his breath. The air around her felt too still, too heavy—like it bent to her will.
"You will not stop me from interfering in their fight," he growled, trying to keep his voice steady. "I am a painter," he declared, clenching his fists at his sides, trying to stand taller. "This world is my family's canvas. My SON's creation. And if I say I'll act—then I'll act."
The woman said nothing at first. She simply tilted her head slightly, an unnatural motion, like a doll being turned by an invisible hand. Her expression remained soft, but her pale lips curled into a faint, knowing smile. Almost mocking him with that smirk.
"And I," she whispered, her tone lilting and ageless, "am this world's moon."
XXX