Project GB is an official initiative by Re:Library.

Things went slightly astray with Belial’s intrusion, but after that they were able to enjoy the exciting distribution of loot, which concluded without major disputes.

“For now, let’s start with rebuilding the main fort. We can discuss who to appoint to what position in a few days…”
“Though we pretty much already know how that’s going to go.”
“That’s true, I’ve got no objections to that!”
“He did fight a lot this time, so no objections here either.”
“Ow!! Ack?! S-Stoppp thatt!!”

All of the leaders of the other guilds walked up to Elmir and hit his back and shoulders in support of him. But they were rather rough with it, making him produce pitiful yelps each time, while everyone else laughed.

Even Crim was giggling from a distance as she navigated through the area management menus to issue the rebuild order, granting the construction golem all the resources it could need.

“That’s that, then. If there be no further matters to discuss, ye are free to depart—”
“Wait, Master waiiiiiiiiitttttttttt!!!”

Just as Crim was about to let everyone go, one person ran up to her while bawling her eyes out.

“Be honest! There’s a lot that stands out about me, isn’t there?! Like my ears, or my tails, don’t you want to know how fluffy they are?!”

It was Setsuna, still transformed with her large nine tails, and all the other changes. Crim was slightly taken aback by how distressed Setsuna seemed, and awkwardly scratched her cheek as she replied.

“Not…really…it’s not like I have to, right?”
“Nyooo, but you should want toooo!!!”

She broke down in tears. That was a hard sight to endure, so Crim felt forced to appease her, saying, “Alright, alright, what is it exactly that thou wouldst tell me?”

“…Thank you for being interested!”
“It’s not like I had a choice…”
“THANK YOU!!”

Her tears were gone in an instant, and Crim gave up on trying to correct Setsuna that she was not actually that curious.

“The true power of Imps like me is the ability to Transform. Our backstory determines which creature took us in at birth, and we can borrow their power to gain all sorts of abilities by transforming into them!”
“So, the reason for the fox ears and tails despite thy being a demon is…?”
“Yes, I’m an Imp that was raised by ninetailed foxes! Also also, I’m called Seiranouki in this form, so nice to meet you again!”

She seemed rather proud of herself as she said that.

…And in truth, Crim was jealous. That was an ability that all boys dreamed of.

But she knew that if she mentioned that at all, it would only lit up Setsuna’s desire to talk even more… Except that her silence made Setsuna switch targets, focusing instead on someone closer to her age and shared a connection to foxes. Hinagiku.

“I’m really sorry about this, Hinagiku.”
“Hm? About what?”
“That I stole your role as the fox character! And I’m even a nine-tails on top of that! You know, the fox that’s always the strongest in manga and stuff like that?”

Even as she claimed to be sorry, Setsuna was clearly gloating to Hinagiku, who didn’t seem bothered at all. She only sighed, locked eyes with Setsuna, and then…

“…You’re so shallow.”
“Ack…?!”

Hinagiku’s merciless words seemed to cut deep into Setsuna’s pride, knocking her down a step immediately as she groaned painfully.

“It’s true that ninetailed foxes are strong in popular media, but that’s only youkai that are yako or wild foxes.”
“Umm…ummmm..?”
“But silver foxes like myself are in the ranks of zenko, good foxes. Which also happen to be elite ones destined to become senko, celestial foxes. The order from higher to lower rank goes tenko, kuuko, senko, and yako at the lowest end. So I’m in a higher tier (ignoring actual power levels).”

Hinagiku spoke with confidence, and only mumbled the last part under her breath to make things more convenient for herself. Being the daughter of a shrine keeper was really coming in handy for her now.

“Umm…hmmm? So what does that mean?”
“That in the world of foxes, even a nine tails one is still yako, in the lowest tier. It’s like being the strongest commoner in a world of daimyo and samurai!”
“How did it come to thisss?!”

Everyone else thought that sounded really cool, except Setsuna.

While Hinagiku puffed her chest with pride, Setsuna showed an exaggerated reaction of dejection. That seemed to satisfy Hinagiku, as she let out a *hmph* and turned around.

Crim then approached her to discuss that exchange.

“Umm…Hinagiku? Wasn’t all of that just one of many takes on the subject? I remember hearing once that a ninetailed fox is just a step below tenko, and that zenko gain tails as they do good deeds…”
“I’ve never heard of that. And someone who tries to assert dominance simply because of the number of tails should be knocked down a peg.”

*‘Ah…she’s really holding a grudge from that…’*

This was the first time Hinagiku was speaking with such stone cold words, making it clear that Setsuna had really struck a nerve.

Crim also noticed that Hinagiku had been acting oddly clingy as of late, and surmised that she wanted to be praised too. That was cute in its own way, so Crim did not mind patting Hinagiku’s head.

“Grrr…”
“Hmphhmph…”
“Why is it so hard to just get along…”

This time Hinagiku grinned smugly, and Setsuna watched with vexation, and Crim had a wry smile.

Eventually the two managed to clear up their dispute.

“Okay, now we can all leave. We’re not streaming today either, so there’s no need to say goodbye to an audience. It’s nice for things to be easy for once.”
“ “ “Huh?” ” ”

As Crim said that with a carefree tone, Frey, Freya, Lycoris, and the rest of Lua Cheia’s members let out an incredulous voice.

“Umm…Crim? Didn’t I tell you before? Papa was busy with work so he couldn’t come, so he told me to control the camera instead…”
“Uh-”

Lycoris looked apologetic as she showed Crim the chat window, its screen filling up with comments. It was clear they had seen everything that had happened.

“Wait, then everything I said today…”
“…I’m truly sorry. I really thought it was all meant to excite the viewers too…so I took extra care to capture all of it…”

Crim gradually grew more terrified as she asked about it, and Lycoris slowly replied, revealing the horrifying truth. By then, Crim’s face had turned beet red, she glanced at the chat window again, saw how everyone praised her speeches and strategy, and then…

“Hnaghnsghnghnghnghn!!!!”

…She could not contain it anymore and threw herself into Freya’s chest, hiding her face while letting out a muffled cry, and would not show herself again until they all logged out.

◇◇◇

Over in Garland III’s personal chambers…

The room was messy, like someone had ransacked it, and amidst the chaos stood a Warbeast alchemist with blue hair…Jade. She was currently holding up a small bottle filled with a purple powder, examining it against the light.

While everyone was running upstairs to catch up with Crim on the rooftop, her curiosity had won over and she took a detour to search through the fort, eventually finding the room, and the bottle hidden under the bed.

She looked at its contents, analyzed it, and then groaned.

“It’s called Miracle Drug Powder, hmm. That seems way too suspicious with everything going on here…Ew no, this junk is also craftable by players.”

Not only that, but it did not require any excessively rare materials. Jade could make dozens of similar bottles just with the materials in Castle Seyfert alone.

“The effects…HP restoration, increased HP regeneration, and various strength buffs. How I wish that was possible with such cheap materials, but moving on…”

Her eyes became sharper as she analyzed the bottle again. But this time she used a different Skill. Connoisseur’s Eye, a Skill a step above Appraise. That allowed her to see the hidden properties of items, and when she used it on the powder…

“…Yuck, I knew this was too good to be true.”

She grimaced in disgust, while also feeling impending dread. That Miracle Drug Powder had a different name when she examined it in more depth…

…Zombie Powder.

***

#Afterword:#

Sometimes fox youkai gain tails with power, or they lose them when they go from being divine spirits into more human ones…there’s way too many myths.