Chapter 79: Two Women’s Enmity Turns into Friendship
“If indeed I were the one who attacked, then why?”
Arshley’s expression contorted with hatred upon hearing those words.
“Do you aspire to betray mankind by attacking me, the Saint of the Holy Orthodox?” Arshley asked, her voice laced with anger and a hint of menace.
At this, Luna chuckled lightly and retorted, “Hehehe… Betraying mankind? Aren’t you mistaken? Isn’t it you who’s deemed to have betrayed mankind by not seeking vengeance for the death of the sword hero, Leon Kruger, Arshley?”
Those words felt like a knife plunging into Arshley’s chest, suffocating her.
Despite her unyielding belief that Leon was still alive and her mobilization of an entire army to search for him, she outwardly maintained a silent and indifferent facade about the matter.
Had it not been for the 7,000-year agreement and Edward’s assertion that Leon was the fated one, she might have fervently waged war against the Demon Race.
Quickly, Arshley took a few deep breaths and composed herself.
Then she cast a cold gaze down at Luna.
“You should mind your words, Luna. My brother Leon is not dead, as you claim. He’s merely in hiding, recovering from his battle with the Demon Emperor,” Arshley stated nonchalantly, her confidence unwavering.
Luna’s previously indifferent and calm expression shifted slightly at Arshley’s assertion.
“Are you absolutely certain he’s still alive? You’re not jesting, right?” She inquired, her eyes narrowing with a trace of disbelief.
“Of course! Would I deceive you?” Arshley retorted, a slight sneer playing on her lips.
She had no qualms about informing Luna that Leon was likely alive.
With Luna now aware of the likelihood of Leon’s survival, locating him in the Desert of Chaos would be considerably simpler.
After all, Luna would soon be heading to the battlefield, providing her with the chance to search for Leon directly.
Despite the fact that Luna would likely be the first to encounter Leon rather than herself, Arshley begrudgingly accepted the situation.
To her, Leon’s safety surpassed all else, including her own selfish desires.
Luna nodded briskly at Arshley’s statement, and a rare smile graced her lips.
“So, he must still be alive…” Luna murmured, biting her lower lip with excitement evident in her expression.
Previously, when Luna was stationed at the border and received news of Leon’s demise, it felt as if the entire world was crumbling around her.
She couldn’t believe that Leon, the person she loved dearly and the strongest person she had ever known, had perished in the Desert of Chaos at the hands of the Demon Emperor.
Therefore, upon her return from the border, she requested to part ways with Valen and journey to Holy Orthodoxy to seek the truth from Arshley.
Fortunately, her decision proved to be correct, as it became evident that Leon was indeed likely still alive.
After some time, Luna regained her composure, and a look of suspicion crept onto her face.
“Arshley, why are you telling me this? Is there an ulterior motive?” Luna raised one eyebrow suspiciously as she asked.
Arshley maintained a nonchalant expression and replied, “Though I may be selfish, I’m willing to cooperate with you for the sake of my brother Leon’s safety.”
Luna paused briefly, then nodded slowly.
“Very well, for now, I’ll set aside our animosity and join you in the search for Leon in the Desert of Chaos,” Luna replied with indifference, though her tone carried a hint of softness compared to before.
While Luna wasn’t privy to the specifics of the impending war, she had already formulated several conjectures in her mind.
These included the reason for her recall, likely positioning her as one of the war’s generals, and the anticipated location of the war, which would probably be the Desert of Chaos.
Arshley offered no response, but her silence tacitly agreed with Luna’s statement.
Suddenly, a thought flashed through Arshley’s mind, prompting her to cast a sharp glance at Luna.
“By the way, regarding the possibility of my brother Leon being alive, keep it to yourself. Don’t tell anyone, including the Spear Hero Valen and Emperor Velix. If you betray this trust, don’t expect me to hold back,” Arshley reminded Luna, her tone carrying a subtle threat.
Luna frowned slightly, feeling both puzzled and unsettled by Arshley’s warning.
“Why are you saying this? Wouldn’t it be better if more people were helping…” Luna began to ask, her words halting as suspicion dawned on her.
“Do you suspect that Leon’s incident in the Desert of Chaos is connected to the Imperial Palace?” Luna asked spontaneously.
“That’s correct; more precisely, it’s Edward’s suspicion that he shared with me a few days ago,” Arshley responded casually and calmly.
“Edward?” Luna’s eyes widened slightly at the mention of his name.
Having grown up in the Hall of Holy Orthodoxy, Luna naturally knew and was familiar with Edward.
She was well aware of how formidable his abilities and intelligence were.
Therefore, she was somewhat taken aback to hear that Edward harbored suspicions about the Imperial Palace.
Arshley nodded and continued, “Edward conjectured that there might be a connection between the palace and brother Leon’s incident in the Desert of Chaos.”
“Furthermore, Edward provided several pieces of evidence and detailed explanations, such as…” Arshley began to recount her entire conversation with the Guardians from a few days prior.
Despite her animosity towards Luna, whom she perceived as a threat to her relationship with Leon, Arshley didn’t hesitate to share this information with her.
However, she refrained from divulging the details regarding the ancient manuscript from 7,000 years ago and Edward’s speculation about Leon potentially being ‘the fated one’ mentioned in the prophecy.
Given the complexity of the matter, Arshley deemed it prudent that only she and the Guardians were privy to the information until things became clearer.
After listening to Arshley’s explanation, Luna’s expression turned icy.
“Edward’s assertions are certainly well-founded, and I’ll investigate further upon my return to the Imperial Palace,” Luna stated calmly, taking a shallow breath to compose herself.
While Luna also harbored suspicions, she remained committed to basing her actions on concrete evidence.
If Edward’s assumptions proved to be true, Luna vowed to retaliate against the entire Elysium Holy Empire and even Emperor Velix himself without hesitation.
There was no room for leniency towards an Emperor capable of betraying humanity by scheming against the heroes.
Furthermore, Leon was the person she loved the most, and anyone who dared to harm him, whether it be the Holy Emperor Velix or the Demon Emperor, would face her unwavering opposition!
The two women exchanged nods, their silent agreement conveying a newfound camaraderie.
What began as animosity had transformed into a bond of friendship, all for the sake of the one they both loved: Leon Kruger.
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