Oh, oh! So Wolf Sister Lupusregina was controlling the whole situation from this spot! What a great view! It was practically a VIP seat!
Elizabeth was currently hiding with Lupusregina in a large treetop on the back mountain of Karn Village. Due to the height difference, they could clearly see the situation in Karn Village.
They could already see the First Prince's army beginning to attack Karn Village. Although Elizabeth could go up and clear them out now, to restore the original plot of General Anri, let Anri take the spotlight here!
After all, the Goblin army would later become part of the E-Rantel garrison's fighting force, so there was no need to steal General Anri's thunder.
Without Elizabeth's 'disruptive' interference, the script for the battle of Karn Village largely followed the original plot, but there were still some differences.
That was, among the personnel covering the villagers' retreat, the Four Strategists Squad was also present.
Elizabeth had specifically instructed them that once the war approached, they should return to Karn Village and stay there, not going anywhere else.
After all, the nobles on the Kingdom's side had a history of buying off or forcing Adventurers onto the battlefield, so Elizabeth was very uneasy about the Four Strategists Squad continuing to spread rumors in E-Rantel.
The task Elizabeth had given the Four Strategists Squad before was this: to spread rumors. This included the Nazarick background rumor that Elizabeth had made up, as well as rumors about Black Hero Momon and Elizabeth's true identities. The purpose was to prepare for Nazarick's future rule over E-Rantel.
Basically, it was just an extra layer of insurance on top of the original. One should know that in the original work, Fei Fei's stance was to ensure Nazarick's peaceful rule before he would serve under Ainz Ooal Gown. What if Fei Fei-daren's "true identity" was Nazarick's Crown Prince?
For the people of E-Rantel to draw swords against his father, Ainz Ooal Gown, wouldn't that become a beautiful story?
Well, at that time, Fei Fei was played by Crown Prince Pandora, so saying they were father and son wasn't far off!
Originally, Elizabeth herself was included in this plan. Her frantic efforts to gain the favor of the populace in E-Rantel before were for this very reason. It's just... all her thunder was stolen by the mysterious Saintess of E-Rantel. In her helplessness, Elizabeth could only remove her own part from the script.
That hateful Saintess!! This time, you win!
Just as Elizabeth was endlessly cursing the damned Saintess in her heart, Anri blew the Goblin horn.
Oh, oh! They're coming, they're coming! The vast Goblin army! It looks so magnificent watching from this VIP seat. The Goblin army summoned by Anri feels like it's enough to wipe out the Kingdom's ragtag army on the Katz Plains.
After the Goblin army appeared, just like in the original, the First Prince's troops were immediately beaten and scattered, running for their lives. Ainz's father was probably also dumbfounded watching from the Katz Plains position!
Now that General Anri's part was over, all that remained was to wait for nightfall, and then it would be her and Wolf Sister Lupusregina's turn.
As night gradually fell, Elizabeth led Lupusregina slowly towards the First Prince's encampment of defeated soldiers.
Uh... looking at their miserable state, that could hardly be called an encampment! There were no tents or anything; they only saw many, many people lying motionless directly on the grass.
Well! After running so far, they must have been exhausted. This could only be blamed on their bad luck, being sent to such a place.
At this moment, Elizabeth, approaching slowly, saw that the First Prince seemed to have noticed her approach, staring at Elizabeth's direction with a look of surprise. It was quite normal for him to be surprised.
After all, Elizabeth was currently wearing her princess gown. For a beautiful young girl in a gown, accompanied by a maid, to suddenly appear in such a wilderness would naturally cause surprise!
"You! Who are you! Guards! Guards!!" The First Prince shouted immediately upon seeing Elizabeth approach.
The soldiers who had been lying at the First Prince's feet immediately scrambled up. From their sluggish movements, it was evident that they were indeed very tired.
"Excuse me!" Upon approaching, Elizabeth politely lifted her skirt and performed a so-called lady's curtsy to the utterly dejected First Prince.
"You... who are you!" The First Prince asked nervously, his hand on the hilt of his sword.
"My name is Elizabeth Ooal Gown, and this is my maid, Lupusregina. It's a pleasure to meet you here, First Prince of the Kingdom." Elizabeth originally wanted to call out his real name, but how could Elizabeth remember the name of such a minor character? So, she decided against it.
"Elizabeth Ooal Gown? You are—!!!" The First Prince realized that this young girl in front of him was definitely not simple.
"That's right, I am Elizabeth, the princess of Nazarick. You are truly miserable to have encountered such a thing. I am truly sorry that my Goblin army caused you all such hardship," Elizabeth said with a smile.
"Prin... Princess! To actually come to a place like this?" The First Prince was very surprised, but after the surprise, it quickly turned into delight.
Indeed... if this young girl in front of him was truly the princess of Nazarick, then by capturing her, he could use her as a hostage to force Ainz Ooal Gown to retreat!
Just as First Prince Barbro was about to signal his subordinates to seize the princess, he hesitated. If she really was a princess? Why would she appear in such a place in the middle of the night, with only one maid!
This must be a trick! Perhaps there were ambushes nearby! No one would be so foolish as to leave their own princess unguarded in such a place!
"Hmm? Knowing my identity as a princess, yet not kneeling? Sister Lupusregina, how should we deal with such a person?" Elizabeth turned her head and asked.
"How about cutting off their legs?" Lupusregina replied from behind her.
"Uh... cutting them off directly isn't very fun. How about this! Smash their knees and then make them kneel properly," Elizabeth said with a cunning smile.
"As expected of Elizabeth-dono!" Lupusregina responded, shifting her gaze to the First Prince.
"Un... Uncouth! I am the First Prince of the Yestijia Kingdom, Barbro Andrean Ield Ryle Vaiself! How could I kneel to the princess of an enemy nation!" The First Prince's face turned red with anger as he shouted.
"Of course I know you're a prince, but does it make a difference? Is there a difference between you and the uncles next to you? Aren't you all worthless ants? So! Will you kneel or not?" Elizabeth said.
"You scoundrels! Attack them! Seize her!!" The First Prince, overcome with rage, mindlessly ordered the soldiers beside him. Those soldiers obediently surrounded them.
"Ice Aura activate..." Elizabeth murmured softly. Instantly... those soldiers who attempted to surround and approach her were all frozen into ice sculptures.
Uh... the equipment given by Insect Lord Cocytus indeed had a powerful enhancement for Ice Aura. Activating only a Level Two Ice Aura was enough to freeze all the soldiers who approached her within a certain range.
"Eek!!!" The First Prince was instantly terrified and let out a very embarrassing wail upon seeing all the soldiers frozen into ice sculptures.
"So, will you kneel or not?" Elizabeth asked again with a smile, walking step by step towards the First Prince.
The First Prince, seeing Elizabeth take a step closer, instinctively took a step back. It was clear he was terrified of Elizabeth.
Elizabeth stopped in front of one of the ice sculptures that had been frozen by her Ice Aura. She extended her hand and lightly flicked the ice sculpture with her finger. The ice sculpture shattered with a sound. Perhaps because it was completely frozen, there was no scene of blood splattering, but rather ice (corpse) fragments scattering everywhere.
"Eek!! I'll kneel!!" The First Prince, being pragmatic, immediately knelt down, fearing that his fate would also turn out that way.
"Mm! I like obedient people, so how about you die last?" Elizabeth said with a smile.
Perhaps the sound of Elizabeth flicking the ice was too loud, as many resting soldiers got up and then saw the terrifying scene before them: several human-shaped ice sculptures in the center of the grassland, one of which was shattered on the ground, and the Kingdom's First Prince kneeling and trembling uncontrollably before two strange beautiful young girls.
"Ah... No! You... are you going to kill me? I... I am the First Prince of the Kingdom." The First Prince's face turned pale upon hearing Elizabeth's words.
"Didn't I just say I knew you were a prince? What of it?" Elizabeth said, looking at the trembling First Prince kneeling at her feet. The soldiers around them merely picked up their weapons blankly, no one daring to move.
"I... I am very valuable! Don't you Nazarick want land! You... you can capture me and then exchange me for land with the Kingdom! Use... use me as a bargaining chip... it's more valuable than killing me, right?" The First Prince stammered nervously.
"Uh..." Elizabeth showed a hesitant expression. The First Prince, seeing that there seemed to be a chance, continued to speak.
"Or... or this way, Princess Elizabeth! You... you let me go back and help me become king, and I... I will hand over a quarter of the Kingdom's territory as a thank-you gift." The First Prince continued.
"Hmm??" Elizabeth tilted her head, seemingly dissatisfied with this condition.
"No, no, half of the Kingdom's territory! I will give you half of the Kingdom's territory." The First Prince quickly changed his offer.
"Only half?" Elizabeth spoke, looking very displeased.
"Then... then... whatever you say, that's what it will be." The First Prince said, as if he had lost his mind.
"Is that so? Only children make choices? I want it all, the entire Kingdom, everything!" Elizabeth said with a smile.
"Ye... Yes! As long as you let me go back, I will hand over the Kingdom with both hands..." The First Prince said.
"Eh? You're giving me the Kingdom, then what about you, First Prince?" Elizabeth asked, feigning ignorance.
"I... I... I will be satisfied just serving you under your command!" The First Prince said, crawling over and holding Elizabeth's shoes with both hands.
"Ho! That idea sounds good." Elizabeth smiled.
"It... it's a very good idea, isn't it!!" The First Prince sighed in relief upon hearing Elizabeth say this. As long as he could live! Who cared about her once he got back!
"Sister Lupusregina, for someone who would sell out their own country just to save their life, do you think such a person's loyalty can be trusted?" Elizabeth turned her head and asked.
"To Elizabeth-dono, not at all!" Lupusregina replied.
"Then... let's just kill them all. Anyway, my father's plan doesn't need you, so!" Elizabeth didn't finish her sentence, but judging from the First Prince's twisted expression, he already understood what his fate would be.
---------------------------------
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!