[h2][center][b][color=ed1c24]Novak[/color][/b][/center][/h2]
Novak considered the fox girl's words.  Perhaps she was right, this elder beast's thought processes could be fundamentally different from that of a human's.  Such a possibility might be useful to remember if they were to attempt to reason with it.  Her other suggestion, that someone else was riling up the animals and using the Kyrinth as an excuse, was also something to think about.  It would be best to consult Misaki later and see if she had uncovered any information about the village's arrangement with the Kyrinth.

When he returned the bag to Bolcha and was offered a reward, Novak politely declined.  [color=ed1c24]"That isn't necessary, I was merely assisting with a mischievous animal."[/color]  He was certainly tempted to take the reward, but it didn't feel right, not after everything Bolcha and the rest of the village had done for them.  Novak had been given a second chance at life, and while he could not remember what he did right or wrong in the previous one, he wanted to do things right this time.  This act might annoy the fox girl considering her implied materialism, but was his turn to have some amusement at her expense.  If Bolcha insisted, however, Novak would take the reward, for he did not wish to insult his hosts.

After this was done with and he left the building, Novak turned back to the vulpine woman.

[color=ed1c24]"Now that's over with, would you care to join us?"[/color] he proposed.  [color=ed1c24]"Myself and a few other outsiders intend to try and reverse the town's misfortune, and we could definitely use someone with your talents.  I figure you might stand to gain from preserving the profitability of this village, and our accommodations will probably be more comfortable than that storage shed."[/color]

There was definitely some risk in attempting to recruit the aid of a stranger, especially an unscrupulous one, but it's not like Novak, Nobu, or Misaki had anything worth stealing.  Additionally, someone with the skill set of a rogue or thief could be useful, especially if this person could shapeshift into an animal.

Whatever the fox girl's response, Novak would track down his companions and inquire if they had learned anything more about the Kyrinth, the village, and the deal between the two.  Afterwards, he would ask Nobunaga if she would be willing to instruct him in swordsmanship in the near future.  He needed to start acquiring useful skills if he wanted to make anything of himself in this world, and being able to fight would be a good start.

[@Rune_Alchemist][@PKMNB0Y][@VitaVitaAR]