The Jirisan Yokai Extermination Office (8)

“Yaaaaaawn.”

After a long yawn, I was lounging around munching on the all-age dog food the director had bought, letting out little burps.

The small breed dog food lacked flavor.

It was lacking in richness.

The large breed dog food had an ambiguous taste – not particularly tasty, yet not distasteful either.

Which made the all-age variety the best.

Ah.

Could it be…?

Perhaps because of my ambiguous state with six tails, the all-age food tasted most delectable to me.

If I manifested three tails, would the small breed variety become the most appetizing instead?

While I wanted to experiment,

Since I had only recently acquired yogi from the blue-furred demonic fox, I was still inept at controlling it.

Once I became accustomed to harnessing yogi, I should revert to my three-tailed form and try the small breed food.

Ah,

Speaking of which.

I should return home soon.

I needed to investigate that goblin’s horn,

And pester Depot too.

I was gradually missing the dense musky scent of the inner realm.

Why was I being so reluctant, though?

I could fully empathize with the mindset of a runaway youth unwilling to return home.

To me, the Jirisan Yokai Extermination Office was akin to a terrestrial paradise.

The staff treated me well.

They fed me dog food.

They provided three square meals a day, even a bed.

If this wasn’t heaven, then what was?

In truth, I had my own reasons for lingering at the Yokai Extermination Office.

If another yokai granted the qualification for ascension were to emerge,

No matter how formidable Ha-neul was, considering the blue-furred demonic fox’s immense yogi…

Ha-neul alone would be incapable of confronting a yokai granted said qualification.

I would need to assist her.

These were people I had inadvertently grown fond of during my stay here.

If they were to perish at the hands of a yokai granted the qualification for ascension, I would be utterly devastated.

That was why I was reluctant to depart, not because the food and dog treats were delicious.

“Good day, Lady Miho! Eheheheh… Uheheheheh.”

Ah.

Here they came again.

My fan club led by the Grade 7 civil servant Kim Myeong-ho, trailing persistently behind me.

I wasn’t some celebrity yokai afflicted with stardom.

They had actually introduced themselves as ‘We are Lady Miho’s Number One Fan Club members!’

This was the sole aspect of the Jirisan Yokai Extermination Office that displeased me –

Humans liking me a tad too much.

Especially the men.

They clung to me to an annoying degree.

…I was slowly growing concerned that one of them might genuinely confess their love, at this rate.

I wasn’t exaggerating – their infatuation was that extreme.

Wasn’t there a good solution?

I didn’t want to return home just yet since I wished to linger a while longer.

But if this persisted, I might truly lose my mind.

“…”

Ah!

That’s it!

Why had I only now thought of this brilliant solution?

While the reason they liked me was partially due to my passive charm that entranced men,

A greater factor was likely my appearance.

With six tails manifested, my form objectively boasted a breathtaking beauty.

My chest was unnecessarily large, as well.

I had likely evolved in a direction conducive to draining men’s vitality.

If my appearance was drawing their attention,

Then by obscuring my appearance, the problem would be solved.

“Lady Miho, if you have some time, would you care to join me for coffee…”

“No, I should go first! Wait your turn!”

“Senior, that’s hardly fair. I spoke first, so clearly I should be the one to…”

Poof!

Plume plume plume.

A cloud of fur puffed up around them.

“Cough, cough, cough!”

Whether they coughed or not,

I smiled victoriously.

Once the fur cloud dissipated,

Upon glimpsing my new appearance, they uttered with dejected expressions:

“What’s this…?”

“La, Lady Miho?”

“Just a fox, huh…”

Exactly.

I should have simply dispelled my [Fox Sorcery – Transformation] spell from the start.

From then on, I would roam the Jirisan Yokai Extermination Office in my untransformed state.

The effect was indeed evident.

The men who had previously blushed while furtively ogling my face and chest now gazed at me with a hint of disappointment, licking their lips.

I should have done this sooner.

However,

There was one unexpected side effect I had failed to anticipate:

“So cuuuuute!”

“Oh my, look at that soft fur… How can it be this velvety?”

“Miho, paw! Give me your paw!”

Now,

The female staff had begun fixating on me instead.

---

This was the Jirisan Yokai Extermination Office.

Amidst the mounds of paperwork scattered throughout, one individual wandered to and fro while lugging stacks of documents –

The newly recruited Grade 9 civil servant, Ye Ji-hye.

Ye Ji-hye was a pretty young woman who, from an early age, had been incessantly told: ‘With your looks, you should become an idol or celebrity.’

Indeed, her appearance was quite beautiful.

So it was hardly a secret that, immediately upon her recruitment, many male employees had secretly harbored affections for her.

With her beautiful looks, one would assume her life had been smooth sailing.

So why had she chosen this veritable hellhole, the Jirisan Yokai Extermination Office, of all workplaces?

The reason was simple:

Like the Grade 7 Kim Myeong-ho, she was a yokai fanatic.

Ever since childhood, reading ancient texts about yokai had been her hobby.

It was for this reason that Ye Ji-hye had joined the Jirisan Yokai Extermination Office – to witness yokai with her own eyes.

Unfortunately, however,

Unlike the exceptional Grade 7 Kim Myeong-ho, who excelled in both combat and administration,

Ji-hye’s combat prowess was utterly abysmal.

Bang, bang, bang!

50-meter pistol range.

Out of ten shots, only one hit the target.

Upon personally witnessing her disastrous results, the director smacked his lips and addressed her:

“Ye Ji-hye. It seems you’re not well-suited for combat roles.”

“No, I can do it! I really can, Director…!”

“Why are you so insistent about combat? Is it for the promotion?”

“No, that’s not it…!”

“Don’t worry. You have innate talent for administrative work, so promotions won’t be an issue.”

“Di, Directorrrr!”

“Get to work.”

Indeed.

As the director had said, Ji-hye did possess an innate talent for administrative tasks.

The day when she would be deployed to the field would never arrive.

In other words,

For the rest of her life until her dying breath, she would never witness a yokai’s true form.

She had joined the Yokai Extermination Office to pursue her dream, yet she couldn’t even lay eyes on a yokai!

It was the shattering of her lifelong aspiration.

However,

Her dream would be realized quite swiftly.

And in the most supremely satisfying manner, at that.

“Yip, yap, yap, yap!”

Thump.

Thump.

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

Before her very eyes,

Frolicking between the sprinklers,

Was a white six-tailed fox –

Miho.

And in her true vulpine form, no less!

‘So cuuuute…’

Just look at those swishing tails.

Could she perhaps pet her?

Would Miho become angry?

After a momentary hesitation, Ye Ji-hye steeled her resolve and approached Miho.

“Ahem, ahem!”

“Yip…?”

“Uh, um, well, th, that is…”

Upon her first encounter with a yokai, Ji-hye’s words froze in her throat.

Yet her hands instinctively reached into her pocket,

From which she retrieved something and offered to Miho.

“Wo, would you like this…?”

“Yap!”

What Ji-hye had taken from her pocket was…

A doggy treat.

Upon seeing the treat, Miho’s tails began whirling like a helicopter’s blades.

Huff huff huff huff.

Miho even stuck out her tongue, drooling in anticipation.

Ye Ji-hye then handed the treat to Miho.

Chomp.

Chomp.

Chomp chomp chomp chomp.

As Miho began munching on the treat, Ye Ji-hye gathered her courage and gently stroked Miho’s body.

‘So sooooft!’

Fortunately, Miho did not resist.

No,

She even appeared to enjoy it.

Emboldened by Miho’s reaction, Ye Ji-hye carefully scratched Miho’s head with her fingers.

“Purr, purrrrr…”

Ah.

Bliss.

Ye Ji-hye felt joining the Yokai Extermination Office had been the right decision.

---

“Miho, I’m begging you, please!”

“No.”

“I want to see the white fox Miho too!”

“Well, tough luck.”

“You’re being so mean! Why are you only strict with me? Even Ye Ji-hye, who just joined, bragged to me about petting you!”

“That was inside the Yokai Extermination Office. This is outside.”

Since there were no men around,

There was no need for me to remain in my true form, after all.

So why was this woman nagging me from the start?

She should be grateful I even entertained her request at all.

“So then, what training is this?”

“Don’t change the subject!”

“I was just going to watch TV and munch on some doggy treats.”

“Ugh… So, sorry! Uh, about this training…”

The training involved discharging martial force.

Apparently, the mystical power of martial force could not only be channeled into one’s palms but also discharged.

However, discharging martial force was extremely challenging. If the inexperienced Ha-neul accidentally unleashed it improperly, she risked decimating the precious trees of Jirisan.

Hence, she had requested my assistance.

In other words:

“You want me to be a catcher, is that it?”

“Not a catcher, a batter… Do you even know what baseball is, Miho?”

“I’ve seen it on TV.”

“Miho, you only watch animal shows. What was that program called again? ‘My Precious Puppy’ or something?”

“…Let’s just start.”

Why did she have to ramble on so much?