Chapter 243: The Reason for Lyra’s Hatred and Aragon’s Cruelty
In the outer palace, Leon and Lyra walked side by side, engaged in conversation.
“By the way, Lyra, I have a question for you. If you prefer not to answer, that’s perfectly fine,” Leon said abruptly, sparking Lyra’s curiosity.
“Please feel free to ask, Your Majesty Leon; I will answer to the best of my ability,” Lyra responded with a flat tone.
Leon nodded slightly and asked, “Can you tell me who Archdemon Aragon is, and why do you seem to hate him so much?”
His curiosity was fueled by the earlier mention of Archdemon Aragon by Reyna. The name had stirred even Lyra, usually calm and detached, to show such fierce and hateful emotion, which only deepened Leon’s interest.
Lyra fell silent for a moment after hearing Leon’s question, then let out a small sigh and looked away.
Noticing the shift in her demeanor, Leon coughed and said, “If my question upsets you, I apologize. You don’t have to answer it.”
Lyra shook her head slightly and met Leon’s gaze again, replying calmly, “It’s not that, Your Majesty Leon. I sighed not out of offense, but because hearing the name Aragon intensifies my hatred toward him and reminds me of painful memories from the past.”
Leon’s eyebrows lifted slightly at her words.
“The past, you say?” he asked, intrigued.
Lyra nodded slightly, her gaze fixed ahead, her expression remaining as flat as ever.
“Your Majesty Leon, do you know how a demon emperor is born?” Lyra inquired with an indifferent tone.
Leon was momentarily taken aback by the unexpected question but quickly composed himself and nodded.
“Yes, I know,” he replied casually.
The title of Demon Emperor could only be held by a demon with a bloodline tracing back to the First Demon Emperor, Amon Crimson.
Nevertheless, becoming the Demon Emperor is a unique process, not conferred by the previous Demon Emperor but determined by fate.
Just as the three heroes are chosen by destiny, so too is the Demon Emperor. However, unlike the heroes, the Demon Emperor does not possess the power of destiny.
Still, each Demon Emperor is immensely powerful, capable of standing toe-to-toe with the three human heroes of their time.
Leon glanced at Lyra with curiosity and asked, “Why are you bringing this up, Lyra? Does it relate to my question?”
“Yes, it does,” Lyra replied calmly. “Your Majesty Leon, when Her Majesty the Demon Emperor Liliana was born, many demons in the outer palace rejoiced with great delight. However, not everyone was pleased—Aragon was among those who were dissatisfied.”
She paused before adding, “Their dissatisfaction and resentment stemmed from the fact that Her Majesty is a woman, not a man.”
Leon, listening intently, raised an eyebrow in confusion.
“So, they resent Liliana just because she’s a woman?” Leon asked, his tone tinged with disbelief.
Even if they have their reasons for resenting Liliana, doesn’t it seem excessive?
After all, she was destined to become the future Demon Emperor, and holding such animosity toward their own emperor was highly inappropriate.
“Actually, it’s not that simple, Your Majesty Leon,” Lyra said, shaking her head slightly. “Aragon is an archdemon with such immense ambition that he covets the Demon Emperor’s throne for himself. Yet, realizing that this was unattainable, he stirred up resentment among many demons in the palace, using the fact that our Demon Emperor is a woman as a focal point for their hatred.”
“Thus, there are many demons in the outer palace who secretly harbor discontent toward Her Majesty Liliana.”
Leon listened to Lyra’s explanation and, with a small sigh, began to understand the complex dynamics at play.
‘Even Liliana isn’t free from such issues,’ Leon murmured to himself.
Previously, he had believed that Liliana—the Demon Emperor with absolute control over the entire Demon race—would be free from any subordinates who harbored hatred or dislike.
However, this revelation made him realize that even within the Demon Empire, traitorous figures were not uncommon.
Snapping out of his reverie, Leon’s expression turned doubtful as he asked, “Since Liliana knew that Aragon was a traitor, why did she keep him instead of executing him immediately?”
“It’s not that simple, Your Majesty Leon,” Lyra responded, her expression growing serious as she met Leon’s gaze. “Archdemons wield immense power and influence, including Aragon. They also share the responsibility of guarding the Demon race’s territory alongside the Demon Emperor, earning them significant respect within the Demon Empire.”
“Thus, if Her Majesty Demon Emperor Liliana were to punish or kill Aragon without concrete evidence, it would incite considerable turmoil and discontent, potentially undermining the very foundation of the Demon Empire.”
Lyra’s words left Leon stunned, as he hadn’t anticipated the consequences could be so severe.
If Lyra’s statement was true, it made sense that Liliana hadn’t acted against Aragon until now.
Leon rubbed his chin thoughtfully before asking, “Then, what did you mean earlier about the past? Did Aragon do something to you?”
Lyra’s expression darkened at the question, and her hands clenched into tight fists.
“Not just bad—far worse than that,” Lyra replied, her eyes growing cold. “In the past, Aragon conspired to eliminate both me and Her Majesty the Demon Emperor Liliana. Fortunately, we managed to survive.”
Leon’s eyes widened in disbelief, his astonishment evident even behind his mask.
“Aragon conspired to kill both you and Liliana? Are you serious, Lyra?” Leon asked, his voice trembling slightly.
If Aragon had simply incited other demons to hate Liliana, Leon might have understood and accepted it. But conspiring to kill her was a grave and unforgivable crime!
Lyra nodded and said, “I’m serious, Your Majesty Leon. Back then, both Her Majesty Liliana and I…”
She then began recounting the details slowly and thoroughly.
As she spoke, Leon listened intently and gradually pieced together the full story.
“So, when you two were children playing in the garden, Aragon orchestrated a kidnapping scheme to eliminate both of you, but your father, Archdemon Heidel, intervened?” Leon asked, his brow slightly furrowed.
“Yes, that’s correct,” Lyra replied, her expression slowly easing.
“Then why wasn’t Aragon arrested for such a serious crime?” Leon asked.
“He didn’t act directly but used another demon as an intermediary, which kept him from facing accusations,” Lyra explained, a smile of mockery and disgust playing on her lips.
Leon fell silent, nodding slightly as he rubbed his chin, lost in thought.
‘This Aragon might pose a threat to me and my three daughters,’ Leon whispered, his eyes growing cold.
From Lyra’s story, he could see what kind of demon Aragon was, and he knew that this threat could endanger both his peace and his family.
‘Well, if he’s looking for trouble with me or my three daughters, I won’t hesitate to send him to Hades,’ Leon muttered with a cold smile.
Though he recognized Aragon as a potential threat, he had no intention of provoking him. However, if that demon dared to challenge him, his Great Sword of Chaos was poised to slice him into a thousand pieces.
Lost in his thoughts, Leon was jolted back to reality by Lyra’s sudden voice.
“We have arrived, Your Majesty Leon.”
——–
A/N: Ahem! I understand that some of you might be unhappy with the addition of privilage chapters, and I apologize for that!
To make up for it, I’ll be updating daily with two chapters or so.
Thank you for your support!
Just a heads-up: this war arc is nearing its end as the climax of the war approaches, and Leon will soon be diving into battle in the upcoming chapter.
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