CHAPTER 984: CHAPTER 150 - AYANE KITSUNE (2)

Eiju listened quietly before saying, "You should just be honest with your feelings, Ayane." His tone was calm, but his words hit me hard. "That man doesn’t seem like the type who’s not attracted to you. Look at him—he’s got women of all races around him. If you really like him, I don’t think adding you to that group would be an issue. And honestly, I don’t think he’s the kind of guy who’d neglect a woman once he’s with her."

He sighed, giving me that half-serious, half-teasing look of his. "Although, I do have some qualms about it. Still, if you believe being with him would make you happy, maybe it’s time to stop holding back. Just tell him. Straight up."

He was right. Being stubborn never did me any good. Maybe it was time to finally face him—to let him know how I really felt.

Eiju gave a small grin. "If you want, you can stay here tonight. I’ll head over to my wife’s family home. You could take that chance and..."

He leaned close, his breath brushing against my ear.

"...mate with him."

My heart skipped a beat. My face burned. And for a moment, I couldn’t tell if the warmth in my chest was from embarrassment—or from the thought of finally being honest with myself.

"W-What are you talking about?" I asked, my voice coming out smaller than I intended. My throat felt dry, and the way he was smiling at me made my heart skip a beat for all the wrong reasons.

"Just like you said," he replied, tilting his head slightly, his eyes glinting under the faint orange hue of the campfire. "We’re the kind of people who don’t express our feelings through words, but through actions. So why don’t you visit him tonight... and show him how you really feel?"

His words lingered in my head long after he left.

***

The night had finally arrived.

The soft crackle of the dying fire echoed across the tribe’s camp. The night air was cool, and a faint mist rolled over the ground, wrapping everything in a kind of quiet stillness. My brother and his wife had already left earlier in the evening, probably to spend the night with her parents. They told me and the others to rest here until tomorrow, before we’d head toward the Feliann settlement.

That meant this was the one chance I had.

Sure, I’d probably have other chances later... but this moment, this single opportunity, was handed to me by Eiju himself. He gave it to me like it was nothing—and I wasn’t about to waste it.

As the hours went on, the noise around the camp faded. One by one, people disappeared into their huts, their laughter replaced by the rhythm of soft breathing and the occasional rustle of leaves. The moon hung high and full, casting a pale light that spilled across the village and painted long shadows across the dirt paths.

Master Leon and the others had already gone inside to rest.

Like always, it seemed Master Leon was going to share his bed with Maya.

"Ayane." Maya’s voice made me stop in my tracks. Her gaze met mine, and she smiled faintly—like she already knew exactly what was running through my mind. "You seem like you’re going for it tonight. I like that you’re ready to surrender yourself to Master, but... are you truly sure about this?"

Her words made my chest tighten. I nodded. I didn’t know if this was going to work out the way I wanted, but... I wanted to at least try.

Maya’s smile softened. "Do you want my assistance?" she asked, her tone gentle but serious. "It’s your first time, isn’t it? Master’s gentle when it comes to that... but it’ll still hurt. It’s not something you can just glide through."

"It’s fine," I said, trying to keep my voice steady even though my palms were shaking slightly. "If I can’t endure a little pain, then I don’t deserve to be with him."

Her smile widened a bit more, and this time, there was something almost motherly in her expression. "I see," she said, giving me a small nod. "Well, Master’s in the room your brother prepared for him. I won’t come by anymore since tonight, you’re the one who’ll be sleeping next to him." She stepped closer, lowering her voice. "Now then... good luck, Ayane."

I took a deep breath and swallowed hard as she walked away, her figure disappearing into the dimly lit path behind me.

The night was so quiet that I could hear my own heartbeat echoing in my ears. My bare feet pressed against the wooden floorboards as I made my way toward Master Leon’s room. The closer I got, the heavier my chest felt.

When I finally reached his door, I froze. My hand hovered inches above the doorknob, trembling. For a moment, it even felt like the door itself was pushing back, trying to keep me from entering. My heart pounded faster, the blood rushing to my ears so loud it drowned out everything else.

But I couldn’t back away now.

I clenched my fist, took one more shaky breath, and finally gripped the doorknob. The metal was cold against my skin, and I turned it slowly, careful not to make any noise.

The hinges creaked softly as I pushed the door open.

Inside, the room was dim, bathed only in faint silver light spilling in through the window. The air smelled faintly of smoke and pine. I saw him lying on the bed—Master Leon—his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm.

He was fast asleep.

His hair was slightly messy, a few strands falling over his forehead. The exhaustion on his face was clear. He’d been working so hard lately—barely sleeping, constantly moving. He carried the weight of so many tribes on his shoulders. Trying to unite the entire Great Forest... it was a goal so heavy that even breathing under it must’ve felt like a burden.

No wonder he was out cold.

I stood there for a moment, just watching him breathe. Then I took another deep breath, steeling my resolve, and walked toward him.

***

Leon’s POV

Something stirred at the edge of the bed. It was subtle at first—a shift in weight, a faint dip in the mattress near my legs. Then, warmth. A soft pressure settled around my hips, followed by the faint rhythm of movement. My body tensed instinctively, and I slowly opened my eyes.

The room was dark, but not completely. The moonlight slipped through the curtains, casting silver patterns across the floor. That’s when I saw her—someone straddling me, her silhouette faintly outlined by the light.

I couldn’t make out her face, but I could tell immediately—she wasn’t Maya. The shape of her hips, the way she pressed against me... it was different. It was unfamiliar, unpracticed, but filled with an energy I hadn’t felt before.

Then, behind her, something flickered in the darkness—something that moved with a gentle sway, almost glowing faintly in the moonlight. Tails. Several of them, spreading like a fan.

Ayane.

So it was her after all.

But... why was she here?

"Ayane?" I asked, my voice rough with sleep.

She froze for just a second, then slowly lifted her gaze toward me. The light caught her face just enough for me to see the expression she wore—nervous, but burning with something fierce. Desire. Resolve. It was the look of someone who had made up her mind completely.

"Master Leon..." she whispered, her voice trembling, almost pleading. "Let me show you my feelings..."

Her fingers moved to the collar of her kimono. Slowly, she slid the fabric off her shoulder. The silk glided over her skin like water, revealing the smooth line of her collarbone, then her bare shoulders, until—finally—her breasts came into view, illuminated by the soft light filtering through the window.

"I want you... to know it," she said, her voice breaking slightly as she looked straight into my eyes.

Her gaze was trembling, but her determination wasn’t.