“Not free? So, there *are* conditions, huh?”

Xi Xi recalled her earlier fluster, felt a flicker of embarrassment, and forced her smile to fade. “So, Great Fox—what’s the price?”

“All this… ah, no.” Qiu Li’er straightened her expression. “The price is what we discussed on the Magic Net: you help me investigate something.”

“An investigation, huh… Guess there really is no such thing as a free pet of a fox tail.” Xi Xi tapped her chin. “Fine! This detective accepts your case!”

“Huh? That easily?”

“Of course! I’m the legendary Detective C. At Lilith Academy, no problem’s too tough for me.”

Xi Xi lifted her chin, confidence glowing on her tiny face. “Side note: my proudest case? Helping a girl on the verge of becoming a ‘loser’ pull off a legendary ‘NTR’ on her childhood sweetheart.”

While the story’s hero agonized between childhood friend and new love, Xi Xi had already rewritten the ending—pairing the two girls together.

Truth was, she didn’t get romance stuff. She just disliked that two-timing guy and wanted the girls happy.

“What bizarre requests…”

Qiu Li’er took a deep breath. “Alright… you can pet it *once*. Gently! And *don’t* wander—fox tails bald *so* easily!”

“Huh? Never heard that… but relax! This detective is *abso-lutely* not the handsy type!” Xi Xi declared proudly.

One gentle tail pet for a free case? Both girls felt they’d struck gold.

The fox girl turned slowly, unzipped her backpack. A tuft of soft orange fluff peeked from beneath her skirt—threaded through a hidden hole at the bag’s base.

Qiu Li’er eased her tail out, a faint blush blooming on her cheeks.

“Why are you shaking?” Xi Xi tilted her head.

“N-Nothing…”

For a fox girl used to hiding her tail, willingly revealing it felt deeply, deeply shameful.

*Puff~*

The plush tail swayed gently, glistening like oiled silk under the sun.

Xi Xi’s eyes widened, lips parting slightly. “My first real tail…”

*Cute. Fluffy. Soft. Must. Touch.*

She swallowed hard and stroked it—top to bottom.

*Whoa.* Nothing like cheap faux fur! Cats? Dogs? *Pathetic.* Fox tails reign supreme.

Xi Xi petted with rapt focus.

They say: *While eating from your bowl, you eye the pot.* Petting this sweet, enchanting fox girl, Xi Xi’s thoughts drifted home…

*If only Sister Feng looked like this… and let me pet her too…*

…

“Look, Nini! Little Fox *actually* let someone else pet her tail!”

“I see…”

Nan Shi gripped her roommate’s shoulders, trembling. Yuenina stood frozen, hollow-eyed.

“L-Little Fox never lets *us* touch it… but now some random flat-chested loli on the street can?! Waaah… No love left! None!” Nan Shi wailed.

“Could it be… she’s always preferred flat-chested lolis?”

For the first time feeling *NTR’d*, Nan Shi whispered, “So *that’s* why she flinched when I touched her tail… I should’ve met her at twelve…”

“Stay calm, Nan Shi.”

Yuenina kept her voice low. “That ‘loli’ is Detective C—the one we’re watching. Little Fox acting this way isn’t strange.”

“B-But she was *led astray*!”

“Pause. Think.” Yuenina’s eyes narrowed. “Little Fox *initiated* the charm. What does that suggest?”

*Initiated charm?*

Nan Shi gasped. “Her… *instinct*?”

“Exactly. Just like we theorized—she’s answering her innate charm instinct.”

*Led astray?* Nah. All voluntary.

“I see…” Nan Shi nodded. “Then why not charm *us*?”

“Mmph!” Yuenina choked.

Right. If she *needed* this… why not them? They’d *gladly* cooperate!

“Uh… old saying! ‘Rabbit doesn’t eat grass by its burrow!’”

“Really?” Nan Shi frowned. “What if… she *knew* Detective C was a loli? Set a trap?”

“Then you’re saying…”

Yuenina bit her nails, voice trembling. “Little Fox is actually a… *lolicon*?”

*Arrest-worthy dangerous.*

“No—remember how she hugged Teacher Xi days ago?” Nan Shi shook her head. “She just… doesn’t see us as worthy. We’re just *seasoning* in her daily life.”

“That can’t be…”

“Sweet and shy on the surface… but plays *dirtier* behind the scenes!” Nan Shi declared solemnly.

An innocent-looking fox hiding a twisted heart? …*Kinda hot?*

“Wait.” Yuenina blinked. “She *just* lost her memory days ago. How could she be ‘depraved’?”

“W-Well… past-life memories? Awakening?”

“*Baka!* I almost believed your nonsense!” Yuenina punched Nan Shi—*again*—and deadpanned: “*This* is how couples interact.”