"Aaaa, stop it!" I yelped, my body thrashing beneath her weight as she shamelessly buried her face against my neck. Her breath was warm, her grip unyielding, and the way she inhaled deeply, like some deranged bloodhound savoring a scent, sent an unsettling shiver down my spine. The soft glow of the bedside lantern flickered, casting elongated shadows across the lavish silk sheets and ornate furniture. The rich scent of lavender and old books filled the room, but all I could focus on was the eerie sensation of being trapped beneath her, completely at her mercy.

  Viola ignored my protests entirely, her grip on my wrists unrelenting. "Mmm… you smell delicious," she purred, her voice dripping with satisfaction. Her nose trailed along my skin, her warm breath sending an uncomfortable shiver down my spine.

  "Stop sniffing me, you lewd dense cabbage!" I snapped, twisting my body in a frantic attempt to escape. My efforts felt as futile as trying to move a mountain with sheer will alone. Viola didn’t even flinch. Her grip remained firm, her presence looming over me like a predator toying with its prey. The candlelight flickered, casting eerie shadows across the ornately carved walls, the scent of aged wood and lavender hanging thick in the air. My heart pounded as I gritted my teeth, glaring up at her unshaken, teasing expression.

  She chuckled, a sultry, teasing sound that only made me more irritated. "I can’t help it," she murmured, her voice a lazy purr. "You have this… sweet scent. A mix of fox magic and something otherworldly, even more than the other foxes." She leaned in slightly, her warm breath grazing my skin, making my hairs stand on end. Her violet eyes shimmered with curiosity, a predator sizing up something rare and intriguing. The flickering candlelight cast shadows over her sharp features, emphasizing the smug amusement dancing across her face as she studied me like an enigma waiting to be unraveled.

  Her words made me stiff. Otherworldly? Did she somehow sense that I wasn’t originally from this world?

  Viola suddenly pulled back slightly, her violet eyes gleaming as she studied my face. "Hmm… now I’m even more curious about you, little shrine maiden."

  "I'm not your meal!" I shot back, glaring up at her.

  She smirked. "Oh, but you look so tasty when you’re all flustered."

  "That's it!" I yelled, finally mustering enough strength to kick her away. My foot connected with her stomach, and she let out a soft oof, staggering back slightly. It wasn’t enough to send her flying across the room, but it gave me just enough space to scramble off the bed.

  I shot to my feet, my body tense, I put some distance between us. My heart was pounding, both from frustration and from the sheer weirdness of the situation.

  "Tell me, what’s going on here?!" I demanded, pointing a shaky finger at her. "Why am I here?! Where are Yuzu and Catherine?! And most importantly, why were you sniffing me like some kind of crazed pervert?!"

  Viola, completely unbothered by my outburst, straightened her posture and stretched her arms, looking more amused than anything. “Well, that was quite the reaction,” she said, a slow, playful smirk spreading across her lips. “You didn’t seem to mind that much a second ago, little shrine maiden~”

  I gawked at her. "Excuse me?! I was literally fighting for my life just now!"

  She chuckled, covering her mouth with her fingertips as if she found my suffering adorable. "Oh, don’t be so dramatic. I was just… getting a good whiff of you."

  "THAT MAKES IT WORSE!"

  Viola let out a dramatic sigh, as if I was the one being unreasonable. “Fine, fine, no more sniffing. For now.”

  I felt my eyes twitch. What do you mean ‘for now’?!

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  “As for your little friends,” she continued, twirling a strand of her long violet hair, “I have no idea. Probably still at the shrine, wondering where you’ve disappeared to.”

  I clenched my fists. "Then why am I here?"

  Viola’s smirk widened as she sauntered closer, slow and deliberate. "Well… that’s the fun part, isn’t it?" She leaned in slightly, her violet eyes gleaming with mischief. “Why don’t you take a guess, Mashiro?”

  "You’re… a pervert…?" I answered, my voice trailing off.

  Viola blinked at me, then burst into laughter. Not just a small chuckle, full-on, amused, cackling laughter. She doubled over slightly, clutching her stomach as if I had just told the funniest joke in the world.

  "Oh, Mashiro," she said between laughs, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. "That’s adorable. But no, dear, I’m not just a pervert.” She stepped closer, her eyes gleaming with amusement and something else, something I really didn’t like.

  I instinctively took a step back. "Then what do you want?"

  Viola placed a hand on her chest, feigning deep thought. “Hmm… how do I put this?” She tapped her chin before flashing a sly grin. “Let’s just say, I have a very keen interest in you, little shrine maiden.”

  I felt my entire body tense up. "That doesn’t sound reassuring at all."

  She only chuckled, her violet eyes twinkling with mischief as she reached out, fingers poised to ruffle my hair like one would a pet. I immediately ducked, barely avoiding her hand, the air shifting as her fingertips grazed past where my head had just been. Her amused smirk only deepened, as if she found my reaction utterly adorable, while the dim candlelight cast flickering shadows across the elegant room, making her seem all the more predatory.

  "Fox-kin have a special scent, you see," Viola purred, her violet eyes gleaming with mischief as she took a slow step forward. "They all feel... otherworldly, as if some part of them came from another realm entirely."

  I tensed, my instincts screaming at me to stay on guard. "And that has what to do with you sniffing my neck like a weirdo?" I shot back, rubbing the spot where she had just invaded my personal space.

  Viola let out a soft chuckle, her expression unreadable. "Curiosity, little shrine maiden. Some scents are irresistible, like yours."

  I stiffened. "Okay, ew. That's the creepiest thing you’ve said so far."

  She merely grinned, tilting her head as if she were enjoying my reaction far too much. "Oh, don’t act so surprised. Didn’t you ever wonder why fox-kin are so rare? Why are they always at the center of myths, legends… and conflicts?"

  I frowned, crossing my arms. "What are you trying to say?"

  Viola’s smile widened, but she didn't answer immediately. Instead, she sauntered over to a nearby chair, sinking into it gracefully, one leg crossed over the other. "Let’s just say… the power within your kind doesn’t just belong to this world. It’s borrowed. And anything borrowed can be taken back."

  Viola smirked, lifting her hand with a slow, deliberate motion. Suddenly, shimmering portals flickered into existence beside her, like floating mirrors into other worlds. I gasped as my eyes darted between them, each portal revealed a completely different civilization.

  One showed a sprawling futuristic city, its skyline dominated by sleek, glowing towers and airborne vehicles gliding effortlessly through neon-lit pathways. Another revealed a medieval town bustling with armored knights, merchant stalls, and towering castles surrounded by massive stone walls. Then, my gaze landed on the strangest one, a massive turtle, its shell carrying an entire village on its back, moving slowly across an endless ocean.

  Viola lazily waved her hand, shifting the scenes before me like she was casually flipping through TV channels. “You see, fox-kin aren’t just creatures of this world,” she mused, her voice dripping with amusement. “They exist everywhere, woven into myths, hidden in shadows, thriving in places most people never even dream of.” She tilted her head, her violet eyes gleaming. “And yet, despite being so widespread, they always share one thing in common.”

  I swallowed, suddenly feeling uneasy. “And that is…?”

  Viola’s smirk widened. “They never truly belong.”

  I stopped to think, my gaze shifting between the portals, each one a glimpse into a world I had never known yet somehow felt drawn to. The hum of magic in the air sent a tingling sensation down my spine.

  "I will give you a place where you belong," Viola murmured, her voice velvety as she took slow, deliberate steps towards me. The flickering candlelight cast shifting shadows across her face, accentuating the predatory glint in her violet eyes. My breath caught in my throat as she closed the distance, the warmth of her presence pressing against me. Before I could react, she tilted my chin up with a single, teasing finger, her touch featherlight yet commanding. Then, without hesitation, she leaned in, her lips brushing against mine in a lingering kiss, both soft and possessive. A shiver ran down my spine as her voice, now a whisper against my lips, sent an eerie thrill through me. "If you let me use your power."