**Chapter 100: The Art of Delay**
As Su Yu wrapped up his negotiations, a notification popped up in his mission log.
"Ding! [Glory of the Gorse Empire (12/100)] has been completed, awarding 500 experience points."
"The next phase of the mission will start in 60 minutes. Please stay tuned."
"Is that it?" Su Yu thought aloud, stretching as he rode Tima through the upscale streets of Maple Leaf City.
While casually strolling, Su Yu mentally dissected the negotiation that had just transpired. Despite its outward simplicity, he knew this wasn't just a regular talk—it was a careful game of tactical stalling, and no one at that table walked away a loser.
Why? Simple: each party wanted the same thing—time. The princess, Duke Cypher, and Duke Lantilus had unique goals but were united in their strategy to drag the negotiations out as long as possible.
Let's start with the princess. She had rushed to Maple Leaf City in apparent eagerness to reach an agreement. But Su Yu suspected her real intent was to delay. Underneath her urgency, she seemed to be buying time for her father's army to assemble and for her own secret plan to unfold.
Next, there was Duke Cypher. He aimed to stretch the negotiation process, ideally until the royal forces were ready. This way, he could avoid a direct clash with the royal family and instead focus on consolidating his hold on the territory he had already seized. Furthermore, he recognized the larger picture: the Gorse Empire wasn't the only powerful human nation. Should the royal family collapse entirely, it would invite opportunistic attacks from neighboring empires.
Then there was Duke Lantilus. His first attempt to assassinate the princess had failed, but another was already in the works. The longer she remained in Maple Leaf City, the more time he had to refine his strategy. With no real intention of settling the dispute, his faction prolonged the talks while planning another attempt.
All three factions' interests aligned to stall, resulting in an oddly brief negotiation—barely a few words were exchanged before the meeting was postponed.
With a clearer understanding of the whole picture, Su Yu shrugged. "Well, it's a nice mental exercise, but as a player, it's not really my place to jump into their intrigue. Better to just finish my tasks and level up."
Taking advantage of his free hour, Su Yu headed to the market, purchasing high-quality feed for Tima. After a good meal, he rode out to the eastern Frost Cliffs, the designated leveling area for players between level 20 and 25.
The Frost Cliffs had an unusual population of monsters, including an old foe—the Hydra.
**[Frost Hydra, Level 20]**
- HP: 1,750
- Attack Power: 48
- Skills: [Frost Breath], [Ferocious Bite], [Frost Skin (Passive)]
- Description: With its many heads, this beast's rage is as fierce as its icy breath.
In addition to the Frost Hydra, there were also Crag Hydras and Rock Hydras, ranging from levels 22 to 23.
Seeing these resilient creatures reminded Su Yu of his time exploring Zangarmarsh with Tina, where he encountered his first hydra. Admiring the creature's adaptability, he mused, "Hydras can survive anywhere—a swamp, an icy cliff… there's even a [Flaming Hydra] in magma. Quite the hardy race."
But admiration didn't change his purpose here. After dismounting Tima, he stored her badge in his backpack and got to work.
Reaching level 20 had made monsters in the wild far less abundant, and they now had stronger attributes. Even so, Su Yu pressed on, aware that slow progress was better than none.
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After about forty minutes, Su Yu noticed an armored guard approaching on horseback. The guard surveyed the area until he spotted Su Yu engaged in battle with a Hydra. Waving, the guard called out, "Master Nemesis! It's me, Kelderon!"
The guard was none other than Kelderon, the princess's personal escort. He'd inquired about Su Yu's whereabouts all the way here and seemed relieved to finally locate him.
"Oh, Kelderon!" Su Yu greeted, finishing off the Hydra. "What brings you out here so late? Don't tell me Maple Leaf City has its own version of Lanque Street, and you want to show me around?"
Su Yu's escapades in Golden Sparrow City's famed Lanque Street were well-known, though off-limits to players without NPC guidance. Intrigued, he couldn't help but tease the guard.
Kelderon laughed, shaking his head. "No, no, nothing of the sort! We're here on serious business. Her Highness has requested your presence for something important."
"Really? The princess wants to see me?" Su Yu raised an eyebrow, mildly surprised. It was already 10 p.m., which made him wonder... But he quickly dismissed any wild notions, remembering the princess's age.
"Yes," Kelderon confirmed, "it's urgent. Let's go!"
With that, Kelderon turned his horse, leading Su Yu back toward Maple Leaf City. Ten minutes later, they arrived at the grand manor Duke Cypher had arranged for the princess, where the lights shone brightly even this late.
The sprawling estate featured rare flowers, fountains, and sculpted landscapes, with servants bustling around, likely acting as Cypher's eyes and ears. Unfazed, Kelderon led Su Yu through the estate toward its innermost hall.
At last, Su Yu entered a grand chamber and found himself face-to-face with Princess Alizee.
"Ding! Your main storyline has been updated! [Glory of the Gorse Empire (13/100)]."
Quest Objective: Understand [Queen Alizee's] intent and fulfill her request.
Quest Rewards: Random rewards based on completion level.
(End of Chapter)
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A/N: Finally done translating the first 100 chapters of this novel. 1300 more to go i guess. So my dear readers, are you enjoying this novel so far? If so then do leave a comment or something.
Now let's celebrate this monumental occasion 🎆🪅🥳.