Chapter 82 Swan Castle (Three Watches in One)
With the identity of "Her Majesty the Queen" and the golden key given to her by Rosluna, Yu Naixin could clearly feel that both the moon in the sky and the red roses on the ground had restrained all their malice towards her when she walked out of the gates of Swan Castle.
It even subtly conveyed a sense of closeness and obedience.
When Yu Naixin walked into the sea of blood-red roses and manually rescued the Elf Prince, this feeling corresponded to reality.
In truth, these two scenes, filled with resentment and curses, are actually the most dangerous things for the female guests in this episode.
After all, male guests can still be won over with strategies, but these scenic spots don't follow any logic.
However, Yu Naixin has now solved these two most dangerous problems.
The elf prince blinked unconsciously, and finally his deep blue eyes regained focus.
No wonder so many people said elves are perfect for being abused! Now that he's been thoroughly tortured, this feeling of vulnerability and brokenness is just too amazing!
When the ghost tore off its clothes, my first thought was to check how much clothing the elf had left to avoid triggering privacy settings... Thankfully, although it was tattered, it didn't expose anything inappropriate, so I didn't have to watch a black screen again.
Now that you mention it, I've taken a closer look. These roses are quite considerate and know how to choose their placement, giving the elf's white and gold robes a rather unique style.
[Even a rag would look good on that elf's face. Wait, will all that mud the elf spilled disappear? Did the roses absorb it?]
I absolutely love the scene where the princess saves the lost prince!
[Congratulations to the female guest on the show "Heartbeat 1000%"! You have received 5 Sweet Coins from a viewer with the ID "Try to Reverse It"!]
The Elf Prince's memory was still stuck on the time when he was repeatedly forced to retreat by all the other guests in the dungeon show except himself, and had no choice but to step into the sea of blood-red roses outside Swan Castle.
These red roses, who hated him to the core, couldn't wait to cling to him and do everything in their power to erode and destroy him, once they had the chance to get close to him.
Throughout the entire Swan Castle event, only the Elf Prince is most deeply affected by the roses and moonlight.
He was mercilessly pierced by layers upon layers of blood-red roses, leaving countless wounds all over his body. Vines and branches bound his movements, plunging him into a nightmare abyss of pain and suffocation.
Dealing with these red roses alone had already exhausted most of the Elf Prince's energy, not to mention the vampire duke beside him, who was loudly recounting his bloody past to everyone as if chanting the most vicious curse.
This is adding insult to injury, and making matters worse.
The two male guests from "Moonlight Town" were no pushovers either. The werewolf knight, a pure warrior, calmed down after being indiscriminately attacked by the Crimson Rose.
But the ghostly wizard's movements were extremely elusive, as slippery as an eel, clearly a master of underhanded tricks.
The ghost wizard always managed to precisely throw potions or spells at the Elf Prince's exposed weaknesses when he was at his most vulnerable and overwhelmed.
These seemingly harmless tricks, because of their extremely tricky timing, ultimately became the straw that broke the camel's back, leaving the Elf Prince completely defenseless and unable to resist.
The Elf Prince could only sink deeper and deeper into the death trap built by all these enemies.
The last image in his memory was of a dense, dark green foliage and vines that completely blocked his view. The elven prince strained his eyes, but could only vaguely make out the crimson of the outer rose petals amidst the layers of dark green.
Now, all the mottled green and red have disappeared from the Elf Prince's sight, replaced by a pure white and black.
Yu Naixin's exquisite and flawless face was very close to his line of sight. Her skin was fair and delicate, and her dark peach blossom eyes were sparkling with tears, carrying a warm and gentle smile like a spring breeze.
Her long, black hair fell softly down, and because of Yu Naixin's squatting posture, the ends of her hair dragged on the red roses on the ground.
A few strands of long hair fell onto Yu Naixin's chest, lightly touching the white and gold fabric of the Elf Prince's clothes. Because the clothes had been pierced by too many blood-red roses, a few strands of hair lightly brushed across the Elf Prince's exposed skin.
The Elf Prince couldn't quite put his finger on whether he felt even the slightest itch.
[Oh my god, the female guest is ridiculously beautiful!]
[It was already unbelievably beautiful, and with this dreamlike scenery as a backdrop, I now understand what "breathtakingly beautiful" truly means!]
When will "Heartbeat 1000%" finally release a live stream screenshot or replay function?!
[If I were an elf, and upon waking up from an injury and unconsciousness, the first thing I saw was such a beautiful princess beside me, I would absolutely fall madly in love!]
[Congratulations to the female guest on the show "Heartbeat 1000%"! You have received 6 Sweet Coins from a viewer with the ID "NANA199"!]
Yu Naixin's snow-white long dress spread out on a sea of roses, forming a circle with her long black hair, like a flower bud that had just begun to bloom.
Whether it was her snow-white gauze dress, the lustrous pearls and dazzling diamonds, or the silver crown on her head, combined with her gentle expression, under the clear and bright moonlight, Yu Naixin exuded a kind of holy radiance.
It enveloped the Elf Prince's entire body in pain and exhaustion.
The elven prince's eyes trembled.
As if he had drunk the finest healing potion, the elven prince felt a warm, healing sensation.
Life, on the verge of decay, begins to slowly regain its vitality.
“Look…” Yu Naixin held the Elf Prince’s hands with slightly more force, “When you were outside, those girls who admired you learned about your hidden true nature and began to hate you.”
"The more they wanted to be close to you, the more they wanted to despise you after learning the truth."
"In 'Heartbeat 1000%', the NPCs treat you in the same way. Their closeness and goodwill can only stay on the surface. Once they see your filthy inner self, all they feel for you is fear."
"Even if they are essentially just data, they cannot tolerate your most authentic filth."
【…? What is the female guest doing? I thought she came to rescue the elf, to comfort it after it had suffered so much, a good opportunity to boost its popularity. But why is she continuing to inflict damage on the elf?!】
So, does this mean there's really no personal grudge between the female guest and this male guest? The female guest orchestrated the beating of the elf, and now she's launching a psychological attack on her. I'm starting to suspect that some of the ninety-nine girls the elf killed were relatives or friends of the female guest…
[Indeed, there were four male guests in this episode, and the elf was the one who was targeted the most by the female guests.]
Wake up! None of the guests on "Heartbeat 1000%" are from the same world as any of the other contestants!
"Ah, now that you mention it, I remember. The Little Witch has always had a strong sense of compassion for innocent lives lost tragically. She's truly a very kind girl, even if the victims are just NPCs. The Little Witch definitely couldn't stand seeing an elf, who hasn't even entered 'Heartbeat 1000%' yet, slaughter a hundred people for personal gain."
Yu Naixin's voice continued: "Whether it's the vampire duke you personally nurtured in 'The Rose Spire,' or the werewolf knight and ghost wizard who have just arrived in 'Swan Castle,' none of these competitors are not hoping that you will stumble, hoping that you will fail, hoping that you will be doomed."
"Even the viewers in the live stream who had no idea whether you were round or flat, after learning about your past, only mocked and ridiculed you."
"You should remember the comments from the live stream viewers that I read to you when we were at the top of the Neuschwanstein Castle tower, right? They're still talking about it now. The contrast between your appearance and your inner self is such an interesting topic for them to discuss."
Yu Naixin spoke softly and slowly, each word piercing to the heart, yet her tone was tender and lingering, like a whisper to a lover.
Like a dagger coated with honey and anesthetic, it cut bloody wounds on the Elf Prince, yet the Elf Prince felt no pain, but could instead taste a slight sweetness.
The warm scent of Yu Naixin lingered on the Elf Prince's face, creating a misty atmosphere that was far warmer than his body temperature.
The Elf Prince's body was still weak, and his body temperature was much lower than that of an average human under normal circumstances.
These sensations enveloped the Elf Prince, who, before he was fully conscious, felt a burning sensation, but not enough to cause pain. It was like soaking in a hot spring, a very comfortable and relaxing feeling.
“Only I…” Yu Naixin’s laughter was sweet and melodious, her voice becoming increasingly seductive, “Only I wouldn’t treat you like this.”
At such close proximity, Yu Naixin's voice poured into the Elf Prince's ears without reservation.
The Elf Prince could even clearly feel the vibrations in Yu Naixin's chest when she laughed.
Because the few strands of hair brushing against his skin were trembling slightly, causing the elven prince to experience an intensified, mild itch.
Yu Naixin's tone was gentle, yet carried an undeniable air: "Only I, even knowing all your past, have not distanced myself from you."
"Only I, after seeing your deepest truth, am still willing to accept you."
Yu Naixin cupped the elf prince's face in her hands and forcibly lifted it up a little, forcing the elf prince to tilt his head back slightly and fix his gaze in her direction.
—"Remember, no matter which world you're in, I'm the only one who treats you differently."
"You can only rely on me."
【…!! I knew I had this weird sense of familiarity about this. The way the female guest is treating the elf, isn't that just PUA?!】
[Holy crap! It really is! From the moment they met at the top of the tower, the female guest kept reopening old wounds for the elf, even reading aloud the sarcastic comments about him in front of him. Later, she even got all the other male guests to ostracize and attack him, gradually pushing him to the point of complete isolation. Then, the female guest would come over and superficially comfort him, but in reality, she was still brainwashing him, saying, "Everyone else hates you, but I don't." It's definitely a PUA tactic!]
Some TV guests may seem cute and cuddly, but they can actually be quite ruthless and dark inside...
[But you know what, this trick really works! The elf isn't quite lucid yet, so the brainwashing effect is especially strong. He's practically tearing up when he looks at the female guest! He's genuinely been touched by her words!]
I think a large part of the credit goes to the female guest's face and voice... If it were someone less attractive or with a less pleasant voice, the girl would never have been successfully brainwashed!
The Elf Prince has indeed been successfully brainwashed.
Unlike typical PUA scams, not a single word Yu Naixin said to the Elf Prince was a lie.
The Elf Prince could truly feel that although Yu Naixin sometimes mocked and disdained him, she was indeed the only one who, after understanding everything about him, was still willing to be so close to him.
And she was... such a beautiful and charming young girl.
The delicate fragrance of eucalyptus filled the elven prince's entire olfactory senses. He quietly took a deep breath, letting the scent, which carried sunshine and warmth, penetrate him even more deeply.
He blinked slowly, and the elven prince almost wanted to fall asleep right then and there, to immerse himself completely in... such a beautiful dream.
There's no need to dwell on that hundredth rose that has become a source of heartache.
There's no need to scheme and plot against other competitors anymore.
No need to fight in endless dungeons anymore.
It's been so long... He's really... tired...
[Congratulations, female guest! The male guest "Elf Prince" has reached 100% affection for you!]
You will receive additional generous rewards during the settlement process after this program ends!
The program's system notified them that the Elf Prince had reached maximum affection level.
[Holy crap, I was just thinking that the elf would probably get at least 80% favorability from the female guest in a little while, but the elf is already at full favorability?!]
[I thought it wouldn't be so easy to raise the elf's favorability. You could tell from his feigned confrontation with the female guest at the top of the tower that this male guest was quite cunning and intelligent. I didn't expect him to win her favor so quickly!]
[The main issue isn't how easy it is to gain favor with these male guests, but rather how incredibly skilled this female guest is... No two of her four male guests are ever treated the same way; she uses completely different methods to win their favor, and each method hits the mark perfectly! The methods themselves might not be particularly difficult, but they are definitely the most effective!]
[Yes, yes, yes! She's practically cheating! It's like she knows every male guest's preferences and weaknesses in advance, and then uses the most efficient way to win their favor. The results are terrifying!]
[The werewolf, the ghost, and the elf have all gained the female guest's full favorability rating. The only one who hasn't reached full favorability yet, the vampire, is already completely obedient to her, so his favorability rating is definitely not low!]
[Damn, with the female guest's current attitude, it seems like it's only a matter of time before the vampire gets full favor!]
[Wow, I gasped. If all the dungeon guests have maxed-out favorability, wouldn't that mean the entire dungeon is instantly cleared to perfection?!]
[That's unlikely. There's a timing problem. Look, it's already 6:32. There's less than half an hour left until the 7:00 deadline. After the deadline, the male guests won't be as easy to deal with as they are now. Instead of wasting these last twenty minutes on the awkward vampire challenge that's uncertain to even complete, the female guest would be better off quickly finding a male guest to go back to the castle and hold a wedding to fulfill the end conditions of this episode.]
As if to verify the speculation in the live broadcast room, after receiving the notification that the Elf Prince had a high level of favorability, Yu Naixin let go of his hand without hesitation, allowing the Elf Prince's head and upper body to fall to the ground again.
Even with the dense rose vines and leaves as a cushion, the Elf Prince still fell with a dull thud.
These roses were quite clever; the Elf Prince was caught completely off guard when Yu Naixin put him down, and before he could even react, he was already headfirst on the ground.
The roses beside him didn't move much, but they deliberately moved aside at the small spot where the elf prince's head touched the ground, causing him to bump into the ground solidly.
It sounds painful just hearing about it.
The viewers in the live stream were right about one thing: Yu Naixin really didn't have much patience for Elf Prince, who was an executioner who had slaughtered too many innocent lives.
Once the favorability rating is maxed out, the Elf Prince's mission as a tool is complete, and he has lost all value to Yu Naixin.
Just throw it away.
[Damn, the female guest's face went from being all sweet and affectionate to cold and ruthless in an instant!]
I really like the show's guests who have such clean and efficient strategies; they're so cool!
[The elf's bewildered expression is hilarious! Hahahaha!]
Yu Naixin stood up from the crimson roses, not even glancing at the Elf Prince again, but turned and walked straight toward the gate of Swan Castle.
“Come on, guests,” Yu Naixin called out, “it’s time to invite you to my wedding.”
[!! It turns out they're really going to have a wedding!]
Wow, which male guest will the female guest choose as her groom?!
[I vote for the elf! Out of the four male guests, the elf is the most compatible with the female guest in terms of appearance! The princess and prince are a match made in heaven!]
[That's definitely the werewolf! The first male guest the female guest pursued was the werewolf, and the werewolf was also the first to show interest in the female guest. It was undoubtedly a mutual pursuit!]
[Exactly! Our princess and the beast are the perfect match! The contrast is incredibly adorable!]
[Judging from the female guest's attitude towards the elf, it's clear she values practicality. Of all the male guests, the ghost is probably the most useful; he only needed simple instructions from her before, and he was able to handle everything she needed perfectly!]
[Yeah, the female guest is just having a wedding to complete a task assigned by the production team; she's not really going to marry anyone. Knowing her style, she'll probably choose the easiest male guest, and Ghost is perfect for that!]
[Shouldn't they have chosen the vampire? He's the only one they haven't maxed out their affection for yet; they could have easily boosted it during the wedding. Surely the female guest considered this?!]
[That's right, if we're really looking at actual value, vampires offer the best value for money. Plus, a vampire who looks arrogant on the outside but is actually a masochist vampire is super chemistry with the female guests!]
The live stream chat was abuzz with discussion about the groom's choice, with the comments scrolling so fast that some viewers couldn't help but remark that it was the first time they had ever seen such a heated debate about which guest would be chosen for the show's guests.
After all, in most cases, the guests on the show have to choose one of the two guest participants as their "heartthrob" before entering the show, and then be led into the show's segment by that heartthrob.
If a guest on the show survives to the point of meeting another guest in a different instance, the scene will essentially be a duel between the two guests vying for the spot on the show. The real choice lies with the guest in the instance, not the guest on the show.
The situation that Yu Naixin has created on "Swan Castle" is truly unique. It's as if their episode is just a regular dating reality show, with viewers arguing endlessly about which guests to pair up.
As the show neared its end, the number of viewers in the live stream was higher than in the previous three simulator episodes. Some longtime viewers who had watched "Cocoon Village" speculated that Yu Naixin might simply not choose any of the male guests and instead hold a wedding for herself.
After all, Yu Naixin played both the bride who was sacrificed and the groom, the "mountain god" who received the sacrifice, in "Cocoon Village".
The description of the "Swan Castle" segment of the show does not specify who the guests will marry; it only requires that they be their "ideal partner," leaving plenty of room for maneuver.
This guess is reasonable. The only time Yu Naixin actually fulfilled the program's ending conditions in the simulator was when she did just that.
But the situation is different now.
Yu Naixin will indeed have to go through a wedding with a "groom".
Her steps were as unhurried as ever, and the distance from the sea of blood-red roses where the Elf Prince had fallen to the main gate of Swan Castle was no more than thirty meters. Yu Naixin returned to the castle in no time.
The main entrance is directly connected to the first floor of the central round tower. Yu Naixin had briefly instructed the servants to set up the wedding venue when she came out from here earlier, just to give it a general look.
Just like the second time Yu Naixin simulated the wedding in this episode, under the guidance of the old butler Defman, a small and simple wedding venue, but with everything it needed, was set up in an orderly manner.
However, this wedding was larger in scale than the one in the simulator, and the facilities were significantly improved, making it even more in line with the magnificent banquet hall.
Yu Naixin: "..."
Okay.
There's no way around it; logically speaking, that's how it should be.
Yu Naixin spent more than ten minutes going out to PUA the Elf Prince. The wedding venue in the simulator was already set up, but in the real-world instance, there were still some finishing touches to be done at the wedding venue.
Fortunately, this time we don't have to rush.
"Please wait a moment," Yu Naixin casually greeted the male guests in the tone of the owner of Swan Castle, "The wedding will start in a while."
After speaking, Yu Naixin turned and walked towards the throne in the center of the innermost part of the hall, preparing to return to her place and wait.
Upon hearing Yu Naixin's wedding invitation, the Vampire Duke, the Werewolf Knight, and the Ghost Wizard immediately followed her back to Swan Castle.
Even the elven prince, who was a little slow to react after falling, quickly got up after a brief moment of confusion. While dealing with the crimson roses that were harassing him again after Yu Naixin left, he tried his best to catch up with Yu Naixin's pace.
Without the other three male guests surrounding him, it wasn't a problem for the Elf Prince to escape from the sea of blood-red roses, and he quickly caught up with them.
After Yu Naixin uttered the words "my wedding," not only were the viewers in the live broadcast room very concerned about the choice of the groom, but the four male guests present were the ones who cared the most about this issue.
Even though everyone knows that Yu Naixin didn't have any real feelings for any of them, and that this wedding was just a formality for Yu Naixin to complete the task assigned by the program team.
But this is, after all, a wedding ceremony that will allow him to become Yu Naixin's groom.
Who will Yu Naixin choose?
Even the vampire duke, the only one he didn't have a full liking for, couldn't help but start hoping that Yu Naixin would choose him.
The vampire duke even secretly thought that if Yu Naixin chose him, he wouldn't necessarily be unable to give her 100% favorability.
He was willing to give his entire life and spiritual power to his bride, Yu Naixin, at their wedding.
The Vampire Duke was thoroughly fed up with being trapped in the show's recurring scenarios, endlessly reincarnating as the same guest. It was utterly tiresome.
He was born from a dungeon and has never seen the scenery of the "outside world." The Vampire Duke has longed for freedom for far too long.
Rumors have it that the guest in the first mutated and merged segment of the show has been able to break through the limitations of "Heartbeat 1000%" and gain the power of freedom if they can successfully hunt down the guest in the new segment.
This was also the initial goal of the Duke of Suzanne in Neuschwanstein Castle.
However, he later met Yu Naixin.
Compared to this rumor, whose truth is unknown and could even be said to be at least 90% false, the Vampire Duke would rather voluntarily become Yu Naixin's special artifact in order to ensure that he can continue to be with Yu Naixin with absolute certainty.
For the first time, the ghost wizard experienced what it felt like to be so nervous that his palms sweated.
The transparent ghost form's body lacks sweat glands and therefore cannot sweat. However, now that it possesses a body indistinguishable from a normal human's, the ghost wizard experiences the same physiological reactions as ordinary people.
He had never known before that his mental fortitude was so fragile.
I became so uneasy simply because I was worried about what choice Yu Naixin would make.
The ghost wizard's actions, both in his heart and outward appearance, showed his respect for Yu Naixin. Without Yu Naixin's permission, he didn't even dare to look up at her directly. Instead, he bent down slightly, lowered his head, and followed Yu Naixin's footsteps with his eyes.
Princess... will you choose him?
Rationally speaking, the Ghost Wizard was well aware that he didn't have much of an advantage over the other three competitors.
The ghost wizard was confident that, given time, he would be able to prove to Yu Naixin that he was the one who was most devoted, most attentive, and most loyal to her.
However, this episode only gave the two guests far too little time to spend together, just a few hours, which wasn't enough time to do anything.
The ghost wizard's fingertips touched the dampness in his palm, then he clenched his fist tightly.
No, to be more precise, he couldn't do anything.
For example, Princess, in this instance program, only three hours were spent, yet he became so devoted to her.
Werewolf Knight is the most impatient of the four male guests.
While the other three male guests remained silent for various reasons and did not make any rash moves, the werewolf knight was the first to lose his temper.
He took two steps after Yu Naixin's retreating figure and couldn't help but ask directly, "Your Highness! Who is the groom for your wedding—?"
The werewolf knight didn't have time to finish his question.
Because Yu Naixin's steps had stopped.
Almost the instant Yu Naixin reacted, the werewolf knight immediately fell silent, not daring to even breathe, waiting for Yu Naixin's next move.
“…Hmm?” Yu Naixin let out a soft hum with a hint of doubt.
Yu Naixin had already stepped onto the platform where the throne was located. She turned her head and looked at the four male guests who were still standing on the ground, a slight smile playing on her lips.
"You addressed me incorrectly," Yu Naixin said.
The next second, Yu Naixin suddenly ripped her right hand across her chest, and the outermost layer of the princess dress, covered in snow white, was instantly torn open, leaving a tear that ran through the entire dress.
The outer layer of snow-white fabric fell softly to the ground, revealing another long dress made of pure black silk underneath.
This black dress is almost identical in design to the original princess dress, but without the embellishments of pearls and diamonds. The layers of intricate silk and velvet are adorned with exquisite and luxurious embroidery, making it appear exceptionally dignified and elegant.
When Yu Naixin wore it, it exuded a powerful aura and captivated everyone's attention.
This is the paper puppy that Yu Naixin had specially cut and made, which she then wore under her princess dress—a formal "queen's" attire.
In her native land, the West generally believed that swans were only white, until the first black swan was discovered in Australia in the seventeenth century.
Therefore, those low-probability events that are difficult to predict are also called "black swan events".
Just like Yu Naixin's transformation of identity in Swan Castle.
Wearing a pure black long dress, Yu Naixin gracefully sat down on her throne.
The magnificent throne, adorned with gold and red, was covered by a black skirt, both extremely rich colors, which surprisingly suited Yu Naixin better than her previous snow-white princess dress.
The silver-white crown on her head didn't seem out of place at all.
Yu Naixin casually placed her hand on the armrest of the throne, looking down at the four male guests standing on the hall floor, and corrected them:
"—Call me Your Majesty."
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Author's Note: Finally, we've reached this point. The name of the dungeon, "Swan Castle," comes from the series of transformations: Ugly Duckling → White Swan → Black Swan.
My goodness, Jinjiang's new chapter release delay and the pop-up confirmation function is so ridiculous! I clearly posted it, but the system didn't detect it!
I'm so angry! If I hadn't woken up in the middle of the night and missed noticing that yesterday's update hadn't been posted, I would have just written another chapter and combined all three updates into one.
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