“Why are you laughing like that?” Nishiki asked, concerned about her sudden change in demeanor. Did he just make a grave error that could spell doom for his life?

“Well, you just made my day.” She has a mischievous smile on her face. As they stand there for a moment, him with his mouth agape, while she’s chuckling all along. There’s something that occurs that really sends a shock to him.

That would be his door exploding inward, nearly knocking his out. Actually, if it did hit him, then Nishiki would no longer be of this world.

“Stop!” She yells. “Don’t sign her contract!”

“Ha ha, it’s too late for that now.” Tenka responds in mocking fashion. Somehow, she doesn’t seem to care about the destruction of home.

“My door…” Nishiki said. He had plenty reason to be distraught now over everything unfolding before him. What was going on? Who were these people and what did Tenha want with him.

“I can’t believe this…” The woman shook her head in disappointment. Judging from that bushy tails attached on her backside, it was clear she was also a kitsune like Tenha. Likely from the same shrine, he assumed. “Human, I’m so sorry that I was unable to stop this.”

“Sorry about what?” With all this hectic chaos going on around him, Nishiki was unable to wrap his head around things. All this information going into his head was stressing the man out. In fact, why was the room spinning? His center of balance tipped over and for a moment, he needed to move his legs underneath him to prevent a fall.

Though, all his actions proved futile, soon the world around him started to get dark. Nishiki’s body had caught up to him, having been pushed beyond its limits. Normally, he’d be in bed by now, but the delay along with all the stress forced him to have no other option but to pass out.

***

The next thing he knew, the man’s eyes were opening back up to the world. It seemed he had been relocated in his bed, as the stiff mattress did little to relieve the pain from his aching back.

Was what happened just a bad dream? He hoped that would be the case considering the warning that woman had for him. And to be honest, the idea of fox spirit coming to him was ludicrous. “Ha… Hahahaha!” Nishiki laughed over how ridiculous the notion was. It must’ve been conjured up in his mind for some hope of excitement for something.

He looked at the clock. It was six in the morning, right at the same time he always got up from bed. Seemed that his normal schedule wasn’t messed up at all. With all that was now known to him, he got up and headed to his bathroom to take a shower. Everything seemed pretty normal as he got a nice hot shower, his teeth brushed, and eventually suited up for a nice day of work.

After his time was finished in the privacy of his bathroom, it was time to quickly head out to pick up some breakfast he could eat while at work. At least, that’s what he thought was going to happen. However, something in his living room caused a delay to his plans.

“Ahhh!” He screamed when he saw two foxes sleeping on the couch. How did these wild animals get inside his house? Nishiki didn’t take long to think as he rushed towards his phone to call someone to help remove these animals. However, as he picked it up, the man was jumped from behind as the weight of a child landed onto his back.

“Hey, calm down will ya?” That voice, he recognized that voice. Nishiki turned his head to see Tenha standing on his back as he laid on the ground. She looked angry with him since he had interrupted her from a peaceful slumber. “Some of us are trying to get some sleep here.”

“Please forgive her for being rude.” The other woman also suddenly appeared out of nowhere. “Or don’t. I know I wouldn’t.” When Nishiki looked back onto his couch, the foxes he had seen before had vanished. Were those two the foxes?

“Anyway, don’t call the cops on us. We weren’t doing anything wrong.” Tenha is still standing on him to ensure he can’t move around. Given her size, it was a bit pitiful he couldn’t overcome someone the size of a child.

“Correction, you’re doing plenty wrong.” The other fox woman tells her. “Anyway, I’m truly sorry for the suffering caused by our arrival.”

“Okay, I guess we’re restarting that conversation…” For some reason, Tenha still wouldn’t get off of him. He felt her bare foot just press harder onto his spine. However, the more pressing matter was that either he was still trapped in his bad dream, or this was truly happening before him.

“My name is Kinuko.” Finally, the woman was able to properly introduce herself. “Unfortunately, I was unable to arrive soon enough to warn you about the contract Tenha was making you sign.”

“I’m sorry, but is this going to take long?” He took a quick glance at the clock on the wall. “I need to get going to work soon.”

“How can you not be more concerned about this!?” She yelled at him, scolding the man like a teacher does to a child. “Are you really so obsessed with work that signing some strange contract is no worry for you?”

“It’s just that nothing’s bad happened yet.” He replied. At first, he was worried he had just signed over his soul to her or some other deadly thing. Yet when he passed out, they seemed to care enough for him to lay the man onto his bed. “Except for the fact that she’s standing on my back right now.”

“Okay fine, I’ll get off.” Finally, Tenha got her feet off of him and allowed the man back up. “Besides, what’s the point of warning him now? He’s already signed the contract.”

“Maybe I could at least get some clarification as to what exactly this contract is?” Nishiki deeply regretted signing that paper she handed him. If he wasn’t so exhausted, and if she wasn’t so persuasive, then he would’ve been much more careful. “I’m not going to get hurt, will I?”

“Fortunately you’ll be physically fine.” The way Kinuko worded that didn’t fill him with any confidence. “Unfortunately, she will be your living mate and servant going forward.”

“That’s what I expected, so I don’t see the problem here.” She showed off her skills so wonderfully. So he thought that getting that in his house for a while would be a nice change of pace.

“Heheh, you really should’ve read the text on here then.” Tenha snapped up the contract once more to show it off to him. Though when he actually took a look at it, Nishiki realized that he really wasn’t paying attention last night. There was no way to read this anyway since it was written in some foreign language.

“Huh?” He was visibly confused with what this paper was supposed to be about.

“Let me just sum it up for a human like yourself.” Said Kinuko. She told him that Tenha was to become his servant. However, it was written by that girl herself, which meant the requirements beholden to her were the absolute minimum in regards to how much she would need to provide for him. Not to mention it also gave her numerous benefits to go along with it.

“I have many questions.” He responded, not feeling any less confused. “Why did she decide to do any of this?”

“Because she got herself kicked out from the spirit world.” She answered plainly.

“It’s completely unfair.” Tenha added on. “I did nothing wrong.”

“More like you didn’t do a single thing.” Apparently sheer hubris and laziness were what did her in. “So basically the leaders came up with the idea to test her by having her complete a service contract with a human. Why they allowed her to make the contract herself is a mystery to me…” She added on, muttering under her breath.

“It wasn’t like they just let me write whatever.” The other fox girl defended her actions. “I still followed their requirements. It’s just so I don’t end up getting abused.”

“Though I worry if this man will be abused now that he’s attached with you.”

“This is getting to be one long explanation.” Nishiki once again checked the time. “Either way, it’s too late for me now.” The contract had already been signed by him and he knew there was no way out of it. While the court of law might have mercy on him since he signed it in a poor state. A mystical contract was likely to be more strict. “I’m going to leave for work and I’ll deal with this when I get back.”

“It befuddles me that you really aren’t taking this seriously.” Kinuko looked at him in disbelief. “Is work really so important that it can’t wait for this?”

“I’m sorry, but even if you both are divine beings. I still have a human life to take care of.” He answered. The man would likely lose his job were he to miss a day and the office definitely wouldn’t believe him if he told the truth.