Girl in the Box: Please tell me why I was reincarnated as a mimic monster!

Edman extended his hand in a friendly gesture, and Li Hening reciprocated by shaking his hand in politeness. Edman looked noticeably thinner, suggesting that things weren't going well in the duchy.

Edelman explained, "We originally planned to leave the duchy, but once we got outside, we found that the surrounding environment was not only extremely harsh, but also full of all kinds of dangerous monsters and demons. Because it was too dangerous, for the princess's safety, we decided to retreat back to the duchy."

"I see... I understand now." Li nodded, indicating her understanding.

Edman's country is now reduced to its army and the princess. He is utterly loyal to his country, a general who has dedicated everything to it and will do everything in his power to rebuild it. Such a man deserves respect, and his feelings are understandable and admirable. He likely returned to the duchy with the princess to seek refuge in order to preserve their bloodline.

“The right choice,” Ning praised. “If you had left the duchy without a plan, that would have been the real end.”

"Thank you for your praise, Miss Ning." Edman smiled and said, "Oh, by the way, I remember you two came from the New Kingdom with something to convey to Prince Sevi, right? I'm sorry, I won't take up any more of your time. Let's go into the city first and talk. I'll show you the way."

Chapter 15: Finally, they reunited.

Edelman led the two directly into the city. The guards who had been watching them just moments before now looked at them with awe, seemingly knowing their origins. Edelman must have told them.

Their story was quite famous throughout the duchy, but very few people had actually seen them. Even the duchy's soldiers who had contact with them during the war barely remembered their faces; most of the time, they only caught a glimpse before disappearing into the crowd. Therefore, many people were seeing them for the first time, and passersby stared at them curiously. Where could one find such beautiful girls?

Isn't it right in front of us?

“Speaking of which,” Edman suddenly said, “it seems like you two were the ones who took Akihabara away, right?”

"Uh..." Li gave an awkward smile, "It really was us..."

“Indeed, you guys are probably the only ones who can get Akihabara to act in such a unified way.” Edelman smiled wryly. “Not to mention anything else, even I was shocked when I heard about this. Akihabara disappearing from the principality overnight was a big deal in the city at the time.”

"Feel sorry……"

Akihabara is a well-known place in the principality. It is infamous throughout the principality because of its problem districts and is considered a terrifying place by the people of the principality. However, Akihabara is still part of the principality and is one of its unique characteristics. In addition, Akihabara made such great sacrifices and contributions in this war.

Akihabara's existence had earned the respect and recognition of the citizens of the Principality. However, after that, Akihabara suddenly vanished, without even a chance for redemption; they simply disappeared from the Principality. This was a major event that caused a sensation at the time, and the story remains relevant even now, with many wondering where Akihabara went.

The culprit who took Akihabara away, Ri, felt somewhat embarrassed after returning to the Principality today. According to Earth's laws, her actions constituted a crime of splitting the country, and she felt extremely sorry for Savi.

“Hey, you can’t apologize to us.” Edelman quickly interrupted her. “You’re the one who discovered Akihabara’s value and led them to realize their life’s value. In comparison, Savi didn’t do a very good job. It’s obvious who they will follow. No one who knows about this will question you, blame you, or doubt you. This is Akihabara’s choice.”

"That's what they say..." Li could only respond with a wry smile.

"So, what was Saiwei's reaction at that time?" Ning was very curious about the expression on Saiwei's face after he found out that Akihabara had run away.

“The Prince?” Edman recalled for a moment, “Because I had only recently returned to the city with the princess, and I only heard about it from other people. It is said that His Highness the Prince was greatly shocked.”

"Really? That's good then."

Hearing about Saiwei's miserable state, Ning seemed quite happy, even her tone of voice became a little smug. Just how much hatred did this person have for Saiwei... She usually seemed quite mature, but once Saiwei was involved, she inexplicably became very childish. However, this did not affect Ning's normal judgment; she still understood the principle of separating public and private matters.

She just always finds a way to mess with Saiwei...

"You two have come from the New Kingdom, haven't you?" Edman asked. "May I ask how Princess Alice is doing these days?"

"Should I say it's good or bad..." Li looked up at the sky, unsure of the best way to put it.

Ning, speaking for Li who didn't know how to describe it, explained the situation outside to Edman. Although adventurers did pass through this area, the journey was long and infrequent, making intelligence updates extremely slow. Edman's understanding of the outside world stopped at the time when Alice successfully seized power.

After hearing Ning's explanation, Edelman was filled with mixed emotions.

“I can understand Princess Ellis’s feelings.” Edman’s expression was complicated. “However, I believe that with Princess Ellis’s abilities, she will surely be able to restore the kingdom to its former glory.”

“You should change your tune now,” Ning corrected him. “This is the new kingdom of Alyas. And I think you should say these things to her yourself. Once we’ve finished dealing with things here, we’ll arrange these matters. By the way, Edman, you should come and listen too. It’s necessary for you to understand these things as well.”

“Yes, I understand.” Edman nodded.

He had already grasped the current situation from his conversation with Ning. The leaders of the various existing factions would not sit idly by in the face of such events. To gain a deeper understanding of the seriousness of these events and future countermeasures, he needed to attend this meeting. After a long while, the group approached the royal city where Sevi was located. The guards at the gate initially intended to warn them, but upon seeing Li and Ning's appearance, they abandoned the idea and immediately opened the gate.

They were soldiers who had participated in the war and were familiar with its details; they had even met the two most crucial figures in the conflict. Recognizing Li Ning and his companion, they quickly made way for them to enter the palace as soon as possible.

Seeing the guards smiling at them, Li waved to them in a friendly manner, then quickly entered the imperial city.

This was their first time visiting the capital city of the duchy. It was far more deserted than the new kingdom of Alyas, seemingly because everyone had been dispatched to various tasks, leaving few people behind. Perhaps all the surviving kingdoms faced similar problems. Edelman led them, unfamiliar with the palace, down the deserted corridors, gradually approaching the center.

As they approached the central area, more and more people began to appear, and the once quiet palace gradually came to life, even becoming somewhat noisy. From what she could see, most of the people were busy with their work. Then, she noticed a red-haired girl approaching them; the girl looked vaguely familiar.

"Gentlemen, it's been a long time." The girl bowed to the two of them.

Um... hello?

It's familiar, but I can't quite place who it is. However, I'll bow to them now.

"Long time no see, Princess Lihua." Ning bowed respectfully with a standard salute.

After Ning revealed the other person's name, she quickly recalled their identity.

"Ah, you're Savi's sister, right?" Li suddenly realized.

“Yes,” Li Hua smiled, “I met the two of them in Akihabara before, and I was the one who appointed you as the Akihabara Ambassador, Miss Li, don’t you remember?”

"Uh...sorry." Li gave an awkward laugh. "I couldn't remember who it was for a moment..."

“It’s alright,” Lihua said, not minding at all. “I’ve only met you two once, so it’s understandable that I might forget you. I think we’ll have many more opportunities to meet in the future. Please allow me to introduce myself again. My name is Lihua, the princess of the Duchy.”

Li Hua extended her hand, and Li also extended her hand in a friendly manner, shaking hands with hers.

"I am Li, the Dragon King of Time and Space," Li introduced himself, and then casually introduced Ning, "This is Ning, my irreplaceable partner."

"No, that needs to be corrected," Ning interjected, displeased. "I am her husband, understand?"

As if asserting her dominance, Ning completely disregarded the stares of others and simply embraced Li. Li couldn't resist her, so she simply let her hold her. Seeing the intimate interaction between the two, Li Hua sighed with mixed feelings.

“No wonder my brother lost,” Li Hua said with a wry smile. “The two of you are really very much in love.”

"Of course," Ning said confidently. "Someone like Saiwei, a nobody, thinks he can steal my wife? No way!"

“I think so too.” Li Hua showed no intention of speaking up for her brother. “He needs to be a little more mature to have a chance of winning.”

Lihua and Ning brazenly spoke ill of the Duke from every angle in the palace hall, causing everyone around them to stop what they were doing and cast puzzled glances at them. Normally, they would have called the guards to remove these impolite people, but not this time, because among those belittling the Duke was their princess.

Because the situation was complicated, they dared not act rashly and could only cast questioning glances.

Noticing the stares, Edelman coughed twice to interrupt the two's heated discussion, then gestured for them to look around. The two looked around and realized their behavior was inappropriate; they coughed to end the conversation and ease the awkwardness.

“I heard about it from the guards who came earlier,” Li Hua said casually. “You two are here to discuss important matters with my brother, right? Please come with me; my brother is upstairs.”

"Okay, let's go. Li."

"Eh? Oh..."

The moment had finally arrived. Now that they were here, Li, no matter how unwilling, had to face it. Ning grabbed her hand, partly to prevent her from escaping, and partly to deliver another blow to Sevi. However, thanks to this action, Li felt somewhat at ease. The three followed her up to the upper levels of the palace, gradually approaching Sevi's office.

Upon arriving at the office door, Li Hua didn't knock or greet anyone; she simply pushed the door open and went inside. Li Hua hesitated for a moment, but Ning simply pulled her into the office, with Edelman following behind and closing the door behind them.

When Li entered the office, she was immediately dumbfounded. What she saw was not a mountain of documents, but Savi, who was tied to a chair with rope and had his mouth stuffed with paper.

"Waaaaaahh ...

Savi, who had seemed to be whimpering and complaining to Li Hua, was startled when he noticed Li and Ning entering and immediately fell silent. Li guiltily hid behind Ning, and Ning cooperated by standing in front of Li, preventing Savi from seeing her directly.

“So,” Ning asked, pointing at Savi, “Princess Lihua, can you explain what’s going on? It seems like there’s some kind of rebellion going on?”

Upon entering, one is immediately struck by the sight of the country's leader strapped to a chair, giving the impression of being trapped. To ascertain the truth, Ning, acting on behalf of those unaware of the situation, inquired with Li Hua.

"Ah, here's what happened," Li Hua explained with a smile. "Ever since I learned that Miss Li had returned to the Duchy, my brother has been making a fuss about going out. As the ruler of a country, he can't just leave here during such a critical time. Besides, he's being too noisy, so I tied him up. Please don't misunderstand."

Although the girl was saying things that made a lot of sense, she exuded an invisible pressure, making people feel somewhat uneasy. And wasn't her comment about it being too noisy the truth? Anyway, Lihua first took the crumpled paper off and then tossed it aside with disdain. As soon as the paper was removed, Sevi began to complain.

"Lihua—! What are you doing! Why are you tied up here!?"

"I've already given you my reasons, and I don't want to repeat myself."

"Then untie the rope for me!"

"Please ask Miss Ning about this."

Why ask her?!

“My personal suggestion is not to release it,” Ning interjected.

"Then let's do as Miss Ning says."

"Hey! Whose side are you on anyway!?"

After spending some time getting this ridiculous and absurd interaction to an end, Savi was finally freed from the ropes. Whenever he tried to catch a glimpse of Ri, Ri would avoid him, and Ning would block Ri from seeing him. So he had no choice but to give up for the time being.

"Long time no see, Ning." Xuanze showed a "kind" smile.

"Hmm, long time no see, Savi." Ning smiled casually. "You don't look too good."

"Yes, I haven't had a proper rest lately because I've been worried about you all," Saivi asked. "Could I take a look at Li?"

"Yes, we're fine, so you don't need to worry." Ning's tone gradually became barbed. "However, my husband has been having acne these past few days, so it's not convenient for him to see people. Could you please understand?"

“That’s perfect,” Saiwei said, getting excited too. “Our principality has a folk remedy that can get rid of pimples in less than half a day. Let me see…”

"Ahem, gentlemen, shouldn't we get down to business?"

Unable to bear watching their childish behavior any longer, Edelman coughed twice and intervened in their argument. Lihua also gently tapped Savi's head with her book to remind him that they had important matters to attend to. Thanks to the two of them, the conversation was able to continue properly.

"Ahem, let's put aside management matters for now," Ning urged. "We're here today to discuss important matters."

“I think so too,” Savi sat back in his chair. “I’d also like to know what has been happening around you all this time.”

“You’ll find out eventually. But until then,” Ning nudged Li behind her, “I’m begging you.”

"Um……"

Li Congning stepped out from behind, the emblem of the Time-Space Dragon King lit up, and silver magic rose from beneath his feet. This magic gradually formed a small teleportation array, and several blurry figures appeared in the dazzling silver light. After the silver light faded, the people revealed were two people familiar to Savi: one was the princess Alice with superhuman talent, and the other was the demon king Xuanze from another world.

"It's so slow..." Xuanze said sleepily, "A whole day and night has already passed..."

"There was nothing we could do about it," Ning explained. "We ran into some problems along the way, so we had to rest for one night. But we did get some very important intelligence on the way."

“Long time no see, Savi,” Alice greeted Savi.

"You too, Alice. I heard you successfully conquered the kingdom," Sevi greeted her politely.

After exchanging pleasantries, everyone finally got to the main topic of the day.

Chapter 16 Gather together

"Oh, right, and this guy too."

Just as they were about to get down to business, Xuanze suddenly remembered something and interrupted them. Then, the crystal in the Divine Weapon Register lit up, projecting something onto the screen. It was a rock shaped like a mountain, and upon closer inspection, it had a very strong sense of déjà vu. Why was that?

Because this mountain is pressing down on a person, and this person is someone I've met several times recently. This person is Yan, a high-ranking elf with human-like intelligence.

Boom-!

The large rock containing the high-ranking elf landed with a thud on Sevi's desk. The desk was damaged, of course, but the rock itself was unharmed. Yan, trapped inside the rock, gave everyone an awkward smile and waved his hand in greeting.

"Um...? Nice to meet you?" Yan offered a friendly smile as much as possible.

Everyone stared at Yan in surprise, then looked away and exchanged glances. Finally, except for the three unaware of the situation, everyone's attention focused on the Demon King Xuanze who brought Yan, hoping for an explanation. The three unaware of the situation also needed an explanation.

“I said…” Saiwei pointed at Yan and asked, “What is this? Why are you treating people like this?”

"Ah... I forgot to tell you the situation."

Li Xiang realized that because he was in a hurry to gather everyone together before explaining, he hadn't told the three people from the duchy about the elves.

“I imagine you’ve had yourselves through quite a bit during this time,” Xuanze tapped the stone. “She is an elf, but because she is of a higher level, she is a high-ranking elf with human intelligence and appearance, so you don’t need to be polite to her.”

"She...? An elf?" Li Hua was stunned.

Who could so easily believe that the girl trapped inside the large rock was actually an elf? The duchy had been attacked by elves several times during this period. These elves were incredibly powerful, but fortunately, because their numbers were small, they were all safely repelled without causing any major problems, though the soldiers guarding the city were exhausted.

So far, the average level of the elves the duchy has encountered is less than lv.300. Among those at this level, those that can even resemble a little bit of a human are quite rare. But now, what appears before them is a high-ranking elf who looks exactly like an ordinary girl. This leap in status is too great and is hard to accept at first.

However, these people who had already dealt with the elves quite a bit didn't have so many thoughts. They just wanted to know how Xuanze had brought the high-ranking elves here.

"Hey, Demon King," Ning asked, "what's going on?"

"You're asking me what happened...?" Xuanze yawned. "Just like you see... I captured a high-ranking elf."

“Anyone can speak human language. I’m asking what happened.” Ning didn’t seem to accept his answer.

"Ugh... This is so annoying..."

Xuanze was already drowsy at this point. Judging from his appearance, he had probably stayed up all night doing something while the two of them were traveling. This unguarded demeanor only appeared when the Demon King was exhausted. When Xuanze was in this state, his work efficiency would drop significantly, and he would become very sluggish. So it was probably impossible to get anything out of him.

Ning sighed helplessly, rubbing her temples with a headache, then snapped her fingers and said, "It's three in the morning, you should go to sleep."

"Hmm...? Is that so...? Then I'll go to sleep for a while... Don't worry about me..."

For some unknown reason, Xuanze simply found a spot and fell asleep. Soon, they heard his steady breathing coming from the other side, so they didn't want to disturb him.

"What did you do to the Demon King?" Elise asked.

"It's nothing, just a little hint." Ning put his hand away. "In the end, he was just too tired from all the fuss. As for this elf, it's better to ask the elf itself directly than to ask him. We'll tell him the details later. Let's continue. We don't have time to wait for him."

Sometimes people really couldn't understand Xuanze's various behaviors, because he did everything his own way. In addition, since Aiye was gone, no one was watching him, so Xuanze's actions were often very sudden and without any warning. Just like now, no one understood what he did last night to abduct the high elves.