Volume 5, Chapter 2 – Shizuku’s Condition (2)

Shizuku-san stared back into my eyes, but I didn’t look away, continuing to meet her gaze with a serious expression.

After a while, Shizuku-san let out a small sigh.

“Good grief, I really cannot win against Fiene-dono, can I? Besides, since Fiene-dono is my master, there is no problem with showing my Status. Status Open.”

Accepting that she had no choice, Shizuku-san summoned her Status and showed it to me.

However, her face looked somewhat frightened of something.

▽ ▽ ▽

【Name】: Mieshiro Shizuku

【Race】: Human → Half-Black Fox

【Gender】: Female

【Class】: Samurai → Sword Saint, Merchant

【Level】: 34 → 1

【HP】: 350 → 202

【MP】: 100 → 70

【STR】: 420 → 240

【INT】: 195 → 120

【AGI】: 639 → 363

【DEX】: 680 → 384

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【VIT】: 297 → 165

【MND】: 311 → 187

【LUC】: 249 → 145

【Exp】: 6,780,234 → 1

【Unique Skill (1)】:

《Foxfire: 2》

【Skills (6)】:

《Blade Technique: 6》

《Horsemanship: 3》

《Archery: 3》

《Physical Enhancement: 2》

《Seasickness Resistance: 1 → 2》

《Item Appraisal: 2》

《Negotiation: 1》

▽ ▽ ▽

“Ah, I knew it.”

After seeing Shizuku-san’s Status, I was certain that my guess had been correct.

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“Fiene-dono, I apologize for keeping this from you. It seems I am no longer human,” Shizuku-san told me that with a pale face.

But with those animal ears and that tail, I think everyone already knew she wasn’t human.

“Um, it is that I ceased to be human due to Suikyou’s evil power. I was worried whether I still had the right to protect Fiene-dono…”

“Hah, and you couldn’t bring yourself to tell me because you thought I’d actually care about that?”

“…That is exactly correct.”

Shizuku-san slumped her head, and her ears and tail drooped in synchronization.

“Why would I care about something like that? Shizuku-san is still Shizuku-san.”

“But I am not human, you know?”

Shizuku-san still refused to let it go.

As expected, being forced to stop being human against one’s will must be painful.

Thinking about it, I couldn’t help but feel guilty, wondering if things might have turned out differently if I had handled things better back then.

But if I mentioned that, it would surely only hurt Shizuku-san’s heart further.

So, I spoke as brightly as I could.

“If you’re going to put it like that, I’m a Vampire, you know?”

“Huh? …Ah, come to think of it.”

After letting out a dumbfounded voice, Shizuku-san seemed to remember what happened in Jinsha.

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“I believe I mentioned it in Jinsha, but I’m actually a Vampire.”

“No, no, no. I know you’re trying to comfort me, but you should not joke about things like that. For Fiene-dono, who basks in the sunlight and manipulates such powerful Purification light at will, to be a Vampire is simply impossible.”

“And yet, it is possible. Look.”

With that, I showed my status to Shizuku-san.

She glanced at the race section and looked perplexed.

“Vampire (LOL)? What is this ‘(LOL)’ for?”

Yeah, that would make her curious.

“I don’t really know myself. If I could meet the Gods, I’d want to demand an answer.”

Yes, I bet it’s just some kind of harassment from that bald old man.

“I-is that so…”

Shizuku-san looked half-doubting.

“That’s why I don’t care about races. Besides, my party has never been mostly Human to begin with. So, I’m sure Chris-san and Lu-chan won’t care whether you’re Human or a Half-Black Fox.”

I smiled to reassure her, and Shizuku-san whispered a small thank you.

“Now, about your current situation. I think you’ve undergone an Existence Evolution.”

“Existence Evolution? Come to think of it, that sounds familiar…?”

“Oh? Did I mention it? Well, you might have heard it before, but Existence Evolution is when you evolve into a higher race by meeting specific conditions. For example, an Elf like Lu-chan can evolve into a High Elf if her Contract Spirit—meaning Mashiro-chan—evolves into a Greater Spirit.”

“I see. So that was it. That is the first I’ve heard of it.”

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I see. That means she might have overheard me talking about it with Lu-chan or someone else.

“Yes. Also, Ade told me this while we were in the hot springs in Kusane, but apparently, when you undergo Existence Evolution, your level drops to 1 and your status is reduced by about half. Your status fits those conditions perfectly, so I’m certain you’ve undergone an Existence Evolution.”

“I see. But I wonder why I evolved?”

“I think it’s because the Black Fox you summoned using Spirit Descent Technique and you were forcibly merged into one by Suikyou’s—no, the Water Dragon King’s—power. By the time I treated you, you were already in a state where I couldn’t separate the two.”

Recalling that moment, I felt a tightening in my chest.

Then Shizuku-san suddenly said something I didn’t really understand.

“I see. It must have been the Fox-dono.”

“Fox-dono?”

“I do not remember much from when I was being controlled, but I remember meeting a black fox in the darkness. I have a memory of doing something with the Fox-dono, though I cannot recall exactly what it was.”

As she spoke, a slightly lonely expression crossed Shizuku-san’s face.

“But I’m sure that Fox-dono is still inside you. So, you’ll be able to meet again eventually.”

“Do you think so?”

“Yes. I’m sure of it.”

When I said that with a smile, I felt as though Shizuku-san’s expression brightened a little.

Author Note

Additionally, it seems that after Shizuku-san ceased to be human and became a Half-Black Fox, she lost the qualification to use Spirit Descent Technique, causing the skill to disappear.