Chapter 53: A Blushing Liliana and Leon’s Direct Question
Leon was taken aback by Liliana’s question before finally giving a small nod.
“Yes, you’re right. The mastermind behind everything is indeed the imperial palace, or rather, everything was orchestrated by Velix, the Holy Emperor of the Elysium Empire,” Leon replied nonchalantly and calmly.
Since Liliana had correctly guessed and realized the truth, there was no need to conceal it from her.
Upon hearing that her guess was correct, Liliana couldn’t contain her surprise at all.
What astonished her even more was how the Empire of Mankind could perpetrate such a heinous act against their own hero.
As the Demon Emperor, Liliana should naturally feel a sense of satisfaction upon learning that Leon, the sword hero and her eternal enemy, was plotted against by the Holy Empire of Elysium.
However, for some reason, upon discovering this, instead of feeling happiness at her enemy’s misfortune, there was anger and an inexplicable sense of sadness.
‘What’s wrong with me? Why do I feel so uncomfortable?’ Liliana was slightly dazed, unsure of what was happening to her right now.
This unfamiliar sensation left her perplexed; it was the first time she had experienced such emotions, and she struggled to comprehend their origin.
Just as she was lost in thought, Leon’s voice jolted her back to reality.
“Hm? Liliana Crimson, why are you lost in thought? Are you alright?”
Liliana shook her head and turned her gaze back towards Leon with indifference.
“I’m fine. By the way, if what you’re saying is true, doesn’t that mean you currently hold a grudge against the Elysium Imperial Palace?” Liliana asked, curiosity lacing her tone.
In response to her question, Leon chuckled and cast a light gaze at Liliana.
“You’re right, I do harbor a grudge against what the Elysium Imperial Palace did to me,” Leon admitted lightly before a playful smile finally graced his lips.
“Why are you asking this? Are you planning to capitalize on the rift between me and the Elysium Imperial Palace to launch a full-scale attack against them? If so, why not just go ahead and launch a sneak attack on the Elysium Holy Empire right now?” Leon continued in a jesting tone, devoid of any seriousness.
Yet, as soon as his words reached Liliana’s ears, her eyes gleamed as if she had just stumbled upon a treasure trove.
What Leon proposed appeared to be a fantastic opportunity.
Despite the impending large-scale attack by the Elysium Holy Empire, it had to be known that their most formidable hero, Leon, was not the one leading this war.
Wasn’t this her golden opportunity to directly lead the entire Demon race and launch a full-scale assault on the Elysium Holy Empire before they could execute their impending large-scale attack?
However, upon further reflection, this notion gradually dissipated, leaving Liliana to regard Leon suspiciously.
“Leon Kruger… You’re divulging this information so readily, which doesn’t quite fit your hero status. You’re not setting me up, are you?” Liliana asked coldly, her gaze filled with unmistakable disbelief.
At these words, Leon struggled to contain his laughter and gave Liliana a peculiar gaze.
“Pfft! Liliana Crimson, did you actually take what I just said seriously?” Leon asked, his tone tinged with laughter and a hint of astonishment he couldn’t conceal.
This woman didn’t take what he just said seriously, did she?
To his surprise, Liliana opposite him nodded her head, causing Leon’s smile to instantly freeze.
Does this woman possess no trace of humor?
Leon let out a small sigh, shook his head, and regarded Liliana with a serious gaze.
“I didn’t mean to set you up or anything like that. My previous remark was simply a joke. Nonetheless, I didn’t anticipate you taking it seriously.”
“Moreover, even if my words were a joke, I caution you against entertaining thoughts of launching a full-scale attack on the Holy Empire of Elysium. Such an action would not only fail to benefit you, but it would also result in significant losses for you and the Demon Race,” Leon said earnestly, offering advice to Liliana.
Liliana frowned at Leon’s words, sensing a palpable underestimation directed towards her.
“Are you implying that launching a full-scale attack on the Holy Empire of Elysium now would result in defeat and losses for me?” Liliana asked, her tone tinged with dissatisfaction.
As the Demon Emperor, Leon’s words felt like a grave insult to her and the entire Demon Race.
Observing Liliana’s dissatisfaction, Leon remained indifferent and nodded in affirmation.
“You’re not wrong, Liliana Crimson. Should you choose to attack the Holy Empire of Elysium now and capitalize on my absence as a hero, you’d not only face the forces of the Holy Empire of Elysium but also the Holy Orthodox. Therefore, I didn’t suggest it, not because I underestimated you, but to encourage you to consider the situation more carefully,” Leon explained, laying out his rationale to Liliana.
As he had mentioned earlier, given his current reliance on Liliana, he wished to avoid subjecting the Demon race to a devastating blow from both the Holy Orthodox and the Holy Empire of Elysium.
Furthermore, they both have three young daughters whom they need to care for and protect from any threats.
At least until his hero powers recovered and the poison within his body dissipated, allowing him to regain his confidence and face the Holy Empire of Elysium without fear.
Upon hearing Leon’s explanation, Liliana’s anger immediately dissipated, as she found his words to be entirely truthful.
Liliana had strong confidence when facing the Holy Empire of Elysium alone, but if the Holy Orthodox also intervened, she wasn’t entirely sure if she could handle both adversaries simultaneously.
Even if she were capable, Liliana was reluctant to sacrifice many of her demon troops.
After a moment, Liliana sighed and regarded Leon with a softened expression.
“You were correct, Leon Kruger, and thank you for reminding me,” Liliana’s tone expressed softly, devoid of the cold indifference she had displayed before.
Receiving Liliana’s rare gratitude, Leon’s expression remained as composed as ever.
“Well, you’re welcome, and don’t dwell on it too much,” Leon replied casually, reclining back in his chair and crossing his arms, a smile playing on his lips as he looked at Liliana.
“Anyway, let’s temporarily set aside this topic because we have a new problem that needs addressing, don’t we?” Leon’s words momentarily stunned Liliana, her cold expression instantly giving way to a blush as red as an apple.
How could Liliana fail to grasp his meaning?
With a stiff movement, she averted her gaze as if avoiding direct eye contact with Leon.
Observing Liliana’s reaction, Leon maintained his smile and posed the question once more.
“So, Milady Liliana Crimson… Could you provide me with an explanation of what occurred last night?”
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