Chapter 255: Athena Hellness Arrival
Upon hearing the maid’s voice, Liliana was slightly startled but quickly regained her composure, adopting a nonchalant expression.
“Lyra, since Athena has arrived, I must go greet her with Leon right away,” Liliana said calmly, then added, “Please prepare some tea for us in the parlor.”
Lyra nodded and bowed respectfully. “Yes, Your Majesty. Leave it to me.”
Liliana smiled without saying more and began walking towards the door. Suddenly, she paused as something crossed her mind.
“By the way, Lyra, I nearly forgot,” Liliana said, turning back. “I need you to keep Fiona, Charlotte, Iris, and Stella in their rooms and ensure they don’t leave while Athena is in the palace. Can you handle that?”
Lyra was startled and confused by the request, but she quickly composed herself and nodded, replying in a flat tone, “I can, Your Majesty. Don’t worry, I will look after the three young ladies and young Lady Stella in their rooms while Empress Athena is in the palace.”
Though deeply puzzled and curious about the reason behind the request, she refrained from asking questions.
To her, fulfilling the Demon Emperor’s orders was an absolute duty, and she didn’t need to know the reasons behind them.
Liliana was well aware of Lyra’s curiosity, but she had no intention of offering an explanation.
The relationship between Leon and Athena was complicated and delicate, and explaining it would take considerable time.
Moreover, it involved Leon’s embarrassing past secrets, which she preferred to keep from anyone else, including Lyra.
Satisfied, Liliana nodded, turned gracefully, and walked out of the room, leaving Lyra alone.
As she watched Liliana leave, Lyra blinked thoughtfully.
…
Meanwhile…
In the grand hall, an extraordinarily handsome man stood before a large mirror, a faint smile playing on his lips.
His features were strikingly perfect, with sword-sharp eyebrows and a sculpted jawline that seemed to have been carved by the gods themselves.
He wore an elegant black mantle robe, its night-colored fabric complementing his regal demeanor.
His pale white hair and violet eyes, gleaming like sapphire gems, could captivate any woman at a single glance.
This man was none other than our protagonist, the most handsome man in the world—Leon Kruger!
“Tsk tsk! I never expected Liliana to choose such perfect clothes for me,” Leon muttered with a faint smile, admiring his reflection in the mirror. “With my current appearance, even being called the most handsome man in the history of this world seems like an understatement.”
To prepare for Athena’s imminent arrival, both he and Liliana had to dress appropriately and elegantly.
Although Athena’s visit wasn’t officially sanctioned—she had not received Liliana’s permission—she was still a dragon empress of the Dragon Empire, holding high status. Her arrival was a significant event, representing the face of the Dragon Empire.
Thus, despite Liliana’s reluctance and frustration with Athena’s lack of politeness, they still had to give her a proper welcome.
“By the way, I’m curious about Liliana’s suspicions,” Leon mused silently, rubbing his chin with a thoughtful expression. “Is Athena’s visit intended to establish cooperation between our empires, or does it serve another purpose, as Liliana suggested last night?”
If Athena’s visit was solely to discuss cooperation, he would remain calm and relaxed. However, if her purpose was more personal, he would need to prepare a response to reject her.
The war in the Desert of Chaos had been ongoing for over two weeks, and he sensed it might soon reach its climax.
Moreover, Jim had already begun taking actions and devising strategies unknown to him, which only reinforced his intuition.
Therefore, he needed to go there tomorrow and end the 7,000-year war.
Leon took a deep breath, his indifferent expression gradually turning stern.
“Well, I can only hope that Athena’s visit is for cooperation between the empires and not for me,” he whispered inwardly.
With a small sigh, he turned to leave but was startled by the appearance of an extraordinarily beautiful woman in an exquisite black gown.
Upon seeing the woman, Leon’s surprise quickly faded, giving way to a gentle smile.
“Liliana, you’ve truly surprised me,” Leon said with a chuckle as he approached her.
He looked at Liliana in her stunning gown and couldn’t help but praise her: “You look absolutely breathtaking, Liliana. It’s no exaggeration to say you’re the most beautiful woman in the world.”
Liliana’s gown was a black off-shoulder dress with an A-line skirt, accentuating her cold and aloof demeanor perfectly.
Leon’s praise naturally delighted Liliana, but she controlled her excitement and maintained a composed expression.
“Thank you for the compliment, Leon. You look handsome in your mantle robe, too,” Liliana said softly, smoothing his slightly crooked collar.
When she finished, she looked at him with a faint smile and continued in a teasing tone, “With your appearance, I can only imagine how many women would be captivated. Can you?”
Liliana’s sudden remark left Leon surprised and puzzled, as he couldn’t quite understand why she would say such a thing. However, since she was complimenting him, he couldn’t very well refuse.
“Ahem! Thank you for the compliment,” Leon said, coughing slightly and smiling with a touch of pride. “I do feel more handsome than usual, and I’m sure any woman would be charmed.”
As soon as he finished speaking, a sudden chill filled the air, startling him.
He instinctively glanced at Liliana and saw her watching him with a cold gaze and a cynical smile, which left him feeling confused.
“Liliana, why are you looking at me like that?” Leon asked hesitantly.
Liliana had just complimented him on his appearance, which he had accepted with gratitude. So why was she now giving him a cold stare, as if she were angry?
Liliana didn’t answer but merely snorted coldly and looked away, making Leon’s mouth twitch in response.
Despite his extensive reading in the greatest libraries, he could never grasp the complexities of women’s nature.
‘The old saying holds true: understanding women is more complex than unraveling the secrets of the universe,’ Leon thought with a sigh.
Before he could address the situation, Liliana regained her composure and said, “Athena has arrived. Let’s welcome her.”
Leon’s expression shifted to seriousness as he nodded and replied, “Okay.”
…
In the vast inner palace courtyard, a stunning red carriage, drawn by two enormous dragons, descended slowly and came to a halt.
The sight of the carriage left the few maids and guards present in awe, unable to conceal their astonishment.
None dared approach, however, as the dragons’ formidable aura was too overpowering.
*Clack!*
Moments later, the door on the right side of the carriage opened, revealing an extraordinarily beautiful woman with red hair in a striking red gown.
Surveying her surroundings, she flashed an exquisitely charming smile, her lips lingering in a seductive lick.
“My dear Leon, you can never escape me,” she said with a playful tone.
————-
A/N: I apologize for not updating yesterday. Unfortunately, a friend made a joke by deleting four drafts of my chapter, which forced me to rewrite everything from scratch. It was quite frustrating, but it was something I had to deal with.
On a different note, I’ve created a Discord server! If you’d like to join, please check the synopsis section for the link.
Thank you for your understanding and continued support!
pronovels.com
