By the bonfire... Tohru's heartfelt words shocked Hiratsuka Shizuka.
"You mean..."
"You want to become... Little Lu's Maid?"
Hiratsuka Shizuka smiled wryly, knowing that Tohru's identity was that of an arrogant giant dragon from mythology!
"That's right!"
"Although I don't know what 'Maid' means."
"But I've decided, I want to become his Maid!"
Thor clenched her fists, her expression resolute, without any hint of joking.
"Ah?"
Hiratsuka Shizuka let out a confused sound; she couldn't understand Thor's thought process.
Why did repaying a kindness necessarily mean becoming a maid? What kind of nonsense was this!
However... a certain sharp-eared fox heard these words.
"Hehehe..."
"Being a maid is very difficult."
"A mere amateur, how dare you say such a thing!"
Tamamo-no-Mae stood up, glaring at the dragon opposite her.
"Precisely because it's difficult, doesn't it show sincerity?"
"My Master saved my life, how can I let him down!"
Thor also stood up from the ground, her gaze unfriendly as she stared at Tamamo-no-Mae.
"Huh?!" Tamamo-no-Mae.
"Hmm?!" Thor.
The atmosphere became extremely tense.
On one side was the legendary Nine-Tailed Fox.
On the other was a giant dragon from another world!
Their gazes met, like needle points against wheat awns!
Just when everyone thought a fierce battle was about to begin!
The dragon and the fox simultaneously smiled, acknowledging each other!
"Since that's the case, why don't we have a competition?" Tamamo-no-Mae declared slyly.
"I won't lose!" Thor was also full of fighting spirit.
If they were to fight, even if they flattened the earth, they probably wouldn't be able to determine a victor.
Rather than that, it would be better to try a different kind of challenge and see who was superior!
Night fell... Everyone, full and satisfied, returned to their tents to rest.
Hiratsuka Shizuka took the two girls to the tent on the right.
Tamamo-no-Mae hugged a pillow, a cunning smile on her charming face.
This sly fox's unusual behavior naturally caught Thor's attention.
Thor didn't think much of it and followed along, hugging her own tail.
Tonight... for Lu Ren, was destined to be an unquiet night... Meanwhile... the people camping in the back mountains had no idea that the outside world had already exploded!
At this moment... almost all television stations were broadcasting a news story that had happened that afternoon.
"Our city experienced a supernatural phenomenon this afternoon..."
"Why did the goods on the shelves mysteriously disappear..."
"This station will provide you with detailed follow-up reports..."
Inside a luxurious villa... on the TV screen, reporters were narrating the bizarre news.
Yukinoshita Yukino, curled up on the sofa, frowned and decisively changed the channel.
As a result... switching to a new channel, it was still news about the same incident.
"It's Hachishaku-sama!"
"She came to our slaughterhouse and took the best beef!"
The uncle appearing on the screen described the Yokai in terror.
What he said was so absurd that even the interviewing reporter couldn't maintain her composure.
Yukinoshita Yukino picked up the remote control and changed the channel again.
"It's Turntail!"
"Oh my! It stole the best fishing gear!"
On TV, a mother and daughter were crying in each other's arms.
The TV channel changed again.
"This is the Night Parade of a Hundred Yokai!"
"It is said to happen once every ten years..."
"I remind all citizens to be careful..."
The self-proclaimed expert on TV was spewing nonsense, spittle flying.
Yukinoshita shook her head, letting out a helpless sigh... These disjointed, Ghost Stories-like news stories only made her feel noisy.
She simply turned off the TV and buried herself in the sofa.
Inside the spacious, high-end apartment, the silence was striking.
Because of some emotional conflicts with her family, she had moved out during her first year of high school.
No matter how helpless she felt, she could only bear it alone.
Because... all of this was her choice... "Yokai..."
"Do they really exist in this world...?"
Yukinoshita murmured to herself, raising a hand and speaking distractedly.
Actually... she should know the answer to this question better than anyone.
Because... she once made a deal with a Yokai... no... to be precise... it should be with a god...
But things didn't go as smoothly as Yukinoshita had expected.
She regretted her impulsive and foolish actions back then.
To the point where she now couldn't even live a normal high school life!
Suddenly... Yukinoshita Yukino abruptly sat up from the sofa... She suddenly remembered something; it was about a high school student her age from another school.
In a shopping mall... she and the other person accidentally bumped into each other...
The other person noticed her unusual state and asked with concern if she needed help.
At the time... for some reason, Yukinoshita chose to refuse...
However... the other person still slipped her a note and left a kind reminder.
"If you encounter trouble, dial this number."
"If it's him, he can definitely help you!"
On the sofa... Yukinoshita Yukino fell into a long period of contemplation... Finally... she found the note with the number written on it in the drawer of the coffee table.
After taking out her phone, she input the numbers one by one.
After taking a deep breath, she pressed the call button.
Soon... the call connected... but from the other end, an impatient question rang out.
"Who are you, and what do you want?".