Duergsini’s Avatar – (1)

Miho’s interview was the talk of the town.

Miho was not human, but a ling.

Putting aside her appearance and the wondrous aura she exuded, the fox ears on her head and the seven tails dangling from her plump rear made people feel a sense of distance.

No matter how human-friendly she was, she was not human, after all.

However, after the disastrous Sejong interview, people reconsidered just what kind of being this ling named Miho was.

First, she showed practically no sense of disconnect, as if she were essentially human.

No, by spouting internet memes so casually during the live broadcast, she seemed even more human than actual humans.

People’s reactions to the interview varied by generation.

Unexpectedly, the elderly who disliked things like internet memes were quite favorable towards Miho.

“She’s quite polite, unlike these rude youngsters nowadays.”

The reason the elderly favored Miho was simple – she wore a hanbok.

Was there any elder who disliked hanboks?

Of course, her fox ears, fox tails, plump rear and large breasts did make some elders frown, but she was a ling who protected humans from yokai.

The older one got, the more one tended to like mystical things.

As for the younger generation – internet community users – they were naturally very positive towards Miho’s prolific use of memes.

After the interview, the Miho Gallery and Miho Channel were overwhelmed by traffic overload.

It was an open secret that Kim Myung-ho, the president of the Miho fanclub who also ran the gallery and channel, had quite the ordeal recovering the servers as a mere Grade 7 public official.

In any case, since the interview made even skeptics reconsider Miho’s true nature, this Sejong interview could be considered highly successful.

---

“You worked hard.”

“…”

Sneakily, I stole a glance at Principal Yi Ha-neul.

Was he angry?

He didn’t seem outwardly angry, but…

First, Yi Haneul scolded me fiercely for conducting such a thoughtless interview.

And rightly so – even I felt it had been an outrageous interview in hindsight.

While I couldn’t recall exactly what I said, the fact that they didn’t rebroadcast my interview despite the immense buzz suggested I must have spouted quite a few defamatory remarks.

But well.

What could I do?

I wasn’t human after all.

Unexpectedly, unlike Yi Haneul, the Principal didn’t get angry at me.

When I asked why, the Principal said:

“How you conduct interviews is your freedom, Lady Miho.”

Ah.

I was moved.

This was why I liked the people of the Jirisan Yokai Extermination Office.

While we were away in Sejong, a message came from Nam-hun:

“The Martial Force artists’ training is nearly complete.”

“Good news.”

It seemed Yi Haneul and I could no longer independently defend the Korean peninsula.

So:

“Was there any progress?”

“It would seem so.”

While I had boldly declared before crowds that ‘I would protect them’, I was not an arrogant fox transcending all – I readily admitted that my strength alone would be somewhat insufficient.

If the Martial Force artists gained the power to confront goblins, it would be incredibly fortunate for me.

“What about Lord Ho-jun? Is his training complete?”

“His training is done, but he says he still has matters to attend to in the Dogahoe. He said he would come find us when the time is right.”

It seemed Ho-jun’s operation to devour the Dogahoe wasn’t finished yet.

While his foul personality left much to be desired, his abilities were genuine, so I hoped he would swiftly rejoin us to lend his aid.

With the Martial Force artists and ritualists having grown even stronger, the world should become more stable than before.

“…”

Or would it, really?

I felt uneasy.

“Why do you say that, Lady Miho?”

“No, I’m just… feeling uneasy.”

It was too quiet.

Unnervingly quiet, making me feel uneasy.

If I were Duergsini, I would have unleashed all sorts of yokai and goblins while the Martial Force artists and ritualists were training.

Yet there had been no crisis at all.

Of course, Grrowl was a powerful yokai qualified for ascension, and the black tiger possessed abnormally high yoki levels.

But compared to them, my current strength was overwhelmingly superior – not arrogance, but fact.

…No, come to think of it, it was arrogance.

But not baseless arrogance.

Objectively speaking, my eight-tailed power could likely subjugate five black tigers simultaneously, couldn’t it?

So I wondered – why didn’t Duergsini take advantage while the house was empty?

Of course, Duergsini’s goal wasn’t the annihilation or global conquest of humanity.

His goal was [to restore the order of this false world], so he wouldn’t simply unleash yokai or goblins to massacre humans.

While I didn’t know the exact method to ‘restore that order’, one thing was certain:

Duergsini wanted me dead.

According to Lord Beast, a multi-tailed fox yokai was the sole free being in this shackle.

In other words, a being obstructing that order.

From Duergsini’s perspective, I must be quite the thorn in his side.

In that sense, instead of releasing dozens of goblins at once to kill me – which would still be insufficient – why did he kindly release them one by one, as if waiting for me to power up?

I felt uneasy.

As if I were playing in Duergsini’s palm.

---

The Black Inner Realm.

No, calling it the ‘false’ Inner Realm was incorrect.

How should I refer to it?

Ah yes.

The ‘Black Inner Realm’ seemed an apt description.

In the Black Inner Realm, I met the black tiger again to check if it wasn’t harboring any unnecessary thoughts.

“Aren’t you bored?”

[Since I am spending time meaninglessly, I am not bored at all.]

“…I, I see, that’s good then.”

While the tiger’s words still made no sense, it seemed to have taken a liking to the Black Inner Realm, wearing a serene expression.

I likely had no need for concern.

After a brief chat with the black tiger, I returned to my nest to ponder.

How could I constantly maintain my eight-tailed form?

The eight tails were a double-edged sword.

An unparalleled power to subjugate immediate foes, but the fatal downside of having to remain in a two-tailed state for four whole days after its energy depleted.

My two-tailed self was…

No joke – so weak that even a Grade 9 Jirisan public official could gleefully beat me like a mangy mutt.

The irony was that I couldn’t train even if I wanted to.

To train, I needed my eight tails, but if a yokai appeared right after using up all that spirit energy and reverting to two tails…

It would be a catastrophe.

Of course, if I didn’t recklessly waste spirit energy, I could maintain the eight-tailed form indefinitely.

But I couldn’t stay cooped up in the Inner Realm forever.

In my eight-tailed form, I couldn’t venture into the human world without alluring everyone.

I had to train, didn’t I?

“Miho, Miho!”

My pondering was forcibly interrupted by Depot.

“Lord of the Mountain is looking for you.”

“Lord of the Mountain? Why?”

“No idea, but it seems urgent.”

…Strange.

While I had appeared before Lord of the Mountain before, he had rarely sought me out.

Since it didn’t seem like a trivial matter, I hurriedly headed to Lord of the Mountain’s nest.

What I witnessed was Lord of the Mountain emanating such powerful spirit energy that the very air rippled.

Lord of the Mountain seemed utterly enraged by all appearances.

Shiver shiver shiver shiver.

His entire coat stood on end as if charged with static electricity.

Had I ever seen Lord of the Mountain this angry before?

No, never.

He was a ruler who rarely outwardly displayed his emotions, making me once suspect he might be an emotionless machine tiger created by aliens.

Growl growl growl growl.

Roar!

“Kyaaah…”

S, so scared!

Shiver shiver shiver shiver shiver.

I, who had cowered before the measly black tiger, looked pathetic.

Why was he so enraged?

Had I committed some unforgivable transgression?

Could bringing the black tiger to the Inner Realm of my own accord have been a mistake?

As I stood there trembling, Lord of the Mountain glared at me with blazing blue eyes and reprimanded me:

[Ahehya.]

“Y, yes, yes!”

[I apologize.]

“…Pardon?”

[It seems I have placed a tremendous burden upon you, and for that, I apologize.]

“I don’t understand what you mean…”

[In my heart of hearts,]

[I wish to personally rend that vile being’s spiral with my own claws,]

[But I am the ruler of the Inner Realm,]

[A mere ineffectual observer for now.]

[I am not yet prepared to venture into the outside world.]

[Thus,]

[You must be the one to act.]

“F, first, could you explain to me…”

[Goblins have appeared.]

[No.]

[Those were no mere goblins,]

[But beings more aptly termed ‘yaksha’.]