184 Chapter 184: Sneaky Little Fox

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Time quickly passed for Erik. As an ageless person, he had learned how to deal with time and was used to it. Just after the signing of the treaty between Heaven, Devils, Grigori, and the Nordics, the world seemed to enter a 'wait and see' period with the eyes of all other factions turned at those four. While things were calm, Erik knew that it wouldn't last much because some people were still scheming in the background.

At Kuoh High School the second semester had begun and with it came the much-awaited trip of the second year to Kyoto. Erik had done this trip last year with his class, so he would not be doing this trip this year. Or so it was what he expected. With Erik still being the only male teacher at school, he was invited to participate as the chaperone for the boys in Kyoto. And he accepted it while already planning to visit Yasaka and play with little Kunou while there.

When the time came for the trip, it happened quickly and without any fuss. A short train trip later and the group of second years from Kuoh High School was disembarking in Kyoto's train station together with their teachers. From there, it was just a short walk to the hotel where the group was going to stay for the night and after a quick check-in, the group of students, again, hit the road to start their tour of Kyoto while being guarded and guided by the teachers.

On the second day of their trip, after the scheduled visits had ended for the day, the students were freed to enjoy the festival that was happening in one of the neighborhoods near the hotel. Erik, already knowing of the festival due to his past experiences in the city, had come prepared and was wearing a dark blue kimono with a few fine silver details on it. His choice of wearing the traditional vest, even with his foreign looks and burly physique, took the air out of most females that saw him wearing that, which his noble standing just added to the outfit overall. Erik, who was enjoying the festival while buying a lot of gifts for his family, felt the familiar presence of a little fox entering his senses, which were not fully expanded due to him knowing that he would get too much 'noise' back because the city was full of Yokai. Letting out a sigh while remembering what has happened in the plot from his past life experience, Erik stood in place and expanded his senses around the city while fixating his 'eyes' on the little fox. It didn't take much time for him to 'see' the little fox's nose twitch in recognition of a familiar scent and start to follow it. Two minutes later, a little blonde bullet impacted Erik's legs, hugging it strongly.

"Hey there, Kunou."

Erik said to the little blonde fox while patting her head. Kunou looked up while enjoying the head pat and gave Erik a big and toothy smile.

"Hi, uncle Erik!"

Kunou replied to Erik, who in a quick move bent down and whisked her in his arms, getting a thrilling giggle as result. Kunou loved Erik. Since she could remember, he had been one of the only father figures that she had, always treating her well and taking some time to play with her when she asked him for it. That Erik was the father of her favorite big brothers and sisters was just a bonus in her opinion. Erik then kissed the little fox-Yokai on her cheek and turned his face while waiting for his kiss. Kunou giggled happily at that and gave Erik his kiss while hugging him around the neck.

"What are you doing in Kyoto, uncle?"

Kunou asked Erik while enjoying the man's presence.

"I am accompanying some of my students on their annual trip here."

Erik replied to Kunou while slowly walking and looking around the stalls that were up for the festival, stopping to buy one trinket or another once in a while. Kunou nodded her little head at that.

"And how about you Kunou?"

Erik asked the little girl, who was pointing at one of the stalls selling some sweet street food.

"I heard people in the palace talking about a festival today, so I came to see it."

Kunou replied to Erik, who had walked to the stall and was buying a portion of the sweet delicacy that it was selling.

"And you decided to come alone?"

Erik asked again while offering Kunou the sweet delicacy and raising an eyebrow. The little blonde fox saw that and lowered her head in shame while accepting the sweet. She then replied to Erik with a small nod of her head, knowing that what she had done was wrong since her mother always warned her to not wander the city alone.

"You sneaked out of the palace, didn't you?"

Erik asked Kunou, who didn't answer him and just nibbled at the treat that she had just received. At that implicit reply from Kunou, Erik let out a sigh and discretely snapped his fingers.

*sigh*

*snap*

"It is better that we call your mom them. She must be very worried about your disappearance from the palace."

Erik said after putting a notice-me-not around the two of them so he could call Yasaka without a fuss. And call the Queen of Kyoto they did.

*snap*

Erik snapped his fingers again and a small pulsating dark blue magic circle appeared floating in front of his face. It didn't take long for the other side to pick up the call, changing the dark blue magic circle for the image of a busty blonde woman. Yasaka looked very concerned the moment that she picked up the call, but soon, she let out an audible sigh of relief seeing who was together with the person that had called her.

"Hello, Yasaka."

Erik said to the nine-tailed fox Yokai with a smile on his face. The woman smiled back at him before replying.

"Hello, Erik. To what do I owe the pleasure of your call?"

Yasaka replied and smoothly asked Erik. She had visibly relaxed after she saw her daughter, Kunou, safe in Erik's arms. For her, there was no safer place in this world than the one Kunou was right now besides, maybe, the side of her goddess, Amaterasu.

"Ah, you see. I came to Kyoto while accompanying a group of my students from Kuoh High School and was enjoying the festival that is happening near the hotel where we are staying when a little fox found me."

Erik said to Yasaka with a mock-serious face. Kunou, feeling what was coming her way, tried to hide her face in Erik's neck, not wanting to face her mother while being teased. Yasaka nodded her head at that beginning of history, having understood the play that Erik was going for. She knew that there was a group of students from Kuoh in the city. Yasaka had received a note from the two Governors of Kuoh some days ago about this school trip because the group of students that were going to visit contained some Devils in it. But she had no idea that Erik was one of the teachers coming with them. Not that she cared about his presence in Kyoto.

"And then, after talking a little with the little fox, I discovered that she had sneaked away from home and decided to call you to tell you that she was safe."

Erik said, finishing his tale to Yasaka, who smiled at him.

"Thank you a lot for calling me, Erik. I was, indeed, very concerned about my little fox's whereabouts. But since she is with you now, I am relieved about her safety. Even so, she will be punished when she gets home. She knows very well that she can't do something like this."

Yasaka replied to Erik, saying the last part in a more firm tone that made Kunou flinch on Erik's lap. Erik then turned his face down to look at the hiding little girl.

"Don't you have something to say to your mom, Kunou?"

Erik said gently to the little girls in his, who tentatively looked up at Erik from her 'hiding place'. Seeing his gentle, but stormy gray eyes, Kunou nodded her little head in agreement. She then mustered some courage and turned to face the image of her mother.

"I am sorry, mom. I… I just wanted to see the festival."

Kunou said while making some 'kitty' eyes at her mother. Yasaka let out a sigh at that and nodded her head at her daughter.

"The important thing is that you are safe, Kunou."

Yasaka said and then looked at Erik.

"Erik, do you mind taking care of Kunou for a little? I have to finish some things here before I can meet you two."

Yasaka asked Erik. The busty nine-tailed fox was seeing this as an opportunity to get closer to Erik. She had already received the blessings from his wives some time ago and things now only depended on her to advance. Kunou perked a little at that. If Erik's answer was a positive one, she would not have to go back to the palace right now and her mom would be coming too. Kunou then looked at Erik while making the most adorable 'kitty' eyes that she could muster.

"It would be my pleasure, Yasaka."

Erik replied to Yasaka without even seeing the 'kitty' eyes that Kaunou was making, but if her 'Yay!' yell was any indication, the little fox was very content with that arrangement. Yasaka smiled at that reply.

"I will see you later then. Enjoy the festival, Erik. You too, Kunou."

Yasaka said to them, and, after receiving a nod of understanding from the duo, closed the call. She had to call back the searching party that she had sent after Kunou and finish some paperwork before joining them. Yasaka then looked down at the clothes that she was wearing and frowned a little while commenting in a low voice.

"I have to get a new change of clothes too…"

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Back at the festival, after the call with Yasaka had been finished, Erik canceled the notice-me-not charm that he had cast on them and he, together with Kunou, continued to walk around the people-filled streets, enjoying the festival greatly while looking very much like father and daughter. It was then that the iconic duo was seen by a group of students that consisted of the Devils that attended the second year of Kuoh High School plus Asia Argento.

"Hey, isn't that teacher Ravenclaw?"

Issei Hyoudou asked while looking at the figure of Erik with Kunou on his lap enjoying some treat that they had bought in one of the stalls. The other reincarnated Devils then turned to look at where Issei Hyoudou was looking.

"Yes. That is him. But who is the cute little blonde with him?"

Aika Kiryuu replied to Issei Hyoudou's question and asked one of her own.

"Maybe it is one of his kids? I heard the president saying that he has eight."

Saji Genshirou said, replying to Aika Kiryuu's question. At that answer, Tsubasa Yura shook her head in denial.

"No, she is not. All of teacher Erik's kids are the same age. You must have met four of them at the Young Devils' meeting, right? She is too young."

Asia Argento, the only non-Devil of the group said. She would know Erik's children because she had met with them various times at the Nexus.

"Then who is the cute little blonde?"

Saji Genshirou asked.

"Well, we will not know if we don't ask, right?"

Issei Hyoudou said while smiling and walked in the direction of the duo while being followed by the other curious students.

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