After the Conference (Completed)

Ten minutes after Miho and Ho Joon started their drinking battle, Ha-neul addressed the director next to him while sipping beer:

“They’re both really good drinkers.”

“Indeed. I worry they might go too far.”

“Leave them be. They’re both adults after all.”

“Miho is only two years old.”

“…Well, she looks like an adult at least.”

Watching Miho drink, Ha-neul felt an inexplicable pang of guilt towards her.

At the conference, Miho had boldly declared she could handle everything, but seeing her guzzle alcohol like this, it seemed she was inwardly burdened as well.

Over a month had passed since Ha-neul met Miho, a short time, yet they had faced so many life-and-death situations that their bond had grown as sturdy as a tightly woven rope.

Ha-neul disliked burdening Miho, disliked the current situation where all responsibility fell on her shoulders.

More than seeing Miho risk her life to protect humans, he wished to see her frolicking in the yard, wagging her tail carefree.

However, at present, Miho was arguably the only being capable of confronting goblins, so he couldn’t tell her to rest easy.

His feelings conflicted, Ha-neul mindlessly chugged beer despite his low alcohol tolerance.

Yes, he was drinking to escape reality, but what was the point if drinking only made him face reality further?

When drinking, he should forget his worries.

“Looks like I’ve won, why don’t you stop?”

“Hic… Hic. Ah, not yet… Hic.”

Ah, it seemed the final round was approaching.

As if he housed some immortal, hard-drinking yokai spirit in his gut, Ho Joon remained remarkably sober even after downing five bottles of soju.

In contrast, Miho was clearly hammered, marking Ho Joon’s victory in this drinking contest.

While they seemed to only drink in silence, it had still been an enjoyable time overall.

To wrap things up, Ha-neul spoke:

“Let’s start cleaning up. Ho Joon and the Director can return to your rooms… I’ll take care of Miho.”

“Hic… I can drink more…”

“Alright, alright. You and I can drink some more.”

Just as the somewhat arrogant Ho Joon was about to leave, suddenly:

Thud!

He had been knocked down.

By whom?

By Miho.

It happened in an instant – Miho thrust her plump body onto Ho Joon, pinning him down.

“What the fuck, all of a sudden?”

“Heh… Heh heh…”

An eerie sound escaped Miho’s lips, causing one word to flash through the three men’s minds:

[Instinct].

Her fox yokai instincts were being fully unleashed.

One of alcohol’s primary side effects is ‘mood disorder’ – the reason why intoxicated people say things they normally wouldn’t.

It emboldens the timid, removes inhibitions from the cautious, and makes even the wise act foolish – alcohol’s quintessential side effect.

Heavily intoxicated, this ‘mood disorder’ side effect had completely unleashed Miho’s instincts, resulting in her pouncing on Ho Joon.

Miho was a multi-tailed fox yokai.

The true instinct of a ‘multi-tailed fox yokai’ was not mere dog-like behavior, but to pounce on men.

From the beginning, Miho had evolved for the purpose of pouncing on men.

She possessed the passive charm ability to captivate men.

She had a beautiful appearance to ensnare men’s hearts.

She had an alluring physique to seduce men.

Now, with her instincts fully unleashed, Miho began actively utilizing her three weapons to drain Ho Joon’s vital essence.

While the director had already fallen under Miho’s charm, unable to maintain his senses, the female Ha-neul was unaffected.

Sticking his hands between Miho’s armpits, he strained with all his might to pry her off Ho Joon.

“Get, get off him, Miho!”

“Hahh, hahh, hahh, hahh…”

“I said get off!”

However, Miho clung to Ho Joon with such tremendous force that even the physically powerful Martial Artist Ha-neul couldn’t dislodge her from Ho Joon’s embrace, despite exerting his full effort.

Naturally, Ho Joon rejected Miho’s advances:

“Hey you bitch… Get off, you crazy woman!”

“Heh… Heh.”

If Miho had pounced on any other man besides Ho Joon, they would have succumbed long ago.

Fortunately, the genius Spell Master Ho Joon could maintain mental protection spells 24/7 and, ironically, his extensive experience with women prevented him from falling for Miho’s seduction.

…Like hell it did.

As Miho began undoing the front of her clothes, even Ho Joon, being a man, had limits in resisting such overwhelming physical seduction.

In the explosive situation, Ha-neul ultimately had to wield the goblin wand he had carefully stored by the bedside, striking Miho with:

Whack.

Thwack.

[Render her unconscious.]

Using over half of his ki, he barely managed to knock Miho out.

“Huff, huff, huff… That’s enough…! Ho Joon, are you alright?”

“…I suppose.”

Ho Joon looked disgruntled.

Was that a look of regret?

As Ha-neul casually tossed the unconscious Miho onto the bed, he thought to himself:

Never again.

He would never offer Miho alcohol again.

---

“So what happened?”

“Well, you don’t need to know. Nothing happened.”

While curious about why my clothes were undone, I didn’t want to press the reluctant Ha-neul, so I let it go.

Ha-neul and I woke up around 10 AM, after Ho Joon had already departed for the Taoist Society.

Not having bid him farewell left an inexplicable pang of regret, as if we had built up some unsavory feelings during our time together.

Well, I was going to visit the Taoist Society soon anyway.

Putting aside any regrets, we headed to Jirisan.

As soon as we arrived, I immediately manifested four tails.

The suddenly lowered field of vision felt unfamiliar.

It seemed more comfortable walking around with seven tails now.

…Though I still hadn’t fully adjusted to the weight of my budding breasts.

The moment I manifested my tails, Ha-neul rushed over, joyfully embracing me while chortling:

“There, that’s the Miho I know! Seven tails was way too creepy!”

“…Stop petting me already.”

“Why? You like it too, don’t you?”

Well, I didn’t dislike it per se.

It was just that Ha-neul’s touch seemed to carry some unnerving undertones, giving me an uneasy feeling.

“Honestly, I still can’t believe such a cute girl acted so vulgarly last night…”

“Huh?”

“Shh shh shh, it’s nothing, little lady. Shh shh shh, should big sis get you a cola?”

“…Yes.”

While being treated like a child didn’t feel great, my body’s honest cravings won out.

How could I resist cola?

Soon after returning to the Yokai Extermination Office, the staff welcomed me back.

“I saw the news.”

“Online communities are going crazy right now.”

“A video related to you, Miho, is the number one trending video on that platform.”

And so on.

While Kim Myeong-ho, a Grade 7 staff member, enthusiastically explained, I asked him with a slight drool:

“So it’s been a positive reaction overall, right…?”

“Of course! Who would react negatively towards Miho? If there are any such lunatics, I’ll personally…”

“Myeong-ho, may I use the computer for a bit?”

“Oh, of course! Please feel free to use it!”

Curious about people’s reactions, I immediately went online and searched for ‘Fox Miho’ on the video platform.

Videos of me strolling the streets on all fours, tail trailing behind, began appearing one after another.

“…Are you sure the reactions are positive?”

“Yes, just look at the view count on Miho’s fancams. It’s already over a million!”

“But why are the titles like this…”

Titles like:

‘Fox Cosplay Girl Barking and Walking on All Fours in the Streets.’

…Hey, there was an official announcement, can’t you update the titles?

While it was rather embarrassing to the point of making my face flush, I didn’t regret my past actions.

I had been worried about people harboring resentment towards me, but if the reactions were positive, then it was fine.

It would make protecting them more satisfying.

Yes.

In any case, after exchanging brief greetings with the Yokai Extermination Office staff, I left to return to the Inner Realm.

I had many questions for the Lord of the Mountain and had missed Depot and the Inner Realm’s distinct musty scent.

Whether I liked it or not, the Inner Realm was my undeniable hometown and home.

Ha-neul, who had gone halfway up the mountain for training, accompanied me to the Inner Realm’s entrance.

However, a minor issue seemed to have arisen.

“…Wasn’t there only one entrance before?”

“…No, there shouldn’t have been two.”

“Is this some prank or surprise?”

“…”

Had they remodeled the Inner Realm while I was away?

There were now two entrances leading into it.