Chapter 11: Chapter 10 – Golden Fruit and the Unknown Realm

During the voyage of the night, Aoh slumbered deeply within a wooden-built room.

The soft glow of the moon seeped through the diaphanous panes in the upper section of the door, illuminating the white fox girl who was wrapped snugly in her bed cover. Perhaps Aoh had unconsciously forgotten, but the previous evening while she was on the carriage, she placed the odd fruit she had found into her backpack out of muscle memory before retiring to bed. Although she had eaten all of the fruits from the spilled sack she got from the horses that day, she stumbled upon a golden apple-shaped fruit that defied all efforts to consume, even with her sharp incisors.

Aoh attempted to pierce it with a blade and tried various methods to open it, but all to no avail. So, with much embarrassment, Aoh concealed this fruit from everyone, even Amara, whom she cherished. However, she felt instinctively that this was something special and needed to be treasured…

The moon shone through the delicate coverlet and her summary nightgown she got provided by Doris, illuminating the odd golden apple and eliciting an intense energy that jolted Aoh semi-awake. Though her mind was alert, she was powerless to move her body, as the energy pulled her consciousness into the gleaming fruit.

"Where is this?"

The surface beneath Aoh was marked with strange, swirling designs that formed a circular pattern. The markings seemed to glow with an inner light, creating an ethereal aura around the circle. Aoh couldn't make sense of the symbols, but she couldn't shake the feeling that they held some sort of mystical power. She was lying within this circle, completely helpless and at its mercy. Despite her confusion and fear, Aoh couldn't deny the strange energy that pulsed within the circle. The surface was adorned with eight symbols resembling twisted numerals and inscriptions that defied comprehension. The chamber she was in was octagonal and approximately one hundred square meters in size.

What happened? Wasn't she just slumbering in the quarters provided by the Town Guardian?

“Hmm?”

Aoh perceived a shift in herself. She ran her hands down her body, only to discover that her fox features were gone. She was now human and lacked the ability to move with her tails or feel them. Though she was content with being the same species as Amara, Aoh felt a twinge of disappointment as her strength and vitality had diminished.

Aoh couldn't recall how she ended up in this state, and she wanted to inspect her body, but she realized that her hands and legs were intangible, allowing her to pass through physical objects. When she attempted to stretch her hand underground, it went into a mirror-like surface for a short distance before being obstructed by an unseen force.

"What is happening to me?" Aoh exclaimed in disbelief.

"Is Aoh a ghost?," she pondered, "Or is her soul trapped in this strange room?"

In the center of the wall, there was a crystal mirror embedded in it, in the shape of an octagon. Aoh approached it and gazed at her reflection.

"Aaaoooh..." she let out a howl of surprise. The human reflected in the mirror was more beautiful than any of the girls she had met in Amara's village. Her waist-length white hair and neatly combed bangs were stunning, making her look like an angel.

However, her body was flat and lacked the curves and feminine features that Amara possessed. Aoh started to question why she even cared about these things. Has she grown accustomed to human life?

Despite these thoughts, Aoh realized that she was indeed a human now, and she was beginning to embrace her new form.

"What is this place?" Aoh wondered, surveying her surroundings.

A wave of emotions washed over her, a feeling of nostalgia mixed with sorrow.

She turned her gaze to the other side of the room and spotted a flat wooden door. Aoh walked towards it, and as she got closer, the door creaked open on its own.

On the other side, she found a small room enclosed by wooden walls.

The room was dimly lit by flickering candlelight, it's simple decor giving off a mournful aura. A desk sat at one side, a broken lantern atop it, burning with an unrelenting flame.

Suddenly, Aoh was overcome by intense feelings of sadness, as if she was being bombarded by negative thoughts, although she didn't understand why. The room seemed to hold tragic stories that it was unable to tell.

Just then, the ghostly voice of a young girl echoed through the room.

"It's time for you to go back," the proud and tender voice spoke, ringing out through the room.

The voice sounded familiar to Aoh, but before she could ask anything, she was swallowed by darkness. Despite her desire to stay and explore the room further, her will was overpowered and she was dragged into the void.

While Aoh's soul was still in the mysterious room, the golden fruit that was supposed to be in her backpack was flying towards her, emitting a gentle light. The fruit was covered in a slight golden glow, with the outer surface reflecting soft light.

The misty ring of light was visible even through Aoh's blanket as she slept. Her body was being transformed by the warm and beautiful light, becoming stronger even though her outward appearance remained the same.

Her bones, flesh, and veins were being strengthened, but her muscles still felt soft and flexible to the touch. All of these changes were happening without Aoh's awareness, just as when she had consumed the fruits in the sack she had stolen from the horses.

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As the white fox girl was bathed in the light of the golden apple and moon, strange creatures could be seen beyond the backyard doors, carrying out dance patterns as they walked through the moonlit doorway. With their diverse shapes and sizes, they flitted across Aoh's pristine body as if they were mere projections.

Some even stopped briefly in front of the door, appearing to gaze into the house. However, these invisible entities from nowhere were unable to enter the house and could not see the remarkable scene in the room or understand what made the strange creature they had never seen before so special. All they could do was turn around and go back from where they came. The reason for their appearance outside Aoh's room remains unknown.

—

When the beautiful fox girl woke up, it was already morning, and the sunlight was filtering through the glass frames of the wooden door, casting a gorgeous shadow on the door frame. Aoh felt surprisingly refreshed, with more energy than she had ever felt before, even after living with Amara and undergoing sword training. She looked around the quiet little house and found that she was the only one there. Aoh noticed her bushy tails, which she had unconsciously returned to their original length, and the golden apple she hated and hid under her blanket.

"As expected, it's still like this," she said to herself. Aoh was still in the residence of the town's guardian, and last night, her soul had appeared in her human form in that unbelievable space. Her soul was definitely human, and for Aoh there was nothing strange about that.

Aoh then looked at the golden apple and noticed that it was now more vibrant in color and smoother in texture. "These reflections of golden light... Where have I seen them before? The heavens?" she wondered. She picked up the apple and held it close to her, feeling its warmth and the beating of its - heart.

"So, you have always been by Aoh's side from the start and you are a living being, correct? Taking care of Aoh and guarding Aoh. You help Aoh when she needs help from that human who keeps running and doesn't help me."

She shed tears unconsciously, overwhelmed by the realization of having a constant companion and protector.

She raised the fruit, treating it as if it was her guardian angel. She gently kissed the fruit's surface, leaving a faint, alluring kiss mark as a symbol of her gratitude.

However, it was futile when Aoh tried to send her soul into the intangible realm. Despite her efforts like knocking an invisible door, the fruit remained a solid object and she couldn't enter it.

"Yes, this is a solid object, how does Aoh enter it?" she pondered.

"Maybe it was just a lucky coincidence last night," she thought to herself.

Aoh hugged the golden fruit. From now on, she would consider it her most precious possession. She felt a sense of comfort knowing that she had something to rely on.

Aoh's whole body felt oily. For some reason, she had sweat profusely last night. Even the blanket beneath her was drenched, indicating how intense her sweat had been.

She was unaware that during the strengthening process the night before, her body had perspired excessively. This was a result of her body undergoing a transformation to better prepare her for the challenges ahead.

"What?" Not only that, even her sight and hearing had improved more than ever! The change in her abilities was a direct result of the transformation her body underwent.

The glittering smoke particles in the sunlight were now clearly visible to her, allowing her to perceive her surroundings in a new light. She could even hear Doris's grumbling as she prepared breakfast in the kitchen, showcasing her improved hearing.

Only when the body is in good health can one properly practice any form of defense and offense. That is only the basics. The transformation that Aoh underwent was necessary for her to be able to defend herself and pursue her goals effectively.

Otherwise, no matter how much resolve and willpower she mustered, it would simply remain an idle dream

However, Aoh's body had undergone a transformation without her knowledge. She was now capable of adapting to the unpredictable world around her. Her physique had become sturdy, and her skin and hair were more radiant and glossy than ever before. It was not an exaggeration to say that she was a creature of Heaven, arranged by the mortal world. Furthermore, her golden eyes were even brighter, and the scent of flowers naturally emanated from her breath.

"Wait a minute! Is it already morning? Could it be that Aoh slept through the entire day and night, from yesterday morning until this morning... If others found out that a demihuman could sleep for so long, it would be embarrassing!"

Aoh blushed as she quickly got out of bed. The first thing she did was to hide the blanket and bedding, as she didn't want anyone to see the large puddle of sweat that had soaked through them. If someone saw it and didn't know any better, they might think that she had wet the bed, which would be mortifying.

She opened the door cautiously and saw that her common clothes had been washed and dried by the sun, neatly folded, and placed on a small desk beside her bed. Aoh felt grateful to Granny Doris in her heart.

However, even though her white panties had been cleaned, it was still a bit awkward. She realized she needed to wash them herself next time.

After washing up in the bathroom behind the kitchen, Aoh returned to her room, knelt down on the floor, and looked at herself reflected in the smooth surface of her golden fruit. This inedible fruit held within it an unbelievable realm, and she felt this thing was the reason she was alive today. From now on, she would keep it close to her at all times. She put her backpack in the wooden wardrobe, as it would be strange to carry it around in the yard on a nice day like today.

Aoh struggled to change into her white clothing with her bushy tail, but knew that she had to make a hole for it in the clothing in case she accidentally returned it to its full length. She was grateful that she could hide her tail, as it would have been considered abnormal to most people. She mumbled to herself when she was reminded by Amara about her true identity, "Aoh never thought she would become the figure of a myth story. White fox girl..."

After securing her golden fruit in a pouch on her waist, shortening her tail to at least one inch and making sure she was dressed properly, Aoh was eager to start her sword training by watching town guardian Osmund teach swordplay to the children. This was just the beginning of her adventurous journey.

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