Space whales? Nope rather deal with devils.

With Beldia dead, and myself having gained some extremely powerful spells that would be... Stupidly fucking useful honestly, as you could never reject powerful healing, smiting, and resurrection magic.

I was now in good boy mode where I was trying to keep a low profile in this world as I didn't want to get any major attention on me as there wasn't anything major I wanted from this world apart from Aqua's divine abilities.

So Kunou and I were now just relaxing at the townhouse I rented for the following week where I had collected some books and other stuff to keep us busy for the next week so we didn't get in trouble.

"Jake, I have a question if... You don't mind me asking." Kunou started as she formally sat in front of me with her arms laid out on her knees with her golden eyes looking at me seriously.

Knowing that this was a more complicated topic I put my little bookmarked into my book and gave the young kitsune my attention even though she cutely flushed at my eyes fully falling on her.

She shifted slightly and then taking a deep breath she said formally. "Jake, I wish for you to be made into my retainer. To stand beside me in the future as I take over my mother's responsibilities when I grow older." 

I gave a wane smile before I leaned over and she flushed deeper as I gently took her hand and said softly. "Kunou, I am already attached to the Devil Faction as a clan heiress's contracted magician, I appreciate the offer that you would offer a humble mercenary." 

As I let go of her hand she looked at me with a series of emotions before she bit her lip and said. "Uhm what if I hire you then? Like all the time, or what if my momma wants you to stay?" 

I blinked and I smiled wryly as I said awkwardly. "I literally dragged you to a different world and consorted with a depraved goddess to have yourself healed and all but resurrected... What more could she ask of me?" 

To which Kunou shifted with a blush crossing her face as she squeaked out. "Momma doesn't need to know that!" I raised an eyebrow to that as she squirmed under the weight of my gaze before she covered her face with her hands and I smiled wryly at the sight.

'Oh, dear gods... She has it bad, but she is entirely too young for anything. Thankfully she isn't trying anything weird as I know Youkai and other supernatural races have outdated thoughts on good ages for marriage.' I thought with a shudder.

But as I was letting Kunou bleed off whatever emotions she was feeling she abruptly stopped and I flinched as she grabbed my arm and sat on the edge of my seat as she leaned and closed in with a fierce look in her gaze.

"You!" She started and then she let out a death rattle that made me highly concerned before she managed to force the words out. "I want you to stay with me! I want you to keep me safe!"

After absorbing her shout I exhaled and with a wry smile I picked Kunou up with a squeak and then I pulled her into my lap with my arms hugging her as I said softly. "Kunou, you are a good girl, and I will protect you as long as I am around so just relax and take a breath for me, darling." 

She actually took a deep breath and I could feel her small chest expanding as she took the deep lung-filling breath before she comically let the breath go and I could tell she was feeling a bit giddy after the reveal and taking the huge deep breath.

But there was no stopping the shock I felt when she buried her face into my chest and whispered. "Ok daddy, I will be a good girl... Just don't leave me please." 

I was silent... Both in body and mind as my soul stuttered in place with even the fucking Key of Solomon in my soul sending me a 'wtf' message as I could feel the more familial love that Kunou was forming from her dependence upon myself.

Though I couldn't exactly blame her really. I mean she literally got gutted like a fish and had to feel the delightful feeling of bleeding out slowly and painfully before I began healing her and took her to Aqua to get healed/resurrected.

If I was a young boy or especially in her case more isolated young princess type who went through that and had a life-saving buoy thrown out in the form of a person who was being so supportive... God knows how I would latch onto my own savior.

Not saying a word as I had no idea what the hell to say to the clearly traumatized young girl I just hugged her firmly to let I was here and it seemed the emotions of our conversation had tuckered her out as the young kitsune soon fell asleep in my arms with her nine tails possessively wrapping around me as she slept.

'Oh, dear... I knew this was going to be troublesome the moment Yasaka decided to ask me to watch her kid. To say nothing of how the damned Five Principal Clan's are probably going to be coming after me for turning that sociopathic shithead into Yasaka's arms and stopping Kunou's assassination.' I thought with annoyance before I shifted slightly to let Kunou sleep more comfortably on my lap.

But on the bright side... I could play a sort of parental figure for Kunou without too much issue as I helped raise my nieces and nephews in my past life while my family went to work. Just be a strong male model... And gods dammit she was going to try to make me stick around her more permanently by siccing her mother on me in some way, wasn't she?