[Rang's smile grows a little wider at the apology, like he thinks it's funny. Which it is in a (redacted) way? Don't worry about it.]

It's like a power ranking. The more you have, the closer you are to the top, and nine is all the way up there.

[he flicks his hand up, as if forming the top/bottom pyramid.]

Of course, that's for gumiho. It might be different for kitsunes.