Chapter 233: The Little Loli Says Nothing, Forget About Her
The bizarre phenomenon over Emerald City was so glaring that the ripples it caused quickly spread outward, reaching the farthest corners of the empire in no time.
The players in Emerald City took note of the situation, their eyes glued to the NPCs displaying unusual expressions, leaving them utterly confused.
After some digging around, they discovered the shocking news: the Emperor had passed away.
Some opted for a moment of silence, while others shrugged it off, thinking, “Whatever, it doesn’t concern me.”
All they hoped for was that things would wrap up quickly so they could continue grinding.
However, the news ignited a fiery discussion on the forums.
At least nearly every player was aware that the Emperor of the empire had bitten the dust.
This was akin to witnessing an explosive blockbuster with top-notch special effects—everyone would feel shaken, regardless of their involvement.
Meanwhile, in the royal city, in the grand hall of the palace, everyone was bowing down, not daring to raise their heads.
Silently, they were bidding farewell to Emperor Abis for the last time.
For the empire’s higher-ups, the Emperor’s d*ath wasn’t necessarily all bad.
A dying Emperor would only bring an overwhelming gloom to the empire.
A whale falls, and life begins anew.
He’s gone, and perhaps that would usher in fresh vitality for the empire, blooming into something beautiful from the wreckage.
At last, Isaac raised his head and announced loudly, “You all can disperse.”
“Yes! Elder Brother!” came the chorus.
“Yes! His Highness!” echoed back.
Eventually, only Isaac and Elia, along with a few others around them, remained.
“Elia, in the end, it’s you standing opposite me.”
“Elder Brother, it should be this way.”
Isaac shrugged indifferently, “Alright, let it be.”
With that, he strode ahead without looking back.
Elia glanced at him, then turned to take Little Yuliya’s hand, whispering, “This is Isaac; you’re meeting him for the first time. Quite the arrogant type, isn’t he?”
“Uh…”
Yuliya opted for silence, keeping her lips zipped.
At this distance, with this volume, it was clear Isaac could hear.
She was doing it on purpose, speaking so he’d catch it.
Sigh, even big sister Elia can be a bit childish.
So Yuliya switched the topic, “He seems really strong. Do you think you can beat him, sister?”
Elia chuckled, “He is indeed strong, but I’m no slouch either. Just between us, my talent surpasses his; he’s just a few years older.”
“…”
Big Sister, are you for real? You might as well shout it from the rooftops!
Yuliya finally understood; Elia was totally doing this on purpose, it was some kind of strategy.
Like trash-talking before a match to give the opponent mental pressure.
Is Isaac’s arrogance part of his own strategy?
But don’t teach me, the good little girl, your tricks!
You’re his little sister; I’m not!
Yuliya was quite composed.
Sure, tactics are fine, but don’t overdo it—if something goes wrong, it’s this little body that’s bound to pay the price.
So while Elia was putting pressure on Isaac, Yuliya had to relieve hers.
“Um, Isaac… brother…” That was safe and made it feel more familial, “He seems like a hardworking person?”
Because Yuliya had seen his panel—level 60, two levels higher than Elia.
Elia nodded, “I must admit that. He really works hard, even goes all out. That’s why he has so much support. But effort is just the basic requirement for us. I work hard too, but unfortunately, I’m just not in the right place at the right time.”
Elia was very confident in her talent and strength.
Isaac was six years older than her, yet both of them were at the mid-range of the Emerald Level, placing them on the same level.
Had Elia and Isaac been born around the same time, the power struggle for the throne would have been entirely reversed.
In this world, strength is always prioritized.
Give Elia six more years, and she could very well ascend to the Legendary Level through her talent and effort.
In a clash between Legendary and Emerald Levels, even if everyone stood against Elia, she might just bulldoze through.
“That must be tiring, shouldn’t you take a break?”
“Tiring, of course! But once I seize the throne, it will all be worth it.”
“Save that talk for when you actually take the throne, Elia.”
Isaac finally halted, turning his gaze back to Elia.
“The throne is a result of a fair choice made by fate, requiring the right time, place, and people—all indispensable. Maybe it’s because of this bad timing that you’ve lost your opportunity forever.”
“You’re right, Elder Brother.” Elia lowered her head in agreement but smiled as she lifted it again, “But I still have a chance now.”
“Suit yourself.”
Isaac then directed his attention to Yuliya, “As for you, your talent is excellent, but you need to work harder.”
“Ah… yes!” Yuliya straightened up in response.
With that, Isaac quickened his pace and left.
Only after he had distanced himself did Yuliya finally let out a breath of relief.
Looks like she managed to save her little hide.
On the other hand, Elia was left somewhat dumbfounded.
She watched as Isaac walked away and then turned to Yuliya.
“Little Yuliya… you really did great!”
“What?”
“You actually got that guy to say an extra word to you! And it was a high praise at that!”
“Ah?”
“That guy is quite quirky. He’s a serious racist and extremely self-centered. Right now, we’re on equal status, so he won’t mind what we say. He usually ignores us unless it’s Daddy Emperor talking.”
“But he clearly heard what you said, and he gave you a high evaluation.”
Yuliya tilted her head, “Wasn’t he just listening to what Big Sister Elia said?”
“No, I know it was you.”
Yuliya was confused.
She didn’t think she said anything significant; just lent a slight support when things were a bit awkward.
And that worked?
Elia squatted down, rubbing Yuliya’s cheek, “Hehe, looks like our Little Yuliya can hold her own. Even if you don’t stick with me, you can snuggle up to Brother Isaac and still do well. You wouldn’t ditch me, would you?”
“Since you say so, I might just consider it!”
“Okay, okay, just kidding.”
Farther away, Isaac looked up at the sky.
He had been holding his breath, working hard until now.
Exhausting, of course; it had become a habit.
Only that little blonde girl could say something so thoughtless.
But occasionally, hearing such innocent words offered a bit of relief from the constant tension he held inside.
Isaac let out a light chuckle in his heart, but in an instant, his expression turned blank again.
Just one final step left.
