"The price…" Upon hearing Iri mention a price, and then looking up to see Iri's mischievous smile.
A price, you say? However, the price Renas was willing to pay to break this curse that had plagued her for years far exceeded Iri's imagination.
"Any condition is fine… Money… No, let me serve you my entire life… Ah!" Renas was about to continue pleading with Iri, but… she suddenly remembered… this 'willful' princess before her was no ordinary princess!
Financial power? Authority? She lacked nothing… even if Renas offered to serve her for life.
However, even her maids were powerful individuals, and Renas, like an ant before her, truly couldn't offer any price that would move her.
"Oh… Any condition, you say?" Iri lowered her head, looking at Renas kneeling on the ground, a meaningful look in her eyes.
Although that's what she said, Iri was actually quite flustered. Iri's original intention was to tell her that this curse was very troublesome! She planned to scare Renas away with the excuse that she wouldn't tell her without a corresponding price.
She didn't expect Renas to even offer to serve her for life. It seemed Renas was truly willing to go all out to break the curse. How should Iri handle this now?
"Yes… Yes! Any condition!!" Renas replied firmly.
"Even if I told you to die, would you?" Iri asked, deliberately putting on a villainous expression.
"Yes! If it can break my curse! If I can maintain my original appearance when I die! Death is fine!" Renas replied with great determination once again.
Iri was completely at a loss now. Renas wasn't even afraid of death! How much resentment did she have?!
"Princess Elizabeth, I apologize for the interruption… Renas is a general of the Empire, and I also promised her that I would assist her in breaking the curse, but I have been unable to find a method. Since Princess Elizabeth can provide a clue, as per my previous agreement with Renas, may I pay the price Princess Elizabeth asks for her?" Blood Emperor Jilniv quickly interjected.
Now, not only was Iri flustered, but Blood Emperor Jilniv was also flustered. Among the Empire's Four Knights, Heavy Bomber Renas had the lowest loyalty. She only became one of the Four Knights based purely on her strength, and she had made an agreement with him that she would only serve if he helped her find a way to break the curse.
Although Jilniv had long been mentally prepared for Renas to betray and defect, the fact that the object of her betrayal would be Nazarick was truly terrible!
Fulda had already defected, which was terrifying enough. Now, if Renas also defected… not to mention the reduction in combat power, all intelligence would be completely leaked!
Now, no matter what, Renas absolutely could not be allowed to defect to Nazarick. The worst outcome would be to simply deal with Renas!
"Emperor Brother, this is this big sister's business, you know. Besides, when this big sister saw my little Black and little White just now, she wanted to abandon you and run away, didn't she? Is it really worth it for you to stand up for such a subordinate?" Iri said.
Of course! Iri couldn't let him speak for Renas. Iri was already having a headache dealing with Renas's willingness to sacrifice everything, and now he was trying to interfere…
"No, no… This is my agreement with Renas. She has the right to flee when her life is in danger, and I will not blame her." Blood Emperor Jilniv said.
At this moment, Jilniv felt a hint of unease. Was this 'willful' princess's observational skills a bit too good? He had always considered her a casual idiot before, but she had noticed Renas's small movement of wanting to escape when she saw the Soul Eater just now?
"I didn't expect Emperor Brother to be quite broad-minded… Hehehe." Iri gave a feigned laugh. Now, with no other options, Iri could only rely on this to try and muddle through.
"Princess Elizabeth flatters me." Jilniv also smiled, a very fake smile, of course. Now, it was up to this foolish princess to speak.
"Princess Elizabeth! Please, I beg you…" Renas looked at the two awkward smiles before her, seemingly completely unconcerned about her curse. She cried out again, as if to remind Iri of her presence.
"Princess Elizabeth, I also implore you to help General Renas." Fulda also said from the side.
Of course… Fulda merely wanted to test what kind of miracle this princess, the daughter of that esteemed individual, would display.
There was no other way. He could only choose this move. Although it would somewhat affect his own reputation, as long as Nazarick's reputation could be preserved, it was fine. There was no other way… After all, he had insisted on putting on this act himself, so if something went wrong now, he could only swallow it.
"I said before, Big Sister, your curse is quite troublesome… Even if… Hmm…?" Iri was about to say, even I cannot break it, but someone in my home can.
Iri originally wanted to admit that she couldn't break it, but that her family could… Just because she couldn't do it didn't mean Father Ainz couldn't, right? For Father Ainz, wasn't breaking a curse cast by a native a piece of cake?
At this thought, Iri suddenly remembered something. There was a 95% chance that the curse Renas was under was cast by a native! How impressive could a local native's skill be? Perhaps she could directly break it with Holy Healing! This skill was said to be able to remove abnormal statuses, and a curse was also an abnormal status, right!
"Even if it's troublesome, it's possible for me. Perhaps I can help you break it!" Iri instantly changed her tune after thinking of this. Of course, Iri didn't speak absolutely, leaving a little room for maneuver.
If her Holy Healing couldn't break the curse, then she would subtly say that there was actually a curse in this world that even she couldn't break, but it was okay, her father could definitely help break it.
"Ah! Princess Elizabeth! I implore you! Please! Break the curse I am under! I will repay you by being your ox or horse, anything!" Renas's expression was like that of a dying person seeing hope for life. Maintaining her kneeling posture, she crawled directly in front of Iri and prostrated herself at Iri's feet, speaking.
Upon hearing Iri say this, Jilniv's heart sank by half. Just now, this 'willful' princess said she knew about the curse, but now she was saying she could break it herself. This was a big problem!
If this 'willful' princess could truly break Renas's curse on the spot, Renas's defection would be absolute. Moreover, it was not good to do anything to Renas right in front of the 'willful' princess. Even if it meant killing her to silence her, it could only wait until the opportune moment, and now was absolutely not the right time!
"Princess Elizabeth can break curses? That's truly wonderful. My subordinate Renas has been troubled by this curse for a long time. If it can be broken, it would be a great help. If it can truly be broken, I should prepare some generous gifts to formally thank Princess Elizabeth for her generosity." Jilniv said.
Yes! Now, this was the only way. To make this princess realize that the object of her aid was one of the Empire's Four Generals, a subordinate of Blood Emperor Jilniv. If she could truly heal her, the Empire would prepare a reward for her.
By directly elevating this matter from a personal one to a national one, this 'willful' princess would surely not make such a demand for Renas to serve her for life, both emotionally and logically, right?
However… Jilniv miscalculated one thing. The Princess Elizabeth before him was "not very intelligent, and quite casual and narcissistic." How could she possibly understand the meaning behind his words? And so…
"This big sister is asking me for help, it has nothing to do with you, Emperor Brother, does it? Besides, what can you give me, Emperor Brother? This big sister is your general, right? What kind of thank-you gift should Emperor Brother prepare that would be worthy of this big sister's willingness to sacrifice her life?" Iri retorted.
Iri truly didn't understand Jilniv's meaning. She merely found the Blood Emperor to be a nuisance. It was her and Renas's business, why was he trying to butt in!
Jilniv was speechless and immediately began to doubt if this princess truly had a bad brain. Jilniv now greatly doubted his previous judgment of this 'willful' princess.
---------------------------------
If you'd like to read the next 40 chapters in advance, you can support me on Patreon.
I regularly post chapter previews there, so you'll always be up-to-date and won't have to wait too long.
👉 patreon.com/SolyuraMT
And if you enjoy the story, don't forget to give me a Power Stone. Your support really motivates me to continue translating!