There was once a strong princess of Kuro that refused to marry. She had a short temper, but she liked being challenged; such a balance was hard to find a person for. Although she vastly overpowered her siblings, her father said she couldn’t take the throne if she didn’t have a husband.

Aggravated, the princess ventured into the nearby forest. She met a young man there and swiftly felt charmed by his wit.

The princess stayed in the forest for a whole year, never learning the name of the man but falling madly in love with him. Unaware of how much time passed, she was found by a group of hunters. Although she was recognized as a member of the royal family, and some months pregnant besides, her lover was identified as a kitsune and attacked. Although she tried to defend him, he escaped capture only by turning into a fox and running away.

The princess was devastated, but returned home. She maintained that her lover was human up until she gave birth to a little half-kitsune daughter. The baby fox was given the name Yanami Sukaru, using her grandmother’s surname.

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The half-kitsune grew up in the castle rather normally, despite her fox ears and tail. Family members could use them to tell if she was happy, sad, lying, or telling the truth—unlike full-blooded kitsune, she couldn’t hide them. She was treated as a novelty, but her mother’s strength protected her until her own talents showed a reason to keep her unharmed.

Yanami inherited her mother’s strength, which was amplified by her kitsune abilities. However, even more importantly, she inherited her father’s wiles.

As soon as the half-kitsune she could read, she poured through every book in the castle. Her favorites soon became biographies and strategies, and instead of playing she sat in the strategy room and wrote up elaborate plans. Every time she left one out, her mother read over them.

The half-kitsune’s tactical genius earned her the admiration of many and the hand in marriage of much, much more, but to this day Yanami Sukaru has remained dedicated to her role as tactician. Having seen many battles and witnessed the outcomes of many wars, she advises Kuro’s rulers in more ways than one.