Chapter 232: Punishment, and Going to the Outer Palace
“Your Majesty Leon, are you ready?”
Upon hearing Lyra’s voice, Leon was momentarily taken aback but soon smiled as he turned his gaze toward the door.
“I’m ready, Lyra. Just give me a moment,” Leon said softly, his voice carrying just a bit.
“Yes, Your Majesty Leon,” Lyra replied with a respectful yet casual tone from behind the door.
Leon smiled and then looked at Fiona, Iris, Charlotte, and Stella.
“Alright, girls, I’ll go with Lyra to handle some matters in the outer palace. I’ll be back as soon as I can, so please wait for me,” Leon said, affectionately rubbing each of their faces.
Charlotte, Iris, Fiona, and Stella nodded with smiles and replied in unison, “Alright! We’ll wait for you to come back!”
Smiling in satisfaction, Leon downed his coffee in one gulp and enjoyed the biscuits Stella had prepared. He then slowly rose to his feet, his gaze fixed on Stella and Charlotte.
“Please take care of your sisters while I’m gone. When I return, I’ll bring you gifts,” Leon said gently, stroking their hair.
“Gifts?” Stella and Charlotte were surprised by the mention of the word.
They hadn’t expected such an offer from Leon, and their faces lit up with joyful smiles as they exchanged glances.
With excited nods, they turned back to Leon and replied eagerly, “Alright! We’ll make sure to carry out your task!”
Leon simply smiled at their adorable behavior.
“Daddy.”
At this moment, Fiona and Iris, who were on his right and left, tugged at the hem of his robe, surprising him.
“What’s wrong, Fiona and Iris?” Leon inquired, his tone tinged with curiosity.
Fiona and Iris exchanged glances with pursed lips before turning back to Leon with downcast expressions.
“Daddy, will we get a reward if we behave well too?” Fiona inquired sadly.
Leon was momentarily taken aback, but then chuckled softly and nodded in response.
“Don’t worry. If you two behave well, I’ll definitely bring gifts for you too,” Leon said, rubbing their heads and making them beam with happiness.
He then gave them additional instructions for things to do while he was away at the outer palace, a trip that might take a considerable amount of time.
After all, he had not personally overseen the construction of the teleportation gate and wasn’t entirely confident in the solution’s success.
“Alright, I’m off now,” Leon said with a smile as he pinched their cheeks one by one before walking out of the room.
Watching Leon disappear, Charlotte, Iris, Fiona, and Stella exchanged glances and let out synchronized sighs.
“Sister, do you think Daddy will be gone for a long time?” Fiona asked Iris with a pout, lying on the sofa.
Shaking her head, Iris lay down beside Fiona and sighed. “I’m not sure, Fiona, but it shouldn’t be too long.”
Since their father had sequestered himself in his room for five consecutive days, they had grown very attached to him and were reluctant to be apart.
As a result, they were anxious about him being gone for too long, as he had been before.
Seeing the troubled expressions on Fiona and Iris, Stella and Charlotte exchanged worried glances.
“Don’t be so anxious or worried,” Charlotte said, approaching them and affectionately rubbing their faces like a loving sister.
“After all, Daddy is only going to the outer palace, so it shouldn’t take too long,” she continued in a soothing tone.
“Exactly, you two don’t need to worry,” Stella added with a reassuring smile and nod, which helped ease Fiona and Iris’s worries.
“By the way, Fiona,” Charlotte said, a faint smile spreading across her lips, “since Daddy is away, isn’t it time for you to accept your punishment?”
Fiona looked startled and surprised. “Punishment? What punishment?” she asked, puzzled.
As a well-behaved little girl, she couldn’t understand why her sister was mentioning a punishment.
Charlotte didn’t answer. Instead, she smiled and exchanged knowing glances with Stella and Iris, who shared her expression.
Seeing her sisters’ sudden strange behavior and their smiles, Fiona, still confused, was overcome by a sense of dread that urged her to run away immediately.
Just as she tried to get to her feet, Iris and Stella grabbed her, their laughter taking on a slightly eerie tone.
“Hehehe! Where do you think you’re going, Fiona?” Iris chuckled, holding her hand and pinching her right cheek.
“Don’t go just yet, Fiona. You need to face your punishment for making us worried earlier,” Stella said, attempting a gentle smile that looked terrifying to Fiona.
“Hehehe! Don’t worry, it won’t take long,” Charlotte giggled as she playfully squeezed Fiona’s chubby cheeks.
Realizing she couldn’t escape, Fiona could only surrender, crying out, “Wuuu~ Daddy, help me!”
…
Meanwhile…
In the palace hallway, Leon and Lyra walked side by side, discussing the teleportation gate.
“By the way, is Liliana aware of this?” Leon asked, his curiosity clear.
Given the significance of the teleportation gate, Liliana should naturally be informed about his involvement in addressing the issue.
Lyra gave a small nod and replied in a flat tone, “Her Majesty the Demon Emperor is already aware of it and has approved it. She also mentioned that if you want to proceed with something, you don’t need her permission.”
Leon was slightly surprised by this but quickly nodded in understanding.
“Alright, then,” Leon said with a chuckle, shaking his head slightly. “I’ll go ahead with it.”
To be honest, Leon knew he didn’t need to seek Liliana’s permission for his actions, given their close relationship.
However, out of respect for Liliana both as his woman and as the Demon Emperor, he still sought her approval, especially for matters concerning the Demon race or the palace.
Now that Liliana had made it clear that he didn’t need her permission, he would honor her wish and cease to ask for it in the future.
The two continued their conversation, and, before long, they soon arrived at a vast courtyard with a massive teleportation portal at its center.
Leon’s eyes widened in amazement as he took in the sight.
“Is this the teleportation portal that connects the inner palace and the outer palace?” Leon asked with curiosity.
Although Leon had explored most of the inner palace, there were still some areas he hadn’t seen, including this courtyard.
Nodding slightly, Lyra looked at the teleportation portal and said, “Yes, Your Majesty Leon. This is the portal that connects the outer palace with the inner palace.”
Leon nodded in acknowledgment, then a question suddenly crossed his mind, sparking his curiosity.
“By the way, Lyra, I have a quick question,” Leon said. “Since this portal connects to the outer palace, does that mean the demons there can enter the inner palace freely?”
Lyra shook her head, her face remaining as expressionless as usual.
“Of course that’s impossible, Your Majesty Leon,” Lyra replied, shaking her head. “To use this teleportation portal, a permit is required, which can only be granted by Her Majesty the Demon Emperor to demons with significant achievements and influence.”
As Leon listened to her explanation, he quickly grasped the system and couldn’t help but be amazed.
“So, even the Demon Race relies on a merit system,” he thought to himself.
As the name implies, the merit system is based on a person’s achievements, granting them more privileges compared to others.
This system is also used in the Holy Empire of Elysium and in Holy Orthodoxy, where it rewards those with significant achievements or loyalty to humanity.
So, Leon was genuinely surprised to see that the Demon race had adopted a similar system.
“Well, given how advanced the Demon race is, especially in magic, it shouldn’t be too surprising,” Leon murmured to himself as his surprise faded.
Shaking off his thoughts, he turned to Lyra, giving a small nod and a smile as he said, “You Demons are truly impressive.”
Lyra was slightly surprised by Leon’s praise, and she felt a warm sense of happiness blooming within her.
After all, receiving recognition from Leon, the renowned sword hero of mankind, was both significant and rare.
“Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty Leon,” Lyra said, her lips spreading into a beautiful smile as she bowed her head respectfully.
Leon chuckled and waved his hand, saying, “There’s no need to be so formal.”
Although he appeared calm on the surface, he was internally surprised by how genuinely delighted Lyra seemed with his simple compliment.
“Ahem! Let’s proceed and address the teleportation gate issue,” Leon said, clearing his throat and swiftly changing the subject.
For some reason, Lyra’s unusual display of emotion made him feel a bit embarrassed and uncomfortable.
At Leon’s words, Lyra looked up and gave a small nod.
“Very well, Your Majesty Leon. Let’s go.”
Nodding in return, Leon and Lyra approached the teleportation portal and stopped right in front of it.
Then, Lyra opened her palm, and a black orb suddenly appeared above it, surprising Leon.
“Is this what activates the teleportation portal?” Leon asked.
“Yes, this orb is used to activate it,” Lyra replied nonchalantly, channeling her magic into the black orb.
*Whoosh!*
The orb immediately emitted a bright black light, causing the teleportation portal to activate.
Seeing this, Lyra ceased her magic flow, causing the orb’s light to fade and the orb to slowly disappear.
“Then let’s go, Your Majesty Leon.”
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