Eighty-Nine: The Fox God and Reina

Otherwise, you'll have to carry it with you to a place like a train station or convenience store and then lose it.

Extremely troublesome.

After finishing their meal, Shuya and the Quintuplets set off again.

This time, Shuya didn't bother to inquire further. He spent some time playing with the Quintuplets... well, I mean, he spent some time with them before taking them back to the hotel for lunch and then continuing to explore the city.

Shuya took them to another destination only after they got tired of playing again.

His destination was...

An old shop selling simple snacks.

In Shuya's mind, these old shops have always been synonymous with being outdated, half-dead, and on the verge of closing down.

The owners of traditional snack shops are usually elderly men and women, which gives them a connection to tradition and antiquity.

Shuya and the Quintuplets searched for a while and finally found an old shop like this.

And the boss, just as Shuya had imagined, was an old woman.

Besides the old woman, there was another woman who looked to be in her forties, probably the old woman's daughter.

The Quintuplets ran happily into the confectionery shop.

Shuya went inside and took a look around.

Yes, the store has an old-fashioned feel to it, giving the impression that it's about to close down.

It's just like the cheap snack shop near his house.

And the boss is exactly the same age, almost dead.

That's so damn heartwarming.

When they saw customers arrive, the owner and her daughter also looked over.

The boss's daughter smiled and said:

"Oh my, aren't these the innkeeper's granddaughters? Are you here to play?"

The Quintuplets rushed over:

"Yes!"

"It's been so long, Auntie!"

Hello, Mother-in-law!

They greeted each other in a jumbled mess.

"Oh, oh ho ho, just as I thought, I still can't tell who's who."

The old woman seemed to be dying.

"Hello, I'm Inoue Shuya, their friend, and I came along for the trip too."

Shuya went up and introduced himself.

With his good looks, he easily won their favor.

Shuya didn't get straight to the point right away.

It's important to know that ** is also very important.

He chatted about everyday things for a while before asking:

"By the way, I just saw a lot of fox-related products being sold at the local products store. Why is that?"

"Well, this... it's said that the belief in Fox God was once prevalent on our island."

The old woman's daughter answered, but her tone was uncertain, clearly indicating that she had neither researched nor cared about it.

Then, the old woman did not disappoint Shuya.

She perked up as soon as she started talking about these things, speaking without even taking a breath, "Oh ho ho, that's the Fox God! Legend has it that long ago, Monster and diseases ravaged the island, causing countless deaths and injuries. In the end, it was the Fox God who happened to be passing by who came to help, slaying the Monster and banishing the disease."

"Originally, the Fox God wanted to leave, but at the pleas of the ancestors, the Fox God stayed. The ancestors built Shrine on the mountain to enshrine the Fox God. Since then, the Small Island has never experienced any major disasters again, all thanks to the Fox God's power!"

The old woman started to get angry. "But the children these days... ugh! They've all lost their faith in the Fox God! Ahhh--- Ah! It's over! Our little Small Island is doomed! Ahhh---!"

She shuddered and let out a pitiful scream.

The dimly lit, old-fashioned shop, combined with her wrinkled face, added to the eeriness of the place.

"Mom!"

The woman frowned and called out.

She glanced apologetically at Shuya, while the Quintuplets... they picked out their food and went outside to eat, engrossed in their snacks, seemingly oblivious to what was happening inside the store.

Shuya was inwardly excited, but outwardly remained calm and nodded to the woman to show his understanding.

The woman patted the old woman to try and stop her, but to her surprise, the old woman became even more agitated.

She screamed shrilly:

"Aaaaaah! Lord Fox God! Please, please have mercy and don't punish us! Alas—Aaaaah!"

The old woman had disheveled hair, looking like a mental patient who had suddenly fallen ill.

Seeing her frenzied state, Shuya couldn't help but gasp.

This old woman must be crazy.

If he hadn't sensed no unusual power, he would have suspected she was possessed.

P. S.: The average order value is currently 64 (I'm just being lenient, please be respectful)...

Chapter 102 Eighty-Nine Fox God and Rena

But the old woman's daughter seemed unfazed.

She shouted impatiently at the old woman, "What Fox God? Isn't she just Monster!"

"Damn it! What Monster! It's Lord Fox God!"

"It's Monster!"

"It's the Fox God!"

The mother and daughter started arguing as if no one else was around, Shuya.

Shuya didn't try to break up the fight; he simply stood by and watched, waiting to see if any new information would emerge.

Finally, the woman exploded. "What god? We all know that Monster abducted the innkeeper's daughter!"

Shuya got the secret he wanted.

But the result was clearly far beyond his expectations.

The innkeeper's daughter?

It can't be that...

Rena, right?

Shuya's mind was in complete chaos.

Rena... was she once kidnapped by the Fox God?

Is this for real?

At this moment, the old woman spoke up.

She was so angry she jumped up and down. "How many times have I told you! That wasn't kidnapping, it was 'Spirit Abduction'! That's proof of the Fox Immortal spirit's affection for her! That's unparalleled favor! If this were ancient times, she would be a candidate for witch!"

"What 'like'... that kind of troublesome behavior... enough! I don't want to argue with you anymore!"

"I don't want to see you, you good-for-nothing!"

After a big argument, the two turned away and ignored each other.

Shuya had wanted to ask some more questions, but he didn't dare to risk offending anyone at this moment.

He quietly slipped out and took the Quintuplets back to the hotel.

Even after returning to the hotel, Shuya's mind was still not clear.

Rena's past... is it really that explosive?

Generally speaking, aren't foxes usually attracted to scholars?

Could it be that this fox...

Shuya frowned, realizing that things were not so simple.

---Is she a fox with yuri tendencies?

That's terrifying.

Just kidding.

But Shuya was still thinking about this even while having dinner with Rena's family.

Based on the information gathered so far, the god on this Small Island should be of the benevolent faction.

So that's why he didn't react at all the time, even when he was practically right in front of me at the door the day before yesterday?

But regardless of His side, one thing is undeniable: His faith has diminished to an extremely low level.

If all the believers of old age like the old woman were to die, the power of the Fox God would likely plummet to zero as well.

Shuya deduced that His current condition must be very bad, and there was a high probability that He was sleeping to preserve His power from being lost.

But a poor condition doesn't mean He is weak, Shuya know when His faith began.

It's important to know that the Power of Will can be stored.

No one knows how much Power of Will this Fox God possesses.

But knowing that His faith was not popular, Shuya's concerns had lessened considerably.

He was quite powerful, and he hadn't offended the Fox God, so it was unlikely that the god would waste a lot of Power of Will dealing with him.

Perhaps... going inside the Shrine wouldn't really hurt.

He hadn't had any premonitions when he was in front of the Torii Gate.

It is highly likely to be safe.

A Fox God who lacks faith, may be asleep, and stands on the side of good.

They should be the type who can communicate.

Shuya had never seen the Fox God before.

I wonder if He can transform into a human?

A fox-eared girl... isn't that wonderful?

Shuya couldn't help but let out a strange smile.

But changes always come unexpectedly.

During the meal, Ichika suddenly asked Rena:

"Mom, what does 'Spirit Abduction' mean? I heard you were once 'Spirit Abduction'?"

Shuya: "???"

So you guys weren't addicted to snacks, you actually heard me?

You could hear a pin drop at that scene.

Rena silent.

Rena's father slowly put down the bowl.

Shuya thought Rena's father would be angry.

But he put down his bowl only because he had finished eating. He patiently explained the meaning of "Spirit Abduction" to Ichika, and then casually asked Ichika where she had learned the word.