My name is Kon. I used to go by the name Gure, but I took the name Kon when I was appointed as the leader of my tribe. About sixty years have passed since then.
Our tribe, the Silver Foxes, has been slowly dwindling in number. This is largely because we live in seclusion, hiding away deep within the forest. Life in the forest is never truly safe; danger is a constant companion. While those among us who can take human form have the option of blending into towns and villages to survive, the Silver Fox Race generally avoids other species. We prefer the company of our own kind or other fox-kin. Beyond that, we maintain "neither-too-close-nor-too-far" relationships with the few races we must stay on friendly terms with to survive.
I knew things couldn’t continue this way. I knew there was no future for us unless we found a place to settle down permanently. But what were we to do? Even after endless discussions within the clan, we couldn't find a solution. Ten years passed while I agonized over our fate.
Then, near the end of autumn one year, a request reached us. It came from Lord Seiten, the Monkey Sacred Beast.
Apparently, the Monkey Clan had clashed with the Goblins and somehow managed to drag a noble of the Demon Kingdom into the mess. Lord Seiten was traveling to offer a formal apology and wanted to hire us as escorts and gain access to the Silver Fox Race Paths.
It was a rare request. I don’t mean the work itself—plenty of our people, myself included, can shift into human form, making us well-suited for escort duty. Sometimes we even have clients who cannot transform pretend to be pets. Furthermore, our tribe maintains secret paths in various regions, and we receive a fair number of requests to use them. These jobs happen about once a year and serve as a vital source of income for the tribe.
No, what I found strange was the fact that Lord Seiten was the one going to apologize. To be blunt, monkeys are fundamentally arrogant and self-centered. They maintain order within their own troop, but they are indifferent and reckless toward anything outside of it. I found it hard to believe that Lord Seiten would personally humble himself over a dispute.
However, once I heard that Lady Niz, the Messenger of the Snake God, was involved, it all made sense. It was a matter concerning "those above." Lord Seiten certainly had it rough.
We gladly accepted the request to provide an escort and access to our paths. Our destinations were the Demon Kingdom Royal Capital and a nearby... village? A village as large as a town, apparently. We were to depart immediately.
When it came time to select the personnel for the mission, I had a strange premonition. I felt that I had to participate personally. I had never experienced such a sensation before, but I had no intention of resisting it. Believing it to be a sign of good fortune, I resolved to see the job through.
By mid-winter, Lord Seiten’s apology at the Royal Capital was concluded swiftly. The other party didn’t seem interested in making a scene. Once the formal procedures were finished, the meeting transitioned naturally into a banquet.
"Is it all right for us escorts to join as well?" I asked. "There are twelve of us, including myself."
They didn't mind at all. The food was magnificent, and the sake was just as good.
Next, we traveled to Village Five.
No matter how you looked at it, the place was a city. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it rivaled the Royal Capital, but it was larger than any town I’d ever seen. Why they insisted on calling it a village was beyond me.
Our task here was to apologize to the Village Head and Lady Niz. Lord Seiten wanted to see the Village Head first, which surprised me. Even if he was the leader of a massive city, I found it hard to believe a human would outrank a Messenger of the Snake God like Lady Niz. Still, I was just the escort; I followed his lead.
we headed to the building housing the Village Five Assembly Hall, where Lord Seiten requested an audience with the Village Head. Normally, we would have just left a message and returned another day, but we were stopped. We were told the Village Head was away, but the Acting Village Head would see us immediately.
This was a blessing, yet I predicted it would lead to complications. Since the goal was a formal apology, a meeting with a mere proxy wouldn't be enough to settle things. Normally, a proxy’s acceptance would suffice, but with the gods involved, Lord Seiten needed to speak with the Village Head himself. He couldn't just barge in and cause trouble, though; he had to find a convenient time and make arrangements. I feared we were in for a long wait.
While I was lost in these thoughts, I had a reunion with a most surprising person: the nine-tailed fox, Lady Yoko. She was the Acting Village Head of Village Five.
"It has been a long time," she said. "I see you have taken the name Kon."
"Yes. It has been far too long, Lady Yoko," I replied.
I had a thousand questions for her, but Lord Seiten’s business came first.
"I understand your desire to apologize," Yoko said. "My estimate was that it would take you several years to get here, so I commend your swift arrival. I wish to summon the Village Head and arrange the setting, but... what of Gol's place? You have already finished there? Excellent. And Niz? After this? I see. Very well, that's fine."
It seemed the order of our apologies was correct.
"What have you prepared as gifts?" she asked.
Lord Seiten showed her the catalog.
"You have been quite generous. This is more than enough to hold a banquet. Niz runs a shop here in Village Five; we shall make that the venue. It will save you some trouble. Don't worry, I will put in a good word with her. Niz doesn't like conflict; she won't be harsh to those who come to humble themselves."
Lady Yoko began issuing orders to her subordinates. The formal apology was to take place at her mansion. Given how many people moved through the Assembly Hall, she was being considerate of Lord Seiten's dignity. Furthermore, she promised to summon the Village Head.
"I know summoning the person you are apologizing to is technically rude," she admitted, "but you lot would never be able to reach his home on your own. It is easier to call him here, and the Village Head isn't the type to get angry over something like that."
It sounded a bit dismissive, but if it saved us the effort of finding him, I wouldn't complain.
"However, the Village Head is currently at lunch. As am I. You’ll have to wait a while."
Since I had expected a much longer delay, I didn't mind waiting a few hours. But lunch? That meant they ate three full meals a day. The Village Head and Lady Yoko certainly lived enviable lives.
"Would you like something to eat as well?" she offered.
"We would be honored. However... there are twelve of us in the escort. Is that truly all right?"
She assured us it was. The rice dish they called O-inari-san was absolutely superb, and the udon noodles were delicious. I was so taken with the food that I ended up asking for three extra helpings of the rice.
I had to pull myself together. I was becoming completely absorbed in the meal. I needed to speak with Lady Yoko properly while I had the chance. There were many things I needed to ask her and advice I needed to seek regarding the future of my tribe.