The women I set free are obsessed with me

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"Hmm, it seems there's no sign of further growth."

This was Yuhwa's muttered observation as she examined Rin's condition during their usual training session.

Since growing her fifth tail, Rin hadn't shown any visible growth like before. Even absorbing the essence of strong monsters didn't change this.

It was as if she had hit some great wall. Like in martial arts novels where one needed some kind of insight to ascend to the next realm.

Yuhwa seemed unable to grasp that enlightenment as well. Though it might be my imagination, I felt like she was more anxious than me about Rin's stalled growth.

"Is something wrong?"

"Princess Hilde visited recently."

"That lunatic?"

"You must be the only person in the world who dares call Princess Hilde a lunatic."

"They might not say it, but they think it."

From plucking feathers of bird beastkin as she passed by, to burning down squirrel beastkin acorn storages, and even flipping turtle beastkin on their backs so they couldn't get up.

This was all considered tame for her. Sometimes when she was bored, she went outside the kingdom to cause havoc.

Even when playing the game, the moment you saw the message, 'Encountered Hilde, the Lioness of Vestia' while exploring, you couldn't help but think, 'Ugh, this bitch is here again!'

It was easier to assume that you were screwed upon meeting her. It was inevitable that I felt concerned when I heard that crazy bitch had come visiting.

"Why did that lunatic come?"

"Seemingly to have her fortune told, but she suspects Rin may be a gumiho. I managed to send her away with some vague answers, but they are bound to meet eventually. The thread of fate connects them."

"Can't we cut it with scissors?"

"Fate is not something you can simply snip… Sigh."

What? Why are you sighing? Don't give up.

I thought it was quite an ingenious idea, but Yuhwa let out a deep sigh as if she didn't want to talk anymore and took a sip of tea to moisten her dry throat.

"Don't worry, Master. Rin will teach her a lesson."

"That would be the worst possible outcome…"

A five-tailed fox was nowhere near enough. Rin puffed her cheeks, asking if I didn't believe in her, but there were things in this world that couldn't be overcome by faith alone.

She needed to become a seven-tailed fox.

She still needed two more tails.

"We should go to White Cloud Valley."

"Why there?"

"Because your growth has stagnated."

The slaves in TOS, each with their own story, didn't grow infinitely just by repeating training. To reach higher levels, they each had their own circumstances that needed to be resolved.

It was the same for Mirabelle and Harold, and for Alfia's pain.

Liberation from the shackles that bind them. Growth and liberation were closely intertwined.

In Rin's case, it was the Fox Clan of White Cloud Valley. The chains that had tormented her for an eternity beyond measure needed to be shattered.

There's something else we need to obtain there too.

The fortuitous encounter deep in the fox den would accelerate her growth.

But ever since I brought up the idea of returning to White Cloud Valley, Rin had been vehemently expressing her dislike.

"Rin hates them. Rin doesn't even want to see their faces. They can live there forever for all I care."

I understood. Rin was no longer a frog in a well nor a fox in the valley.

Back then, she might have been happy just eating potatoes, but now that she's out in the world eating meat, she must realize how harsh her previous environment was.

It would be fine if that was all. They even drove her out as bait for yokai. It's admirable that she didn't immediately go back for revenge once she gained power.

"That's exactly why we should go. Don't you want to go back with meat and show them, 'Look what you don't have,' just like they did to you? Wouldn't that make you feel better?"

"…Do you think so?"

"Why should you avoid them when you've done nothing wrong? Let's go show them how well you're living now."

"If that's the case…"

Rin seemed to be reluctantly coming around.

She might not be fully convinced, but don't worry. When we get there, she'll be in for a surprise.

***

Though we had made plans, it felt a bit early to leave right away. I hadn't fully recovered yet, and a carriage journey so soon after waking up seemed unwise.

So I thought we might as well enjoy some cultural activities while I recovered. I was in another world after all, it would be a waste to just rush ahead without looking around, right?

Sometimes it was necessary to take a detour.

"Come out right now before I blow your house down!"

And so we found ourselves at a theater.

On a darkened stage, a pig beastkin peered out from a house-shaped board, while a werewolf stood at the door.

Today's play was the very familiar Three Little Pigs.

The first and second pigs build flimsy houses out of straw and wood, claiming it was too much trouble to do more.

But when the wolf came, their houses were easily destroyed, and they fled to the youngest pig's house.

Unlike his brothers, the youngest pig invested time in building a sturdy brick house, which the wolf couldn't destroy.

It was a fairy tale with the moral that we should prepare for the future like the youngest pig. The story I remembered from childhood storybooks was being reenacted by beastkin.

But why is the youngest pig first?

The board was shaped like a brick house. Its owner was Popo, the youngest pig.

In the Three Little Pigs, shouldn't the one with the brick house appear last? But the youngest pig appeared first.

"Hey unc~ If you think you can blow it down, then try your best?"

The youngest pig taunted the wolf. The wolf, snorting with evident anger, started digging at the brick house with a pickaxe. One side of the house was completely exposed and collapsed.

"Kyaaaa! My house!"

The female pig Popo emerged from the collapsed house and ran away waving her cute little limbs as she entered the second house made of wooden planks.

The wolf, chasing the little pig, inevitably arrived at the wooden house.

"You nimble little pigs! Open the door, before I tear into your fat plump flesh!"

"This house is made of sturdy wood, you see? No pickaxe can break it, just let us be!"

Then the wolf started to light a fire. This wasn't the stupid wolf I knew who just blew air. Naturally, the house burned down and the pigs ran out.

The pigs hid in the first pig's straw hut. It was obviously more shabby than the houses that appeared before. With them all huddled together there, it looked like the wolf would feast today.

"Huff… huff… Come out… right now…"

The wolf panted, seemingly tired from destroying houses and chasing pigs. Then, the straw curtain that barely serves as a door opened, and out came the first pig.

"Finally giving up…?"

But something was off about their appearance. The second and third pigs hesitantly appear behind the first. They were all wearing revealing, seductive outfits that showed off their alluring figures.

The first pig approaches the wolf with a tempting smile. She leaned forward slightly, emphasizing her cleavage at just the right angle.

"Mr. Wolf, you look so tired. Why not come in and rest a bit?"

"Hmm?"

"Don't you want to feast on some plump, juicy pigs?"

The first pig raises a finger to tickle the wolf's fur. Almost enticing him. She whispered into the wolf's ear, her hot breath tickling him.

"It's a chance for a foursome with sisters, can't you tell?"

"…!"

The roles of predator and prey were reversed. As if hypnotized, the wolf was then led into the tiny hut by the pigs, and the play ended.

Today's lesson:

Even if you're lazy, you can survive if you shake your ass well.

Title: The Three Sister Pigs.

…

What did I just watch?

This was way too different from what I remembered. Shouldn't it be more hopeful, something that could give kids a life lesson?

Where did the pigs go, and why were there maneaters?

I wondered if I was the only one who found this strange, as the audience around me gave a standing ovation with cheers.

Rin clasped her hands together with an enraptured expression and started furiously taking notes in her fox orb.

"In times of crisis, a female need only wag her tail to seduce a desirable male. Note to self…"

I decided not to look at what she was writing.

***

"Master, that play just now was amazing. So that's how you're supposed to live in this world. You could say I gained a great insight as a fox?"

"Is that so…"

People's perspectives differed greatly even when viewing the same thing, and the disparity between Rin's impression and my own was particularly striking.

Unlike me, who was trying hard to erase the memory thinking it would have been better not to see it, Rin was savoring the memory, saying she would never forget the play we just saw.

"The next play is about Little Red Riding Hood Boy and Big Sister Wolf. Let's make sure to come see it."

Why is it a boy and not a girl?

And what's with Big Sister Wolf?

I decided not to think about it too deeply.

I thought I had adapted to Vestia pretty well, but it seems I was a long way off.

"Since Master showed Rin something fun, next time let's go somewhere Master wants to go?"

"Really?"

What a pleasant surprise. Actually, there were several places I wanted to visit.

"So Rin, there's a place over there called Rabbit in the Moon…"

"What kind of place is it?"

"It's a bar."

The bar itself wasn't important. As you can guess from the name, the main selling point was that rabbit beastkins worked there as staff.

They're real bunny girls, not cosplayers!

Hop hop!

"Not allowed."

"Huh?"

But Rin flatly refused.

She glared at me coldly.

"Didn't you just say we could go somewhere I want to go…?"

"Master, are you saying you want to go to a bar without Rin? You want Rin to watch you drool over rabbits?"

"Then where should we…"

"A place without beastkin. Otherwise, not allowed."

A place without beastkin in Vestia?

There's no way such a place exists.

"Let's just go home…"

"Oh? We could look around some more if you want. But if Master insists, Rin will listen. Let's go, Rin will make a tail pillow just for Master."

I ended up touching her tails a lot.