Qornaroth's voice echoed inside Nox's head, "Not even a day in and you've stirred up chaos. It seems I was right about bringing you here."

Nox slowly opened his eyes, barely able to make out a figure beside him. He felt the comfort of a soft pillow beneath his head.

"Ange...lica?" he mumbled softly to himself, he stretched his arm out to try and touch the figure's face.

The silhouette only chuckled softly and smiled cheekily at him. As he gradually regained his sight, he realized it was the nine-tailed foxian, Lady Kiyo. He hadn't been able to get a good glimpse at her last night when he had been preoccupied with saving the foxians.

Her eyes were wide and shining, like two blue sapphires, clear and radiant, shining with an inner light. She had an alluring charm to her face. Her skin was supple and smooth as silk as Nox's hand glided across Lady Kiyo's cheek.

Just as they were having fun with themselves, Mae walked into the room. “Lady Kiyo, has Lord Nox awakened yet?” she asked, stammering. She quickly realized her mistake before continuing, “Oh—I apologize for interrupting you two!” With that, Mae scurried away with her hands over her face.

“Ufufu~, it seems she misinterpreted this situation,” said Lady Kiyo as she gazed in the direction Mae had just left. “You should attend to your hygiene, Your Lordship. Your body is riddled with your adversaries' blood.”

Nox stood up from Lady Kiyo's lap and stretched out, his joints making loud cracking noises as he did so.

“Let me show you a nearby river,” Lady Kiyo said as she walked out of the hut.

Nox followed. By the time they stepped outside, morning was already upon them, and the foxians were hard at work cleaning the wreckage from last night’s destruction while others carted materials for repairs or removed debris.

Nox thought back to the previous evening and asked, “What happened to those two people I brought back? What became of them?”

“Rest assured that they are tied up securely nearby, with our guards watching over them. Plus, the collars you put on them make it impossible for them to lift a sword against us.”

As Nox and Lady Kiyo traveled along the short path to the nearby river, some of the local foxians came up to greet them. Nox just waved his hands in response. After a brief trek through the terrain, they reached the stream's edge.

The river was in an open area, surrounded by lush greenery and wildflowers. Its color was clear blue. It sparkles in the sun like diamonds and its surface is as still as glass. The river was wide, and the water wasn't deep nor too shallow - it was of perfect depth for having a quick dip in its refreshing waters.

Nox who lived in the slums in his previous life never saw a river this clean, so he was mesmerized by it.

Lady Kiyo allowed Nox to take in the view for a moment before she uttered, “I’ll be back shortly. Have a pleasant time, My Lord.” She graciously bowed her head before departing and leaving Nox alone.

“When did I last have a proper bath? All I had time for was a rushed shower after my tiresome day of labor,” Nox reflected on his previous life on Earth. “Forget about that, this time I'll savor every moment of it.”

Nox stripped down, then submerged his feet in the cold river. He gradually brought the entirety of his body into the running water. As he felt the current wash over him, a sigh of relief escaped from his lips as he felt strength returning to his body. Lying back, Nox let only his head remain out of the water and felt the most relaxed he had ever been. The surrounding nature created a tranquil melody for him to enjoy. As he stayed there, the blood on his body began to dissipate in the river. Time quickly passed as Nox enjoyed his time bathing.

“It looks like you’re having a good time.” Nox hadn't realized until then that Lady Kiyo had come back. She was wearing a bathrobe, her ample chest visible due to the neckline, and carrying a towel and basket in her hands.

Nox rose, certain his bathing session had come to a close, but Lady Kiyo had something else planned. She approached Nox, the water slowly rising up her shins until it was level with her knees.

“I’m finished here, so you can use it now,” Nox said as he started to rise, but Lady Kiyo stopped him with her hand on his shoulder.

"The blood may have been erased," she murmured, running her fingertips lightly down his back as she knelt beside him, "but you still need to cleanse yourself properly, My Lord."

Nox reached for the towel, but she pulled it away from him gently. “I’m afraid that won’t do," she said with a smile. "Let your loyal servant take care of cleaning you."

“Have you bathed yet, Lady Kiyo? If so, then let me wash myself,” Nox asked while looking at her bathrobe and noticed that it was slightly damp.

“Oh my, Lord Nox worries for me?” she gasped, a hand covering her mouth. Then, with a mischievous glint in her eye, she added “I was planning to take my bath after his lordship is done, but I think I’ll join him instead." She put the towel and basket down on a nearby rock and began undressing.

But Nox quickly stopped her, saying, “Fine, I allow you to wash me, but only my upper half.” He then positioned himself so that he was facing away from her.

Lady Kiyo let out a joyful laugh, aware that she had won. She took the basket of plants and placed them in her hands, rubbing them together to create a thick foam. Nox could smell the pleasant aroma coming from the mixture as Lady Kiyo rubbed it all over his body.

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Nox felt a cushion of foam on his back before Kiyo's hands moved to his arms. He then felt something gentle against his back - Lady Kiyo's chest pressed lightly against him. She rinsed off the lather from his upper body and added more foam to her hands.

As Nox heard Lady Kiyo scrubbing her hands, he turned to take a look. He then grasped her wrists and looked deep into her eyes as he uttered the words “Upper part only.”

“You got me,” she said with a heavy sigh.

Nox then washed his lower body before drying himself with the towel that Lady Kiyo had brought over.

“You may come out, Mae,” Lady Kiyo commanded as Mae stepped out from behind a tree. She looked embarrassed as she handed Nox his clothes.

“H-here you go, L-Lord Nox,” she stammered.

In Nox's head, he wondered if Mae had been hidden in the bushes watching him the whole time or was just feeling uncomfortably exposed after Lady Kiyo's jovial teasing.

Taking the pants from her quivering hand, Nox pulled them on over the towel wrapped around his body. He noticed that Mae still held a vest in her grasp. Nox shook his head and said, “I don’t need it, Mae. Let them see the seal on my body clearly.”

“If you say so, My Lord. Also, Lady Kiyo told us to go back first.”

Nox nodded in agreement. As they walked back to the village, Nox couldn't help but admire the breathtaking view of the forest surrounding them. The scent of something delicious cooking in the air filled their nostrils as they approached. It turned out that the foxians were preparing a grand feast. Some of them were busy cooking while others laid out tables and chairs in an orderly fashion outside.

Mae quickly explained, "They want to show their gratitude for your help last night. Thankfully there were no losses on our side, and they are relieved."

Nox was aware that in spite of the attack that had just occurred, the village residents were already going back to their daily routines, though minus the rebuilding. The Foxian kids played merrily as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.

Nox felt a gentle pull of his pants and looked downward to see the same child he freed last night. Her other arm was tucked behind her back, so he kneeled down until they were face to face.

"What is it, brave one?" Nox asked in admiration of her actions.

The young girl presented her hand which held a wreath made of flowers.

"Did you create this yourself?"

She just nodded, too scared to answer out loud.

He quickly guessed, “Is this for Mae or Lady Kiyo?"

She shook her head quickly and pointed at Nox.

Nox smiled and said, "I understand. Would you mind crowning me, my princess?" he presented the top of his head to her, and she slowly placed the wreath there. A giggle escaped from her lips.

For the first time in a long while, a smile graced Nox's face as he let out a small laugh of happiness. He picked her up and put her on his shoulder, feeling a deep joy that someone cared for him, even in this strange new world.

“Oh my, looks like you’re having a good time with the children?” Nox turned around as she heard Lady Kiyo's voice. The woman had just returned and was dressed in her signature blue robe.

She inhaled deeply before bellowing out, “Everybody, come together!” Instantly, the foxians stopped what they were doing and congregated around her, even the young ones.

“What power…” Nox mused to himself.

“This morning, we gather to express our gratitude for Lord Nox’s assistance from last night and welcome him to our realm. The Great Qornaroth has truly blessed us,” she said with a voice filled with awe.

“Thank you, Lord Nox!” the villagers shouted in unison.

“The Great Qornaroth has answered our prayers,” they chanted.

Their voices resonated throughout the village as they thanked both Nox and Qornaroth. Eventually, Lady Nox gestured for her people to quiet down.

“Now then, let's commence the feast!”

The foxians were loud and joyful as they took their seats around the table. Lady Kiyo, Mae, Nox, and the fox child he carried on his shoulder all found their seats at the furthest corner of the room, where they could observe everyone else in the crowd. Nox looked down and saw a variety of different dishes laid out before him: from stews to grilled meats mixed with vegetables, along with wine that was already poured into cups.

Lady Kiyo grabbed a bowl of savory stew and said, “Let us enjoy the meal then.”

Nox put the little one on his lap before he too started eating. His first bite was unbelievably delicious. He had never experienced such a flavor in his prior life. The meat was incredibly juicy and tender, accompanied by the flavor of cooked vegetables, and it only got better with the addition of wine.

By the time the feast concluded, the sun had reached its peak. Some of the foxians stayed back to clean up while the others went off on their daily routines.

“What do you intend to do next, Lord Nox?” Lady Kiyo inquired as she wiped her mouth with a handkerchief.

Nox paused for a few moments before replying, “Honestly, I have nothing planned.”

Lady Kiyo contemplated for a few moments with her eyes closed, her ears twitching and her tails swaying. She reopened them and said, “I have a proposition, My Lord. Would you consider visiting the orc tribe? Despite being known for their brutish behavior, they're rarely attacked due to the amount of effort it takes to do so.”

“Are you proposing to work together?”

"Yes," she paused, “Typically, we demons look out for our own kind and try not to involve other tribes. But perhaps with your presence, we could alter that policy."

“So each demon race operates independently? It'll be hard to wreak havoc on humans and others if we are in disarray ourselves.” Nox pondered in his head.

“There's a lot I'd like to ask you about the condition of all the demon clans, but I'll save those questions for another time. As for now, I accept your offer,” he responded.

With a bow, Lady Kiyo said, “Very well, thank you, My Lord.”

Before leaving, Nox and Lady Kiyo discussed what they could do to assist each other. She suggested the orcs protect the foxian village, but she couldn't think of anything to return the favor. Nox mentioned he would talk to the orc tribe to brainstorm what kind of repayment could be made.

“I see, then I’ll leave the orc’s part to you. I'm sorry for not being able to come up with something.” Lady Kiyo hung her head in shame at not being able to find a solution on her own.

But Nox shook his head and ruffled her head in a comforting gesture. “No, you did great thinking of a way to prevent another attack from humans. You should be proud,” he said warmly.

A deep blush spread across her face at his words of praise. “T-thank you for your kind words.”

“Well, I’d better be on my way. Can Mae come along? She can show me around the area since I’m not familiar with it yet.”

Lady Kiyo agreed with a nod.

“Eeeeeeehhh!? Does that mean I get to accompany Lord Nox?” Mae said, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

They embarked on their journey to the orc tribe. Nox knew of orcs from fantasy books in his past life. They were depicted as brawns, had formidable physical strength, and were powerful yet savage creatures.

"Can they really be negotiated with?" asked Nox to himself.