Angry words were certainly angry words, but they were a truth that could not be spoken.
Moving in circles, she still could not avoid answering this question head-on. Clearing suspicion was not something a simple “I broke down” could cover up.
These words were like a basin of cold water poured over her head, waking Dolores from her somewhat dazed emotional state to a certain extent. She began to combine her prepared answers to form a response.
She glanced at Viseliane with some concern. Viseliane had not been awake at that time, so she should not have heard the hateful things she said to Grin.
However, from the moment she entered the room, Viseliane had strictly adhered to her identity as a maid, showing no expression and making no unnecessary movements. She stood beside them like a silent statue.
In truth, Dolores knew she had unwittingly exposed many of her secrets to Viseliane, especially those conversations with Alberke.
Viseliane was someone she trusted, even though the woman had never directly questioned her about these doubts. This was a tacit trust between them. If she had to say who was trustworthy during the time since she transmigrated…
Aside from Alberke, perhaps only Viseliane remained. Dolores had never imagined she would have such a perfect and beautiful maid by her side.
She really was perfect in Dolores’s eyes.
So. How should she answer Grin’s somewhat fatal question next?
Actually, the answer was not difficult. The spoken answer just needed to fit the identity of the Original Owner.
Beyond the identity of Princess Dolores, she was also a “young girl” in terms of age.
Although she might be a bit short, height did not affect age.
Dolores could act like the young girls in books—thoughtful and worried, harboring romantic innocence and longing.
“I did once feel a sense of dislike toward you, Mr. Grin… But at that time, I was simply too grieved by Viseliane’s injury and lost my reason.”
“So I only stated an outdated conclusion and did not explain the reason for my dislike, nor did I clarify that I had already stopped hating you by then.”
Grin just nodded, waiting for Dolores to continue.
“Your first appearance in my eyes was too ostentatious. You easily defeated Vice Captain Hagel, which left me with some resentment… Of course, this is not a denial of your strength.”
“When you confessed to me at the banquet, I thought you were far too frivolous. How could you so easily say you liked me after only knowing me for a short time? It… it was too sudden.”
“I clearly had not considered such distant matters. I thought it would be several more years before someone appeared so close to me and expressed such naked affection…”
“As you know, my other suitors are more concerned with my father’s attitude. So their hollow professions of love upon our first meeting felt very unreal to me.”
“I dislike frivolous men and was not prepared to love or be loved. Developments that are too sudden make me feel insecure and uneasy.”
Dolores quickly fabricated a reasonable “dislike” from the perspective of a young girl. During her previous interactions with Grin, she had not shown many exaggerated expressions.
Most of the time, she had been expressionless because she did not know how to answer, or her responses were bland. But this happened to fit perfectly into her current answer.
‘Look at me, so petite. Even as the Princess of Land, I am essentially just a young girl in the prime of her youth.’
‘Being thoughtful is only natural.’
But that was not enough. What else did Dolores know? The plot of the game, the **[System]** on Grin? And the things Grin had done to her using the **[System]**.
She needed to use this to her advantage to answer Grin’s question and eliminate some hidden loopholes in her previous words.
Grin knew he had used the **[System]** to make her feel ambiguous toward him, and Dolores knew it too.
Thus, for certain abrupt transitions that others—like Viseliane—might notice, Grin would understand and comprehend them when she spoke them out as an “unknowing” party.
“Calling it dislike, the reaction was more like being headstrong, wouldn’t you say? Even if I am a Princess, I am still just an immature girl…”
“No, Princess, you are a very kind and responsible princess, worthy of your title and the legends behind it,” Grin praised.
“I accept the praise. My dislike for you was so childish, but as for my favorability… actually, even I don’t know why.”
“After I rested in the Royal Palace for a few days and visited the library, I gradually realized my mistakes. At that time, I thought, why was I so harsh on you? You hadn’t done anything wrong.”
“When I saw you again, I don’t know why, but you became much more pleasing to my eye. I can’t say for sure if it was love at first sight, but in short, I didn’t hate you that much anymore.”
“Gradually, I also saw some of your charm. I selfishly requested your response, and when I was in deep danger, you protected me along with Viseliane.”
“Maybe this is favorability. Although I feel it’s a bit strange when I think about it now because I can’t describe the feeling with words, even though I wonder if the feelings came too quickly…”
“But I feel that my own heart should not be lying to me. The feelings came suddenly, but they should also represent my inner thoughts, so…”
“Mr. Grin, you have earned my approval.”
“I hope my immaturity did not cause too many misunderstandings for you. You should be able to forgive my immature dislike and accept my apology now that I am a bit more mature, right?”
As she spoke, Dolores drew from her Memory and tried hard to put on a pleading little expression.
Viseliane’s fists, hidden behind her back, were clenched tight. If she had woken up a bit later, she might have had no doubts about this, just as Dolores expected.
But she had heard. Hearing Dolores’s words, she could tell they were laced with concealment and falsehood, much like a helpless child.
This made Viseliane even more firm in her thoughts.
As for Grin, he indeed did not hear any loopholes in Dolores’s words.
This was because the latter half of Dolores’s words deliberately guided him toward the **[System]**. A sudden, overly fast feeling of Like would indeed be the **[System]**’s doing.
The dislike in the earlier part also fit the attributes of a young girl.
Grin accepted Dolores’s explanation.
Actually, Dolores was not stupid; she had just been influenced by confusion at the beginning.
Dolores had answered Grin’s question.
So next, it was Grin’s turn to answer her question.
Dolores actually had another idea.
‘Could I… evoke a sense of pity from him?’
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