The Loneliest Soul

Tengen moved his hands gracefully, guiding the millions of small red stars as they shifted and reformed in the air, illustrating his tale.

"It all starts,"

he began,

"with a human running away from home. She ran deep into the forest, further than she had ever gone before. Hours passed, and exhaustion set in. But just as she was about to collapse, she heard something—music."

The stars took the shape of a figure sitting on a log, plucking at a strange instrument.

"A fox oni," Tengen continued.

"He was playing something… something between a harp and a mandolin. The instrument was long and thin, its head shaped like a double heart, the ends curling like a devil's tail. Carved into its surface were words in his language, lined with intricate symbols. And the way he played it…"

Tengen smirked, watching his stars shimmer.

"Elegant. Breathtaking. The human girl couldn't help but stop and admire him for a while."

The stars moved again, shifting to show the girl stepping forward.

"Eventually, she walked up to him and asked his name. The fox oni told her, and from there… they talked. Hours passed, and before she knew it, her worries had faded. Then, when night fell, she asked if she could follow him for a while. The fox oni agreed. And from that moment on, they were never apart."

Tengen leaned back, letting his voice drop lower.

"One night, while the human was asleep, she woke up to the sound of the fox oni playing again. But this time… he was singing. A song about gods. Gods that were unknown… gods that might not even exist."

He suddenly clapped his hands, making the stars flicker violently.

"Now, this is where history matters."

Maxi straightened up, surprised by the shift in tone.

"A few hundred years before that night,"

Tengen explained,

"there was a tyrant king. He was a man who hated the idea of anyone—anything—being more powerful than him. So, he erased the gods. Killed anyone who dared to mention them in his presence. He burned down temples, slaughtered priests, and wiped out every trace of faith. He didn't just destroy religion—he eradicated it. So much so that generations later, people used the gods' names in vain, not even knowing what they originally meant."

Tengen smirked, watching the realization settle on Maxi's face.

"So when the human girl heard the fox oni singing about gods, she was confused. 'Why sing about something that doesn't exist?' she asked. And do you know what he said?"

Maxi shook his head.

Tengen's grin widened. "I like the possibility of them existing more than the idea that they don't."

For a moment, the room was silent.

"And so, he kept singing. Every night. To gods he didn't even believe in."

Tengen flicked his fingers, and the stars showed the human girl slowly joining in.

"One night, the human girl sang with him. And it became their ritual—to sing to the stars, calling out to the gods, not knowing if they even existed."

Tengen waved his hand, and the scene shifted.

"Then, one night, they saw something. A group of goblins and orks, dragging a baby dragon toward their village. The baby cried for its mother, screeching in terror. And then…"

A bright flash of red exploded from the stars, shaping into a massive dragon.

"She came,"

Tengen said. "The mother dragon. And she rained hell upon everything."

The red stars twisted violently, depicting fire and chaos.

"The human and the fox oni hid behind the trees. They knew if they got involved, they would die. So the fox oni did something crazy."

Tengen's voice lowered, almost like he was sharing a secret.

"He sang."

Maxi stiffened.

"And the human, though hesitant, sang with him. A final song, to gods who did not exist."

Tengen's stars pulsed.

"And then… they felt it. First, the very fabric of reality trembled. The law of blessings was put into place. Then, they felt everything, everywhere, all at once—before and after—until finally…"

Tengen clapped his hands together. The stars disappeared.

"…they were blessed by every Earth God."

Silence filled the room.

Maxi sat, stunned, trying to process everything.

"Wait—"

he started.

Tengen stood up. "And that's all you need to know. End of lesson. Now go to the main castle."

Maxi shot up from his chair. "You can't just end it like that!"

Tengen shrugged. "Yes, I can. Because you want to see the castle's library, don't you?"

Maxi groaned, rubbing his face. "You better explain in more detail later,"

he grumbled, marching toward the door.

Angelina opened it for him, but not before shooting Tengen a sharp glare.

Tengen just chuckled, waving them off as the door shut behind them.

Now alone, his smirk faded.

"They're getting bolder,"

he muttered to himself.

"Testing the waters on what's allowed… especially that maid. If she isn't careful, she might just get herself killed."

Tengen sighed, running a hand through his hair. "The king isn't going to be happy about this."

Then, suddenly, his smirk returned.

"But boss? Oh, he'd be absolutely delighted to see her newfound bravery."

He turned toward the wall, where the red stars painted onto the stone began to glow.

"The Red Dippers are watching your every move, Angelina Crescent," he whispered, his voice laced with amusement.

And then, he laughed as the red stars shined bright.