“I understand. However, it wouldn’t be easy to achieve this, would it? Aside from war, many other circumstances could make this scene vanish, right?” Liuli actually wanted to hint to Seth that it wasn’t just external threats. To be honest, sometimes internal instability could also cause this to disappear. For example, “If the young people don’t like all this, what will you do then, Mister Seth?”
As a young person herself, Liuli actually had a say in this. She didn’t particularly like these kinds of rural markets, though she didn’t harbor any strong resentment or prejudice toward them either. She simply felt that this type of market relied too much on interpersonal relationships. If they were just general connections, it would be fine, but the problem was that these connections often soured over time. ‘Where does the line for satisfaction in human relationships actually lie?’
In truth, Liuli didn’t know what kind of interpersonal relationship she truly desired. Having been an only child who lived within an Ivory Tower since she was young, she never had many opportunities to interact with peers. ‘How do I really view relationships between people?’
“I know that, Miss Liuli. But at least for now, I want to provide a Pure Land for the people staying here. As for the future youth, they will find their own way. I believe this is what Fei spoke to you about during the banquet yesterday.”
“Don’t worry. Fei actually mentioned it to me many times before. Though her suggestions were quite subtle, her opinions were made very clear to me. To be honest, I was quite surprised that she sought you out this time.”
“In that case, what are your thoughts, Mister Seth?”
“I don’t have many thoughts on it. As I said, the youth will find their own path. All I can do is provide them with as comfortable an environment as possible. But as you know, Miss Liuli, the thoughts of young people are bold and unrestrained; I don’t know if they will like it. However, I believe each generation has its own tastes. Even if this market doesn’t exist in the future, similar sights will emerge.”
To Liuli’s surprise, Seth seemed exceptionally open-minded about it. This transparent attitude made her curious about his true age. Generally, among Humans, only the elderly who had seen it all possessed such a mindset. However, the lifespan of the Elf Race was much longer. ‘Would an eighty-year-old Human and an eighty-year-old Elf really be the same?’
“I thought you would express some dissatisfaction with Lady Fei’s actions, Mister Seth.”
“There’s no need for me to express dissatisfaction. The Elf Race doesn’t belong to me alone. If there are opinions, they can be voiced. If the Council of Elders deems them appropriate, they will naturally be implemented. If they disagree, there will certainly be reasons for that disagreement. Why should I be dissatisfied? And look over there, Miss Liuli. Those are the Royal Capital’s Patrol Teams. Although the Elf Race has no standing army, there are still some young people — either those who have returned from their studies or those unwilling to leave their homes — who form voluntary Patrol Teams to fend off the Magic Beasts that might exist in the Forest.”
“In the absence of an army, what is the reason these people do this voluntarily?”
Liuli wondered, ‘Could this be considered a Great Unity Society?’ She found it hard to imagine a race or a regime without even a standing army. ‘Is this perhaps one of the reasons they pursue Peace?’
“Protecting one’s hometown is reason enough. And while they aren’t an official army, they are still considered part of the nation. In terms you might be familiar with, Miss Liuli, you can think of them as civil servants.”
“But if that’s the case, why not just establish an actual army for the Elf Race?”
Since these voluntary Patrol Teams had essentially become civil servants, it seemed no different from an army to Liuli.
“Because the nature is different. These Patrol Teams are voluntary armed forces. They possess a great deal of autonomy and can decide what they want or do not want to do. But an army is different. An army is essentially the nation’s blade. From another perspective, it is also the ruler’s blade. So, you should be able to understand their approach, shouldn’t you, Miss Liuli?”
“But without an army, how do you maintain the stability of your regime, Mister Seth?”
“Because in the eyes of the Elf Race, political power isn’t something that needs to be seized. In fact, the existence of the Council of Elders ensures that almost everyone knows the power of the Elf Race has never been concentrated in a single hand. Furthermore, the institution of the Council of Elders is deeply rooted in the people’s hearts. As a result, although some have tried to seize power in the history of the Elf Race, not a single person has achieved their ultimate goal of dictatorship. This is all because the Council of Elders cannot be bypassed. Without their support, it’s difficult for government orders to be conveyed. Since one cannot enjoy the benefits, why bother with the grueling effort of seizing power?”
“So, strictly speaking, the elders are the core of the regime?”
“After all, the elders are selected from different tribes. A simple coup would yield no results. Attempting to build a new Council of Elders from scratch is far too difficult. Why would anyone bother with something so troublesome? As for foreign enemies, the members of these Patrol Teams can handle small skirmishes easily enough. If a true War broke out, we would have to rely on our allies. After all, the population of the Elf Race is sparse; we simply cannot afford a single War. Fortunately, the Elf Race has no real enemies. If a large-scale War were to occur, it would likely be a total War covering the entire Continent. At that point, it would no longer be a matter concerning only the Elf Race.”
‘So that’s how Mister Seth thinks,’ Liuli reflected. ‘Should I say he’s content with his small corner of the world, or is he just going with the flow?’ Perhaps this was the pain of a race with a small population. Liuli also remembered from her history lessons that some small Nations would declare themselves a Permanent Neutral State to protect themselves from threats. Of course, there was a price: they could not maintain a standing army. Looking at it this way, the solution of the Elf Race seemed very similar.
Over the next period of time, Mister Seth took Liuli on a thorough tour of the Royal Capital. However, the tour wasn’t very formal. Seth showed Liuli scenes that were full of the essence of daily life. If Liuli hadn’t known Seth was the Elf King, she would have truly thought she was just accompanying an elder on a shopping trip.