Ye Zhibai stopped as soon as she’d made her point.

Putting the Bratty Fox in her place was nice and all, but the way she was acting... It was getting a little too lewd. Messing with her tail again would be asking for trouble.

Now, with the Bratty Fox sprawled there, panting heavily, the whole dominant-submissive situation had completely flipped.

Ye Zhibai wasn’t an idiot. She could figure things out.

This “Lady Deity” was always talking about punishing her, but it didn’t seem like she’d actually done anything to punish her at all.

So Ye Zhibai guessed that even if she did have some kind of power, she couldn’t use it, just like she’d said herself.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have just let Ye Zhibai knead her ears and tail without fighting back!

In other words, there was no need to be afraid of her!

But the little foxgirl’s low muttering was pretty worrying.

“D-damn human... Just wait until I gather a little more power again. Give me a year or two... Then you’ll be sorry... You’d better wash your neck and wait...”

“Lightball?”

“I’m not called Lightball, hey! You really have no manners at all!”

The little foxgirl forced herself upright, using the spring of her tail to clumsily pop up to her feet in a kip-up.

Then she pointed at Ye Zhibai, baring a tiny fang in protest!

But her “ferociously cute” look... didn’t make Ye Zhibai feel the least bit afraid.

That’s the thing about little girls... Just be soft and cute. Scaring people isn’t your strong suit.

Ye Zhibai was starting to feel worn out.

She’d tried to maintain a girl’s modesty just now, but there was no one else in the room except this strange, nonhuman creature. So she didn’t need to worry about that, right?

Ye Zhibai had wanted to switch to the same carefree, cross-legged sitting position she’d used before.

But when she actually tried it, she realized...

She used to sit like this all the time in her past life. It was so comfortable, wasn’t it?

But now...

It felt kind of weird.

The middle of her nightdress felt a little drafty. It wasn’t very comfortable...

The discomfort made her change her position again. She brought her legs together naturally and rested them on the edge of the bed, bracing herself with both hands.

Only then did she notice the Bratty Fox was still fuming over there.

Ye Zhibai spoke up.

“So... you’re not called Lightball. What are you called?”

“I’m called...! Uh, what am I called?”

“Don’t ask me...”

The little foxgirl fell into thought. Her tail swayed as she rested a finger on her chin and looked up, pondering.

“Come to think of it... I really don’t know what I’m called. I haven’t appeared in human form for ten thousand years... Maybe you can call me Lady Deity?”

“Guangyu.”

“Huh?”

“Can I call you Guangyu?”

“What’s that supposed to mean... Are you giving me a name?”

“......”

Ye Zhibai felt a little nervous.

The little foxgirl’s cute face seemed to darken all of a sudden.

Naming a deity did seem a little presumptuous, didn’t it?

And she’d picked such a name, too!

What did Guangyu mean...? Ye Zhibai had actually thought of it as “Lightball” plus “Little Yu.”

“Lightball” was because the first time she’d seen her, she’d been a little clump of light. And “Little Yu” was because she’d just transformed into a kitten, and Yu was a common name for cats.

Put them together, and you got Guangyu.

Wah, she couldn’t help it! Ye Zhibai had dreamed of having a cat for ages. It was one of her life goals!

A few seconds passed while she waited, feeling a little nervous...

The little foxgirl’s expression...

Suddenly shifted from gloomy to overcast, then from overcast to sunny. Even her dreamlike brown hair seemed to shine brighter.

Her ears perked up, and she broke into a radiant smile!

“Guangyu... Guangyu? Hahaha, sure! Human, I didn’t know you had a talent for this! Mm! It’s a nice-sounding name. And I’m very well-read, after studying in the heavens for so many years! I remember that jade is a symbol of wealth and luxury in the Human Realm, right? Mm... Guangyu. I like it, hahaha! I thought you’d come up with some vulgar name to insult me and get back at me! But you’re actually pretty good at this!”

“If you like it... th-then that’s fine.”

Good grief... She’d gone to school up in the heavens, too?!

A cultured fox, no less!

Now Ye Zhibai felt she’d have to be careful what she said.

After all that back and forth, Ye Zhibai had given her a name, but still had no idea what was going on.

That wouldn’t do...

Ye Zhibai decided she’d better get the whole story straight. The situation was just too bizarre otherwise.

“Guangyu... Can you tell me what you are, exactly, and why you’re here? You’ve got fox ears and a tail, so why did you... turn into a cat and come over?”

There were too many things to ask, so Ye Zhibai started with those.

But Guangyu was still over there, swaying as she hugged her own big tail, looking awfully pleased with herself.

“Ehehe... I have a name now! Human, human, say ‘Guangyu’ one more time! I grant you the privilege of addressing a deity by her name!”

Fuming!

You just don’t want to answer the actual question, do you?!

Seeing Ye Zhibai reach for her ears again, Guangyu’s little face went pale, and she hurriedly took a step back.

“Don’t!”

“If you don’t want that... answer the question... Stop changing the subject...”

“Mm... I was just a little excited because I have a name now... You’re so boring...”

Guangyu rubbed her tiny feet against the floor a few times, acting like a petulant child.

She chose to answer Ye Zhibai’s second question first.

“You humans look smart, but you’re not very sharp, huh~? Think about it. If I’m going to stay at your place, would it be convenient if I didn’t turn into a cat? Keeping my true form takes a lot out of me. I can’t stay like this all the time, and turning into a small animal is much easier. Don’t lots of humans keep cats?”

You’re planning to stay here from now on?!

But Ye Zhibai’s need to get things straight took over. “Then... you’re a fox. Why turn into a cat...?”

“You’re the fox!! You’re so rude! I told you already! This is my true form! I’m not actually a fox!”

“Then you could at least turn into a fox...”

“Do you keep foxes at your place?!”

“......”

Fair enough. Some people kept foxes, but they were rare. Cats were a better choice.

It was a solid, convincing argument.

That part was more or less clear now.

But this was what Ye Zhibai cared about most: “So... are you really a deity?”

“......”

Guangyu didn’t answer. She suddenly lowered her head and fell silent.

It was as if she were trying to work herself up to something.

A moment ago, she’d been switching between giggling and getting angry.

But when she looked up this time...

Her face was full of seriousness and solemn dignity.

Guangyu’s starry blue eyes met Ye Zhibai’s violet ones. It was as if they held the entire cosmos.

“......!”

A tremendous flood of information surged into Ye Zhibai’s mind.

Her head throbbed. She clapped a hand to her forehead.

Ye Zhibai squeezed one eye shut in pain, then slowly managed to lift her head. “What... did you do?”

“Didn’t you want to know what kind of being I am?” A faint blue glow shone in Guangyu’s eyes. “I’m just telling you in the most efficient way possible.”

The blue light in Guangyu’s eyes kept flickering. “Don’t worry... An ordinary person’s head would’ve exploded from taking in this much. But your body was made by the Mother Goddess, so all the knowledge of the myriad worlds will only give you a headache for a moment.”

That’s not what I’d call fine!

My head’s about to explode!