The Dark Mage

Chapter 4: Todd's Family

     Without any place to stay besides the monastery, Victor wanted to remain there, but Todd wasn't having any of it. Todd kept insisting Victor stay at his den while thinking to himself, You've been through nonstop trouble for your almost 1000-year-old life. I'm taking care of you whether you like it or not.

     And when Todd had strongly encouraged Victor to stay in his den, Victor noticed Todd's den was not like the other extravagant houses. It was a little hole in the side of a hill with stained glass windows peeking out the sides and a brick chimney out of the top of the hill with a well-kept garden by the front door. And for the home of someone married to Inari's executor Vixie, it was quite simple. There were no expensive works of art, no overly ornate furniture or dishes, nor anything of luxury except Vixie's ornate silk robes for official business as Inari's executor. Otherwise, the only thing ornate was a little corner on the east wall of the den with images of various Saints with a beeswax candle, incense burner, an old 76-book Bible written in late Medieval Kitsune language, and a small statue of Moshi the Blacktail belonging to Vixie's Tanuki servant Dixie.

     In the house, anyone could smell the sweet aroma of sweetbread baking in Vixie's oven while Vixie herself was dressed in her regular, plain robes with a veil concealing her fox ears. As for Vixie herself, she stood in a confident yet modest posture as her iridescent violet eyes shrewdly peered into Victor's face. Then her 9 snow white tails with violet tips twitched as she asked, "I assume you came here because Inari told you what happened?"

     Victor then looked back into Vixie's arctic fox face and answered, "I came back because the clan needed me, and I was not here when it needed me the most."

     Vixie then sipped from a glass of wine. "With all respect and humility, I have to remind you that what happened to the clan wasn't your fault. I tried to do the best I could, but it wasn't enough, and Inari is the real person behind this. But she's too arrogant and self-indulgent to see it's her fault or face anything that's uncomfortable but necessary like constructive criticism. Yet... I'm powerless to remove her from power and replace her with someone better, because the ignorant and weak minded basically worship her."

     Victor then twitched one fox ear in curiosity and asked, "And if you could replace her, who would you replace her with?"

      And without hesitation, Vixie answered, "Probably either you or Zenko. Then again, Zenko might have a big heart, but she's not very bright. So, I guess that just leaves you."

      Victor then thought about the possibility of becoming a monarch of the Kitsune clan but immediately rejected it saying, "If you're asking me to rule the clan, you're looking for the wrong person. I'm not a political mastermind nor do I have any experience or interest in politics."

      Vixie then almost inquisitively stared into Victor's eyes. "Then perhaps I can help you. And for as much as I've known both your sisters, you're the only one Inari considers her equal and actually has respect for. And for that, perhaps she'll listen to you."

      Todd then interjected, "Vixie, I know you were raised by a wealthy and powerful family within the clan, but I don't think politics are going to solve all the clan's problems. Sure, you can burn every Inari shrine in the clan, but that's not going to change the hearts of the clan for the better. And I highly doubt our spiritual father's sister is going to approve such a thing, because it will insight pointless conflict and break the public order."

     Vixie then thought for a moment and said, "You have some good points, but it would accomplish at least partially shutting down that debauchery. I don't know when the last time you've been to an Inari shrine was, but Inari herself had a ceremonial solidarity orgy in her palace as part of worshiping okami Inari while everyone was silk laced with gold. I became physically ill when I saw that and wanted to claw my own eyes out and rip my ears off my head and cut off my own nose. I couldn't stand to see, hear, or smell that. I can't stand to see what Inari has done to the clan so much that being home with you seems like the only way I can get away from her even if I'm only in her physical presence performing executive functions."