Chapter 145: Bonding [5]
Soren slowly lowered himself onto his knees, dropping directly into the fresh snow. A gentle smile crossed his face as he looked down at the little creature.
"..."
After a moment, the young kitsune paused its approach, stopping a few feet away. Its five fluffy tails swayed gracefully in the air as its intelligent, icy-blue eyes locked onto him, studying his relaxed posture.
Then, without warning, the tiny beast vanished from its spot.
It moved with an incredible, dizzying burst of speed, blurring through the cold air like a streak of pure white light. Soren remained completely still, making no move to dodge or defend himself.
The next second, the small kitsune collided with his chest. The unexpected momentum forced him completely backward, and he collapsed onto the soft snow with a muffled thud.
Before he could sit back up, the little creature planted its delicate, glowing paws firmly onto his shoulders. It hovered directly over him, staring deeply into his eyes with an intense, unblinking gaze. Soren stared right back into its eyes, keeping his breathing steady.
The silent standoff lasted for only a few heartbeats.
Suddenly, the intense look in the kitsune’s eyes gave way to pure excitement. It let out a tiny, cheerful "Kyuu~" and dropped its head, burying its snout into the crook of Soren’s neck and snuggling into his chest.
"Oh." Soren blinked in surprise, the crisp fur tickling his skin. He then slowly raised his hand and rested his palm on the back of its white head, gently running his fingers through the soft coat.
The kitsune didn’t show even a shred of resistance, leaning its weight into his touch and closing its eyes in pure comfort.
Outside the reinforced observation glass, President Marron stood completely frozen, his jaw slightly slack as he stared at the scene. He was utterly dumbfounded, unable to believe his own eyes.
He knew the background of this specific Aurora Kitsune very well. Ever since the Bureau had brought it back from the high-altitude rift, it had been the definition of an arrogant, proud magical beast. It routinely ignored the researchers, hissed at the senior tamers, and constantly carried itself like a high-and-mighty little princess who was far superior to everyone else.
But what about now?!
As Marron watched the legendary creature roll over to let a rookie hunter scratch its belly, his eye twitched. It wasn’t any different from a spoiled house cat!
"He is a good human."
"?" He paused and turned his head to look over at Director Elenaria with an inquiring gaze.
The elven woman kept her eyes fixed on the glass. "The young man’s soul is exceptionally pure. That is what I mean. Even the spirits are naturally drawn to him."
Marron’s eyes widened slightly, the relaxed lines on his face tightening. "Spirits, huh?"
He turned his gaze back toward the snowy enclosure. Soren was completely flat on his back now, a clear, genuine laugh escaping him as the little kitsune playfully batted at his fingers.
’...A pure soul.’
Marron let the words settle in his mind.
The idea sounded almost too idealistic for a hunter surviving in their dangerous world, and under normal circumstances, he might have brushed it off as mere sentiment. Yet, he didn’t doubt Elenaria’s words for a second. The Director gained absolutely nothing from empty praise, and she was far from the type to let personal bias cloud her judgment.
More importantly, Marron understood the nature of spirits.
While his own combat path didn’t rely on them, he knew that spiritual entities operated on a completely different plane of perception. They didn’t care about human status, wealth, or clever words. They judged a person based on the raw, unmasked frequency of their inner being, seeing through every layer of deception instantly.
If both the ancient lineage of the kitsune and the spirits accepted Soren so easily, then there was no room left for doubt.
"I guess I might have underestimated him a bit then." Marron’s initial caution dissolved, replaced by a quiet sense of satisfaction.
He had originally brought Soren down here as part of a calculated investment for the Bureau’s future, but seeing the young hunter laughing in the snow made him realize he had stumbled upon something far more valuable than just a talented rookie.
And that was exactly why he became even more determined to tie the young hunter as closely to the Bureau as possible.
"Let’s go in."
The heavy doors unsealed with a familiar hiss, and the two walked into the artificial sub-zero biome.
Hearing the sound of footsteps, the little kitsune instantly perked up its ears. Seeing Director Elenaria enter, it let out a soft, recognizing "Kyuu~", leaping gracefully out of Soren’s arms and landing perfectly in the elf’s embrace. It snuggled against her arm, though its icy-blue eyes quickly caught sight of President Marron standing right beside her.
The moment it saw Marron, the kitsune’s friendly expression vanished. It gave him a cold, deeply indifferent stare before completely turning its head away to ignore his existence entirely. Marron’s lips twitched at the blatant disrespect, a silent sigh escaping him. The little princess was back to her usual self with everyone else.
Soren pushed himself up from the snow, dusting off his clothes as a relaxed smile remained on his face. He looked at the two arrivals. "Did I pass?"
"Yes," Elenaria replied, her voice filled with a rare, quiet warmth as she cradled the small beast. "You secured its willingness faster than anyone anticipated. Now, we can move forward with the bonding."
She shifted her gaze down to the kitsune in her arms, her expression turning solemn. Opening her lips, she began to speak in a strange, melodic language. The words sounded like a sequence of ancient, rhythmic chants, a dialect that neither Soren nor Marron could understand.
’This doesn’t sound elven,’ Soren furrowed his brows in confusion. ’Is she... speaking in its language?’
As if in response to the mysterious syllables, a faint shimmer of frost gathered around the creature’s ears. The young kitsune listened quietly, turning its head to look deeply at Soren once more before looking back up at Elenaria. After a brief pause, it gave a firm, decisive nod.
"Alright, she agreed and is ready," Elenaria announced, her attention returning to Soren as the melody died down. "We may proceed with the ritual immediately."
