Chapter 89: Unforeseen Conundrum Xin’s eyes widened, his focus abruptly shifting to the lagoon. His disbelief and amazement were etched across his expression as he watched the water’s mesmerizing transformation. Princess Hilda stood beside him, seemed just as taken aback, her astonishment reflecting his own. "What is this?" she whispered, her voice a mix of wonder and apprehension. The undulating ripples in the water wove an intricate dance, a display of movement that seemed to defy the laws of reality. In an instant, the tranquil lagoon underwent a breathtaking metamorphosis, the watery canvas morphing into a figure that Xin recognized all too well –– the sea elf, Elysia. "Elysia?" Xin whispered. Elysia’s smile was radiant, her eyes reflecting a wellspring of emotions upon reuniting with Lord Schrodinger. "It’s been a while, Lord Schrodinger. I’m delighted that you’ve summoned me. I’ve found myself missing you." "Elysia, it really is you . . ." Xin was rendered momentarily speechless by Elysia’s unexpected appearance. He had never anticipated that she would actually respond to his underwater call. "Do you know this person, Lord Schrodinger?" Princess Hilda’s curious inquiry flitted between Xin and the sea elf. Elysia’s gaze shifted to Princess Hilda, her lips quirking into a smirk. "And who might this be? A troll, perhaps?" Regaining his composure, Xin quickly introduced the two women. "A dwarf princess, huh?" Elysia’s tone held a note of amusement. "No wonder the beard." Xin couldn’t help but thought as well if all dwarf royalty were characterized by their beards. "Nevertheless, your timing is impeccable, Elysia," Xin said, his gratitude evident. Although he was baffled by how Elysia had managed to traverse from the Newbie Island to Eternia, he was grateful for her presence. "Can you help us get out of here?" A playful glint danced in Elysia’s eyes as her finger grazed her lips. "I could, but what will it cost you?" "What’s the price?" Xin inquired without hesitation. Elysia feigned a composed demeanor, though her cheeks flushed slightly. "How about another kiss?" she proposed, her attempt at dignity masking a hint of embarrassment. Without a moment’s hesitation, Xin leaned down and pressed a kiss to the back of Elysia’s hand. His gesture caused a faint blush to rise on Elysia’s cheeks, and she cleared her throat, struggling to maintain her composure. "Yes, that’s quite alright," she managed to reply, suppressing a giggle. Elysia swiftly regained her calm demeanor and turned her attention to Lord Schrodinger with a sweet smile before she batted her eyelids at the Princess. "I think she doesn’t like me," Princess Hilda whispered in Lord Schrodinger’s ears. "She must be threatened with my incredibly good looks." She giggled, unoffended. ". . ." Xin didn’t know what to say to that but, "She’s just like that to everyone she met." "Just let me know when you’re ready to leave," Elysia said, breaking their soft murmurings. Xin pondered for a brief moment before speaking decisively, "We’re ready to leave now." He reasoned that he could resume mining once they were out of the cavern. He had already thoroughly explored the area and assessed that most of the tunnels were dead ends. Since Princess Hilda had already gathered materials from her digging endeavors, Xin would receive those as his rewards by the end of the day so no need to forage in those parts. "Then, please hold my hand," Elysia instructed Lord Schrodinger gently before turning her attention to Princess Hilda. However, her tone turned abrupt and demanding, "You too." While Xin followed Elysia’s directive, Princess Hilda hesitated. "What’s wrong, Princess?" Xin inquired, noticing the sadness in her eyes. Princess Hilda’s gaze wavered as she confessed, "I don’t know if I want to leave this place." Xin was taken aback by her response. "What do you mean? Don’t you want to return to the surface?" A wistful smile played on Princess Hilda’s lips. "Even if I were to return, I have no place to call home. There’s nowhere that truly needs me." Elysia interjected with a flip of her hair and a grin. "Well then, good bye. Let’s go, Lord Schrodinger." "Wait," Xin interrupted, moving closer to Princess Hilda. He couldn’t fathom leaving behind such a valuable materials in her possession! "Princess," Xin spoke gently, taking Princess Hilda’s hands into his own and fixing his gaze earnestly upon her. "If you find yourself without a place to go, then consider coming with me. We can discover a purpose together, even if it means creating one anew." Princess Hilda’s eyes glistened with a mixture of tears and joy as she stared back at Lord Schrodinger. Her cheeks flushed a deep shade of red, and the intensity of the moment made it feel as if he were proposing to her. Moved beyond words, she managed to convey her emotions, her voice trembling with sincerity. "If you would have me, I would be honored to stay by your side, now and forever." Meanwhile, off to the side, Elysia couldn’t hide her disdain. She stuck out her tongue in a display of disgust, casting jealous glances at Princess Hilda while gnawing on her lip in vexation. She was becoming increasingly frustrated by the number of rivals vying for Lord Schrodinger’s attention. "Why do they all flock to him like moths to a flame?" Elysia mused to herself, acknowledging Lord Schrodinger’s undeniable charisma. Despite her irritation, she understood the allure, that Lord Schrodinger was too great to be soloed by one woman. Still, it didn’t stop her from feeling irked by the competition. Suppressing her emotions, Elysia maintained an air of calm dignity, reminding herself of her own status as a powerful sea elf and queen of the sea. She refused to believe that an ordinary dwarf princess with troll-like features could truly compete with her. Breaking the moment, Xin gently guided Princess Hilda towards Elysia. "Let’s go." With a swift, graceful movement, Elysia commanded the water to swirl around them, enveloping them in its liquid embrace. In an instant, the trio and the golems were submerged, and as the water cascaded down and struck the ground with a resonant splash, they vanished from the cavern, leaving only a faint echo behind. ====================== The DEVELOPER’s Distress ====================== As the developers settled in for their routine afternoon tea, a sense of calm and tranquility filled the room. "You know," one of them began, sipping their tea thoughtfully, "now that things have returned to normal and we’re back to the peaceful grind of devising creative ways to torment players, I find myself missing Lord Schrodinger." A colleague chuckled, swirling their cup of tea. "Yeah, it’s like we’re missing out on the latest Chapter of his adventures." A contemplative sip followed. "True, but with the top guild still licking their wounds after their ill-fated attempt on The Castle of Doom, it seems nobody’s in a hurry to kick off a new war." "Exactly, and the other major players are all busy either raiding or prepping for another Castle of Doom run." "Hey, speaking of which, do you think the NPCs over in the Newbie Island could somehow find their way into Eternia?" The question drew puzzled looks. "Where did that come from?" "Just curious, considering how Lord Schrodinger had the NPCs pretty much wrapped around his finger. Who’s to say some of them wouldn’t follow him?" "Impossible. We didn’t program those NPCs to traverse between servers." "But we also didn’t restrict them to stay confined within the Newbie Island." ". . ." ". . ." "Nah, that’s just wishful thinking. Those NPCs aren’t equipped to move between servers. Plus, they have crucial roles in the Newbie Island that they’re designed to fulfill." "Absolutely, their designated tasks in the Newbie Island are their main priority." "Yeah, you’re right." ". . . Yeah, let’s not entertain unlikely scenarios." And with a collective chuckle, the developers continued their afternoon tea, their laughter mingling with the ever-present hum of the virtual worlds they meticulously crafted.