“Once we enter the territory of the Elf Race, we will be close to our destination. Little Fox, you should get ready.”
“Get ready?”
“That’s right. Little Fox, surely you haven’t forgotten what our task is?”
“Not at all. We are here for a diplomatic visit, aren’t we?”
“Exactly. Since it’s a diplomatic visit, we are bound to encounter their reception staff. Are you prepared, Little Fox?”
“What do I need to do?”
A diplomatic visit was different from visiting friends, after all.
Even if people were willing to be exceptionally lenient toward the Princess, she still had to perform well in such a formal setting.
“It’s nothing too troublesome. You just need to make sure you don’t act too impolitely.”
“So, I don’t need to actually do anything?”
Generally speaking, as the core of the visit, it stood to reason that she should give a speech, make a presentation, or participate in whatever activities she could.
However, she was different from those political leaders; those people were the ones who actually got things done.
As for herself—though it felt inappropriate to say it—she was more like a mascot.
She just had to follow the established schedule. It didn’t sound like she had much agency at all.
However, in this situation, individual agency was actually the least necessary thing.
The agenda was already set. To be honest, she just needed to follow it obediently.
It would be a disaster if she caused a problem because of some sudden whim or “bright idea.”
“There is no need to do anything extra. It is enough to follow the established steps and complete what needs to be done.”
“Alright. So, what is our first task?”
“Meet with the members of the Elven Royal Family and express your goodwill. Sounds simple, right?”
“It sounds simple, but what kind of people are the Elven Royal Family?”
“There is no need to worry, Little Fox. The Elf King is famous for his gentle temperament. This is a major reason why the Elf Race is willing to accept peace initiatives.”
“Is that so? Is the Elven throne the type where the son succeeds the father?”
“It is, and it isn’t. The Elves’ method of reproduction is slightly different. While they can reproduce normally like other races, they can also be hatched from the Elf Fruit nurtured by the World Tree. Although the birth rate of the latter is much lower than the former, in a sense, it is more controllable—”
“Sorry, Serveyia. What do you mean by ‘controllable’?”
“To a certain extent, the child will meet the expectations of the parents.”
“Then, in that case, who would choose the ordinary way of having children?”
“I said ‘to a certain extent.’ It’s normal for parents to have expectations and desires. But having a desire is one thing; whether it will be satisfied, and to what degree, is another matter entirely.”
“Uh, I didn’t expect the World Tree to have its own ideas.”
“Some say the World Tree has its own consciousness and even its own Life Tree Avatar. Although I have never seen it with my own eyes, I am inclined to believe those claims.”
“An avatar? If there really is an avatar, Serveyia, what do you think it would look like?”
“I wouldn’t know. But if one really exists, based on the legends passed down by the Elf Race, it would likely be a lively little child.”
‘A little child?’
Divine trees and lolis had been linked together since who knows when, just like lolis and mothers had also been paired up.
To be honest, it seemed like people really enjoyed binding lolis to identities that were full of contrast.
‘I wonder, is that sense of contrast also a major source of novelty?’
“What’s with that expression, Little Fox? Don’t tell me you’re a loli-con?”
“Huh? Me? Of course not.”
Although Liuli considered herself a face-controller, she still had her own principles.
Observing lolis from a distance was fine, but she couldn’t bring herself to do anything inappropriate.
“You’re not? Then what was the meaning behind that thoughtful expression just now?”
“I just feel like the solemn existence of a World Tree doesn’t quite match the image of a child. But while it doesn’t seem to match, if I think about it carefully, there doesn’t seem to be a problem with it either. Contrast seems to be something people have always pursued…”
“That’s true. People often hold such mindsets—corrupting a decent woman or urging a fallen woman to reform. So, since you aren’t a loli-con, Little Fox, what is your ideal type?”
“Ideal type?” Liuli hadn’t expected Serveyia to ask such a question, and it left her a bit dazed.
This kind of question was actually quite private. But if it was Serveyia, she could trust her completely.
“Strictly speaking, I don’t really have an ideal type. I’m just a simple face-controller.”
“Is that so? So, Little Fox, if you met a beautiful legal loli, would your heart race?”
“Probably. After all, I am a face-controller.”
“But in that case, wouldn’t that make you a loli-con?”
“No, I think those two things are different. Or to put it another way, my rationality is screaming that they aren’t the same.”
“Not the same? Little Fox, what do you think is the most important thing about a loli?”
“Uh? Age?”
“Does a small stature count?”
“Probably, it counts too?” Liuli answered with some uncertainty. “Wait, what are you making me answer!”
“It’s nothing. Just some casual chatter to help you feel less nervous. How is it? It was quite effective, wasn’t it?”
“Uh, if you hadn’t broken character so much, Serveyia, it probably would have been effective.”
“Didn’t you ask the question yourself, Little Fox? I couldn’t just not answer.”
“Actually, you don’t have to answer everything. Sometimes, maintaining a bit of mystery is a good thing…”
Just like surprises or secrets, maintaining a sense of mystery could sometimes lead to better results.
“I can’t help it. After all, I have to make sure you are prepared, Little Fox. I can’t just let you meet them without knowing anything.”
“Mm, that makes sense when you put it that way… So, what do I need to prepare?”
“At the very least, you need a basic understanding of etiquette. Little Fox, while the Elves aren’t strictly vegetarians, they still have no fondness for people who destroy the environment. So, you should be a bit careful when you speak.”
“Uh, is there some necessary connection between being a vegetarian and destroying the environment?”
“Usually not, but there’s no guarantee that some people won’t link the two. Therefore, to be safe, it’s best not to openly make inappropriate remarks. Then again, saying things about destroying the environment isn’t really appropriate anywhere or at any time.”
“I understand. Is there anything else to watch out for?”
“One more thing. Although I just mentioned the Life Tree Avatar to you, that kind of content is considered a sacrilege to the more traditional members of the Elf Race. So, you must be extremely careful.”
“If it’s a sacrilege, it stands to reason that the Elves wouldn’t bring it up themselves. As long as I don’t mention it first, there shouldn’t be a problem, right?”
“Not mentioning it is only part of it. In fact, many traditional Elves treat the World Tree as a totem—as, well, an object of prayer. So, when you see the Elves praying to it, please don’t act too surprised.”
“Mm, respecting each other’s religious beliefs… I can understand that point.”
“It’s good that you understand. There isn’t much else. As the Princess of Saint Laia, your political status—or rather, your symbolic significance—is on par with the Elf King. Therefore, there is no need to be too humble.”
“Wait, do I really have such a high status?”
“Only in a symbolic sense. That is to say, your status depends entirely on whether others respect you. If the other party is willing to show respect, then your status becomes high. Similarly, if they don’t respect you, they will at most see you as a lucky person with a rare bloodline. As for whether they show respect, they usually care more about Saint Laia.”
“So, essentially, Saint Laia and I share the same honor and disgrace?”
“Strictly speaking, not really. The reason Saint Laia has lasted so long is that it doesn’t depend on any single person. Admittedly, if you become an outstanding Princess, Saint Laia will undoubtedly remember your name. But trying to shake Saint Laia with individual ability alone is simply too difficult.”
Liuli could understand what Serveyia was saying, even if it sounded a bit discouraging.
As a human, as an individual, the change one could make to the world was truly limited.
Even if she gave her all and did her absolute best, what kind of change could she really bring to this world?
……
While they were talking, the motorhome arrived at its destination.
Unlike the magnificent palaces in her memory, the Elven Royal Palace was not built on level ground.
Instead, it was situated atop giant trees. The structures built across several massive trees formed the Elven Palace.
While it didn’t look as solemn as a palace on the ground, it had a unique charm of its own.
“Princess Moonlight Liuli, your visit to the territory of the Elf Race is a great blessing for us. All members of our Elf Race solemnly welcome your arrival.”
As she stepped out of the vehicle, a welcoming party came into view.
Standing at the very front was a middle-aged couple.
Although they appeared to be around the same age as Dean Kaili, they radiated an aura of majesty.
It seemed these two were the Elf King and the Queen.
“Hello. I am very happy to come to the Forest of Elves. It is also a great fortune for me to be able to visit the territory of the Elf Race and witness the local customs of different regions.”
‘Oh no, oh no.’
It seemed she had been discussing all sorts of precautions with Serveyia the whole time and completely failed to pay attention to the most basic point: how to actually greet them.
Although Serveyia had told her she didn’t need to be so nervous and should just be neither humble nor arrogant, how was she supposed to achieve that?
This was her first time experiencing such a major occasion. Was she really not going to show her cowardice?
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.