After being reborn, I was turned into a slave girl by a princess.

But resistance was futile; Candel was immediately led into a secret chamber. The room was completely dark; even if she screamed her lungs out, no one outside would hear her.

And right here...

Candel discovered the very thing that terrified her the most.

"Candel, do you know your crime?"

"Huh?!"

In the dimly lit room, a silver-haired woman sat in the main seat.

She had bright silver hair, and although her clothes were simple, just a fitted white dress, they perfectly accentuated her majesty, making people dare not look down on her in the slightest.

Beside her, Princess Cecilu obediently lowered her head, serving at her side.

Therefore, even though Candel had never seen the appearance of the women in Ruohui Palace...

However, the feeling of blood being thicker than water made her recognize the other person's identity immediately.

"You...you are the King of Ruohui Palace?"

"You unfilial daughter, how dare you address your father by his name?"

"Huh?!"

Although Candel felt a slight resistance after being reprimanded by Ruohui Palace, at the same time... she also felt inexplicably happy.

This means that Ruo Hui Palace has not abandoned her; she still recognizes her as her daughter and acknowledges that she is Princess Cecilu's sister.

then……

"Father, Father..."

"Hmm, that title is acceptable. However, for now, you should address me as Father."

"Father..."

"Alright, since you've admitted it, then today I will put your past deeds on trial and settle accounts."

"Trial and reckoning?"

Upon hearing this, Candel's legs went weak with fear. She was completely flustered, like a headless grasshopper, and finally looked towards Princess Cecilu:

"Sister, you...you must quickly tell Father for me!! I already surrendered to the kingdom, and Master Elusia forgave me. I've done many things since then, enough to make amends!!!"

During the siege of Insolonia, Candel did indeed do the most crucial thing... She charged straight into the enemy ranks and killed the demon general Mivira.

Otherwise, humanity might suffer even greater losses.

However, Ruo Huigong simply shook her head and said:

“Yes, Candel. Your sins as the Demon Commander and the Vampire Queen can be considered to have been atoned for. But what I’m talking about now is not that… but the family rules of the Clotia family.”

"Family rules...?"

"Yes, as royalty, regardless of gender, one must behave properly and maintain decorum. But what about you? You go around seducing boys and girls, taking their virginity."

"Huh?"

“Therefore, I will punish you here. Cecily, take that out.”

------------------------

Meanwhile, on the other side...

"Wow, these trees are growing so well! They are truly... a gift from nature."

Having been away for more than half a month, the first thing Baiye did upon returning was to investigate the growth of the Tree of Ruins.

As Bai Ye explored further, her expression grew increasingly cheerful.

Because of these trees...

Not only can it bear fruit, it can even produce little fairies!

Baiye was overjoyed to discover that the power of the Void Tree could not only purify polluted substances, but also the souls of those who died unexpectedly in war.

The soul returns to its homeland, its bones buried deep in the earth. This is part of the natural cycle, only the cycle of the Void Tree is more efficient, allowing it to grow into a natural creation.

In this way, once the little fairies' fruits are ripe, the entire forest can self-sustain without the need for dedicated maintenance.

That's truly something to celebrate!

(Oh, right? I heard that Su-ling's pet recently died in an accident. Would it make her happy if we got her a little elf?)

Thinking this, Baiye approached a fruit.

Although it is not yet mature, it can be transplanted directly into a pot along with the entire plant.

As long as I take good care of her on the Time Shuttle, I'm sure Su-ling will receive the best gift ever!

With that thought in mind, Bai Ye prepared to begin. But just as she was about to start digging...

Behind him, a commotion arose.

……

……

"Hey, what are you doing at this hour?"

Several staff members in uniforms suddenly walked in.

Upon seeing them, Bai Ye was taken aback and instinctively spoke frankly:

"I'm... digging up branches, preparing to take the fruit back as a gift for my friends."

Bai Ye would never lie to humans, even strangers... because it was an instinct ingrained in her doll body, and a manifestation of her sincere heart.

However, even the white coconut didn't expect this...

The men suddenly grabbed her and hugged her tightly.

"Alright, alright, she's admitted it herself. Cuff her!"

"Cuff him?! Cuff him?!"

“Yes, damaging the Tree of Life is a first-degree felony, and you were about to cut off its most important roots, which is an even more serious offense. You will spend the rest of your life in prison.”

……

Hearing the men say this, Bai Ye finally understood what was going on!

Because she doesn't like to show off and has always kept to herself behind the scenes controlling the Tree of Ruins, not many ordinary people in the entire Insolonia know her.

For the capital city, the Tree of Ruins is key to purifying the land, thus making it essentially a "nationally endangered plant." White Coconut's actions are akin to theft and crime, punishable by severe penalties.

but!

She is Bai Ye, after all. The current Tree of Destiny was originally nurtured by her magic. She is her closest companion, so if Bai Ye takes a section to nurture, it will not only not harm the tree, but will also help the Tree of Destiny take root and sprout in other places.

"No, no! You've misunderstood. My harvesting method is professional and won't damage the tree!"

"Oh, you're a professional, right? What other pieces did you cut before?"

"what?"

"Tell me the truth now, or you'll regret it."

"No, I'm innocent... Waaah, my shoulder hurts so much..."

The men escorted the bewildered Bai Ye and imprisoned her like this.

Chapter 4 The Punished Princess and the Hero

If she could, Lonnie would rather not stroll around the streets of Insolonia.

After the awarding ceremony, he became a celebrity in the entire kingdom, and every few steps he took, he was met with envious glances from people, which was extremely strange!

Even Lornish hadn't guessed it...

Wow, you're a fan of kemonomimi (animal-eared girls) too?

"what?"

"You acted so well, that's amazing!"

"Ah... ah?"

Lonis stared blankly at the girl in front of her, who had a fluffy tail just like her.

And it wasn't just the other party; there were also many girls on the street wearing animal ears and fox tails... Everyone walked down the street in high spirits, looking cheerful and happy.

"This girl has amazing hearing! Is this a high-end model that can detect sound? I've looked in so many stores, but I haven't been able to find one."

The girl who spoke to Lornish also had a pair of fluffy cat ears on her head, and her tail was curiously curled up into a question mark, making her look extremely cute.

"I, I'm..."

"This is the premium version that grows on your body! Look, if you pinch it, you'll even feel a tactile response!"

Compared to the blushing Lonely, Elusia simply reached out and pinched the little fox's big tail.

"Waaah!"

"Oh, really? Then you must come with us and join the Princess Hero Support Association!"

"Princess Hero Support Association?"

"Yes, I'm the branch president! I'm in charge of organizing support activities in this area. The girl is even wearing fox ears, she must be a big fan of Princess Hero, right?"

"what……?"

Let's come together!

……

……

Since there was nothing else to do today, Lonnies and Elusia followed the cat-eared girl to their association.