In the heart of a dense forest, a light breeze carried the faint scent of earth and pine. A thin plume of smoke rose into the overcast sky, barely noticeable among the towering trees. Next to the remnants of a burnt-out campfire, a boy with silver hair sat contentedly, cradling an earthen bowl filled with a yellowish soup. Despite its unremarkable appearance, he savored each spoonful as if it were the finest meal.
"This is… so, so good," Kaito thought, taking one last sip before setting the now-empty bowl beside him. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and leaned back, gazing at the sky where the sun struggled to peek through the thick clouds.
He sighed softly, lost in thought. "I am Kaito Yamashiro… or rather, I was Kaito Yamashiro. Here, I'm just Kaito. Nothing more, nothing less."
A small smile played on his lips as his thoughts wandered back to the morning—the warmth of waking up beside Eve, the fox maid who had been there when he first arrived in this strange world. "When I woke up, she was still sleeping, wrapped around me, holding me close. And her tail…" He absentmindedly brushed his side, recalling the soft, fluffy sensation. "It's softer than anything I've ever felt… kind of like my old kitten back home."
Eve had shared what little she could about his past. "According to her, my mother is the Mother Goddess and my sisters and friends were goddesses of virtues. And then there is this devil hero." As the image of the devil hero flashed through his mind, Kaito's face hardened. He clenched his fist, gripping the soil beneath him. The soil slipped through his fingers as a manic grin spread across his face.
"Hahaha… You know the best way to deal with a mouse that keeps taking advantage of you without getting your hands dirty? First, snap its fingers one by one, then peel off its tail slowly, letting it savor the pain it inflicted on others. Hahaha."
As his thoughts grew darker, the air around him crackled with intensity, like the searing breath of a dragon. The ground trembled beneath him, bluish lightning flickered, and crimson sparks erupted sporadically. The vibrant, dangerous energy responded to his turmoil, devouring everything in its path.
Suu..
"What the—!"
Kaito felt himself being flung through the air at an alarming speed. Instead of pain, a strange warmth enveloped him.
"Master! Master!"
When the world finally stopped spinning, Kaito opened his eyes to find something soft and heavy pressing down on him. He blinked in confusion and looked up to see his maid sitting on his chest. Her long white tail swayed gently, and her fox-like ears twitched curiously.
'Too... too cute!'
The dark thoughts that had clouded his mind vanished instantly. His face brightened, eyes sparkling as he focused on Eve's twitching ears and swaying tail. It reminded him of his old kitten in Japan—how he loved to tease her by stroking her soft ears and tail, watching her squirm with delight. Just thinking about it warmed his chest.
'Uugh... Kaito, control yourself,' he chastised inwardly. 'She may seem like my little kitten with her tail and ears, but she's... she's,' he struggled to find the right words, finally settling on, 'not.' As if losing the battle, he reminded himself, 'If my old kitten didn't like being rubbed and fussed over while struggling in my arms, then... I should be careful not to impose that same affection on Eve.'
'It seems that master's seal is about to complete. He is no longer feeling anything about my body but his feelings. Sigh... it is just overwhelming.'
Despite Eve's outward appearance—eyes wide and innocent like a kitten watching a mouse—inside, she was grappling with a mix of disappointment and unease. While she wasn't outright unhappy, the situation left her feeling conflicted and unsatisfied.
Eve carefully climbed down from her master's chest and settled beside him. Lowering her gaze, she said quietly, "I'm sorry, master."
Kaito brushed off her apology with a casual wave as he stood up. "Don't worry about it."
Stretching, he looked at her with curiosity. "So, what do you think? Which way should we go?"
Eve considered their options before responding. "We could head southeast or west. There are settlements in both directions. There are also a few small settlements in the southwest."
After thinking for a moment, Kaito decided, "Let's head southwest to the smaller settlements."
"As you wish, my lord," Eve replied calmly.
At her words, Kaito's excitement surged. Like a child discovering a zoo for the first time—though he had been to one twice before—he began to run and jump around with uncontained joy. "What kinds of animals are there in this jungle, Eve?"
Eve chuckled at his enthusiasm. "There are over a hundred types of animals in this jungle, and they're all magical. You can tame and pet any of them if you wish."
Kaito's eyes widened with delight. "Really? I can't wait to see them! Let's go!!"
With a fond smile, Eve said, "Yes, my lord, but please be careful. If you want to tame or pet any animal, just let me know. Doing it on your own might be destructive."
As Kaito bound ahead, his excitement palpable, Eve followed at a more measured pace, her eyes watching him with amusement and affection.
Kaito and Eve began their journey southwest towards the smaller settlements.
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