Chapter 180: You, Leon, Are the Precaution
In the beautiful inner palace garden, Liliana and Leon sat across from each other on white garden chairs, with a round table between them.
The table was laden with an assortment of foods, including dry biscuits, fruits, and a tea set with two cups and a medium teapot, causing Leon to chuckle slightly.
“I didn’t expect you to prepare so much, Liliana. With all this food, I almost thought you were planning a small party,” Leon joked, picking up a dry biscuit and taking a bite.
Liliana giggled and shook her head at his words.
“Well, let’s just say it’s a small party to celebrate the recovery of your powers, Leon,” Liliana replied softly as she poured him some tea.
Leon smiled faintly as he lifted his teacup, inhaling its fragrant aroma before finally taking a sip.
*Slurp~*
As the tea touched his tongue, Leon’s eyes widened in surprise.
“This tea is so fragrant and delicious,” Leon murmured, his expression filled with happiness as he took another sip.
Being a coffee and tea lover even before his reincarnation into this world, Leon possessed a highly sensitive palate, and the tea Liliana had prepared was truly exquisite.
In terms of aroma, mouthfeel, and aftertaste, this tea was perfect. It was the first time he had ever tasted such an exceptional tea, making him feel as though he had discovered a hidden treasure.
Across from him, Liliana couldn’t help but smile as she watched Leon sip his tea repeatedly.
“Does the tea taste good?” Liliana inquired softly, taking a sip of her own tea.
Leon set down his teacup and nodded vigorously as he praised, “Yes, the tea is incredibly delicious and fragrant! It’s the first time I’ve tasted such high-quality tea.”
“Even the tea I used to drink in the Holy Empire of Elysium, renowned for its quality, doesn’t compare to this.”
Listening to Leon’s praise, Liliana smiled faintly and gently placed her cup into its saucer.
“This tea is indeed exceptional, as it’s incredibly difficult to obtain and takes hundreds of years to grow,” Liliana remarked, her chin resting on her palm as she regarded Leon with tenderness in her typically cold, indifferent eyes.
“Hundreds of years?” Leon was dumbfounded, staring at his teacup in disbelief.
“Yes, hundreds of years,” Liliana confirmed once more before elaborating, “this tea comes from tea leaves known as ‘Aurora-Frosted Tea Leaves,’ which exclusively grow in the continent’s coldest region—the northern area where snow has fallen uninterrupted for thousands of years.”
“It takes a century for these leaves to mature and be ready for consumption. Coincidentally, just a month ago, these leaves ripened and bloomed, prompting me to dispatch powerful demons to retrieve them.”
As Leon listened to her explanation, he couldn’t help but be amazed, causing him to involuntarily stare at the tea in his cup, which was already half gone.
‘A hundred years, huh?’ Leon muttered to himself.
This was the first time he learned of tea leaves that took a hundred years to grow to perfection, broadening his understanding significantly.
Moreover, the fact that these tea leaves grew in such a frigid locale, like the northern region where eternal snow had blanketed the land for millennia, only deepened his wonder.
However, considering he had already spent decades in this fantasy world and had even risen to become a hero of mankind, his surprise was fleeting, replaced by a growing sense of calmness gradually spreading across his face.
“Ahem! Liliana, can I take a box of this tea to my room later?” Leon asked, a slight hint of embarrassment coloring his expression.
Liliana smiled gently and nodded. “Of course. Later, I’ll have the maid prepare it and bring it to your room, alright?”
Upon hearing this, a radiant smile spread across Leon’s face, deepening his affection for Liliana even more.
“Thank you, Liliana. You truly are a remarkable woman,” Leon praised sincerely, eliciting a sense of joy in Liliana.
“Your words are quite sweet, Leon. I wonder how many women have been swayed by that silver tongue of yours,” Liliana teased playfully, eliciting a brief stiffness in Leon’s expression.
“Ahem! How dare you say such a thing? I, Leon Kruger, am a man of utmost loyalty!” Leon spoke proudly and arrogantly, locking eyes with Liliana, who returned his gaze with a faint smile on her lips.
They shared a brief exchange of glances before finally bursting into laughter, wrapping themselves in a warm and harmonious atmosphere.
After a while, their laughter gradually subsided, and they fell into a comfortable silence, seemingly relishing the tranquil and warm atmosphere they had created.
Not long after, Leon finished his cup of tea and redirected his gaze to Liliana’s beautiful and perfect goddess-like face.
“By the way, Liliana, I wanted to ask you something,” Leon began, popping a grape into his mouth before continuing, “What was your reason for summoning Lyra back to the palace amidst the impending war?”
Upon hearing this, Liliana, who was still sipping her tea, fell silent for a few moments before finally placing her cup back on the saucer, her gaze fixed on Leon.
“The reason I summoned her back to the palace was because I needed her help to create a teleportation portal connecting the outer palace with the border of the Demon race’s territory adjacent to the Desert of Chaos,” Liliana explained casually, eliciting a look of disbelief from Leon.
“What did you say? A teleportation portal?” Leon inquired again, as if he couldn’t believe what he had just heard.
“Yes, a teleportation portal,” Liliana confirmed with a slight nod.
“Hiss!” Leon took a deep breath, his astonishment still evident on his face.
Leon, an avid reader who frequented libraries, possessed extensive knowledge about teleportation portals.
As recorded in ancient texts, a teleportation portal was a gateway capable of bridging vast distances, connecting locations spanning hundreds or even thousands of kilometers.
Yet, despite their awe-inspiring potential, the creation of teleportation portals was prohibitively expensive and exceedingly difficult, rendering them unseen for thousands of years.
Moreover, their two-way nature posed a significant risk, especially if utilized during wartime to link the capital with the battlefield, potentially leading to catastrophic consequences.
Observing Leon’s troubled expression, Liliana simply smiled as she continued to eat grapes.
“Do you think creating a teleportation portal is the wrong decision, Leon?” Liliana asked casually.
Faced with such a question, Leon remained silent for a few moments before shaking his head.
“I can’t say whether your decision is right or wrong because I don’t have the authority to judge,” Leon replied casually, his gaze gentle as he continued: “However, I’ll stand by whatever decision you make, Liliana.”
If Leon had an opinion on whether Liliana’s decision to create a teleportation portal was right or wrong, he believed it wasn’t his place to voice it.
Despite the intimacy of their current relationship, he still regarded himself as an outsider, recognizing that he lacked the authority to question Liliana’s decisions as the Demon Emperor and leader of the Demon Race.
However, as her man, he pledged his unwavering support for whatever choice or decision Liliana made.
Upon hearing Leon’s response, Liliana’s expression momentarily froze before blossoming into a beautiful smile.
His answer was precisely what she had hoped for, feeling like an encouraging affirmation of her decisions.
“Well, despite your response, I still believe it’s important to inform you of this matter, Leon,” Liliana said gently as she refilled Leon’s tea cup before continuing, “As you know, traveling from the capital to the border of the Desert of Chaos region takes two days.”
“Therefore, I decided to create a teleportation portal to expedite the dispatch of additional troops in the event that the Demon race’s forces suffer losses on the battlefield against humanity’s forces.”
As Liliana explained her reasoning, Leon began to understand why she wanted to create the teleportation portal, leaving him slightly surprised.
Indeed, upon reconsideration, Leon realized that the teleportation portal would greatly benefit the Demon race in the upcoming war.
Moreover, the geographical conditions favored the Demon race, as their capital was only two days’ travel from the Desert of Chaos, while the Holy Empire of Elysium’s capital required five to six days of travel.
Therefore, Liliana’s decision appeared both effective and ingenious.
Shaking off his contemplation, Leon nodded appreciatively at Liliana.
“I didn’t think you could come up with something like this, Liliana,” Leon praised.
Liliana smiled at his compliment but quickly shook her head.
“While the plan seems perfect, it carries high risks. There’s always a chance humanity’s troops could break through, which would backfire on the demon race,” she continued with a slight sigh.
Leon nodded in agreement, as he had considered this possibility before. However, he hadn’t mentioned it, fearing it might demoralize Liliana.
“So, have you found any precautions against this possibility?” Leon asked curiously as he sipped his tea.
Although the likelihood was low, in a war—especially one of this scale—all potential worst-case scenarios had to be anticipated.
After all, the dynamics of war are unpredictable, even for exceptionally talented individuals like Jim, the Four-Eyed Devil, or Edward, the Wise Angel.
When Leon asked his question, Liliana nodded and replied, “Of course, I already have precautions in place.”
“Oh?” Leon raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Can you tell me about them?”
Liliana’s smile blossomed again as she pointed at Leon with her index finger.
“You, Leon, are the precaution.”
————-
A/N: Ahem! I’m sorry for once again uploading a chapter! Well, it’s not that you’re lazy, but I’ve had a stomachache for the past day, and it’s really hard to write, even a chapter… Hiks!
Well, that’s all, and thanks for your support~
pronovels.com
