Forced to Become the Protagonist of a Restricted Novel [Transmigration & Rebirth] - Chapter 6

What did one million gold coins mean?

The common currencies across the northern and southern continents were copper coins, silver coins, and gold coins, all based on a hundred-unit system: 1 gold coin = 100 silver coins = 10,000 copper coins.

In terms of purchasing power, 1 copper coin was roughly equivalent to one yuan, making 1 gold coin about ten thousand yuan.

An ordinary citizen of Golden Amber City earns less than one gold coin per month in wages, with those making slightly more earning one or two coins.

So, doing the math, one million gold coins is an absolute fortune.

Su Cheng calmly continued reading aloud, “Both parties confirm that after the dissolution of the engagement, there shall be no property disputes or financial obligations between them—”

Smash!

Elder Li shattered another table with a slap. “One million gold coins? You certainly have the nerve!”

“Hmm?” Su Cheng glanced at him. “This is the penalty fee. If I breach the contract, I’ll have to pay too. Or do you think only Murong Yue is taking on the risk? Or perhaps you believe he’ll go around claiming we’re still engaged? Wait—isn’t this what you begged me to do? Shouldn’t you be happy seeing this kind of contract?”

Elder Li’s expression darkened further, and he couldn’t help but look toward Murong Yue.

Murong Yue frowned slightly. “One million gold coins is far too much. If you’re trying to use this method—”

Su Cheng laughed. “Mr. Murong, I know you genuinely want to break off the engagement. But what was your original plan? Either set up conditions to negotiate with me, or provoke me by belittling me so that my ‘pride’ or ‘dignity’ would make me despise you forever?”

Which approach he chose probably depended on her personality.

“…But no matter which one it was, in the future, I’d be the one standing firm against your father when he comes for me—because you don’t dare oppose him directly, so you’d leave it to me.”

Of course, she doubted Old Mr. Murong was particularly fond of this engagement either.

After all, now that his son had risen in status, he probably also believed his son could find someone better.

But on the surface, he’d still put on an act—lest people say the Murong family went back on their word.

Su Cheng didn’t care about any of that. But she wanted this matter settled—either cleanly, without future trouble, or with some benefits in return.

“…In fact, your father might be thinking the same way. Then, the two of you could unite in telling outsiders, ‘It’s not that we broke our promise—she was the one unwilling.’ You’d both come out spotless. See? From start to finish, I’m the one bearing all the pressure. So isn’t it fair that I ask for some money?”

“Miss Su,” Murong Yue’s gaze turned icy. “Mind your words.”

“Oh? I thought we’d already reached the stage of ripping off pretenses and speaking the truth. Are we not there yet?”

Su Cheng sighed. “So, do you actually want to break the engagement or not? If you do, then sign. Your hesitation makes me wonder—maybe you don’t truly want to end it. Maybe you’re just playing hard to get to catch my attention.”

Murong Yue closed his eyes briefly.

Fine.

Since she understood things so clearly, there was no point in saying anything more.

With this contract in place, he’d at least have something to say to his father.

“You—!”

Elder Li, however, was furious, his gaze filled with disgust as he glared at Su Cheng. “No manners at such a young age, reeking of greed—truly the spawn of lowly merchants!”

Lin Zhen’s expression also darkened, but he didn’t dare retort.

Su Cheng waved the contract in her hand. “Some people come to break off an engagement but can’t even draft the contract themselves. Instead of being grateful, they nitpick over everything. I won’t name names, but maybe some self-reflection is in order.”

Elder Li’s eyes blazed with anger. “You—!”

Su Cheng wasn’t the least bit afraid.

Lin Yun’s words were far more offensive than hers, and he was even more unreasonable, yet they hadn’t laid a hand on him.

Murong Yue sighed. “Elder Li, please don’t speak like that. Her father once saved my father’s life.”

Elder Li’s face was flushed with anger. “She’s the one who doesn’t know what’s good for her!”

He had assumed that given their status, this matter would be resolved smoothly.

Moreover, whether it was the Lin family or that Su girl, they would surely treat them with the utmost respect.

Who could have imagined things would turn out like this?

The Lin family was nothing special—Lin Zhen was no longer young, yet he was only a fifth-tier Battle Master and the vice president of the Golden Amber City’s merchant guild.

A completely insignificant figure!

If this were the imperial capital, someone of his status wouldn’t even be qualified to offer their children as concubines!

As for Lin Zhen’s niece, an orphan who had lost both parents—so what if she was a Magician? At her age, being second-tier would already be impressive!

“Miss Su,” Elder Li sneered, “you must have spent all your time practicing magic at home, never venturing outside. The world out there is dangerous for you—one misstep, and you might meet a bloody end.”

Su Cheng: “?”

Was he actually threatening her safety now?

Murong Yue was also stunned.

He didn’t believe in arranged marriages—after all, no one had asked for his opinion back then, so he shouldn’t be held responsible.

But he didn’t want anything bad to happen to Su Cheng either. It wasn’t as if she had begged for this engagement.

“Elder Li,” Murong Yue frowned, “we shouldn’t—”

“Actually, I’m not too worried,” Su Cheng suddenly interjected. “Our tribute to the Holy See has already been delivered to the Sacred City. Just yesterday, Commander Ling mentioned it to me in conversation. I believe there are many who wouldn’t want anything to happen to me. If anyone is thinking of killing me, they’d most likely be heretics—enemies of the Holy See.”

The elders of Nanhe Academy all paled.

The Sacred City?

Who could possibly send gifts to the Sacred City?

Commander Ling?

The Holy See had a massive military presence in the northern continent, with millions of Holy Knights. Only nine army commanders and seventy division commanders held the title of “Commander.”

Among them, only one bore the surname Ling.

The Lin family elders exchanged uneasy glances. They had all seen the dragon descending from the sky yesterday but didn’t know the specifics.

Lin Zhen had only mentioned that the Holy See was hunting heretics and hadn’t elaborated further.

Now it seemed they really had connections with the Holy See?

No wonder the girl was so bold—a mere second-tier Magician daring to challenge Nanhe Academy’s people.

“…It’s true that there were rumors of a dragon appearing in this area,” another instructor whispered to Elder Li, shaking his head. “And someone descended from it.”

Elder Li’s expression turned ashen.

If it was Ling Yang—a powerhouse of that level—his spiritual sense alone could sweep through the entire estate from afar without him ever needing to leave the dragon’s back.

If he had personally entered the courtyard, it could only mean he believed someone here was worth his time to greet in person.

If Su Cheng had indeed presented some important tribute and earned the favor of the Sacred City, then everything made sense.

Elder Li took great pride in Nanhe Academy and revered the dean deeply. He believed Murong Yue would likely become the dean’s student, so he had gone out of his way to defend him and bolster his standing.

But deep down, he knew that even a prestigious academy of the empire was nothing in the face of the Holy See’s colossal might.

Even the emperor’s coronation must be performed by the Pope. With the entire empire under the influence of the Holy See’s power, what does an academy count for?

The others shared similar thoughts, their minds wandering even further.

When Su Cheng wrote about one million Gold Coins in the contract, was it truly her own idea, or was someone pulling the strings behind her back?

The more they pondered, the more cold sweat broke out on their brows. They couldn’t help but pick up the contract again, scrutinizing every word as if each carried hidden depths.

Their hands trembled as they clutched the document.

Exchanging glances, the Magician among them cleared his throat. “Miss Su, Mr. Murong had originally intended to offer you some compensation as well…”

Su Cheng perked up. “Oh?”

Ah, right.

The original novel had this scene too—except when the fiancée mentioned compensation, the male lead acted as if deeply insulted, flying into a rage, and the two ended up arguing.

Su Cheng picked up her quill again. “I’ll add it to the contract. Just give me a moment.”

The elders: “?”

After scribbling furiously for a while, she set the pen down. “How about this?”

Murong Yue lowered his head and read aloud: “…Party A, as the party initiating the dissolution of the engagement, agrees to compensate Party B with (to be filled) to mitigate potential emotional and social repercussions suffered by Party B due to the termination of the engagement. Party A shall not interfere with Party B’s usage of said compensation (including but not limited to utilization, gifting, liquidation, resale, etc.). This compensation shall be a one-time payment, and Party A shall not demand its return through any means (including but not limited to litigation, negotiation, extortion, etc.).”

The reception hall fell into dead silence once more.

“Neither Party A nor Party B, nor their immediate relatives, retainers, or affiliated parties, shall inflict physical harm upon the other party in any form, including but not limited to: direct violent acts causing bodily injury; employing, inciting, or coercing third parties to commit harm; utilizing concealed methods such as poisoning or unlawful confinement to endanger personal safety…”

His expression grew increasingly grim, as if he wanted to protest that he would never do such things—yet he couldn’t stop himself from reading further.

“Competitive engagements conducted under established rules during officially sanctioned inter-academy events shall not be considered violations of this clause…”

Su Cheng waited for him to finish, then glanced around. “So? Any objections? If not, we’ll finalize it?”

Silence.

One of the mentors sighed deeply. “Show Miss Su the gift list and the items.”

Their preparations hadn’t been aimless—aside from maintaining appearances, they’d also hoped to entice her with material benefits.

After all, as an orphan who was merely the Lin Family Head’s niece, with no personal capabilities to speak of, wouldn’t she need money?

Even if she eventually succeeded in condensing battle energy, the path of a Battle Master required substantial expenditures—higher ranks demanded even more, from potions to weapons, all exorbitantly priced.

Now that she’d become a Magician, the same logic applied.

She might think marrying Murong Yue would bring greater benefits, but if he kept delaying, what could she do?

If the engagement were dissolved, these advantages would be right before her eyes.

Except—

She seemed even more eager than they were to break it off.

“Here’s the gift list. The presents are all in the courtyard…”

A young man approached, handing her a scroll.

He was also a student of Nanhe Academy, looking at her with undisguised admiration.

“…Thank you.”

Su Cheng quickly skimmed through the contents of the scroll. “Then I’ll handle the registration here. Uncle, could you check the items listed? Not that I distrust everyone, but my limited experience might cause me to overlook something. It’s better to clarify any mistakes now.”

She casually handed the gift list to Lin Zhen.

The latter gave her a resigned look but said nothing, taking it and walking straight out.

The hall fell silent again, with only the sound of a pen scratching against paper audible.

Su Cheng finished writing swiftly. When she looked up, she saw Lin Zhen returning, nodding at her—clearly, there were no issues with the reparations outside.

She then passed the contract to Murong Yue, asking if he had any objections.

Murong Yue glanced at her.

The girl still wore an earnest expression, her amber eyes bright and clear, giving the impression of an innocent child untouched by worldly affairs.

Murong Yue knew it was all an act. “…No issues.”

Su Cheng smiled in satisfaction.

Lin Zhen had already summoned a scribe, who took the draft and meticulously transcribed the contract onto a more durable scroll.

As one of the deputy heads of the Golden Amber City Merchant Guild, Lin Zhen had connections with many professionals.

This scribe’s handwriting was elegant and neat, executed swiftly and flawlessly without a single error.

Su Cheng thanked her as well. She first filled in the names and details of both parties in the contract’s blanks, then signed at the bottom before handing the scroll to Murong Yue.

This time, Murong Yue merely skimmed it before silently signing his name.

Lin Zhen and another academy elder also signed as witnesses.

As per protocol, each party kept one copy.

Su Cheng looked at her contract, feeling utterly pleased.

Not only was she happily single again, but she’d also gained a windfall.

Delighted, she gazed at the scroll, her mood at its peak. Noticing the sour expressions of the South River Academy mentors, she couldn’t resist putting on another act.

After all, they all thought she had connections with the Holy See.

Su Cheng cleared her throat and raised the contract. “…I swear in my name to the God of Law and the God of Contracts that I shall fulfill all terms herein.”

The girl’s sweet voice echoed through the hall.

Everyone stared at her in shock and suspicion.

Elder Li frowned.

A mage born into a merchant family, steeped in such habits and now allied with the Holy See—no wonder she invoked deities so casually.

The exact nature of Su Cheng’s relationship with the Holy See was unclear. If she was merely bluffing here, given Murong Yue’s background, breaching the contract later wouldn’t matter.

Even if that little wretch tried to sue using the contract, it would depend on whether any judge dared take the case.

…The Empire’s current Minister of Justice was indeed an impartial figure, a divine favored who wouldn’t care about the Murong family’s influence.

But since stepping down as Chief Justice, she no longer presided over trials.

Several thoughts raced through Elder Li’s mind, prompting a cold laugh. “No need for this pretentious display here—such vulgar theatrics—”

The next instant, the reception hall blazed with radiant light.

A brilliant golden light erupted from the scroll.

The radiance was nearly blinding to all present.

An overwhelming pressure filled the air.

Two extraordinarily tall figures materialized midair.

The figure on the left had his eyes closed, with lustrous deep golden curls cascading to his waist, his handsome and elegant face serene as still water.

His snow-white robe draped over a powerfully built frame, revealing two pale yet muscular arms entwined with chains studded with sharp spikes.

Beneath those serpentine golden chains, his bulging muscles rose and fell like mountain ranges, the chains ending in wrist cuffs that resembled both ornaments and shackles.

In one hand he held a gavel inscribed with countless runes, while the other cradled a heavy tome from whose pages blood seeped, coalescing into a crimson waterfall in the air.

The other figure had dark hair and deep-toned skin, his strikingly handsome face bearing a gentle, smiling expression that naturally inspired trust.

His torso was equally tall and powerfully built, bare-chested with pectoral muscles swelling like honey-hued peaks.

His abdominal muscles stood out in relief like carved sculptures, the adonis belt vanishing into a golden-decorated waist chain.

His arms were composed of layered, fluttering scrolls made of silk, leather, fiber, stone tablets and other materials, threaded through with countless golden filaments weaving between the pages.

Suddenly, laughter rang out from the shimmering golden light.

“By this covenant made, so shall it be.”

The voice was melodious and pleasant, yet carried a terrifying power that pierced into the minds of all present.

Those with weaker constitutions had already fainted from the impact.

The remaining attendees weren’t faring much better—even Murong Yue couldn’t help but clutch his forehead.

Gritting his teeth against the pain, he looked up toward the flowing golden sea of light, only to feel stabbing pains in his head, as though countless hidden eyes lurked within that radiance.

And They were all “watching” this place.

Abruptly, another voice emerged from the light.

“Defiler—”

A solemn, authoritative voice reverberated through the hall.

Elder Li was suddenly yanked from his seat by an unseen force, suspended midair.

A seventh-rank Battle Master capable of leveling half a city in moments, he didn’t even have time to scream.

His body twisted grotesquely—spine wrung like rope, limbs spiraling unnaturally, bone fragments piercing through flesh, joints dislocated like a broken puppet.

His stretched skin began cracking from the strain.

“—shall bear their punishment.”

The force tore him apart, exploding into a mist of blood.