Future Pet Shop

Chapter 107: I’ll Leave the Princess in Your Care

"The royal family may not hold any real power, but it still represents the image of Sokovia on the international stage and is deeply beloved by the people. Since you enjoy the benefits that come with your royal status, you should fulfill your duty to maintain a good public image, both internationally and in the eyes of our people." Alfred was not persuaded.

Although the Sokovian royal family possessed no real political power, they still received a substantial royal stipend from the government each year and enjoyed the status of heads of state internationally. This was why Sylvie couldn’t simply act on her own whims.

"In any case, all I need to do is play the part of a mascot and make the people love me, right?" Sylvie still wasn’t ready to give up. "According to online feedback, ever since that photo of me with the giant panda was released, public support for the royal family has risen by a full five percentage points. I’m sure if they find out I’ve become friends with this panda, the approval rating will continue to climb."

Princess Sylvie had, after all, received an excellent education. She quickly formulated a counterargument based on the facts. ’You say I should maintain a good image, but since my interactions with the panda have significantly improved the royal family’s public standing, why would you try to stop me?’

"Er... well..." She made such a good point that he was left speechless. Alfred didn’t quite know what to say.

"Look, back during the Scottish independence referendum, the Edinburgh Zoo had two pandas gifted by the Chinese government to the UK. If the referendum passed, those two pandas would have had to be moved to England. The Scottish people reacted fiercely, threatening, ’They can take our freedom, but they can’t take our pandas!’ And when the United States and China had a falling out, Americans even said they could sever diplomatic ties, but they would absolutely never return the pandas." Princess Sylvie offered a few more examples.

"This just goes to show how highly people regard pandas and how much they adore these cute creatures. So why not seize this rare opportunity and use the panda to further improve my image in the eyes of the Sokovian people? I’m sure the people of Sokovia would much rather see me as a panda keeper than as some phony philanthropist putting on a show in Africa, don’t you think?"

"So you see, I’m not just here out of personal preference. I’m doing this for the image of the Sokovian royal family," Princess Sylvie said in all seriousness. "If you’re not certain, you can present both options to the royal image advisory team for consultation. I’m confident they will side with the ’panda keeper’ option."

"Your Highness, I can see you were a very diligent student at Cambridge University." What had started as a personal whim had been masterfully spun into a perfect political maneuver by Sylvie. Alfred felt the matter was now beyond his authority. "I believe I need to consult with my superiors back home."

With that, Alfred took his phone out onto the balcony. Sylvie, who remained in the dining room, broke into a triumphant smile. She furtively picked up a piece of bamboo shoot and popped it into her mouth. ’I get to see the panda every day, and the food is delicious. This is so much more comfortable than life in the Royal Palace!’

Alfred’s phone call lasted for over an hour. The relevant departments of the Sokovian Royal Palace held an emergency meeting to deliberate the matter. The King and Queen were concerned for Sylvie’s safety, but the image advisory team expressed immense interest in the princess’s proposal.

They presented a series of complex charts, passionately explaining to the other attendees the exalted status pandas held in the public consciousness, especially after the photo of Princess Sylvie shaking hands with Hah’Er was released. Ever since that picture was published, the royal family’s approval rating had been skyrocketing.

They also produced numerous photos to prove the panda’s popularity: the crowds that filled the streets to welcome a panda’s arrival in the UK, the luxurious new panda enclosure in the Netherlands, the staggering global box office of *Kung Fu Panda*, and, of course, the explosive growth in followers on Princess Sylvie’s own social media accounts.

This data and these photos all proved that having the princess help care for a panda at Shen Yibin’s pet shop would be far more beneficial to the monarchy than having her serve as a figurehead for a charity. As for Princess Sylvie’s safety, that was of little concern; they had already run a thorough background check on Shen Yibin.

"Gentlemen, Mr. Shen recently came into a sum of over three million euros, but he donated the entire amount to the Giant Panda Base without a moment’s hesitation. This shows that Mr. Shen is not a man who would be tempted by money to do anything to harm the princess. Furthermore, Yunzhong City has an excellent public safety record, and there are even police officers stationed right outside Mr. Shen’s shop. We needn’t be overly concerned for the princess’s safety." This laid their final fears to rest.

"But... what if something were to happen between Sylvie and this Mr. Shen?" the Queen asked, raising a new concern.

"We have discovered that, when it comes to matters of romance, Mr. Shen seems to be... well, rather dense. There are several very beautiful young women in his circle, yet he shows no intention of taking things further with any of them. So, this should not be a concern," the advisory team explained.

Of course, if something *did* happen, they would welcome the development. This was no longer an age of aloof, untouchable royalty. Members of the royal families in Denmark, Sweden, the UK, and other countries had married commoners, bridging the gap with the general public and earning greater support.

’Besides,’ they thought, ’the panda is Shen Yibin’s private property. If he were to marry the princess, wouldn’t that panda technically belong to Sokovia? Trading a princess for a panda... that sounds like a good deal, doesn’t it?’

And so, after a heated debate, the Sokovian Royal Palace finally agreed to Sylvie’s proposal. They permitted her to change her internship placement from an unspecified charity to Shen Yibin’s little shop and immediately began planning the publicity campaign. The focus of the campaign would, of course, be the panda and Princess Sylvie’s new, down-to-earth image.

"Your Highness, the Royal Palace has approved your choice." A resigned Alfred delivered the news to Sylvie. "I will remain in Yunzhong City to look after you."

"A pet shop employee being trailed by a royal butler every day? How would that look? You may stay in Yunzhong City, but please do not interfere with my work or my life," Sylvie insisted.

After arguing for some time, Alfred once again relented, agreeing to the princess’s demands.

He then finally led Sylvie downstairs. Approaching Shen Yibin, who had been waiting for a long time, he said, "Well then, Mr. Shen, it seems the princess will be in your care for the foreseeable future."