Chapter 111: Arshley’s Restlessness and Anxiety, and Important News
The Hall of Gods, Holy Orthodox
In the hall of gods, Arshley sat upon the throne, draped in a loose white chastity robe that barely concealed her perfect figure.
Her eyes were closed behind a white veil covering her face, giving the impression of sleep.
Yet, upon her forehead and amidst her beautiful eyebrows, pronounced wrinkles marred her features, as if she were witnessing something deeply unpleasant.
After a few moments passed, Arshley’s closed eyes gradually opened.
Her blue eyes, as resplendent as the azure sky, exuded a captivating allure, yet a trace of fatigue and weariness tinged their brilliance.
“That nightmare again…” Arshley murmured weakly, her tone tinged with weariness and her gaze slightly unfocused.
Since Leon’s disappearance, she has been plagued by restless sleep and recurring nightmares, each more distressing than the last.
These nightmares portrayed Leon’s departure, his form shrouded in blood and grievously wounded.
Even in the worst one, she witnessed him with a wife and several children, a scene that pierced her heart with sorrow.
Whether in her chamber or upon the throne, these nightmares visited her relentlessly, causing her anguish with each awakening.
“Could my dreams be a sign that Brother Leon is truly intending to leave me?” Arshley pondered, her gaze drifting upwards towards the ceiling of the hall of gods.
However, she quickly shook her head, dismissing the notion.
“No way… Brother Leon couldn’t have left me! He’s alive, I’m certain, and he’ll come back to me!” Arshley gritted her teeth, her hands tightly clenched, while her usually charming and beautiful blue eyes now emanated an unusually strong chill.
Leon was the one she cherished above all, and she believed he would never forsake her.
Even if such a possibility existed, she was determined to reclaim Leon, refusing to let him slip from her grasp.
The long-standing obsession and possessiveness she harbored in the aftermath of Leon’s disappearance had thrown her mind into disarray.
Moreover, the absence of any news regarding Leon’s search in the Desert of Chaos in recent days left her deeply agitated, further hindering her ability to control her emotions.
Were it not for Edward’s reassuring words, she might have already declared war on the Demon Race in response to Leon’s confrontation with the Demon Emperor in the Desert of Chaos.
Gradually, Arshley took a small breath to steady herself and began gently massaging her forehead.
Just as she was calming herself down, suddenly, a guard’s loud voice echoed from the direction of the gate of the hall of gods.
“The head of the messenger squad requests permission to enter the throne room!”
Upon hearing this, Arshley flinched slightly and slowly lifted her head, her gaze fixed with surprise on the gate of the hall of gods.
‘The head of the messenger squad? Could news of Brother Leon have been discovered?’
Arshley whispered, a glimmer of happiness returning to her face after a long absence.
Her spirits surged, and in an instant, she regained her composure.
“Enter,” Arshley replied quietly, her words swiftly conveyed to the gate guard of the hall of gods.
Without delay, the gate of the Hall of Gods swung open, revealing a middle-aged man clad in golden armor.
Approaching her, the middle-aged man bowed his head in reverence.
“Hail, Saint,” greeted the middle-aged man respectfully.
Arshley nodded in acknowledgment and inquired, “Do you bring important news?”
Though uncertain if the message pertained to her brother, Leon, a spark of hope ignited within her.
The middle-aged man slowly lifted his gaze towards her and replied with respect, “Indeed, Saint. There are two significant pieces of news I must deliver to you.”
Arshley’s face, veiled beneath the white cloth, betrayed a glimmer of surprise at his words.
“Two important pieces of news? Please proceed without delay,” Arshley said calmly and nonchalantly, though her tone betrayed an undercurrent of excitement.
The middle-aged man nodded respectfully and continued, “The first piece of news originates from the Holy Empire of Elysium.”
“A few hours ago, His Majesty Holy Emperor Velix Larrison of the Holy Empire of Elysium officially declared war on the Demon race.”
Upon hearing this news, Arshley was naturally shocked, her expression visibly troubled.
“Are you certain that Velix has truly declared war on the Demon Race?” she asked casually, though doubt lingered in her tone.
“Indeed, Saint. Not only did I witness it firsthand, but His Majesty Holy Emperor Velix also made the declaration before hundreds of thousands of troops mobilizing for war, as well as the millions of citizens of the capital, all displayed in the ancient magic mirror of the Imperial Palace,” the middle-aged man elaborated.
Arshley fell silent, leaning back against the throne as she delved into contemplation.
‘Officially declaring war in front of hundreds of thousands of troops and millions of citizens with an ancient magic mirror, huh?’ Arshley muttered to herself.
She hadn’t anticipated Velix’s swift declaration of war, especially not in front of the millions residing in the Imperial Capital.
The use of the ancient magic mirror underscored Velix’s unwavering determination to confront the Demon Race.
‘Officially declaring war… That means this great war of this era is about to begin, huh?’ Arshley murmured softly, her eyes briefly shutting.
In the annals of history, wars between the human race and the demon race often culminated in a significant conflict, known by various names such as the War of Annihilation or the War of Destruction.
Unlike typical wars, this great conflict symbolized the culmination of the perpetual struggles between heroes and the Demon Emperor across ages.
On humanity’s side, the three heroes lead this great war, while the Demon Emperor stands as the leader for the demon race.
History, spanning thousands of years, is destined to repeat itself, and upon the conclusion of this great war, it typically heralds the end of both the heroes and the Demon Emperor of the era.
A war that could result in the deaths of millions, tens of millions, or even hundreds of millions of living beings is a grim reality befitting its name.
Abruptly pulled from her reverie, astonishment etched itself onto Arshley’s features.
‘No… Brother Leon’s whereabouts are now unknown, and Velix suspects he is dead in the desert of chaos. Then, where did his confidence come from to officially declare war without a sword hero?’ The moment this thought surfaced, Arshley’s brow furrowed.
She had completely overlooked this earlier and failed to recognize it.
The two remaining heroes surely couldn’t possibly stand against the Demon Emperor, who had even defeated her brother.
Then, how could Velix possibly have the confidence to officially declare war?
The more Arshley pondered this, the more perplexed she became.
‘I should consult Edward,’ she murmured with a hint of caution.
There may be hidden factors that she is unaware of, and this warrants careful vigilance.
After a moment, she regained her composure and gazed up at the middle-aged man before her.
“Very well, I acknowledge your first piece of news,” Arshley stated pointedly and calmly, then continued, “What is your second piece of news?”
“The second piece of news comes from the Desert of Chaos,” the middle-aged man relayed respectfully. “The expeditionary force searching for sword hero Leon found traces of the battle between him and the Demon Emperor.”
Upon hearing this news, Arshley felt a surge of overwhelming excitement.
“Are you certain that what they discovered are the battle traces of Sword Hero Leon?” Arshley asked eagerly, unable to contain her excitement.
“Yes, Saint. The battle traces they found indeed belong to Sword Hero Leon, and we have substantial evidence to support it,” replied the middle-aged man, retrieving a small black box from a slit pocket of his golden armor.
With utmost respect, he ascended the stairs, and upon reaching Arshley seated on the throne, he bent one leg, bowed his head, and presented the small black box with both hands.
“Contained within this small black box is an item belonging to the sword hero Leon, recovered from the Desert of Chaos. I hope Saint will examine it,” he said firmly.
Upon seeing the small black box, Arshley’s heart skipped a beat.
Accepting the box from the middle-aged man, Arshley delicately opened it.
As her eyes fixated on the contents, the expression beneath her white veil froze, and abruptly, crystal-clear tears flooded down both cheeks.
“This is Brother Leon’s mask…”
…
In the inner palace
“Achoo!”
Leon, walking down the hallway with Fiona in his arms, paused suddenly, sneezing loudly.
‘Damn it! Who cursed me behind my back?’ Leon frowned, glancing around as if wary of something.
Resting in his arms, Fiona blinked her round eyes curiously as she saw Leon frowning and looking around vigilantly.
“Daddy, what’s wrong? Why do you look so alert?” She asked, her confusion and curiosity evident as she scanned the hallway, finding no one suspicious in sight.
Snapping out of his reverie, Leon shook his head and turned his gaze to Fiona in his arms with a smile.
“It’s alright; I just have this feeling like someone’s cursing me behind my back,” Leon replied lightly.
“Cursing you? Who would do that?” Fiona asked again, her curiosity growing.
“Enemies who hate me,” Leon replied with a slight chuckle.
Fiona pursed her lips and nodded, her little head bobbing slightly.
Suddenly, her little nose twitched slightly, and before long…
“Achoo!” Fiona sneezed, her facial expression instantly freezing.
With tears pooling at both ends of her round and innocent eyes, she looked at Leon with an expression on the verge of tears.
“Daddy… your enemies cursed me too! Wuuuu~”
Leon: …
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