When the plot-skips players into the game world

Ligeia stepped outside and saw Yanis waiting for her at the door.

Yanis signalled Ligeia to come over with a wave of her hand, then took her into the study.

Upon entering, Ligeia plopped down in a seat and asked carelessly, "Did you want to see me for something?"

"What were you doing staring at them in the room?"

Yanis didn't answer but instead posed this question in return.

Hearing this, Ligeia burst into laughter, "Hey, about that... I was just keeping an eye on them."

"Watching what?"

"How awful would it be if they accidentally got pregnant."

Ligeia spoke frankly, "Her Majesty hasn't had her official coronation yet. According to the proper etiquette process, that won't happen until next summer at the earliest, by which time she'd be showing. That's definitely unseemly."

"Your concern does make sense... but what are you afraid of? Isn't Lily watching them inside?"

Yanis sighed helplessly, "Worry when you see Lily kicked out."

"Huh?"

Ligeia asked in return, "Isn't Lily that kid's personal maid? I remember it was her who tutored Aiwass... When he was about thirteen or fourteen, right?"

Yanis was taken aback for a moment, "Really? That can't be."

"She said so herself. It seems to be some kind of tradition, but I'm just a country girl; I don't understand these things."

Ligeia shrugged, "I knew all along that these big families in Avalon were all quite messy, but I never thought that personal maids had that kind of tradition..."

"...Tradition?"

Yanis repeated, her expression suddenly turning strange.

Ligeia noticed her expression and asked with some confusion, "What's wrong?"

Yanis inquired, "Did she tell you that personal maids were to tutor young noblemen so that they wouldn't fall in love outside and father illegitimate children?"

"...Indeed, she did say that. Is there a problem?"

Ligeia began to catch on.

Yanis burst out laughing and slapped Ligeia on the shoulder, "I told her that line," Yanis said with her eyes curving into a smile, "but I made it up."

"What?"

Ligeia was stunned for a moment.

"Think about it," Yanis couldn't help but say, "If Avalon really had such a tradition, then where did Lily herself come from? Do you think the Drost Family is short of maids?"

"...Not necessarily."

Ligeia crossed her arms and tapped her arm as she retorted, "Maybe he just likes that sort of thing?"

"But it can't be that everyone likes it, can it? If there really were such a rule, then wouldn't the eldest sons, who inherit the family business and the Knight's name, be more likely to have maids? Having a bastard would be more disgraceful for them than for those without any inheritance rights, wouldn't it?

"In fact, it's a tradition of the Star Antimony people. There, nobles don't have just one servant for each offspring, like the Avalonians, and definitely more than one personal maid. They can have both manservants and maidservants at the same time.

"And if we trace the origins, this comes from the research of scholars from the time of the empire—they hadn't yet understood the principle of the Path impulse, considering it a curse of the bastard child. They thought bastards were more prone to 'madness,' so they had the children born to maids and then killed them to lift the curse.

"Later scholars understood that there was no 'curse of the bastard child,' but Star Antimony and Iris still inherited part of that tradition. The nobles there have a lot of maids, and the most bastard children are their offspring, also to vent their Path impulses, because there are many political marriages in Star Antimony, and the couples are basically interest-based, with little emotional foundation.

"In the Iris Kingdom, they don't call them 'maids' but 'Guardian Knights.' Even noble girls occasionally like to recruit their own 'Knights,' which are really lovers. Avalon might have cases like this, but it's definitely not common. Otherwise, how could Lily dare to introduce herself as Aiwass's personal maid outright when she was in school?"

Yanis smiled, stretching her hand to rub Ligeia's little round head, "Besides, that is the Moriarty Family—what is there to fear about a bastard child?"

"...Oh, right."

Ligeia suddenly realized it.

The Moriarty Family had no such thing as the concept of a bastard child—
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According to the rules of the Moriarty Family, even biological children born in marriage who couldn't inherit the family business or surname. Only adopted children who were raised could inherit the family. There was no issue of bastard children at all.

"You, a ninety-year-old virgin, definitely don't understand this."

Yanis said with a wicked laugh, "Which do you think has a stronger desire, a thirteen or seventeen-year-old? After trying the taste of meat at thirteen, is it possible to stop eating meat by eighteen?"

"I'm not ninety years old; I'm not even one yet,"

Ligeia replied subconsciously, but as soon as the words left her mouth, she suddenly realized, "How do you know Aiwass hasn't indulged? Could it be..."

"I watch every night. After all, Elves don't need to sleep," Yanis stated with righteous indignation.

"Why are you peeking at a little boy sleeping?!"

"To protect his safety," Yanis said seriously, "Aiwass has been attacked more than once while sleeping, right? Without Oswald here, if I don't stay vigilant, he could get killed one day and you all wouldn't even know. You don't think the Shadow Demon's protection is truly safe, do you? Just consider the incident with Graham; he wouldn't have survived that."

"...Fine, but why did you tell that lie at the time, Yanis?"

Ligeia asked unhappily in response.

Yanis defended herself righteously: "That was the first time Aiwass met Isabel, wasn't it? I had to test him, see if he was a playboy or not. Didn't you also find out about his numerous romantic debts?"

"Speaking of romantic debts, it seems they had nothing to do with him."

"They did."

Yanis commented, "His own attitude doesn't matter, but as long as he has so many admirers, it will certainly cause trouble for Isabel. At the time, I just wanted to keep Princess Isabel away from him; she couldn't handle that kind of man.

"Because facing such a topic, whether you explain it or not, it would definitely deduct points from her perspective. Maybe it would make her cool down—after all, it's ridiculous for two people who have never met or interacted with each other to develop feelings just by seeing each other at a promotion ceremony. If you were in my position, you'd have intervened too."

"That's true," Ligeia slowly nodded, "Indeed... and now I also feel that Isabel might not be able to control that kid."

Yanis crossed her arms and added, "Another thing, Ligeia. Did you know Lily has learned 'Night Rabbit Secret Continuation'? It's the legacy of Narcissus Duchy, where only virgins can transform into original Werewolves who can normally consume flesh and blood—this is a restriction from the Path of Love. Son of the Moon has a similar taboo. This is enough to prove she was lying at the time."

Ligeia clicked her tongue, "Tch..."

"What are you clicking your tongue for."

Yanis said bluntly, "That child Lily isn't the type to lie for the sake of face, it must have been that little Fox who signaled her to lie. Instead of saying it's something I did, it's more like something you did."

"I didn't do anything though..."

Ligeia voiced innocently, as if wronged.

She really couldn't remember what she had said at the time.

It seemed like she was pressing for marriage? Anyway, she was just chatting instinctively at that moment and didn't think it through, so she really couldn't recall.

"But since Lily lied so smoothly, even fooling you..."

Yanis narrowed her eyes slightly, "I think she probably likes Aiwass too. But it's not surprising; that little Fox is charming. Not to mention they've spent so much time together.

"Lily and he are indeed close, she was the personal maid who bathed Aiwass when they were young. When Aiwass previously couldn't move around much, it must have been Lily who bathed him. Maybe it's precisely because they are so familiar with each other that she can appear so nonchalant."

"...Oh no."

Ligeia clasped her hand with a hint of panic: "I told Isabel about this!"

"How did you put it?" Yanis pressed.

"I just spoke plainly..."

Ligeia jumped up from the chair anxiously and started circling around Yanis, "Does this mean I spread rumors? Should I explain it to Isabel?"

"...No, there's no rush."

After thinking for a moment, Yanis put her hand on Ligeia: "It might not be a bad thing."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Don't be fooled by Isabel's appearance of being gentle and fragile; our little queen has a strong subconscious aggression and cares very much about what she values, determined to obtain it. The closer she is to losing it, the more fixated she becomes. It's just that she's used to failing... If she's not in a hurry, she'll hesitate and wait until she's sure she can win before making a move.

"I wanted her to fail once before, for the same reason. She is soft on the outside and tough on the inside; when pushed, she will awaken."

The Elf Painter analyzed her student, "But the current situation is different. Aiwass using Lily to deflect your marriage push shows he isn't that invested yet. That is to say, Isabel likes Aiwass, but Aiwass doesn't like her as much yet.

"In such a case, if she continues to hesitate, wanting Aiwass to start liking her on his own before she confesses... it might lead to complications, considering that the little Fox can easily be described as a lady-killer. Having Lily's matter to prod her, Isabel will start to feel anxious—she needs to be sufficiently worried before she dares to act.

"Rather than completely losing something and then truly growing up and becoming mature from heartache, let's continue as we are for now. If she feels she has an absolute advantage, she might become indecisive again."

Yanis concluded, "In short, don't tell Isabel anything for now."

Ligeia sighed, "Fine, I'm not the thinker here, I'll listen to you for now. This was my fault too... just don't mess it up, okay?"

Elsewhere, Aiwass, watching Isabel clumsily handle the political affairs from his bed, also sighed silently.

Let it be, he thought. I'll just teach her slowly for now. After all, Avalon isn't in such a rush anymore.

Though still somewhat childish, she was definitely better than the "Queen Vanhua Isabel" who would have truly grown up and become mature and rational only after complete loss.

A queen who rises from suffering is admirable, and her spirit to endure hardship is commendable. But the suffering itself is not worthy of praise.

Suffering is just suffering.

Since Aiwass had come to this world, it wouldn't be for nothing.

Not for Justice, nor for saving the world. But simply because, within reach and capability, as someone not so hardened at heart, he couldn't stand to see so much wailing and misery.

—Such bloody growth is better left undesired.

He alone could shoulder the heavens.