Chapter 241: Provocation Letter From Athena
“Humanity’s forces are withdrawing from the Desert of Chaos? What could this imply?”
Sitting in her chair, Liliana leaned back and crossed her legs, her face etched with astonishment as she read a black letter in her hand.
Just fifteen minutes ago, she had received a report from the battlefield indicating that humanity’s troops had withdrawn from the Desert of Chaos, leaving her puzzled by this unexpected turn of events.
“If they’re withdrawing from the Desert of Chaos, does this mean humanity’s forces are surrendering?”
Liliana set the letter on the desk and rested her chin on her palm, deep in thought.
Though her conclusion seemed logical, she couldn’t shake the doubts lingering in her mind.
The Holy Empire of Elysium had initiated this war, so it seemed implausible that they would surrender merely because they couldn’t breach her Demon Race troops’ defenses.
Moreover, given the 7,000 years of conflict and animosity between the Demon Race and humanity, her theory felt even less likely.
“Despite how perplexing this situation is, I must remain cautious in my decisions,” Liliana muttered, her expression gradually hardening into a cold resolve.
Seeing the unexpected maneuver by humanity’s army, Liliana anticipated that they might soon undertake a significant action that could alter the battlefield dynamics.
Thus, she needed to be prepared for any potential developments.
Quickly, Liliana retrieved a black letter from her drawer and began writing on it. Once finished, she placed the letter in a black envelope adorned with gold patterns.
*Whoosh!*
Moments later, the envelope glowed a bright red before vanishing in an instant.
Liliana took a deep breath and was about to resume her work when a knock sounded at the door, accompanied by a woman’s voice.
*Knock!*
“Your Majesty the Demon Emperor, it’s Celine. I’ve brought some snacks and coffee for you. May I come in?”
Liliana, initially taken aback, leaned back in her chair and regarded the door with an indifferent expression.
“Come in, Celine,” Liliana said lightly.
The door creaked open, and Celine, an unremarkable-looking woman, entered with a tray of dry biscuits and a cup of hot coffee.
“Sorry to interrupt your time, Your Majesty the Demon Emperor,” Celine said respectfully, bowing her head slightly.
Liliana responded with a small nod, her indifferent expression softening into a slight smile.
“That’s fine. You’re not bothering me,” Liliana replied.
While Lyra was her personal maid and handled many of her needs, Liliana didn’t rely on her for everything. Sometimes, she assigned simple tasks, like bringing coffee or snacks, to other maids, such as Celine, while she worked.
Celine gently lifted her head, approached Liliana, and set the coffee and cookies on her work table.
Afterward, she stepped back, bowed her head again, and asked, “Is there anything else you require, Your Majesty the Demon Emperor?”
Liliana sipped her coffee with a relaxed expression and shook her head slightly.
“No, Celine. I don’t need anything else. Thank you,” Liliana replied in a softer tone.
Celine smiled with relief but remained in the room, which piqued Liliana’s curiosity.
“Do you have something you want to discuss, Celine?” Liliana asked gently, setting down her coffee cup and reaching for a cookie.
Upon hearing her words, Celine lowered her head, clearly hesitant. After a moment, she took a deep breath, retrieved a scroll with fire-red letters from her attire, and approached Liliana, offering it with a polite gesture.
“Your Majesty the Demon Emperor, earlier in the palace courtyard, a striking woman in red armor asked me to deliver this scroll to you,” Celine said, her nervousness apparent.
Liliana studied the scroll in Celine’s hand for a moment before taking it silently. She then scrutinized it with interest before turning her gaze back to Celine.
“Celine, do you know the identity or name of the woman in red armor who handed you this scroll?” Liliana asked.
Celine shook her head. “I don’t know, Your Majesty. However, she introduced herself as a member of the Red Dragon Battalion.”
Upon hearing “Red Dragon Battalion,” Liliana’s expression shifted dramatically, and a cold smile slowly spread across her lips.
“Is she still not satisfied with my refusal?” Liliana muttered, mockery evident in her red eyes.
The woman in question was Athena Hellness, the Dragon Empress of the Dragon Empire and Liliana’s most reviled adversary.
In recent days, Athena has sent several letters expressing her desire to visit the palace for a cooperative meeting between the two empires.
However, Liliana, fully aware of Athena’s connection with Leon, had no intention of accommodating her request.
After all, Leon was right now in her palace, and she couldn’t shake the fear that Athena might try to take him from her if she saw him here.
Moreover, Liliana had a nagging suspicion that Athena’s visit was not merely a diplomatic gesture.
Despite the peace between the Demon Empire and the Dragon Empire, their relationship was far from an alliance, making her even more wary of Athena’s true intentions.
Liliana scanned the scroll once more before finally opening it and beginning to read.
A few minutes later
Suddenly, a powerful red aura erupted from Liliana, causing the room temperature to plummet.
“Well done… Well done, Athena!” Liliana gritted her teeth, her expression dark, as she tightly clutched the letter.
Celine, who witnessed Liliana’s sudden outburst, trembled in fear, her face going pale.
‘What’s happening? Why did Her Majesty the Demon Emperor become so enraged after reading the letter?’ Celine wondered silently, her legs shaking as if she might collapse at any moment.
She couldn’t comprehend why Liliana had suddenly exuded such a terrifying aura after reading the letter she had delivered, leaving her utterly petrified.
Still consumed by her anger, Liliana barely noticed Celine, her gaze locked on the letter in her hand as she gritted her teeth.
The letter stated that Athena planned to visit the palace regardless of her permission. This was a clear offense and a provocative challenge to both her and the Demon Empire.
“What a bitch! How dare she? Does she think my Demon Empire is insignificant?” Liliana’s breathing became uneven, causing her huge breasts to heave provocatively.
Taking a deep breath to control her anger, Liliana eventually managed to regain her composure, though a lingering trace of irritation remained on her face.
She examined the letter one last time before crumpling it into a ball and setting it ablaze, reducing it to ashes.
“That woman clearly harbors hidden intentions of coming to my palace,” Liliana muttered, her palms clenched tightly.
At first, she suspected that Athena’s request for permission to visit might not be merely a diplomatic gesture but rather a cover for other motives.
Now, after reading the letter, she was certain her suspicions were correct.
“Why is she so insistent on coming to my palace? There doesn’t seem to be anything here that would interest her, does there?” Liliana wondered aloud, perplexed.
As she continued to ponder the reason without arriving at any conclusions, she let out a small sigh.
It wasn’t that Liliana dismissed the possibility of Athena’s visit being related to Leon, but that seemed unlikely since Leon had completely changed his appearance that night.
Taking a deep breath, Liliana turned her gaze to Celine, who was visibly trembling with fear.
“Sorry, Celine, I let my emotions get the better of me,” Liliana said apologetically.
Celine slowly composed herself, shaking her head as she replied, “It’s alright, Your Majesty.”
Liliana nodded and added, “You may leave now.”
Celine bowed respectfully before exiting Liliana’s workspace.
As Liliana watched her depart, her expression hardened once more.
“I should inform Leon about this,” she decided.
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