Sword Art Online - Vol 2 Chapter 4.4: Red-nosed Reindeer (Aincrad 46th Floor, December 2023) Part 4

As part of the imperial family, every move by Chu Yuan in this game of chess is made with apprehension, fearing that with a moment of inattentiveness, the whole match will be lost in a single move.

Ascending to the throne at eighteen, not half a year passes before civil strife erupts in Yun Nan. Though the thoughts of the old guard at the imperial court are not exactly identical, they are all waiting to see how the new emperor will put an end to this.

Unexpectedly, before this side could make a move, a few thousand miles away, the King of Xi Nan, Duan Bai Yue, had already personally commanded troops to attack in all directions; not half a year had passed when peace was restored.

Sparse moonlight shines into the palace; Chu Yuan stamped the wax seal himself, and had a secret letter sent urgently to Yun Nan 800 miles away — this time, what must we(1) give in exchange?

Brush marks passed through the back of the paper; it almost can be seen, when writing this line, how angry the young emperor was.

Duan Bai Yue spread out a piece of paper unhurriedly, replying with only one word.

You.

Notes:
(1): Chu Yuan is using the royal ‘we’ here.

- Description from Novelupdates

[The 34th Galaxy Award for Best Online Novel][The No.1 on the Science Fiction Literature IP Adaptation Value Potential List (2023)][The Best Chinese Science Fiction Online Novel]…Have you heard?When the night is deep and silent, if you open your music player, put on headphones, curl up under the covers, and cover your head, listening to the same song on loop.After the loop has played forty-four times and you fall asleep, if you’re unlucky, when you open your eyes again, you will no longer be lying in your own bed, but will have entered a bizarre space completely isolated from reality.That space… on the surface, it appears to be places we commonly see, such as one’s own bedroom, the living room at home, the underground garage, the bathroom, the basketball court, construction sites, etc., but if you observe carefully, you’ll realize that everything is different…everything.====This is the story of an ordinary person, named Common, who after acquiring supernatural abilities, gradually transforms and grows in an alternate world, ultimately reaching the pinnacle of their experience.

Princess Leah wrote a suicide note ahead of her wedding.

Every drop of this family bloodline is stained with sin. They are the embodiment of contradiction; calm yet maniacal, with great memories yet often forgetful. They pledge themselves to their dreams yet often compromise, are angels that are also devils… It’s why I hate them. And also love them.

The only hope of his family, a youth with the blood of elves and devils walks on a battleground of annihilation and rebirth. He wills his way through boiling lava and icy depths, killing on this field of despair to strike down the lofty figure in his sight. One day he’ll grasp his blade tightly and survey his surroundings, only to find no more enemies to kill.