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A gentle breeze parted the clouds, allowing silvery moonlight to spill softly upon the earth.

Kyoto—within Yasaka Shrine, a quiet, cozy candle flickered by the bedside, illuminating an endearing scene.

A charming little blonde-haired fox girl, no more than four or five years old, lay snugly tucked beneath the covers. Her adorable, delicate face radiated contentment, utterly pleased with the bedtime stories she'd just heard. Sitting gracefully at the bedside, an elegant blonde woman gently closed the storybook in her hands, smiling softly.

"And that's the last story for tonight, my dear Kunou. It's time for sleep now."

"Mm, goodnight, Mommy~ Oh, right, Bokue-nii will be coming back soon, right? Let's go play with him when he returns, okay?"

Unlike other children who might have begged for just one more story, little Kunou sweetly accepted bedtime, extending a tiny hand from beneath the covers and waving gently to her mother.

Yasaka smiled warmly, placing the storybook carefully onto the nightstand.

"Yes, I promise we'll both go to see him when he returns. Now, sleep tight."

Blowing out the candle, Yasaka stood up gracefully, the shrine's room falling into comfortable darkness. Behind her, nine magnificent fox tails—symbols of her identity as a Nine-Tailed Fox—floated gently. One fluffy tail reached back instinctively, softly guiding her daughter's tiny hand back under the covers and neatly tucking the blanket around her neck.

Only after ensuring everything was perfect did Yasaka step quietly out into the corridor.

The lanterns throughout the shrine had long since been extinguished, casting the hallway into shadowy darkness. Yasaka paused briefly in the darkened corridor, exhaling softly.

She was about to retire herself when—

"Hm?"

She froze momentarily, suddenly sensing an unusual ripple in the barrier surrounding the shrine. Yasaka's delicate brows lifted slightly, surprise flashing briefly across her beautiful features.

Without hesitation, she moved swiftly yet silently down the hallway, slipping through the shrine's doors and onto the front steps.

Outside, under the faint glow of the moonlight, a familiar, slender figure stood quietly in the shrine's central courtyard.

It was Bokue Keikain.

He gazed silently toward the starry night sky, his traditional robe swaying gently with the night breeze. Standing there beneath the pale moonlight, he seemed like a weary bird finally landing after a long, exhausting flight—both there and not there, ephemeral like a distant reflection on water.

"Bo...kue?"

The moonlight wasn't particularly bright, yet Yasaka's instincts immediately recognized the boy. Her voice trembled slightly, escaping from her parted lips almost involuntarily, while her slender legs beneath her flowing kimono propelled her forward instinctively, rushing swiftly down the steps to wrap Bokue into a warm embrace.

"What's wrong, Bokue? Why are you here at this hour? Weren't you at your clan's training camp? Did something happen—?"

Her voice faltered slightly mid-sentence as she instantly sensed something off about him.

As the Nine-Tailed Fox, Yasaka was uniquely sensitive to spiritual energies—and she could clearly feel the chaotic turmoil within Bokue's body.

Normally, Bokue's presence was gentle and comforting, like a warm breeze beneath spring sunshine. But now his energy churned violently, wildly fluctuating between extremes—scorching heat, icy winds, thunderstorms, and blizzards—all rapidly shifting, never settling for even a moment.

What in the world could have happened?

Yasaka's heart tightened anxiously.

For powerful individuals, one's energy fluctuations often reflected their inner emotional state—just like stress might cause pimples to erupt, inner turmoil could likewise twist one's spiritual presence into chaos.

Yet she couldn't fathom what could have caused such drastic upheaval inside Bokue.

She had to help him find stability.

Determined, Yasaka was about to speak when Bokue, still in her embrace, suddenly lifted his head, blinking as though awakening from a deep dream.

"Oh... Yasaka-nee-san, it's you. Sorry for disturbing you so late..."

"It's no trouble at all." Yasaka tightened her embrace, gently stroking his hair. "Rather than apologize, can you please tell me exactly what happened, Bokue?"

"...Okay."

There, sitting on the shrine's entrance steps beneath the moon's dim glow—without tea, candles, or even seat cushions—the two sat quietly, shoulder to shoulder, with Yasaka wrapping a soft, warm tail gently around Bokue to shield him from the mountain's nighttime chill.

Only Bokue's quiet, steady voice filled the night air as he began to recount his story. It wasn't especially long—just two or three minutes—but by the time he finished, Yasaka released a quiet, contemplative sigh.

"So, that's what happened..."

Truthfully, the story hadn't shocked her much. Or rather, while surprising at first, it was perfectly logical upon reflection.

Due to the curse from four hundred years ago, the Keikain main family had been forced into a meritocratic system, choosing heirs from branch families. Even so, beneath seemingly fair rules, corruption inevitably festered anew.

The branch families formed their own factions, suppressed talented but factionless members, and even conspired directly against Acting Heads or family leaders.

Given such circumstances, it was no wonder that Bokue faced betrayal twice in a single day—from both outsiders and his own clan members. Frankly, that Bokue had not instantly fallen into darkness or cynicism was already proof of his exceptional inner strength.

Right now was the most crucial turning point in his life.

Yasaka had to handle this carefully.

After thoughtful consideration, she posed her first critical question:

"Bokue, do you think you were at fault for anything that happened today? Don't overthink it; trust your instincts and answer immediately."

"No... I don't believe I was wrong."

Bokue shook his head firmly, giving an earnest answer straight from his heart.

"Good. That's exactly right." Yasaka finally showed a gentle, reassuring smile, softly brushing his hair.

"Listen carefully, Bokue. You've done absolutely nothing wrong. Those truly at fault are the ones who plotted to kill you so they could promote their own people. Your actions were justified, honorable, and entirely righteous. Never doubt that."

"Secondly, you must realize the Keikain Clan isn't flawless—no family is. With a clan so large, there will inevitably be rotten apples hidden within. As Acting Head, your responsibility is to root out these corrupted individuals. You have both the right and the duty to do so."

"But... I already made Yura Acting Head," Bokue reminded her quietly, uncertainty flickering across his face.

Yasaka gently shook her head. "That's merely your personal choice. Officially, the main family hasn't acknowledged it yet—and besides, even little Yura herself would prefer you to remain Acting Head. After all, you're the big brother she adores so much, right?"

"And think about it: if you hand over the role to Yura now, aren't you worried those branch families might turn their schemes against her instead?"

"You're right—then what should I do?" Bokue shot to his feet suddenly, his eyes widening in anxious realization.

But Yasaka pulled him gently back down, reassuring him.

"Listen closely. To prevent any future harm, you must become stronger—so strong that no one would ever dare plot against you again. You must become the absolute strongest."

"And until then, I promise I'll personally look after little Yura for you."

Here Yasaka paused briefly, her elegant face breaking into a playful, slightly mischievous smile.

"But before all that, there's something even more important. Emotions must be released once you feel them—and you mentioned earlier that a girl at the training camp let you touch her butt, right? Tell me, how did that feel?"

"How did it feel? Well... I guess it was pretty nice."

Bokue thought carefully, nodding honestly.

"Only 'pretty nice'? Sounds like it wasn't memorable enough, hm~ Well then, I suppose it's finally time for your dear big sister to teach you properly. Go ahead... touch me instead~"

Yasaka's smile widened alluringly, her voice gently teasing as she reached gracefully for the sash at her waist, slowly beginning to loosen her robes.

One by one, garments drifted softly to the floor—both hers and Bokue's.

"Oh, by the way—after we start, you can't call me Yasaka-nee-san anymore, understand?"

"What should I call you then?"

Her laughter rippled sweetly through the nighttime air, as soft and enticing as silk:

"You'll have to call me Mommy~"

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