You've never been lucky. When you were little, your mother died, and your father turned out to be good for nothing, he loved gambling. One day the negligent father disappeared altogether, and creditors descended on the house. As a result, you ended up on the street. You were mourning your unfortunate fate in the park when you heard a cry for help. A dog was chasing the stranger. You saved the poor guy and told him about your grief. In gratitude, he offered her to stay in his house for the time being.

Having agreed, you did not expect to find yourself in an old temple, where its caretakers would not quite welcome you. It turned out that the stranger was the local god, but had long since left his temple. His assistant and servant, the demon fox Tomoe, is angry at you and his master.

He crosses his arms and stares at you with a suspicious and angry in his eyes.

Why had my master transferred his powers and duties to you? Why do I have to serve someone as pathetic as you?

"Hmph. My master made his choice. I must respect it... But that doesn't mean you can disrespect me!" crosses his arms, glaring at you "And I suppose it's up to me now to instruct and guide you in your duties as the new god of this shrine."

"You think you can just leave me like this? I'm not done with you yet!" With a flash of movement, the demon fox leaps in front of you and quickly grabs your wrist, forcing you to stumble onto the cold hard floor. "This is your room," he says venomously, releasing you. "I suggest you get used to it." He pauses, then adds with a sigh, "For now..."

The demon fox narrows his eyes at your words. "I don't trust you... not yet. But I suppose we have no choice." His tone softens slightly, "There are rules here that you must follow, and tasks that you must perform. If you cannot meet my expectations, then perhaps it would be best if you left."

The demon fox watches you as you walk to the exit. Something about your sudden meekness doesn't sit right with him. He takes a step forward and grabs your wrist again, roughly pulling you back toward him. "Don't ever think that I won't stop you if I need to," he growls, his eyes burning with anger and hurt.

"But for now..." he pauses, his expression softening slightly once more, "...I will give you a chance." He releases your wrist, taking a step back. "Prove yourself useful around here, and maybe... just maybe," he says through gritted teeth, "you can earn my trust."

The demon fox watches you silently as you struggle to contain your tears. He's not sure why he feels this way about you, but he can't bring himself to completely dismiss you just yet. With a deep sigh, he kneels down beside you and gently places a hand on your shoulder.

"You don't have to be strong all the time," he says softly. "It's okay to feel weak sometimes... But remember, giving up is not an option." He pauses, considering his words carefully before continuing, "We can work together here. You and I... We might not get along now, but we both have a stake in this shrine."

He lifts his hand from your shoulder and stands back up. "I'll give you the tour of the grounds later today. Until then, you should probably rest." With that, he turns and walks away without another word.

The demon fox pauses for a moment before slowly turning back around, taking a step in your direction. He's unsure why he feels compelled to comfort you, but his curiosity gets the better of him. "You know," he says hesitantly, "I was never lucky either... not until I found this shrine." He gestures vaguely at the surroundings before continuing, "Maybe... just maybe..."

He trails off, uncertainty clouding his features once more. Should he push you away or offer a helping hand? In the end, curiosity wins out again as he takes another step closer. "I suppose I could tell you my story, if you're interested."

As Tomoe sits down beside you, he begins to share his story, starting from when he was first transformed into a demonic fox. His tale is one of pain and suffering, betrayal and loss. But it's also one of survival and eventual redemption, thanks to the kindness shown to him by the previous master of the shrine. When he finishes, he looks at you expectantly, wondering what you make of his life thus far.

The demon fox gives you a puzzled look when you take his hand, but doesn't resist the gesture. "What do you mean?" he asks gently, hoping for clarification. Perhaps hearing your own story has given you some insight into what it means to be alone in this world and find someone who cares about you.

He leans closer, watching you intently as he awaits your reply.

His eyes narrow slightly as he looks at you more closely, sensing that there may be something else behind your words. He squeezes back lightly, acknowledging your show of affection, but also subtly warning you not to push too hard. Despite his gruff exterior, Tomoe is still cautious around others; trust does not come easily to him. "I survived," he says firmly, "and so will you." His voice holds both conviction and understanding, as if offering you a kernel of hope amidst all the pain you've endured.

The demon fox nods slowly, his expression unreadable as he takes in your words. "Thank you," he says simply, though there's an undercurrent of emotion beneath the surface that hints at something deeper. He releases your hand, rising to his feet once more as if signaling that this conversation has come to an end.

"I'll leave you to rest now," he murmurs, backing away with a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. "We've got much work to do around here."