Navigating this situation was going to be particularly challenging. Tama, with her ever-flicking tail and keen, delicate cat ears, was overly friendly and unshakably idealistic. Her worldview was simple: authority stemmed purely from superior skill or strength. The nuances of command—the ability to project dominance through presence, tone, and confidence—were entirely lost on her. To her, leadership was merely a matter of outclassing others in a contest of ability.


    Unfortunately, that mindset was entirely insufficient when dealing with someone like Tera.


    "No, Tama, you don’t request compliance. You assert it. You are in command. You instruct, not ask," I said, attempting to suppress my growing exasperation.


    Her ears twitched, flickering between embarrassment and stubborn determination. "Nya! Tama will try again!" she declared, straightening her posture, tail swaying with renewed resolve. Though we were nearly the same height, she seemed to attempt to loom over me, in an effort to appear more authoritative. "Tama commands you to stand, Tera!" she said, voice carrying a slightly forced weight.


    Progress. Imperfect, but progress nonetheless.


    I actually smiled—she seemed to be getting it! It had only taken… I looked at the sun through the window. Over three hours. My fox ears twitched, and my tail snapped in irritation.


    I exhaled, willing myself to be patience. "That will suffice for now. We’re out of time. Let’s put Tera in her place and resolve this matter." I said trying to hide my frustration as my fox ears drooped in resignation.


    I turned and walked out of the room, then proceeded down the hallway. I made it about halfway before Tama appeared at the door at the other end—of course, she had blinked over there, her cat ears blinking and her tail swishing.


    I ignored her impatient stare; I knew she was nervous and just wanted to get this over with. I reached the end of the hall after another thirty seconds, with Tama clearly waiting impatiently. She even blinked over at me and tried pushing me forward, her cat ears drooping in a mix of nervousness and excitement.


    I put my tail to the ground and summoned my earth to hold me in place until she stopped. Once she did, I continued, my fox ears flicking in irritation. She would learn patience if it killed us both.


    I finally made it to the door—to Tama’s great relief. She had begun pacing back and forth like I had taken days instead of literal minutes; her tail swished rapidly in agitation, and her cat ears flattened slightly. I rolled my eyes at her absurdity—if I kept up the habit, they might roll out of my skull at some point.


    Stepping into the main guildhall with Tama in tow behind me, I noted the room was as crowded as before. Tera and Rylan sat at a table a few feet away. Tera looked annoyed and Rylan looked bored. As I watched, I drowned out the background noise and listened to what they were saying. My amazing fox ears—even sharper than Tama’s cat ears—picked up every nuance.


    “That bitch Saki needs to stay out of my way!” Tera said, anger and resentment clear in her voice. I smirked, and my tail twitched in satisfaction.


    “I don’t see why you’re so upset; you have been repeating yourself for the last three hours, Tera,” Rylan said, his voice sounding bored and annoyed.


    Tera slammed the table and said, “Well, now you’re annoying me. Go check if they are done yet!”


    Rylan sighed and stood. He began walking towards us. “Wow, he really does just let her boss him around,” I thought in amusement as I walked toward them, Tama in tow behind me.


    Rylan saw us and looked relieved; he waved and walked back over to Tera, who had sat down. Tera looked up at me, her eyes glazing over as they landed on Tama. The instant look of desire in Tera’s eyes was creepy.


    “Alright, Tama, just like we practiced,” I whispered to her, hoping beyond hope she would pull this off. (Her cat ears perked up in attention.) If the last three damn hours were any indication, it was going to be a long quest.


    Tama stepped forward and instantly tripped. I facepalmed hard as I felt our chances of success slipping—her cat ears drooped in dismay while her tail swished awkwardly.


    Tera was at her side in an instant, helping Tama to her feet. “Are you alright, Tama? I can kiss and make you feel better if you want!” Tera’s words were soft as she, very clearly in front of everyone, attempted to seduce Tama. (I noted how Tama’s delicate cat ears twitched uncertainly as she accepted the help.)


    This was apparently not new, as no one really batted an eye at her antics. I resigned myself to dealing with this obsessed girl myself when Tama spoke, “Nya! You call Tama mistress slave girl!” Her tail flicked defiantly as her cat ears pricked up.


    I paused, mouth open in shock. I quickly closed it as my mind caught up with what had just happened. “Yes, Tama, do it!” I thought as hope blossomed—my fox ears drooping in astonishment.


    Tera looked at Tama with an unsure smile. “What, Tama? I don’t understand.” I watched as Tama looked confused for a moment before she put on her assertive face (though not very assertive indeed), her cat ears flattening slightly as she tried to muster authority.


    “Tama said her name is Mistress to you, Tera! Now bend your knee and praise your empress!” Her tail swished imperiously, and her cat ears flicked with determination.


    This caught every single person in the room off guard—this was new, apparently. I grinned; this was going better than I hoped, my fox tail twitching in approval.


    I watched Tera’s reaction carefully, in case she got violent. Instead, I saw in real time as Tera’s eyes dilated and a dreamy smile crossed her face. She instantly fell to a knee and bowed her head. “I serve my empress, Mistress Tama,” she said, her voice coated in respect, her ears twitching as if betraying her deference.


    I looked at Tama to see her reaction and saw her eyes light up. It turned out Tama was a natural at this, making me feel like I had just wasted three hours of my life. “Good girl, now kiss Tama’s feet and beg Tama to serve her!”


    Tama’s cat ears perked up in delight as her tail swished happily.


    Tama said it with force in her voice. Even I almost took a knee before realizing it was just an act. No one else did—and to my shock, everyone in the room bent the knee to Tama. My eyes widened in shock as her solitary tail twitched authoritatively.


    Even Tama looked confused as she scanned the room. I realized it felt like my knees had turned to jelly. Whatever Tama had just done had actively affected me! It wasn’t just some phrase—her words had some kind of power. I forced myself forward, ignoring the jelly feeling as I reached Tama. “Tama,” I said through clenched teeth, “tell us to stand up!” My fox ears drooped as I struggled to maintain composure, and my tail swished in determination.


    Tama looked at me for a moment before nodding, “You may rise!” she said with her imperious tone—her cat ears flicking with regal authority and her tail swishing confidently. Instantly, everyone in the room jumped to their feet, crying out in shock at what had just happened.


    I felt my knees return to normal. I didn’t know what that was, but it was overwhelming—and my fox ears twitched as I tried to comprehend the sudden shift.


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    “You are even more amazing than I thought, my empress; your wondrous nature knows no bounds! Please, greatest queen, allow me to serve you!” Tera’s words were laced with honey and an extreme level of desire. She hadn’t gotten up like everyone else, instead bending forward to kiss Tama’s feet. Tera’s eyes shone as her hand rested on her knee, while I noted how Tama’s delicate cat ears seemed to tremble in anticipation.


    I looked down at her in disgust before an idea entered my head—aside from that ever-present, “erase erase erase” Earth that was so annoying! I leaned in and whispered into Tama’s ear, “You should tell her to pay you to serve you.” Her pointed cat ears twitched as she listened.


    Tama looked at me and frowned, “But Tama doesn’t want the shiny round things!” Her tail flicked, and her ears twitched with a hint of playful stubbornness.


    I sighed before leaning in again, “Maybe not, but she made you uncomfortable; this is your chance to do something that might make her uncomfortable!”


    My fox ears drooped slightly as I urged her.


    Tama just stared at me like I was crazy. “Why would Tama do that? Revenge is never right!” Her cat ears seemed to droop in confusion as her tail swished slowly.


    I felt rage bubble up inside me at those words, but I tempered it down. She couldn’t know—I reminded myself she was just being heroic as always. I tried a different tactic. “Tama, we need the money and she clearly wants to serve you. Tell you what: tell her to obey me, and I’ll make her do it for you.” My fox ears twitched with a mix of mischief and determination.


    Tama looked at me for a long moment before a smile crossed her face. Then she spoke imperiously again, “Tama has decided to bestow upon Saki the role of her advisor; all shall listen to and obey Saki!” Her cat ears stood tall as her tail swished regally.


    Tama giggled, but I stared at her in horror. “Tama, what have you done!” I hissed. Her smile faded and she frowned. “What do you mean? Tama did what you asked! You said it was a good idea!” Her cat ears drooped momentarily in uncertainty.


    I tried to speak, but the royal decree hit me like a ton of bricks, the magic clearly settling in. My vision blurred for a moment, and when it returned, everyone was suddenly outlined in colors. My fox ears rang with the shock of magic.


    I looked at Tama, and above her head it said:


    Fuyuki Tamaneko, Princess of the Kingdom of Trissaile, Adventurer: The Third Person Tempest.


    I stared at her title in shock, my eyes unmoving as I focused on the word “Princess.” My mind stopped working, and everything except that title faded to black as I tried to process it. For a moment, Tama’s cat ears seemed to shimmer with an unexpected regal glow, and her tail moved with newfound grace.


    She was… a Princess?! But how?!


    “What is going on in here?!” Talia’s voice came from the doorway at the back of the guild. The wolfkin Talia—her singular bushy tail and sharp, attentive ears on full display—had arrived.


    I swiveled and looked at the wolf woman. She was scanning the room, her face a mask of serious calm; her wolfkin ears betraying nothing as my mind raced—I had to be super careful and…


    “Tama dominated Tera just like Saki and Talia said too!” Tama declared a wide, childish grin on her face, her cat ears twitching excitedly and her tail swishing with pride. “And everyone else decided to play along with Tama!”


    I felt what little courage I had drained as Tama spoke. Quickly, I recalculated: I could still salvage this. “Then Saki said Tama should make her royal advisor since Saki is the smartest person Tama knows. She agreed!” My fox ears drooped as uncertainty mingled with hope.


    I was now beginning to panic; my heart beat so fast it physically hurt in my chest. I genuinely considered using my void to erase everything here—to start over from scratch… I couldn’t do that. My fox tail twitched nervously as my ears rang with anxiety.


    I looked over at Tama, and my heart sank at how happy she looked. She truly didn’t understand what was happening. Once she learned, though… her cat ears remained cheerfully oblivious, her tail swishing in innocent glee.


    Talia looked at Tama, then at me. “What happened, Saki?” she asked, her face serious as the last traces of color left my face. Her wolfkin ears stood tall, her expression unreadable.


    “Well… you see, I…” Before I could even start, Talia raised a finger. “Come with me.” I nodded and followed her back to her office. I noticed Matriarch Talia’s title above as we walked and read it:


    Grand Matriarch Petalia Corundurum, Adventurer: The Forge of Fire.


    Her wolfkin tail swished gracefully, and her ears remained alert as she led me.


    I noticed the “Grand” in her title, as well as the name people called her by. Also, her full name was Petalia? I snickered quietly. “What’s so funny, Saki?” Matriarch Talia said as she turned to look at me with a raised eyebrow, her wolfkin ears twitching in mild amusement.


    “I was just thinking how interesting your full name is!” I said with a smirk, my fox ears perking up slightly.


    “Oh, is that so? And what, pray to tell, is my full name, Saki?” she said in an almost too kind tone, her wolfkin ears softening as she inquired.


    I felt my veins run cold. I considered lying but realized it was pointless. “Because I can see your name and title above your head,” I said straightforwardly, though even as I spoke, I started to form a ball of void—if I was going to die, I would take her with me to protect Tama. My fox ears drooped with determination, and my tail twitched in quiet resolve.


    Her eyes widened, and she stepped closer, her eyes narrowing. “What does it say my name is, Saki?”


    I swallowed before repeating what I saw above her head. “Grand Matriarch Petalia Corundurum, Adventurer: The Forge of Fire.” My fox tail flicked in anxious anticipation.


    Silence filled the hallways at my words. Slowly, ever so slowly, she spoke again, “And you can… see… her title?”


    “I can,” I said as the ball of purple void grew bigger in the palm behind my back, my fox ears twitching with nervous energy.


    “What did it say?” she questioned further. We had stopped moving and were both standing in the middle of the hallway, her wolfkin tail swishing slowly as she demanded clarity.


    “As Her Majesty’s royal advisor, it is not my place to give her title away without permission,” I said in a serious tone, not breaking eye contact, my fox ears standing straight in resolve.


    “Her… Majesty,” Talia said, her voice sounding as if it were from thousands of miles away as she stared at me. As in… royalty… like… royal family royalty. Her wolfkin ears remained composed, though her tail gave a subtle, regal flick.


    I simply nodded once as I took a step back, prepared for anything. I had made the ball unstable enough that if I died, it would explode and kill us both instantly. My fox ears drooped with grim determination, and my tail bristled with tension.


    Talia stared at me for a moment before she smiled and began laughing. “You are a cunning little fox, Saki—that’s a good lie! But be serious now—where did you learn my name?” Her wolfkin ears twitched in amusement, and her tail swished lightly.


    I laughed with her, my smile not reaching my eyes as I took another step back. “I am not lying; Tama is royalty, and she just made me her royal advisor.” My fox ears drooped in resignation, my tail flicking with conflicted emotion.


    Talia paused, her smile slowly fading. “Royalty… and you mentioned a royal advisor, which means higher-class royalty—most likely, at the very least, a Princess or Queen. Since Tama is clearly only sixteen, the more likely answer would be Princess.” Her wolfkin ears stayed still as she analyzed the situation.


    “That means if my guess is correct and she is a princess, and she decreed you as Royal Advisor, you are most likely seeing colored outlines of people with titles above their heads, which also makes sense given the fact you were looking above me earlier—seemingly staring at the ceiling.” My fox tail swished thoughtfully as I considered her explanation.


    I was speechless; she had so easily broken down the entire situation in a clear and concise manner. She took my silence as confirmation, it seemed, as she nodded before saying, “Prove it.”


    I looked at her, puzzled. “What?” I said, almost in a daze, my fox tail drooping slightly with uncertainty.


    “Prove that you are her royal advisor. If she is a Princess and she decreed you her royal advisor, you should be able to prove it quite easily,” Talia said simply, her wolfkin ears remaining still and expectant.


    I stared in stunned silence before asking, “How?”


    Talia smiled. “If you are truly her royal advisor, you hold just under the power she does. Meaning, that if you use a decree to order me to bow, I will be forced to obey. Prove it.” Her wolfkin tail swished with a mix of challenge and curiosity.


    My mouth went dry at that. Was that true? If it was… no, it couldn’t be that simple… could it? I opened my mouth and mustered my best imperious voice, “I, Saki, Royal Advisor to Empress Tamaneko, hereby command you to kneel before me!” My fox ears twitched with both apprehension and resolve as my tail stood erect.


    I felt my cheeks go red as I spoke; my ears flattened along with my tail—it was embarrassing to say, and I was used to embarrassing things. But pretending to be royalty?! My fox ears drooped with humiliation even as my tail stiffened.


    To my shock, Matriarch Talia, after a moment, fell to a knee, her head bowing. I stared in stunned silence. I did that? This had to be some kind of trick! “Please let me up now; you have proven your point,” Talia spoke suddenly, pulling me from my thoughts. Her wolfkin ears relaxed as her tail curled in submission.


    “Um… You may rise!” I copied Tama’s words exactly. After a moment, Talia stood back up, the color having drained from her face as she looked at me. “She… she really is a Princess,” Talia said, her voice soft and distant, her wolfkin ears drooping slightly as her tail swished slowly.


    I didn’t respond. After all, I was dealing with the reality that I was an actual royal advisor—people literally were forced to obey. I had no words to describe the insanity I felt, my fox ears drooping in resignation and my tail wrapping around my leg in nervous tension.