Chapter 274: An Alerted Jim and Rain’s Yearning
After a moment, she bit her lower lip and hesitantly asked, “Jim, do you think His Majesty might have deceived me?”
Jim’s eyes widened in a rare display of shock as the words left her mouth.
“Rain, do you realize what you just said?” He asked, his expression growing serious.
As the prime minister of the Holy Empire of Elysium and Velix’s most trusted confidant, Jim could not tolerate any insult or accusation directed at him.
The fact that this accusation came from Rain, one of Velix’s most trusted people, made Jim feel an immediate responsibility to set her straight.
Rain’s expression shifted slightly at Jim’s question, but she quickly masked it.
“I’m fully aware of what I said, but—” She began, only to be interrupted by Jim.
“I understand your concerns, Rain,” Jim said quietly, “but you mustn’t speak that way about His Majesty. He’s the Holy Emperor, and we owe him the highest respect.”
He paused briefly before continuing, “As for the worries that trouble you, leave them to me. Tomorrow, I’ll use my authority as prime minister to help you locate your childhood friend. I’ll also write a letter to His Majesty and inquire about the matter. So for now, relax and focus on tomorrow’s battle. Do you understand?”
Though Jim didn’t fully understand why Velix would act that way toward Rain, he couldn’t allow her to be weighed down by this burden.
As one of the two Great Mages of Mankind, Rain wielded immense influence in the war and was a vital part of the strategic plans for tomorrow’s battle against the Demon race.
To ensure she was in top condition and ready for the battle, Jim knew he had to offer her reassurance and a solution to her concerns.
Hearing Jim’s explanation, Rain couldn’t hide her happiness, and for a moment, her usually indifferent, emotionless face showed clear relief.
“All right, I trust you, Jim. Thank you,” Rain said in a tone that was indifferent yet gentle.
“You’re welcome,” Jim replied with a calm smile. “Now, you should get some rest. Tomorrow, the war against the Demon race will begin, and I want you to be in peak condition. After all, your opponent will be the sovereign mage of the Demon race, equally powerful as you.”
In response, Rain nodded slightly and said, “All right, I’ll head back to my tent.”
Without another word, she turned and left, leaving Jim alone in his place.
As he watched her leave, Jim let out a small sigh, shaking his head as he turned his gaze to the night sky.
“What is His Majesty really trying to accomplish?” he wondered silently, a complicated and curious expression crossing his face.
When Rain had shared her grievances, Jim had already formed some suspicions about Velix’s motives. However, determined not to jump to conclusions, he pushed his thoughts aside and resolved to investigate further the next day.
“I hope it’s not what I think,” Jim whispered, his expression growing serious. “Otherwise, Rain will undoubtedly rebel, and that would spell disaster for the Holy Empire of Elysium.”
Taking a deep breath, Jim pushed aside his thoughts and glanced up at the two moons—Miranda and Sylvia—one last time before turning to leave with quiet steps.
…
Inside the tent, Rain lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling with a dazed expression that contrasted with her beautiful, emotionless face.
“Where are you right now? Didn’t you promise to come to me in the future? So why haven’t you come yet?” Rain wondered inwardly, a small sigh escaping her lips.
At that moment, a memory of a seven-year-old boy suddenly resurfaced in her mind.
He had a youthful face, yet an unexpected maturity radiated from him, giving him an appealing handsomeness.
With his striking short black hair and a gentle, soothing smile, he always managed to make her smile whenever she thought of him.
However, her memories of the boy felt a bit hazy, as if something crucial was missing. Yet she had no idea what that missing piece was.
“I’ve always wanted to meet you, hug you, and proudly tell you that I’ve achieved my goal of becoming a great mage, just as I promised back then,” Rain whispered, sadness crossing her face. “But I can’t do that, because I don’t even know where you are.”
Pausing for a moment, she slowly closed her eyes and continued, “Still, I won’t give up. I will find you, so please wait for me.”
Gradually, her breathing calmed, and Rain drifted off to sleep.
…
Meanwhile, in her workspace, Liliana paced in front of the window, occasionally glancing outside with an anxious expression etched on her beautiful, charming face.
“Why hasn’t Lyra sent any news yet? Did they fail to find Leon and Athena’s dragon carriage?” Liliana bit her lower lip, struggling to suppress the growing anxiety.
It had been nearly eight hours since Athena had abducted Leon, and the lack of news from Lyra only heightened her concern.
“Could Lyra’s silence mean Athena has already returned to her palace?” The thought made Liliana’s heart race, her fists clenching tightly.
A flash of anger and hatred crossed her beautiful face, and a terrifying red aura began to condense around her.
If that were the case, she wouldn’t hesitate to storm Athena’s palace and rescue Leon herself.
Even if her actions meant declaring war on the dragon race, she was unafraid!
Just as she was engulfed in her anger, a sudden knock at her workspace door broke the tension, accompanied by a soft, sweet voice that flowed like milk.
*Knock!*
“Mommy, it’s me, Charlotte. Are you in there? Can I come in?”
Surprised by the voice, Liliana took a deep breath to quell the anger boiling inside her.
Once she had calmed down, she glanced at the door and put on a gentle smile.
“I’m inside. Come in,” Liliana replied softly.
*Clack!*
Moments later, the door slowly opened to reveal Charlotte in an adorable blue nightgown, her long hair tied back in a ponytail.
Behind her, Fiona followed in a white lolita nightgown, her hair also in a ponytail, clutching a teddy bear in her arms.
Noticing Fiona standing behind Charlotte, Liliana felt a flicker of surprise but said nothing, opting instead to smile warmly at them.
“Are you two having trouble sleeping?” she asked gently, opening her arms.
Charlotte and Fiona walked over and hugged her, their adorable faces clearly showing their sadness.
“Yes, Mommy. Fiona and I couldn’t sleep,” Charlotte replied with pursed lips.
Liliana just smiled as she gently patted their backs and asked, “Why can’t you sleep?”
Charlotte was about to explain, but Fiona quickly interrupted her.
“It’s because Daddy’s not in the room,” she replied with a pouty, upset expression.
Liliana was momentarily surprised but quickly understood. Fiona often snuck into Leon’s room to sleep with him, a habit Liliana had learned about from him before. Given this routine, it was no wonder she couldn’t sleep.
Noticing Fiona’s pouty expression, Liliana let out a small sigh and gently rubbed her cheeks.
“I know you must be upset, but your daddy isn’t in the palace right now,” she explained softly.
Fiona’s pout deepened at her words, and she crossed her small arms over her chest in a show of dissatisfaction.
“Mommy, can you tell me where Daddy is? And why isn’t he in the palace?” Fiona asked, her chubby cheeks puffing up like a pufferfish.
Beside her, Charlotte wore a complaining expression, though she tried to hide it. She looked at Liliana with curiosity, as if waiting for an answer.
Liliana fell silent, unsure of how to respond to their questions.
There was no way she could tell them the truth—that their beloved daddy had been kidnapped by the wicked dragon Athena, right?
Just as Liliana found herself in a dilemma, unsure of how to respond, a soft knock followed by a man’s gentle voice suddenly came from outside her workspace.
“Liliana, are you in there?”
————
A/N: I originally planned to include Rain’s backstory, but after some thought, I decided to hold off. It would be better to reveal it in future chapters.
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