Catherine's face turned even redder.
Actually, when she had initially decided to cross the border, her thought was that if she couldn't catch the Blood Cult Leader, she could at least take the opportunity to see if she could steal a magic crossbow.
Before the Holy Kingdom's great calamity, Catherine had come to Elasia as the Holy Kingdom's representative to observe the then relatively prosperous Elasia.
After witnessing the terrifying power of the magic crossbow, she had already set her sights on it.
After the "Blood Fortress Strategy" controlled by the Blood Clans' Holy Court became widely used, her longing for Elasia's magic crossbow deepened even more.
If Elashia could really give her a magic crossbow, the Holy Kingdom's war situation could change dramatically!
Seeing Catherine's shy yet eager expression, Elashia smiled and spoke again:
"Alright, would ten be enough for you?"
"What!"
Catherine blurted out directly:
"Can't you Elasians make ends meet anymore!"
The manufacturing cost of each magic crossbow could be called astronomical. Setting aside everything else, what gave this girl before her the authority to so casually give away such precious weapons?
In the Holy Princess's description, Elashia was a down-and-out princess whom no one cared about. Even if she was favored now, she couldn't make such important decisions that would shake the nation's foundation!
Catherine's reaction made Elashia realize—the Holy Kingdom, with its extremely blocked information after the calamity, had no way of knowing about her coup.
This left Elashia somewhat amused and exasperated.
"Do you think I can't make such important decisions?"
Catherine nodded.
"Regardless, as a member of 'Northern Fire,' we can't let you take such a huge risk."
Catherine had previously thought that judging from how the soldiers obeyed Elashia's orders, the current Elashia should have already become a favored princess.
Catherine could understand without thinking how difficult it must have been for Elashia to emerge from that adversity when she was with the Holy Princess, when she was almost completely alone.
If a magic crossbow were secretly given to Northern Fire with Elashia's permission, Catherine was certain that Elashia would have to return to her previous state of being bullied and alone.
And if ten magic crossbows were secretly given to her by Elashia, then Elashia would definitely be executed!
Just thinking about letting such a kind person be executed for her country's cause made Catherine's heart ache.
"Alright, stop overthinking. I'm now the Empress of the Elasia Empire. I could even give you the entire Elasia Empire."
Speaking, Elashia took out an exquisitely designed ring from her chest.
However, Catherine's first reaction upon hearing Elashia's words was—"Elashia is lying to me so I'll accept her gift."
But seeing that ring, Catherine immediately exclaimed in surprise:
"This is... the Jencas Ring!"
Seeing Catherine's surprised expression, Elashia replied:
"This was given to me by Ileina before she left. Please help me return it to her now."
The Jencas Ring was a hereditary treasure of the Holy Kingdom. It contained a storage space of about one hundred square meters where lifeless objects could be stored.
Elashia put the Jencas Ring on her hand, recalling in her mind the incantation the Holy Princess had taught her back then.
Catherine watched as Elashia silently recited something, and the huge magic crossbows and giant arrows in the warehouse disappeared.
Then Elashia brought the ring in her hand before Catherine.
"Consider it payment for occupying your Holy Kingdom's hereditary treasure. Take it."
"This... I told you, we can't accept it!"
Catherine said excitedly.