“So as I heard, Miss Asagao is working right now. She is doing city inspection.”

“Is that right? Thank you for informing me, mother.”

“Why do you have a long face?”

“Well, I am just thinking that…that’s lame of her.”

“I see…I usually don’t hear that from you when the topic is Miss Asagao.”

I really don’t want to say it but it’s really lame but I guess there’s a limitation of what she can actually do considering her position. I do expect more from her since our parting and our little fist fight but I really can’t tell that I am doing something else.

Rather, since Asagao and everyone left, I’ve been doing nothing but lazing around a whole day because that’s what my mother strongly enforced.

Even right now, I’m rolling around in the wooden porch of our manor while gazing upon the large cherry blossom tree with branches bare for the reason it’s not due yet for it to bloom. My mother is smiling with a little laugh, seemingly giggle, while watching me as she sips her tea.

“Mother, perhaps, you are bored too?”

“I shall never be bored watching my daughter like this. Higanbana, you yourself is rather free. Do you have any plans?”

“First, get a proper hobby, mother. I don’t really mind you watching me all day but that’s just showing that you are too attached with me. Second, you are the one who drives me all day to stay indoors. As for plans, I’m thinking up of something.”

“In any case, take your time. You are now the Beast Queen at such early age but we cannot let you take the rulership yet with your age. The congregation was a special occasion since you strongly insisted.”

“Now that you mentioned it mother, don’t you think you are spending too much time off here? Don’t you need to return to the castle? You need to do your work.”

“Fufufu, I serve under the ruler of the kingdom, you know.”

“……”

Basically, she works for the direct ruler of the kingdom, meaning, she doesn’t need to be in the castle to do so and going by that logic, she is doing her job right now.

Serving under me, the Beast Queen.

I have this uneasy feeling about this logic but because it’s mother, I don’t mind pardoning her. More like, Old Man Folga won’t even mind this. In short, my mother will still do her work, get paid, and live an easy life just being here.

“Then, as one of the Beast General that serves directly under the ruler of the kingdom, I order you to give me a comfortable pillow lap!”

“Aren’t you getting too full of yourself, my daughter?”

Thought so…

Mother still did it anyway, the pillow lap.

She laid my head on her soft and warm lap in this lazy day. The afternoon wind breezes and it brought warmth. The sound of the leaves rustling and the running water in the pond are the only sound that enters my ears. The scent of fresh spring dying into summer.

A year ago, I cannot cherish the sight or gift of nature due to my disposition, the mentality that I carried, and the colorless life that I led before.

But right now, I’m glad I can appreciate every little single thing. I can now see my mother laughs sincerely and honestly.

My expression?

Well, it is still stiff but compared from before, I can express a smile more openly now.

To prove that my smile has leveled up, I face my mother from her lap and showed her a smile I think the best I did on this day.

“H-Higanbana…what are you plotting?!”

“……”

That’s weird. It’s not supposed to yield a feedback like that. Then, what about a smile with my teeth showing?

“Higanbana! Do you perhaps have a grudge against me?!”

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

“What are you saying?”

“You’re smiling sinisterly at me!”

“...I was trying to do a sincere smile.”

“Really?”

“……”

“Ah, sorry! It’s good! It’s a good smile!”

Did I perhaps make a mistake?

I need to investigate this.

“Mother, I shall head out into the city. There’s an urgent matter I need to investigate!”

“So sudden. Will you wait for me for a bit? I shall prepare too.”

“No, I alone am fine. You don’t need to exert any effort. More like, I think it’s time you really do a work in the castle.”

“That’s a shame. Shall I have the servant prepare your Kimono? Do you want it to have an elegant flower-themed furisode or just a simple floral yukata? If you desire, I can also have them prepare an Uchikake! We just had a beautiful silken Obi delivered to us so if you want, you can also use that!”

“I am going with my usual attire, thank you!”

Honestly, those are really troublesome.

A furisode really hinders my movement as those annoyingly long hanging sleeves get in the way. I move around way too much. Uchikake is too gaudy to walk around and the hem will only sag on the ground which will only make it dirty.

Yukata is still debatable but I am really not in the mood to wear clothes such as that. I’d like to wear clothes that Asagao usually wears though…

……

“Fine, I’ll wear the yukata with the obi.”

“Yay! Let’s go!”

Mother, with a smile, gleefully drags me towards our fitting room.

Since my mother recommended them and all, I might as well choose something.

As soon as we arrived at the fitting room, the servants assisted me in undressing. I usually wear ceremonial shrine clothes because it’s comfortable and I can move easily in it so removing it is rather fast.

In a matter of several seconds, they stripped me bare to my birthday suit. Since everyone in the Fox Manor is a woman, I don’t have any problem showing a skin to this degree.

However, the servant stood there in an unmoving motion as mother also halted while staring at my back. I take a peek at her face and saw that she have an extremely sympathetic countenance.

“It’s…really not growing anymore, huh…”

“You don’t need to fuss over it, mother. I snagged it myself due to my pride and stupidity. None is to be blamed. In exchange for it, I gain awareness and a growing doubt in my heart which now put me back in my place.”

“Still, I feel like we can do something about this. A fox’s tail is our pride and sign of our beauty and standing.”

“If your worry is the tail, fret not as I still have them.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Please stand back a little everyone.”

Mother together with the servants backs off a little from me and I turn to face them.

Nonchalantly, effortlessly, and surprisingly fast, the tails made up of divine flames sprouted from my back, all nine of them and the room illuminates with a golden glow as they emerge.

The divine flames did not harm anything in the room even though its flame calmly rages and crawls. I brush one of the tails while showing it off to the flabbergasted mother of mine.

“I still have them.”

“Higanbana…so you’ve come this far already…”

She uttered those words in disbelief as she stares at my tails with a gleam in her eyes.

“Lady Higanbana…is like a new embodiment of a god…”

“That’s…most likely it…amazing…”

The two servant said in awe as they drop on their knees and started kneading on their palms.

Don’t pray.

Since this will drag on, I retracted the fiery tails back. It slowly vanishes into thin air and the glow raining in the room dissipates. Upon noticing it, the servants returned to their senses and bowed in apology.

“Now, get that fitting yukata for me.”

The servants fervently nodded before moving again to find the suitable yukata for me. Mother also help in a hurry as she absorbs what has just transpired.

I waited in the nude while they search for it.

In the end, I wore a yukata with my namesake as its design. The red yukata is infested with black flower design, inverted as the spider lily flower in color. The silken obi was also of the same crimson color that gleams in bloody hue.

And lastly, my hair is tied appropriately like a huge bun with braids.

With this attire as geta as my footwear, I bid farewell to my mother who also prepares to head out. I was given pocket money but honestly, I am getting an absurd amount of fortune from Master Mrothgir together with Asagao.

In the later future, I will also invest at Asagao’s city academy on the center continent. A participation as her friend and as the Beast Queen.

I also plan to train and get new equipment such as a sword that suits me.

I have deemed that Asagao is stronger than me at both close and ranged combat. My magic will be greatly downplayed because of her Divine Counter that reflects all kinds of magic.

Also, since she invested a large amount of effort in training with the sword, her proficiency in close combat is extremely superior to me. Getting close to me even inside of my magic range will be proven to be disadvantageous.

That’s why when the time comes, I need a weapon to defend myself from her assault other than my soul weapon. Not to mention, she is swift and flexible and her movements are hard to follow once she clicks with the rhythm.

I plan to force Asagao into marriage before I reclaim my full authority again as the Beast Queen and then we will live happily ever after.

As my mind wanders into my own ideal life, I arrive at the city gates of the Beast Kingdom Capital. Honestly, it was just a really short walk that I think it only took me around fifteen minutes with a foot.

“Halt. Please present your I.D.”

“Are you stupid!? That’s the Beast Queen!”

“Ah, wait! No way! I’m sorry!”

The two guards posted at the entrance bowed their heads in a rush as they immediately realize who I am. I said two guards but beyond this gate, they have a barracks dedicated for these soldiers who faithfully guard the city.

Since it was Monday in the afternoon, there’s a little too few traffics trying to get inside the capital. Most of our trades actually come from seafaring so merchants traveling by foot is rare here.

As I smoothly entered because of my authority, I am met with the lively and festive mood of the city of the beasts. There's a lot of subspecies of the beast walking along and they bear happy countenance.

As a future ruler, I need to know about my subjects at the very least.

I leisurely stroll along the street with the pedestrian. Fair enough, I am gaining attention rapidly because of how I dress. Or is it because they immediately identified me as the Beast Queen?

Either way, I should get started.

“Ooof!”

“Oh, my, are you okay?”

A girl a lot smaller than me collided with me. The groceries she was carrying scatters on the ground. She picks them up in a hurry.

The said girl has cute rounded ears and flaxen hair color and lively stalwart brown irises.

She hurriedly collects her items as she keeps repeating her words of apology. Of course, I helped her out of compassion and added to the points that she is a small girl with bright future to become extremely adorable.

“Umm, I’m really sorry for that! And thank you for helping me. Is your beautiful dress ruined?”

“No, not in the slightest. You are not at fault either. This is not a dress too young girl. This is called a yukata, traditional clothes for us Foxes.”

“It’s so pretty!”

“The Manor of foxes is actually open to people. If you have time, why don’t you take a look?”

“Really? I’ll ask my mother if I can. Big sis, what’s your name?”

As the smaller girl asked for my name, my chest thumps.

The first impression should be the best so I formed a curve in my lips upward and made an intense eye-contact with her.

“I am Higanbana.”

“Eeeek! T-The Beast Queen herself?! Also…are you going to eat me?!”

There’s really something wrong.

I never saw someone ran away from me with vigor such as her.