Swordsmaster Fox-girl

The Casino, a place that was the symbol of human’s desire. Greed, lust, and everything possible was common and even encouraged there.

Of course, I wouldn’t be swept up in that. I was smart, after all.

{I highly doubt that. Although it would be funny seeing you lose all your money, I won’t let you}

Tch, have some faith in me, will you? I’m not gonna do it! Right, Aerin?

{...}

Aerin?

{S-Sorry master, but I’m siding with big sis on this one}

Traitor—!

{Khahaha! Two to one. Now leave your money behind}

It seems like I have no choice.

I propped Nira and Aerin against the wall and took a deep breath. My eyes became slightly moist as I absentmindedly fiddled with my fingers.

“P-Please~ I-I will behave! Please let me bring money~!”

I could hear both of them choking in my head. 

{Pushover? Pushover!? Why are you fainting?}

{Too… cute….!}

{Dammit Esther! I’ll let you bring half! Just stop doing that!}

“Hehe~”

Since I turned into a Fox-girl, I’d always wanted to use my charm to its best. Since Nira herself even fell for it, I could rest assured that it would be a viable tactic in the future.

Anyways, one final test before I go. I picked Aerin up and pointed her forward. There was something I’d been putting off ever since I was born again.

I…. I was too afraid of the result. If I failed, then I had to accept the fact that I wasn’t a Swordsmaster anymore. Of course, I’d already come to terms with that years ago, but I hadn’t actually done the test.

“Being in a field in the early morning would be preferable, but this works too.”

The test was that of gentleness and precision. I was pretty sure I had the precision part down, but I hadn’t used gentleness at all since my rebirth.

Simply put, I must strike a blade of grass so that only the morning dew was on my sword and nothing more. If even so much as the tip of the grass was cut off, I would fail the test.

{Esther}

Hm?

{Whatever the result is, don’t be too discouraged. I promise I’ll make you into a Swordsmaster again}

…Thanks, Nira.

But I was already prepared for failure.

With my left hand, I threw something people called a “plastic water bottle” into the air. My goal: cut off the cap and the cap only. 

With my right hand, I slashed. Aerin’s blade flew through the air and peeled only the cap off without much trouble.

It looked like I succeeded, but my face fell.

“Dammit, I can’t do it after all.”

My blade was precise, yes. But it wasn’t gentle. The pressure from my slash crushed the bottle, making water leak out.

Becoming a Swordsmaster only had three requirements.

Strength,

Precision,

And Gentleness.

I was making good progress toward Strength with the combined absorption ability of Aerin and my Nogitsune race. But there was simply no such shortcut for Gentleness.

{It took you six constant years of fighting}

“But I can’t afford to do that now.”

That was when I didn’t have to worry about money. 

Maybe I could become a wartime Mercenary, but there was literally no conflict on this continent aside from a few border skirmishes here and there.

“Let’s think about it later. I must be running late.”

Thankfully, I didn’t. Our client arrived just as I did. I greeted him with a warm smile and then promptly followed him and Smith to the casino like a duckling following her mother.

The casino was big. Its shape was like an egg lying down. But despite its huge size, there was only one entrance and one exit.

Our client could enter the casino just fine. But when it was our turn, we were stopped.

“Pardon me, but I have to check your persons for Special Storage Boxes or Anti-Gift Fields. I hope your esteemed patrons understand.”

Smith gave our client a questioning look, but he just shrugged. “Let the boy inspect you. He only let me through because I am a regular.”

Mmm, I wasn’t really comfortable with this, but I had no choice. Luckily, my clothes weren’t too complicated and I was let in with a couple of pats down my body.

Smith and Jeanne’s turns were also like that, but the same couldn’t be said for the Elf bitch.

“What do you mean I have to be ‘thoroughly inspected’!?”

“I’m sorry, esteemed patron. But your frilly dress doesn't give us many choices here. I can arrange a female Elf staff to inspect you, if you like.”

“B-But….”

“Oh? You want that guy to inspect you instead?” I snickered and deliberately made my voice loud. Others might not have noticed, but I saw the treehugger quietly checking out the entrance security guy while she thought no one was watching. And I could see how she silently gritted her teeth when I was inspected. 

You owe me for this, I gave her a look that she could understand.

She responded by looking at me pleadingly. 

With as much swagger as I could pull off, I slung my arm over the guy’s neck, making him flustered.

“You don’t see many women, do you?”

“I…I….”

“Don’t lie to me. I can smell innocent boys like you from miles away.”

Call it Vixen sense or whatever, but I could feel how he deliberately tried to look away when he patted me down.

“My friend here is very, very interested in you.” Even though he couldn’t hold a candle to Eric the Hero. Eh, I blame him for my skewed perception of handsomeness. “Maybe when you inspect her-” I whispered. “-your hands might slip, and something hot and indecent might happen. We’ll never know.”

The guy’s face couldn’t turn any redder. He broke away from me and rushed to Dinva.

“T-This way, esteemed patron.”

As Dinva was led away, I could see her mouthing the words “Thank you.”

I simply smiled and gave her a wave.

Much as I hated the Elf bitch, I was going to stick with Smith’s group for a while. It wouldn’t hurt to at least be on favorable terms with her.

{Are you done now?}

Nira’s voice somehow contained traces of irritation.

It was probably nothing, so I ignored her and turned back.

As soon as I did so, I saw another entrance guard. She extended her gloved hand to me and gave me a scrap of paper.

“From Smith?”

In short, he went in ahead with the client and told me to do whatever. But I must meet up with him at the casino’s center at 2P.M, which was five hours away.

“Thank you,” I told the guard.

She nodded and bowed. “Welcome to this humble establishment, esteemed patron. It is the most prized property of Mr. Park Ohjin, so I hope you will leave with only satisfaction in mind.”

My face froze. I could feel my hands trembling. With an equally trembling voice, I parted my lips.

“W-Who did you say this casino belonged to?”

“Pardon? Do you not know Mr. Park Ohjin, owner of the establishment? Ah, you might better know him as the Defender of the Hero’s Party.”

“H-He….! Is he here!?”

“Indeed, Mr. Park is always here, taking care of this place. But you’ll have to make an appointment before—”

I didn’t hear what the guard had to say anymore. A swirl of emotion bubbled up inside me, and I dragged myself into the casino while thinking of ways to contact him.