In the end, I gave up on the idea of using force.
I had to respect Mercury Lamp's opinion, a decision I made from the start. For such a stubborn Rose Maiden, coercion is meaningless.
It was clear that Mercury Lamp had also been conflicted before. Causing her such distress was never my intention. Now that she had made her decision, the least we could do was not to pressure her further. Perhaps returning to her own world, resuming her standoff with the six sisters, and stepping back into loneliness might cause Mercury Lamp to reclaim her icy shell. But when that time comes, I'd just lead a bunch of Imperial High Level off to melt it again. Fearless as a "daddy", I'll one day make Mercury Lamp willingly come home with me to be cared for...
"You really are quite accepting," as if she had seen right through my thoughts, Lin Xue said leisurely from behind, "At times like this, shouldn't you, the male lead, be the one to see off our Little Princess?"
