The tea meetings became the anchor point of Lan Yue's days. The vast, terrifying truth of her nature was a constant hum in the background of her thoughts, but the afternoons in the library were… surprisingly normal. Or as normal as conversations with a demon empress could be.
They had fallen into a pattern. Xue Lian would arrive, often with a new complaint about a courtier or a minor crisis involving the plumbing. Lan Yue would listen, occasionally offering a pointed observation that would make the Empress bark a laugh or narrow her eyes in thoughtful appreciation. They were, against all odds, becoming… familiar.
One afternoon, the topic strayed from governance to the more mundane. Xue Lian was lamenting the difficulty of finding a good tailor who wasn't terrified of her.
"It's the presence," she grumbled, gesturing vaguely around herself. "It's too 'imperial.' They keep measuring for epaulets and dramatic capes when all I want is a functional pocket. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find robes that can comfortably accommodate " She cut herself off, taking a sip of tea.
"Accommodate what?" Lan Yue asked, curiosity piqued.
Xue Lian waved a hand dismissively. "Nothing. Demonic things. You know."
Lan Yue did not know. But the evasion sparked her interest. Her gaze drifted to the Empress's hair, a cascade of pristine white that seemed to hold its own light. A question, impulsive and undeniably personal, formed on her lips before she could stop it.
"You're of the Fox Beast Clan," she stated. "The last White Fox. My… the Azure Cloud Sect's texts speak of your form. They say it is a monstrous, nine tailed beast of shadow and flame."
Xue Lian choked on her tea. She coughed, setting the cup down with a clatter. "Monstrous? Shadow and flame?" She looked genuinely offended. "Those hack historians! My form is gorgeous. It's all pristine white fur and impeccable grooming, thank you very much. The 'flame' is just a very tasteful, subtle aura of power. Very elegant. Not monstrous at all."
Lan Yue felt that faint ghost of a smile again. The Empress's vanity was somehow… endearing. "Your hair is already white. Would the fur not be the same? Where is the 'contrast' you mentioned for intimidation?"
Xue Lian's offended expression melted into a sly, knowing look. "The human form is the contrast, my dear Disciple. The white hair, the pale skin, the dark robes it's all a very deliberate, very intimidating aesthetic. The fox form is pure, unadulterated fabulousness. No contrast needed." She preened slightly, then seemed to remember who she was talking to and schooled her features back into regal neutrality. "Ahem. Anyway."
The curiosity burned brighter. "Show me," Lan Yue said, the words out before she could reconsider.
Xue Lian arched a perfect eyebrow. "Show you? My fox form? Just like that? 'Hey, esteemed enemy, behold my magnificent vulpine glory?'"
"Are you not magnificent?" Lan Yue countered, a hint of challenge in her tone.
The Empress stared at her for a long moment, a slow, playful smirk spreading across her face. "You're learning. That was almost smooth." She sighed dramatically. "Fine. A little preview. But only because you asked so nicely. And because I refuse to let the 'monstrous beast' slander stand."
She closed her eyes for a moment, concentrating. There was no burst of light or swirl of demonic energy. It was a subtle shift. Two elegant, fox like ears tipped with the same pristine white fur as her hair twitched into existence atop her head, blending seamlessly. They perked up, swiveling slightly as they caught the library's quiet sounds.
And then, from behind her, a single, luxuriously fluffy, pristine white tail unfurled. It was enormous, the fur so thick and soft it looked like it could swallow a hand whole. It swayed gently behind her, a perfect match to the white of her hair and ears.
"There," Xue Lian said, opening her eyes. They seemed to glow a brighter amber against the monochromatic white. "See? Not a monster. Fluffy."
Lan Yue could only stare, her scholarly composure utterly obliterated. The effect was mesmerizing. The fierce, beautiful woman with the sharp eyes and cunning mind, now adorned with soft, curious ears and that one, incredibly fluffy tail. The white on white was stunning, elegant, and utterly disarming.
Without thinking, driven by a pure, instinctual urge to touch something so paradoxically soft and powerful, Lan Yue reached out a hand towards the swaying tail.
It must be incredibly soft.
Xue Lian's eyes went wide. In a movement faster than Lan Yue's suppressed cultivation could follow, the tail twitched and swished out of reach, wrapping itself demurely around the Empress's waist like a living fur stole.
"Ah ah ah," Xue Lian chided, a faint blush coloring her pale cheeks. She pointed a finger at Lan Yue, though her eyes were sparkling with amusement. "No touching the merchandise without express permission. The tail is… sensitive."
Lan Yue snatched her hand back, her own face flushing with embarrassment. She had been about to pet a demon empress. Like she was a common spirit beast. "I… apologize. I did not mean to "
"Don't worry about it," Xue Lian interrupted, her blush receding as her smirk returned. "It's a common reaction. The fluffiness is a powerful lure. It's my greatest weakness and my most potent weapon." She gave the tail a little shake, making the fur shimmer. "See? Distracting."
She let the ears and the tail remain for a moment longer, clearly enjoying the stunned look on Lan Yue's face. "So. Not a beast of shadow and flame. Just a girl, standing in front of another girl, asking her to appreciate her very soft, very off limits tail."
Lan Yue couldn't help it. A small, genuine laugh escaped her. It was a quiet sound, one she hadn't heard from herself in a long time. "Noted. Your tail is… very impressive. And soft looking."
"Thank you," Xue Lian said, with the air of someone accepting a great honor. Then, with another subtle shift, the ears and the single tail vanished. She was just the Empress again, though the playful glint in her eye remained. "And that's all you get for today. The full nine tail reveal is for special occasions only. Requires a lot of spiritual upkeep. Gotta maintain the mystery."
She finished her tea and stood up. "Right. I have to go and be intimidating at a budget meeting. Try not to plot any escapes that involve tail napping while I'm gone."
She left, leaving Lan Yue alone in the library with the memory of soft white fur and the startling realization that the feared Demon Empress of the Netherworld was, at least partially, ridiculously fluffy. And that she, Lan Yue, had very much wanted to touch it.
The slow burn was no longer just about political alliance or survival. It had acquired a new, dangerously adorable dimension.