Chapter 22: The Narcissistic Fox

"Why don't you want me to take a consort?" Xuanyuan Yu asked, voicing his confusion. He had never seen a spirit pet so fiercely protective of its master.

"Squeak, squeak, squeak!" Because the women here are all wicked! They are merely coveting your handsome looks—you must not be deceived. You should know that with your charm, you could certainly find a fox like me, who possesses thousands of virtues all in one!

"Squeak, squeak, squeak!" Furthermore, you should know that they might not even like you; they might just like my fur. Look at my coat, white as snow—it wouldn't even be singed if it were in the heart of a fire.

The little fox proudly displayed her precious fur to Xuanyuan Yu, strutting elegantly across the desk piled high with memorial scrolls. Her small tail swept back and forth, and occasionally, she would strike a melancholic pose. This behavior, according to what she had heard from humans, was known as "catwalking" or "striking a pose."

"Are you saying that those women are coveting your fur, and that is why you don't want me to take a consort—because you're afraid they'll steal it?" Xuanyuan Yu guessed her meaning. This reason left him both amused and exasperated; he had no idea that a fox could be so narcissistic.

This fox was truly, naively adorable. Those women were all aiming for the prestigious position of Empress, second only to one and above ten thousand, yet in this little fox's mind, they were merely after her pelt. With her tiny frame, she wouldn't even have enough fur to make a scarf, let alone a pair of gloves.

The little fox proudly raised her tail, signaling that this was indeed the case. While there was another reason—that she disliked having other women near her master, which made her feel uneasy, and when she felt uneasy she couldn't eat, and when she couldn't eat she liked to cause trouble, so really, this was all for her master's own good—she felt she was incredibly considerate. Surely, no other fox in the world could compare to her.

"Little fox, they aren't after your fur. To want your fur, they would have to wait for you to grow up. Look at yourself—is there even enough fur on you right now to make a scarf?"

The little fox looked down at her small body and nodded. It was true; she was a bit small, and there was indeed a lack of material for a scarf.

Watching the little fox's confused, silly expression, Xuanyuan Yu couldn't help but laugh aloud. "They are aiming for the position of Empress. Since there is no consort in the inner palace yet, it is no wonder they want to force women in. As long as they gain my favor, they can be second only to one and above ten thousand."

The little fox fixated on the phrase "second only to one and above ten thousand," and began to hop about in excitement. Does this mean I am already at that level?

"Squeak, squeak, squeak!" Master, my status is very noble now, isn't it?

"Yes, your status is very noble. So, you must work even harder to please me, so that no one will dare to pull out your fur to make a scarf. Do you understand?" Xuanyuan Yu coaxed the little fox, his eyes filled with warmth and mirth.

He hooked his fingertip under her jaw and stroked it gently. The little fox felt a bit shy, sensing as if she were being teased. But then she reconsidered, thinking she was overthinking things—why would her master tease her? He was just scratching an itch! Still, she felt embarrassed, but she needed to please her master to ensure her fur stayed safe. Very well, she thought, she would just take the loss and let her master take a little advantage.

Xuanyuan Yu fed his finger into the little fox's mouth and stirred it gently. The little fox was puzzled, but she dared not bite him like she did last time, as that had nearly gotten her swatted to death. She wouldn't be that foolish again.