“Isn’t Little Xuefei just too adorable today?”
“Um, excuse me, can I pet your head?”
“No way, I get to touch her first!”
“Better yet, let’s give her some snacks. Line up one by one—no pushing!”
Haven’t I completely turned into a mascot at this point?
What happened to the dignity of the Dragon Clan? I’m the strongest below the Dragon King, with authority second only to one in the palace. How did things end up like this?!
Xuefei stared at the pile of assorted snacks heaped in front of her and recalled Leia’s parting words before she left. She couldn’t help but sigh inwardly…
Damn it. I really need to be more careful next time.
Just then, a petite figure squeezed through the crowd. Xuefei took a closer look—it was Celi.
She was dressed almost exactly like Xuefei, except her maid skirt was a bit longer, not exposing the soft flesh at her waist… and she even wore the same style of white stockings as most of the maids.
“Lady Xuefei?”
“Oh, it’s you, Celi…”
The Snake Demon Princess shook her head left and right, staring in shock at Xuefei, who was surrounded so tightly she couldn’t see daylight.
“Celi, um…”
Xuefei desperately wanted to explain. She’d been ready to resign herself to her fate, but seeing Celi’s stunned expression made her heart race with anxiety…
She really wasn’t some kind of mascot!
Their time on the carriage and the misunderstandings during their chat had indeed led Celi to see her as something cute. But now, her image had fully collapsed—she’d become a little pet everyone wanted to feed.
How was she supposed to explain that? Xuefei tried to play it cool as she said, “Actually, my majesty is super impressive! My Evil Dragon Fire Breath could scare everyone away! Hmph hmph…”
At least Celi seemed like she had potential. She wouldn’t stoop to Laer’s level. If Xuefei established her image early, Celi would surely start to revere her!
But when Xuefei spotted the doll dangling from Celi’s hand, she instantly scrapped that naive notion.
Celi was one of them!
“Um, I do think you’re really cute, Lady Xuefei, but you seem reluctant to admit it?”
“Admit nothing!”
She was a fierce one—a total badass, not a pushover. She had to stay fierce. If she admitted to being cute, how could she fulfill her lifelong wish of pinning Leia beneath her?!
At the very least, she couldn’t lose in terms of presence!
If anyone else dared call her cute, Xuefei was ready to unleash her oppressively powerful “Dragon Howl”!
“Rawr rawr~”
Xuefei raised her hands like claws, baring her milky-white little fangs… But since she was surrounded by friendly maids, not enemies, she held back a bit to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings.
The intimidating pressure she’d imagined didn’t materialize. Instead, her actions came off like a cheetah mewling sweetly for milk!
That subtle restraint only amplified the cuteness of her already energetic pose, leaving everyone utterly enchanted.
Lethal cuteness rating: SSS.
The moment a few young maids started spurting nosebleeds, Xuefei thought they were sick and even moved to comfort them. But as she drew closer, she realized they were simply smitten with her!
“Damn it…” Xuefei turned to explain the situation to Celi, only to find her frozen in place, eyes glazed over, looking half-conscious.
Xuefei…
She might not have Laer’s sensuality, but… wasn’t this cuteness just too captivating, too pleasing to the eye?
Appreciating cute Xuefei was a far cry from romance. In fact, many of these maids had their own partners and even snuck off for trysts in broad daylight.
Besides, no one could resist the charm of a cute little Dragon Girl—unless she wasn’t Xuefei!
Xuefei suddenly felt like she’d stumbled into a cult. The object of their worship was her, and the high priestess was none other than Head Maid Laer.
In the end, what should have been the Maid Corps’ most normal lunchtime devolved into frenzied chaos amid the lively atmosphere. Xuefei finally broke free from the maids, planning to try blending in with them again tomorrow.
Quick, make a break for it~
Believers are all a little crazy, no matter how many there are.
~~~
In truth, Celi was fairly innocent in all this.
It was her first time trying to fit in with the Maid Corps, and she never expected them to be so enthusiastically welcoming. Lunch and dinner in the restaurant were far livelier than any gathering back in the Snake Demon Country!
These beings, known to the outside world as the fearsome “Guardians,” had always been depicted as vicious demons. When Celi first heard she was joining them, she’d even felt a twinge of nervousness and despair.
However, that was a sin she had brought upon herself—one that only she could atone for…
When Celi arrived at the palace, she discovered that everything here was utterly different from the outside world’s rumors.
The so-called evil guardians were nothing more than a group of demon big sisters dressed in maid outfits. Each one had a tall, graceful figure, and most had even come to the palace through formal recruitment channels to serve the Dragon King.
Without exception, they all had dolls resembling Xuefei dangling from their wrists or tucked into other corners of their clothes. While marveling at Laer’s skillful handiwork, Celi couldn’t help but feel…
For a fleeting moment, she truly thought of this place as her real home. But no matter what—even if she agreed to fuse with demonic energy and become one of the Demon Race—she would never abandon her identity as the Princess of the Snake Demon Country…
And yet, she still couldn’t stop caring about that person.
Laer.
Head Maid Laer, the Evil Dragon’s strongest guardian and one of the most revered figures among all the maids. She possessed strength without equal in the world, second only to the two Evil Dragons. It had been obvious that she’d held back during their fight, and the reason for it had planted a suspicious seed in Laer’s heart that very day.
What kind of person was Laer, really? Why had she shown such concern and care toward her…
With the other maids, Laer was sometimes stern, sometimes relaxed, making it impossible to tell if she was truly serious. But Celi knew that only when facing her did a special emotion surface.
Gentleness.
The first time she’d met Laer, there had been a faint, elusive sense of familiarity…
And so,
the night before, in Laer’s room, Celi mustered her courage and asked:
“Um, I’ve always had this question… Lady Laer.” Celi asked cautiously, her eyes flicking toward the nearby wall corner.
“What?”
“Have we… met before?”
“…”
Laer didn’t know how to answer that question. Her heart raced a few times before she finally just patted the girl’s head.
“We made a bet. Had a magic duel.”
“Is that so? Was it something from when we were kids?” Celi mused thoughtfully. “By the way, who won?”
Win or lose…
Laer’s thoughts drifted far, far away.
But back then, the world hadn’t been reset yet. She had still been the Great Sage, the one entrusted with hope.
The Hero Party had been green and inexperienced. Though most of its members were prodigiously talented, unforeseen difficulties had come one after another. Before long, their passionate spark had been doused by something called “Reality,” reduced to damp, smoldering firewood. Hope had turned into a wisp of pale smoke, gradually fading into nothingness.
Right when the party’s survival hung in the balance, the Snake Demon Princess had taken them in.
