Reincarnated as incubus: I didn't mean to seduce you!-Chapter 717 - 229: The Warmth Conveyed by Elanna’s Embrace (10K)_2

Even the languid Wolf Maid Hassaka had now devoted more of her energy to overseeing hunting and combat in the Shadow Garden.

From the common maids right up to Kael, the Lord himself, everyone within Lancaster's core group of strength functioned like a massive, endlessly churning engine.

Romance and frivolity?

An occasional dalliance perhaps, but the first to object to any permanent indulgence was Kael himself.

He would never gamble with his life and future.

But...

Upon seeing the radiant gaze of Senior Sister Lily, he found himself somewhat dazed again.

Senior Sister Lily was different from the others.

Her feelings were probably the most complex of anyone's.

There was a debt of gratitude, familiarity, and camaraderie.

A reverence for strength, shared interests too.

There was the simple appeal of a face, as well as admiration for scholarship.

There were adolescent cravings, and a desire for her approval.

All these complex, indescribable feelings intertwined, ultimately defining Lily as a profoundly emotional being.

Or perhaps it should be put more precisely.

Compared to the dutiful Knights, the obedient Wolf Maid, Senior Sister Lily was far too normal by any regular standard.

Therefore, dealing with her often proved the most complex for Kael.

Especially after learning about the recent progress in Senior Sister Lily's research, he found it even harder to let go.

What's more troubling is that lately, Senior Sister Lily had become increasingly silent.

"Senior Sister Lily."

"Hmm..."

"Are you happy this way?"

"Hmm? What exactly do you mean?"

"This way of living, this way of trying to earn others' approval... Sometimes, there's no need to push yourself to such extremes."

At these words, Lily smiled softly and said, "Kael, sometimes being needed by others is a good thing.

The scariest thing is not being needed by anyone; then you might find that your own value diminishes, as human worth is realized through being needed by others and by the world."

Kael shook his head, saying, "Senior Sister, your view is too extreme. A person's self-worth can also be realized through self-satisfaction.

Be it a dream or merely a fleeting thought, it can be for others or for oneself."

"The problem is, right now I only think about others; I myself don't have any particular needs."

Lily's clear eyes met Kael's as she offered a radiant smile and said:

"You see, over these years, my initial thought was to escape that poor and backward hut that also brought me sadness, to run far away and hide in a corner unseen by others.

That way, I could do what I wanted instead of directly becoming a girl on the brink of survival on the border.

Now, the biggest issue of safety isn't really a concern for me anymore, at least not in the short term; I probably won't have any clear plans for my future.

Right now, if a fool might need my negligible help, what reason do I have to put on airs and refuse?"

Kael was left somewhat at a loss for words.

Senior Sister Lily clearly exhibited a sense of resignation.

Of course, this isn't to say she stopped caring about everything. Rather, when making life choices, she often chose to spoil everything and let someone she trusted make decisions for her future.

"Senior Sister Lily, do you remember the time when Mr. Luxius prepared the materials for Magic Tower, but you wanted to refuse them?"

Lily nodded. Mr. Luxius had gone out for a while, and upon returning, had prepared materials for both of them.

However, when it came time to hand over the materials, she chose to refuse and hoped that Mr. Luxius would give her share to Kael.

Kael sighed softly and said, "I chose to accept them at that time, and with your intelligence, Senior Sister, you wouldn't fail to understand why I had to do it, right?"

Lily hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded:

"Actually, being pushed by you, Kael, I don't really mind!"

Yes, Lily had already seen the end.

Kael would certainly not neglect her; thus, even if she gave up, Kael would still make choices for her.

She... as just mentioned, didn't dislike being dominated by Kael; instead, it even gave her a slight illusion that she belonged to him.

A giver personality—such a problem.

To put it nicely, a giver finds joy in the process of giving.

To put it harshly, they lack self-awareness, and if they meet the right person, they could very well embark on a happy life, well-protected for a lifetime.

But... if they meet the wrong person, even if their life is ruined, that's all too normal.

Unwittingly, Kael thought back to the days when he was known as Ning Ruyu and had once seen a small video in Area X.

It was about affairs between men and women.

One of the girls, unable to conceal her naivety as a student, shyly smiled at the camera and said: