She really is a fox spirit with remarkably proper values.
Roy sighed inwardly, his earlier flicker of interest fading away. He had initially wanted to get closer to this beautiful fox, but judging from her words, any attempt at familiarity now would likely earn her displeasure.
Men instinctively want to approach attractive females—it was only natural.
'She's definitely Tamamo-no-Mae, though she probably isn't called that yet. That name belongs to her a thousand years later...'
Roy confirmed his speculation. Steadying his mind, he resisted the fox's charm and asked calmly, "...Why did you say you can't kill Daji over there? And why have you lost your tails? Was it voluntary or forced?"
Roy wasn't entirely familiar with this fox's circumstances, hence the questions.
"Might I ask how I should address you, sir?"
She inquired very politely.
"Just call me Roy."
Roy didn't use his alias, Xiang Ji, but his real name—the one he'd had even before transmigrating. Though phonetically similar, "Roy" and "Roy Crowley" were written completely differently in their original scripts.
Yu Ji beside him showed no surprise; Roy had long since told her his true name.
"Since you're Yu's husband, Sir Roy, you may call me little Jade~~ You should know, I don't usually allow people to address me so familiarly~"
The future Tamamo-no-Mae wagged her slender finger playfully, closing one beautiful eye cheerfully as if saying, 'See? I'm letting you call me this—you should be properly grateful~'
Roy couldn't help but smile. This fox was genuinely adorable, completely unlike the nine-tailed fox of his imagination. She seemed more like a bundle of joy—impossible to dislike. No wonder Yu Meiren had said a normally behaved nine-tailed fox could be reasoned with. This wasn't just "reasoning"—conversing with this fox brought such delight that one couldn't help but laugh.
Beside them, Yu Ji's cheeks flushed slightly. Clearly, she struggled to handle someone as exuberantly friendly and well-intentioned as Tamamo-no-Mae. Yet her wariness toward the fox remained evident—while they knew each other, they weren't as close as appearances might suggest. Their seemingly good relationship was simply due to Tamamo-no-Mae's personality.
"Then, little Jade, could you tell me why? If it's too private, you don't have to answer."
For a talkative fox like Tamamo-no-Mae, Roy found conversing with her quite effortless. Of course, Roy made sure to maintain some distance from her, as this fox seemed particularly disdainful of men's fickleness. If Roy had met Tamamo-no-Mae alone, he might have tried to get closer to her. But now, with Yu Ji by his side and Tamamo-no-Mae interpreting their relationship as romantic, Roy had no choice but to maintain a gentlemanly demeanor.
Tamamo-no-Mae's expression gradually turned serious. Her golden pupils gazed into the distance where 'Daji' had been sent flying by Roy, yet her tone remained sweet and coquettish: "...Migu~~ It's not really a private matter anyway~~ Since you know about Daji, you should know my reputation isn't exactly stellar!"
Without waiting for Roy's response, Tamamo-no-Mae continued: "...She represents the wicked thoughts in my heart. Each of my tails embodies different emotions and ideas, and 'Daji' is the most extreme among them. In the past, I was constantly troubled by the existence of these 'wicked thoughts.' No matter how strict I was with myself, there were times when my temperament would drastically change."
"Schizophrenia?"
Roy tentatively asked.
Tamamo-no-Mae froze for a moment, as if unfamiliar with the term. But given her intelligence, she quickly grasped its meaning. She shook her head, the bells adorning her pink hair jingling, while her adorable fox ears twitched. "...Migu migu~~ It's not that exaggerated. Although they are other versions of me, they aren't separate personalities. We are one whole, but little Tamamo doesn't like this lack of control."
"So, the nine-tailed fox that brought down numerous dynasties wasn't truly your intention?"
Roy really wanted to touch her ears but restrained the impulse.
"That's right, migu. You understand me. The one who enjoyed seducing kings and corrupting courts was just one of my tails—though she is indeed still 'me.'"
Tamamo-no-Mae said with some distress.
Roy nodded, finding this explanation much more plausible.
Given the abilities of the one-tailed fox who called herself Daji earlier, she shouldn't have been capable of enthralling King Zhou of Shang to the point of inciting King Wu's rebellion.
After all, during the late Shang dynasty, mysticism still lingered across the lands of Huaxia. King Zhou undoubtedly possessed mystical techniques of his own. With the level of power Daji had displayed, King Zhou couldn't possibly have failed to realize he was trapped in an illusion. But if the nine-tailed fox back then had all nine tails, wielding strength even Roy couldn't defeat, then toying with King Zhou would have been entirely feasible...
Perhaps, as Tamamo-no-Mae said, she had been influenced by malice when she committed those acts.
"And when that malicious influence faded, you severed one of your tails to separate the wickedness?"
"Migu~~ Correct again!! That's exactly what little Tamamo did. I never expected it to work—I actually managed to split off that tail of mine."
Tamamo-no-Mae turned her head to look at her remaining eight tails. Those eight fluffy tails, which made Roy desperately want to touch them, wagged playfully like a puppy's. Her entire being radiated joy and enthusiasm as she said, "...As long as I lose a few more tails, little Tamamo won't be affected anymore!"
Hearing her words, Roy was left speechless, momentarily at a loss for what to say. Others sought enlightenment by severing worldly attachments, yet here she was growing weaker with each tail lost.
Roy couldn't quite comprehend Tamamo-no-Mae's thinking. She possessed power that ranked among the very top in this world, nearly invincible, yet she insisted on voluntarily dividing her own strength, weakening herself to her current state. And now she even entertained the thought of discarding more tails, which would only make her weaker still.
'Perhaps it's just a difference in what we seek.'
Roy sighed inwardly. What he pursued was wisdom and knowledge, seeking strength through wisdom and knowledge, while this fox was likely chasing after "romance" and "love."
Roy couldn't say much about Tamamo-no-Mae's pursuit, as everyone's goals in life were equally valid—there was no hierarchy among them. The knowledge, wisdom, and power Roy sought were no different from the love and romance Tamamo-no-Mae pursued. Both held the utmost importance in their respective hearts.
'No wonder she eventually became the Sessho-seki in later legends.'
Roy recalled the tales about Tamamo-no-Mae. He had been rather surprised—even with only eight tails now, her power should still be beyond the reach of humans, or even the gods of the Age of Mythology. But if Tamamo-no-Mae continued to discard her tails, her strength would wane with each loss. Eventually, when her power hit rock bottom, it was entirely possible for humans to defeat her.
After all, Abe no Seimei, who defeated her in legend, was arguably the strongest onmyoji in the island nation's history.
Moreover, Abe no Seimei might not even have been human, but a half-breed like Merlin—part human, part something else.