[h2][center][b][color=ed1c24]Novak[/color][/b][/center][/h2]
The fox-woman assured Novak that she was not a violent sort, and even gave him the stolen bag.  Unlike her previous assurances, this one was more...convincing to Novak, and caused him to relax a bit.  She even handed him the bag, after having posed a question to him.

[color=ed1c24]"I haven't been here long, so far they seem like decent, hospitable folks suffering from misfortune,"[/color] he replied to her query as she pulled on her boots.  [color=ed1c24]"You may have noticed the remains of the beast that attacked the town.  From what I've heard, it sounds like their woes stem from a compact or covenant with an elder beast going sour."[/color]

Novak had made a few more observations about this woman.  First, from the way she spoke, and from the way a stolen bag found its way into her possession, carried by a fox with the same features as her, she appeared to be a thief.  Second, while she certainly stood out as much as Misaki or Nobunaga or the white-haired man, she seemed too...settled and familiar with the village to be one of the goddess' recent arrivals.  Assuming she was a native of this world, she was clearly well-traveled, and Novak might learn something conversing with her.

[color=ed1c24]"If it's possible to communicate with this elder beast, I'm sure it'll have its own side of the story, and its own grievances,"[/color] he continued as the walked through the village [color=ed1c24]"But whatever the case is I hope that reconciliation is possible, before the village is pushed to its breaking point."[/color]

Perhaps it was unwise to disclose this to a stranger, especially an unscrupulous one, but if she had been squatting here for any period of time, she probably already knew of what was going on.  If she could shapeshift into a fox, perhaps she even may have even been able to "hear" the Kyrinth's anger and its inciting of beasts to attack.

[color=ed1c24]"How about you?"[/color] he asked.  [color=ed1c24]"You seem to have some familiarity with this village.  What do you think of them?  And do you have any idea why this Kyrinth might have become angry with them?"[/color]

In any case, Novak would eventually arrive at the workshop and return the bag of tools to Bolcha.

[color=ed1c24]"Here are those tools back,"[/color] he stated, not remarking on the assuredly not-suspicious fox-woman accompanying him.  [color=ed1c24]"I'm afraid I lost track of that other fellow, however."[/color]

[@Rune_Alchemist]