Liuli really wanted to know the answer, but she felt that if she asked now, she would receive an unexpected response — it was almost like a gut intuition.
The journey over the next few days passed without incident, and the group arrived smoothly within the territory of the Elf Race.
The Elf territory actually bordered the Moonlight Forest; technically, they both belonged to the same massive woodland.
However, the forest here felt distinctly different from the Moonlight Forest.
If the Moonlight Forest felt like an undeveloped, primordial wilderness, then the Forest of Elves felt much brighter.
Perhaps because it had been inhabited for years, the level of development felt significantly higher.
Looking at it this way, the overall atmosphere seemed much more pleasant.
Along the way, Liuli could even see many woodland houses built by the Elves. As she passed by, many Elves poked their heads out curiously, seemingly wondering who the newcomers were.
“Do the common people of the Elf Race know we’re coming?”
“Generally, no. They might know that honored guests are arriving, but they shouldn’t know exactly who. It is a security measure,” Serveyia explained.
“Furthermore, strictly speaking, we are still on the outskirts of the Elf territory. It is normal for those who do not follow the news to not recognize you, Little Fox.”
“Then I truly hope everyone just fails to recognize me entirely…”
Even if they did not know who she was, it did not stop them from watching the spectacle.
Liuli could feel countless gazes converging on her. While these looks were not malicious, being stared at constantly still felt quite uncomfortable.
“Unfortunately, as you spend more time as a Princess, the likelihood of being recognized will only increase. So, Little Fox, if you do not want to keep hiding like this, it is best to get used to these gazes as soon as possible,” Serveyia said, even going so far as to open the window of the motorhome.
“These Elves are actually quite well-behaved. At least they haven’t rushed over to swarm you.”
“Ugh, being swarmed sounds a bit too terrifying, doesn’t it?”
The thought of having to face such a situation in the future made Liuli feel a bit panicked.
If she were truly surrounded by a crowd, she would probably end up with a splitting headache.
“It is not scary at all. Little Fox, have you never witnessed the fanatical devotion fans have for their idols?”
“I’ve seen it, but surely they wouldn’t do that to me?”
“What are you thinking? Do you still have so little self-awareness regarding your own charm?”
“It’s not that I lack self-awareness. I just feel like… I am not worth their trouble. Or rather, I am not used to being treated this way.”
In the end, this was all thanks to her Transformation.
The massive contrast between her form before and after the change caused her to subconsciously use her old way of thinking.
Perhaps her past self was not worth it, but she did not actually know if her current self was.
That was why she was so hesitant.
At this moment, the title of Princess was more than just a privilege.
The thought that most people would pursue her solely because of her status — and that they did not actually know the real her — gave Liuli a bit of a stomachache.
For various reasons, Liuli had to maintain a proper demeanor in public.
However, she could not say for sure how much of that persona was the real her.
Watching people flock to her side because of a carefully crafted, perfect image, only to leave because it was not the real her, made Liuli feel a sense of distress.
“Serveyia, how do you think those people see the Princess of Saint Laia?”
“How do they see you? Do you mean those curious Elves? They likely just think a Noble Lady has arrived from somewhere. To them, it is nothing more than a bit of gossip to discuss over tea. While their opinions matter, they are far from being important enough to change yourself over.”
Serveyia looked into the distance, speaking thoughtfully.
“If a person cares too much about the evaluations of others, they will lose themselves. Little Fox, instead of worrying about the opinions of people you will likely only meet once in your life, you should consider those close to you.”
“Serveyia, although I have asked many times… are you really not jealous?”
Generally, whether in a Novel or a game, one problem a protagonist must face when opening a Harem is “balancing the water,” as well as managing the emotions of each member.
Among them, Serveyia’s emotions were undoubtedly the most critical.
Why would she allow me to do this? She even gave me a push from behind when I was being timid.
“Because I have my duty. Although I must admit that this duty conflicts with my own emotions, to me, this conflict is not unbearable.”
“Serveyia, what is your duty? Is it actually to help me start a Harem?”
“Of course not. It is to ensure that you, Princess, have a sufficiently happy and stable life. Furthermore, it is to ensure that you fulfill your responsibilities as much as possible, Little Fox.”
“And the simplest way to achieve this is to establish sufficiently intimate relationships with important women from various Races. Whether it be a Princess of a nation, an Empress, or even the child of a Duke or Marquis — the reason Marriage Alliance remains a persistent political tool is because, under normal circumstances, it truly can guarantee a period of stability.”
“But am I worth doing that for? Generally, shouldn’t the partner of a Marriage Alliance be someone with great prestige or strength?”
“Little Fox, what do you take the Nine-tailed Celestial Fox for? As a Divine Beast, the Nine-tailed Celestial Fox can provide significant help to one’s strength simply by staying by their side. If an even more intimate relationship can be reached, the benefits will only be greater.”
“The more I hear, the more I feel like this Nine-tailed Celestial Fox is just a Cauldron…”
Although Liuli did not want to think so pessimistically, was this some kind of setting where one could get stronger just by doing ‘that’?
“Rest assured, that sort of thing does not happen anymore. Generally, the Nine-tailed Celestial Fox can only provide assistance to those around her when she is in a sufficiently good mood. Although various drugs could be used to force the Nine-tailed Celestial Fox into a state of excitement, such practices were banned long ago due to humanitarian concerns and sustainable development.”
Liuli felt that something was wrong. She was asking if this whole thing was truly okay, and Serveyia responded by saying the practice had been banned.
Wasn’t that essentially admitting that the Nine-tailed Celestial Fox was a Cauldron?
“Serveyia, I think you should know… those words don’t really serve as a comfort…”
“Is allowing you to set your mind at ease not the greatest function?”
“Serveyia, do you really believe that can make me feel at ease?”
“Of course. After all, the situation I described only occurred a very, very long time ago. Such things no longer happen. Moreover, a group of Cauldrons might not be particularly special, but if there is only one, the situation changes. Currently, a Nine-tailed Celestial Fox is a rare resource. There will be countless people adoring you, Little Fox. Is that not a unique kind of happiness?”
“Um, thank you for the comfort. Please don’t comfort me next time…”
Liuli wondered if it was because she and Serveyia had received different educations growing up, but she felt that their definitions of “comfort” were not quite the same.
“Little Fox, what is it that you truly want? Is it to be treated gently, or to obtain the respect you deserve?”
“I… I don’t know. I just didn’t like your previous explanation, Serveyia. If I had to choose, I would actually prefer to be treated gently. But being treated gently surely isn’t that easy, is it?”
“True. If you want to be treated gently, you must have the capital to deserve it. However, you certainly possess such capital, Little Fox. Many times, an outstanding appearance alone is enough to be treated gently. Of course, if you want to be treated gently forever, you cannot rely on looks alone.”
“So, Serveyia, do you think the current me meets your expectations?”
“At least for now, yes. Of course, if you want to continue meeting my expectations, you will need to do much more, Little Fox.”
Serveyia’s words seemed to carry a hint of teasing. What did she mean by ‘need to do much more’? Just how far did Serveyia want her to go?
“Serveyia, are you hinting at something?”
“Am I? What do you think, Little Fox?”
“Hmph, I don’t know!”
Serveyia was clearly teasing her, which made Liuli feel a bit embarrassed.
To be honest, what was she supposed to do at a time like this? Should she please her like she suggested, or should she stick to her own assertions and follow her own pace?
“If you do not know, then just keep walking forward step by step. One day, you will find your own answer, Little Fox.”
“Even if that answer is not what you expect, Serveyia?”
“Hehe, do you think that with me guiding you from the side, you could still take a path different from the one I envisioned? Little Fox, from the moment I became your Maid, you were already unable to escape the palm of my hand.”
Serveyia seemed very confident. Furthermore, Liuli seemed to have heard from various places that the longer two people stayed together, the more they became like each other.
The idea that a married couple would become more similar over time followed the same logic.
It made sense; if two people had no similarities or if their values were completely contradictory, then their time together would be filled with pain.
Generally, there were only two ways to resolve such a situation: either they separated, or they adapted to each other.
Therefore, in short, becoming more alike seemed to be the inevitable result of two people being together.
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