The Healer in a Japanese-Style Game World: Mastering Healing to Save My Favorite Character in a Brutal World, Only to Find Everyone Around Me Becoming Obsessed - Chapter 17: Rumors of the Moon Fox

Chapter 17: Rumors of the Moon Fox

We walked through the village, guided by the guard… or more like a security person.

It was the Gesshoku Village, shrouded in night. As I walked, I glanced around, curious about how the villagers lived. The atmosphere in the village was peaceful.

Children ran around playing, and despite the late hour, adults worked as if nothing was amiss. The villagers seemed to have adapted to this unusual situation, living their daily lives as if it were normal.

“We’ve arrived. This is the village chief’s house.”

We were led to a noticeably larger house in the village. 

As the guard knocked on the door and waited for a response, I stood by and watched.

“Who is it?”

A young woman’s voice came from inside. 

Clear and slightly refined, her voice prompted him to respond.

“It’s me, Chief. I brought Ryusui-sama’s messenger.”

“You’ve arrived already? Just let me open the door now.”

The door opened, and we were ushered in.

A woman with black hair and red eyes welcomed us. Though she was the village chief, she looked young, barely in her twenties.

Her expression was tense… no, she seemed wary of us.

“…You’re younger than I expected. I am Yuzuki Tsukibami, the village chief. And you must be Yomi-san, correct?”

“Yes, I’m Yomi. And this is—”

“Makami.”

“Pleased to meet you two. Now, let me show you to the tea room.”

We were led to the tea room by her, where we were served some light snacks as we talked.

“Just to confirm, how much do you know about the strange happenings in this village?”

Since she asked, I shared the information we received from Ryusui-sama.

There was no need to hide anything, so I conveyed everything I remembered. 

Her expression softened a bit.

“That’s mostly correct. I apologize for the delayed greeting, but thank you for coming.”

“Likewise… We’ll be in your care for about a week.”

“Yes, now let’s get to it and talk about what happened.”

Yuzuki-san took a breath and began recounting the events. 

She seemed to be recalling it slowly, the likely cause.

“It was just before the total lunar eclipse. When I went with everyone to check on the village’s special crop, the Youtoukibi, at that moment, the entire mountain and village were shrouded in night. And in that instant, I saw a giant fox.”

“…A fox?”

“Yes, a nine-tailed fox with moon-white fur. I was the only one who saw it. Standing on the mountaintop, it howled and brought the night. That sight is still vivid in my memory.”

“Do you think that’s the cause?”

According to the story, a fox appeared and howled at the mountaintop.

It might seem like a coincidence, but my past life’s knowledge tells me that it can’t be just a coincidence. But still, it seemed impossible.

“I believe so. However, I haven’t told the villagers. You are the first ones I’ve spoken to about this.”

“Why haven’t you told the villagers?”

“Yomi-san… do you know about the deity enshrined in this village?”

After taking a breath, she asked this. 

A possibility crossed my mind, but it was something I wanted to avoid thinking about. I had completely forgotten, but I had some knowledge about this village and the fox, and I knew the threat of its existence better than anyone.

But it might have been a coincidence, so I shook my head and waited for her to speak.

“This village has long worshiped the Moonlit Fox (Gekkaku Oboro Kitsune), a nine-tailed fox, since ancient times. We also venerated other foxes. I couldn’t tell the villagers that something related to this faith might have caused the anomaly. That’s why we asked outsiders like you to investigate.”

…As expected, that name came up.

The entity mentioned now was one of the most unreasonable and terrible threats I remembered from my past life playing “Kamikagu.”

“…You look pale, are you alright?”

“I’m fine. So, what should we do?”

“Creating a world of total lunar eclipse by bringing the night is a feat only that deity can accomplish. Please, investigate the Moonlit Fox.”

“Understood… I accept the request.”

“Thank you. I’ve informed the inn, so please stay there.”

With that, our conversation ended, and we left the village chief’s house to head to the village inn… but my expression was grim.

Why had I forgotten? The name “Village of the Lunar Eclipse” and the terrible being that lived there.

“Master… are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine… Makami, what have you been thinking about?”

“Just something that’s been on my mind—don’t worry about it.”

“Alright, but let me know if something comes up, okay?”

We walked to the inn and were shown to our room. 

Makami, clearly exhausted, fell asleep immediately, and I watched over her, lost in thought.

―The Moonlit Fox, a calamity from “Kamikagu”.

In the game, it was a disaster that appeared randomly with the night.

It was considered an endgame enemy with an estimated level of ten, and even with maxed-out stats, it was almost unbeatable—a bug-like entity.

And there was a certain text associated with this being.

It said… that the calamity was released with the eclipse’s destruction. In the game, I didn’t understand what that text meant, but in this world, it was starting to make sense.

The appearance of that fox in the game is related to this village. 

This is a request I should never have accepted. 

But… I felt I needed to know. If Yuzuki-san, the village chief, is right, the Moonlit Fox is a deity. For it to become a calamity in the future, something drastic must have happened.

I shouldn’t feel responsible, but… knowing what I do, I have an obligation. 

If I don’t resolve this, an unimaginable number of people will die. As someone who knows, I must prevent that.

“I might die as well…”

I have no idea what lies ahead.

Facing that unreasonable foe would be a sure defeat for me as I am now. It’s a monstrous challenge, and I can’t see a future where I survive.

“―But, I have to do it.”

If the Moonlit Fox from this village reaches Shinano, it will harm Kagura.

I must prevent that—failure is not an option. 

With these thoughts, my consciousness slowly faded away.