Chapter 165: The Rabbit Kingdom 1

Lynessa trailed Tanaka as he wandered through the eastern district. Distance enough that a conversation would be stilted. Tanaka had paused twice to admire the enchanted stalls along the street. Inquired about a strange crystal lamp from a merchant, nearly walked into a shop that prominently displayed magical weaponry. Lynessa followed his roaming curiosity, assenting when he remembered she was there, eyes constantly drawn towards the strange collar around her neck.

"Going to tell me about House Velmire?" Tanaka wondered curiously. Her ears twitched. "They’re one of the wealthiest merchant houses of foxfolk in Varghelm," Lynessa said. "They deal primarily in enchanted items, spirit stones, rare herbs and magical equipment. And they offer loans to other merchant families."

"And your master borrowed from them?" Tanaka asked. Lynessa nodded. "Lady Mereth Raukhan. A tiger beastwoman who owns a number of properties and has ties with the academy where I work. She borrowed quite heavily, and when she couldn’t repay the debt on schedule, she agreed to offer up the assistance of servants for work arranged by the Velmire family," she explained.

Tanaka’s brow furrowed. "And you were one of the servants?" he asked. The feline sighed. "The only one they accept when the work is heavy. Carrying things around all day that requires mana to lift," she said. Tanaka turned to stare at her. "...Excuse me?" he said.

The feline shifted restlessly. "The job doesn’t require magic normally. The mages are all hired for the magic aspect of the work. I’m the only one in my company that fits the qualification of being able to carry these all day without mana, and I’ve been forced to learn to do it anyway," she said. Tanaka blinked. "Wait, that doesn’t make sense. If the work requires magic, why you?" he asked.

Lynessa looked down at her paws. "Because I’m cheap," she said. Tanaka stopped walking. She did the same, looking up at him worriedly. "Did I say something wrong?" she asked. "No. It’s just... you know why you ran away the first two times I saw you, don’t you?" Tanaka asked.

Lynessa’s ears flattened against her head. "I assumed you were angry because you bumped into me. Then yesterday I didn’t know what you wanted me for," she said. "I wanted to know why you couldn’t do magic," Tanaka said. Lynessa stiffened. Tanaka took note of that and raised his hands defensively. "No, no, I’m not going to mock you. I had wondered because your aura was so confusing to read," he said.

Lynessa glared daggers. "You don’t say," she replied. Tanaka turned back to walking. "You know, it makes more sense now for why you ran away," he said. Lynessa’s ears twitched in unease, but she followed after him nonetheless. "...Will you ever try finding me again?" she asked.

Tanaka’s smile was unseen beneath his hood. "Depends on if you ever want to be found by me again," he said. Lynessa’s silence was her consent, quiet and barely perceptible. Tanaka’s senses brushed against the air, and he paused near a group of elegantly dressed buildings. Woven sigils ran along the walls, their enchantments far showier than anything in the wolf quarter.

Thin silver lines crisscrossed the window panes, hovering baubles cast light over doorways, and inside the shops various displays were reinforced with illusions to draw in passersby. A fox beastwoman stood in the center of one shop, murmuring a chant to the heavens. "Spirits of the drifting light, lend me the morning sun to show what human eyes behold not," she chanted. ⅇ𝒃𝚗ℴ

A golden ring unfurled beneath her bare paws. Suspended in the air above the shop, three glowing figures displayed the different necklaces in elaborate illusions that shifted and turned, letting customers see the fine details of each piece without actually touching them. Tanaka paused to watch, entranced. "That is handy," he admitted, watching the shifting images.

The fox nodded. "Foxfolk are quite gifted in spirit magic, and that generally takes the form of illusions, perception manipulation and binding spirits to an object for enchantments. They also have very strong enchanting traditions, which is what makes our merchant class so successful," she said. Tanaka thought about the foxes that had attacked him. "Does that make them strong?" he asked.

Lynessa’s ears flicked forward. "Illusions can be used to good effect in a fight. Confusing and misdirecting enemies is a good start, but you can hide your movements entirely or make them strike at an illusion. The more powerful users can even weave illusions that affect multiple senses," she explained. Tanaka recalled the spell the conjurers had placed on him. The simple mirage magic had been enough to fool anyone but another spirit mage, and it stood to reason that a stronger illusion could fool almost anyone.

"And who leads them?" Tanaka mused, eyeing the banner hanging from an upper story. It depicted a silver fox beneath a crescent moon. "Lady Veyra Vossari. The Silver-Tailed Matriarch, and she’s the highest ranking Foxfolk official in Varghelm representation," Lynessa said. "Of all the foxes?" Tanaka asked. The fox blinked. "That title is only for the head of the Foxfolk council here. The greater settlements have their own elders and clan heads, but Lady Veyra is their mouthpiece for all matters in the Royal court," she explained.

Tanaka considered it. A different government structure, but similar in its necessity. The Wolf Crown was similar in that it governed over three major clan groups, and the council here functioned similarly for the foxes. While Lady Mereth clearly had her weight in the political system, Veyra was much more powerful in the abstract. "She’s powerful, is she not?" Tanaka asked. Lynessa hesitated. "Extremely," she said.

Tanaka let her answer hang there. "And what can she do?" he asked. Lynessa swallowed, and she looked ready to say something when he interrupted. "She’s the best illusionist among her kin. Some say not even the strongest of mages can discern the truth from her falsehoods; others say she’s skilled enough to bind multiple spirits at once. I’ve never seen her battle prowess myself," she said.

Tanaka whistled. "That would be an impressive sight to see," he said. Lynessa looked back at the buildings with an uncertain expression. "Please, be careful around the Foxfolk, Lord Tanaka. They don’t always mean what they say," she warned. "Neither do diplomats of any nation," he countered. Lynessa sighed, rubbing at her eyes. "It’s not the same!" she exclaimed.

"Why not?" Tanaka asked. Tanaka didn’t miss the way her tail twitched. He chuckled. "...For a moment, I was almost smiling. Are you sure you’re not secretly a fox?" he asked. Lynessa’s ears flicked backwards at the word ’fox’ and she quickly looked away as her cheeks flushed crimson.

Continuing forward, Tanaka pondered what to ask next when a sight overhead made him pause. Small groups of rabbit beastfolk bustled along the road, their long ears flapping eagerly as they patrolled the market stalls. Even the smallest of the group struggled to keep his basket secured atop his head, steadying it with little paws pressed against it. An elderly rabbit woman gently repositioned the young rabbit’s groceries and gave him a gentle nudge until he was safely down the road.