“Ha…”

 

Miss White Fox’s lips curled into a slight, somewhat resigned sigh, revealing the sentiment of “as expected.”

 

Although her behavior had indeed seemed a bit unusual at the time, she hadn’t anticipated it would be noticed. The Bright Light Saintess lived up to her reputation—beneath her seemingly harmless and simple exterior, she was, after all, one of the top figures in the Holy Empire, an old… veteran who had held high positions for decades.

 

However, it wasn’t a big deal. After all, this was one of the pieces of information Violet had planned to reveal. Having a somewhat ambiguous relationship like “knowing” or “having met” could actually help to clearly distinguish between her identities as “Dawn” and “Violet,” which would be useful for her future plans.

 

“Well, we do have some acquaintance… but to be honest, I don’t know where she is now, so asking me is pointless. Uh… yes, the secrets of Heaven should not be disclosed!”

 

“……?”

 

Clearly taken aback by this rather vague and mystic explanation, the Saintess tilted her head in surprise, looking somewhat troubled.

 

“Not even her real name… can you reveal?”

 

“Well, how should I put it? For certain reasons, she cannot get involved in this matter, so she asked me to come and help out within certain limits. Of course, you will still need to rely on yourselves for the most part.”

 

“……”

 

As if she had received extremely important information, Yuna nodded seriously and solemnly.

 

“I understand. That’s… more than enough. Thank you, Miss Dawn. With this, I can finally make up my mind and take action to change the current situation.”

 

“?”

 

Wait, what did you understand? I was just putting on an act and babbling a bit!

 

Hey, don’t just make assumptions! The consequences of assuming things can be severe!

 

Realizing she had somehow ended up in an unexpected situation, Violet quickly tried to say something to correct the misunderstanding. However, the Saintess had already turned and continued walking away with her back turned, speaking as she walked.

 

“Tomorrow morning, I will be discussing further actions with Mr. Diviner in the Spirit Veil Merchant Guild’s chamber. If Miss Dawn is interested, please feel free to join us. Although I still don’t know your exact identity, since you were recommended by the head of the Spirit Veil Merchant Guild and are acquainted with that person, I have no objections. After all, Mr. Diviner’s judgment is usually reliable.”

 

“Then, I look forward to our meeting tomorrow, Miss Dawn.”

 

Yuna’s gentle and pure voice echoed in Violet’s ears, but the Saintess’ figure had already turned the corner and ascended the staircase, leaving Miss White Fox standing there in a daze.

 

“Oh… so that’s it… So that old man specifically brought me to the sale because he had this in mind…”

 

Violet suddenly seemed to understand.

 

This is the Spirit Veil Merchant Guild actively building a relationship with the 【Fox Spirit Shrine Maiden】, introducing their allies, and showcasing their background.

 

The Diviner’s initiative to involve her undoubtedly aims to leverage the 【Fox Spirit Shrine Maiden】’s power to achieve certain goals. However, as Yuna indicated, this is merely a subtle invitation. If she is unwilling, Violet can completely refuse to attend the meeting tomorrow.

 

So, ultimately, this only gives her an opportunity to choose, rather than forcibly binding the fox girl to the Spirit Veil Merchant Guild through coercion or temptation.

 

Perhaps, this is where the old man’s cleverness lies.

 

Violet originally wanted to stop Yuna and spend some time clarifying the strange things she had said earlier, but upon reconsideration, she felt it wasn’t really necessary.

 

The Bright Light Saintess is a stable and far-sighted figure, a seasoned strong person who wouldn’t easily make irrational decisions based on a few words from someone she’s just met.

 

Rather than thinking she was swayed by Violet’s offhand remarks, it’s more likely that she had already made plans and prepared for a long time. The recent events and the sudden appearance of the fox girl provided her with a reason to convince herself.

 

In other words, even without Violet and Dawn, what Yuna needs to do next wouldn’t change much.

 

Well, then, there’s nothing more to say.

 

After spending some time and following the guidance of the ever-present maids, Violet wandered through the vast estate controlled by the Summerfield family. This was also the only path to leave the place.

 

“Shasha, shasha…”

 

The small cloth shoes made a crisp sound on the soft grass, perhaps because of the commotion at the sale requiring many hands, the guests inside hadn’t left yet. At this moment, besides the cool night breeze, the only company was the three bright moons hanging in the sky, casting their silver light over the girl.

 

Not far off, the bright lights seeping from the castle were still magnificent, but the empty, late-night winter wind brought a slight chill.

 

Thus, at some point, the girl wearing the white fox mask abruptly stopped.

 

“By the way, how long are you going to keep following me from the venue until now? If you plan to make a move or something, please hurry up. I’m in a hurry to get back.”

 

“Whoo~~ whoo~~ whoo~~”

 

The night wind brushed over the lush and soft grass, creating wave-like rustling patterns. In the empty courtyard, her voice went unanswered, making it seem like the girl was merely talking to herself.

 

“Hey, playing deaf and mute, huh…”

 

A bit impatient, Miss White Fox clicked her tongue and raised her hand. A smooth, rounded, jet-black gem, radiating what seemed like infinite magical power, appeared in her palm.

 

The gem, about twice the size of the 【Bewitching Orb】, was too large for the girl’s slender hand to grip, so it floated directly in the air.

 

“I’ll count to three. If you don’t come out by then, I’ll take action.”

 

Without saying much, the girl began to count in a detached tone, as if still talking to herself.

 

“3… 2…”

 

But before she could shout the final “1,” a figure suddenly appeared from a spot completely out of the girl’s line of sight, as if defying visual and logical expectations.

 

“Don’t, don’t, don’t… don’t make a move! Let’s talk things out, let’s talk things out, big sister fox!!!”

 

“Big sister fox…?”

 

The somewhat familiar voice and lewd tone made Violet raise an eyebrow. The 【Demon God’s Gem】, which was almost about to be thrown, floated back to her side, spinning lightly in the air, looking quite ethereal.

 

“Wait, could it be…”

 

As if suddenly recalling something, Miss White Fox turned around in surprise. She casually raised her hand, and an invisible wind swept through, blowing off the hood of a small figure shrouded in dark robes that nearly blended into the night.

 

It revealed a mouse-like head, shivering in the cold night. The strong wind seemed to startle the already nervous figure, causing it to reflexively collapse face-down in a very undignified manner, immediately begging for mercy.

 

“Eek! Please don’t make a move! Little Mouse just happened to pass by, really didn’t mean to offend! Have mercy, please spare my mouse life!!!”

 

“……?”