“So quickly? Can’t I have more time?” I muttered.

Then again, why did I feel rushed at all? What was even happening? I shook away that confusion and stepped through once again. This time I ended up in a small village. Besides the village was a graveyard. The foxkin had come a long way from the animalkin who were scared of their own spirits. Miki had seemingly morphed them into a village of shepherds. Their ability to work with spirits even outstripped the church.

Using the power of their spirit tails, they were able to resurrect people even long past the point where death would be permanent. They also weren’t afraid to enter dungeons and attempt resurrections in there. They had truly become a positive force throughout the kingdom.

I followed a trail leading into the village, only to find a massive shrine built in the middle of the city. There was a long line of people in front of that shrine, and at the top of the steps was none other than Miki. I ignored the line of waiting people and continued to the top. As I reached it, I could see a couple. They were crying while holding a bundle that looked to be children’s clothing in their hands.

“W-we don’t have the money, but out child…” The man was saying with tears in his eyes while the woman wept on.

Miki raised her hand. “How long has it been?”

Her simple question caused the man’s expression to fall, his body shaking, and the woman to weep even harder.

“We… didn’t have the money to travel here either. We had to come on foot.” The man croaked. “I thought that… perhaps… if it was you.”

“How long?” Miki exuded a peacefulness around her that seemed to ease the hearts of everyone nearby.

“T-two months.” He barely could get the words out.

She gave them a sympathetic look. “The body?”

“Those damned priests wouldn’t give it back! They said it was disrespectful to drag the body across the country on a hope…” His teeth clenched, and he shook for an entirely different reason.

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Miki watched them for a few moments, and then put out her arms. “This was his blanket?”

“Wha- yes! It is.” He jumped up a hopeful expression building on his face, immediately handing over the item over. “Can you bring him back? Can you save our son?”

“I can only try.” She said hesitantly.

The mother and father gave out sounds of relief, grabbing each other desperately as they watched Miki. I stood and watched too as she began to perform a resurrection. To the couple who weren’t particularly sensitive with mana, it probably looked like nothing, but to me, I could see a rainbow of color. Her spiritual tails were spread out like a peacock behind her, and she held the blanket up as multi-colored mana swirled around it.

Ever so slowly, she reached into the mana stream of this world, calling upon the signature that used to be their baby. The soul of a baby would have been particularly weak. While my soul could easily last two months, a baby soul even being summoned after a month was asking for a lot.

Yet, Miki was the best. She was the woman who was closest to death, and for that, she was the one who understood the soul the best. Slowly, the swirling light began to coalesce together, finally forming into the body of a baby. Its eyes opened, and it immediately let out a crying sound.

“Ahhh!” Miki cried out.

“Our baby!”

“The baby!”

Miki was never good with babies, even her own. Speaking of which…

“Daddy!” A young girl of ten ran out from behind the shrine and jumped into my arms.

She was completely oblivious to the work her mother was doing, but thankfully the dramatic moment was over and Miki was desperately trying to hand the baby over without dropping it while the parents were so busy thanking her that they forgot to take their baby back.

“Hello, cupcake.” I smiled. “What are you two still doing over here anyway? You know, your big sister’s birthday is coming soon.”

She nodded her head. “We’ll come! Mommy just wanted to do a bit more work before she came! She’s always working.”

I noticed she had a hint of displeasure in her voice.

“What your mommy does is important, you know.”

“I know….” She responded flippantly.

“But… you also don’t want to miss the celebration! Your big sister would be angry!”

“I know!” her eyes grew big. “If I don’t come, she’ll floof my tail! I hate it when she floofs my tail.”

“I see…” I nodded. “Well, you should never let anyone floof your tail that you don’t want to do it.”

“R-really?” She asked. “But daddy floofs mommy’s tail all the time?”

I coughed. “Well, that’s a special thing only daddy can do to mommy, understand?”

“Yup!” She nodded, although it was clear she was just saying what I wanted to hear.

By the time Miki walked up to me, I heard a bell gong for the third time.