“I thought you, Serveyia, would know what kind of person my ancestor was.”
Given how well Serveyia understood her, Liuli couldn’t believe she wouldn’t know about her ancestor’s deeds.
“I do know, but I didn’t expect Senior to be so, um, belligerent? After all, in many works, Senior is portrayed as someone forced into battle to protect something. Seeing the reality now, it’s a bit surprising.”
“But I haven’t seen the most important part at all—why does the bloodline of the Nine-tailed Celestial Fox flow within me?”
The book didn’t mention her ancestor having a partner or anything.
Logically, if there really was a partner, such a significant event couldn’t have gone unrecorded.
But if there was no partner, then how did this bloodline come to be in her?
“Maybe, little fox, you should ask your ancestor directly?”
“It seems that’s the only way…”
Although Liuli didn’t know if, given her ancestor’s personality, she could get a proper answer, it was hard to say.
At first, she thought her ancestor seemed quite dignified, but after reading the records in the book, that beautiful image shattered instantly.
“It’s just, I don’t know how to talk to my ancestor again…”
Although her ancestor had said there would be a chance to contact her, she never explained how.
Did this mean she really could only wait?
“Try calling out in your heart?”
“Uh…”
Serveyia’s suggestion sounded absurd, but honestly, she couldn’t think of any other way. So, Liuli tried calling out to her ancestor from within.
“Oh? So eager to summon me—what is it?”
Unexpectedly, she actually succeeded.
Liuli suddenly wondered if her ancestor could always respond like this.
If so, wasn’t that a bit too convenient?
“Eh? Reading about my deeds? Little one, you’re so thoughtful—it makes me immensely happy~”
“Ancestor Jiuyun, I’m a bit curious. How did the Nine-tailed Celestial Fox bloodline come to exist within me?”
“Well, that’s a long story. During one of my battles, I was gravely wounded. I thought my life was at its end. To preserve the continuation of the race, I gave a portion of my bloodline to the person closest to me at the time.”
“Judging by this, it seems that person was your ancestor, and it was passed down through generations to you, little one.”
“Bloodline… can it be given?”
Using the word “given” for bloodline felt too advanced. In Liuli’s understanding, bloodline should be inherited, shouldn’t it?
“Normally, it can’t. But I am a Nine-tailed Celestial Fox—many rare bloodlines can be continued through the act of giving. After all, the chance of inheriting such a rare bloodline through birth is far too low.”
“But… doesn’t that mean you, Ancestor, went through a lot to give your bloodline to someone else?”
Liuli knew, from countless novels and anime she’d read, that giving bloodline like this often had significant effects on one’s strength.
“That’s right. But as I said, at that time, I thought I was dying. In such a situation, who would care about anything else? Ensuring the continuation of my bloodline was key. As for my own miraculous survival, that’s another story.”
“So… Ancestor, did you have any children?”
The ancient books’ records of her ancestor were always vague, ending abruptly, as if the person had vanished.
“No. The rarer the bloodline, the lower the chance of bearing offspring. While it’s possible to have children by marrying common Races, even then, the probability of inheriting the rare bloodline remains low.”
“Then, Ancestor Jiuyun, this question might be rude, but I’m curious about your fate…”
Liuli knew her question was somewhat impolite, but honestly, she couldn’t think of a better way to phrase it.
No matter how she asked, inquiring about someone’s end felt like prying.
“There’s nothing offensive about it. After separating a portion of my bloodline, my strength was greatly affected, so, unable to fight as before, I chose seclusion. I did try seeking out handsome men from various Races in hopes of bearing a child, but ultimately, I failed. So, little one, in a way, you might be my child in various senses?”
“Then, this so-called bloodline—why did it manifest in me?”
She and her ancestor were practically people from two eras.
Logically, so many before her had inherited this bloodline; Liuli couldn’t believe it only manifested in her.
“That, I don’t know. Perhaps the bloodline resonated with you, or perhaps you were just lucky. In any case, it awakened within you. As for the gender transformation—well, all I can say is that Saint Laia did a fine job.”
“W-What do you mean?”
Her ancestor’s tone in Liuli’s mind felt strangely… schadenfreude.
“Are you saying my becoming a girl wasn’t Saint Laia’s doing?”
“You shouldn’t blame it all on Saint Laia. The transformation is indeed their work, and becoming this way was their decision. However, since they could awaken your bloodline, it means your bloodline was already in a state easily manifesting. Even without Saint Laia’s catalyst, becoming a girl was only a matter of time.”
“B-But why must it be a girl? Aren’t there male Nine-tailed Celestial Foxes?”
“Naturally, because you inherited my bloodline, it’s normal you became a girl, right?”
Fine, perhaps she had wrongly blamed Saint Laia Academy (well, maybe not).
After all, if she had to become a girl anyway, being a Princess at least gave her someone to blame and a long-term meal ticket.
“So, Ancestor, what important matter did you want to tell me?”
At that time, Liuli’s mind was muddled and confused, but she hadn’t forgotten Ancestor Jiuyun’s words.
In fact, they were deeply imprinted in her memory.
Now that she had a chance to confirm them, she couldn’t let it slip by.
Who knew when the next chance to talk to her ancestor would come?