Volume 4 Chapter 16

Volume 4 + Chapter 16: Great And Bold

“Xia Lulu, I’m here because I want to… settle this with you, woman to woman!!”

　

Xia Yi stood before Xia Lulu, projecting all the momentum she could muster as she declared this line.

　

“A duel to determine who’s the better woman? Daughter, what are you even talking about?”

　

Xia Lulu propped her cheek on one hand, unable to suppress her laugh.

　

“You and I are both women, you know.”

　

“That’s not what I meant!!” Xia Yi denied. “I mean I want to duel you!!”

　

“A duel?”

　

“That’s right, a duel!”

　

“If you want to play cards, you can find someone else—like the Duelist House in the capital,” Xia Lulu said. “I don’t really play those card games, so I can’t duel you with cards.”

　

“I’m not talking about cards!!!”

　

Xia Yi was already about to lose her patience.

　

“Xia Lulu, I’m talking about a real fight between the two of us!”

　

“And why would you want that?” Xia Lulu asked.

　

“Because I want to make you face reality in combat,” Xia Yi emphasized. “Your attitude toward me lately has been a huge problem. You’re not taking things seriously at all! We are mortal enemies—you should feel fear when facing me, terror even, because I now possess power far beyond what you can imagine!”

　

“Terrifying power…”

　

Xia Lulu nearly couldn’t hold back her laughter.

　

“You mean your acting-cute attack?”

　

“You’re going too far—way too far! Xia Lulu, I’m dueling you today, right now, immediately!!” Xia Yi fumed.

　

Today, she had to teach Xia Lulu a lesson.

　

Her power had already advanced to the Fourth Tier, she had even stepped into the realm of Holy Sword Liberation.

　

Compared to her former self, she was a completely different being.

　

The current Xia Yi fully believed she could defeat Xia Lulu and erase her humiliation.

　

Surpass her, defeat her, crush her!

　

“No.”

　

“Xia Lulu, are you scared? You are the Silver Dragon Queen—how could you ever fear a challenge from another dragon?”

　

“I simply don’t have time,” Xia Lulu said, patting the pile of documents beside her. “This is my working hour. I have to handle national affairs.”

　

“Ah… well…”

　

Xia Yi hesitated.

　

Xia Lulu indeed was busy with official duties. If she kept making a fuss, wouldn’t that make her the unreasonable one?

　

Hmm…

　

Right!

　

She suddenly came up with the perfect solution.

　

“Hmph, Xia Lulu, don’t think you can escape! An excuse like that won’t let you avoid battle!!”

　

While tossing out provocative declarations, the little princess obediently sat on the nearby sofa, placing her hands neatly on her knees.

　

“I’ll wait right here until you’re off work. The moment you finish handling your state affairs, we will duel!”

　

“Do as you please, daughter.”

　

Xia Lulu agreed.

　

And so, Xia Yi stared intently at Xia Lulu.

　

Xia Lulu continued processing official documents, and time slowly passed.

　

“Ugh… so slow!!”

　

Xia Yi noticed that the towering stack of files barely seemed to decrease at all.

　

She was already sleepy from boredom—no manga, no novels, no toys…

　

It was basically imprisonment.

　

This wasn’t an office. It was a prison cell.

　

“Xia Lulu… can’t you go any faster? I’ve been waiting forever…” Xia Yi’s voice grew pitiful.

　

“I want to go faster too, but there’s simply too much work.”

　

Xia Lulu lifted her eyes toward her daughter, then moved a portion of the paperwork in front of Xia Yi.

　

“Here. Help me with this.”

　

“Me?”

　

Xia Yi froze.

　

She remembered that she had helped Xia Lulu process paperwork before.

　

But most of it was too difficult, and in the end she only managed to process a single file—rejecting Gran’s application for magic research funds.

　

“If you help me, we can start the duel sooner,” Xia Lulu said. “You are now the Silver Dragon Princess, sole heir to the dragon royal family. You’ll have this authority in the future anyway—you might as well get used to it.”

　

“W-well… when you put it that way…”

　

“Or are you admitting you’re inferior to me in this area?”

　

Xia Lulu began her taunting.

　

“You talk big about surpassing me, but in this field you can’t even compare to me in the slightest.”

　

Devastatingly effective.

　

“Don’t underestimate me, Xia Lulu! Just because you can do it doesn’t mean I can’t! I’m a super genius—if I set my mind to something, there’s nothing I can’t learn,” Xia Yi declared confidently. “Fine, I’ll take it!”

　

“Then let’s begin.”

　

Xia Lulu returned to her seat.

　

Xia Yi flipped through the documents, wavering for a while before finally asking, “Do you really want me to do this?”

　

“Act according to your own judgment,” Xia Lulu replied without even looking up.

　

“My own judgment…” Xia Yi blinked. “I understand!”

　

She no longer held back—she threw herself into the task, writing boldly, reshaping the nation in a grand vision.

　

“Done!”

　

After finishing, Xia Yi lifted her masterpiece and read it from beginning to end.

　

Perfect.

　

She peeked over at Xia Lulu, who seemed deeply absorbed in an important file and unable to spare attention.

　

Feeling bored while waiting, Xia Yi quietly opened the door and slipped out.

　

Serra was waiting outside.

　

“Serra, come take a look!”

　

Xia Yi handed the document to her.

　

“This is my sweeping reform for the Dragon Kingdom!”

　

“Eh?”

　

Serra didn’t really know what the queen and princess were doing, but she still took the document and read it.

　

After finishing it, she was stunned.

　

As a highly professional royal maid, she refrained from extreme reactions, offering only a gentle smile.

　

“This is very much in Your Highness’s style. Bold, imaginative, strikingly original. If the past Dragon Kings were to see your proposal, they would certainly be… cough… dazzled. In terms of creativity, you are truly unprecedented!”

Serra paused. “However, if possible, I would still advise Your Highness to consider practical—”

　

“Daughter, what are you doing out there?”

　

Xia Lulu’s voice came from inside the office.

　

“Oh! I’m coming!”

　

Before Serra could finish, Xia Yi ran back in.

　

“Xia Lulu, take a look! This is my policy proposal!”

　

She placed the document before Xia Lulu. Thinking back on how Serra had praised her, she was overflowing with confidence.

　

This would definitely shock Xia Lulu.

　

Xia Lulu picked it up, read from start to finish, then fell silent.

After a moment, she lifted her gaze toward her daughter.

　

“You’re serious?”

　

Xia Yi answered solemnly, “Yes. This policy will absolutely transform the future of the Dragon Kingdom. I hereby name this great and bold decision—the Osmanthus Cake Act!”