Bonus chapter unlocked by your Power Stones!
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"I pushed a bit too hard, quite a few magic stones got erased by the Corrosive Power."
Takumi descended slowly from the sky. With a flick of his wrist, the magic stones on the ground flew into his hand.
At the same time, he glanced at the Trait [Toughened Skin] and chose to fuse it. He only felt his skin grow a touch tighter; as for other effects… there really weren't any.
Not bothering with it further, Takumi looked toward the trembling Haruhime.
She lifted her delicate face; those watery emerald eyes met Takumi's gaze.
Zzz~~~
Like an electric jolt, something raced through both their hearts. A rosy blush rose upon Haruhime's pale skin. Her cherry lips parted slightly, and a soft, melodious whisper slipped out.
"M-My lord, thank you~~"
Haruhime was so overwhelmed that, after all that, it was all she could say. Her pounding heart utterly disrupted her thoughts. That fluffy golden fox tail swished non-stop—like a puppy greeting its master.
Seeing how dazed and adorable she looked, Takumi couldn't help but smile.
"Are you alright, little fox?" He approached at an easy pace; his voice was gentle.
Flushed to the ears, Haruhime answered in a small voice. "M-My lord, I'm fine… mm~ My name is Sanjouno—Haruhime. You can call me Haruhime."
The latter half was so quiet it was like the faint buzz of a mosquito's wings. Fortunately, Takumi's senses were sharp; he still caught every word.
"Haruhime, huh? Pleased to meet you. I'm Takumi."
Hearing the name before him, Takumi showed no surprise—only mild curiosity that he'd run into her here.
This [Love Curse] and its fate-warping… it was getting excessive. In the original timeline, she should already have been a slave for some time.
Still, that was good news. It confirmed the degree and direction of destiny's twist were aligned with his subconscious.
And once Haruhime learned Takumi's name, she murmured it to herself a few times, as if to etch it into the depths of her soul.
Her endearingly silly, cute behavior made Takumi reach out and rub her head.
Soft, warm fox ears and silky gold hair—top-tier hand feel.
Under his headpats, Haruhime's white neck turned crimson, the tips of her ears burning hot. Her lightly trembling body grew a shade dewier at once. That cloud-floating sensation made her mind go hazy.
"This lord, you're an adventurer from Orario, aren't you? I'm Zok, a Level 1 Pallum of the Soma Familia. I was out doing trade when monsters attacked. Could you escort me back to Orario? I'll pay you handsomely."
The Pallum who'd been sprinting fastest a moment ago rushed back, fawning smile in place, trying to strike a deal.
Noticing Takumi and Haruhime's closeness, jealousy and resentment flashed in his eyes.
Stretching and shrinking as suited him, he quickly added. "As long as you retrieve my cargo for me, this fox girl is yours."
"Eh?!" Haruhime froze at being treated like goods.
She wanted to protest—but seeing Takumi beside her… Then imagining herself being given to him, she inexplicably held her tongue.
Takumi spared the sycophantic Pallum Zok a single, chilly glance. With no warning at all, he moved.
Bang!!
One kick sent the Pallum flying, the shock pulping his internal organs. Then Takumi swept his right hand; healing light fell.
"Heal!"
When the radiance faded, the writhing Zok stood whole and mended. At the same time, memories regarding him surfaced within Takumi's mind.
After erasing most of Zok's memories, Takumi extended his forefinger and lightly tapped the space between Haruhime's brows. In the next heartbeat, the memories of how she'd been framed poured in.
"T-These… these memories… Zok-dono, you're the one who harmed me!!"
Still stunned by Takumi's sudden strike, Haruhime was rocked by the flood in her mind. She had never imagined that her current tragic state was all orchestrated by Zok.
"What? How do you know that?"
Zok, bewildered at being perfectly fine a second ago, gaped at Haruhime's sudden clarity.
He couldn't make heads or tails of it. And facing someone stronger than any monster, he had no chance to flee. Now he regretted ever coming back.
Ignoring the garbage, Takumi fixed his gaze on Haruhime.
"Haruhime, you understand now. Do you want to kill him yourself?"
With Alchemy Magic, Takumi conjured a short dagger and handed it to her.
Haruhime looked at the terrified Zok. After a long hesitation, she lowered her head. "N-No… I can't. I can't do it."
Shaking her head with tear-brimmed eyes, Haruhime refused. Too kind at heart, she couldn't kill her enemy—not with her own hands.
"In that case, I'll do it."
Takumi patted her head again—no reproach in his tone. He respected the girl's choice and had no wish to warp her heart by force.
"Wait—I have money…"
As Zok sensed death descending, he tried to beg—but a gravity dozens of times normal crashed down like a colossal hammer.
Thud!
In an instant, Zok was smashed into a meat patty, pasted into the earth.
[Ding! Randomly plundered Trait: Pallum Bloodline (Green)]
Takumi ignored the Trait. Instead, he took Haruhime by the hand and led her away.
Though she couldn't bring herself to kill, Haruhime felt no blame toward Takumi.
On the contrary—she looked at the man who had avenged her, gratitude overflowing in her heart.
She was a useless little fox-girl… yet Takumi-sama still treated her so gently. She truly didn't know how she could repay him.
Biting her lip lightly, Haruhime spoke in a soft, tender voice. "Takumi-sama, you killed him… for my sake. I don't know how to repay you. If you're willing, please let me follow you~~"
Lifting her moist eyes, Haruhime gazed at him with the utmost seriousness. She had nowhere to go. Takumi was her salvation—and the home she now longed for.
As she spoke, Haruhime mustered herself to demonstrate the magic she possessed.
Light spread out to cloak Takumi, slightly amplifying the effects of his magic.
It was the Fox Art she knew—right now, her only spell—capable of enhancing magical effects. After the brief display, Haruhime lowered her head in shame.
"I-I'm sorry, Takumi-sama. This… this is all I can do."
Her magic was too weak, utterly incomparable to Takumi's. Aside from that, Haruhime racked her brain to find any other way she could be of help…
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