Primordial Villain with a Slave Harem

Chapter 1187: Best Life

Quinlan took the seat. “You seem to be enjoying your stay.”

The princess brightened immediately. “Oh, that is the understatement of the century, Lord Quinlan! Jumping into that scary doorway spell because I was angry with Mom has been the best decision of my life! This place is wonderful!” Her words were tumbling out faster the more she spoke.

Then she continued with a giant smile, “It’s surrounded by trees and gardens, and there’s always a breeze! I take walks every morning. And Rosie…” Her eyes traveled up to meet the dryad’s seated on top of Quinlan’s head, “She’s such an adorable girl! She tells me stories about her tree and the animals she meets. Auntie Yoruha has been a bit difficult to interact with, but her fur is very smooth!”

“Oh?” Quinlan found this news interesting. It was one thing to let Rosie touch her, but to think she permitted the princess as well. Despite her lazy attitude, Yoruha had an air to her that made the woman difficult to approach. His girls, for example, never patted her fur before. Not even Kitsara, who was not only a foxkin like her but also a Nine-Tailed Sorceress as well.

Thus far, only Quinlan and Rosie were allowed to touch her. It seemed the number of privileged people extended on this day.

Quinlan had to wonder if it had something to do with her parents. Maybe Yoruha was curious to learn how the daughter of Alexios and Morgana was. After all, she did say she wanted to see Alexios a final time before he died, which was her reasoning as to why she wanted to go with them to the king’s birthday banquet.

It seemed she had a history with the royal family.

Not noticing the internal thoughts running through Quinlan’s mind, the cheery princess merrily continued, “And today I helped the maids cook! I had no idea I’d enjoy that so much. It was wonderful!”

She laughed lightly, shaking her head. “Back in the palace, I was never allowed near a kitchen. It would’ve caused an uproar if the royal princess prepared food with her own hands.”

Her enthusiasm didn’t fade. “Oh, and the maids here! They’re nothing like the palace staff. Back home, most were noble ladies in waiting, always trying to curry favor or spy on us for their families. But here… they’re honest. Kind. Even the strict ones have hearts of gold.”

Feng was more than happy to explain why that was the case. “That’s because they’re not nobles. Not even trained servants of wealthier commoner backgrounds. They are poor women Quinlan saved, peasants or slaves. A few were even victims of… well, goblin captivity.”

Felicity’s eyes widened in pure shock. She turned sharply to Quinlan. “Is that true?”

He gave a small nod.

Her expression softened. “I see… I noticed that some of them weren’t quite on the level of my maids, but to think this was the reason…” She looked as though she wanted to ask more, then stopped herself, realizing the line she was about to cross. “I won’t ask who. It would be disrespectful to them.”

“What a good girl you are, your mother must’ve spent a lot of time teaching you proper manners. Give her my sincere congratulations, will you?” Feng teased with a smug expression that made the princess look as if she wanted to hiss at the oriental teen. The girl’s relationship with her mother was… shaky to say the least. Feng knew it, of course.

Then the black-haired girl mused, “Though I couldn’t help but notice you didn’t list me among your reasons for loving the place.”

Felicity snorted. “No mistakes were made there. Curb your bottomless arrogance, Jiai.”

“Really?” Quinlan said with mild amusement. “It looks to me like the two of you are becoming great friends.”

“Dream on!” both girls decreed at once, scoffing in perfect unison.

Quinlan chuckled, and from atop his head, Rosie joined in while her tiny legs continued swinging. “Such a feisty pair of teens…” she declared, shaking her head like a disapproving auntie.

Both Feng and Felicity turned their unamused stares on her. Rosie only grinned wider, entirely too pleased with herself.

“Well, I’m happy to see you enjoy your stay,” Quinlan spoke up before the cheeky trio could continue. “But, Felicity, I remember you saying something about having an important thing to tell me once I get back from the mission. Well, here I am.”

Felicity froze as if she’d just been caught sneaking sweets before dinner. Her mouth opened, then closed again. She fiddled with the hem of her silk dress, trying to speak but tripping over half-formed words.

“I-I did,” she managed finally. “I mean, I do. It’s just that…” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “It’s really hard to say out loud.”

Quinlan raised an eyebrow, interested in what she had to say but also patient with the girl. “If you’ve changed your mind, that’s fine. I just thought you had something important to get off your chest. There’s no pressure here.”

He looked ready to rise from his chair.

The moment she realized he might leave, Felicity straightened. Her hands clenched at her sides, forming fists of determination. “No!” she blurted quickly. “That’s not the case. It’s just… It’s a very big decision.”

“Then take all the time you need to make it,” he nodded.

Her head shook in refusal. “The decision has already been made. It seems I’m just a scaredy cat.”

She took a deep breath, stood from the bed, and walked up to him. Then, she bent at the waist, bowing before him as if asking a big favor.

“Please enslave me!”

The words hit Quinlan right in the skull, feeling as if he’d been struck by a hammer.

Quinlan blinked. “… Enslave?”

Felicity looked up from her bowing position. Her cheeks were flushed a deep shade of pink, but her eyes were steady, determined.

“You’re the royal princess… I don’t recall a single mainline royal ever being enslaved, though I’m no history buff… Felicity, do you even know what that word means?”

Her pout was instant. “I’m not a dumb little girl! Of course I know! It means giving up one’s freedom, being someone’s property!”

Quinlan stared, utterly at a loss. “And you want that?”

“Yes!” she declared without hesitation.