**Chapter 110: The Princess's Prepaid Reward**
Ten minutes later, Duke Anzu Cypher arrived at the scene of the incident. Lake's body had already been dragged out, but the heavy scent of blood still lingered in the study, making Duke Cypher frown as he entered.
Behind him stood a middle-aged butler in a dark black uniform, his face pale. Bowing deeply, the butler reported, "Master, Lake was instantly killed with a single blow, without any chance to react. Based on the method, I suspect the intruder was at least a sixth-tier sanctuary assassin."
"A sixth-tier sanctuary?" Duke Cypher raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, Master."
"Very well. I see." Duke Cypher nodded, his gaze shifting around the study.
The room bore signs of the intrusion: hidden compartments lay exposed—beneath the windowsill, under the seat, and along the walls. While some valuables were missing, the Duke remained unfazed about most of them. The only notable item was a nearly expired [Tier 6 Temporary Experience Scroll], which he hadn't cared much about.
But then his eyes fell upon an open book on the desk, and his expression changed instantly. Swiftly moving toward it, he confirmed his worst fear—it was his personal copy of *Scent and Sensibility: Recognizing Women by Their Perfume*. The letter he had stashed in its pages was gone.
The Duke's face darkened. That letter held vital information, and if it fell into the wrong hands, it could ruin him.
Turning to his butler, Cypher demanded, "William, any idea who might've done this?"
"It's difficult to say," William apologized. "We found no traces of the assassin, but—"
"But?"
"Just moments before Lake's death, a guard near the study heard a name—'Andigos Archmage.' Could this be linked to him?"
"Andigos, of the Silverpine Spire?" Cypher's brow knitted tightly. "If the Silverpine Spire is involved, this complicates things."
Duke Cypher sank into a large leather chair, fingers resting on his chin as he pondered his next move. William remained silent, awaiting his master's command, while an uneasy silence settled over the study.
---
Meanwhile, Su Yu, now riding a white horse, made his way towards the princess's residence.
He considered himself lucky—the [Random Teleportation Scroll] had placed him directly outside the Duke's manor, within a residential area on Fishtail Lane. Better yet, he hadn't teleported into any solid walls. To avoid suspicion, Su Yu had decided not to return on his usual mount, Tima. Instead, he transformed himself into a bard, bought a new white horse, and made his way back to the princess's residence.
Su Yu glanced down at the [Tier 6 Temporary Experience Scroll] in his backpack as he rode. "If only this scroll were permanent," he sighed. A permanent version could serve as a powerful trump card in the real world! But with only 48 hours left, its use was limited.
He considered using [Tina's Blood] to fortify the scroll. However, when he attempted to gild it, a prompt appeared:
> "Ding! Do you wish to use [Tina's Blood] to enhance the [Tier 6 Temporary Experience Scroll]? Success rate: 1.3%."
"Only 1.3%?" Su Yu muttered, frustrated. He had a mere 10 vials of [Tina's Blood], meaning the odds of gilding the scroll successfully were slim. And with the scroll's limited timeframe, he wasn't sure it was worth the risk.
Then, an idea struck him. "The princess and Morningstar might know of a way to extend the scroll's duration!" Excited by the thought, Su Yu urged his horse forward at full speed toward the princess's residence.
---
In the grand hall of the Queen's residence, Princess Alize sat on the main seat, listening intently to Su Yu recount his recent adventures. Her companion, Morningstar, the cat, lay curled in her lap, observing Su Yu with half-lidded eyes.
Once Su Yu had finished, the princess smiled warmly. "Thank you, Nemesis. This letter is essential to our cause—I hope it contains the information we need."
Taking the quest item, the [Letter of Affection], Alize removed its magical seal with a flick of her fingers and began reading. But as she read, her cheeks turned a vivid red, resembling a ripe apple.
"What does it say, Your Highness?" Su Yu inquired, curious.
"Oh, nothing important!" The princess hastily folded the letter, her face a blend of embarrassment and amusement.
"Ahem." She cleared her throat, regaining her composure. "Regardless, thank you, Nemesis."
"It's all for the empire," Su Yu responded sincerely.
> "Ding! Congratulations on completing [Glory of the Gorse Empire (15/100)] and earning 1,000 experience points."
>
> "The next segment of this quest will commence in 40 minutes."
"Another 40-minute wait," Su Yu thought with a hint of impatience. But he still had something else on his mind.
"Your Highness," he began, "I discovered this scroll hidden in the Duke's study. It's a bit old and will expire soon. Would you or Morningstar know of any way to extend its duration?"
He presented the scroll to Kelderon, who placed it on a silver tray and handed it to the princess. Alize inspected the scroll carefully and immediately recognized it as a [Tier 6 Temporary Experience Scroll].
"I'm sorry, Nemesis," she said, shaking her head. "I don't know of any way to prolong its use. Morningstar?"
Morningstar also shook her head. "No luck there."
Su Yu sighed, disappointed.
"But," the princess continued, her tone brightening, "once we return to Gorse City, I can give you a brand-new scroll as thanks for your efforts in Maple Leaf City!"
> "Ding! [Princess Alize]'s favorability has reached a threshold, unlocking [Prepayment of Quest Rewards]."
>
> "Ding! [Princess Alize] offers to prepay rewards for the [Glory of the Gorse Empire] main quest at stages 20 and 25, gifting you a new [Tier 6 Temporary Experience Scroll]. Accept?"
Su Yu was overjoyed. A fresh, fully-timed [Tier 6 Temporary Experience Scroll] from the princess! Even though it meant sacrificing the rewards from two future quest segments, it was well worth it.
With this scroll, Su Yu now had a valuable lifeline he could potentially gild and bring back to reality—a life-saving asset that could prove invaluable.
"Thank you, Your Highness!" Su Yu said gratefully, his spirits soaring.
*(End of chapter)*