[Poll] Are you an ambitious person?

Discussion in 'General Chat' started by lychee, Dec 17, 2019.

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What would you do in this situation?

  1. I'm male - I would be content just being a servant/maid and keep working as usual

    4 vote(s)
    8.2%
  2. I'm male - I want to be promoted so I'll work harder to be promoted as a servant

    2 vote(s)
    4.1%
  3. I'm male - I will try my best to impress the Empress with my assigned work

    4 vote(s)
    8.2%
  4. I'm male - I will try to extend my sparse conversations with the Empress

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  5. I'm male - I will try to start random conversations with the Empress

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  6. I'm male - I will try to charm the Empress with my unique perks

    3 vote(s)
    6.1%
  7. I'm male - I will directly talk to the Empress and offer them advice

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  8. I'm male - I will directly talk to the Empress and offer them a proposal

    1 vote(s)
    2.0%
  9. I'm male - I will try to manipulate the Empress

    2 vote(s)
    4.1%
  10. I'm male - I will engage in some kind of plot/scheme

    3 vote(s)
    6.1%
  11. I'm male - I would try to run away or escape

    1 vote(s)
    2.0%
  12. I'm male - I would rather kill myself

    5 vote(s)
    10.2%
  13. I'm female - I would be content just being a servant/maid and keep working as usual

    9 vote(s)
    18.4%
  14. I'm female - I want to be promoted so I'll work harder to be promoted as a servant

    6 vote(s)
    12.2%
  15. I'm female - I will try my best to impress the Emperor with my assigned work

    2 vote(s)
    4.1%
  16. I'm female - I will try to extend my sparse conversations with the Emperor

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  17. I'm female - I will try to start random conversations with the Emperor

    1 vote(s)
    2.0%
  18. I'm female - I will try to charm the Emperor with my unique perks

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  19. I'm female - I will directly talk to the Emperor and offer them advice

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  20. I'm female - I will directly talk to the Emperor and offer them a proposal

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  21. I'm female - I will try to manipulate the Emperor

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  22. I'm female - I will engage in some kind of plot/scheme

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  23. I'm female - I would try to run away or escape

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  24. I'm female - I would rather kill myself

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  25. I'm unsure

    2 vote(s)
    4.1%
  26. I do not wish to respond

    4 vote(s)
    8.2%
  1. lychee

    lychee [- slightly morbid fruit -] ❀[ 恋爱? ]❀

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    This poll was originally designed for the ladies (it's multi-part). If you're a guy, imagine that you live in a matriarchal world where all the social norms are inverted between men and women. I don't really care about the details, but feel to fill in the blanks so that it works logically for you (e.g. women are stronger than men because of strength-enhancing magic).

    The Magical Girl of Drama and Romance decided to transmigrate you into another world, and you were sent to a world stylistically similar to (but not the same) Imperial China. The physics of this world are very different from Earth, so you should not presume any of your pre-existing Earth knowledge will be relevant in this world.

    You are age 15 when you arrive in this world. You are also an orphan and just about to be kicked out of the imperial orphanage for being too old. You have no education (can't read — also the written language is iconographic like Chinese requiring 100% memorization since it's not phonetic), no skills, no connections, and no talents/abilities. Obviously, you also have no cheats.

    Soon after arriving, you will need to begin your life living in the world as an independent young orphan with no assets and no money. You are smaller and weaker than an average person of your gender.

    + + +

    One major detail about this world is that it is fairly misogynistic/misandrist. There are few legal rights for your gender, and society is structurally designed to celebrate the dominance of the opposite gender. Your gender is expected to be weak, submissive, and domestic — and people who oppose that norm can run into serious problems.

    In fact, your gender isn't even allowed citizenship.

    Legally, you must be represented by a guardian (or spouse) of the opposite gender. Consequently, you can't even get a job, open a bank account, rent an apartment, or even withdraw money from the bank without being accompanied by a guardian.

    Basically, your situation really sucks.

    As an orphan, technically the orphanage is supposed to serve as your "legal guardian" until you get married — but the orphanage is notorious for being "unresponsive". In order to submit a request to get an orphanage guardian to accompany you to a job interview, it can take six to eight weeks for the paperwork to get processed. In the mean time... how the heck do you figure out where to stay or eat???

    Normal people of your gender get married at a young age so they don't have to deal with this...

    But currently you don't have anyone willing to marry you...


    + + +

    In either case, you started your orphan life in this isekai with a very somber mood...

    However, a ridiculously rare event occurred on your first day on the streets. Against the odds, you got noticed by an imperial court official and you managed to impress them. They were willing to hire you to be a servant in the imperial harem!

    Or... that's what you thought...

    (The world is a dangerous place!)

    ...Then you were kidnapped and blackmailed and reverse blackmailed and a bunch of complicated stuff that is too complicated for @lychee to make up so you can just assume that a very complicated scheme happened here and you got stuck in it. You somehow came out mostly(?) safe and intact in one piece, and you also ultimately ended up in the imperial court anyways.

    The only slight difference is that you got an enormous amount of debt legally pinned to you. The amount is so massive that there is no way you can pay it off in an entire lifetime. As a consequence, you were sold to the imperial harem under a lifetime indentured servitude contract. You will have to work for the rest of your life as a servant in the imperial estate.

    ...which is both kinda bad and kinda good.

    I mean, technically working in the imperial harem is better than being on the streets/slums as a homeless orphan. The working conditions are significantly better and you don't have worry about starving or your general safety.

    There are also promotion opportunities among the servants.

    There are two downsides.

    One is that you are never allowed to leave the imperial estate (since you are kind of a de facto slave). The imperial estate is very big (several square kilometers with a lot of spacious land), so you don't have to worry about be cramped. However, there is basically zero chance of escape. The imperial estate is the residence of the emperor and the royal family, which means that entry and exit is strictly regulated by the most talented guards, spies, assassins, and secret police in the entire Empire. There are eyes everywhere, and if you do anything suspicious, you will definitely be caught.

    The second downside(?) is that the harem of imperial estate is restricted to one gender only. Only beautiful consorts, concubines, and servants of your same gender are allowed to live here. The only opposite gender person allowed in the harem ("cage") is the Emperor/Empress.

    The purpose of the harem is basically to give a huge selection of bishoujos/bishounens for the empreror/empress to have sex with. Everyone who lives here is extremely elegant, graceful, and very different from the culture that you lived in at Earth.

    Of course, you are only a servant here — so you shouldn't really think of yourself as a target — but it would be good to blend in as much as you can to avoid causing trouble.

    + + +

    Originally, you thought that you would keep your head down and try not to be noticed.

    Unfortunately, you accidentally caught the eye of the Emperor/Empress during your first week on the job, and they whimsically decided to assign you to sweep the porch in front of their imperial residence every day.

    The Emperor/Empress is a very scary person. You observed them casually order the execution of a chef who accidentally prepared a meal the wrong way. You're terrified of catching their attention or speaking out of your place, because they could easily order to have your head chopped off.

    The Emperor/Empress is also a terrifying attractive genius. The royal family of this country is loaded with cheats (which unfortunately you don't have :c), and the Emperor/Empress apparently as a whopping nine different "cheats" to their name. The rumor is that they are basically a walking nuclear weapon, and they've never lost to anyone in any kind of affair.

    They have an enormous amount of self-respect and pride. They do not take kindly on to "losing face", and they're kind of like a Chinese MC who will slaughter your entire family if you offend them in the slightest way. There were multiple instances when you saw the Emperor/Empress draw their sword and [-censored-] [-censored-] someone into [-censored-] and [-censored-].

    Despite the Emperor/Empress's scary reputation, they say hello to you every time they pass by the porch, but they never stop to say anything more.

    You're a bit scared to say anything yourself because that could be perceived as overstepping your bounds in the culture of this world. It is not appropriate for a servant to address an Emperor/Empress, and rudeness alone is grounds for execution.

    However, a few months after being a broom sweeper, you receive notice that you were promoted to wash the Emperor/Empress's laundry. You received no direct comment from the Emperor/Empress themselves, and as far as you can tell, they don't even know your name.

    But if you were promoted, that must means you did a good job? Even if they didn't say anything?

    1. Could you be satisfied being a servant/maid for the rest of your life?

    2. What would you do in this situation?

    3. Are you ambitious in any way? Would you try to get closer to the Emperor/Empress to win further favor? Would you try to scheme or plot anything? What if you you hear from a servant/maid that the Emperor/Empress hates ambitious or arrogant self-serving people?

    4. Would you work hard at your job? Would you try to be the best servant ever? Or are you content being average? Would you ever slack off?

    5. Do you think you are a trustworthy or loyal individual? Should the Emperor/Empress trust you to continue promoting you higher ranks in the personal servant ladder? Why or why not?

    6. Would you ever become someone's follower or swear loyalty to them? What are features of somebody that you would be willing to do this for? Is there any reason why you would swear loyalty to someone?
     
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  2. girisuherman

    girisuherman ∆ Hiki Bear ∆

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    @lychee did you tell us to became like RATH mc ? Even technology can't used I still have 4 year experience running multiple galactic empire and nation take over world or battle army to army.

    Of course I never tell them it's on computer
     
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  3. Lurking

    Lurking Do the dead suffer, or is it a sweet release?

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    magical girl of drama and romance???
    ergo romantic interest
    inspect nuclear bomb chinese mc
    ergo yandere(?) or secretly sweet only to you or secretly sweet but in the creepy not good way where they did keikaku to ensure you entered the strike zone so they could coincidentally have you as a target for romantic interest but might have been watching you since tiny child age
    um. more bad than good? uh, would i get to eat imperial quality food?

    1. Could you be satisfied being a servant/maid for the rest of your life?
    um. not sure
    2. What would you do in this situation?
    keep my head down and try to make friends with the chefs so i get tasty food.
    3. Are you ambitious in any way? Would you try to get closer to the Emperor/Empress to win further favor? Would you try to scheme or plot anything? What if you you hear from a servant/maid that the Emperor/Empress hates ambitious or arrogant self-serving people?
    i have no idea. might flip a coin to decide
    4. Would you work hard at your job? Would you try to be the best servant ever? Or are you content being average? Would you ever slack off?
    i'll do what needs to be done just slightly beyond what is assigned efficiently then go to the imperial kitchens

    if i get the sweeping done or the laundry done fast i can go get food fast and if i help clean the kitchen i could get extra food
    5. Do you think you are a trustworthy or loyal individual? Should the Emperor/Empress trust you to continue promoting you higher ranks in the personal servant ladder? Why or why not?
    dunno. i can be rewarded with food like most people.
    do higher ranked servants get better food?
    6. Would you ever become someone's follower or swear loyalty to them? What are features of somebody that you would be willing to do this for? Is there any reason why you would swear loyalty to someone?
    depends
     
  4. ReadOrDie

    ReadOrDie already dead

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  5. Land of The Fallen

    Land of The Fallen Hax's | Immortal

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    1) Sure... I can't even read... What's the point of life...
    2) Continue doing my job and hoping for a promotion so I get a nice easy job maybe?
    3) Nope, I like my life where it is
    4) I'll just be average... Even if I slack off, there's nothing to do...
    5) I'm very loyal and trustworthy and I'm going to assume in this scenarios I continue to fail at making friends so...
    6) Maybe? If I get a nice comfy life sure... My morals are rock bottom since I can't enjoy my novels and fanfiction anymore...
     
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  6. Lurking

    Lurking Do the dead suffer, or is it a sweet release?

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    yup yup sadlyfe can't read

    no, the jobs get progressively harder

    washing laundry is harder than sweeping.
     
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  7. Little Potato

    Little Potato Sexiest Potato Alive [SpaceBar's Master]

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    This sounds like a cliche novel that I would read :hmm::hmm::hmm:
    Although I would like to think of myself as an ambitious person, given the scenario, I wouldn't try to bite more than I could chew. I think it's important to treat my position carefully and restrain my desires since a lot of underhanded schemes are going on in the dark especially in the harem.
    I would make myself to be a trusty servant of the current ruler but not so much that I am easily identifiable. I wouldn't risk shortening my life for rich treasures or glory that would be of no use when I am dead :cookie:
     
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  8. lychee

    lychee [- slightly morbid fruit -] ❀[ 恋爱? ]❀

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    :blobpensive: Yes it's a strange thing about the world. For some reason the promotion doesn't make it any easier.

    Also the unwritten part 2 isn't any easier either :blobupset:
     
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  9. tak

    tak ignorant but well-meant

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    I skimmed this sentence and thought: "ah, 15 y.o. is considered too old for the lesser gender to marry. Then you mention imoerial harem, so my immediate thought is palace full of minor, and the reason the emperor/empress notice me is coz i'm the old one out.

    Anyway.
    1. Could you be satisfied being a servant/maid for the rest of your life?
    Depends on how comfortable is it. No meat? Fine. Bad bed? Fudge. No entertainment? I am slowly going crazy
    2. What would you do in this situation?
    This servant obeys
    3. Are you ambitious in any way? Would you try to get closer to the Emperor/Empress to win further favor? Would you try to scheme or plot anything? What if you you hear from a servant/maid that the Emperor/Empress hates ambitious or arrogant self-serving people?
    No. No. Probably petty things like, getting more food or faking sickness to avoid my job. Idk probably just watch the drama
    4. Would you work hard at your job? Would you try to be the best servant ever? Or are you content being average? Would you ever slack off?
    No. No. Yes. Yes.
    5. Do you think you are a trustworthy or loyal individual? Should the Emperor/Empress trust you to continue promoting you higher ranks in the personal servant ladder? Why or why not?
    I'm a klutz & lazy: i won't stab you in the back but i won't take a shot for you. No. I'm not a good leader of anything.
    6. Would you ever become someone's follower or swear loyalty to them? What are features of somebody that you would be willing to do this for? Is there any reason why you would swear loyalty to someone?
    No. Someone who pampers me/let me live comfotably. The most possible one is...by threats. Why would a lazy person comes and go "'I'll do anything dor you, even fight your 100 rivals and their 1000000 subordinates/friends/family, i'll work like a cow and dogs for you"?
     
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  10. Lurking

    Lurking Do the dead suffer, or is it a sweet release?

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    I'd rather just stay sweeping the porch. hopefully the mighty leader doesn't have superhearing to overhear me muttering to myself in english or- we arrive programmed with the native language verbally right?
     
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  11. lychee

    lychee [- slightly morbid fruit -] ❀[ 恋爱? ]❀

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    Yes, the native language is verbally programmed. XD

    And sometimes it's hard to ask for a demotion LOL :blob_teary:

    Well, if you get promoted you probably get a better and comfier room.
     
  12. Lurking

    Lurking Do the dead suffer, or is it a sweet release?

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    do i get better food tho
     
  13. Land of The Fallen

    Land of The Fallen Hax's | Immortal

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    I was hoping that the job would end up in some nice cushy place :blobsad:

    Honestly, I'd rather them demote me back to sweeping the floor then since I'm not going to be earning anything due to my massive debt...
     
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  14. lychee

    lychee [- slightly morbid fruit -] ❀[ 恋爱? ]❀

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    I guess? xD
     
  15. Lurking

    Lurking Do the dead suffer, or is it a sweet release?

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    also once i finish with the sweeping i can run around and explore the womens quarters and see the imperial gardens and looksee at all the beauties right?

    None of your poll options mesh with me
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 17, 2019
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  16. polarbot

    polarbot Well-Known Member

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    Conquer the empress? Sure this is a hidden quest since promotion is ez
     
  17. lnv

    lnv ✪ Well-Known Hypocrite

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    Me? A servant/maid to a person like the emperor? NEVER, I have too much pride for that.

    If tech isn't high in this world, fake my death. If it is high, scheme to overturn the kingdom!


    Yes, I am extremely ambitious and do whatever it takes!


    I never slack to which I'd admit to.


    They don't need to promote me, I have my ways to get what I want

    Well that's a given, after taking over the kingdom/faking my death, I'll take on my true purpose in life and fulfill my ambition! To become a human slave of cats in that world as I am in this one!

    A mere human emperor will not get in the way of my ambition!
     
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  18. Amaruna Myu

    Amaruna Myu ugly squid dokja (●´∀`●)

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    What a cliche novel!

    1. Could you be satisfied being a servant/maid for the rest of your life?

    I like staying in the same place and not out of my comfort zone so I'm probably fine as long as I don't break down from overwork and interaction with crafty females in the harem:aww:

    2. What would you do in this situation?

    just continue working and try to keep my life

    3. Are you ambitious in any way? Would you try to get closer to the Emperor/Empress to win further favor? Would you try to scheme or plot anything? What if you you hear from a servant/maid that the Emperor/Empress hates ambitious or arrogant self-serving people?

    no no no no no
    I'm not ambitious, nor do I want to be ambitious. I just want to live a comfortable life.

    4. Would you work hard at your job? Would you try to be the best servant ever? Or are you content being average? Would you ever slack off?

    average worker who slacks off (*゚∀゚)

    5. Do you think you are a trustworthy or loyal individual? Should the Emperor/Empress trust you to continue promoting you higher ranks in the personal servant ladder? Why or why not?

    decently trustworthy, I would like to be promoted for better treatment tho...:cookie:

    6. Would you ever become someone's follower or swear loyalty to them? What are features of somebody that you would be willing to do this for? Is there any reason why you would swear loyalty to someone?

    I'm not a boss type so I'll probably stay a follower. maybe I'll choose to follow him because of his charisma and good looks :aww:
    I'm superficial... :blobmelt:
     
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  19. Rhydec

    Rhydec Well-Known Member

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    No internet, no novelupdates...I'd rather kill myself
     
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  20. lichdeath

    lichdeath undead meatbun ^^

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    obviously charm the empress with my non existent seduction skills only to fail and get executed (most likely) or be demoted to the lowest of the lowest(slightly likely) or be succesfull and become her boy toy(slightly unlikely) or become empress' consort (extremely unlikely)
     
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