Serveyia always felt that while the Little Fox before her was cute in her ignorance, she had to admit that Aili was right.
If she truly wanted the Little Fox to grow, she could not wait for the girl to ask questions; she had to take the initiative to clear away her confusion.
“This is why the Elf Race became your first stop, Little Fox. Principal Kaili, as the head of Saint Laia Academy, also holds a certain level of influence within the Elf Race. It is precisely because she values you, Princess, that she made these arrangements. Do you understand now?”
“I think I understand. In other words, the only races currently willing to trust me are the Elf Race, the Mermaid Race, and the Red Dragon Clan to which Dora belongs, is that right?”
“Yes. After all, not all races are as free of desire as the Elf Race. Before deciding to accept your request, many must consider one thing: is the Little Fox truly worth it?”
“Then, what do I need to do?”
It was not exactly that Liuli was particularly diligent, but as a Princess, she felt that if she did nothing at all, she would be wasting her status. Even someone as lazy as Liuli could occasionally be filled with ambition.
“You don’t need to do anything specific. Just maintain your current pace, and others will naturally see the results of your efforts.”
“Results of my efforts, do you mean the peace agreements I reach with the different races?”
“Yes, but that is only one part. There is also your conduct—how you behave in social situations and how you handle issues.”
“So, how is my conduct?”
“Would you like to hear the truth, Little Fox?”
“Um…”
Generally, wanting to hear the truth meant the result was not very good. So, when she heard Serveyia ask that, Liuli had already braced herself for the worst.
“Your mannerisms are certainly not refined. To be honest, it is clear that you are not truly a noble. Although you have studied some aristocratic etiquette, one glance tells me your skills are entirely superficial.”
“Is it that obvious? I felt that the etiquette training I received back then was quite comprehensive…”
“It is quite obvious. The posture you maintain now might deceive an ordinary person who knows nothing, but in the eyes of the nobility, it looks clumsily cute.”
“Serveyia, are you telling the truth?”
In reality, Liuli cared quite a bit about how others perceived her, or she would never have worked so hard to learn these complex aristocratic manners in the first place.
She had thought her last-minute cramming had meaning, and with this blow from Serveyia, she was not sure if she could keep going.
“Of course I am, but do not worry. Everyone knows your true identity, so from the beginning, their expectations of you were never very high. People just want to see your attitude; as long as you are willing to learn, they generally will not be overly critical.”
Fine, the fact that they would not be overly critical was a good thing for Liuli.
To put it bluntly, she did not have a very high opinion of so-called aristocratic etiquette.
In her view, it was just a set of tricks for playing a role, wrapping oneself inside a giant cloth sack and calling it “etiquette, etiquette.”
As if Liuli did not know whether it was real etiquette or not.
“So, since they won’t be overly critical, why must I work so hard to learn this so-called aristocratic etiquette?”
“The lack of criticism is directed at who you are now, Little Fox. If a long time passes and you still cannot learn etiquette, people will not question your attitude, but rather your intelligence. Etiquette is something that, frankly, anyone can learn if they are willing to try. If you truly cannot learn it, others will likely look at you with strange eyes.”
Liuli felt a bit helpless. She knew well that a large part of her current life was thanks to this noble status, so she had no room to complain.
As a beneficiary, she always had to pay something in return.
“I understand. Will it be enough if I just keep learning?”
……
Time flew by, and the diplomatic visit to the Elf Territory was finally coming to an end.
Liuli was truly curious about what the result of this visit actually was.
Rather than calling it reaching a peace agreement, it was more like getting to know a few people.
As they prepared to leave, Liuli could clearly feel that You’s mood had improved significantly.
Although it did not show on her face, Liuli could sense her excitement by the frequency of her wings fluttering, which was faster than usual.
“Master, are we going back?”
You was indeed very different from the other Forest Elementals.
Over such a long period, she had not played a single prank; on the contrary, she had earnestly finished reading through Aili’s works.
The only problem was that Liuli noticed You often wore a thoughtful expression while looking at the books. Could it be that she had actually understood something?
“Yes, after we go back, you may read any book you like, You.”
“Any book at all?”
“Um, most books are fine.”
Liuli did not want to make any absolute promises.
After all, she could not guarantee that the library at Saint Laia Academy did not contain materials unsuitable for children.
She was now truly worried that while You was reading Aili’s books, she might have actually realized something.
Anyway, according to Serveyia, if You somehow taught herself something improper and became corrupted because of her, Liuli would really be too distraught to cry.
“What kind of books are ‘most books’?”
“At the very least, they must be approved by Serveyia.”
“Oh…”
Having spent so much time together, You was sharp enough to notice that the one in charge of this household was not her master, but this maid.
“So, is there any book you are interested in reading, You?”
“Nothing in particular. To me, all books are very new.”
Liuli felt that she really needed to pay attention to You’s education.
Although compared to the internet, television, or other modern media, books—especially printed ones in a library—were clearly healthier, no one could guarantee that a masterpiece on the level of Aili’s works would not appear.