"Some of us were bought," said the small loli catgirl, her voice quiet. "Some caught by hunters. Others... well, joined voluntarily."
I nodded slowly, eyes flicking to Ava. "Let me guess. Mouse wanted the D."
"What? He was hot! Can't I just want a hot guy?" Ava said, hands on her hips.
"Hot? In what way?" The rest chorused, deadpan.
"Whatever. Time's tight." I stretched again. "All I want is for you to sit near me in the throne room. Nothing else."
Brit stood, frowning. "Why should we?"
I grinned. "Don't you want to see the Furry's face when he sees you all wrapped around me?"
That got them.
"I'm in," Mia said immediately, looping her arm through mine.
The rest hesitated but eventually gave in. Except Ava, who was still pouting.
"I hope Sirone healed him up properly," I muttered, striding out the door with the girls in tow.
[Shino POV-Throne Room]
We had been waiting in the throne room for nearly ten minutes. And that fox was late. Again.
I sat upright in my seat as Princess, trying not to fidget. Yami sat beside me on my left, stoic as always. Across from us, my big brother lounged casually in his massive golden throne, while Mother occupied the seat next to him, watching the nobles murmur among themselves.
All of them had come to witness the Boei family's official pledging today... But it seemed like the stars of the show were fashionably late.
"It's already been ten minutes. Where is that damn fox?" Big Brother grumbled. "When I get my hands on her, I'm going to strangle her to death."
Right on cue, the main doors creaked open.
And there she was.
Kitsuna strode in like she owned the place. Gone were the simple jeans and button-up shirt she wore earlier. Now she wore a crisp white suit, complete with a red bowtie and gleaming white shoes. Her scarf was gone, revealing the cursed mark on her neck for all to see-bold as ever.
Behind her, a colorful trail of girls followed, each dressed sharply or stylishly, all eyes on them. Some smiled, some looked bored, but they radiated energy. A few nobles gasped. Others began whispering frantically.
"Took you long enough," Big Brother said, legs crossed, acting like he hadn't just been yelling minutes ago.
'Strangle her, huh?' I thought, eyeing him skeptically.
"Yeah, we had a few things to sort out," Kitsuna said without missing a beat. Everyone assumed she would head toward our family's seating area.
Instead, she walked right past us.
Her destination: the seat of the disgraced Boei Duke house.
She stopped at the center and tapped her foot once.
Frost bloomed.
The temperature plummeted instantly. My skin prickled. From the stone floor rose a throne-not just any throne, but an ice throne. Regal. Ornate. Glimmering with frostwork detail. Its design mirrored Big Brother's, but with elegant white and silver blades fanning out like wings. It was-dare I say-cooler.
Literally and figuratively.
"Hey, hey, little sis, can you make me one of those?" Big Brother asked, nudging me.
"I can," I sighed.
"You don't have the copyright to my throne," Kitsuna teased, already seated.
Her girls took position around her. The loli catgirl hopped onto her lap and curled up, purring happily as Kitsuna pet her. The ram and bunny girls perched on the armrests like queens in their own right. The rest flanked the throne behind her.
Everyone except the mouse girl glared at the others as if she wanted to bite someone.
"So," Kitsuna said, grinning at Big Brother. "When are we starting?"
I don't know if I will be having a chapter for Tuesday, but I will try my best.
Oh, and we made 74 (when writing this) for the weeks' popularity ranking female leads.
HEHEHEHE never thought that would happen. I mean, I am a shit writer, and here we stand at number 9 for power stone ranking under female lead. It just doesn't make sense.
Not that I don't love you guys, and I am delighted you are supporting my novel because I do. I really do love you guys.
TheRealSkolliecreators' thoughts
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Chapter 76: Duke Boei
(Kitsuna POV)
"We were waiting for you, fox." The king said this while shaking his head with a tired sigh. His tone was more amused than frustrated, though the lines around his eyes suggested otherwise.
I gave him a lazy grin, still stroking Olivia's silky hair as she curled comfortably in my lap. "Oh, I forgot to ask. What's your full name again?" I asked, clearly not reading the room-or more accurately, deliberately setting it on fire.
"Dan Doragon. Why?" the king asked, genuinely puzzled, tilting his head slightly.
"Cool. I'm going to call you Dan then," I said, nodding, expression completely serious as I continued petting Olivia like she was a prize I won at a festival.
"I'm your king, though?" Dan stuttered. His eyebrows twitched in confusion. The room collectively flinched.
"Nope. "I'm not a noble of your kingdom," I replied nonchalantly. "We have a contract that makes us work together. That doesn't make you my king." I tilted my head at him, as if to emphasize how obvious that fact should be.
"You dare talk back-" a red demon noblewoman began, voice sharp with outrage.
But Dan cut her off with a wave of his hand. "Sigh... I guess that's fine. But no funny business in the throne room. That's a rule-and there are other things I'll explain later... in private." His voice carried authority now, despite the lazy smile creeping onto his face.
"Sounds good," I replied, tipping an imaginary hat. Olivia mewed softly as I scratched behind her ears.
"But King!" The red demon protested again, her eyes wide with disbelief. "She's disrespecting-"
"What is it, Miss Anabald?" Dan said wearily. "Did I not say it's fine? So drop it." His voice was calm but had that weight-the kind that shut down rooms.
"Yes, Your Highness," she muttered reluctantly and gave a half-bow.
'Anabald...' I mulled the name in my head while giving her a once-over. She really did look like a tomato. All red with black eyes, her dress matching her mood, and skin so smooth it looked like it never saw a wrinkle. "No horns, no tail, no claws. I chuckled to myself, thinking of her as just a human tomato in a black dress. At least the tattoos on her arms were cool. Not curses, but actual magic ink. Probably inherited. 'I heard her mom's been busy fighting sea monsters or something in the ocean for over a year now... wonder if she's hot.'
Dan rubbed his hands together eagerly. "Alright then. Can we move on to the main event?"
"Brother, act professional, please. You too, Mother," Shino whispered beside him, clearly mortified by the level of chaos around her. Her face was scrunched with disappointment.
"Oh, did the show start?" the queen asked groggily, lifting her head from where she'd been... napping?
She was fucking sleeping?' I blinked. 'What a queen. I like her....
Dan cleared his throat. "Cough. Sorry. The Duke and his son-" He paused mid-sentence, frowning in thought, and then glanced at me.
"What is his gender again, Kitsuna?"
"Well... the way Sirone should have healed him should have changed his gender, technically." So... "male" with a question mark? I replied, grave.
Dan didn't skip a beat. "Duke Boei and his male son with a question mark, please come in."
The room broke into stunned silence. Then-
"Pfft-" I burst out laughing, doubling over slightly as Olivia shifted in my lap. Several of the girls beside me started giggling too; even Ava smirked.
"What?" Dan blinked innocently. "What did I say?"
"You didn't-" I tried to respond, but the main doors to the throne room slammed open so hard the noise echoed like thunder.
"What did you just call my son!?" The Duke shouted, eyes bloodshot and fury painted across his face.
"Male with a question mark? What's wrong with that?" Dan asked casually, raising a brow. "We don't know what gender he is anymore after Kitsuna did what she did. Seems accurate."
'Oh, he definitely knew what he said.' I laughed harder. 'I'm starting to really like this person.'
The Duke's glare snapped to me. "And what are you laughing at, huh?"
I stopped chuckling just long enough to deadpan. "Just your son's... or daughter's... situation. You pick the label."
"Big words coming from someone who also lost her original gender," came a smug voice from the side.
A kid stepped forward from beside Anabald-a short boy with thick curly hair and a puffed-out chest like he had something to prove.
"And you are?" I asked, tilting my head curiously.
"My name is Firhumri Kuni!" he said proudly.
'Kuni?' I blinked. 'No way. That's a dwarf house.'
"You're a dwarf?" I asked aloud, scanning his stocky build.
"Yes! My sister and I are High Dwarfs," he said, puffing up even more. His sister mirrored him like synchronized squirrels.
"High dwarfs, huh?" I raised a brow. "The high didn't help much with your height, I see."
A snort escaped from somewhere behind me as Firhumri's face turned redder than Anabald's hair.
"YOU-!"
"Did you forget I'm still standing here?" The Duke snapped again, voice sharp.
I turned back to him and squinted. "Oh yeah... I just didn't notice you without the beard. It's funny. Now that all your facial hair is gone, we can actually see when your face turns red with anger."
Laughter rippled through the girls behind me. Even Ava cracked a grin. That was until-
"How dare you laugh at my father-especially you, you mouse slut!" Hugo suddenly shouted, limping dramatically into the room. He was bandaged head to toe, walking like a half-dead mummy.
"What did you just call me?" Ava said darkly, her voice dropping like a guillotine.
"I think he just called you a slut," Brit muttered with a smirk. "Gulp."
I turned just in time to see Ava's eyes. Wide. Unblinking. Burning.
Yeah. That was the mom-is-about-to-kill look.
"BAHAHAHA-" Ava laughed like a person who just snapped. "I can't believe after everything I did for you, you have the guts to call me that. Honestly? I'm glad you lost the duel. You hairless furry just made the worst enemy imaginable."
Then she turned toward me, her grin sharp. "He called me a slut, so I'm giving you my first kiss, Fox."
"Wait wha-"
Before I could move, Ava lunged for my collar... but I was faster. With a flick of my wrist, I scooped up Olivia from my lap and planted her right in front of Ava's lips. The poor raccoon girl squeaked as their faces collided.
"...Sigh, that was a close one," I said, patting Olivia's head while pushing Ava back with my boot.
"Try that again, and you won't have time to even try being a slut."
"Sorry. Got caught up in the moment..." Ava muttered, red-faced and ashamed.
"You shouldn't say sorry to me-say it to Olivia here." I turned to Olivia, who looked like she wanted to disappear into my arms.
"That was close," I heard my mom mutter behind me. I glanced over to see her laughing from the crowd.
"If you say so..."
Dan clapped once. "Okay, enough entertainment for one night. Duke Boei and Hugo Boei, step forward."
"Yes, my King," they said in unison and dragged themselves to the throne stairs, kneeling stiffly.
"Now," Dan continued, "the duel stated that only Hugo must pledge. But since you interfered not once, but twice, Duke... you'll get the same punishment."
"I accept any punishment," the Duke said solemnly.
"Good. Because that includes your harem," Dan added with a smirk, his eyes darting to me.
"Wait-what?" I stood up.
"Yes. For the paperwork. Bring them in," Dan said, gesturing behind me.
A small door creaked open, and Kayda walked through-followed by thirteen women.
"You've got to be kidding me," I muttered, locking eyes with Kayda, whose expression was unreadable.
"Well everyone," she said, stepping to the side. "Meet the Duke's harem."
I scanned them. Of course, that bastard had a type. And half of them look... empty.'
Then I noticed her-a tiny brown-haired cat demi-girl, wearing a pink one-piece. Her ears were drooping, and her eyes looked hollow.
I flash-stepped to her. She flinched but didn't move away.
"Are you my new master?" she asked, her voice flat.
"That would be me," I said gently.
"I see."
"How old are you?"
"About to turn sixteen, master."
"Did he touch you?"
"Yes, but I'm still fresh unde-" she began, but before she could finish, my mom appeared behind her and silenced her mouth with one hand, holding the girl's skirt with the other.
I felt something snap in me.
"Danny boy," I said coldly, "you just lost your Duke house's head."
I flash-stepped to the Duke and swung down a glowing blue ice katana.
Clung!
A royal guard, drawing his own weapon just in time, stopped my blade mid-swing. He looked at me calmly, waiting for my next move.
"Kitsuna," Dan said, stepping forward, "did I not say no killing tonight?"
"Then I'll just torture him tonight and kill him tomorrow," I replied, grabbing the Duke by the shoulder and yanking him into a standing position. Chains clinked into place from my storage.
"This is going too far," Dan said as the royal guard stepped forward again.
Before he could grab me-BOOM-he was thrown across the room, crashing into a wall.
"He touched someone under sixteen, and she's a rare cat variant from the Beast Kingdom," Mom growled, arms crossed. "Now tell me if it's still fine to leave him alive."
Dan didn't answer.
I formed icy chains with jagged spikes, wrapping them tightly around the Duke's arms and torso. He tried to speak-I silenced him with a flick of frost across his lips.
"See you guys at home," I said, flashing a smirk before disappearing into the air with my prisoner.
"FATHER!" Hugo cried out, reaching toward the empty space.
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Chapter 77:
"What are you going to do to me? Drown me?" The duke asked, spitting the words like venom as he was unceremoniously dropped beside the lake's shimmering edge. He craned his neck, glaring up at me, blood matting his silver hair, still bound in chains, his limbs trembling under the weight of his bruises and arrogance.
I didn't respond right away. Instead, I turned my gaze toward the cascading waterfall behind us. It sparkled in the moonlight like a curtain of silver, concealing the cold beauty of the lake it fed. The sound of water thundering into the basin below echoed through the surrounding forest-isolated, serene, deceptive.
"Drowning you?" I finally scoffed, letting out a low chuckle that echoed like cracking ice. "Hahaha, that's far too easy a death for someone like you. No, I've got something special in mind. A place worthy of scum like you."
