Chapter 263: Surrender and Admit
Leon was speechless, his gaze fixed on Athena as her words left him stunned.
He knew he had been decisively defeated and that there was no hiding it from her. Any attempt to deny it would only make him look foolish and add to his embarrassment.
“This woman is incredibly shrewd and challenging,” Leon muttered to himself in helplessness.
The reason he dreaded facing Athena again wasn’t just the past incident that had left him traumatized, but also her remarkable intelligence and the difficulty of dealing with her.
Having lived for over a hundred years, Athena had witnessed countless eras and accumulated vast life experience. Her wisdom, cunning, and mindset were far beyond those of most beings.
Even with his own extensive knowledge from his previous life on Earth, he had to acknowledge that he paled in comparison to this formidable woman.
Shaking off his thoughts, Leon sighed and looked at her with a resigned expression.
“Since when did you find out?” He asked.
Seeing that Leon was no longer denying it, Athena’s excitement grew, and the beautiful smile on her lips widened.
“Are you curious?” she teased in a playful tone.
Leon felt a twinge of annoyance at her playful demeanor but chose to ignore it, too weary to respond.
Nodding, he gently removed her hand from his cheek and stepped back, replying, “Yes, I’m curious. So, you should tell me.”
Since Athena had recognized his identity from the start, he suspected she had known about it for a while. However, he couldn’t determine exactly when she had discovered it, given that they had only met twice—on the transcendent night and today.
Athena felt a surge of frustration seeing Leon avoid her, making her want to pull him into a tight embrace to keep him from running away. However, with her goal nearly achieved, she managed to control her impulse.
Glaring at Leon with clear dissatisfaction, Athena said in a sulky tone, “As for your identity, I actually figured it out the night we first met.”
Leon’s eyes widened slightly as he stared at her in disbelief.
“On that night? Are you serious?” He inquired, amazed.
It wasn’t that he hadn’t considered the possibility, but he was certain Athena couldn’t have recognized him back then. This was evident from her gaze, which was as detached as that of a stranger, further supporting the idea that Athena had not recognized him at that time.
Moreover, given Athena’s nature, which he knew well, she would not have missed the chance to attack and capture him if she had recognized him—just as she had in the past.
“Of course I’m telling the truth, Leon. Do you really think I’d lie about something like this?” Athena raised an eyebrow, a hint of offense in her expression.
Leon felt a twinge of embarrassment at her words; Athena was certainly not one to joke about such matters. Doing so would not only undermine but also damage her pride as a haughty and proud dragon.
“Ahem! Well then, how did you find out? Could you explain it to me?” Leon asked, clearly confused.
It must be noted that his transformation state was flawless, altering every detail from his hair and eye color to his skin tone, showcasing the excellence of his disguise.
However, Athena’s ability to see through it was both remarkable and difficult to believe.
Athena played with her long hair, casting a faint smile at Leon.
“I’ll explain, but there’s a condition,” Athena said, raising her right index finger.
Leon frowned slightly, ready to refuse, knowing Athena’s condition would likely be unusual and excessive. However, his intense curiosity made him hesitate, swallowing the rejection that almost escaped his lips.
Taking a deep breath, Leon nodded with a heavy heart and said, “Alright, but the condition you set can’t be unreasonable. Otherwise, we’ll forget about it.”
Athena’s face lit up with a cheerful smile. “Of course, don’t worry about that.”
She then took Leon’s hand and gently guided him back to the sofa. Though momentarily surprised by her sudden touch, Leon allowed it without protest.
Once they were seated, Athena set aside their slightly cooled tea and prepared a fresh pot.
When she finished, she turned her gaze back to him and grasped his hand firmly once more, causing his lips to twitch slightly at the unexpected gesture.
Leon tried to pull away, but Athena’s grip was as unyielding as glue, and he eventually gave in.
“Let’s get on with it,” Leon said, rubbing his temples.
Athena nearly laughed at Leon’s helpless expression and playfully pinched his cheek as she explained, “I recognized you because of your distinctive body scent.”
Leon looked at her in disbelief, clearly taken aback. “My scent?” he asked, his tone filled with skepticism.
“Yes, from your scent,” Athena confirmed with a nod. “As you know, the dragon race has an exceptionally keen sense of smell that surpasses even humans and demons. We also possess a unique ability to remember and identify the body scent of someone we’ve marked. This allows us to recognize that person with just a single glance.”
“With this ability, I was able to see through your disguise, despite your drastically altered appearance, Leon.”
Pausing her explanation, Athena removed her hand from Leon’s cheek and took a sip of her tea to soothe her slightly dry throat.
Meanwhile, Leon stiffened slightly in surprise as he absorbed her explanation.
He had considered various possibilities for how Athena could uncover his identity—perhaps through her ancestor’s aid or some ancient magic—but he hadn’t anticipated it would be due to her keen sense of smell, which sent a shiver down his spine.
‘Damn! This woman is really perverted!’ Leon thought, shuddering in fear.
Though he was aware of Athena’s obsession with him, he had never anticipated it to be this level.
The urge to end the conversation and flee from Athena surged intensely.
However, with the black token still in her possession, he forced himself to mask his anxiety and maintain a calm facade.
“Ahem! So that’s how it is… how unexpected,” Leon said, clearing his throat with a forced cough.
“Yes, that’s exactly it,” Athena agreed, her gaze never wavering from him.
Leon, feeling uneasy under her intense stare, sought to shift the conversation but struggled to find a suitable topic. The silence grew, creating an awkward atmosphere between them.
Suddenly, Athena broke the silence, asking, “By the way, Leon, can I ask you something?”
Leon nodded and replied, “Of course, please.”
Athena gently rubbed Leon’s hand and asked, “Leon, can you explain how you’re still alive after the Holy Empire of Elysium announced your death? And how did you end up living in Liliana’s palace?”
She had always doubted the reports of his death, firmly believing he was still alive.
Therefore, the day after the news broke, she mobilized numerous troops to search for Leon throughout human territories and the Desert of Chaos.
However, her search yielded no results, and Leon’s whereabouts remained a mystery, which greatly frustrated her at the time.
Leon’s expression grew serious at the question, and he was about to respond but quickly fell silent again.
Given Athena’s obsessive nature, discovering the truth about the devious scheme Velix and his subordinates had devised against him would likely send her into a frenzied rampage.
The worst-case scenario would be Athena launching a massive declaration of war against the Holy Empire of Elysium, leading to a devastating conflict that would cost countless innocent lives—something he desperately wanted to avoid.
Seeing Leon’s silence, Athena’s eyes narrowed, and a cold aura began to emanate from her.
“Why the silence? Are you trying to keep something from me?” Athena asked, her tone indifferent.
Leon was taken aback by the abrupt shift in her demeanor. Shaking his head, he replied, “It’s not that, but the situation is rather complicated.”
“A bit complicated?” Athena’s skepticism grew. “Then you’d better explain it to me in detail. Otherwise, I might get angry, and you know what happens when I get angry, right?”
A cold, knowing smile spread across her lips, sending a shiver down Leon’s spine.
“Alright, no need to be so intimidating. I’ll tell you everything,” Leon conceded, realizing it was easier to comply.
Dealing with Athena’s anger felt far more challenging than settling a war in the Desert of Chaos.
While there was a chance she might lose her temper, he hoped he could either persuade her or, if necessary, prevent her from spiraling out of control.
Taking a deep breath, Leon began to explain everything to Athena in detail, though he carefully omitted some details he deemed unnecessary for her to know.
As anticipated, Athena grew increasingly enraged as she listened to the explanation, her palms tightening into fists.
“So, Velix and his subordinates were behind this?” Athena’s voice was cold, and her aura grew tense as she spoke indifferently.
Leon nodded, taking a sip of his tea before replying, “Yes, that’s right.”
Athena suddenly stood up, fixing Leon with a fierce glare. “In that case, I will declare war on the Holy Empire of Elysium immediately and crush Velix and his subordinates into pieces.”
She never anticipated that the Holy Empire of Elysium, which had spread the news of Leon’s death, was actually the true culprit, leaving her absolutely furious.
Anticipating her reaction, Leon quickly stood and gently placed a hand on her shoulder, saying, “Ahem! There’s no need to act rashly, Athena. I understand you’re angry, but this isn’t the right approach. Leave Velix and his subordinates to me; you do not need to get involved.”
Startled, Athena glanced at him with uncertainty. “But…”
Before she could finish, Leon took her hand and guided her back to her seat, insisting, “Please, let me handle this. Alright?”
Though still somewhat dissatisfied, Athena agreed since Leon had made up his mind.
“Alright, but if you need my help, don’t hesitate to ask,” she replied, a gentle smile softening her expression.
Leon nodded calmly, but inside, his heart was pounding with fear.
‘Damn! I was right—this woman might really do that,’ Leon muttered to himself in horror.
Although he appreciated the attention Athena was giving him, it was genuinely terrifying.
Fortunately, he had managed to steer Athena away from her dangerous course, which brought him some relief.
However, he knew he couldn’t relax and needed to change the subject immediately.
Thinking quickly, Leon came up with a new topic and began engaging Athena in various discussions.
Absorbed in the pleasure of talking with Leon, Athena remained oblivious to his underlying tension and listened intently.
Before they knew it, an hour had passed, and Athena suddenly stood up, catching Leon by surprise.
“Do you want to go, Athena?” Leon asked with curiosity.
“Yes, I do,” Athena replied with a nod.
Leon felt a wave of relief at her response, thinking he could finally relax. Just as he was about to mention the black token she held, Athena’s next words made his heart skip a beat.
“And you’ll need to come with me.”
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A/N: The next chapter will have a lemon scene, jie~jie~
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