He wasn't entirely sure—there were a few demonfolk scholars in the Imperial Academy, after all. Compared to other sects, the Academy recruited students from all backgrounds; as long as you passed their entrance trials, you could become an academy scholar.
So there were many girls in the Imperial Academy—about half, in fact. After leaving the Academy, these women often became officials across the realm, and many joined the military as generals.
But judging by the neatly stacked books floating behind this adorable little girl, not a single one out of place—that was exactly Lina the Spirit Fox's style.
However, Lina had been completely illiterate—she never carried stacks of books wherever she went. That wasn’t the little fox’s style at all.
The little girl didn’t notice him. She parted ways with the other scholars, didn’t head toward the Spirit Arts Residence, but instead went down the mountain. Quinn Shepherd waited outside Formation Hall for a moment, but no one came out.
"Yuxiu said Lina was attending a lecture in Formation Hall. But she’s not there, so that must have been the little girl I just saw. Has she really transformed?"
Quinn was taken aback. "That damned Lord Spiritfiend of the Great Ruins—Lina’s so young, and he already wants to marry her and make her his captive bride."
He headed down the mountain, puzzled. "If that was Lina, and she’s not going back to the Spirit Arts Residence, where would she go?"
He quietly followed, watching the three-tailed little girl bounce her way down the mountain. Suddenly she tripped and fell flat, then crawled forward on all fours for two steps, her three tails swaying before she stood up again, tried walking, and promptly toppled once more.
Quinn couldn’t help but laugh. He saw the little girl glance around, and, finding no one nearby, she dropped to all fours and scampered ahead, tiptoeing, her little hands and feet barely touching the ground. She kept bouncing along, her three tails waving proudly behind her.
She must have only recently transformed—she still wasn’t used to walking on two legs, so she kept stumbling like a human.
Now that she had a humanoid form, she looked like a little girl, but running on all fours was still much more agile than walking on two legs.
Lina the Spirit Fox left the Imperial Academy and headed into the city. But with more people outside, she forced herself upright again, bouncing along with her three tails twitching to keep her balance.
Thud.
Quinn saw the little girl land face-first on the ground again, with only her three tails sticking straight up. Then her tails twitched, drooped, and fell limp.
"Being human isn’t fun at all…"
The little girl muttered as she climbed up, sneaking behind an old tree. From the other side, a snow-white fox with three long, fluffy tails darted out and sped away.
This time she moved much faster, and soon reached the Rare Treasures Market in the capital. On the way, she bought food and wine, wrapped them up, and weighed out some fruit.
The Rare Treasures Market was a secondhand bazaar—selling antiques, relics, and rare treasures. Some sold spirit weapons, others peddled their calligraphy or ancient books when down on their luck.
"Did Lina come here to sell books?"