Chapter 288: Troublesome Problems and Signs of Aragon’s Rebellion
As soon as Leon’s words registered, Charlotte, Iris, and Stella’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“What!? Holy Orthodox?” They exclaimed in shock.
“Yes, Holy Orthodox,” Leon replied softly, stroking Stella’s head. “You probably know this already, but let me explain it briefly once more. The Holy Orthodox is one of humanity’s two great powers and one of the few transcendent forces in existence. Unlike the Demon Empire, which is ruled by your mother, the Demon Emperor, the Holy Orthodox is led by the Supreme Saint, Arshley, who is deeply revered by all of humanity.”
He paused briefly, chuckling softly before continuing, “The Holy Orthodox is a beautiful place, and I’m sure you’ll love it. If you promise not to be sad anymore, I’ll take you there after the war is over.”
The reason he made that promise wasn’t just to persuade them, but because he genuinely wanted to visit the Holy Orthodox after the war was over.
His true purpose in returning was, of course, to reunite with his childhood friend, Arshley, whom he loved and cared for deeply.
He knew Arshley must be heartbroken after hearing the news of his death, which had been spread by the Holy Empire of Elysium. After all, he was fully aware of how deeply Arshley loved him.
‘Now that I think about it, I’ve always ended up hurting Arshley, haven’t I?’ Leon pondered silently, a wave of guilt washing over him.
Though he understood how deeply Arshley loved him, he had deliberately chosen to ignore her feelings, leaving her heartbroken time and again.
Reflecting on his past actions, Leon felt an overwhelming sense of regret, wishing he could slap his past self.
Back then, his mind was consumed by his ambition to become the strongest, often causing him to overlook the feelings of those closest to him.
After Velix and his subordinates betrayed him, he finally realized that no matter how strong he became, he was still human—capable of being hurt and even dying.
Determined to make amends for his past mistakes, he resolved to set things right when he returned to Holy Orthodox.
Meanwhile, Charlotte, Iris, and Stella exchanged wide-eyed glances filled with shock after hearing Leon’s explanation.
They had certainly heard of the “Holy Orthodoxy” and were well aware of its remarkable reputation.
However, they never imagined they could visit such a place, especially since it was inhabited by humans. As Demons, they knew that stepping foot there could lead to their immediate demise at the hands of the humans.
However, their father’s sudden claim that he would take them there left them both surprised and confused.
The three of them fell silent for a few moments before finally turning their gazes back to Leon, their expressions a mix of emotions.
“Daddy, is what you’re saying true? You’re not lying to us, are you?” Charlotte bit her lower lip, her hesitant expression betraying her anticipation.
Leon nodded gently and replied, “Of course it’s true, Charlotte. I would never lie to you; you should know that by now.”
Charlotte felt a flush of embarrassment at his words, but she still struggled to believe that she could truly go to the Holy Orthodox.
As a caring and handsome father, Leon recognized the root of his daughter’s doubts, but he had no intention of explaining it, finding the task too troublesome and time-consuming.
Furthermore, by offering more details, he risked inadvertently disclosing his identity as both a human and a sword hero.
For now, he felt it wasn’t the right time to reveal his identity as both a human and a sword hero. At the very least, he would tell them when they were older and more mature.
“Alright, Daddy, I trust you, and I promise I won’t be sad anymore,” Charlotte said, her small face gradually firming with determination.
Upon hearing Charlotte’s words, Iris and Stella exchanged quick glances before nodding enthusiastically.
“You promised too, Daddy (Uncle)!” They both replied firmly.
Leon chuckled and nodded in satisfaction, but then he remembered Fiona beside him. He turned to her and asked, “Do you promise me too, Fiona?”
Fiona blinked her innocent eyes and replied excitedly, “Of course, I promise!”
“Good!” Leon laughed, but his expression turned stiff when Fiona suddenly asked, “By the way, Daddy, didn’t you promise to take me to play in the capital today? When are we leaving?”
Leon: “…”
…
Inside her workspace, Liliana sat leisurely in her chair, holding some documents in her hands, her expression indifferent.
“By the way, Lyra, have you completed the preparations for the teleportation portal I requested?” she asked nonchalantly.
Standing before her, Lyra nodded slightly, bowing her head.
“The teleportation portal is ready, as you requested, Your Majesty the Demon Emperor,” she replied respectfully. “However, the 18,000 demon troops you ordered to assemble at the outer palace courtyard may take some time to prepare.”
Liliana’s eyebrows arched slightly at Lyra’s response, and as she lifted her head, her beautiful, captivating features betrayed a hint of displeasure.
“How long will it take to prepare?” she asked, her voice sharp and icy.
Lyra hesitated briefly before responding respectfully, “The troops are expected to be ready in two hours, but they might be prepared sooner—approximately one hour at best.”
Upon hearing “two hours,” Liliana narrowed her eyes into a sharp glare at Lyra.
“Two hours, you say? Why is it taking so long? Did something happen?” She inquired, her tone icy.
The 18,000 troops she had instructed Lyra to prepare were of significant importance and urgency.
Since Leon was heading to the battlefield today, she planned for him to bring 18,000 troops as reinforcements for the Demon army.
Coincidentally, Leon had the same idea, prompting them to swiftly agree on the plan.
Nevertheless, Lyra’s assertion that the troops would be ready in two hours annoyed her, as she found the wait excessively long.
Noticing Liliana’s anger, Lyra let out a small sigh and bowed her head once more.
“I sincerely apologize, Your Majesty the Demon Emperor, but unforeseen obstacles have caused the delay,” Lyra said respectfully. “The lengthy coordination of 18,000 demon troops is due to interference from Arch-demon Aragon.”
Lyra’s words took Liliana by surprise, and she stared at her in astonishment.
“Aragon? What do you mean?” Liliana asked, her brow furrowing slightly.
Aragon, one of the eight arch-demons of the Demon Empire, was the only one in constant conflict with her, the Demon Emperor.
Although their feud wasn’t openly acknowledged, some of the higher-ups in the outer palace were aware of it.
As a result, many demons in the outer palace disliked Aragon, viewing him as a potential rebel. However, there were also those who secretly supported him, fueling further tension between them.
She was fully aware of the situation but didn’t give it much thought, as neither Aragon nor his supporters posed a real threat to her.
With her power and authority as the Demon Emperor, eliminating Aragon and his followers would be effortless.
However, she understood that eliminating Aragon would be counterproductive and could even harm the Demon race, as it might lead to chaos among the higher-ups and the populace. Thus, she chose to refrain from taking action against him.
Lyra nodded slightly, her usually emotionless expression turning serious as she began to explain. “As you instructed earlier, I approached the six arch-demons in the outer palace and asked each to prepare 3,000 troops from their factions. All the arch-demons readily agreed to your order, except for Aragon. He maintained that his troops were not in peak condition and were unable to participate in the war.”
“Therefore, he instructed me to convey that he would not be sending any troops, which led to this delay.”
Pausing for a moment, a guilty expression surfaced on Lyra’s beautiful, emotionless face. “I sincerely apologize, Your Majesty the Emperor. This was my oversight, and I will accept any punishment you deem appropriate.”
As Liliana listened to her explanation, she remained silent, but a red aura began to gather around her, revealing the extent of her anger.
‘Very well! I’ve tolerated him for too long, but I never expected him to go this far,’ Liliana whispered in a chilling tone, causing the temperature in the room to plummet.
Her true intention in requesting troops from the arch-demon factions was to test their loyalty to her.
As arch-demons revered by all, they carried a deep sense of pride and arrogance, and it could not be dismissed that seeds of rebellion against her may have begun to take root in their hearts.
Moreover, reflecting on the numerous protests she faced upon ascending to the throne as the Demon Emperor, she was convinced that many demons, including the arch-demons, secretly desired her downfall.
Consequently, Aragon’s response suggested that he was starting to exhibit an openly rebellious attitude toward her, which undeniably fueled her anger.
Snapping out of her anger, Liliana took a deep breath to compose herself. Once she had regained her calm, she looked at Lyra with a gentle gaze.
“I don’t hold you responsible for this issue, Lyra. You don’t need to worry,” Liliana said, her initially indifferent tone softening.
Though she was furious, she knew it wasn’t fair to blame Lyra for the situation, as it was not her fault at all.
Upon hearing this, relief washed over Lyra’s face as she bowed her head respectfully toward Liliana.
“Thank you, Your Majesty the Demon Emperor,” Lyra replied.
Liliana nodded slightly, and just as she was about to issue instructions, a sudden knock echoed from her study door, accompanied by Leon’s voice.
*Knock!*
“Liliana, may I come in?”
———–
A/N: Ahem! I may not be able to update tomorrow due to some tasks I need to handle, but if I finish them early, I’ll try to post an update.
For those interested in joining the Discord, here’s the link: https://discord.gg/SnN7KCtt.
Thank you and stay tuned!
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