Chapter: 6. She’s Going to Cry to Death! (6K)
When Livra hurriedly stood up to call out to Princess Belis, she was completely in a daze.
All she saw was Rom being carried away, and seeing the flames of war about to reignite, her instinct was to stand up and try to stop it all.
But… what exactly could she say that would be effective… she didn’t know!
Her anxious gaze darted back and forth.
She noticed Princess Belis gradually losing patience and preparing to leave again.
She couldn’t just say nothing… if she said nothing and did nothing… everything would head towards destruction.
Humans… under heavy pressure, could evoke a certain potential.
A strong emotional drive deep within the bloodline, that “must do” feeling.
A princess of a country can be elegant and noble, admired by all.
But when it’s time for her to fulfill her royal duties, she must live up to the title of Aulus Kingdom’s princess.
Livra’s gaze changed.
It became bright like its emerald color, unbroken by any pressure.
Worthy of the title.
“Your Highness Princess Belis, I wonder if the Demon Territory… could offer me a chance?”
“Oh? If I remember correctly, this princess, according to Mr. Rom’s introduction just now, your name is Livra?”
“Yes.”
“Alright, Princess Livra, if I were you, I wouldn’t ask if I could have a chance here, but I would speak directly. As you can see, not all negotiators possess the same patience as I do, what you said is starting to feel a bit excessive to me. Or are you just saying this to stall for time, without having any thoughts at all…?”
At this moment, Xue Feiya was sweating for Livra…
Livra, you really need to think carefully; don’t speak foolishly.
My foolish sister is trying to bluff you; she isn’t out of patience but is incredibly cunning! If you say something wrong and she seizes the opportunity, she might really bring her Demon King’s Army Fifth Legion to march against you!
When that happens, it won’t just be your castle; even the donut vendors in the capital city will suffer from homelessness, it’s terrifying!
But since the negotiation had begun, there was no reason to interrupt it again.
Moreover, Xue Fei and Xiya both noticed Livra’s state — it seemed there had been some subtle change.
Her gaze was no longer so tense, her speech was no longer stammering, and her demeanor was calm, which was the same as when she had caught a thief in the alleys of the capital last time.
Even Livra didn’t expect to be this calm at this moment when she had been so scared just moments ago…
A suddenly clear and bright thought told her that to stop the current situation…
This was the only possible approach.
Livra lightly pinched the hem of her ceremonial gown, expressing equal respect between the two nations to Princess Belis, and in a dignified voice, she continued to speak.
“My suggestion is, since our two countries currently cannot reach a consensus on Princess Xue Feiya’s stay, why can’t we try to leave this decision to Princess Xue Feiya herself?”
“Ridiculous!” Hanks immediately criticized this proposal as soon as he heard it, feeling that this princess of the kingdom was utterly clueless. “Princess Livra, this is not a child’s game; please understand that our princess is not here for tourism! She is enduring torment every day she is imprisoned here! You actually suggest letting her decide whether to stay or go; that’s simply… huh, Your Highness the Second Princess?”
“Please stay calm, what’s the rush? Let her continue speaking.”
Belis raised a hand to stop Hanks from interrupting.
Not because she felt she owed any face to the human princess, but because she found Livra’s statement somewhat interesting…
To be honest, in the situation just now, Belis felt a bit embarrassed herself.
Father and Mother said that this negotiation should not end in war.
Since the elder sister still wanted to stay in the Aulus Kingdom for a while, it meant she was not angry yet and did not want to go home, so she naturally couldn’t disturb her with the resumption of war. Much of what Belis had just said was out of anger; if she really did that, her elder sister would definitely blame her…
Belis did not want to be hated by her elder sister anymore.
But…
Belis’s gaze suddenly became sharp and directed at Livra’s calm demeanor, seemingly suggesting she knew something.
Otherwise, how could she speak of “letting the elder sister decide for herself”?
Regardless of whether Livra actually knew the inside story or not, for the sake of her elder sister’s safety, Belis wouldn’t mind putting in more effort to eliminate Livra.
Not just Livra.
But everyone present, anyone who might overhear, would be treated the same~
Anyone who might obstruct the elder sister from pursuing her desired life… would all die, wouldn’t they?
In fact, Livra definitely did not know the truth behind Xue Feiya.
Nor did she know about Belis’s finger tip gathering the prepared 【Ice Blade】.
She only needed to express as completely as she could, what she wanted to say.
“After experiencing this recent period of peace, I came to understand one thing, I wonder if Princess Belis has this thought as well — I believe Princess Xue Feiya could very likely become a bridge for promoting peace and friendship between our two nations.”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t agree~ However, it’s your turn to speak, you may continue.”
“During this time when Princess Xue Feiya has been imprisoned in our capital, our two nations have entered a brief period of peace. Whether it be the Aulus Kingdom or the Demon Territory, both have experienced a rare opportunity to recuperate, with residents living in peace and prosperity. This situation is precisely due to the subtle balance brought about by Princess Xue Feiya’s predicament.”
“And then? Hehe… you’re saying that continuing to imprison my elder sister will extend this peace?”
“No, what I want to say is that this is not true peace at all.”
As Livra continued to speak, her speech became less soft and powerless than before.
Instead, it was full of vigor and strength.
She released the hem of her gown, stood up straight, raised her head, and with confidence in her posture, she continued to speak.
“As I mentioned earlier, this kind of peace is temporary, fragile, and not truly genuine. The hatred of humans towards demons will not diminish because of this, and the resentment of demons towards humans will only grow as the duration of the princess’s imprisonment increases. If one day anything changes, the intensity of the war could reach unprecedented heights, leading to devastation, suffering for the masses, and even the annihilation of countries and races; that is something we can foresee, right…?”
The more Livra spoke, the more her tone fell.
In her emerald-clear eyes were visions of bloodshed and ruin, the cries of grievances over hundreds of years, all mixed with the cold wind of blood.
Hanks could hardly understand what Princess Livra was trying to convey, and even thought she was just stalling for time.
Unlike him.
Belis actually scoffed and returned to her previous seat, pushing aside her now-cold teacup.
Hanks hurriedly had his personnel bring a refill of hot tea for the princess.
The hot tea was refilled, but Belis had no intention of drinking any.
With a face somewhat similar to Xue Fei, unlike Xue Fei’s warmth, Belis was born with a cold demeanor.
Just making eye contact would send chills down the spine.
Not to mention when she smiled coldly… it felt as if life itself was under threat.
“You’re quite right, Princess Livra. The fact that you can foresee the kingdom’s future saves me quite a bit of effort in ‘scaring’ you, because what you say could easily become a reality.”
Belis paused for a moment before continuing.
“To be honest, the demons have little enmity with you, but our race is naturally a warlike one. I won’t say any grand words; you can only blame your ancestors for putting monetary interests on the demons’ heads, provoking them.”
“And now you are imprisoning my elder sister… which is committing an even more heinous crime, a billion times more serious than what your ancestors did. You’re wise to leave yourself a way out, that’s smart, because the moment we rescue my elder sister, a catastrophe awaits you.”
Livra nodded in acknowledgment of Belis’s “compliment.”
“Thank you for the reminder, Princess Belis. Given this… it’s even more necessary for me to express my thoughts…”
This time, Livra returned to the center of the human negotiation table.
Thus, the demon negotiation table and the human negotiation table sat oppositely again.
Only the ones in charge of the negotiations were no longer the same as before.
This was a direct dialogue between the two princesses.
Hanks and the knights who rushed to assist on the kingdom’s side could only retreat to the sides and wait.
Livra finally unveiled her first negotiation words as a princess.
And her first expression was flowing and graceful.
“Since imprisoning Princess Xue Feiya is a false peace that will only deepen the grievances between our two countries, while directly releasing her would plunge our country into an irretrievable situation, then I wonder… what if we thought about the problem from a different perspective?”
Livra continued.
“If we directly release the princess, when Princess Xue Feiya returns to the Demon Territory, she will face humiliation, because being a princess of one country who has become a prisoner of war…even if she returns to her homeland, it won’t be as glorious as before; she will face exclusion from her people, and all her former glory will be meaningless… the circumstances and pressure Princess Xue Feiya would confront are unimaginable.”
“But what if… Princess Xue Feiya’s identity is not that of a prisoner of war?”
“What if our kingdom can, before she returns to her homeland… overturn her status as a prisoner of war, allowing her to live freely and carefreely, experiencing the culture of this land, to see that the human race has emotions beyond greed… even if there’s only a one in a trillion chance… could it be possible for Princess Xue Feiya to let go of hatred and war…?”
“If this can truly be achieved, and Princess Xue Feiya, who has witnessed the prosperity of both nations, is no longer a prisoner of war, she will become the bond that tightens the peace between our two nations, spreading the idea of ‘peace’ to the Aulus Kingdom where she lived during this time, and bringing it back to the Demon Territory where she was born. At that time, no one would mock her for having been a prisoner of war; they would only admire the princess for her hope for the world’s peace… along with her kindness.”
“Hypothetically… if there really is such a possibility, Your Highness Belis, wouldn’t you want to see such a scene… two nations getting along, trade flourishing, singing and dancing, black wings colliding with fists, a prosperous world… I yearn to see that day truly arrive… really.”
The words were long, and the tea was cold.
Belis kept blinking her deep purple eyes.
Thinking about Livra’s words, she wanted to laugh but couldn’t, she wanted to mock her childishness but found no words.
Because there was once a voice.
A voice that Belis cherished, spoke to her like this.
【Belis, I don’t like fighting. If I can be a wedge that ends the war, I would be willing to do it. If I can’t, I might choose to fly far away; I don’t want to be bound by blood my whole life. You see… I just want to fly to the endlessly blue sky… You must look down on me, right? But if one day I really do that, I won’t regret it, and you don’t have to scold me; scold me and I won’t listen.】
— Elder sister, you’re really very naive.
Belis had evaluated her like this at that time.
Very cold, very unfeeling, very heartbreaking.
She didn’t know what her elder sister had thought when she turned away, stifled, and left.
But now hearing this speech… she couldn’t utter the word “naive” anymore.
Belis instinctively cast a glance of regret towards the small figure in the audience.
That figure seemed to predict her action, making a face at her and quickly turning her head to the side.
Hmm… at least the elder sister is still willing to humor me with faces, that’s good enough.
As she returned to her memory.
Hanks seemed to be vehemently countering Livra’s previous words.
“Naive…! Simply naive! How could you, a princess of a country, think that the demon princess would pity your mere humans? The one-in-a-billion chance you speak of does not exist at all!”
“Mr. Hanks, that probability is low exactly because of your current irrational attitude; you’re viewing my proposal with a negative and resistant emotion. However, if you’re not even willing to try, why say ‘there’s absolutely no possibility’?”
“This has nothing to do with rationality…!”
“Pfft…hahaha…hahahaha!”
“Your Highness?”
Belis could no longer hold back her laughter and finally burst into joyful laughter.
She wiped away tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes.
Exasperated and helpless, she shrugged and said.
“Haah… I really didn’t expect there to be talents like you in the kingdom? The Demon Territory often says the intelligence of humans is akin to that of fire monkeys, it seems that saying isn’t accurate at all?”
“Your Highness Belis, are you mocking me?”
“Sort of, but not entirely. I’m just curious, you just said you want my elder sister to obtain her freedom without the identity of a prisoner of war, do you think that’s possible?”
Livra stood up solemnly from her chair.
She stood up slowly.
Because this was the first time in her life she felt the weight of the crisis of a nation’s survival on her shoulders.
Father… what kind of pressure have you been under?
“It’s possible or impossible… I still want to try; we will attempt to communicate with Princess Xue Feiya and see if she wants to live in the kingdom as an ordinary person for a while.”
“Who will persuade her?”
“I will go myself.”
“Really? But the moment the seal is lifted, my elder sister might just kill you immediately, and that’s okay?”
“If I die because of my convictions, that is also my fate, and I will not regret it.”
“Then how can I know that you will keep your promise and set my elder sister free?”
“This weekend, at Komir Gladiatorial Arena, if I can manage it… I will invite Princess Xue Feiya to participate in the competition as a free person, to enjoy herself. Of course, it would be under her willingness, and at that time, Your Highness Belis can also be present to verify.”
Whoa…
Belis, who had previously looked down on her like an ant, felt somewhat relieved at this point.
In this vast kingdom.
It indeed was not entirely filled with incompetent people…
Belis stood up without saying a word.
She didn’t drink the tea but waved her hand, signaling the negotiation team to accompany her in leaving.
Livra didn’t know what this meant…
What she just said had indeed not been recognized… was war still going to break out?
“Please wait, Your Highness Belis…!”
“If you think it’s doable, then give it a try; if you die, don’t blame your rashness.”
“!”
All Livra could see was the back of Belis’s head, hoping that she had given the kingdom, and herself, a chance to try!
Unbeknownst to her, as Belis walked ahead towards the audience section, when she passed by Xue Feiya…
Belis licked her lips meaningfully, as if to imply she was going to “devour” her elder sister.
That look! It made Xue Feiya shiver like a drenched cat!
“Ew… Xiya, did you bring a scarf? I’m feeling a bit cold.”
“Cold…? Not cold, Xue Fei, are you catching a cold?”
“Ah ah, you don’t understand… No way, give me a hug with your arms, right now, I’m feeling chills!”
The demon negotiation team came and went in a hurry, disappearing in just a moment at the council chamber door, heading back towards the Demon Territory.
This negotiation result might not satisfy Hanks, but for Belis, this was already the most satisfactory result for her, as this unexpected turn of events surely saved her a lot of trouble.
Because before she came over, father and mother instructed her like this.
【Don’t make a big deal out of it; Hanks and the others will undoubtedly try hard to reignite the war. You need to find an opportunity to secure some freedom for Xue Feiya; don’t rush to bring her back. This child needs some space to breathe… However, ensure she won’t suffer over there; Belis, can you do it?】
Hehe… this has nothing to do with whether it’s achievable.
Whether my elder sister faces suffering in the human race has always been a concern for Belis, and she absolutely wouldn’t slack off.
The human princess, today, considers it a favor done.
Unexpectedly, she appeared looking foolish, but actually isn’t silly after all?
Well, that doesn’t matter.
What matters is…
Elder sister, Belis also wants to see.
To see if your so-called “peace” truly has a possibility of being realized?
………………………….
In the negotiation hall, Livra faced the negotiation table, now completely empty before her.
She stood there, rooted to the spot, for a long time.
Her knights behind her believed the princess must be considering the next arrangements.
After all, just now, she had prevented the outbreak of a war… this report needed to be conveyed to His Majesty the King.
Today, Princess Livra’s performance was extraordinary and should be recognized as a great achievement!
Little did they know…
The “deep in thought” Livra suddenly felt her legs weaken, her complexion pale, and in a sitting position on the ground resembling a duck, her gaze became vacant.
“Your Highness!!”
“I’m… I’m fine… no need to come over… I want to be alone for a while; you all… can leave now.”
Livra’s tone was relatively calm, sounding as if there were no major issues.
While the royal knights of the kingdom were worried for the princess’s safety, since she had already spoken, they couldn’t continue to stay there and had to leave the council chamber in threes and twos.
As they left.
Only Livra remained in the council chamber.
— Actually, Xue Fei Xiya had not left.
But Livra was in such a panic… her thoughts in chaos, that she completely did not notice they were still there.
Thus, the previously calm and majestic Third Princess thought no one was around.
She first choked back sobs…
Then slowly covered her face with her hands.
Tears streamed down in large drops.
Finally, like a frightened child, her cries slipped through her fingers!
“Waaah…!! Scared… scared me to death!!! I thought I was going to die… to be killed! So terrifying… really so terrifying… if I said one wrong thing, everyone would die… if I said one wrong thing, Father, you would never see your daughter again!! Never be able to punish evildoers…! I…!”
“Hold on a second, Livra, do you need tissues? I see you are crying like this; I think you definitely need tissues.”
“Eh?”
Through tearful eyes, between the rain of tears, Livra raised her head and saw Miss Shaya coming over with tissues.
Miss Shaya’s smile looked so warm, but it seemed slightly mischievous… was that just an illusion?
No way!
Did she just see my embarrassing crying?
Miss Shaya saw it?!
“Uh… Princess, don’t be scared, it’s all over now.”
And also Miss Xialet?!
Livra took the tissues and once again covered her face.
This time she simply crawled on the ground.
Crying even harder!
