“The first point is fine, but regarding the second point, since you want some privacy, where should I stay?”
“I can give you a room, You, so you can keep your favorite books in it. How does that sound?”
“Is that really okay? I am just a tiny Forest Elemental; I am not worth such treatment from you, Master.”
“This is my arrangement, so just accept it obediently, You.”
I have my own selfish motives for doing this anyway, and it certainly isn’t as selfless as You thinks.
“Alright… I have always heard everyone say that you are a Princess. Does that mean you are actually quite powerful?”
Liuli felt truly helpless now. She had been with You for quite some time, yet this was the first time You had asked her this.
She could not tell if You had been so buried in her books that she never realized it, or if she was only just now understanding that her Master was a Princess.
“It is the position that is powerful, not me.”
However, Liuli was also self-aware enough to know that this was not the time to show off.
It would be fine to brag now, but if You found out the truth later, it would be embarrassing.
“So, many people actually only show me respect because of the position I hold behind me.”
“I do not know what the difference is…”
“I can give you an example, You. Just as some people like Forest Elementals, would you want someone to like you because you are a Forest Elemental, or because you are You?”
Actually, this was a simple question, nothing more than the difference between favoritism and universal love.
In fact, most people would prefer the feeling of being favored.
Even if they did not know it at first, once they realized they were just a substitute for someone else, would they not harbor some resentment deep down?
“That seems to make sense…”
Sometimes, Liuli felt that having a pet who was too sensible was not necessarily a good thing.
If her pet were unable to understand human speech or lacked intelligence, she could just explain things away easily.
The problem was that You was actually quite clever.
Even if she wanted to provide an explanation, she needed a plausible reason, and she did not want to be in a position where she had to struggle to explain herself for so long.
Fortunately, You did not continue to press the matter, otherwise, Liuli really would not have known how to explain it.
……
The Teleportation Array was truly convenient. One could say it was as simple as closing and opening one’s eyes before returning to Saint Laia Academy.
It was still Principal Kaili’s office. Honestly, for a moment, an idea popped into Liuli’s head: she wondered if she could request to have a Teleportation Array installed in her own courtyard.
Regardless of anything else, she really felt this thing was convenient.
However, even though she thought that, Liuli knew full well that while the Teleportation Array was useful, the daily maintenance must be a huge hassle.
It might be convenient for her to use, but when it came to maintenance, she feared she would lose hair in handfuls.
“Your Highness, thank you for your hard work. You must be tired from the Diplomatic Visit these past few days. I will not disturb your rest anymore.”
Although Principal Kaili had always been respectful to her, this respect often made Liuli feel suffocated.
She preferred the way Serveyia interacted with her, as it allowed her to feel more at ease.
Still, how should she put it? Liuli was well aware that Principal Kaili respected her because of her status, and she had no reason or excuse to complain.
Besides, for those elders, perhaps such a sense of order and hierarchy was the most ideal situation.
“Wow! Master, Master! Is this the room for Master?”
Back at the Qingli Hall, You, who had been hiding inside Liuli’s Fox Tail, popped out looking excited.
She looked at the room’s decor with enthusiasm, touching things on the left and right as if she were very curious about everything.
“Yes, let me take you to your room first, You.”
There were many rooms in the Qingli Hall, and truth be told, most of them were in a vacant state.
Although Liuli herself did not like a lively environment, the empty rooms still made her feel a bit lonely.
“How about this one?”
“Even though you have already said it, I still want to ask: is it really okay for me to stay in this room?”
“Of course it is fine. The room is sitting empty anyway. In fact, if you have any ideas about how to decorate it, you can tell me.”
“I… I do not need anything else. I am already so happy to have a room of my own. Really, Master.”
“However, this room was not designed for your size, so you might have to bear with staying in your original jar for these next two days. I will prepare things for you as soon as possible. Also, if there is anything you are unsatisfied with, do not hesitate to tell me.”
“Wuwuwu, Master, you are so good to me!”
You’s voice trembled, and there were clear tears in her eyes. It seemed she was truly moved by Liuli’s actions.
Liuli’s thoughts were simple: since You was already her pet, it was reasonable for her to be kind to her pet.
After all, this was a little creature that would be accompanying her for a long time, and being kind to her would be a good thing for both of them.
“Alright, keep crying and you will turn into a little crybaby. I am going to go get some books for you.”
Liuli was indeed not good at comforting people. In this situation, she could only say such shallow words of comfort.
So, after thinking about it, Liuli decisively chose the most shameful solution: running away.
Since she was not good at handling such emotional scenes, it was better to hide so that both she and You could calm down.
“Little Fox, have you arranged a room for You?”
“Yes, but the room does not have furniture suitable for a Forest Elemental, so I might need to go purchase some. They should be available within the Academy, right?”
“Yes, after all, small pets are not uncommon, let alone some small-sized races. It is quite easy to buy furniture.”
“Small-sized races—do they look like You?”
“More or less; they all look like little creatures such as her.”
“In that case, what is the boundary between a person and a pet?”
Liuli felt her question was a bit too much, but in her view, the so-called Robot Three Laws in sci-fi novels were an utterly unequal treaty.
Why, despite possessing the same intelligence, was one destined to be the high-and-mighty Master while the other was forced to be a pet living beneath them?
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