The World Unseen

Chapter 5 -- The Toshokan

'If the crafty fox wants to be even craftier, he must learn from humans a lesson of craftiness!'

-- Mehmet Murat ildan

'How could I be so stupid!?'

I had opened the door upon a family who was undressing and preparing for their soaking in the prepared bath. I am certain, somewhere, there was an unspoken rule about this! Even Aki had taught me the proper way of entering a room...and I threw all of that knowledge off to the side.

"Pardon me! Wrong room!" As I quickly slid the door closed as my heart was racing.

"Pardon me!" announced a voice behind me as the young fox wasn't watching where he was going and almost ran into me. In his hands, he was carrying a stack of books that looked horribly unorganized that it might trigger some latent obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The young red-fox had over extended himself as two thick old books fell from the top of the pile and fell with a soft 'thump' on the cypress floorboards.

"I am so sorry!" The young fox glanced at the two books as they almost hit me.

"No harm done." I told him, picking up the books. "Looks like your hands are full, please allow me to carry these to wherever you are headed."

"Uhm, okay." as he was uncertain if that was even wise. He has been hearing rumors and stories about me. Nevertheless, the young fox took a chance with me as he led the way to where he and a young vixen were studying.

I must admit that I've never seen a 'guest room' before at this Inn. This was the 'cheep-rate' room, and yet, it was very lavish.

There was a red privacy screen that blocked the view to where two futons were laid out upon the floor. I could tell that the tod and vixen had been living here for a while as they had amassed a collection of trinkets, food, and clothing. There were beautiful silk sleeping robes and kimonos used for outings. The room had a small personal shrine dedicated to Inari and a painting that the vixen had done many moons prior.

There was a fox mask with a paper lantern that they used on occasion, and many books and scrolls dedicated to the service to Inari.

"Ah, you're back! Wonderf—" the vixen glanced at me as she froze "—uhm, who is this?" as she seemed worried.

"Just someone that I bumped into, in the hall." The young boy said, seeming not to care if I was worker or guest.

I walked over to where the young fox had laid the books as I walked over and laid down the two hefty books on a table. I glanced at the assortment of titles, reading them:

Magic Craft For Beginner Foxes,

Portals And Dimensions,

Rules For New Zenko Foxes,

and a book entitled: Humans, And How To Avoid Them.

'What unique titles.' as I hadn't realized that I could read their language. Naive of me to think that they wrote and spoke in my native tongue.

"Uhm," asked the vixen "can you help us study? We are struggling with the topic of Humans."

"What exactly are you studying?" I then asked, wondering if kitsunes had school like us humans.

"The fox messenger examination." she answers, seeming perplexed.

"Do not think that I have heard of that test." I had to admit. I didn't think that kitsunes had to take a test to become a messenger of Inari. I guess that it makes sense. It would be tragic if a fox messenger failed to deliver the hand written scrolls of prayers properly to Izumo by the tenth day in October.