Chapter 184: A Love Rival?
“Merlin?”
Liliana narrowed her eyes, fixing the maid with a cold gaze.
“What does he want to see me for?” Liliana asked in an indifferent tone.
The maid, feeling the intensity of Liliana’s stare, instantly lowered her eyes, unable to meet her gaze.
“I do not know General Merlin’s purpose, Your Majesty. He said nothing to me and only asked me to deliver his message to you,” the maid replied nervously.
For a maid like her, the pressure exerted by Her Majesty the Demon Emperor was overwhelming and terrifying, making her want to leave the garden immediately!
Upon hearing this, Liliana was silent for a few moments, as if deep in thought, before letting out a small sigh and withdrawing the pressure she had exuded.
“Alright, you may bring him here,” Liliana ordered in a light, nonchalant tone.
The maid sighed with relief, eager to leave the garden as quickly as possible.
“Yes, Your Majesty. I will bring General Merlin,” the maid replied, bowing her head once more before quickly exiting the garden.
Watching the maid’s departure, Liliana shook her head slightly and took a sip of her tea, attempting to calm her unsettled mood.
Across from her, Leon, who had remained silent, couldn’t help but gaze at Liliana with a faint smile on his lips.
“Liliana, it seems like you really hate Merlin. Do you have a problem with him?” Leon inquired in a teasing tone as he picked up a dry biscuit and offered it to her, instantly making her sullen expression disappear, replaced by a soft smile that bloomed on her lips.
“I do indeed hate Merlin, especially his attitude; it makes me sick,” Liliana replied softly as she took a bite of the biscuit Leon offered.
“His attitude?” Leon raised an eyebrow curiously.
Merlin, the first of the eight demon generals, was an extraordinarily powerful and invincible demon.
As a sword hero who frequently led battles against the Demon race, he often clashed with the Demon generals, and Merlin was the most formidable enemy he had ever faced before his battle with Liliana in the Desert of Chaos.
His formidable strength stemmed from his razor-sharp swordsmanship and exceptional magical abilities, comparable to the strongest high-level mages of humankind, making him nearly invincible on the battlefield.
Fortunately, as the war leader of humanity’s side at the time, he managed to defeat Merlin in every battle, resulting in humanity maintaining an unbroken winning streak against the Demon Race.
Yet, Leon couldn’t deny that Merlin stood out as the most genius, terrifyingly talented, and strongest demon he had ever faced, disregarding Liliana’s exceptional abilities.
Liliana nodded as she heard Leon’s question, taking a sip of her tea.
“Merlin’s attitude makes me sick of him,” she remarked in an indifferent and cold tone. “He seems utterly obsessed with me, with perpetual hidden intentions lurking beneath his gaze. Every time our eyes meet, I sense a concealed desire that he tries to mask but cannot escape my notice.”
“If it weren’t for his usefulness and power, which still serve the Demon race’s interests, I might have long since blinded him and condemned him to death countless times.”
Her eyes turned cold as she spoke. Before she ascended the throne as the Demon Emperor, many demons indeed harbored ulterior motives towards her due to her stunning and perfect features.
However, after ascending to the throne, no one dared to cast such a look her way anymore, knowing she held the power to decide the life and death of a demon with a single sentence.
Only Merlin dared to entertain thoughts about her, further fueling her disdain for his attitude.
Meanwhile, Leon, upon hearing Liliana’s explanation, couldn’t help but be surprised.
In his mind, Merlin was an extremely arrogant, cold, and pretentious demon. As the first Demon General, possessing terrifying strength, he exuded pride on the battlefield.
Even at the outset of their first battle, it was evident how Merlin underestimated him, employing arrogant clichés reminiscent of novels from his previous life.
Therefore, he was somewhat taken aback by Merlin’s attitude towards Liliana after hearing her story, which also instantly provoked anger within him.
‘Damn it! Merlin, how dare he harbor thoughts towards my Liliana?’ Leon cursed inwardly.
Liliana was now his woman and the mother of his three adorable daughters, so there was no way he wouldn’t feel incensed if someone harbored thoughts about her, especially someone with hidden intentions like Merlin.
Despite Liliana’s formidable strength, as a man, he remained steadfast in his commitment to protecting her!
With this resolve, Leon’s expression instantly turned cold and stern as he gazed at Liliana across from him.
“Liliana, don’t worry,” Leon soothed gently, continuing in an indifferent tone, “If Merlin troubles you, let me deal with him.”
Liliana felt her heart swell with affection at his reassuring words.
“Well, thank you, Leon,” she replied, smiling sweetly as she leaned her chin on her palms, gazing at him affectionately.
Given her status, pressuring Merlin would be uncomfortable, as he was highly esteemed among the other demon races and favored by the higher-ranking demons in the outer palace.
If she did so, they would inevitably hold a grievance against her, even though it wouldn’t significantly affect her.
However, amidst the imminent war against humanity, she aimed to ensure stability and prevent any potential disruptions, such as rebellion or division.
Furthermore, after this war, she would still need to assist Leon in fighting the evil god in the future, a task that would undoubtedly consume considerable time, resources, and energy.
Hence, if Leon helped her confront Merlin, it would be greatly beneficial.
Additionally, she held a latent desire in her heart to experience the feeling of being protected by her loved ones, intensifying her excitement even further.
The two exchanged a gentle gaze that instantly restored harmony to the atmosphere.
Yet, their fleeting moment of peace was shattered by the approaching sound of footsteps, once again disrupting their tranquility.
“Your Majesty, the Demon Emperor, I have brought General Merlin to you as you requested.” The maid’s voice pierced the air, causing Leon and Liliana to instinctively turn toward the source.
Before them stood the previous maid, accompanied by a man of imposing stature, his beautiful gray-black eyes and handsome face radiating indifference.
With slightly longer gray hair grazing his earlobes, he donned an exquisite black battle robe, perfectly complementing the cold, proud, and arrogant aura he radiated.
He was none other than Merlin, the first demon general and the mightiest among the eight demon generals, held in reverence by the entire demon race.
The instant Merlin laid eyes on Liliana’s beautiful and charming visage, the indifference in his gaze melted away, replaced by a profound obsession, swiftly concealed.
However, it couldn’t escape Leon’s sharp, hawk-like gaze, fueling his urge to slap the damn man for daring to cast such a look upon Liliana, his beloved.
‘Damn! This guy is truly despicable and utterly shameless,’ Leon sneered inwardly, cursing under his breath.
Initially, he had some doubts about Merlin’s attitude toward Liliana, but after witnessing it firsthand, he realized Merlin was even crazier than he had imagined.
Although Merlin masked his obsessive gaze well, it didn’t escape the notice of Leon and Liliana.
Glancing at Liliana, he saw her cold expression and the murderous intent flashing in her red eyes, which made him sigh in pity for Merlin.
“Your Majesty Liliana, good morning; please forgive me for interrupting your time.” Merlin greeted Liliana respectfully, his gentle smile starkly contrasting his earlier indifferent and arrogant demeanor.
Liliana did not respond to his greeting, merely giving him a quick glance before shifting her gaze toward the nervous-looking maid beside him.
“You may leave,” Liliana stated in a nonchalant tone, prompting the maid to sigh with relief.
“In that case, I request permission to leave, Your Majesty,” the maid replied quickly, bowing her head before hastily exiting the garden.
For some reason, she felt the atmosphere in the garden grow cold, compelling her to run without thinking.
As the maid departed, Liliana turned her gaze back to Merlin, her expression indifferent.
“So, what brings you here, Merlin?” Liliana inquired coldly, folding her long, curvaceous legs—a sight that nearly drove Merlin to madness.
If there was anyone in this world who could drive him to madness and make him willing to do anything, it was the woman before him—the first female demon emperor, Liliana Crimson.
He had fallen in love with her at first sight, long before he rose to his current position as the most powerful of the eight Demon Generals.
Unfortunately, this woman was cold, indifferent, and extraordinarily powerful, leaving him feeling inferior despite his impressive title as the strongest demon general.
However, this obstacle was no deterrent for him; the more Liliana behaved that way, the greater his love for her grew.
Hiding his obsession and desire well, Merlin smiled gently at Liliana while slightly bowing his head.
“I have come for several matters, but the most important is to see how you are doing, Your Majesty Liliana,” Merlin replied, affection and tenderness evident on his handsome face.
Upon hearing this, Liliana’s expression instantly turned cold, her disgust impossible to hide.
She hadn’t expected Merlin to become increasingly brazen, which only heightened her annoyance with him.
‘It seems I was too gentle before, and now this guy has become even bolder,’ Liliana thought to herself, her indifferent expression growing stronger.
Staring at him with hatred in her eyes, Liliana was about to retaliate when she was suddenly interrupted by Leon’s mocking laughter.
“Pfft, my friend! Your words are utterly disrespectful and repulsive!”
——————-
A/N: I can only update one more chapter because my laptop was damaged by drinking water, hey~ ヾ( `ー´)シφ__ (＞ｍ＜)
So, I’m doing it from my smartphone, which is very inconvenient.
Therefore, I apologize for only being able to update one chapter today.
Thank you, and don’t forget your support! (❁´◡`❁)
Stay tuned!
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