Zara and I float in the sky, shrouded from view by my invisibility spell. I marvel at the city below us, rivaling Avalon in size and aesthetic impact. Around Central Tail, there's an eight meter defensive wall that looks like the earth itself erupted upwards to shield the city – clearly the result of large-scale elemental spells.
However, from our vantage point in the air I can see a secondary wall lining the inside of the outer wall, manually constructed with carved stone blocks. It looks like it's more recent than the less advanced outer wall.
I purse my lips thoughtfully. If I had to guess, they used their magic to build the outer wall first, much like wolf-kin are building the wooden defensive wall now. However, as the fox-kin advanced in seclusion, they probably started constructing the inner wall with stone to shore up their defenses without alerting any curious onlookers of their advancement. It's...smart.
Inside Central Tail, I see that the city is divided into two concentric circles, separated by another large, stone wall. The outer sector seems to have more modest buildings, more activity, and more people, while the inner sector seems quieter but more sophisticated. Maybe a classist system, or a separation of civilian and government buildings? Both?
Alas, I can't dwell on such thoughts too long, because I'm rendered speechless by how alien the architecture of the city looks. That is, how alien to Azura. To me, it looks unnervingly like historic eastern architecture from Earth. Specifically, Edo-period Japan. As if to add to my paranoia, I can see numerous civilians walking around in the outer sector with robes bearing a suspicious resemblance to kimonos, and guards patrolling the inner sector with armor reminiscent of Japanese samurai.
The sights cause me to inhale sharply. If I had any doubt before, they've all but disappeared now. The fox-kin's advancement, the sudden and alien changes in their culture and architecture – I'm convinced an Otherworlder has influenced them.
"It looks like we can enter the city there. We should land out of sight in the woods first, though. I'd rather not set them on edge with your...antics." (Zara)
Zara is pointing at an area on the east side of the city where there seem to be people congregating. Nearby, I spot an opening in the two-layer defensive wall, where massive, double wooden doors are situated – the only apparent city gate.
Ignoring her dig about my 'antics', I nod thoughtfully.
"Noted...hold on." (Mizuki)
I take us to the edge of the artificial clearing that Central Tail is situated within, landing just inside the surrounding tree line. When I'm sure we're out of sight, I drop the invisibility spell. Immediately, I summon my item box and pull out two travel packs, donning one and handing the other to Zara.
She raises her eyebrows at the gesture.
"What is this for?" (Zara)
I shrug.
"Appearances. This place is way more secure than the rabbit-kin settlement, and I don't want to give them extra reasons to distrust us. We don't want them wondering how a human and a wolf-kin traveled all the way into their territory with nothing but the clothes on their back. You should probably put your sword on your hip, too." (Mizuki)
Zara nods her understanding, taking the decorative travel pack and summoning her sword from her item box to do as I ask. I also see her pull a few other items out and drop them in the travel pack. Then, we make our way into the clearing, towards the city's gate. I make sure to lag a step behind Zara, doing everything I can to seem secondary and unproblematic.
I've been burned a few times on first impressions like this.
We arrive at the end of a loosely formed line of people, and I'm unsurprised to notice that the overwhelming majority are what I assume are fox-kin, with the rest within sight being rabbit-kin. I study the nearby fox-kins' features, comparing them to other demi-humans I've met. Interestingly, they look comparatively...human.
Rabbit-kin have their massive, soft bunny ears, and Zara has her wolf ears and mildly clawed hands. However, the only thing differentiating a fox-kin from humans is a small, fluffy tail sticking out of their lower backs. If it was covered by clothing, or a fox-kin was facing me, I'd mistake them for humans.
I soon notice that the fox-kin tails I see have some variation in color – light brown, a blue so pale it looks silvery, rust red, and white. Since the other demi-humans' fur colorations tend to be more homogenous, I make a mental note to ask about the reason for the variation in tail color.
Soon, I've moved on to admiring their clothing. All the fox-kin in the line in front of us are wearing variably colored cloth and silken robes. After some scrutinization, I realize that I'm not qualified to say whether the robes are inspired by a kimono/yukata. Eventually, I just find myself fascinated by how the robes have slits that accommodate the fox-kin tails while maintaining their modesty.
Unfortunately, a fox-kin woman whose robe I'm staring at catches my gaze. We lock eyes, me going stiff with embarrassment over how this must seem, and her eyes widening in surprise.
Fuck...here we go.
However, to my great shock, the woman just smirks playfully, her eyes scanning me slowly and...approvingly? Then...she giggles!?
"Fufufufu...like what you see? I'm flattered, but for your sake, I hope this young lady next to you isn't your gir-"
The woman's words are cut off as her eyes slide to Zara...then widen. Her voice becomes laced with equal parts surprise and curiosity.
"Oh my, a wolf-kin? Your kind almost never visit our cities..."
I study the woman in abject shock. Is she...flirting? With me? When she caught me staring at her back, I was expecting people to start screaming 'human' and pointing spears. Can't say that I'm upset about the change in pace, though. In fact, it makes me downright optimistic about this visit.
That said, telling Ilina about this encounter is a clear no-go. I don't need any collateral damage from her yandere metamorphosis.
Meanwhile, Zara seems equally surprised by the turn in conversation, but nods graciously at the fox-kin woman.
"Yes, my people were not generally aware that the fox-kin had left isolation. Is it true that you've recently opened your cities to visitors?" (Zara)
Realization seems to dawn on the fox-kin woman's face. She nods thoughtfully.
"Ah...I see. Well, we've been trading with the rabbit-kin since before I was born, but...yes, I guess our cities have only been truly open for a dozen years or so. I don't recall the Council ever trying to spread that information, so I suppose your being in the dark makes sense."
The fox-kin woman turns towards me, raising her eyebrows curiously.
"I take it that you ventured to wolf-kin territory, then. That would explain your companion and strange clothes...robes wouldn't bring you good attention outside our territory. I know you wind types are free spirits, but still...going alone seems a bit reckless. I hope it wasn't the Council's decision to send you?"
I blink, my brain lagging in its interpretation of her words. Slowly, though, I begin to piece together a few likely facts. For one, this woman thinks I'm fox-kin.
I sigh internally at the realization. I thought this was going entirely too well. I briefly consider playing along without outright lying, but...there's no way that facade survives past the gate, and it would make me look suss.
I give the woman a sad smile.
"Ah...well I did travel from wolf-kin territory with Zara here – who's not my girlfriend, by the way. However, I also wasn't aware that the fox-kin had come out of seclusion." (Mizuki)
The woman's face twists in confusion, picking up on my detached reference to the fox-kin. After a moment, she clearly pieces together the implications, her face going slack in disbelief.
Like a car crash in slow motion, I watch her comically lean to the side, peering behind me. Her face goes pale, her voice dropping to a flustered whisper.
"H-Human...you're human..."
Hmm...there it is. Gotta love being treated like a walking plague. And unfortunately, I can't really correct this random fox-kin woman for the same reasons as with the rabbit-kin. Plus, I doubt just clarifying that I'm a 'Nephilim' will make her one millimeter less wary.
I raise my hands in what I hope is a nonthreatening gesture, giving her a warm smile that hides my growing frustration with the shit reputation of humans on this planet.
"Well, yes. But, uhm...any chance you'll believe that I'm a nice human? Between you and me, non-humans freaking out every time they see me is starting to hurt my feelings." (Mizuki)
I can see the woman swallow nervously, before giving me a strained smile. Her mouth opens and closes silently a couple times before she gives Zara and me an awkward nod. Then, she turns around and not-so-subtly cuts further into the line of fox-kin in front of us.
Zara cuts me a deadpan look.
"Did you really think that line would work?" (Zara)
I sigh.
"Not really..." (Mizuki)