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<span class="mu-s">“You raised me to worship Khonshu. I've been doing it my whole life. I can’t just throw all that away because you told me to.”</span> you argued, placing a hand over your chest. <span class="mu-s">“<span class="mu-i">My</span> faith is actually real.”</span>
She sighed through her nose and gave you a disapproving look, but she didn't argue the issue any further.
<span class="mu-r">“If that's what you want, then you are free to continue serving him. I just thought you would like to know that you shouldn't feel any particular obligation to him.”</span> she said, relenting in her own way.
<span class="mu-s">“He's saved my life on multiple occasions.”</span> you countered. It was so weird to have to defend your faith from the one who raised you into it.
<span class="mu-r">“I won't argue that he hasn't helped you along every now and again, but there is nothing he's heped you accomplish that you weren't already capable of.”</span> she said in an encouraging tone. <span class="mu-r">“You underestimate yourself, Cindy.”</span>
<span class="mu-s">“I don't even know what I am!”</span> you shouted, gripping the sides of your head with two clawed hands. <span class="mu-s">“What’s going on with me? I'm pretty sure this isn't what puberty looks like!”</span>
Your mother gave you another one of those sympathizing looks and walked around the table to stand in front of you. You didn’t back away this time, and she gently took your hands in her own.
<span class="mu-r">“You’re right. Me and your father shouldn’t have hidden this from you for so long. You deserve to know the truth.”</span> she admitted.
You leaned in closer, eagerly awaiting an answer to the question that’s been plaguing you all day.
<span class="mu-r">“Your spirit is infused with that of a Kumiho me and your father fought when you were still a baby.”</span>
Kumiho? Those were…fox spirits and tricksters, right?
<span class="mu-s">“H-how'd that happen?”</span> you asked, not bothering to hide your desperation.
<span class="mu-r">“We had been called to hunt down a malicious spirit that was devouring the hearts and souls of men in the area so that she could ascend to a higher state of being.”</span> she explained. <span class="mu-r">“Me and your father managed to track it down to its den, but the demon was far smarter than we had anticipated, and it doubled back to follow our scent back to where we had left you. By the time we had gotten back…you were already gone.”</span>
You slowly started to sit down, your hands still firmly in your mom’s grasp.
<span class="mu-r">“We didn't rest until we found you, but by then, the demon had already begun the process of absorbing your life force using a fox marble: ‘Yeowoo Guseul’.”</span> she continued.
If memory serves, Kumiho can transfer life energy from a human to the fox marble by slipping it into the victim’s mouth, and then retaking it with a kiss.
Did that mean that the fox demon was trying to <span class="mu-i">kiss</span> you as a baby? You physically cringed at the thought.
(Cont.)
