Chapter 4

4: 4

4

I soothed Qionqi through my thoughts.

"It's fine. My Nyxphoenix isn't so fragile."

"I held her back just now because I was afraid she'd hurt you, since you've only just become immortal."

And sure enough, a bird's cry burst out beyond the den, followed at once by Valerie Henson's scream.

Nyxphoenix snapped one of her arms, then flung her down from a great height. Her insides were ruined.

Even an immortal body would need many days to recover from that.

Christopher Henson's hand shook, and he stumbled back a few steps in fright.

Only then could I sink to the ground and catch my breath.

Christopher had been blowing the Bone Whistle at Nyxphoenix the whole time, desperate.

Because I'd told him Nyxphoenix would obey only that.

But I'd never realized that, to save me, Nyxphoenix would ignore the whistle entirely.

Nyxphoenix swept into the den, caught me in her beak, and carried me out. Still not satisfied, it seemed, she turned back and loosed a stream of dark fire that burned the whole fox den to the ground.

I wanted to stop her, but the world went black and I fainted dead away.

When I woke again, I was inside the Goddess Hall.

Nyxphoenix was in the clear pool beside me, unhurried, pecking her feathers clean, probably to wash off the ill luck of that fox den.

My body was whole, without a single mark left on it.

But I knew that fire of hers was enough to badly cripple Tinglan's family.

After turning it over and over, I still decided to go in person, as the Goddess, and explain the misunderstanding clearly. Whatever they asked for, I would try to grant.

Qionqi had long since grown used to this sort of thing.

So when I returned to the fox den, he only gave a cold snort.

"They all say the Goddess loves the world. Well, today I've truly seen it."

"But I'm still going to keep reincarnating as a villain. Being a good person is stifling!"

I carried nourishing spirit-medicine in hand, the treasure pouch stuffed with a thousand magical treasures tucked against my chest.

I'd meant to call on them in good faith, heal Valerie Henson's wounds, and let Christopher Henson pick whatever treasure suited him.

But before I even reached the door, I heard the family inside plotting to go before the Goddess and accuse me, meaning to pin the blame on me for stealing Nyxphoenix and letting her hurt people.

Then Christopher's timid voice came through, and it stopped me cold.

"If the Goddess finds out Tinglan died because we poisoned her, won't she punish us instead?"

Valerie's furious voice answered at once.

"Only the few of us know about the poison! Even that wretched celestial servant took the blame. If you don't bring it up, who could ever trace it back?"

"Besides, that useless Tinglan latched onto the Goddess first. What chance did that leave the two of us?"

And so they came to an agreement, still set on going to accuse me.

I stood in the corner, looking at the Fairyberry that had just fruited on the branch, and fell into a long silence.

After a while, I asked Qionqi, "Didn't you say it was stifling in there?"

"How about I send them to you, to ease the boredom?"

Qionqi lifted his head, a little surprised, and grinned wide.

"Oh? Finally couldn't stand it anymore?"

"That's right. No more holding back."