"There is indeed a way to cure you." Her words hit Roel like a bomb exploding in his mind.
"What!? Are you serious!?" Roel exclaimed, his eyes widening in disbelief.
He nearly leaped out of bed, convinced he had misheard.
"Hikss!" Regrettably, the searing pain abruptly halted his movements, and he gradually regained his composure.
Freya smiled faintly at his gestures and nodded, saying, "Of course. Did I need to deceive you?"
Roel felt a hint of skepticism upon hearing this.
Hadn't this woman mentioned before that she couldn't completely cure the poison of the king of hell within his body, only temporarily halting its circulation?
The more he pondered, the more perplexed he grew about this woman.
However, a sudden realization dawned on him, prompting a small sigh to escape his lips.
Yes, he had utterly overlooked a crucial detail—he didn't know Freya at all; they were complete strangers.
Given their unfamiliarity, there seemed to be no inherent obligation for Freya to heal him without expecting equal reciprocity, correct?
Furthermore, they belonged to two hostile races, and he questioned whether he had any right to request healing from this woman.
The fact that she had already saved him alive and provided him with exceptional facilities was an unimaginable act of mercy in itself!
'(Shit! I feel like an ungrateful person.)' Roel cursed himself, a sense of annoyance washing over him.
Swiftly, he recalibrated his mindset and regarded Freya with a more favorable perspective.
"I can sense from your demeanor that there must be a condition attached to this healing, am I right?" Roel chuckled, making a lighthearted guess.
There was no such thing as a free lunch in this world, and Roel grasped this principle deeply even before his reincarnation into it.
While uncertain about the possibility of curing the king of hell's poison in his body, witnessing Freya's confident expression compelled him to give it a try.
Whether it ended in success or failure, this was a gamble—one that staked his life as a chip!
Upon hearing his words, Freya couldn't help but laugh, her hand covering her mouth.
"Ding dong! You're absolutely right," Freya acknowledged without denial, her blood-red eyes fixed on Roel with a meaning he couldn't decipher.
"Hey~ I had a feeling it would come to this. Nevertheless, it doesn't diminish my gratitude to you for saving me." Roel sincerely conveyed his true feelings.
It had to be acknowledged that his prejudice towards this woman had improved compared to before, and he wasn't as anxious anymore.
After all, he found himself in a dying state, and expressing fear of Freya as a member of the dragon race wouldn't likely be of much help.
Thus, he was quite interested in learning about the conditions Freya had set forth for curing him of the king of hell's poison.
As long as the conditions remained reasonable and did not conflict with his moral principles as a member of the human race, he would agree to them without a second thought.
However, if complying with the conditions meant violating his own principles, as a member of the human race, he would rather choose death than live burdened by guilt.
Just as he was lost in thought, Freya's voice swiftly interrupted his reverie.
"How about it? Are you interested in striking a deal with me?" Freya asked casually as she walked over and took a seat in her chair.
Her captivating gaze locked onto Roel, and he couldn't shake the feeling of an odd familiarity in her eyes, as if she already knew him well.
This left him thoroughly perplexed about the origin of that sense of connection reflected in her gaze.
'(No... it's probably just my imagination,)' Roel mumbled inwardly, sensing that it might be nothing more than a fleeting illusion.
This marked his initial meeting with Freya, and he was unequivocally certain of that fact.
"Well, if you're inquiring about my level of interest, I must admit I find your proposition intriguing. However, before we proceed, I must be transparent and state the truth: I possess nothing noteworthy to offer you. My status as the son of a minor baron, coupled with my paralyzed condition, should already convey my limitations, don't you think?" Roel eloquently explained his circumstances, laying bare all of his conditions with the utmost honesty.
Of course, amidst the truths he shared, certain details still needed to be interwoven with lies, including his claimed status as the son of a minor baron.
He harbored a lingering fear that if Freya discovered his true identity as Roel Lionis, she might exploit it as leverage against the human race—an outcome he was vehemently unwilling to see unfold.
Indeed, the reason he was in this dire state could be traced back to one of the emperors of mankind—Julius.
Yet, the repercussions of becoming the bargaining chip for the dragon race would extend to the entire human race, potentially affecting his teachers, friends, and various people he held dear.
Hence, he had to maintain this secret for now, uncertain of how long he could conceal it.
He would let time dictate the course of events.
"Don't concern yourself with that. I've considered this thoroughly, and naturally, I'm well aware of your condition." Freya sensually licked her lips, a sight so alluring and enticing that Roel couldn't help but let his guard down a little.
"Cough! Alright, please guide me on how to eliminate the poison within my body, and then you can disclose your conditions. Just bear in mind that if your terms are unreasonable and clash with my moral principles as a human, let's abandon the whole idea." Roel preemptively established conditions to ensure Freya wouldn't exploit him without due consideration or excessively.
With the numerous requirements he presented, he initially anticipated Freya's rejection.
However, to his surprise, the woman nodded quickly.
"Of course! I won't ask you to do anything immoral!" Her face beamed with undisguised happiness as she wholeheartedly agreed to Roel's request.
There was even a sense of appreciation in her eyes, leaving Roel somewhat embarrassed.
"Alright, please tell me..."
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