"Ah? There are monsters in this world too?" Edward looked at The Grim Reaper with a confused expression, completely bewildered.
"They were dragged out by the companion next to you." The Grim Reaper said with a complicated expression. Edward's mouth twitched—so that was what happened.
Even so, out of curiosity, Edward still planned to go take a look. After all, he really was extremely interested in this sort of thing. With that thought in mind, Edward went straight to the place where the most monster sightings had been reported this time, the Samurai nation.
He looked around curiously, yet didn't see much of anything. Still, he did sense some abnormalities. While walking, he eventually found himself before the Inari Shrine, one of the more famous shrines in the area.
"Inari Shrine?" Edward was a little surprised, but he didn't dwell on it. He parked his car and hurriedly entered while carrying Q.
Since it was a weekday, there weren't many people in the shrine—only the head priest and a shrine maiden. After stepping inside, that faint chill lingering in the air faded a bit.
He let out a slow breath. If those things really existed in this world, then coming here was probably…
Just as Edward was earnestly paying his respects, he saw a white fox casually walk over from the side. It jumped lightly onto the offering table as if no one else existed, yawned loudly, and tilted its head at him.
Edward blinked. Looking at the fox in front of him, he knew that foxes were said to be the messengers of the Inari deity, but he didn't think this shrine would go as far as to include a white fox this realistic.
They'd really recreated everything perfectly.
"Hey, brat—can you see me?"
A light, clear voice sounded. Edward froze. He instinctively glanced around—there was no one nearby. The only shrine maiden was still outside sweeping.
So, Edward looked down at the fox.
Could it be… the fox was talking?
Under his gaze, the white fox hopped down from the table—and the moment it landed, its form shifted into that of a young girl. A white-haired girl with fox ears.
She wore a pure white shrine maiden outfit, with pale violet eyes. She didn't look like a human being at all.
Edward.exe has crashed. Reboot?
"Hey, hey?"
The girl waved her hand in front of his eyes, successfully rebooting the system.
"Y–you…" Edward stammered, shocked. He could actually see a yokai?
But soon he remembered that every time he entered one of these worlds, there was always a unique "background setting" assigned to him—presumably to help him integrate.
He thought back, and suddenly recalled his setting in this world.
"…This is really something else." Edward's mouth twitched.
First, his parents mysteriously disappeared, leaving behind only him, a bit of savings, and a younger brother still in school.
Then he discovered his parents had been researching haunted houses and supernatural events this whole time. If that wasn't a main-character background, what was?
And now he even saw a fox transform into a cute girl.
What kind of world was this?
"Stop making that weird face, brat. If someone sends you to a mental hospital, I'm not taking responsibility." The girl lazily yawned and scratched her stomach.
"A–are you… the messenger of the Goddess Inari?" Edward guessed.
"Messenger? What messenger?" The girl looked blankly at him, as if she had no idea what he was talking about.
"Enough nonsense. I want natto rice." She held out her hand impatiently, as if this were the most natural request in the world.
"Huh?" Edward was even more confused. Why was she asking for natto rice as her opening line? Could foxes even eat natto?
He wasn't even sure what happened next, but by the time he recovered from the shock, he was already sitting in his own home. On the opposite sofa sat the white-haired girl, holding a bowl in her hands.
A strange smell drifted from the food inside—natto rice he had made for her.
It was simple: natto poured over rice with a little soy sauce.
"Not bad. Didn't expect a brat like you to actually know how to cook. I'm so happy!" The girl stirred the natto quickly with her chopsticks, mixing it until long sticky strands formed.
"…Um, may I ask who you are?" Edward asked cautiously. He had a guess already, but wanted confirmation.
"Huh? Oh, you mean me. My real name is too long, but you humans like calling me the Inari." She looked up thoughtfully and answered.
Edward rubbed his hands—so it was true. He had suspected it, but to think she actually was the Goddess Inari.
In mythology, the Deity Inari presides over harvests, prosperity, and wealth—generally a beloved god.
The divine messenger was said to be a fox, a white fox.
But looking at the girl before him, Edward simply couldn't connect her with the deity in his mind. In his imagination, gods were supposed to be more imposing, more powerful.
Not a cute, pretty girl lacking even a hint of divine majesty.
"Brat, that way of thinking is a big no. I just saved your life." The Goddess Inari narrowed her eyes at him.
Edward instantly straightened. Good grief—she could read minds? That was terrifying. As expected of a god.
But then he paused. Saved him? Did that mean—
"You were covered in a layer of resentment. Luckily, you came to my shrine while I happened to be there. Otherwise, tsk tsk…" She casually stuffed a bite of natto rice into her mouth.
Edward was curious. He had been to the underworld, so he definitely had resentment on him.
But the Goddess Inari seemed to be teasing him deliberately—she chewed slowly and only after swallowing did she continue.
"Those things would've followed that resentment straight to you. And then—you'd be next." She explained casually.
Edward chuckled. That was more or less what he suspected.
No wonder he felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his chest back there.
"You don't seem surprised at all?" she asked.
Edward simply smiled without answering.
Looking at the white-haired girl before him, everything today felt surreal.
But he had to admit—the Goddess Inari was incredibly pretty. Big eyes, pale violet irises full of mystery, petite face, flawless features—truly perfect.
She was pretty enough to found her own shrine. Edward already had a name prepared: White-Fox Shrine.
Since she would be eating for a while, he decided to clean his home.
"You live alone?" she asked while he was mopping.
He turned around—she had finished eating and placed her bowl on the table without washing it.
"No, I live with my younger brother, but he's studying abroad." Edward explained. His parents had been missing for a year now—practically confirmed dead.
"Brother? Didn't expect two men living together to keep things so clean." The Goddess Inari raised a brow, strolling leisurely—barefoot.
Watching her step on the freshly mopped floor, Edward wanted to stop her, but seeing no footprints left behind, he relaxed.
"We like cleanliness." Edward continued mopping. Many assumed men's rooms were messy, but that was a misunderstanding—cleanliness depended on personality.
"You got any porn books or lotion?"
Her head suddenly dangled upside down in front of him, scaring him so much he almost flung the mop.
Looking up, he realized she was standing on the ceiling, her height just enough for him to see her face.
"Yes. I bought plenty. Bottom shelf of my cabinet." Edward answered calmly.
"Huh? You really admitted it?" She was shocked—wasn't he supposed to deny it embarrassedly?
"Why wouldn't I? I bought them." Edward shrugged.
She jumped down, landing barefoot in front of him. She was about 170 cm—just enough to reach his chin.
Edward's face reddened. Standing closer, he noticed her scent—like freshly harvested rice—and her skin was flawless.
Lower your head. Forbidden scenery ahead.
He didn't dare, but gravity was cruel.
So he lowered his head—
—and soon found himself curled on the ground clutching his stomach.
"Say 'steel board' again and I'll break your nose." The Goddess Inari cracked her knuckles dangerously.
Edward silently decided her new title should be Fist Goddess Inari.
She could probably knock out Tyson with one punch.
He got up and began washing dishes. Leaving dirty dishes out in summer was a bad idea.
"I want another bowl."
She wandered behind him, flipping through a book.
He recognized it. One of his doujinshi from a convention.
"Then can you tell me more about those things?" Edward asked. If those supernatural beings existed, Mr. Fujino and his girlfriend were in danger.
"Nothing to talk about. You encountered a pretty ordinary evil spirit." She looked utterly unimpressed.
"…Um, don't you think flipping through someone's porn book the moment you enter their house is rude?" Edward couldn't help complaining—she was openly reading it!
"Oh, then I just won't read it in front of you." She replied lazily. The next second she vanished from the kitchen—he saw her lying on the sofa, reading comfortably.
Edward took a deep breath. Forget it. To save Fujino and his girlfriend, he needed her help.
He took out another box of natto, poured it over fresh rice, and added soy sauce.
"Your natto rice," he said, still puzzled why a fox deity liked natto rice.
"Goddess Inari, is there any way to deal with those evil spirits?" he asked eagerly.
Their side had solutions—what about here?
"Getting rid of evil spirits isn't the issue. The problem is the resentment inside them. You need to identify the evil spirits, then find the person who died with intense resentment." She grew serious.
Edward listened carefully and even took notes.
"Find the deceased, understand what they resented, and figure out how their resentment kills." She patted his shoulder.
Edward blinked. And then?
Even with her explanation, he didn't see how to solve it.
"Then you call me. You can't handle this yet. Once you've dealt with enough cases, you'll manage on your own." She resumed stirring her natto—this time slower.
"I see…" Edward scratched his head. Couldn't she just handle the evil spirits directly?
Knowing she could read minds, he decided not to ask aloud and simply watched her.
"What do you want to ask? Just say it. I don't like reading minds—it's gross when done too much." She scowled.
So, he asked.
"You really don't listen, huh? Like I said—evil spirits are easy. Resentment is the problem. Handling resentment requires all those steps." She squinted at him.
Edward rubbed his nose. So that's how it is—complicated, but at least there was a solution.
"Can you come with me?" he asked. If she was there, he could observe her process.
Her expression became strange.
"You want me to go? If I show up, all those things instantly dissolve—resentment will scatter and hide. That'll make it harder." She shrugged and took a bite.
Edward pinched the bridge of his nose—so he was being forced to do it alone.
"I'll give you a charm."
Her eyes shifted, and she pulled out an omamori from nowhere and tossed it to him.
He instinctively squeezed it.
"What are you doing? Are you also the type who squeezes instant noodles at the supermarket?" she asked dangerously.
(End of Chapter)
TN: I don't what just happened this chapter is soo strange.