Chapter 287: Panic and Persuasion
“What!? You’re going to the battlefield!?” Charlotte, Iris, Fiona, and Stella exclaimed in shock.
Leon nodded slightly, taking a bite of the dry bread with an air of calm.
“Yes, I am,” he replied softly. “The Demon race has been at war with humanity in the Desert of Chaos for over a week. Our forces are struggling, and I need to intervene to help them—and bring an end to this war.”
At first, he had no intention of telling them about the war, believing it was too heavy a burden for them to carry.
However, since his time on the battlefield would be long, Liliana suggested he give them a brief explanation.
She worried that if he didn’t explain, the girls would feel hurt and upset, leading to disappointment in him.
As a father, he couldn’t bear the thought of disappointing his little girls, so he ultimately decided to heed Liliana’s advice.
Leon looked at each of them, noting the tense expressions on their adorable faces and the distrust in their eyes, causing him to sigh.
Meanwhile, Charlotte, Iris, Fiona, and Stella snapped out of their shock, exchanging fearful glances with one another.
Upon realizing that their father had no intention of leaving them, they felt a wave of happiness and excitement. However, they never expected that he actually planned to go to war, which felt just as devastating as leaving them behind!
“Daddy, don’t go to the battlefield! It’s too dangerous!” Charlotte cried out, her voice filled with panic.
Though she was only three years old, her understanding surpassed that of most children her age.
She understood all too well how devastating war could be, and she didn’t want her daddy to be involved in it!
Beside him, Iris quickly grabbed his left arm, her face full of fear.
“Sister Charlotte is right, Daddy! You can’t go to war! I don’t want you to get hurt! Please, Daddy!” Iris pleaded, clinging tightly to Leon as if she never wanted to let go.
Reflecting on her past behavior, when she often neglected her father, she felt a pang of regret and was desperate to make up for it by showing him more love and attention.
Yet, if he went to the battlefield, she wouldn’t have the chance to show him that love.
Moreover, the battlefield was an extremely dangerous place, and she couldn’t bear the thought of him going there.
Stella, who was clinging to Leon, tightened her embrace and said in a trembling voice, “Uncle Leon, what Charlotte and Iris said is true. The battlefield is incredibly dangerous, and you will definitely get hurt if you go there. Please stay with us.”
Though she had once been a little girl living alone in the capital, she understood all too well the deep-seated hatred between the Demon race and humanity.
They were perpetually at war, resulting in countless casualties on both sides.
She didn’t want Leon to become one of those casualties, and she was determined to prevent him from going to the battlefield at all costs.
On Leon’s right side, Fiona burst into tears again, clinging tightly to his arm.
“Wuuu~ You can’t go, Daddy! I won’t let you go to such a dangerous place! Wuuu~” She cried loudly, burying her face against him.
To her, the thought of her daddy leaving for the battlefield felt like he was leaving her, and she didn’t want that. Without him, she knew her life would be dull and lonely.
Moreover, the very thought of her father getting hurt on the battlefield filled her with terror, making her grip on his arm tighten even further.
Seeing the panic and tears of his little girls, Leon fell silent for a moment before letting out a soft sigh.
He had anticipated their reaction would be this way, which was why he had initially wanted to avoid telling them.
However, he didn’t regret his decision to explain; on the contrary, he believed it was for the best.
At least they could express their feelings of dissatisfaction and sadness in front of him rather than harboring resentment and disappointment if they discovered the truth later.
Taking a deep breath and wearing a gentle smile, Leon rubbed the heads of Stella, Iris, and Fiona one by one, then turned to Charlotte with a warm gaze.
“I know you all must be very worried about me, and I truly appreciate it; it makes me very happy. However, I still need to go to the battlefield because I have a responsibility to help end the war over there,” Leon said calmly.
After a brief pause, he looked at Iris, Stella, and Fiona nearby and added with a playful tone, “You may not realize it, but your father is actually quite strong. The ongoing war in the Desert of Chaos poses no real threat to me. Even the strongest forces of humanity won’t be able to stop me once I’m on the battlefield. So, you can rest easy and not worry at all.”
What he said wasn’t mere arrogance; it came from a place of confidence. On the current battlefield in the Desert of Chaos, Leon believed that no one could pose a serious threat to him, not even Valen or Luna.
While he acknowledged that both were indeed very strong, they had yet to reach a level where they could put him in a desperate position.
However, he knew he couldn’t afford to be careless. On humanity’s side stood the exceptionally powerful and seemingly invincible Great Mage, Rain Violet, alongside the unpredictable and cunning strategist, Jim Terra.
Each of them represented a significant threat, and he needed to remain vigilant about their presence.
Despite Leon’s reassuring words, the four girls showed no signs of relief; instead, their panic and sadness seemed to grow.
“Daddy, please don’t go. I’m begging you,” Charlotte pleaded, her round eyes brimming with tears.
“Yes, Uncle, please stay. Even though you say you’ll be fine, we can’t help but feel anxious. Please stay with us,” Stella added, her voice quaking with nerves.
“Um! Um! Please don’t go, Daddy. Let Mommy handle it instead. She’s the powerful Demon Emperor and can manage the battlefield,” Iris said, her voice filled with weariness and sadness.
“Yes, big sister Iris is right! Let Mommy go, Daddy! You don’t need to go to the battlefield—just stay with us in the palace!” Fiona chimed in, pursing her small lips as she nodded in agreement.
Leon felt helpless at Charlotte and Stella’s pleas but was taken aback by Iris’ suggestion and Fiona’s eager agreement, causing the corners of his mouth to twitch slightly.
If Liliana heard what these two had said, he was certain she’d get upset and give them both a good scolding—or worse, a smack on their little buttocks.
With a soft sigh, Leon shook his head and affectionately ruffled each of their faces one by one.
“I’m sorry, my dears, but I really must go to the battlefield to aid the Demon forces and bring an end to the war,” Leon explained gently.
Glancing at Iris and Fiona on either side of him, he continued, “While your suggestion sounds reasonable, it’s not so simple. Your mother, as the Demon Emperor, is responsible for protecting the entire empire. If she were to leave, the Demon Empire would be vulnerable, putting both the Demon race and your safety at risk. I hope you understand.”
If Charlotte, Iris, and Fiona were ordinary three-year-old girls, he wouldn’t have bothered with an explanation. But they were special—each with wisdom far beyond their years. So, he didn’t mind explaining, hoping they would understand.
Realizing their efforts to persuade him were in vain, Charlotte, Iris, Fiona, and Stella exchanged glances, their faces marked with clear expressions of sadness.
“Since you’ve said that, we won’t say anything more, Daddy,” Charlotte murmured, her gaze falling sadly to the floor.
Although Iris, Fiona, and Stella remained silent, their downcast expressions mirrored Charlotte’s agreement.
Leon smiled softly, relieved, but he knew he had to offer them some reassurance. Otherwise, they would surely feel burdened with sadness and fall into depression while he was away.
“By the way, I’ve prepared a lot of new toys, like puzzles and other enjoyable things, for you to play with while I’m gone,” Leon said, pointing to a small closet near his wardrobe. “I hope those toys will keep you entertained and help ease your boredom in my absence.”
At his words, Charlotte, Iris, and Stella’s expressions brightened slightly, but they quickly masked their happiness and gave small nods.
“Alright, we understand,” the three of them echoed together.
Only Fiona showed excitement at Leon’s words, gazing up at him with her round golden eyes sparkling with delight.
“Wow! New toys? Can I play with them later, Daddy?” She inquired, her eagerness impossible to conceal.
Leon chuckled softly and nodded, replying, “Of course you can play with them.”
“Yay!” Fiona exclaimed with excitement, but her joy was short-lived as the thought of her daddy’s departure to the battlefield hit her.
In an instant, her happiness faded, replaced by a sorrowful expression as she replied, her lips slightly pursed, “Oh… thank you, Daddy.”
The corners of Leon’s mouth twitched slightly at her swift change in mood, but he remained silent.
He looked at Charlotte, Iris, and Stella in turn, rubbing his chin as if deep in thought.
After a moment, an idea sparked in his mind, and a faint smile crossed his lips.
“Girls, if you promise me not to be sad anymore, I’ll take you somewhere you could never imagine,” Leon announced suddenly, startling Charlotte, Iris, Fiona, and Stella.
They lifted their heads, gazing at him with confusion.
“A place we could never imagine? Where is it, Daddy?” Iris asked, curiosity lacing her voice.
With a slight smile, Leon lifted Stella onto his lap and casually replied, “To a place known as ‘blessed by the gods’—Holy Orthodox.”
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