Gaark had a vacant expression throughout. He simply nodded at my orders and left the room.
It seemed like he really wanted a rare mask.
Luke and Liliz, along with Klye, followed after. Only Lucia and I remained as guards.
Sola was frantically flipping the frying pan as if trying to escape reality, but once the fried tofu was done, she finally turned off the heat and approached me.
Looking closer, her face had gone pale.
"Wh-what are you thinking!? Succession to that sacred mask!?"
"Well, I don't really need it..."
"Y-you... don't tell me... you plan to betray me!? After everything I've done, you plan to betray me!?"
...I didn't know what to say to that. I hadn't forced Sola to do anything, and a mask that would only bring trouble was the last thing I needed.
That mask was ultimately just a keepsake for me. Someone who understood its value should have it.
Would giving it away create friction with the real White Fox deity? ...I had no idea.
The reason things had gotten so tangled was because of the Fox Mask Fan Club (provisional) and its system.
Being treated as though possessing the same mask by coincidence was a crime, and I didn't know what to do with that. Besides, it was Sola who had rejected my suggestion to simply apologize honestly.
Lucia, who had been watching Sola with her arms crossed and her usual grumpy expression, let out a small sigh.
"Leader, what have you done this time?"
"Nothing yet..."
"About to!? What are you planning to do!? White Fox deity!! You are a god! A god! Aaaaaah!"
"You're going on like some kind of preacher..."
Even seeing Sola clutch her head and carry on like a child, Lucia didn't bat an eye. She'd been right in the middle of trouble for so long that she was completely used to it.
In terms of sheer nerve alone, the Mourning Specter was probably among the top tier of Hunters.
Not to brag, but when it came to ending up in bewildering situations without knowing how, I was second to none. And Lucia and the others who were usually near me were probably just as accustomed to such situations as I was.
Sola pointed straight at me.
"I've decided! If the White Fox deity says so, then I will rally the other shrine maidens to our side!"
"Y-yeah, sure?"
"Once this is done, everyone's coming along for the ride! I won't let anyone escape! Not through some mask succession! No matter what anyone says, you are the real deal! I did everything exactly as the teachings say! If that's the case, then the one at fault is—this world!"
"Religion is scary..."
She had to know it was her own fault, but the way she rationalized it was insane.
Seriously, was she even really a shrine maiden? She was nothing like the shrine maidens I knew... Was everything okay?
The one at fault was you. And the one who wasn't was me. How could I settle this situation in a peaceful way?
"Watch me, White Fox deity! I, Sola Zoro, will grow your faction! On your orders, we will all offer fried tofu!"
Sola dashed off with tears in her eyes. At her unprotected back, Lucia pointed her index finger and spoke.
"Become a frog!"
§ Things had gotten out of hand, so I gathered my companions.
I couldn't do anything myself, but I had reliable companions. I felt bad calling them when they were busy right before the Martial Emperor Festival, but staying quiet was more likely to cause problems.
Luke and Liliz had gone out criminal hunting, so only Anthem, Lucia, Citry, and I assembled.
But that was enough. I sat down on the sofa, interlacing both hands, and put on a hard-boiled grin.
"The thirty-eighth Mourning Specter Conference. Luke and Liliz are absent. Today, I've called you together to discuss how to break out of the situation we're currently trapped in."
"...Indeed."
Anthem's "indeed" was reassuring. He placed a large jar on the table.
Inside was a light-blue Sola frog. It was slapping against the inside of the jar, croaking pitifully. Poor thing...
But I couldn't let the situation become any more chaotic. I was surprised that Lucia had cast magic without warning, but the results spoke for themselves.
Clearing my throat lightly as an apology.
"First, let me explain the current situation. I've somehow been mistaken for the leader of a group of fox-loving girls who won't leave me alone, and it's become a problem. I'd like to clear up the misunderstanding, but they kept saying 'give us orders' or whatever, and I accidentally gave them one. Also, apparently this Sola gets in trouble if the misunderstanding is cleared up, so she doesn't want it cleared. What should I do?"
"Croak croak!"
"???? How did it end up like that?"
Citry blinked rapidly, her quick mind confused. How did it end up like that? That was... I had no idea.
What had I done? I'd just walked around town wearing a fox mask.
Citry folded her arms for a moment, then brought her hands together softly.
"Hmm... If you want a quick fix, why not just kill everyone or throw money at the problem?"
She went straight for it... Kill everyone or solve it with money...
Well, killing was out of the question, but— "Not bad."
There was no ill intent on my part. As for Sola trying to cover up her mistake, it was ultimately just something a kid did.
If I handled it with sincerity, they'd probably forgive her. The only problem was that my debt would increase.
"Croak!?"
"Right? It's a busy time of year and my hands are full, so let's just get this resolved quickly!"
"Croak croak! Croaaak!"
Sola seemed to be trying to say something, so I turned the jar upside down and let her out. Even when she was small enough to fit in my palm, her eyes were still spinning in circles.
I set her down on the floor and had Lucia change her back.
No matter how many times I watched a tiny frog turn into a full-sized person, it was always surreal.
Sola looked like she was about to die. Her breathing was ragged, and her expression was like someone who had just witnessed the end of the world. The shock had probably hit her harder mentally than physically.
"Hah... hah... I... I thought I was going to die..."
"Sorry, sorry. But... you were trying to run away."
"Wh-what kind of world turns someone who runs away into a frog—"
She caught her breath on the carpet for a while, then stood up and puffed out her chest.
"M-more importantly, killing us is out of the question! You people are taking us lightly! Do you have any idea how many of us there are!?"
"No, we weren't actually thinking of killing anyone."
Besides... the way she said it made it sound like a numbers thing—were they only off-limits if there were a lot of them?
She kept saying she served a god, but she was surprisingly tough. Her attitude flipped on a dime.
"You can't solve this with money! We are a secret society! A sacred one!"
"Then... what should I do?"
This was starting to get really annoying.
In response to my question, Sola nodded grandly and threw open both arms.
"There is only one way for us to survive. Pretend this never happened. Don't worry—the mask is real! With my guarantee as a shrine maiden, you will become the real White Fox deity."
Wasn't that... just a stopgap measure?
Both Citry and Anthem looked exasperated.
"And we need to drag in lots of other people! So many that they can't casually punish us! Watch me—I'll build a massive faction! A ten-tailed fried tofu one!"
"...Klye, what exactly is this group of fox-loving girls?"
"Indeed..."
Anthem nodded solemnly.
That was... something I didn't know. But looking at Sola, I could kind of understand how it had ended up becoming a secret society. They were too obsessed.
And at this rate, I was going to end up as the head of a massive faction.
"Oh right, I'll give the mask to Sola. It's a valuable item, right? You should be the one to lead this massive faction."
"I don't want it!!!"
It was already like the Old Maid card nobody wanted. Maybe I should just dump it somewhere...
"I won't let you escape. I won't let you escape, White Fox deity! Being a secret society doesn't mean anything—the truth will come out eventually! The real boss might show up! No, she definitely will! You have to do something!"
Sola was getting desperate. Apparently, that secret society had some seriously strict rules.
Hearing her pleading voice, I clapped my hands together and broke into a grin.
"Got it. I'll figure something out."
"!?"
"Honestly, you should've said so sooner. The boss is coming, right? I'll talk to them directly."
"!??"
See, that solves it. I'm a master of apologies. I wouldn't even hesitate to do a full prostration—the kind that would make an ordinary person squirm.
No matter how strict their rules were, I was an outsider. If I chose my words carefully and offered a sincere, heartfelt apology, I could probably get Sola acquitted.
It was a little scary, but with Anthem as my bodyguard, it would be perfect.
For a moment, Sola was dumbfounded, then she spoke hesitantly.
"Your opponent is the boss!? I hear the boss is a terrifying person—even for the White Fox deity—"
"Hahaha, don't worry, don't worry. I'll handle it smoothly so you won't get caught up in it. You have nothing to worry about."
She was overthinking it. Even if they were scary, it wasn't like they'd kill me.
Sometimes a small problem can seem like an insurmountable one. When that happened, all you had to do was change your perspective.
The only person I feared meeting face-to-face was Gaark.
That's when Citry clapped her hands.
"Well then, the Mourning Specter Conference is adjourned."
"Sorry for calling you all here suddenly. But you really helped me out."
"Not at all—Klye's problems are my problems..."
As expected, the thing worth having was reliable friends. Just talking it over helped me organize my own thoughts.
Then Citry grabbed the shoulder of the frozen Sola. Sola flinched and looked back at Citry.
"So, I'd like to... confirm a few things—would it be alright if I heard your side, Sola?"
§ § § None of this made sense. The intentions, the situation—absolutely nothing was understandable.
He'd seemed like he was trying to deceive Sola, then did a complete about-face and offered to talk to the boss directly.
To be able to push around Sola—who had been raised as a shrine maiden expected to remain calm and composed at all times—the new White Fox deity was truly a terrifying opponent.
Sola was not a Treasure Hunter. Her combat ability was virtually nonexistent.
That was why, even though she had only heard rumors about the power of Thousand Transformations, she didn't believe she could stand a chance against the boss.
Even if his companions were all present, she wouldn't feel at ease.
The Nine-Tailed Shadow Fox was the largest among secret organizations. And the boss, in a rarity for this kind of organization, was known to possess considerable power.
She didn't know what kind of negotiation he intended to have, but the organization tolerated absolutely no leaks of information.
Releasing someone who had impersonated the boss with Thousand Transformations was out of the question.
The new White Fox deity was underestimating the secret society.
That was why she had to act while the truth still hadn't come to light.
Sola was a shrine maiden. A priestess in a special position. If it became known that she had misidentified the boss, she would lose everything—but for now, she still had her authority.
The new White Fox deity had told Sola not to worry, that he would handle it.
But serving the boss who held the fox mask bestowed by the god, and devoting all her strength to them, was the shrine maiden's duty.
She had to do it. Even if he was a fake, there was no doubt that the White Fox deity was the White Fox deity.
It was said that Sola's ancestors, who had been persecuted for serving a god of unusual nature, were helped by the boss of that era who bore the fox mask bestowed by the god, and they decided to act together.
Since then, the White Fox deity had been the guiding light for Sola and the other shrine maidens of the fox god.
It was said that several people in the organization bore a white fox mask. But now, an outsider wearing the mask had appeared.
This was likely—a turning point in history.
She must not misjudge whom to serve. No matter how terrifying the consequences—even if it meant the annihilation of her entire clan—if that was the god's will— Her resolve was set. The trembling in her limbs and her agitation had already subsided.
All that remained was to fulfill her duty as a shrine maiden.
Solemnly, she returned to the hideout she had been given.
—She unlocked the key and opened the door, only to find a girl wearing a white fox mask inside, licking a plate clean.
"!?"
Her brain refused to comprehend it.
It was, without a doubt, a real mask.
Her heart had, for a single moment, truly stopped. She couldn't breathe, and her entire body went numb.
She couldn't tear her eyes from the mask the girl was wearing.
The mask was real. Identical to the one the White Fox deity had worn—a genuine mask.
But the pressure she felt was incomparable to what the White Fox deity had exuded.
A god—no, a monster. Her limbs wouldn't obey her.
The figure was even smaller than Sola, yet for the first time, Sola was experiencing the overwhelming difference in their class.
She had been foolish. Sola had been foolish. Ignorant.
This was—the real boss.
If this—this otherworldly aura—was the proof of the White Fox deity, then misjudging it could only be called incompetence.
The real boss looked her way.
Their appearance was the same, yet she couldn't believe they were the same person. And toward Sola, who couldn't move a single finger, the real boss spoke in a cold voice: "This isn't tasty. If you don't give me better fried tofu, I'll attack."