Chapter 63: A Night Talk with Lyra, and Liliana’s Surprising Visit
Thirty minutes ago…
“Lyra, could you stay in my room for a while?” Leon turned his gaze toward Lyra and asked.
“Hmm?” Lyra tilted her head, a question mark hovering above her.
Sensing that his words might cause a misunderstanding, Leon immediately coughed.
“Cough! I mean, could you stay for a while? There are some things I want to ask you,” Leon said, pretending to put on his usual indifferent and calm face.
Lyra blinked, then gave a small nod in his direction.
“Of course, Your Majesty Leon. Please, just ask,” Lyra said politely.
Leon smiled as he reached for a loaf of onion bread on the table.
“The things I want to ask will probably take a lot of time. So, don’t just stand there—take a seat on the sofa,” he said, pointing to the sofa opposite him.
Upon hearing this, Lyra hesitated momentarily, but after some thought, she nodded and took a seat on the sofa across from Leon.
“Have you had dinner yet? If not, how about having a meal with me?” Leon asked softly, reclining against the back of the sofa while savoring the onion bread in his hand.
With the first bite of onion bread, a glint flickered in Leon’s golden eyes.
‘This onion bread is exquisite,’ he silently praised, devouring it with gusto.
Having previously asked Lyra not to prepare lunch for him, as he intended to finish reading the entire stack of books on poisons in one sitting, Leon found himself quite hungry at the moment.
Fortunately, Lyra’s culinary creations were always delicious, ensuring that Leon thoroughly enjoyed every meal she prepared.
Lyra shook her head in response to Leon’s question and replied politely, “Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty Leon. It just so happens that I had dinner earlier.”
Leon nodded in understanding as he finished the last bite of bread, swallowing it before speaking.
“Well, then I won’t linger to waste your time either,” Leon said, wiping his lips with a napkin and taking a slight breath.
“The reason I asked you to stay for a while is that I wanted to inquire if you could assist me in finding other books of poison in the library, as I have already read all the books you obtained for me,” Leon explained briefly, gesturing toward the stack of books on his desk.
Listening to his explanation and glancing at the stack of books on the desk, Lyra blinked and understood.
“Of course, Your Majesty Leon. You needn’t hesitate; such matters are trivial to me. I’ll fetch the additional books from the library and bring them to your room tomorrow,” she replied casually.
“In that case, I am truly grateful to you, Lyra,” Leon said with a smile, feeling a weight lifted from his heart.
Initially, the lack of information about the poison coursing through his body from all the books he had read left Leon feeling unsettled and slightly frustrated.
However, upon learning that Lyra would bring additional books tomorrow, his hopes surged anew.
‘As long as there are still unexplored books, there’s a chance to find information about the poison inside my body,’ Leon muttered, determination gleaming in his eyes.
On the other hand, as she witnessed Leon’s brightened expression, Lyra lowered her head slightly, her mind drifting into contemplation.
Eventually, she lifted her head and gazed at Leon, saying, “Your Majesty Leon, I have a suggestion. If you don’t mind, may I share it with you?”
At her sudden words, Leon was naturally taken aback.
He hadn’t anticipated Lyra asking for permission to offer a suggestion out of the blue, which piqued his curiosity about what she meant.
Was this related to the books on poison he had requested, or was it about something else entirely?
However, considering Lyra was a powerful archdemon, perhaps this ‘suggestion’ wasn’t ordinary.
Casting an intrigued glance at her, Leon offered a small smile and replied, “Sure, why not? If you have any suggestions, feel free to share.”
With Leon’s permission granted, Lyra smoothed out the wrinkles on her maid dress apron before beginning, “Actually, Your Majesty Leon, if you wish to delve deeper into the study of poisons, I can procure additional books from the library in the outer palace.”
“Outer palace? Do you mean the palace where all the Demon race officials, the Demon army, and the entire power center of the Demon race are housed?” Leon was taken aback by her suggestion and asked with great curiosity.
The Imperial Palace of the Demon Race was actually divided into two sections: the outer palace and the inner palace.
The outer palace served as a grand gathering place for high-ranking Demons, including Demon generals, ministers, Demon troops, and other figures involved in government affairs.
This place also serves as the hub for the governmental operations of the demon race, overseeing everything from economic to social matters and beyond.
On the other hand, the inner palace, where he currently resides, was reserved exclusively for the Demon Emperor and their family.
No Demon can enter or stay in the inner palace unless authorized by the Demon Emperor themselves.
“You are right, Your Majesty. Compared to the library in this inner palace, the library in the outer palace is more spacious and has a greater variety of books for you to study. If you’d like, I can gather all the books on poisons and curate a selection for you.” Lyra’s words quickened Leon’s heart, nearly causing him to leap out of his seat.
Damn it! How could he have overlooked this!?
The outer palace, being the primary palace and several times larger than the inner palace, undoubtedly housed a more extensive collection of books related to poisons.
If Lyra hadn’t reminded him, he might have overlooked this entirely.
Quickly, Leon suppressed his anxiety and gazed at Lyra as if she were a treasure.
“Well, Lyra, I am truly relying on you, and I deeply appreciate this favor of yours,” Leon expressed with sincerity, his face radiant with happiness.
His intuition suggested that the books Lyra would later bring from the outside library were likely his big opportunity to obtain information about the poison within him!
Just the thought of it almost made him burst into laughter.
‘Jie jie jie… Once my strength returns, just wait and see how I’ll repay you all,’ Leon smirked inwardly, eagerly anticipating his vengeance against the traitors in the imperial palace of Elysium.
Especially Velix and Rain, whom he couldn’t easily forgive.
Once his main problem was resolved, Leon felt considerably more at ease and certainly didn’t rush to dismiss Lyra from his room.
The two then engaged in conversation about various topics, ranging from his three daughters to the impending war and other matters.
Unbeknownst to them, their conversation had stretched on for more than half an hour, and Leon couldn’t bring himself to detain Lyra any further.
“Alright, Lyra. Thank you for your time, and forgive me for keeping you here,” Leon expressed lightly, stealing a glance at the clock.
“It’s quite alright, Your Majesty. I’m glad to be of assistance,” Lyra replied respectfully, rising from her seat.
Her gaze then shifted to the food on the table, which had begun to grow cold, indicating her readiness to clear it away and replace it with fresh dishes.
However, Leon swiftly intervened: “There’s no need to tidy up. Leave it be, as I intend to finish it all. There’s no need to replace it with fresh food.”
Upon hearing Leon’s words, Lyra simply nodded in acknowledgment, refraining from further comment.
“By the way, Lyra, I forgot to mention one thing. Can you promise to keep this matter just between the two of us and not tell anyone?” Leon asked, his tone tinged with a hint of embarrassment.
He doesn’t want to tell Liliana about his search for a cure for the poison in his body.
Certainly, it wasn’t because he feared Liliana would hinder his recovery of powers; rather, he wanted to surprise her and eagerly anticipated her astonished expression.
“Yes, Your Majesty Leon,” Lyra replied, her demeanor remaining as composed as ever.
Suddenly, Liliana’s figure flashed through her mind, casting doubt on her expression.
“But what if Her Majesty, the Demon Emperor, discovers this?” Lyra asked Leon with a puzzled tone.
Leon chuckled and shook his head reassuringly.
“Don’t worry, that woman is very busy right now and can’t possibly know this. So, take it easy.”
“But Your Majesty Leon…” Lyra’s expression still held doubt, leaving Leon feeling somewhat helpless.
“Alright, say nothing more. If Liliana discovers this, I’ll take full responsibility,” Leon assured, finally coaxing Lyra into agreement.
“Then, I’ll trust you, Your Majesty Leon,” Lyra replied with a sense of relief.
“Good.” Leon nodded in satisfaction and rose to his feet.
“In that case, Your Majesty, I request permission to take my leave.” With a respectful bow of her head, Lyra exited with the food trolley, leaving Leon alone.
As he watched her leave, Leon released a sigh of relief and cast a glance at the food before him, a smile playing on his lips.
However, just as he was about to sit down and savor his meal, a sudden knock echoed through the room.
*Knock! Knock!*
The sudden knock startled Leon, leaving him confused as he glanced towards the door.
“Who could be visiting at this time of night? Could it be Charlotte and Fiona?” Leon scratched his head in slight doubt.
Without much hesitation, he approached the door and turned the knob slowly.
*Clack*
As the door knob turned and the door swung open, a white-haired woman with blood-red eyes stood before him, causing him to almost get a heart attack.
“L-Liliana!?”
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