"Sister Ela, you don't look very well."
Elashia's face now had two deep dark circles under her eyes.
"Haha, your sister probably had insomnia last night."
Elashia made an excuse to Sophia.
After all, yesterday Candice had inexplicably found her, then inexplicably woken her up, then inexplicably asked her a bunch of questions, and finally abruptly said goodbye.
Now Elashia still couldn't figure out what had triggered Candice.
But that's not right, in the game, Candice was the embodiment of "Intelligence," she shouldn't do such inexplicable things.
Elashia remained puzzled.
"Fei, wait for your sister for a moment. Sister Ela will bring your sister right in."
"Okay~"
Anticipation was already overflowing from the girl's eyes.
In the past, the sisters' meetings involved both being blindfolded and brought to a special meeting place.
It was just like a certain country's northern region in Elashia's previous world.
Thinking of this, Elashia's gaze toward Little Sophia grew even gentler.
"Sister will be right back."
Elashia patted Sophia's head and left.
Walking outside the garden, Elashia immediately saw Cecilia anxiously pacing in place.
"Lord Cecilia!"
Cecilia looked toward Elashia.
Elashia walked up to Cecilia, turned her head toward the entrance in what she thought was a cool gesture, then walked ahead into the depths of the garden.
But her self-perceived cool behavior left the internally anxious Cecilia stunned.
She... why did she turn her head like that?
This... she's not planning to...
She recalled the killing methods on the battlefield.
Cecilia's breathing stopped.
"No... no... no!"
Cecilia pulled out a paper hidden deep in her pocket and used a battle technique to charge toward Elashia.
"Eh?"
Elashia walked for quite a while before realizing Cecilia hadn't followed.
"EH!"
Elashia saw a golden meteor descending from the sky.
Then, Elashia witnessed a scene she would never forget.
WC, Great Wilderness Star Fall!
And it's coming toward me?
Before Elashia could react, Cecilia descended from the sky, landing with a "boom" in front of Elashia.
But her posture was strange.
She landed on the ground kneeling, holding a piece of paper with both hands.
Elashia, unable to look closely, only saw the four largest characters on it—"Slave Contract."
Oh my.
So sudden.
The pink-haired petite girl really couldn't react.
"Please spare my younger sister!"
?
What is this?
How did this suddenly develop in the adult game direction?
In Cecilia's route, if Elashia wanted to "do good deeds," she had to make Cecilia sign this slave contract, because after signing the contract, she could take away at least nine-tenths of Cecilia's "Qi."
"Qi" is a warrior's energy.
With her weakened and myself strengthened, destroying Elasia would be easier.
But if she truly wanted to save Elasia and humanity, she absolutely couldn't do this!
Elashia wasn't a warrior after all. She couldn't even use a battle technique, so that "Qi" on her would be useless!
Moreover, Cecilia was one of Elashia's favorite characters in the game. In several routes, Cecilia's endings had made Elashia cry.
No, she had to talk some sense into this foolish woman.
"Why would I want you as a slave? Get up!"
Cecilia refused to get up no matter what.
"Oh my!"
Elashia was exasperated.
Elashia snatched the slave contract from Cecilia.
Cecilia felt the slave contract being taken from her hand.
Finally, am I about to lose my freedom too...
But if it can protect my sister...
"Rip."
An angry Elashia tore the slave contract in her hand to pieces.
"Eh?"
"Are you stupid?! If you really became my slave, what would I need your sister for! What would you have to negotiate with me!"
"I..."
Cecilia certainly wasn't stupid; this was why she refused to sign the slave contract when the old emperor forced her to.
But the old emperor, as bad as he was, was a normal person whose actions were predictable.
But not Elashia!
Seeing Cecilia's expression, Elashia seemed to understand.
In the game, there was only one way to force Cecilia to sign the slave contract.
That was if "Elashia" had a high enough hidden attribute.
This attribute was rather strange.
The way to obtain it was even stranger.
Like not upgrading when you could.
Like repeatedly wasting time in dungeons where you knew you'd get nothing.
Like surrendering when you were about to win.
Like approaching characters with the intent to "do good deeds" but ultimately doing nothing.
Just doing incomprehensible behaviors would increase this strange value.
Later, Elashia figured it out.
This attribute was called "Madness."
For Cecilia, compared to a rational villain whose actions were predictable, a madman whose actions were completely unpredictable was more terrifying.
Perhaps killing the old Elasia Emperor and then meeting Cecilia, who was returning with her army, alone really scared her. (´･_･`)
But there was no choice at the time, after all, it was a system task. ╭(╯3╰)╮
"Come here!"
Elashia pulled Cecilia up and brought her under a big tree.
She wanted to sort things out with Cecilia.
But before she could speak, the scene before her froze.
[System Task Issued]
?
[Task One: Slap Cecilia hard across the face, then say: "Be my dog? You're not worthy." Task Reward: Warrior level breakthrough to level 10]
[Task Two: Take off your shoes, extend your foot toward Cecilia's face, then say in a very punchable tone: "What a small fry, lick my foot and I'll allow you to be my dog" Task Reward: Level cap breakthrough to level 50]
[Task Three: Treat her with sincerity, tell her what's in your heart, and arrange a suitable place to tell her the truth about the Undead Calamity, and tell her "That original Cecilia is the Cecilia I want." Task Reward: Dragon Blood Essence]
Task One was too despicable, immediately abandoned.
Task Two nearly made Elashia spit out blood.
I do have pink hair, and I am small, but does that automatically make me a smug loli?!
Now Elashia understood, the more dangerous the task, the higher the reward.
The size of the task reward was like a danger alarm.
"I choose three."
[Very well]
The system's voice sounded somewhat disappointed.
But Elashia didn't care.
Elashia found a clean, flat ground.
"Sit down."
After seeing the system's task, Elashia's voice had calmed down.
Seeing Cecilia still reluctant to sit with her, Elashia gently tugged at her with her small hand.
"Sit down."
Compared to last time, Elashia's voice was much softer.
Cecilia eventually sat down.
Cecilia was a knight of "Protection," and only by truly entering her heart could one make her exert her true strength.
If only using her fear, not only would Cecilia be unable to truly display her real strength, but that wasn't Elashia's style either.
She actually knew little about handling interpersonal relationships, but in her previous life, she was called a social master.
Even the most introverted people would gradually open up when interacting with her.
But she actually only knew one technique—treating people with sincerity.
When meeting people worthy of her sincerity, she would treat them sincerely; when meeting unworthy people, she would simply stay away.
"Maybe... I scared you yesterday... do you think I'm a madwoman?" ^-^
"I wouldn't dare, my lord!"
Cecilia lowered her head.
"Come on, let me explain what was really happening yesterday..."
So, Elashia told Cecilia everything about the events before and after the coup.
"Actually, when I went outside the city alone to face you all, though I looked composed on the surface, I was so nervous inside that I could barely speak."
"After all, if I hadn't scared you then, our empire's strongest army would have crushed me to dust in minutes." ╮(╯▽╰)╭
[Task completed]
[Task Reward: Dragon Blood Essence (Revive a character who has been dead for less than one day)]
Cecilia didn't speak, just listened silently.
Elashia had to continue.
"Actually, I don't understand politics at all, and I'm even more clueless about military affairs, so I don't really want to be emperor."
Cecilia didn't speak, just looked at Elashia with a face that clearly said "you're lying."
Elashia's face darkened.
It seemed she really couldn't make her believe in such a short time.
The awkward silence continued for a long while before Elashia sighed and said: "Sigh, if you don't want to believe me, so be it."
"Anyway, don't be too afraid of me. I will absolutely not threaten you with your sister, and I won't confine your sister like the old Elasia Emperor did."
"But, I absolutely won't let you leave now. I need you to work for me for a while."
Upon hearing this, Cecilia immediately stood up and excitedly knelt on the ground.
"Thank you, Your Highness!"
Elashia's face darkened.
"Sit back down!"
Cecilia had no choice but to sit back down.
Elashia knew that giving Cecilia and Sophia freedom now would be tantamount to exiling them.
In the storyline, if "Elashia" was too kind and gave the two sisters freedom before establishing enough bonds with Cecilia, Cecilia would definitely take Sophia and secretly leave.
Even if she tried to stop them, she wouldn't be able to.
After all, she couldn't win in a fight.
"I know what you're thinking, Cecilia."
Elashia looked at Cecilia with a dark face.
"You definitely want to take Sophia and run away secretly, right?"
The fake smile on Cecilia's face quickly faltered.
"Remember this: you absolutely cannot run."
"If you run, I promise you—you will definitely regret it."
"If you run, you will pay the price, Sophia will pay the price, I will too, and every person in this world will."
"At the right time, I will tell you the reason for my coup, and I will also tell you why I just said 'you absolutely cannot run.'"
Elashia's expression was extremely serious.
"Since I dare to let you sisters reunite, I have a reason not to let you take Sophia away."
Elashia said with a confident smile:
"I can heal Sophia's legs."
This simple sentence was like an earth-shattering thunderbolt to Cecilia, making her heart skip a beat.
"What!"
Cecilia sat up again, grabbing Elashia's hand.
"Are you telling the truth?!"
Previously, Cecilia had tried everything to heal Sophia's legs, but always ended up with nothing. She had even thought Sophia's legs were beyond healing. Elashia's words rekindled the long-held wish she had almost abandoned.
If it was this mysterious girl, perhaps she really could do it!
"You're... you're hurting me, let go." (>﹏_<...
It really hurts.
Quickly withdrawing her fair small hand and shaking it gently a couple of times, Elashia covered her hand and continued: "I will gradually heal your sister, it will probably take a year."
"That's my way of keeping you here, Cecilia."
The pink-haired girl looked at Cecilia with gentle eyes.
"After a year, whether you and Sophia want to leave or stay, it's up to you. I absolutely won't interfere."
"How about that?"
Cecilia no longer cared whether Elashia would truly grant her freedom as promised after a year. She now only cared whether Elashia could truly heal Sophia's legs as promised.
"Can you really heal my sister's legs?"
"Rest assured, I'll take you to see your sister soon, and perform the first round of treatment in front of you."
Although Cecilia had some doubts about whether Elashia could really find such a good doctor, she could only choose to believe.
Cecilia solemnly knelt on one knee and said: "If Your Majesty can truly heal my sister's legs, I am willing to fight for Your Majesty for life."
[System Task issued]
Ah, not again.
[Task One: Accept Cecilia's words and take her to see Sophia. Task Reward: Warrior level increased by one]
[Task Two: "Without something tangible, I can't believe your words." Still force Cecilia to sign the slave contract. Task Reward: Black Magic Blade (Item)]
[Task Three: Pull Cecilia up forcefully. "No, I don't want you to fight for me for life, I only want you to return to the real you." Task Reward: Mage level increased by one]
If she wanted Cecilia to truly exert her real strength as a "Guardian Knight," she must help her find her original intention.
Elashia remembered particularly clearly the scene when Cecilia found her original intention to protect the people, facing the large incoming undead army and a [Lord]-level undead with a level as high as 50.
The [Oath Sword] that blotted out the sky responded to Cecilia's call and descended from the heavens, directly impaling that poor [Undead Lord].
It also vaporized almost all the surrounding undead.
Directly exceeding human limits.
That was truly amazing.