"H-hey Ume, how you doing?" I blurted, instantly turning back to where Ume stood, her arms folded.
"What were you just calling me?"
"Little fox!" Jambavan declared. "Yer Majesty, this kid was callin' ya a little fox. Ya must punish him for this impudence."
"I didn't ask you, Jambavan!" Ume growled.
"Yer Majesty, even though he is yer betrothed, ya mustn't show partiality towards him or he'll become spoiled," Jambavan protested, his butt rising even higher.
"Hmm, you are right. As a goddess I mustn't be partial," Ume said, and then nagged me, softly pulling my ear, "you shouldn't call people by names behind their back. It's bad manners."
I grabbed Ume's hand and replied, my face lowered, "But I called you little fox because small foxes are so cute and adorable. I didn't mean it in a negative way."
"Oh! I-is that so?" she stammered, her face blushing. "It's fine then."
"That's—that's so unfair," Jambavan muttered under his breath as I mocked him with a secretive smirk.
