The Princess’s Offer

Chapter 27 — The Princess’s Offer

The door to the private meeting hall opened without a sound.

Princess Seraphina stepped inside first, followed closely by Silvia. Even though Ren had already sensed their approach, seeing them up close was completely different.

Seraphina was strikingly beautiful. She looked about twenty years old, with long crimson hair that fell in soft, glossy waves down her back, partially tied with an elegant silver ornament. Her skin was fair and smooth like polished porcelain, and her eyes — a clear, sharp shade of deep blue — held a quiet intelligence that made it difficult to look away. She had a refined, curvy figure: full breasts that pressed gently against the fabric of her dark-blue dress, a narrow waist, and wide, graceful hips that swayed slightly with each step. The dress was practical for travel yet tailored perfectly to her body, accentuating her feminine curves without appearing vulgar. Every movement she made was elegant and controlled, as if she had been trained from childhood to never show weakness.

Beside her, Silvia stood tall and composed. The Dark Elf’s beauty was colder and more mature. Her long silver-white hair was neatly tied back, revealing pointed ears and sharp, violet eyes that seemed to see through everything. Her features were refined and ageless, giving her an ethereal yet dangerous presence. Like the princess, she possessed a distinctly curvy figure — full breasts, a slender waist, and rounded hips that her dark fitted clothing could not completely hide. Even in simple attire, she radiated quiet lethality and an untouchable allure.

Ren and Lyra immediately stood up.

The moment Seraphina’s eyes met his, Ren activated Appraisal.

**Name:** Seraphina Valdoria

**Age:** 20

**Level:** 52

**Race:** Human

**Status:** Princess of the Kingdom of Valdoria

**Affiliation:** Royal Knight and Mage Academy (Student)

**Special Note:** Owner of the intelligence organization *Obsidian Veil*

Ren’s expression remained calm, but internally he filed the information away. Level 52 at her age was impressive. More importantly, she was the true owner of the spy network that had been watching them.

Seraphina gave them a polite smile and gestured toward the chairs.

“Please, sit. There is no need for formality tonight.”

Once they were seated, she turned slightly and spoke to the waiting staff.

“Bring the dishes.”

Servants entered in a quiet procession, placing dish after dish on the long table — roasted magical beast meat glazed with honey, delicate cream soups, freshly baked bread still warm from the oven, rare fruits that shimmered faintly with mana, and two bottles of fine wine. The quality was far beyond anything the town’s ordinary inns could offer. The rich aroma filled the private hall, creating an atmosphere that felt almost unreal for a town of this size.

When everything was arranged, Seraphina gave a small nod.

“You may all leave. Silvia will remain.”

The servants bowed deeply and exited in silence, closing the heavy door behind them. Only the four of them remained in the luxurious hall. Alex had already withdrawn earlier.

Seraphina poured wine into her glass with elegant movements, then looked at Ren and Lyra with a calm, measuring gaze.

“I imagine you are wondering why I invited you here this evening.”

Ren met her eyes steadily. “We are.”

“Then I will be direct.” Seraphina’s voice was soft yet carried a natural weight of authority. “I am currently in a difficult position within the royal court. My stepmother, the current queen, and my stepbrother, the prince, are both working tirelessly to secure the throne after my father. Although I am the rightful heir by blood, I am being steadily pushed aside. To change that reality, I need strength that cannot be easily controlled or bought by the royal court.”

She paused, allowing her words to settle in the quiet room.

“I want your help. In return, I am prepared to offer substantial rewards. I can permanently remove Lyra’s slave status through a royal decree and restore her full legal freedom. For you, Ren, I can grant official noble status, a territory of your own choosing within the kingdom, and a mansion befitting your new rank. Resources, protection, and political backing would follow.”

The offer hung in the air between them.

Lyra remained silent, her crimson eyes watching the princess carefully. Ren was quiet for several seconds before he slowly shook his head.

“I have no interest in politics,” he said in a steady voice. “I have seen enough of political games. I have no intention of being dragged into a fight for the crown, and I have no desire to repeat the same kind of mistakes I have witnessed before. I will not work under anyone. I will remain my own master.”

Seraphina studied him in silence. There was no visible anger in her expression — only a deeper layer of calculation, as if she were rearranging her approach in real time.

“I see,” she said at last. “You are more resolute than most men I have met. That makes this more complicated.”

She set her wine glass down gently on the table. The soft sound of crystal against wood seemed unusually loud in the quiet room.

“In that case, you have forced me to use my trump card.”

Lyra’s ears twitched slightly beneath her brown-dyed hair. Ren’s eyes narrowed just a fraction.

“What trump card?” he asked.

Seraphina’s deep blue eyes turned first toward Lyra, then back to Ren. When she spoke again, her voice remained elegant, but every word carried sharp, deliberate weight.

“I know you are planning to head toward the Beast Nation of Fenrisgard. I also know that Lyra’s tribe was betrayed. What you currently understand… is only half the truth.”

She leaned forward slightly, resting her clasped hands on the table.

“I possess the full information — who truly betrayed the Silver Wolf Tribe, whose plan it was from the very beginning, and which forces were moving behind the scenes. Information that Lyra has never been told. Information that could change everything about her desire for revenge.”

The room fell into a heavy, almost suffocating silence.

Lyra’s fingers tightened around the edge of the table until her knuckles turned pale. Her breathing had grown slightly uneven. Ren’s expression did not change outwardly, but the atmosphere around him grew colder, sharper, like the calm before a storm.

Seraphina leaned back in her chair once more, her curvy figure elegant against the high-backed seat. She lifted her wine glass again and took a small sip, waiting patiently.

The real negotiation had only just begun.

Outside the heavy curtains, night continued to deepen over the quiet town, but inside the luxurious meeting hall, the weight of secrets and power hung thick in the air between them.