Book 19: Chapter 22
“We’ve arrived at shore.”
The news was excellent news for the four sisters who were about to turn in. The four sisters had been floating on the ocean waters for a long, long time, so long that it felt somewhat sickening. Even Daisy, who had recovered, looked sick. With the passage of time, not even the Princesses got to eat sumptuous meals as they initially did. Life was nowhere near as relaxing as it once was. Ying and Tanya weren’t the fun type, so the sisters had virtually nothing to do on board. The boredom got to the point where Liu Yue plucked her fur to play with.
The four sisters grew scared of loneliness, so they squeezed into one room. The news lit up the atmosphere in the room. The girls, who were lying dead, instantly sat up. Even the fur on Liu Yue’s tail stood up. She looked at Ying with a surprised look.
Ying nodded: “Yes. We can see land now. We have arrived at the port. According to the young man, this is his nation. We are stopping at sea for one night as we are refused entry at night. We, therefore, will be getting to shore tomorrow. Oh, and one more thing. I hope you can fix your appearances so that you do not embarrass His Majesty.”
That last comment was a pointless one for the sisters had already taken off to their own rooms to search for their clothes. With that said, it wasn’t because they thought of what Ying mentioned but solely because they liked to look good and wanted to play once they got to shore. Ying and Tanya didn’t go as envoys, which explained why they didn’t wear armour but ordinary clothing. Their tall physique and aloof appearances made them the perfect ice beauties.
Liu Yue sprinted outside to the rail. She saw the flashing lights in the darkness resembling shining stars in the night sky. The air was no longer purely the scent of seawater. The scent of food from humanity as well as some rotten seafood lingered in the air. Normally speaking, the smell should be gag-inducing, but it almost brought to tear to her eyes at that moment.
Liu Yue admired the soldiers aboard. They managed to stay as calm as a cucumber no matter where they were. Despite leading lives stricter than her own, their morale never dwindled, and none of them complained. Furthermore, they weren’t allowed to leave the ship without Ying’s command in spite of having reached the shore, which meant that reaching the shore wasn’t good news. Of course, there was also the youngster.
Liu Yue couldn’t help but want to see the youngster. They arrived at his homeland. It was the place he mustered up all of his strength to return to. It was the place where the countless stories and wonderful festivals he spoke of was, and also the place where she’d get to enjoy a celebration with her sisters. It was late at night at the moment, hence impossible to see anything on the shore.
“How does the city on shore look? How do the buildings look? How many people are there? How many stores are there? How large is the palace? I live in the Imperial City. My father named a city Troy City. My two grandmas live at Duargana and Hilles City. However, I’ve never been here,” pondered Liu Yue.
“Why do I feel as though you’re very eager to rush down there to see the city?”
Liu Yue turned her head around to see Vera. Vera was dressed in a purple dress. It was practically impossible to see her dress, but her white skin from the elven genetics she inherited highlighted her as if she was a light in the darkness. Vera withheld her smile. Obviously, her breasts didn’t stand out just as when she was a kid…
Liu Yue was embarrassed as her sister read her mind. She forcibly put up a front. She looked at the flames in the direction of the shore and struggled to enunciate her response, “I never thought about doing that.”
“You’re a great liar, but your tail is a horrible liar.”
Vera went up to her sister’s rear and grabbed her fluffy tail out of the blue. Liu Yue shrieked. Vera played with Liu Yue’s gentle and smooth tail, causing Liu Yue to convulse. Liu Yue desperately tried to pull her tail out of Vera’s grasp.
“Whenever you harbour any naughty ideas, your tail will stand up. When you’re happy, your tail will wag side to side as a dog’s does. When you’re unhappy, your tail will hang down.”
Vera released Liu Yue with a mischievous laugh. She placed Liu Yue’s tail down. Liu Yue pulled her tail back into her grip. She glared at her sister and thundered, “Don’t touch my tail! My tail is very important! I can’t let people thoughtlessly touch it, and how did you know all that? Are you a creepy stalker?!”
“You actually have the shame to say that? Aren’t you the creep who stalks Dad every day? I just watched you. You’re as easy to read as Mommy Ling Yue. Plus, I’m your sister. Your family. If your family can’t touch your tail, doesn’t that mean not even Dad can touch it?”
“Dad is different to you!”
“How are we different? I’ve also inherited Dad’s blood. Nothing will happen if I have a little touch.”
Vera stopped wanting to discuss Liu Yue’s tail, and so she stopped speaking to her sister. Instead, she leaned onto the rail. Vera looked at the flames her sister was looking at. She let out a breath of relief: “I’m so glad we’ve finally arrived. I genuinely think I would’ve gone crazy on the ship, otherwise.”
Liu Yue glanced at her sister out the corner of her eyes: “I remember you were the one who egged us on to come here most fervently. Why are you now complaining after a minor problem?”
“Didn’t you say you didn’t want to come? You’re the first one who wanted to follow the boy here to prove yourself if you ask me. I only gave it the extra push after seeing you so eager.”
“Since when did you turn into another Daisy?”
Daisy was the famous tsundere between the four sisters. She looked aloof on the surface, refusing to ignore anybody. In truth, she’d considerately go to her sisters. She wasn’t dislikeable despite her tsundere nature. That said, it gave her sisters an urge to tease her. Liu Yue already predicted what Daisy’s comment on the topic would be. She thought Daisy would definitely say, “It’s not like I wanted to come here. I only came because you came here. I was worried about you, so I came along. Don’t make me waste my time worrying about you.”
“While we’ve arrived here, Liu Yue, you must remember that we’re not here for a holiday. We’re in danger to some degree. Though he said he could protect us, do you think somebody who barely looks alive could protect us? My point is that you have to look after yourself. This place is not as safe as at home.”
“This has nothing to do with us, does it? Dad did say something was happening here, but it has nothing to do with us, does it?”
“That’s not correct, Liu Yue. Since they need Dad, that means they absolutely will need us. Think about it. If they can’t persuade Dad to come here and lock us up, wouldn’t that force Dad to come? The difference is that we don’t know if somebody will jump straight to that step. Hence, I think we better be as careful as we can.” Vera patted her sister on her shoulder. Tone serious, she elaborated, “The guy isn’t worth trusting in the slightest. Actually, even if he did want to protect us, I don’t think he has the ability to. I, to the contrary, will definitely protect you and our sisters.”
Confused, Liu Yue titled her head. Her sister’s serious temperament confused her. She asked, “What exactly is wrong with you, Vera? You’re completely unlike yourself. Vera, why are you suddenly telling me this? Did you think I’d be touched? I think I ought to be protecting you instead of you protecting me.”
Vera sighed with a wounded heart. She leaned over and pouted: “Everybody else has cute younger sisters, while mine thinks of me that way. Protecting my younger sisters is a matter of course. Why does my younger sister hurt me – not to mention the fact that she doesn’t feel touched? I need to share our story with Dad when we get back, so of course, I have to protect you.”
“You want to be the main protagonist in the story you tell Dad?!! You’re too simple-minded!”
Liu Yue suddenly had a spark of realisation: “The serious Vera isn’t considering my safety. This girl is just waiting for danger to present itself so that she can protect her sister with her magic. Then, she’ll become the main protagonist of her story. She wants Dad to like her more! What a sinister woman she is… She doesn’t possess a fragment of the elves innocence and kindness. I haven’t suspected her just once. I suspect that she’s not my kind and gentle Mommy Lucia’s biological daughter…”