The Fox and the Noble Child
Tap. Tap-tap.
An old, worn desk piled high with documents. The rhythmic tapping broke the heavy silence of the room. It was a long-standing habit of Karlad, Captain of the 2nd Division. Whenever something weighed on his mind, he would unconsciously leave fingernail scratches on the wood. Leaning back against the creaking backrest of his chair, he furrowed his thick eyebrows. Tap-tap. Tap. Tap-tap. Tap. The steady, rhythmic sound echoed softly.
"You were grinning from ear to ear just a moment ago. What's got you looking so troubled now?"
"…Arien. I was not grinning."
"Oh, my. Then what on earth did I see?"
Opening his eyes, which he had closed to concentrate, he saw a woman smiling mischievously at him.
"I could have sworn I saw you smirking, muttering about how your beloved daughter gave you a tight hug… Did my eyes deceive me?"
"…"
"Hehe, alright. I'll stop teasing."
The beautiful woman chuckled and stepped closer to Karlad. She gently caressed his fingers, which had been tapping the desk. This, too, was a long-standing habit and a silent promise between them—an invitation to share whatever was troubling him.
Though she looked remarkably young, she was actually of a mature age. Having a daughter old enough to attend the Academy meant she had to be in her mid-to-late thirties at the very least. In fact, she had been Karlad's junior by one year during their Academy days, and now she served as the Vice-Captain of the 2nd Division. She was also Arin's mother, and Karlad's beloved wife.
"…Angelica was defeated," Karlad said, his voice heavy.
Arien had already received the report, so she knew. How shocked she had been when she first heard the news. Although Angelica currently worked as an Academy instructor, during her active duty, she had been a highly anticipated candidate for a future Captaincy. Even now, if she were to return to active service, she possessed more than enough strength to easily claim a Vice-Captain position. For someone of her caliber to be gravely injured meant something truly extraordinary had occurred.
"The girl in the Red Fox Mask. Astaroth… was it?"
"The primary suspect in this incident?"
"Yes."
Karlad's brow furrowed deeply. A highly dangerous individual who had ambushed Class 1-A during their field training. Fortunately, none of the students had died, but the National Research Institute was a different story. There were zero survivors. Despite powerful warriors being stationed at the institute at all times, they had all been slaughtered without even being able to send out a request for reinforcements. To protect her students, Angelica had fought a desperate battle against the girl in the Red Fox Mask, and the result was a total defeat.
"I heard she couldn't even inflict a single scratch on her. It wasn't even a proper fight."
"Angelica couldn't? That means…"
"She is Captain-level at the very least. No, perhaps even beyond that."
That wasn't the only alarming part. Her exact supernatural ability remained entirely unknown. She could control and empower monsters through her mask, and she could even manipulate humans. Given that she pulled objects out of her parasol, she likely possessed a spatial ability as well. And considering she shrugged off every attack with her bare body, she might have some sort of hardening ability. Or perhaps her true ability comprehensively encompassed all of those traits.
"And considering she hinted that she wasn't alone, it's highly likely she belongs to a specific organization."
"Could it be the Family…?"
"Who knows. I highly doubt those bastards have the resources left to nurture a powerhouse of that caliber."
The terrorist group known as the Family was certainly a nuisance, but that was all they were. Ever since the massive sweep operation a few years ago, they had long since lost their former power.
"Illegal supernatural organizations have always existed. It's just that in the past, the Family's influence was so overwhelming that most of them were either absorbed or went underground as subordinates, keeping a low profile."
But this time, the situation was different. An organization harboring an ability user who could toy with a Vice-Captain-level figure. Even if they assumed Astaroth was an exceptionally gifted individual acting alone, the danger was still immense. A Captain-level supernatural user had aligned with a terrorist group. Only a Captain of equal caliber could face another Captain. If Astaroth were to appear again, unless one of the seven Captains stepped forward, the meaningless casualties would only multiply.
But what if there were multiple ability users on par with Astaroth? In the worst-case scenario, what if they decided to pick up where the Family left off and launch full-scale terrorist activities?
"A disaster on par with the Great Catastrophe five years ago could occur."
"…We must convene a Captains' meeting."
"Yes. Send out a summons to all divisions under my name."
Arien nodded, her face hardening into a cold expression. A Captain-level ability user acting with malice toward humanity was, in a sense, an even greater threat than the monsters themselves.
However, Karlad did not know. They weren't even human to begin with.
The clicking of heels came to a halt in front of a round marble table. Spanning well over ten meters, the round table had long since lost its former grandeur, worn down by the passage of time. It looked as though touching it would leave stone dust on one's fingertips. Cracks and fractures ran all over its surface, making it seem as if the slightest touch would cause it to collapse entirely.
But the girl in the Red Fox Mask didn't care in the least. She took a seat in one of the four chairs around the table and lightly snapped her fingers. A candle flickered to life. A faint light finally pierced the pitch-black darkness of the secret chamber.
"So, what's this about?"
Astaroth spoke with feigned ignorance. Of course, she knew exactly why. It was obvious she had been summoned to be interrogated about what she had done.
"Isn't our regular meeting once a month? Besides, summoning only me without the others… I wonder what your intentions are?"
"Consider yourself fortunate that you are the only one summoned, Astaroth."
On the opposite side of where she sat, a Rakshasa was waiting.
"If everyone were gathered, this would not be a warning, but an execution."
The man wearing the blue Rakshasa mask spoke in a low, quiet voice. Though there was no wind, the candle flame flickered. Deep shadows clung to his mask.
"This seat has told you before. You are forbidden from interfering with human society in the light until the time is ripe."
"Yeah, yeah, I've heard it so many times I've got calluses on my ears."
"Then why did you disobey?"
"They were just so pathetic I couldn't help myself?"
Astaroth retorted nonchalantly. She tapped her shoulder with her parasol, her lips curling into a smirk beneath her mask.
"Your methods are so old-fashioned they bore me. Actually, should I say they're laughable?"
"What is?"
"The way you crawl around with your tail tucked between your legs like a frightened dog."
"Foolish girl. We have yet to find either the Chosen One or the Wedge of Causality."
Astaroth fell silent for a moment at the man's words. He wasn't wrong. In fact, his reasoning was entirely sound. At this stage, when they had found nothing, acting rashly would only invite disaster. There was a reason why they couldn't act openly despite having already crossed over to this world, forced to move silently in the shadows. It was because of the trap prepared by the detestable gods of the Four Seasons.
"The awakening of the Chosen One is an event locked by causality. Any attempt to prevent it will only accelerate their awakening instead. Must this seat teach you such basic common sense again?"
"Who said I didn't know that?"
The war that had raged for over three hundred years had ultimately ended in humanity's victory. Through the exploits of the one chosen by the gods, the entities of the other world had been permanently banished from this realm. Unable to accept that conclusion, they had challenged the time axis again and again, but the result was always the same. This was because the four gods had locked the timeline through causality.
The Chosen One would awaken without fail. Even if they traveled to the past and killed them, they would somehow resurrect and awaken anyway. To stop it, they had to shatter the locked causality.
"Unless we find and destroy the Wedge of Causality—the anchor that locks the Chosen One's destiny—the outcome will only repeat."
"But we don't even know who they are! Neither the Chosen One nor the Wedge of Causality. When are we going to find them? What if they awaken in the meantime? Then we'll have to give up on this loop too, right? Sure, once they awaken, we'll know who the Chosen One is. But can we carry that information over to the next loop? No, we can't, can we?"
"…Which is precisely why we must act with the utmost care."
"The you of the previous loop, and the you of the loop before that… I'm sure they all said the exact same thing."
"And you, no doubt, spoke just as you do now."
Astaroth let out a dry laugh. Well, who knows about that?
"Do whatever you want. I'm going to move according to my own will."
Arguing for a hundred days would only lead them in parallel circles. Deciding there was nothing more to hear, Astaroth stood up from her seat. Even though they were inside a pitch-black chamber devoid of sunlight, she unfurled her parasol and began to walk toward the door, her heels clicking against the floor.
"Astaroth. There will not be a second warning."
The candle went out. The cast shadows were swallowed by the darkness, and a hole was suddenly pierced through her parasol. A crack formed on her Red Fox Mask. A few strands of her black hair were severed.
"Did you understand what this seat said?"
Looking down at her messy, scattered hair, Astaroth let out a short sigh.
"…They say when the tiger is away, the fox rules the valley. You're certainly having a grand old time, aren't you?"
Astaroth grabbed her Red Fox Mask. Removing it from her face, she turned her head. Her cold, deep blue eyes glared at the man.
"Now that the number one is gone, the eternal number two is absolutely thrilled to play the boss, aren't you?"
"…"
"But you see, I'm the fox here. So shouldn't I be the one ruling the valley?"
"Are you prepared to take responsibility for those words?"
"Why wouldn't I be? I've hated it for a long time anyway. The fact that my rank is a measly twenty-nine."
The air grew heavy, sinking like the depths of a sunless ocean. The round table trembled, shedding a shower of stone dust.
"Don't get it twisted. I am not your subordinate, and I have no reason to obey your orders."
"Then prove it through your rank, 29th Seat, Astaroth."
"Sure, why not? Let's do this. It's been quite a while since the ranks were locked, hasn't it? 2nd Seat, Agares."
The gazes of the two Mains clashed. Beyond the round table, the entire secret chamber began to vibrate. A sudden gale swept through the sealed space. The extinguished candle was caught in the tempest, floating into the air.
Astaroth's eyebrows twitched. The pressure weighing down on her shoulders was immense. Yet, it was clear that he was not as strong as he used to be. He had obviously consumed too much of his power in the process of defying heaven. Though his lost strength would return over time, at least for now, he was weakened.
Folding her parasol, Astaroth stared at Agares as he slowly rose from his chair. She gripped her parasol with both hands. Recalling the spear techniques she had copied from Angelica, she threw herself toward the blue Rakshasa without a moment's hesitation.
"So, how did it go?"
"I got absolutely wrecked."
Astaroth let out a miserable groan. Stripping off her torn black dress, she collapsed onto the bed in her underwear. Although all her physical injuries had healed, her pride was still deeply wounded. She had talked so big before charging in…
"Tch… I thought I'd stand a chance since he was weakened…"
"Aren't you Rank 29? There's a double-digit gap between you and Rank 2. How did you even gather the courage to challenge him?"
"Ranks are just for show! Except for Rank 1, everyone else is pretty much on the same level!"
"Well, seeing how you got utterly thrashed, it seems at least Rank 2 is definitely not on the same level."
"Ugh…"
She couldn't refute it because it was the truth. Indeed, Rank 2 was the closest entity to Rank 1. It was not a level the current Astaroth could dare to match. Still, since he was weakened, she had decided to test the waters, but she hadn't expected to be so one-sidedly beaten. Although Astaroth herself wasn't in peak condition either, just like Agares…
"What are you going to do now? Are you going to do as he says?"
"I lost, so I have to obey. At least on the surface."
Astaroth pointed to her legs.
"My muscles are all knotted up. It hurts. Massage them for me."
The girl sighed. Sitting down beside her, she rolled up her sleeves. Hands adorned with numerous rings touched Astaroth's porcelain-white thighs.
"Come to think of it, I haven't thanked you yet."
"Hmm? For what?"
"Thanks to the information you gave me, I knew exactly when and where Class 1-A was going for their field training. Thank you! I had so much fun because of you. It was a huge help."
"Oh, please. What are friends for?" the girl said with a smirk.
"Still, if you were going to pull something like that, you should've warned me beforehand. I almost died too, you know?"
"It's fine, it's fine. I only planned to kill a few as an example from the start. There was no way the damage would have reached you."
"Well, if you say so."
The girl's massage moved from her legs up to her waist and back. Through her purple hair, earrings shaped like full moons peeked out.
"Did you find what you were looking for? The… Chosen One, was it?"
"Yep, I found him."
Though she hadn't told Agares. Giggling, Astaroth stuck out her tongue, directing her mockery toward someone who wasn't in the room.
"The information I got from the previous loops only told me that the Chosen One was an Academy student. I struggled because that was all I had to go on, but… hehe, I got lucky."
"Are you sure? You're not mistaken?"
"There's no way I'm mistaken. It's absolutely certain. The Chosen One is my brother."
"Your brother?"
"Yujin."
"Ah… that guy? He was definitely incredibly strong."
The girl shook her head in awe as she recalled that time. A mere first-year fighting on equal terms with a high-ranking monster… She had thought his talent was absurd, but if he was the Chosen One, it made perfect sense.
"The problem is the Wedge of Causality… well, I have a few candidates in mind for that too."
Simply finding the Chosen One was meaningless. Since causality was still locked, even if she tried to kill him now, not only would she fail, but it would ultimately only accelerate his awakening.
The girl's hands massaged Astaroth's slender shoulders and arms. Wondering idly how such immense power could come from a body with so little flesh and muscle, the girl suddenly tilted her head as a thought occurred to her.
"But why aren't you telling the other Mains? They're all desperately searching for the Chosen One too, aren't they?"
"Agares has his plans, and I have mine."
Why on earth would she follow Agares's plans and make things easy for him? She was going to do things her own way.