“Princess, did you encounter any problems along the way?”
As soon as they stepped out of the vehicle, Principal Kaili approached Liuli to ask about her experience during this short journey.
“It was fine, Principal Kaili. Nothing felt out of the ordinary.”
This was the truth.
Although Liuli had to admit she initially boarded the motorhome with some prejudice, it hadn’t caused her any negative feelings or trouble.
Looking at it this way, ‘Perhaps the fault isn’t with the motorhome after all.’
“That is good to hear. It will still take some time to reach the Elven territory. During this period, if you feel any discomfort, Your Highness, please be sure to inform me. Your well-being is the most important.”
***
Liuli felt that Principal Kaili was being far too polite.
Even as a princess, while she expected some preferential treatment, the level of courtesy shown by the Principal was unheard of.
“I think there are no problems. Yes, everything is great.”
As a former ordinary person, Liuli always felt uncomfortable when people treated her with such high respect, especially those whose status should have been much higher than hers.
Watching them act so reverently toward her always triggered a sense of displacement.
Truthfully, this feeling made Liuli worry that everything might just be a dream.
“That is good. The scenery in this area is quite beautiful. Plus, the Elves are not that far from the Academy, which is why we chose to travel this way. When we visit more distant races in the future, we might eventually opt for Teleportation Arrays or other modes of transportation.”
“It is alright. I find it quite nice to see the scenery along the way.”
Though she hadn’t really looked at the scenery at all today.
The Moonlight Forest was basically just trees; she couldn’t see anything, or rather, she couldn’t see any variation in the landscape.
She didn’t know if things would change once they reached the Elven territory.
After all, from what she knew, the Elves also lived in the forest.
She just didn’t know if it would be any different from the Moonlight Forest.
Everyone was busy with dinner preparations.
Liuli looked around and found there was nothing she could help with, so she went to find Aili, who was also bored and reading a book.
“Aili, what book are you reading?”
Upon getting closer, Liuli realized the book Aili was reading was the same one from the vehicle.
Looking at her expression, it didn’t seem like a serious book; it looked more like a novel.
“It is a novel that is particularly popular with the Elves. Are you interested in it as well, Princess Liuli?”
“What kind of novel is it? A light novel?”
“Well, not exactly… Would you like to see for yourself, Your Highness?”
Liuli took the novel from Aili’s hands.
The cover was unremarkable, with almost no information or clues.
However, when Liuli randomly flipped to a page and saw two girls kissing passionately, she admitted she was startled.
“Uh, so this is a yuri novel?”
“Not exactly. Yuri is just one of the elements.”
“Is that so? Then what is the relationship between these two girls?”
Liuli felt her head start to ache.
This wasn’t exactly that, and that wasn’t exactly this.
‘What exactly is this book about?’
“I cannot summarize it easily. If I had to say, they are probably arch-enemies?”
“Arch-enemies? Is kissing a relationship arch-enemies can have?”
While modern novels often gave main characters unique dynamics — with arch-enemies being a particularly special one — they usually weren’t true enemies.
It was more like some sort of ill-fated connection where love turned to hate.
“Logically, they shouldn’t. But it is normal for novels to write such relationships for dramatic effect. Besides, they are frenemies to begin with, so kissing is normal, right?”
“No, I think even so, there should be a reason for them to kiss. I would never believe a reason like ‘the two of them just felt like it and shared a kiss’ or something.”
“The book says it is to gather their strengths to resist a common enemy. You know how it is, Your Highness; you don’t really have to consider logic too much for this kind of practical novel.”
Hearing Aili’s rather bold statement, Liuli instinctively wanted to take a step back.
‘Is this kind of book really allowed to be sold and distributed freely?’
“So, it really isn’t a yuri novel?”
“Generally speaking, yuri novels are about the bonds between two or more women, but this novel doesn’t quite fit. After all, there are still some scenes of interactions between men and women in this novel, so ‘yuri novel’ isn’t the best way to describe it.”
“I see…”
Liuli closed the book as she spoke, wanting to check the title.
But after looking around, she couldn’t find where the name was.
Was this really a book for sale?
Usually, commercial books would have the title clearly marked on the cover.
“Aili, what is the name of this book?”
To be honest, just a few sentences had filled Liuli with curiosity.
She was genuinely curious about what kind of story this book told.
“This? If you like it, Your Highness, I will just give you a copy.”
Aili seemed indifferent as she pulled an identical book from her backpack and handed it to Liuli.
“Aili, you didn’t write this book, did you?”
“Eh? How did you tell, Your Highness?”
Aili’s hand paused in mid-air as she pulled it back.
Liuli then watched as Aili’s face turned red at a visible speed.
She seemingly hadn’t expected Liuli to ask that.
Judging by her reaction, writing this kind of book wasn’t a very honorable thing in Aili’s mind.
“It is actually quite obvious. Most books put the name in a very prominent place, but this one doesn’t. It feels like it is hiding something… But I am indeed curious.”
Seeing Aili’s nervous state, Liuli felt the need to comfort her.
At a time like this, the best way to comfort someone was to make them feel like you were both of a kind.
“Do you really think so, Your Highness?”
“Of course. It is nothing to be ashamed of. Didn’t you say this book is quite popular among the Elves? Doesn’t that prove people love your writing?”
“Uh, how should I put it…”
Aili’s hesitation made Liuli curious.
Normally, saying something like that should have made the other person relax, so why did it feel like it had the opposite effect?
“Rather than saying everyone loves it, it would be more accurate to say they love it for my sake.”
“Wait, Aili, did you not use a pseudonym when you wrote this novel?”
“I was young and ignorant back then. I thought I would just write it and post it online, assuming nobody would read it. I didn’t expect it to become unexpectedly popular. I got many readers, and people even clamored for a physical edition. Before I knew it, things had reached this point.”
If there was anything Liuli admired more than writing a Liu Bei Wen, it was writing a Liu Bei Wen without a pseudonym.
She couldn’t imagine how socially suicidal it would be if she were Aili and someone discovered she was the author.
“Wait, so this is the novel you wrote — “
“Yes…”
“And you usually take out your own novel from time to time, and even… use it?”
Liuli corrected herself; what she admired most was someone who directly used their own Liu Bei Wen.
“It’s… it’s not like I use it…”
Aili’s excuse was a bit weak.
Seeing how embarrassed Aili was, Liuli decided not to delve further into the matter; otherwise, she didn’t know what Aili might turn into.
After making an excuse to leave, Liuli decided to see for herself what this novel Aili wrote was actually like.
“Little Fox, what are you reading?”
Just as Liuli sat down and opened the book, Serveyia appeared in front of her, looking at the book in her hands with curiosity.
“Um… Aili gave it to me. She said she wrote it.”
Initially, Liuli didn’t know if Serveyia knew what kind of novel Aili wrote.
But seeing the strange expression on Serveyia’s face after hearing her words, Liuli figured she probably knew.
“I see. Don’t read too much of it.”
“Serveyia, have you read this book?”
Serveyia’s reaction made it hard not to think she had.
However, Serveyia didn’t stop her from reading.
Did that mean the novel didn’t actually have any inappropriate content?
“I have read a part of it. Since it is the Student Council President’s masterpiece, I naturally had to take a look.”
‘Did she stop reading because the writing was bad, or because she didn’t have much time for novels?’
The specific reason would likely remain a mystery until she finished it herself.
Opening the table of contents, she found there were no chapter titles in the usual sense, only simple volumes and chapters.
The beginning was indeed very engaging.
Rather than a Liu Bei Wen, it felt more like a high-quality classic.
“Strange, where are those two girls?”
Liuli muttered to herself.
The novel’s initial concept was grand, shaping an exquisite magical world.
In the opening, those girls who would later become arch-enemies hadn’t even appeared yet.
It seemed this was why Aili didn’t consider it a yuri novel.
However, Liuli remembered Aili telling her that logic didn’t matter much in a practical novel.
But from what she had seen so far, the story was full of logic.
“Aili, what on earth did you give the Princess to read!”