Chapter 68: The Three Promises
“Leon… Could you promise me three things?”
Upon hearing this, Leon, still caressing her beautiful white hair, nodded slightly.
“Of course. Let alone three; even if you asked for ten, as long as it’s within my power, I’ll promise it to you,” Leon replied with a confident smile.
He understood that, despite Liliana’s acceptance of him, it was crucial to remember their status as the Demon Emperor and the Sword Hero.
Their destinies as eternal adversaries remained unchanged, and Liliana’s request for three promises likely pertained to this very fact.
‘An eternal enemy, huh?’ murmured Leon with a tinge of regret.
If it were his previous self, he wouldn’t have cared about that, but after this incident, how could he continue to think that way?
Liliana, nestled in Leon’s arms, offered a slight smile at his pretentious words, harboring no trace of anger.
“There’s no need for too many. Just three, and that’s sufficient.” Liliana remarked, her tone somewhat indifferent yet gentle.
Leon chuckled and nodded, prompting, “Then tell me.”
Liliana didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she closed her eyes for a brief moment, resting her face against Leon’s broad chest.
After a while, she reopened her eyes and took a small breath before speaking.
“The first promise…Can you swear that you won’t betray me?” Liliana’s question carried a slightly weighted tone, catching Leon off guard.
He hadn’t expected that the promise Liliana sought would be one of loyalty and trust.
Moreover, her tone suggested a haunting familiarity with betrayal, as if she had weathered its sting before.
‘Has Liliana, the Demon Emperor, also experienced betrayal?’ Leon wondered inwardly as his curiosity piqued.
The demon race, despite sharing a hierarchical system with human race, possessed notable distinctions.
In this world, the human race stood as one of the strongest, with two formidable powers occupying the leadership roles: the Holy Empire of Elysium, ruled by Holy Emperor Velix, and the Holy Orthodox, led by Supreme Saint Arshley.
Each presided over their territories and refrained from interfering in each other’s affairs, intervening only when necessary.
In contrast, the Demon race lacked a power-sharing system; for them, the Demon Emperor stood as their sole supreme leader.
Furthermore, during the reign of Demon Emperor Morgan Crimson, he placed a curse mark upon the entire Demon race and its descendants.
This mark ensured that every Demon life in this world remained under the sway and control of the Demon Emperor in every era, making rebellion and betrayal against the Demon Emperor highly improbable.
Hence, Leon felt uncertain about whether Liliana had experienced betrayal.
However, after a moment, he promptly dispelled his curiosity.
Whether Liliana had faced betrayal or not remained unconfirmed, and there was no need to speculate.
Leon gently rubbed her smooth back and nodded resolutely.
“Alright, I promise you that I will never betray you, and if I break my promise, may lightning strike me,” Leon vowed with unwavering certainty and confidence.
As a man of integrity and handsomeness, the concept of ‘betrayal’ was not in his dictionary.
Though deeply wounded by Velix and his henchmen’s betrayal, it hadn’t shaken his resolve to uphold loyalty and trustworthiness towards those closest to him.
“Pfft! Your words may be excessive, but I find them rather charming,” Liliana remarked, a beautiful laugh escaping her lips.
Naturally, following the recent misunderstanding, Liliana had complete believed in Leon.
Moreover, the presence of the Demon marks rendered betrayal between them impossible.
Her request for Leon’s pledge of loyalty stemmed solely from her own selfish desires.
Slowly, Liliana regained her composure and continued, “If my first request is for you to never betray me, then my second request is for you to never leave me—no, not just me, but also our three little daughters.”
“This is my second request, and I hope you can promise it to me,” Liliana said solemnly as she released her embrace from Leon and fixed him with a serious gaze.
In response, Leon nodded without hesitation and replied, “Even without you asking me to promise, I will do just that.”
Charlotte, Iris, and Fiona were his three treasures, irreplaceable and cherished beyond measure.
Despite their existence being the result of an accident with Liliana, Leon loved them unconditionally.
On the other hand, Liliana, despite her status as the Demon Emperor and his destined adversary, was now his woman.
Regardless of whether their relationship originated from an incident four years ago or their past enmity, as a responsible man, he was committed to standing by her side and never leaving her.
“I believe in you, and I thank you,” Liliana said sincerely, her gaze gentle as she looked at Leon.
Then, she gently extended her palm, caressing Leon’s handsome face.
“Subsequently, my third request is also my most selfish one. I hope you can promise it to me, regardless of the reason. Can you?” Liliana continued in an indifferent tone.
Leon hesitated slightly, feeling an uneasy premonition settle over him.
Nevertheless, he nodded and replied, “Very well, please proceed.”
Liliana smiled faintly, her gaze fixed on Leon’s beautiful golden eyes.
“If, by any chance, fate compels us to fight each other in the future, I hope that the one who defeats and kills me will be you, Leon.”
Liliana’s words hit Leon like a bomb, causing his eyes to widen in horror as he stared at her.
“You… What are you saying!? Are you—” Before he could finish his sentence, Liliana swiftly silenced him by pressing one index finger to his lips, interrupting him.
“Leon, as a hero, you should be very familiar with this matter,” Liliana began, and then continued, “During the seven-thousand-year war between mankind and the Demon race, the two sides always ended up in a stalemate, constantly battling each other.”
“However, unlike those battles, the encounters between the three heroes and the Demon Emperor in every era consistently ended with the triumph of the three heroes and the demise of the Demon Emperor.”
“This issue doesn’t lie in the strength of the Demon Emperor, who may be weaker when facing the three heroes, but rather, it’s all dictated by fate—fate ordained that the Demon Emperor always suffered defeat against the heroes.” Liliana paused briefly, her gaze softening as she looked at Leon.
“In the future, even if I attempt to alter this fate, the chances are exceedingly slim, and my demise at the hands of the three heroes is already inevitable.” Liliana’s expression turned slightly somber as she closed her eyes briefly.
However, her cold and domineering nature gradually resurfaced as she opened her eyes and fixed Leon with a determined gaze.
“Therefore, I hope that you, Leon Kruger, Sword Hero, will be the one to end my life when that time comes, instead of the other two heroes,” Liliana said, a beautiful smile slowly blooming on her lips as she gently caressed Leon’s handsome face with her fingers.
“Leon… Can you promise me this?”
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A/N: Tomorrow, I will update 2 chapters at once! So, please give me your support! Thank you!
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