Chapter 75 – The conditions for helping out
The bad premonition came true after all.
“I, Linna Fen Klawprince! Shall now represent the Tobias Royal Family……” The queen finally spoke, solemnly and sincerely looking at the merfolk team leader with a dignified tone: “Plead for the remaining races in the Lost Forest to send the prince back to the palace……” (TL: Well, I don’t understand why there isn’t a Tobias in her full name.)
When she was done talking, the queen stepped backwards from the Magic Mirror, and bowed before him. After stating her full name, she would represent the whole Tobias kingdom, and the merfolk team leader could not refuse.
“……” Sue slapped herself in tears…… This unlucky mouth of hers……
After the merfolk team leader cut off the Magic Communication, Sue raised her hands and affirmed her position: “I can help you if it’s within the forest, and also provide you with some potions after you leave. But I’m making it clear, before the Tree of Life’s complete revival, I will not step out of the forest.”
The merfolk team leader was stunned: “Why?!”
When the situation of sending back the prince became bigger, the Magical Beast Forest might not be safe.
“No reason.” Sue smacked with her lips: “I’m shy, I don’t dare to meet people!”
“……” Bulls.h.i.t……
When the demons saw the few visitors, they were not surprised and looked like they had been waiting for a long time. Based on their att.i.tudes, it meant that they were there to specially alert them, so they could guess the reasons as to why they approached them now.
“Let me guess, everyone came to ask for help?!” The demon general took off his robe and checked everyone out with clasped hands and a smile, before landing his gaze on the little wolf boy: “This is prince Fedrus right?!”
“Actually I’m more curious as to how you saw through him?!” Sue was also smiling, not minding at all that he saw through the chibi’s ident.i.ty. Since he had already guessed correctly and did not reveal his status, he deserved a measured amount of respect and trust.
“His disguise and scent have no flaws, but I must say, that the smell of a dark concoction of him is too strong….. I remember when I was still a child several decades back then, I had smelled it on another royal family member.”
Slane realized what he was talking about: “You mean to say ‘that’ princess?!”
“Who?!” Sue whispered to someone to share the secret.
The merfolk team leader also had some idea, and whispered back: “I believe that it was the current king’s younger sister. She was supposed to marry to the neighboring country before she was killed, and the Tobias kingdom announced that it was a faction working in the shadows who a.s.sa.s.sinated her. Even now they had not announced the cause of death….. That’s wonderful! This would mean that the demon race might know the poison on the prince.”
“Oh……”
[Is this the plot armor of the protagonist?! No matter how harsh the route of death was, the protagonist would constantly meet people who were fated to save him, then successfully escaped from danger, and even get his meridians opened and control his yin and yang flow freely, or forcefully poured with 50 years of kung fu?] (TL: 打通任督二脉 – Some specific meridians in the thighs. It somehow comes up in kung fu series but I don’t really know what it means to have them open lol. 贵人 – Roughly the meaning of ‘benefactor’, who is fated to help. These two terms are combined.)
[Obviously the prince is the protagonist, and I seem to be the first benefactor to help him! I fulfilled my responsibilities to keep his life and even added bonus benefits by teaching my secret skills…… And if the plot continues, I’ll sacrifice myself on some dangerous event, and leave all my possessions, including the Holy Saint Beast and equipment to the little prince as souvenirs?]
Sue’s mind wandered everywhere while Slane and the merfolk team leader successfully negotiated with the demons. The latter was already prepared and readily agreed. Naturally the demons were not heroes or something like that, they were simply after the skills that Sue had.
So everyone’s eyes turned back to Sue who was still lost in her thoughts.
“Uhh….. What are you looking at me for?” Sue’s mind was blasted by intense gazes till she was prodded back and looked at them gloomily: “I already said that I will help with potions and stuff within the forest. Don’t look at me for other things, you savvy!?”
“Sue…..” Fedrus was wagging his tail and came up to her to get fawned over.
“Even if you call me soufflé it’s useless!” Sue shook her head: “I will absolutely not set off my foot outside the forest right now. If I don’t want to go to the Tobias kingdom, I won’t even think about going to the demon race’s territory.” (TL: The pun is Sue’s name. You p.r.o.nounce Sou=Sue the same way.)
“What do you want?! As long as you set your conditions, the demon race will try their best to fulfill them.” The demon general was prepared to negotiate. In order to get the a.s.sa.s.sination skills, he decided to put everything on the line. He had bragged to everyone about getting the skills with much confidence, and thought that an ignorant child was easy to fleece, but she proved to be a hard bone to chew on.
“You can’t give what I want.” Sue sighed with her gaze far off.
“…… Whatever you want, we can give it!” The demon general shook his sleeves furiously: “Tell me, what are your conditions? Money? Blackmailing material?! Fame?! …… Or handsome boys?!”
“Hey!” The merfolk team leader was unhappy over the fact that the demon general was trying to lead her astray.
Sue also spewed blood. She thought she was forthright enough, to think that would be someone who was more direct….. “Stop guessing, you had better find some other angles to work on! I’ll say this now, stop trying to get any ideas on me, I’m not the brat’s guardian……”
“Cough cough!” As the brat’s guardian, Slane could not be silent anymore: “This mister, if we request for your help, could we exchange favorable conditions?! Like money?! Goodwill between two countries?! Free-trade Tax Exemptions?! …… Or pretty girls?!”
“……” The demon general was depressed: “You learn really fast.”
“Cough……” Slane was embarra.s.sed: “We sincerely seek for your aid. Sue’s situation is unique. We cannot ask for a little girl to do such a sacrifice, as long as the Tobias kingdom can do it, you can go ahead and ask for anything.”
“I’ll leave it to you guys to negotiate. I’m going to find blackie-bro to set up the forest defense.” In order to avoid the topic to change to her again, Sue wisely retreated from the demon general. She was wondering why they thought she would change her mind for the little prince…… Was it because of the Law of the Protagonist?! Or perhaps she looked like some unlucky fool?!
She moved out of the camping area and summoned her gigantic white tiger and sat on it: “Go! Let’s go to blackie-bro and feast on meat!”
“Meow~”