So after receiving all the information, Elara's first reaction was to leave.
But just as the thought appeared, the voice of System 92 rang in her mind again.
Ding. Host, you cannot leave. The reason your body is so weak is because the national fate of Plumera is on the verge of collapsing. If you leave now, once Plumera is destroyed, your life will also end, and you will fall into a half-dead state of endless pain.
Elara paused and responded in her mind. What do you mean?
System 92 quickly answered. Simply put, your life is connected to the fate of Plumera. Only if the kingdom becomes strong and prosperous again will your health improve. The reason you're so weak now is because Plumera is broken in every way, so your internal organs are also failing badly.
A person's life is tied to a country's fate?
Elara had never heard of such a strange thing, but since she had already mysteriously arrived here, nothing surprised her anymore.
She thought for two seconds, then directly asked the main question.
You want me to save this country?
System 92 replied with great enthusiasm. Yes yes yes, Host, you're so quick to understand.
Elara rejected it right away. No.
This broken kingdom would take too much energy to save.
Even if her life was linked to it, she didn't want to.
She was forced to come here for no reason, didn't know anything about this world, and now they expected her to risk her life?
This wasn't the Elara family, and it wasn't her world.
Her time and energy were valuable. This body's internal organs only had about a month left. It was meaningless.
Besides, what she wanted most right now was to know how to go back.
She was the only heir of the Elara Group. She had to return, or else the huge company would fall into chaos. Her parents were already old. She didn't want them to go back to work when they should be enjoying retirement.
She wondered, if she died now, could she return?
Thinking of this, Elara asked. Why did I come here?
She had heard of time travel before.
But her health had always been good, with regular habits. No matter how busy she was, she never stayed up late. She did annual checkups and had no reason to die suddenly and be sent into another world.
So she must have come here unwillingly.
Was it System 92's doing?
System 92, who had sensed her thoughts, was shocked and a little nervous. This host was really smart and sharp.
It panicked and replied quickly. No, Host, actually you truly belong to this era too. It's just that before, your soul wasn't here. It was being controlled by a wandering ghost, which is why things were so bad.
Seeing Elara wasn't moved, System 92 continued in a hurry.
Host, this world really is one of your rightful lives. We don't know why you have one soul in two bodies across two timelines, but if you don't settle the cause and effect in this world, you won't be able to go back.
Not only that, but your health will keep getting worse. When Plumera is destroyed, you'll be trapped in a half-dead state. The pain I'm shielding you from will double. It won't stop until your soul completely disappears.
And based on how this world is trying to keep you, before your soul fades away, you'll suffer this half-dead state for at least three years. Do you really want to live three years like that?
Elara frowned, but she wasn't scared. Instead, she showed a mocking smile.
So what you mean is, if I don't save this kingdom, I'll suffer worse than death? Are you threatening me?
System 92 trembled. It was starting to understand how strong and stubborn this host was. Its voice weakened and it pleaded.
Honorable Host, I don't dare to threaten you. This is your destined cause and effect. You were meant to be born here. And you're so amazing, if you're willing, you can definitely save this kingdom. I will help you the whole way. Once the mission is complete, the world will reward you.
Elara chuckled and looked at System 92 in her mind with a half-smile.
A few seconds passed. Just when System 92 felt like its heart was about to stop, Elara asked in a calm voice. What reward?
System 92 quickly answered. One wish. You can make any wish, and the world will make it come true.
Sending me back counts as a wish?
System 92 nodded immediately. Yes, it counts.
But Elara sneered again. You dragged me here for no reason, made me waste so much energy to save a collapsing kingdom, and now you're telling me the reward is just sending me back?
Isn't that the same as kidnapping someone, forcing them to finish a task, and then offering to send them home as a reward? What's the difference?
What did I gain? All I got was you dragging me here, making me spend all this effort, and then acting like giving me a ride home is a gift? Tch, don't you think that's shameless?
System 92's whole body trembled. If it had a face, it would have blushed with shame.
Although Elara's words were blunt, thinking about it carefully, she was right. They hadn't gotten her permission and just brought her here. Even if this was one of her real timelines, they never asked what she wanted.
In the past, most people were eager to travel through time. It hadn't expected this host to be unwilling. That was its mistake.
They brought her here, made her take on such a difficult mission, and the only reward was sending her back. She spent so much effort and got nothing in return. Even the return trip, which should have been guaranteed, was now treated as a gift.
Thinking like this, System 92 felt even more ashamed.
Its voice became even weaker. Then what do you want?
Elara smiled a little. A return ticket just for itself, plus three wishes and your full support.
System 92 froze.
Elara didn't let it bargain. The return ticket is what you already owe me. The three wishes are my reward. Your help is to make the task go faster and improve the success rate. Agree or not? If not, we're done here.
System 92 was stunned.
It had never seen such a clear and unforgiving host in all its experience.
One wish was already something most people dreamed of their whole lives. And since fulfilling a wish required the world to adjust and settle all related causes, it took a huge amount of energy.
But now this host wanted three wishes, a return trip, and full support too.
System 92 took a deep breath. It couldn't decide by itself. But the guilt from earlier still lingered. After hesitating a long time, it said softly. Please wait, Host. I'll go ask the Main System.
Elara felt her mind suddenly go quiet.
She didn't know how long had passed. It felt quick and long at the same time. Then the voice of System 92 returned, filled with sadness and pain, like it had been skinned alive but didn't dare cry.
System 92 said with a pitiful tone. Alright, Host. The Main System has agreed. But to keep balance in this world, I can only help you within the limits of what's possible in this era.
It sobbed inside. It didn't know if it would still get paid after this, but this was its evaluation mission. It had no choice.
Elara finally smiled. Deal.
After finishing the deal with System 92, Elara looked around the hall again.
Everyone in this princess estate had clearly gotten used to the original host's strange behavior.
Even when Elara went silent for a long time just now, no one dared question it. The servants kneeling on the floor didn't even dare raise their heads. Their bodies trembled slightly.
The man in black who was pressing the young boy down also stayed completely still, keeping his earlier position where he had asked if she wanted the boy's tongue cut out.
Only the boy kept struggling. His eyes were still full of fire as he stared at her.
Elara looked back at him. From the memories in her head, she already knew who he was and understood why he had shouted with so much anger earlier.
Plumera was already full of disasters. Because the ruling emperor was cruel and foolish, many loyal ministers had already been killed or forced out. The few remaining good officials had long given up on the country and fled.
Now the entire Plumera Kingdom was filled with corrupt officials and decay. Under Benedict's lead, the court cared only for luxury and greed.
No one was handling the famine, rebellions, or bandits.
The only people still willing to fight for Plumera were the Qi family from the House of Loyal Valor, who had lived here for generations and once helped build the kingdom alongside the royal ancestors.
The Qi family had always been warriors, loyal and brave for many generations. From the founding of Plumera until now, they had been its strongest shield and sword. No one knew how many battles they had fought or how many invasions they had stopped. Their blood had soaked the kingdom's soil.
Sadly, the royal family became more useless with each generation. They grew arrogant and indulgent. Under the influence of scheming courtiers, they slowly began to distrust the Qi family.
Many generations ago, they had already started stripping away the Qi family's military power.
By the time it reached Elara's parents' generation, the royal court had completely removed the Qi family from power, turning them from the nation's pillars into outcasts.
Even so, the previous generation of the Qi family still loved their homeland. In the last invasion by a foreign enemy, they fought to the death and stopped the invasion at the cost of their lives, earning Plumera a few more decades of survival.
Before General Qi died in battle, his final message to the court was a plea to protect the only two children left in the Qi family.