A Story

"This is an ancient story. Legends say that there existed a kind young man. One day the young man met an incredible old man on the street and the old man asked the young man to sell his shadow to him."

"Shadow?"

"Yes, the shadow that comes out when the sun rays hit us. He had wanted to buy it at the price of ten gold coins. The young man sold it to the old man without any hesitation."

"What happened after that?"

Elizabeth seemed drawn to the story.

"If it was your highness, what would you do?"

Linley Bart didn't want to tell the story and thus he threw the question to Elizabeth.

She then thought for a while before answering.

"If I didn't encounter such a situation, I wouldn't know. Perhaps I would sell it, perhaps I won't. It depends on the price offered."

"That's right. In fact, questions such as whether life or money is more important are actually laughable."

"What do you mean?"

"The value of one yuan and the value of one hundred million yuan are completely different. Even the value of life varies from person to person. It's completely fake to say that every human being is born equal."

"It is just like the difference in the value of my life and yours. I am a genius, whereas you are mediocre."

"Anyway, the young man thinks that ten gold coins are worth much more than his own shadow. Isn't that so? Even if one had no shadow, he wouldn't face any trouble or discomfort. Also, it wouldn't constrict him in any way."

Elizabeth seemed to sense something but said nothing.

"However, guess what happened next? The young man was persecuted by the villagers and his family. He became incompatible with those surrounding him. People started saying that the young man who had lost his shadow was very scary."

"You…"

Elizabeth seemed to have something to say, but she was quickly silenced by Linley Bart's voice.

"Of course it's scary. Although there are certain instances where shadows are scary, people who lost their shadows are even scarier. The most common thing he had with others had disappeared. In other words, the young man sold something that was important to him for ten gold coins."

"…"

"In order to retrieve his shadow, the young man searched everywhere for the old man. No matter how long it took and no matter how many methods he used, he was still unable to find that inconceivable old man."

"So what's next?"

Elizabeth replied to Linley Bart's question calmly.

"What exactly happened?"

"En, nothing happened after that. I'm just thinking, do you have any sympathy for the young man who sold his shadow in the story?"

"I didn't sell away my weight!"

Elizabeth sounded angry.

"Yes, it's not a sale. It's an equivalent exchange. Losing one's weight is a greater loss than losing one's shadow. Even so, the discord between the two is the same, but is that all?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, is that all?"

Linley Bart acted as though this was the end of their conversation, clapping his hands against his chest.

"I'll help you if you want to regain your weight."

"Can you save me?"

"I can't save you but I can lend you my strength."

"I understand."

Then there was silence again.

The young man who sold his shadow.

She who had lost her weight.

How did one survive a life where one treated gentleness as hostility?

Linley Bart didn't understand. This wasn't something he could understand.

"I'm done showering."

Elizabeth emerged from the bathroom.

Naked.

"Your highness?"

"Leave that place. I can't take out the clothes if you stand in front of the wardrobe."

Elizabeth calmly fiddled with her wet hair while pointing at the wardrobe behind Linley Bart.

"Clothes! Put your clothes on!"

"Aren't I going to start wearing them now?"

"Why are you only wearing it now!?"

"Do you want me not to wear it?"

"I said, quickly put it on!"

"I forgot to bring it in."

"You could still use a towel to cover your body!"

"Of course not. That's just too tiring."

She said it in a serious manner.

"Because I'm a princess."

Being a princess had nothing to do with wearing clothes…

Yet, she had said it as if all the princesses in the world were naked.

Clearly, there was no point in discussing this topic any further. Linley Bart left the wardrobe.

It was the first time he'd seen a girl naked.

But something was wrong. It was different from what he had imagined.

Although Linley Bart strongly believed that he didn't have any fantasies about her at all, he was still quite expectant at seeing a girl's naked body.

"Is white okay?"

"Anything is fine."

"Can the lingerie be patterned?"

"You don't need to tell me all that."

"I'm just asking for your opinion. Why are you shouting so loudly? I really don't understand."

He could hear the sound of the closet opening and the sound of clothes rubbing against each other.

It was indeed a little unbearable.

The flames in Linley Bart's mind refused to go away.

"Did you have evil thoughts after seeing my naked body?"

"Even so, it's not my responsibility."

"If you dare to touch me, I'll bite my tongue immediately."

"How chaste."

"It's biting off your tongue."

"You really are scary."

How should he put it?

It was impossible for a normal man to understand this woman.

"Alright, turn around."

"Got it, seriously…"

Linley Bart turned around.

What he saw was Elizabeth who was only in her bra. She did not even wear her socks.

She had even put on a sexy pose.