The Bride Of The Sacred Forest God
Chapters 2. Sleeping Alone in the Forest

Reda is led to a door at the back of the mansion and is then driven away by two fox demons, Nagi and Ginko.

“Aah!” he shouted because he was holding back the pain

“Cih! Man smells of rotten! But coupled with the fishy smell of eggs and rotten tomatoes on his body, he became even more rotten! Disgusting once.”

A once-piercing insult from the mouth of a fox demon named Nagi. Reda who was still not standing shed her tears. It was such a humiliation that it hurt the poor girl so much.

Another fox demon, Ginko seems to care less about what happened to the poor girl. However, at least he did not scratch the wound in his heart that had just received a physical and mental humiliation from his master.

“Reda-sama, this is Nushi-sama's order. We just run it.” He said in a flat tone

Reda wiped away her tears and began to look at the two demon figures with a smile.

“I'm fine. Aragaki-sama has been kind to allow me to stay alive. I...thank you to him.”

“Oi, take care of your dirty mouth!” snapped Nagi

“Eh?”

“Never call our master Aragaki-sama! That mouth does not deserve to call him that name!”

Just shut up. He did not understand, everything he did looked despicable and low in the eyes of the two demons, especially Nagi. He seems to hate Reda.

“Nagi, if you want to tell him, you should not use the rough way.”

“For what to take care of low humans! I'm leaving! You're the one who fixed it. I have to clean my hands. If I meet Ryuunosuke later, I'll ask him to watch over him as I've been.”

“Again!” Ginko. But Nagi had already walked away from him. Now, Ginko must face Reda alone.

“Haa~ this is troublesome once.” Said

Reda just bowed to hear the cry.

“Was for this I brought to this place, if no one wants my presence?.”

In her heart, Reda was like she was crying and asking her fate. Dumped by the villagers and made sacrifices, then insulted and discarded by those who took him. What fate would want to see him suffer like that?

**

Nagi, who had left Ginko, walked in engawa (outdoor corridor of Japanese traditional houses) while grumbling.

“Basic dirty shabby village girl! I can't believe this place should always accept humans as candidates for ‘bride’ Aragaki-sama! This is not gonna work. Aragaki-sama will never forgive them. The hatred they inflict on Aragaki-sama's heart will never go away even though it has been 200 years passed.”

Not long from behind, Nagi heard the sound of running footsteps on the engawa wood floor.

“Nagi-sama, Nagi-sama!” scream that voice

“Ryuunosuke?”

That figure was the little fox that approached Nagi in a great hurry.

“Nagi-sama, is it true that other ‘penghti’ candidates have arrived?”

“True. Ginko was taking care of it in the back. If you can, you take care of that shabby girl! I'm tired of the smell of humans. Look at my hand full of fishy scents of rotten eggs and tomatoes!”

“Nagi-sama, that was cruel once.”

“Terlarah. Aragaki-sama has also thrown it as soon as he saw it.”

“I...I will be facing Aragaki-sama!”

The little fox named Ryuunosuke immediately ran away leaving Nagi alone.

**

Under the same sakura tree, Aragaki looks so upset. His calm feelings turned into a rage he was trying to endure.

“Once again a dirty man. As much as anything that comes, I will never forgive them.” he said inwardly

From behind him, a voice called out his name.

“Aragaki-sama, Aragaki-sama!”

Aragaki wagged her tail and looked back. Knowing the voice was coming from someone so close to him, Aragaki's expression changed. There was a sweet smile that made her handsome face radiate hospitality.

“Ryuunosuke? What was? Why such a rush?”

“Aragaki-sama! I met with Nagi-sama and heard that ‘bride’ candidate Aragaki-sama has come? Is that true?”

“...” Aragaki did not answer

“Aragaki-sama!” Ryuunosuke began to urge his master to talk

Seeing the little fox start to get anxious, Aragaki knelt down and stroked her head.

“She has come and she is behind. If you want to meet him, go. Meet her. I trust everything as usual to you, Ryuunosuke”

Aragaki stood up and left Ryuunosuke under the cherry tree alone. He went inside the house.

As soon as his master returned inside, the little fox immediately ran towards the back.

Behind, Reda was still not awake and downcast. Ginko who had sighed a few times after being abandoned by Nagi started to get curious about the girl.

"I can't say she's beautiful because she's human, but I can definitely say that she's very unlucky. Dumped by the damned villagers and ended up in this place. Though here, the possibility of him living may not exist as it already is."

Ginko asked the poor girl.

“Reda-sama, why is it still not standing?”

“I can stand?” the girl asked back

“Why ask? If you want to stand, you better stand.”

“I'm sorry. In the village, they always say that I can't do anything if I'm not told or I'll be put in a dog's kennel.”

“What? Dog cage?”

“I..I can only eat if I do everything the villagers ask me to do. Therefore, I'm afraid that you might punish me too if I stand up at will.”

Dropped down with a scared face. His scuffed and trembling hands proved that he was indeed afraid.

“This is crazy. So the villager actually gave Nushi-sama someone who was considered ‘sampah’? I think they are not serious and humble.” thought Ginko in heart

Before Ginko spoke again, from behind came a voice calling out to him.

“Ginko-sama!”

It was the little Ryuunosuke who ran over with a scared and worried facial expression. As soon as he got in front of her, he immediately stood in front of Ginko while stretching out his hands like he was about to protect the girl.

“Ginko-sama, this is a candidate for ‘bride’ Aragaki-sama! I'll take care of it. Please don't hurt this girl, I beg.”

“You misunderstood, Ryuunosuke. I will not hurt Reda-sama. Please take care of the rest. I'll go back inside.” Ginko smiled and left the two men behind.

Reda saw the shape of the cute tail belonging to the cute little fox demon. As soon as he turned his body, the little fox immediately walked over and helped him stand up.

“Your body is dirty.” he said with a sad face

“I'm fine. This...already ordinary.”

Reda was still smiling to make that sweet fox face not worry anymore.

“My name is Ryuunosuke. From now on, I will help you.um..”.

“Reda. I'm Reda. Greetings to Ryuunosuke.”

“I'm sorry but tonight you can't stay here, Reda-sama.”

“Where can I sleep?”

“Come with me.”

Ryuunosuke led her to the door behind Reda. They were walking inside a deserted part of the forest towards somewhere. There's no light there. Dark as normal a dense forest, it was just that there were no ferocious beasts inside.

After walking for quite a while, they arrived at a small dark old hut.

“Please enter.” Ryuunosuke said as he opened the door

Reda saw the conditions in it. There was only one small room with a simple stove, an old tatami with a thin floor bed and a blanket, and a dark yukata bed.

“This place..”.

“I'm sorry, but Reda-sama should sleep here. There are clothes that have been prepared, please clean your body first tonight in the back bathroom and rest. Tomorrow morning, I will deliver the food and explain everything before facing Aragaki-sama.”

Reda could only nod without asking. After Ryuunosuke left, Reda went towards the back bathroom. There was only a large tub full of water with a thick liquid scented with grass and herbs and a thin cloth to dry his body.

“At least I can sleep in a warm place. Mercifully. As it turns out, I can still feel luxurious things like this.” Reda smiled happily with tears dripping down her cheeks.

How painful and suffering the life he had been living. It can be seen from the way he uses all the makeshift items very carefully.

The smell and fishy aroma of his body began to disappear thanks to the liquid made from grass and herbs. Now, he's getting ready for bed.

While laying down his body that was still in pain, he had a chance to remember something.

“Dad, mom, are you guys okay in heaven? Reda was finally able to feel the sleep with nice clothes and a warm bed tonight. Reda's not sleeping in a dog kennel anymore. Sleeping in a nice house like this. It feels like a dream.”

“Maybe Reda will catch up with you after being dumped by the villagers, but please pray for me to be able to smile to the end like Reda promised you guys huh? Good night.”

That night in the middle of the forest, in a small hut without any light, a poor girl slept with a face full of happiness. Only that night, he could feel like the luckiest person in the world.

Though perhaps, destiny said another when dawn came.

****