Ming Dynasty and New Rome and Infinite Magic Machine

Chapter 1540 Resignation
"How did you end up at my house?"

After discussing with Zhu Xianxi, Shangluo, who had returned home, encountered a rare guest—Xiao Hong from Taiye Pond.

"I heard you've assigned me a position? I'm here to resign."

She appeared indifferent, but Xiao Hong didn't dare to look up at Shang Luo, clearly trying to hide her inner unease.

"You resigned, fine. But you should at least let me know if you're coming to my house for dinner." Faced with this response, Shangluo chose to avoid the real issue and remain silent. He was waiting for Xiaohong to bring it up herself.

"I wasn't actually planning to eat this. But it just so happens to be mealtime, and your food is... Ah! This is absolutely delicious!"

"So, what are you eating?"

“Sticky rice,” Victoria replied. “I met your police dog yesterday, it was so cute, so I bought it a roast duck and sent some Roman ham to your police station. And then they sent over sticky rice today.”

"It's so delicious." Xiao Hong didn't look up the whole time.

"Because the sticky texture is similar to the fish food used for baiting, right? Does it bring back childhood memories?"

Xiao Hong was speechless after hearing that sentence.

That certainly seems to be the case; she probably hasn't realized it's because of this yet.

"Anyway, as long as it tastes good. Don't worry, I won't eat your food for free."

"Yeah, you have to bite eventually, right? Otherwise, we won't bait the same spot next time."

"Okay." Xiaohong put down her chopsticks. "So you disagree with me, right?"

"Where do you start talking about this?"

"Because if you agree, you should just accept my resignation. It seems you want to hear a specific reason from me, which is why you're exposing my shortcomings."

"It's good that you know." Shang Luo put down what he was holding and sat down opposite her. "I really want to hear your reason, because in my opinion, this is a good thing."

"In my opinion, this is a good thing."

"Since it's a good thing, why don't you accept it?"

"Because I'm lazy."

"."

For a moment, everyone was silent.

Shangluo covered his forehead: "What are you doing? The imperial court and the Dragon Palace have sent you on a mission; this is a rare opportunity that others would kill for. What do you want?"

"I already told you I know it's a good thing, but I just don't want to go out. The pandas in your Royal Garden can choose not to work if they don't want to, and they can lie down and stretch out if they want to. Why can't I?"

"How can you and a panda be the same thing? Pandas are mythical creatures, not people."

"How can it not be the same thing? I think a dragon is also a spirit beast."

"I'll give you one more chance." Shang Luo leaned on the table. "You'd better come up with a good reason."

"I want to take maternity leave?"

Who is the child's father?

"Is it you?"

"I don't recall having any improper relationship with a spirit beast! Are you here to ask me to resign, or to pick a fight with me?"

"Okay, okay. Actually, there's no reason. I just don't want to go out." Shang Luo waved his hand, gesturing for her to sit down. "Not wanting to go out is a reason. So, let's find out the specific reason. What exactly makes you not want to go out?"

Xiao Hong was initially hesitant, but Shang Luo insisted that she speak, so she had no choice but to say, "I have agoraphobia."

"."

Xiao Hong said helplessly, "You don't believe me, do you?"

"Compared to maternity leave or something, at least that's a valid reason. But what about the cause? Even if it's congenital, there has to be a cause, right?"

"Please, have you forgotten something—I'm a carp who grew up in a pond, and I've never been to any open space. Otherwise, why do you think I'd stay in Taiye Pond and never go out? The outside world is too scary for me; I don't want to leave the place where I was born. I know saying this might make you look down on me, but I'm just an ordinary carp. Even though I've become a dragon, in my mindset I'm still a carp from the pond. If you want to look down on me, then look down on me."

"Hmm," Shang Luo shook his head, "Actually, I can understand you quite well."

[You seem to have a particularly profound understanding of non-human beings. For example, you have a good relationship with the chef, Longlong, and Karin. You can even talk to artificial intelligence, spirit beasts, and mountain spirits. You're really quite capable.]

"Huh?" Xiao Hong was also a little puzzled. "You actually understand? Aren't you going to laugh at me?"

“This is your instinct, and I respect your biological instinct. There’s nothing I can do about it. If you really don’t want to, I can have Ao Zang Wang replace you.”

"."

"But let me make this clear to you. Choosing you to be the lord of Ryukyu is a testament to Aozang King's high regard for you. It's also the judgment of the East Sea Dragon King himself. I'm not a dragon, so I can't explain its importance to you in detail. But it's definitely very important."

"."

"So, have you made your final decision?" Shangluo confirmed.

Xiao Hong suddenly opened her eyes. She slammed her hand on the table: "I've made up my mind! I'm going to stay in my pond, I'm not going anywhere!"

"If you don't want to go, then don't go. Why are you so agitated?"

"Ugh! What am I doing?! This is a really important gathering, but I really don't want to go out. Just thinking about going out makes me want to just revert back to being a koi fish."

Do you still want sticky rice?

"Thank you. Please continue baiting."

Forty minutes later, Xiao Hong lay on the ground, unable to move.

"I...I can't walk any further in Shangluo."

"How come you can't even decide how much food you want to eat?! I've asked you so many times if you want to keep eating, and you just keep reaching out. Goodness, you've eaten five pots already."

"I was thinking I'd be done eating this pot of rice. How come you can't finish it all?!"

Xiaohong had indeed planned to finish the whole pot and stop eating. But without realizing it, she had devoured an unknown amount of glutinous rice in 40 minutes. When she came to her senses, she realized that she had eaten far more glutinous rice than the rice cooker could hold.

"It's my fault. This is actually a drawing device shaped like a rice cooker, with an endless supply of rice inside. But how am I supposed to know you'll keep eating because you can't finish it?"

"I'm a carp! As a carp, I don't have a stomach; my esophagus is directly connected to my intestines, so my sense of fullness is extremely dull. Ah, Shangluo! My stomach... my stomach hurts so much!"

"Don't lie down on the ground. Lying on the ground is like being a salted fish. If you want to lie down, lie down on a chair. You fish don't have the habit of sitting on a chair, but we humans still have to walk."

"Ah, don't touch me! My stomach!"

Oh no, I guess I really will have to go on maternity leave now.

(End of this chapter)