Chapter 40: Harvesting the Back Garden
Mo Rabbit’s suggestion left Night Star pondering.
“Hmm~ You make a pretty solid point. Since you proposed such a wicked suggestion, do you have a grudge against Loti Shana?”
“Hehehe~ Not at all! Even if she just tried to choke me and rub my face on the chair, I wouldn’t hold it against her. I’m not the type to bear grudges, right, Audience Performer?”
Night Star tilted her head, mumbling something under her breath.
“Ugh~ Looks like you’re a bit upset after all.”
“It’s nothing really. Just earlier, she wanted me to betray you and pledge loyalty to her instead! She even had the audacity to say she’d defeat you and rub your face in the dirt to show you who was more worthy of my allegiance. I was furious for you, you know.”
Mo Rabbit’s rant made Loti Shana’s eyes go wide again.
“We’re not! I didn’t! Stop saying such nonsense! You despicable human!”
Mo Rabbit was grinning at her as if she’d just won a prize.
“Didn’t you say that?”
“Even if I did, it wasn’t like you put it! You’re exaggerating! How dare you put such a grave sin on my shoulders! That’s treason!”
“Who cares? Just hurry up and become my exclusive plush ball already.”
“Ugh!”
Loti Shana finally understood what it felt like to be a tiger fallen to the plains, bullied by a dog.
She had just been the great king, rubbing Mo Rabbit into the ground, and now, in the blink of an eye, she was the one being pinned down.
To make matters worse, the powers she held had been stripped down to just one utterly useless ability.
And the most despicable part? The person she could have rubbed into the ground was now accusing her, preventing her from seeing the Origin of the Stars! Just plain rotten!
She should have taken care of Mo Rabbit instead of making her a citizen!
Loti Shana glared at Mo Rabbit, grinding her teeth, wishing she could bite her.
Mo Rabbit squatted down, smiling back.
“Hehe~ I just love that look on your face, like you want to take me out, yet you can’t~”
“You’ll pay for this one day!”
“I’ll be waiting for that day.”
Mo Rabbit was absolutely delighted, feeling quite good about herself.
Joy at this level is rare; she had to savor it.
Seeing Mo Rabbit bully her “trophy,” Night Star felt a little grumpy too.
“Mo Rabbit, don’t get too ahead of yourself! You owe me a big favor now, and after this, you have to agree to one condition!”
Mo Rabbit’s smile faltered, her glee cooling down almost instantly.
“Honestly, we don’t need to be so formal! You can tell me to do anything; asking for a condition feels too distant.”
After all, she’d often found herself persecuted without any way to fight back.
Her status was already rock bottom.
So whatever Night Star proposed, Mo Rabbit figured she probably didn’t have the power to refuse.
After all, she had become the Announcer for the Rising Sun Theater Group!
Any member of the Rising Sun Theater couldn’t escape the clutches of the Audience Performer (sigh).
Only Loti Shana nearby looked puzzled.
“Mo Rabbit? Wasn’t that Mo Qianmeng?”
Ever since Mo Rabbit entered the Star Eclipse Nation, Loti Shana had been keeping a close eye on her, aware of everything she said and did.
Loti Shana remembered her calling herself Mo Qianmeng.
That’s why she’d been determined to remember the name of this “enemy” for future revenge.
So Mo Qianmeng was a fake?!
Upon hearing this, Night Star glanced at Loti Shana and then back to Mo Rabbit, her expression rather curious.
“Mo Rabbit, don’t you think this is a bit unethical?”
“Not really, just giving my dear cousin a bit of a spotlight.”
“No, no, no! You’re making her carry such a big burden! As her cousin, that’s just too cruel!”
“Doesn’t matter, cousins are here to be sold off.”
Mo Rabbit abruptly ended that topic.
Night Star was left speechless; she didn’t know what to say.
She was debating whether to email Mo Qianmeng about Mo Tu’s black history when Mo Rabbit interrupted her thoughts again.
“So, Audience Performer, how do you want to handle this First Generation Star Eclipse?”
Night Star looked seriously at Loti Shana, finding her adorably cute—she seemed like a fun new toy.
Since they had just met, and she was a First Generation Star Eclipse, not to mention a legal loli, there was no need for the gentle compassion reserved for White Fish and the others.
She could take her as a “bully” target.
For instance, on a bad day, she could stomp on her.
Or she could use her as a maid to serve her whims.
Plus, Loti Shana seemed to value her authority highly.
If she could make her do something that diminished her dignity, maybe she could catch a glimpse of that super adorable, upset expression.
The contrast would be fantastic.
That thought alone made Night Star resolute.
“Hmm~ Let’s just keep her around for now. Besides, her threat level has been snatched away, and I can come here anytime to play. Raising a First Generation Star Eclipse loli sounds pretty fun.”
Night Star gleefully counted her blessings.
“Ugh!”
Loti Shana could only seethe in silence.
How dare they treat the ruler of the Star Eclipse Nation as a pet!
It was absurd!
However, with the Wish Princess peering at her from a distance, Loti Shana could only lower her head in defeat, not daring to utter a word.
With that Wish Princess around, it felt like the Origin of the Stars was right there—hostile, no less.
In front of her, Loti Shana could only view herself as prey, not even considering rebelling.
This was a disaster.
Perhaps aside from the Ballad Conductor, she was the most unfortunate First Generation Star Eclipse.
Self-isolating~
Night Star looked at Loti Shana, who was circling in place, feeling pretty secure.
After taking away most of her abilities, she figured there wasn’t much trouble left that Loti Shana could stir.
Not only was she unable to bring the Star Eclipse Nation into the real world, but she also couldn’t expand her territory, much less command the Star Eclipses within her realm. She had to be cautious even when going out, likely destined to become nothing more than a mascot king of the Star Eclipse Nation.
If Night Star snatched away her last bit of “royal power,” she might even lose her identity as a king altogether.
Night Star was feeling generous, not taking away her capacity to fulfill her obsessions.
As long as she was recognized as the Nation’s King, that was all that mattered.
The Star Eclipse Nation was like a bigger Rising Sun Theater after all.
Night Star could come and go freely, using it as her private garden, which was rather nice.
As for obeying royal power?
Haha~
She was just a rare First Generation Star Eclipse loli maid.
To think she’s caused such trouble as the Hero Cemetery; this lesson was enough.
“Just as expected of you.”
Mo Rabbit was not at all surprised by Night Star’s decision.
That was just her kind of person.
If Loti Shana weren’t a loli, Night Star might not have been as merciful, perhaps stripping away all her powers and leaving her a hollow vessel filled only with obsessions.
But since she was a loli, she’d stay here to be raised and bullied from time to time.
In a way, Night Star was loyal to her own desires too.
