Reincarnated into a Snow Griffin-Chapter 109

We somehow manage to get the two butchering demons away from the staring contest they were having and took this conversation to a more comfortable place then the rooftops, a nice restaurant still empty for the early hours of the night.

Walking like this, at night, gave me a different sensation than it did during the day, and I could not help but have a nostalgic feeling about this place the longer I stood around, the more I saw, the more lively it felt, the more I thought to have seen something like this before, but not exactly like this, that would have been impossible, but something... something quite similar at least, the lanterns, the buildings, even the people and shops...

It was one of those memory lapses I have from time to time, as if my memories were jumbled up together, but what is odd is not that I have a bad memory or remember it badly, no, is like part is there and part is not since what I remember is very clear and crystal to me, my mother, the island, the fairies, but then... nothing but glimpses. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"We arrived." The fox says as we enter a small red wooden restaurant, passing over the cloth from the entrance with its name written on the front, and taking the seats at the back.

We chose our food, or rather, the fox does and I do not complain since I could not make head from tails from the names on the menu, and because the two demons were quite useless at this point, throwing daggers with their eyes on each other.

"I bet I could beat you to a pulp before the sun rises again."

"Oh, you are welcomed to try, I could use it to the warm up a little."

Two dogs barking, but none bite first, especially when their hands would go for their weapons they would receive a disapproving look from me and the fox that made them think twice before putting their words into action as we promised hell later in the form of cold indifference and disappointment.

Two children aren’t they... sigh, best to ignore them for now to keep my mental sanity at bay.

"So, let’s talk about business." Says the black fox before grabbing a spoon and pointing it at me, green juice dripping from the tip on the table after being taken out from his drink.

That dirtiness makes a vein pop on my forehead, but I’m better than to slash out on a kid that easily... or at least that soon.

"My name is Kasumi, and this one is Natasha, my warrior demon." I nod at his words.

"My name is Seraph and this is Ethan, what business do you have with us Kasumi fox?"

"Well, is actually more what we have that each other wants." He soon goes back to his drink, swirling the ice cubes inside what looked like apple juice but bubbly, which intrigued yet concerned me.

"You want some?"

"No thank you." I say, taking a sip of water, the safe bet on any menu so far, and try to keep it professional. "There is only one thing that I can think of that we want in this place, and there is only one person that can give that to us, are you telling me that you are the one?"

"That’s right!" He says, bumping his fist on his chest. "I’m the one who survived and I can get you into the Ghost City... for a price that is."

I look down at him, incredibility very clear in my eyes that even the veil could not hide, but it seems the two demons decided to finally stop acting without control and got into the conversation.

"I would not judge a magical fox by their cover, they can easily change their appearances with the number of tails they let out."

"Is that so?" I say to Ethan as I raise an eyebrow, not really judging him by appearance only. "Very well, you seem to have heard of us and our request, but what is that you want from us?" I ask since he seems very aware of what we need, possibly hearing from the other fox, Misaki, or may have even had contact with the other participants.

No matter, as long as he could get us there, though I still a little skeptical.

"Well, the thing is that..." The fox starts but is soon interrupted by the food arriving at our table, and I had reasons to be worried since their looks are, well, kind of fishy? And is that fish eggs on top of something?

They soon start digging in, the conversation stationary for a moment as they enjoy the delicacy, turning the fish rolls so that the pink part would touch the black sauce on the side before putting it in their mouths.

And well, I was assuming that it was fish, I wasn’t even certain of that.

"Try it out." Ethan says while holding one of the delicacies in the air, having to make do with the mask still over his face, but this time he extends his hands and the contains of the spoon towards me.

I give the thing a deep glare, expecting it to twitch to life at any moment, but it seems somewhat... fine?

Ok, here goes nothing!

...

...Munchy... and cold... and with a strange texture...

"Cough cough, well, you were saying...?" I try to put the subject back on the table so I have an excuse to avoid eating at all while speaking.

Give me my apples over this every day please! At least I haven’t found a strange tasting apple so far yet!

He quickly eats the piece that was already in his mouth before speaking again: "Well, there are a few circumstances that will demand that I tag along with you two."

I frown. "Go on."

"First, you must have seen how this island is isolated from the outside world, the barrier stops most and if it wasn’t enough the seas are full of monsters, the only way out is through the skies... and that’s where you come in. I want you to give us a ride outside this place, is that easy."

I tap the table with my finger, thinking and trying to find any dangerous schemes hidden in his words.

"If you are so kin on leaving there must be other ways of doing so, and a less dangerous one at that." I say, filling my empty stomach with water.

"Well you clearly are not from around here, those flying device-thingy need compatible magic to work, the cultivator’s equipment need a wind root core, which none of us have, and any other way or is super expensive, or is exclusive of one of the noble lineages of clans. Is not only us who knows that the skies are the only way out you know." Turning it into a very expensive commodity on this island.

"I see." So there is a very high demand for such products I assume, and with very little contact with the outside world the common people had almost no chance of leaving at all.

"Very well, that seems like a reasonable request, but I need some proof that you can give us what we need before going head first into danger." I say, remembering the draining life sensation I had just by being close to the Ghost City, much less entering unharmed.

"Well, is because it won’t recognize me as a foreign thing, I can pass it easy peasy." He says, putting his hand forward and extending his palm. "And that is, because we are made from same essence."

With that his hand starts do deform and smolder away, a liquid black substance that had a strange and different appearance from the fog, and yet, even small like this I could recognize the same agonizing pull the fog had in it, all but for a moment as to not disturb the restaurant but quick enough to give us a good view of his... complex nature.

Yet there is much more ground to cover... and I planning on doing just that.