My Pet Fox Is Actually A Demon Prince-Chapter 24: First Step Into The Trial

"I can’t take you with me this time around, Snowpuff, it’s dangerous out there." Kyva murmured as she crouched beside the small fox.

She had found him lingering in the shadowed corner of the stone building, and while the thought of where he had strayed all this while stirred within her, time was no ally to idle thoughts.

Thankfully, she didn’t have to worry about taking Snowpuff on such a treacherous journey. The senior adepts had announced that all belongings, companions included, would be kept in their care and returned once the trial was over.

Kyva did not wholly trust them; especially the one with the unnaturally twisted horns. There was something in him that set her deeply on edge.

Still... she trusted Snowpuff.

Surely he would keep himself safe until her return.

But...

What if she does not make it back at all?

"Kyva!" Liora’s voice rang out, clear and urgent, as she beckoned her forward. One by one, the others were already stepping through the shimmering veil of the portal, and Liora was simply informing her to hurry and join them.

For the briefest moment, the old temptation seized her heart. Kyva could still turn away and abandon it all if she wanted to. She could use the token and leave from here. Her knee was no longer a burden, and it bore her weight without the painful protest. She could take Snowpuff and leave. She could be gone before anyone thought to stop her.

But...

She drew in a slow, unsteady breath, her teeth catching her lower lip as unease coiled tight within her chest. Her thoughts were in disarray, and she could not fathom why her resolve now faltered at the very brink.

She had no intention of meeting her end here. Had she wished for death that badly, she would have surrendered herself to the warden and brought all things to their bitter close.

To be honest, she found herself unsure about what she should do next. Her thoughts wavered, slipping from her grasp like sand through open fingers.

Before doubt could take deeper root, Kyva felt a gentle weight settling upon her hand, soft as falling snow.

Her gaze dropped, and she stilled.

Snowpuff had placed his small paw upon her, his golden eyes lifted to meet her slightly widened ones.

Her breath caught.

Was he... offering her comfort?

As simple as the gesture was, it moved her more deeply than she could well express. In that quiet moment, she understood Snowpuff cared for her just as much as she did for him.

And, for reasons she could not name, it lent her strength.

"I’ll do it," she said, her voice steadier now, though her eyes shone with newfound resolve. "The pillars already made it clear that I deserve to be here as much as everyone else. And... I also want to know where this road leads. Don’t worry about me."

If her fox could place faith in her, then she, too, would believe in herself, if only for this fleeting moment.

So intent was Kyva on donning her mantle of courage that she failed to notice the faint golden light seeping into her skin, just where Snowpuff’s paw rested.

Calhoun, however, held no such faith in her survival.

She was going to die.

It was, to his mind, an almost inevitable conclusion.

Yet, he would grant her this small mercy, offering her the comfort of her own illusion, if it lent her the courage to take that first step. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

After all, he would not allow her to perish.

No matter the cost, he would see her through.

He still required the troublesome human to remain inconspicuous.

At least, that was what he convinced himself to believe.

Calhoun quickly dismissed any other notion at once.

Kyva, unaware of his thoughts, gave Snowpuff a gentle pat on the head before rising fully to her feet. She turned to leave, only to be startled by senior Vaereth standing just behind her.

"....!!"

Her heart nearly leapt into her throat at his sudden presence.

"U-um... S-Senior Vaereth," she stammered, lowering her gaze.

"Do you perhaps need a token?" He asked, his unfriendly tone making her dip her head lower in apology.

"I was... merely seeing to my fox companion. Forgive me for the delay. I shall... join the others right away."

Kyva did not wait for his reply, but hastened away toward the gathering to avoid further scolding.

Vaereth’s gaze drifted from her figure to the place where she had stood, but there was no fox to be seen.

"I bet that one is going to die first," a fellow senior said with certainty as he came to stand beside Vaereth. "She looks utterly lost. I doubt she understands why she’s even here. She will either break her token at the first sign of hardship, or she’ll die choking on her own disgrace."

A ripple of laughter passed through the seniors who lingered behind, low and mocking. They struck wagers with careless ease, on who would be the first to give up, break, or die.

"We are to be gifted quite the spectacle," another voice chimed in. The young lady’s lips curved behind her fan, though her eyes held no warmth. "Look at them... trembling fools. They have wandered straight into their own graves and happily called it a fortune. The fox clan dominated the entire beastly realm, and yet, even they deign to tolerate humans. A baffling indulgence if you ask me."

Vaereth’s gaze lingered on the candidates before a quiet scoff escaped him.

"That girl claims she has a fox companion," he said at length. "See that you find it, and inform me at once."

His eyes narrowed slightly. "I would like to look upon it myself."

—-

Meanwhile, Kyva was already standing before the portal, her token newly pressed into her palm. Her companions had already vanished beyond the shifting light, and now it was her turn.

She drew in a long, steadying breath.

Before doubt could take hold of her once more, she stepped through.

The world shifted almost immediately, and the light of the portal vanished as though it had never been there.

After emerging, Kyva found herself surrounded by a forest thick with shadow and silence.

Towering trees loomed on every side, their gnarled limbs twisting overhead like watchful sentinels. The air here was cool— heavy with the scent of moss and decay.

Kyva looked around, half-expecting someone to merge with her, but she realized she was truly alone. The forest was vast and endless, and the words of the senior echoed in her mind.

She swallowed, her unease stirring once more. Somewhere within this place, an orb awaited her.

"How am I supposed to find anything in a place like this...?" she muttered under her breath, her voice sounding unhelpfully small against the stillness.

For a fleeting moment, she hesitated.

Then, drawing in a quiet breath, Kyva steadied herself. She knew there was no turning back now. Putting her token away, she stepped forward, her footfalls soft against the forest floor as she ventured deeper into the gloom.