The new king of compassion raised his scepter, bringing beautiful blessings to this magical continent that had fallen into suffering.
The golden little bird that had been missing for days flew in from the horizon. Singing, it circled Yu Deng several times before finally merging with his crown.
The scene was so sacred that everyone briefly lost the ability to speak. Even the usually lively livestream chat fell silent for several seconds.
[This is so sacred… Baby, I want to be your dog forever…]
[I suddenly feel so moved. Baby's livestream has never been bloody or violent, but I just really love it.]
[Yeah, I feel like I've been healed, too.]
[My wife, my wife…]
As for Yu Deng himself, he felt rather peculiar.
After becoming the Heart of Eralazia, Yu Deng had gained a vague awareness of the continent. He could feel the endless stream of dark emotions gradually returning to the bodies of their respective owners, quietly settling into corners where they could coexist peacefully with their hosts. He could also sense the silent joy radiating from both the land and the ocean.
Oh, he had also learned that the golden little bird that had once carried a crown to him was actually the physical manifestation of divine authority and holy light.
Yu Deng adjusted the crown on his head, a bright, sparkling smile appearing in his eyes.
So he had succeeded, right? He was about to restore the continent of Eralazia to its former beauty!
[Ding. Player Yu Deng's favorability and trust level among the human kingdom have increased significantly and have reached their maximum values.]
[Ding. Player Yu Deng's favorability and trust level among the dragon race have increased significantly…]
[Ding. Player Yu Deng's favorability and trust level among the merfolk…]
[Ding. Player Yu Deng's favorability and trust level among the beastmen…]
[…]
The instance system kept chiming out a long series of notifications. Nearly every race was increasing its trust and favorability toward Yu Deng. At the same time, warning alarms signaling the destruction of the instance were blaring incessantly.
[ALERT! Instance parameters are incorrect! Instance balance has spiraled out of control! Risk of instance collapse detected… Initiating emergency repair procedure… Procedure initiation failed!]
"Tongtong, the main system is so noisy." Yu Deng furrowed his brows. "My head is buzzing."
[I have temporarily blocked the instance notifications for you, Host.] System 01's electronic voice was gentle. [No one is allowed to disturb you.]
"Okay!"
After the notifications were blocked, Yu Deng's surroundings indeed became much quieter.
The light emitted by the scepter had already spread across the entire magical continent. The people were no longer agitated or violent, and even the fantastical creatures, such as merfolk and dragons, had lost the crimson glow in their eyes. They lay quietly on the open ground, no longer regarding one another with hostility.
Everyone was following the little king, Yu Deng, and trying to find a balance between darkness and beauty.
The purification lasted for approximately an hour before finally coming to an end. The gemstone at the tip of the scepter slowly dimmed, and Yu Deng let his arm drop with a plop, secretly sighing in relief.
Wuwu, he had been gripping the scepter tightly the entire time. His arm was so sore now!
The residents gathered there had finally escaped their painful, out-of-control state. Looking at His Majesty on the altar, they bowed sincerely and reverently to their little king.
"We are grateful for your compassion and benevolence, which have freed us from the abyss of suffering and allowed us to witness beauty and happiness once more. We are grateful for the glory you have brought us. Please allow us to sing for you—"
The people began singing Yu Deng's praises in unison. Hearing the compliments coming from every direction, Yu Deng felt a little embarrassed, and a faint pink flush spread across his earlobes.
He casually waved his hand, pretending not to be affected while maintaining his kingly composure.
"There's no need to thank me! I'm happy, too, that the continent of Eralazia can regain its former beauty."
[Ding. Congratulations to Player Yu Deng for completing the additional quest: Fulfill the Role of the Heart of Fantasy.]
[Ding. Congratulations to Player Yu Deng for completing the side quests: Restore the Glory of the Sturitt Kingdom / Resolve the Dragon Race's Plight / Resolve the Merfolk's Plight.]
Yu Deng blinked.
He had completed the additional quest and the side quests, too! Combined with the trust-level increases announced earlier, that should be more than enough for him to clear this instance.
Yu Deng said a few more words to his people before being escorted by the leaders of the fantastical races to a room the residents had prepared for him to rest in.
"The little king is incredible!"
The dragons and merfolk gazed at Yu Deng with burning admiration, competing with one another to shower him with praise.
Yu Deng lifted his chin a little proudly.
"Of course! I'm amazing… But my arm is so sore. I held that scepter for such a long, long time."
The little king drew out his words, the ends of his sentences carrying a hint of complaint and grievance. To the several men present, it was nothing short of adorable, coquettish whining that made him utterly irresistible.
Their hearts practically melted. The merfolk and the dragon immediately hurried to stand on either side of Yu Deng and massage his arms.
The knight, who had his chance stolen from him: "…" Tch.
Song Shiyu simply stood behind Yu Deng and began massaging his shoulders.
The little king's skin was incredibly delicate, and these guys had rough hands. Their massages made him let out little sounds of discomfort.
"Ah… Don't press so hard. Mm, a little lower…"
Yu Deng ordered around these notorious leaders as though it were the most natural thing in the world. Not one of them complained; in fact, they seemed to enjoy every moment of pampering their delicate little king.
After being waited on by these guys, Yu Deng finally felt a little better. His eyes drooped halfway shut, and he occasionally let out a soft, contented hum.
A chorus of excited howls came from outside the door. The little animals Yu Deng had sent out had returned! These little creatures had also witnessed Yu Deng becoming the Heart of Fantasy through the images displayed by the magic array, and their admiration for him had grown even stronger.
Led by the three-headed hound, the little animals were about to rush over and snuggle against Yu Deng, only to be frightened back by the imposing auras of the dragon and the merfolk.
"Don't scare them! They're all my little pets. They're very well-behaved, and they even helped me earlier."
Yu Deng patted each of the little animals before returning them to his contracted creature compendium. He also took the opportunity to pet the little animals from the instance. Of course, the giant creatures had already returned to their normal sizes, and they were now crowding eagerly around Yu Deng.
Just then, a minister knocked on the wooden door and asked respectfully, "Your Majesty, some people are seriously injured, and the priests cannot treat them. Could we trouble you to take a look?"
Yu Deng tilted his head.
"Okay, let me see."
Only after stepping outside did he realize that some NPCs had suffered more severe mutations and had not recovered immediately during the purification. Most of them had grown mutated organs.
Eh? Wait a minute. His two older sisters could actually leave the stone tower now! They had also come here.
The bodies of both princesses had partially recovered, but strange, oddly shaped tissues still covered their skin, much like those of the other residents.
"Good child, could you help them?" The queen held her daughters tightly and pleaded with him.
"Let me think…"
Yu Deng tried using a healing potion from the system shop, but it had little effect. Frowning, he pondered the problem before suddenly remembering his scalpel item.
He had always used the scalpel to attack before and had apparently never tried its healing function. As long as he cut away the wounds, it could heal them.
Yu Deng took out the scalpel, hesitating slightly.
"I have a method we can try, but it'll hurt a lot."
Princess Fuli was the first to step forward and lie down on the makeshift operating table.
"It's okay. I… am not… afraid. Little brother, try it on me first."
Yu Deng carefully used the scalpel to cut away the stone-like tissues on Fuli's arm and knee. Fuli broke out in a cold sweat from the pain but didn't make a single sound.
A few minutes later, Yu Deng had removed the mutated parts, and fresh flesh began to grow rapidly over Fuli's body.
It really worked! This scalpel was amazing.
While Yu Deng was treating the NPCs, Song Shiyu temporarily left his side to continue completing the quest he had triggered and deal with matters concerning the beastman race. The other players followed Yu Deng around, helping him with everything. They seemed to be having quite a good time, too.
After Yu Deng finished treating one group of NPCs, Little Fatty approached him, rubbing his hands together.
"Um… Your Majesty, we received a commission from the Sturitt Kingdom earlier. Can we complete it now?"
"Hm? Let me check."
Yu Deng looked at the players.
There should have been one more player in the instance, but that person had never shown up. Yu Deng had no idea whether they had been eliminated or were simply a committed lone wolf.
As for the remaining members of their temporary team, they had all been very proactive about completing quests.
After thinking for a moment, Yu Deng called over several ministers and introduced the players to them.
"They contributed to what happened earlier, too!"
"Oh, Your Majesty, I understand. We all witnessed the deeds of these brave warriors." One of the ministers bowed slightly. "Please allow me to express our sincere gratitude on behalf of the people of Sturitt."
As soon as the NPC minister finished speaking, the players heard the notification sound indicating that their quest had been completed. Only then did they finally realize that helping the NPCs had actually meant helping themselves, too.
…
As the new king, Yu Deng remained incredibly busy even after the purification.
He had already completed all sorts of quests, and as a player, he didn't actually need to do anything more for the instance. However, when he saw the residents gazing at him with eyes sparkling with reverence, he couldn't help taking the opportunity to fulfill a few of his royal duties.
Consequently, it wasn't until nearly nightfall that he finished handling the most important matters. He handed over all the administrative authority to the queen, while the leaders of the fantastical races whisked him away to rest.
Before leaving, Yu Deng remembered the countdown to his instance clearance and called out to the queen.
"Queen Audrey." Yu Deng lowered his voice. "If I leave, then you and my sisters should take over the management of the Sturitt Kingdom."
The queen looked surprised, as though she had already sensed something. She smiled lovingly.
"Very well. I'll carry out the little king's wishes. May you always be happy and blessed."
At that moment, twelve hours remained before the instance ended.
Yu Deng and the several people connected to his quests returned to the castle palace. The merfolk and dragon had both transformed into human forms and squeezed into his room with him.
The castle was quiet at night. Amid the peaceful silence, Yu Deng spoke.
"Um… Oriel, Eurisis, there's something I need to tell you." Yu Deng glanced at the countdown until the instance ended. "I'm going to leave soon."
Song Shiyu understood that Yu Deng was saying goodbye, but the dragon and the merfolk didn't immediately comprehend what he meant.
"Leave? Where are you going? Is there somewhere else on the continent of Eralazia that needs to be purified? We can go with you."
Yu Deng shook his head.
"No. I mean… I'm leaving the continent of Eralazia, and I might never come back."
Leave?!
The dragon and the merfolk had never imagined that their beloved little king would leave them.
Leaving the continent of Eralazia and never returning… That meant they would never see Yu Deng again.
They had barely spent any time with their little king. How could they already be losing him forever?
At the thought of this, the auras surrounding both fantastical creatures suddenly darkened. Their gazes turned gloomy, and their arms trembled uncontrollably.
The usually cold and ruthless merfolk now looked like a dog about to be abandoned, so pitiful that it was almost heartbreaking. The dragon's heart ached with bitter sorrow, and he was so desperate that he wished he could gather every treasure in the world to persuade his little princess to stay.
"Don't go, baby. Please don't go, okay…?" The merfolk begged, tears falling from his eyes and turning into pearls as they rolled across the floor. "Or… please let me leave with you."
The dragon spoke in a muffled voice, clumsily trying to persuade him to stay.
"Dengdeng, I can give you all my treasures. Just don't leave me."
Even the magic mirror let out a sorrowful wail.
"If I can't see His Majesty anymore, I'll shatter into pieces—"
The intense grief of the fantastical creatures caused the entire space to tremble violently, as though it might collapse at any moment.
Song Shiyu stood some distance away, watching them for several seconds with an unreadable expression. He tightened his grip on the longsword in his hand, but ultimately chose not to stop the fantastical creatures.
"But I have to leave. If I don't leave this place, I'll die." Yu Deng lowered his head, his voice soft. "The continent of Eralazia is wonderful, but I can't stay here any longer."
After all, he was a player. He had to keep completing quests and clearing instances to stay alive.
The dragon and the merfolk stopped begging.
They didn't want to lose the chance to see Yu Deng again, but they wanted even less for him to get hurt or die.
"Although I really do have to leave, you… you don't need to worry yet. We might meet again."
Yu Deng lifted his head slightly, his eyes bright.
"Maybe… we'll be able to see each other again after some time."
Those words undoubtedly gave the fantastical creatures a glimmer of comfort.
"Baby, really?"
Yu Deng raised his index finger and gently wagged it.
"I wouldn't lie to you. Besides, you've already submitted to me, so it's not impossible!"
The dragon and the merfolk gradually calmed down. They rested their heads beside Yu Deng's legs, looking nothing like their usual ferocious selves. They were even more docile than puppies.
The merfolk and the dragon pressed close to Yu Deng on either side. When they noticed the knight standing deliberately farther away, their gazes couldn't help but turn provocative.
"What a pity. There's no room for you beside the little king anymore."
Song Shiyu glanced at them, his tone calm but carrying a hint of smugness.
"That's fine. The little king and I won't be separated. We even live in the same place."
The dragon and the merfolk froze.
A moment later, jealousy and anger surged through them, and they were ready to start fighting again.
Yu Deng: "N-no, don't fight!" Don't provoke them!
He hurriedly tried to hold the guys back, glaring fiercely at Song Shiyu. Mr. Song appeared apologetic on the surface, but he wasn't particularly remorseful.
After all, temporarily giving the others some space was already generous enough of him.
…
Yu Deng had been busy all day. After explaining to his quest targets that he was going to leave, he fell asleep in a daze, protected by them on all sides. He slept for about six or seven hours before suddenly jolting awake. When he opened his eyes, he discovered that those guys were all staring at him without even blinking.
"Mm? It's almost dawn." Yu Deng's eyes were still bleary with sleep.
"Yes, good morning, Your Majesty."
During the final few hours he had left in this instance, Yu Deng once again bestowed blessings upon the residents. He also somehow figured out on his own how to leave behind a legacy, leaving messages for the Sturitt Kingdom, the Abyss of the Deep Sea, and the Dragon Clan in the Clouds.
As for the several leaders of the fantastical races… None of them was willing to yield to the others, but they didn't want to waste time fighting their romantic rivals, either, nor did they want to upset Yu Deng.
Thus, gritting their teeth, they reached an agreement: they would switch places every ten minutes, taking turns holding Yu Deng in their arms. Of course, they didn't do anything else to him. They simply cuddled close to him.
Only five minutes remained on the countdown.
Leaning against the dragon's embrace, Yu Deng flipped through a newspaper. It mentioned that several months earlier, a vast area in the eastern part of the continent of Eralazia had been shrouded in dense fog. Even the mages had been unable to investigate it. For several days, the entire region had been completely impassable, and anyone who entered lost their way. The residents of Eralazia had therefore designated it a dangerous labyrinth.
A labyrinth…?
Yu Deng had been running around nonstop throughout this instance and barely had any time to think about where his older brother might be. Now, seeing this word, he suddenly remembered that his eldest brother was still missing.
He pressed his lips together. "By the way, do you know what the labyrinth is?"
"The labyrinth? Yes, that did happen. But it was several months ago. The labyrinth appeared briefly and disappeared on its own after a few days. We didn't conduct any in-depth research into it."
Yu Deng let out a subdued "Oh" and turned his head, meeting Song Shiyu's gaze.
They looked at each other for several seconds. Song Shiyu's expression remained unchanged, but he had already figured it out.
The president of the Windlamp Guild also had the surname Yu.
Even as the countdown reached zero, Yu Deng was still thinking about whether he could find his older brother.
He didn't see the gemstone at the tip of his scepter suddenly turn around, its surface then emitting a faint glow.
[Ding. Time for the A-rank instance City of Fantasy has expired. All players will now be transported to the Player Center.]
In the distance, the city of Pool City was peaceful and harmonious. Sunlight fell across the land, and everything was flourishing with life.
Even if the hearts of the people were no longer filled with absolute, untainted goodness, the residents of the continent of Eralazia had gained the courage and strength to face the darkness within themselves. Perhaps, for them, this was what a true fairy tale was supposed to look like.
"Goodbye, everyone."
Yu Deng glanced at the merfolk and the dragon before letting his gaze settle on this City of Fantasy. He said softly, "May glory endure forever."
"Goodbye, Dengdeng. We'll definitely meet again."
The energy of the teleportation appeared, enveloping Yu Deng. Song Shiyu also stepped into the teleportation field and naturally wrapped an arm around Yu Deng's waist.
The knight lowered his head and pressed a kiss to his princess's lips.
"See you at the Player Center, Your Majesty."
Yu Deng let out a slightly delayed "Oh."
The dragon: "…" Fuck.
The merfolk: "…" Tch.
However, the teleportation energy had already surrounded them, leaving the fantastical creatures furious at their rival's blatant provocation. The energy carried them away from the continent of Eralazia. Yu Deng's vision went black, and that familiar wave of dizziness washed over him.
Suddenly, an alarm sounded beside Yu Deng's ear.
[ALERT! ALERT! Data error detected. Data error detected—!]
Yu Deng tumbled through the darkness, completely disoriented.
"Huh?" What was going on? If this kept shaking him around, he was going to get motion sickness, wuwu!
The instance system emitted crackling electrical noises. Several minutes later, Yu Deng slowly descended and heard the instance announcement coming through in broken fragments.
[Ding… Player Yu Deng's location identification is incorrect. Instance data error… Ding. Player Yu Deng has arrived in… the S-rank instance… City of the Labyrinth.]