Proofreader & Editor: Lotas
Redeemed: "Thank you, I really like it."
Butler: "Eh? Do I get one too? After all, I barely spoke with you… Heh, it's quite nice."
Diya: "White Queen, let's let it slide this time, after all, we didn't tell her in advance."
"Exactly, exactly." Lis nodded vigorously: "It's all the shopping channel's fault, with its endless array of goods and deals, either a limited-time discount or a special sale day, or they throw in a little gift… White sis, I really didn't mean to."
Watching Lis's pitiful look, the White Queen sighed: "Just spoil her! In the end, if there's trouble, we're the ones who have to clean up the mess."
"It's routine." The Butler said: "Isn't it always us who clean up after Diya's messes? Whether it's herding one sheep or two, it makes no difference."
Redeemed: "We are experienced, we are dedicated to our duties."
"Why drag me into this?" Diya protested: "I haven't been bothering you guys much lately!"
The Butler scoffed: "Really? Then who was it that got held back by the Observer last night for a counseling session?"
Lis blinked: "What's going on with you and the Observer?"
"Nothing." The White Queen quickly replied: "Lis, this time we'll overlook your initiative, since we didn't explain the importance of that money to you, ignorance is not a crime…"
"White sis, I realize my mistake!"
The White Queen said: "I don't want you to admit fault, but rather hope you can consider things together with your sisters. Right now we are forced to obey Annan's orders, our freedom restricted, and those 10,000 copper coins are our most liquid asset. We could have used it for more… like giving gifts to others, which you did well, Lis."
"But that's not how you give gifts. There are two parts to it: the 'gift' and the 'giving'. The act of giving is as important as the gift itself. While it seems nice that you gave gifts to everyone, upon closer inspection, there are many issues."
"For instance, when everyone sees the gifts, they start comparing, and from comparison comes hierarchy, and from hierarchy, closeness or distance. Someone like Igura would definitely check the price of each gift in private, and if his isn't the most valuable, his fondness for you will reset; if his is the least valuable, he might even hold a grudge."
Diya was shocked: "There's such a tactic?"
"However, Igura doesn't have a bracelet connected to the Veil, so we don't need to worry about that for now." The White Queen said: "Besides, giving everyone gifts is absolutely not as effective as giving a gift privately. If giving Asho a gift privately would make him 10 times happier, giving gifts to everyone would only make him 3 times happier, even if the gift is to his liking."
"Why?" Lis didn't understand: "Isn't it the same?"
"If Asho made a red velvet cream cake for you, would you be happy?"
"Yes!"
"But if he divided the cake into five pieces for others just as you were about to eat, would you still be as happy?"
"Um…" Lis pondered: "But I think I could eat half the cake… and wasn't the red velvet cake made especially for me?"
"Lis is smart, catching on to the key point so quickly." The White Queen praised: "'Made especially for me' is the key to giving gifts. Just like a cake meant to be shared with everyone, Lis, you wouldn't feel it was made especially for you, and naturally, you wouldn't be as happy."
"It's the same with your gifts. If everyone gets one, they might think their gift was just given casually by Lis. Only a private gift can make them feel valued."
Lis nodded thoughtfully: "White sis makes sense… So in the future, when I give gifts, I'll trick them by saying 'This gift is just for you, no one else has it, I spent a lot of time picking it out especially for you, don't tell anyone else, or I'll be embarrassed'."
Butler: "Little witch, your sly way of thinking surprisingly aligns with mine, White, how about I take over her education?"
White Queen: "Butler, don't cause trouble, one of you is enough of a headache for me. Lis, I won't say more, I just want to tell you that your sisters' wisdom can help you, and we won't refuse your suggestions. If you want to buy gifts, we will all agree and discuss with you what gifts are better and when is the appropriate time to give them."
"Little witch, now you are Lis, and most of the time we won't hinder your actions, but you can't act on your own while we are all in the Virtual Realm."
"To be honest, I'm heartbroken, not because you're mischievous, but because I didn't earn your trust."
"No!" Lis quickly shook her head: "I didn't—"
"You bought the items before we returned, didn't tell us upon our return, and only confessed when the delivery couldn't be hidden anymore."
The White Queen said calmly: "You clearly don't trust us, thinking we would cancel the order, so you waited until it was a done deal to tell us, forcing us to accept the outcome, right?"
"I, I didn't…"
"You weren't trying to hide it from us? Not trying to force us to accept the outcome? Not distrusting your sisters? Your actions certainly don't show that."
"Now you still want to argue."
"I hate dishonest children the most."
Click.
Lis faced downwards, not looking in the mirror, as large tears fell onto the back of her hand, her shoulders trembling slightly, her nose twitching.
(Wow.) Butler: (Such a familiar scene, Diya was also scolded to tears like this back in the day.)
Diya: (I was never cried by the White Queen!)
Redeemed suddenly interjected: (Eh? Then who was it that cried and clung to me after being scolded?)
Diya: (Definitely not me!)
Butler: (That being said, Diya does have a purpose. It's because of Diya's practice that White is so good at teaching children.)
Diya: (We're all eternally 15, not children at all!)
Butler: (We average 15, but little Red is probably 12, I'm a normal 15, and White is as mature as a 28-year-old, so Diya, your age is probably…)
"I, I."
Lis was choking on her tears, rubbing her eyes, the more she rubbed, the more tears flowed, sobbing: "I was just afraid of being scolded by my sisters… I didn't dare to tell you… I don't distrust my sisters, I'm really not a bad child, wuwu… Sisters, please don't hate me…"
Feeling the moment was right, the White Queen softened her tone: "Of course, we won't hate you, no matter what happens, we will always love you."
"So, next time something like this happens and we're not around, do you know what to do, Lis?"
Lis sniffled: "Wait until the sisters come back to talk about it."
"What if it's something urgent that requires an immediate decision?"
"Then I'll make the decision first and tell you as soon as the sisters come back."
"That's our good little sister." The White Queen smiled: "I forgive you this time. What about you guys?"
Diya: "Having Asho apologize to me is already the best gift, I'm very satisfied."
Butler: "I love seeing my little sister cry, I choose to forgive, it'll encourage her arrogance, and next time she makes a mistake, she'll be scolded to tears by White again."
Lis vigorously wiped away her tears, declaring loudly: "I won't make the same mistake again!"
Redeemed: "Ignore her, the Butler's words are always unpleasant, but she was pulling on the Queen's sleeve pleading for you just now."
Butler: "I clearly meant for White not to stop…"
"But." Diya asked: "Besides the gifts for us, there are still a lot of things left. What are those?"
"They're gifts I bought for myself!" Lis said with wide, red eyes, giggling: "The best gifts I always keep for myself!"
After a brief silence, the White Queen said helplessly: "Also, when you give gifts, don't let the recipient find out you bought better ones for yourself."
"Why?"
"Because even your sisters will dislike you for it!"