Qingqiu Zili was the fox clan’s princess, cherished by countless foxes and treated like a priceless treasure since birth.

The Violet Crystal Grape was a rare specialty of the Azure Fox Realm—not every fox got to taste its sweetness.

But Qingqiu Zili was different. She could enjoy these grapes anytime she wished.

At the slightest hint of desire, doting elder foxes would present them to her with both hands.

Yet ever since the Plunder Witch kidnapped her, half a day had passed without a single grape. Now, catching that familiar scent on Mulan, she couldn’t possibly ignore it.

“Mmm…”

Mulan pulled the half-eaten bunch of Violet Crystal Grapes from behind her back, glanced at Qingqiu Zili’s eager face, and made no move to hand them over.

“Heh. These are mine. Not giving them to you.”

She cradled the grapes protectively—a little beast guarding its meal.

After all, these were earned with her dignity. How could she just give them away?

Qingqiu Zili was stunning, sure, but Mulan wasn’t swayed by looks. The grapes smelled far sweeter.

Qingqiu Zili froze.

“You despicable human! Hand over the Violet Crystal Grapes to this princess, or this princess will have the elders drag you back to the Azure Fox Realm and make you serve me humbly forever!”

Her threat carried zero weight—naive, harmless, utterly pressure-free.

Mulan even sat down right there and savored a grape before her.

“Delicious~”

“Hmph!”

Qingqiu Zili stared longingly at the tempting grapes in Mulan’s hand, her large tail swishing restlessly behind her. She ached to pounce and snatch them.

Watching Mulan about to finish the last one, Qingqiu Zili finally lost control. Driven by craving, she lunged forward.

“Don’t eat it! Give it to me! Those grapes belong to this princess alone!”

Logically, Violet Crystal Grapes from the Azure Fox Realm were the noble fox clan’s exclusive fruit.

As princess, Qingqiu Zili alone claimed over ninety percent of the harvest.

How could she stand to see her grapes enjoyed by a stranger?

Thud!

She crashed clumsily into an invisible barrier and slowly slid down.

An oddly endearing kind of foolishness.

Mulan watched, speechless.

“Absolutely priceless.”

Qingqiu Zili rose slowly, a faint red mark on her forehead.

A trace of grievance welled in her cyan eyes—on the verge of tears, utterly undignified.

She turned away, wrapped herself tightly with her three fluffy tails, and curled into a ball.

“Hmph~ This princess doesn’t care! Consider those grapes a charitable gift. Be grateful!”

Mulan muttered again.

“Your mouth’s harder than the pancake I’ve ever eaten.”

To Mulan, Qingqiu Zili was the picture of a spoiled little princess.

Yet… undeniably cuter than most girls she’d met.

Willful, yes—but with a hint of innocence.

Not a bad kid, overall.

“Since you want them so badly, I’ll share a few.”

Mulan plucked several grapes and tossed them toward the turned-back Qingqiu Zili.

Mirophiel’s barrier was likely one-way: impossible to exit from within, but items could pass inward.

Qingqiu Zili’s pale blue-and-white fox ears twitched slightly. Hearing the grapes slice through the air, she spun around in a flash, caught them deftly, and turned back instantly.

Mulan frowned.

“Don’t eat with your back to someone. It’s rude.”

“None of your business! A mere human doesn’t deserve this princess’s courtesy.”

After eating the grapes, Qingqiu Zili’s mood lifted noticeably.

She faced Mulan again.

Her cyan eyes remained locked on the remaining grapes—far from satisfied.

Her opinion of the human girl had improved.

Just a little.

She lifted her chin proudly, fluffy ears twitching gently, three tails swaying contentedly.

“Human~ This princess is pleased with your offering. Do it again, and this princess might offer a word of praise.”

“No more.”

Mulan rejected her flatly.

“Eh!? How dare you! I am the noble nine-tailed fox princess of Qingqiu! Making me happy is an honor in my clan!”

Anxiety flickered across her face; puffed cheeks betrayed her frustration.

Her three fluffy tails thumped the ground repeatedly—clear dissatisfaction.

Mulan wasn’t having it. Bullied endlessly by Mirophiel, she decided to stoop to Zili’s level. Petty? Maybe. She didn’t care.

“Hmph. I’m not a fox. What’s in it for me to please you? You’re the hostage. No special privileges.”

“Ugh…”

Qingqiu Zili’s eyes glistened slightly, waves of grievance swirling within.

But pride forbade tears before a human.

She turned her head away stubbornly.

“Stingy.”

Yet her lively nature couldn’t endure silence.

Less than a minute passed before she spoke up again.

“Hey, human. Where’d you get those Violet Crystal Grapes?”

“The Plunder Witch gave them to me.”

Mulan wouldn’t admit they cost her dignity.

Qingqiu Zili’s eyes lit up. Joy sparkled in her cyan gaze.

“So the Plunder Witch treats servants kindly? Freely giving Violet Crystal Grapes… She’s not so scary after all.”

She seemed to reach a decision.

“Hey! Go fetch the Plunder Witch. This princess pledges allegiance to her—I’m not returning to the Azure Fox Realm!”

Confusion clouded Mulan’s eyes.

*Is this fox girl’s brain really broken?*

“Well… bad news. The Plunder Witch will only use you to extort wealth from the Azure Fox Realm. She won’t keep you.”

The light in Qingqiu Zili’s eyes dimmed instantly.

Her lively tails went limp, dragging lifelessly on the floor.

Her mood plummeted.

Mulan hesitated.

“Can I ask… why don’t you want to go back? As a cherished princess in a comfortable home… isn’t that good?”

Qingqiu Zili let out a soft snort.

She curled tighter within her tails—a silent refusal.

“Hmph. Mere human, you understand nothing. The clan’s ‘affection’ is a suffocating constraint. For true freedom… this princess would rather leave.”

Silence followed.

Mulan said nothing.

She just couldn’t figure her out.

Gently, she placed the remaining grapes inside the barrier—hoping to comfort the saddened fox girl.

Then she turned and left the basement.