“Miss Liuli, I’ve shown you around this far. If there’s anywhere else you’d like to go, let Alicia take you. We have an Elders’ Council meeting next, so please excuse me as I take my leave.”
Mister Seth bowed and departed immediately, leaving Aili, Serveyia, and Liuli behind.
“Uh, is today a particularly important meeting day?”
‘How should I put it?’ Liuli wondered. Mister Seth’s departure was a bit too decisive — so decisive that Liuli felt it was somewhat rude. Generally speaking, unless it was something truly important, leaving in such a manner would usually make someone feel a bit unhappy.
“No, it’s probably just that Mister Seth didn’t want to stay here anymore. For him, this is practically the norm; he’s always been this easygoing.”
It was Aili who answered the question, and Liuli noticed that when Aili was explaining, she had an impatient look on her face. It seemed that in her eyes, this wasn’t a matter worth discussing.
“Hearing you say that, Aili, it seems you really don’t approve of Mister Seth’s way of doing things.”
“Of course. Who wouldn’t be unhappy being treated like that? Moreover, Princess, you came here on official business. To be tossed aside like this under these circumstances — Princess Liuli, are you really not angry?”
“I… I’m actually okay with it…” Liuli wasn’t sure if it was because of her own denseness or if she simply felt this was a small matter not worth mentioning. “Besides, since he gave a reason, I don’t think it’s unacceptable.”
“Princess Liuli, are you serious?” Aili wore an expression of astonishment. “I finally understand why the Academy requested Princess Serveyia to accompany you. Princess, you’re a bit too easy to push around.”
“Am I?”
“Of course you are, Liuli! You are the Princess of Saint Laia. You have the backing of Saint Laia behind you; there’s no need to be timid. Politics is never about ‘taking a step back to find a broader horizon.’ You cannot yield a single step when it comes to your own claims!”
It was clear that Aili was truly dissatisfied. She even dropped the honorifics she usually used for Liuli, replaced by a look of frustration that Liuli was failing to live up to her potential.
“Mister Seth might not have any ill intent; it might just be his personality. However, Princess, can you guarantee others won’t? What if someone wants to give you a show of strength? You should know that political negotiations are often about momentum. If your momentum is suppressed from the start, there’s no way to talk about the negotiations that follow. Theoretically, you should have learned these things before your diplomatic visit. Didn’t Serveyia teach you?”
To be honest, seeing Aili so indignant in front of her made Liuli feel like she needed to update her understanding of Aili again. Moreover, this feeling of being cared for was quite nice. Even if Aili’s tone was a bit harsh, it was entirely within an acceptable range for her.
However, while Aili hadn’t exactly been afraid of Serveyia in the past, she still showed basic respect. Now that she had asked so directly, would Serveyia be angry?
“Because the Little Fox doesn’t need to learn those things right now. Learning too much at once won’t help her. Compared to those superficial social niceties, prioritizing some self-defense techniques is likely more important.”
“But you can’t let the Little Fox come on a diplomatic visit knowing nothing! What if she’s deceived? What if she leaves a bad impression on others?”
“With me here, I won’t let those things happen.”
Honestly, Serveyia’s calmness caught Liuli off guard. She had expected Serveyia and Aili to start bickering, and she might even get to enjoy the show from up close, but seeing them both so calm surprised her. ‘Could it be that this is what they call noble grace?’
“Since you put it that way, Serveyia…” Aili clearly sounded a bit unconvinced, but for some reason, she bit her tongue. “I trust your judgment, Serveyia. However, I still believe it’s necessary for Princess Liuli to master some basic political common sense.”
“I know that. Isn’t this the best practical opportunity? Is there any better way to learn than by experiencing political life firsthand? The Elf King’s personality is well-known; he’s the perfect subject for training. Besides, I think Seth likely knows this too. This diplomatic visit isn’t so much about reaching a specific result as it is about getting to know each other — understanding each other’s preferences and demands.”
“So, do I have to come back again later?”
“Of course. Peace isn’t something achieved overnight. Even if it is achieved, it requires effort to maintain. This requires frequent visits, Little Fox.”
“Alright, I understand…”
If she had a choice, Liuli naturally wanted to stay inside Qingli Hall all the time. Even if going to different places let her see different customs, it was ultimately just a sense of novelty. Novelty eventually fades. After that, what Liuli needed more was a sense of stability — or rather, a sense of familiarity. Frequent travel clearly couldn’t provide Liuli with that sense of stability.
“Whatever. This is a rare opportunity, so let me take you to see the Elf Race’s pet market, Princess.”
“Ri — Right now?”
“Of course. There’s no time like the present. Or does Princess Liuli have other plans?”
“I don’t really have any other plans. Then let’s go.”
‘At this point, wouldn’t it be a bit inconsiderate to say I want to rest?’ Liuli wondered. ‘Anyway, it won’t hurt to look around. I can put off resting for a little while.’
After hearing her agree, Aili’s mood clearly improved. She even took Liuli’s hand and led her to a store specializing in pets.
“This is the place. Generally speaking, the variety of pets sold here is the most comprehensive. While you might not find some extremely rare pets, Princess Liuli, you clearly don’t need those, do you?”
“Oh, isn’t this little Aili? Is the Academy on break?”
“No, I’m just showing some friends around today. It counts as… official business?”
The store owner was a middle-aged Elf woman, but Liuli wasn’t actually sure about her age. ‘For a long-lived species, age doesn’t seem like something you can judge by appearance,’ she thought. ‘Or perhaps long-lived species have their own unique way of telling age.’