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Ayane's worried gaze lingered on you for a few more moments before ultimately relenting. She shook her head in response to your question. "I don't believe so. There was a duel that occurred between my father and one of the samurai working for the Master she was arranged for, but then some bandits attacked.
"Father organized the defenses and was prepared to sacrifice himself for Sumiko while his rival abandoned her and her family to die. My father was declared worthy of her hand after he fended off the bandits. The rest is history."
Well that was interesting. You knew that Hisashi was the patriarch of the Mitsubishi for a reason, and had a commanding presence within the kitsune families, though Sumiko implied to be almost as well regarded and respected as he was.
"Is Sumiko considered to be an important kitsune?"
"Yes. And for good reason." Ayane sighed. "Despite her cruel and distant personality I cannot deny that she was— and still is— a brilliantly ruthless merchant, an excellent socialite, and a talented midwife. But most importantly she was someone who was able to lift herself through tragedy. I don't know the details, but she had some bad history with humans." That explained a few things. "I'm glad I didn't have to suffer as she and most other kitsune did. Even the bandits in the Continent don't cut off kitsune tails anymore, as you could tell." She made one of her tails flick around to prove that point.
"Weren't you raised in Centria?" You took said tail and began petting it. "I thought you were from Oceanippon."
"I was born in Oceanippon, yet father brought the Mitsubishi clan here when I was just a kit, and so I was raised near the dockyards. This was before we kitsune decided to build a neighborhood for ourselves. Not to say I haven't visited my homeland before, but there wasn't much reason for us to settle back in Oceanippon, as my father's clan was only recently established as an influential family thanks to Hisashi's and grandfather's efforts— even if said influence only extends to Centria."
"Yeah, Hisash- I mean, dad sounds like a resourceful guy." Even though you were pretty much an accepted member of the kitsune, calling Hisashi 'dad' and Sumiko 'mom' was gonna take some getting used to.
"He may not seem like it, but my father is an ambitious kitsune." Ayane said. "While Eisho's generation built a safe neighborhood for kitsune in Centria, father was the one that lay the framework for us all to unite under and exert our influence. He wasn't alone; Youta Yasuda and the rest of the Yasuda clan dealt with ensuring kitsune were prosperous in the city."
"And I bet Youta helped build up that neighborhood too."
"That particular area was started by Eisho and my father played key roles in it as well, but eventually all Centrian kitsune joined in on the effort. Youta tended to act more as monetary support, but near the final stages he agreed to lend his full assistance."
