Chapter 83: Blood Venom
“I’ll go.”
A weak voice echoed, and everyone turned to see Princess Lilia at the doorway, supported by Erlya.
Although frail, her gaze was resolute.
“Your Highness, in your current state, I’m afraid…” Prince Kruse trailed off. Lilia could barely walk, let alone preside over a festival.
“I… have my ways,” Lilia said, her eyes downcast. “Don’t worry.”
What ways?
The only way was to suppress the curse and unleash the demonic power within her, granting her temporary strength.
Kruse sighed. His nephew, the Emperor, hadn’t hidden Lilia’s condition from him. He knew about the curse.
“No,” Kruse shook his head, refusing her request.
“Grand-uncle,” Lilia pleaded, using the childhood nickname, “please, let me do something. Anything.”
She could feel her time running out, even before her father awoke.
Before she died, she wanted to help, even in a small way.
It was this selfless conviction that had allowed her to resist the Heart Demon’s corruption, unlike Rolof.
“We will not discuss this further. You need to rest. Don’t upset your father,” Kruse said, his voice firm, his gaze filled with a grandfatherly concern. “We will handle the festival.”
He knew her condition was dire, but he shared Ares’s hope.
As long as she was alive, there was hope…
“Grand—”
“Erlra, take Her Highness to rest,” Kruse said, turning away, feigning ignorance.
“Yes, Your Highness,” Erlya replied, having anticipated this. She knew Kruse would never agree.
Just then, a small, quiet voice spoke.
“Perhaps… I have a way.”
“Hmm?” Kruse looked at Bai, surprised by her serious expression.
“Miss Bai, you’re saying… you have a way?” he asked, his voice low.
He was shocked, not just by her claim, but by what it implied.
There were only two known solutions to demonic corruption. One was to embrace the hatred and become a Demon Hunter, turning the demonic power against its source.
Rolof could have taken this path, but the Heart Demon’s influence had prevented it.
Lilia, with her gentle nature, lacked the necessary hatred.
The other solution was to be cleansed by a demon commander of the same race, to become a true demon… which would mean Bai was a demon commander, a being on par with a Legendary Knight.
Kweil looked at Bai, his expression a mixture of wariness and intrigue. A demon commander was a dangerous being.
“It’s not what you think,” Bai said, seeing their expressions. “My method is similar to yours. It’s a temporary solution, not a cure.”
“Yours” referred to the curse. Bai’s method also involved using one power to counteract another.
—Blood venom, the very thing that had killed Rolof.
She had been inspired by his death.
As long as the blood venom and the demonic corruption were in balance, it wouldn’t be fatal.
But like the curse, it was only a temporary solution. The demonic corruption would remain a constant threat.
“Little Sister Bai, are you serious?” Lilia asked, her eyes lighting up. Erlra also paused.
“Yes, but I need your grand-uncle’s permission,” Bai said, not wanting to take full responsibility for Lilia’s life. She was willing to help, but only because she considered Lilia a friend.
And even if she had to use her other method, to turn Lilia into a true demon, it was possible.
With her [Soul Shadow] Authority, although not as strong as a demon commander’s, she could still cleanse Lilia’s bloodline.
But… Bai knew that not everyone wanted to become a demon.
If she could, she would gladly return to her former life.
“Grand-uncle…” Lilia looked at Kruse, her eyes filled with tears, her expression pleading.
“A similar method to ours…” Kruse considered this, then, gritting his teeth, made a decision. “Alright. We’ll entrust her to you, Miss Bai.”
“As you wish,” Bai said calmly, then looked at the doorway. “Erlra, bring Her Highness in. Then, please leave us.”
“We have to leave too?” Kruse asked.
“Yes,” Bai nodded. “For… certain reasons, it’s best if no one else is present.”
Is she going to reveal her demon form? Kruse wondered, but he didn’t press the issue.
“Very well, Miss Bai. We’ll leave you to it,” he said, then quickly left the room.
Kweil looked at Bai, then followed.
Bai was a demon, but she wasn’t an ordinary one. She wasn’t their enemy.
Although her allegiance was unclear, she seemed to favor humanity.
Otherwise, Leticia wouldn’t have placed so much trust in her, a decision Kweil and Kruse still didn’t fully understand.
Erlra, seeing the Legendary Knights leave, their faith in Bai’s method seemingly absolute, relaxed slightly.
She brought Lilia into the room, gently helping her recline on the chaise lounge.
“Miss Bai… Her Highness is in your hands,” she said, her voice filled with a mixture of hope and reluctance, her gaze lingering on Lilia, then shifting to the small, impassive girl she had once been so wary of.
