“Little Fox—wake up—”

“Mmm…”

“Mmm what mmm! Get up already!”

She’d planned to sleep until noon on the weekend, but Yuenina dragged her awake at just 10 a.m.

Weirdly enough, in her past life she never slept more than nine hours straight. Ever since becoming a fox girl, though, she needed over twelve. Was this just how fox girls were? So lazy!

“I still wanna sleep a bit more…”

Qiu Li’er murmured, rolled over, and gently tucked her tail—peeking from under the blanket—back inside.

“Up already! We’ve got important stuff this afternoon.”

“Mmm~ Then… wait till noon…”

“…”

Yuenina narrowed her eyes slightly. “If you don’t get up *right now*, Nan Shi and I will pin you down and do something *very*, *very* naughty.”

“Eep! I’m up! I’m up!”

Most of the morning vanished in sleep—but honestly, there wasn’t much else to do anyway. Homework, chatting… Lunch came and went. Then they headed to the park before the library.

At 1:50 p.m., Nan Shi turned to Qiu Li’er. “Little Fox, relax here. Yuenina and I will watch from the bushes nearby.”

Yuenina arched a brow. “Wait—why bushes? What’s wrong with that bench over there?”

She pointed to a lone bench in the park’s quiet corner, wide-open view of the whole area.

Nan Shi fidgeted, voice coy. “Hmm~ But… people are watching on the bench. For… *intimate* moments, bushes are better…”

“Knock it off! Is your brain full of nothing but dirty thoughts?!”

Yuenina yanked Nan Shi onto the bench and flashed Qiu Li’er a thumbs-up.

Qiu Li’er glanced over and muttered, “Honestly… that spot’s no different from the bushes…”

It was far from the library crowd, hidden by foliage—*technically* perfect for shady stuff. But they were all girls. What “shady” stuff?

She shook her head. The park avenue flooded her vision: students in uniforms, couples holding hands, buzzing with youthful energy.

Handsome nobles, promising knights, brilliant mages… Logically, the kind of guys who’d charm a girl like her.

Yet Qiu Li’er covered her nose and waved dismissively.

“The stench of romance…”

She’d never dated in her past life—single since birth for twenty-plus years. Seeing couples always triggered this reflex.

“You don’t like boys either?” A childish voice piped up suddenly.

Qiu Li’er froze. “‘Either’?”

A tiny girl stood beside her, gazing at the crowd.

Twelve at most. Yellow-gray coat, white thigh-highs, knee boots—a textbook loli. Messy short hair, doll-like face… but her big eyes held a weirdly weary, ancient gaze. Qiu Li’er almost wanted to stick a cigarette in her mouth.

Wait… wasn’t this the loli from the drink shop?

“Hello, Miss Fox with the tail,” Xi Xi said, doffing her hat with a polite bow.

“I am the C Detective you sought—and the Lewd Fox’s #1 fan.”

“…”

Qiu Li’er stared down at the smaller girl. Her eyelid twitched twice.

*You’re kidding me.*

Detective? Loli? *Loli detective?!*

Where’s the long-legged cool sis? The elegant mature lady? Heck, even a wise grandma would’ve worked!

Is this a test? Is the *real* C watching from somewhere?

Before she could speak, Xi Xi declared, “Stop guessing. This young lady stands by her name—no aliases.” She patted her flat chest proudly. “The genuine, one-and-only C!”

“…This is hard to accept.”

The phantom detective from online… a twelve-year-old loli? Are you cosplaying that forever-elementary-school detective? And already into hentai at twelve?! Ugh. Can I get a refund? I want someone reliable.

Xi Xi caught every flicker in Qiu Li’er’s eyes and sighed. *Figures no one believes me.* But she’s my idol… time to explain.

She looked up, dead serious. “Lewd Fox—secret time. My real age is way older than I look.”

Qiu Li’er blinked. “Same here.”

Xi Xi shot her a sidelong glance. *She’s pulling the same stunt?!*

“I’m not lying! I look twelve, but I’m *twenty-five*! Adult! Legal!”

“Me too,” Qiu Li’er said, twitching her ears innocently.

They stared. Speechless.

This conversation was going nowhere.

……………

Meanwhile, the “couple” in the corner peeked over.

“Nan Shi,” Yuenina murmured. “Time’s up. Has Detective C arrived?”

“Dunno…” Nan Shi squinted. “Just an adorably cute loli there. Probably asking directions.”

“A loli… Got it.” Yuenina tilted her head slightly, whispering, “So… when are you letting go?”

Nan Shi’s arm was draped over her shoulders, head nestled close like a lovebird.

“Huh? Other couples hug like this…”

Nan Shi shifted her hand to Yuenina’s waist. “Better?”

“Mmm…”

Yuenina shifted, lazily resting her head against Nan Shi’s soft, perky chest with a satisfied smile.

“Well~ Your big chest isn’t wasted after all~”