Chapter 170: Settle All Affairs!
Meanwhile, tens of meters away from where Athena and Liliana conversed, Leon stood with his eyes closed and his arms folded across his chest.
"Hah~" Leon sighed deeply as he slowly opened his eyes, his gaze shifting towards the two shining moons in the sky—Sylvia and Miranda—still perfectly aligned.
Tonight had proven to be both exhausting and pivotal for him. The convergence of events—Transcendent Night, the restoration of his powers, his encounter with Miranda, and more—all unfolded in rapid succession, catching him entirely by surprise and leaving him fatigued.
"Tomorrow marks the beginning of the war…" Leon muttered with a hint of indifference on his face.
Having regained his strength, he would naturally partake in the war but not align with the Holy Empire of Elysium's side; instead, he would stand with Liliana's Demon troops.
After all, the key to halting the 7,000-year war lay in ceasing one of the factions, be it humanity or the Demon race.
Given his deep-seated enmity and animosity towards Velix and his subordinates, a resolution seemed possible only through the demise of one of them. Thus, there was no conceivable scenario in which he would align himself with the human side.
Certainly, he was aware that this decision would bring him into conflict with his two friends, Valen and Luna, on the battlefield, but he wasn't overly concerned.
With Valen, he could defeat him repeatedly until the muscle-brained man could no longer fight. As for Luna, Leon was confident that a simple explanation would sway her to his side.
However, this matter would need to be discussed with Liliana later, as it would impact the war plan they had previously devised.
*Step! Step!*
Just as Leon was lost in thought, the sound of footsteps behind him jolted him back to reality.
He swiftly turned around to see Liliana approaching with her usual cold and indifferent expression.
"Are you done talking to Athena?" Leon inquired with a gentle smile, realizing Athena was no longer there.
"Yes, I'm done," Liliana replied with a slight nod, her face devoid of the gentle smile she usually reserved for him.
Upon seeing this, Leon realized that Athena must have said something to upset her.
With a slight sigh, Leon slowly removed his half-face mask and affectionately rubbed Liliana's snow-white hair.
"Did that woman say something to make you angry, Liliana?" Leon asked softly.
Liliana didn't immediately respond, instead looking at him with a cold gaze filled with unspoken grievances.
After a moment, she closed her eyes, taking a small breath to calm herself before opening them again.
"Leon, tell me the truth. What is your relationship with Athena?" Liliana inquired directly, her sharp gaze fixed on him.
Leon smiled faintly, unafraid, as he heard Liliana's question, having already anticipated that she would ask about this.
"Well, if you're asking about my relationship with Athena, there's really nothing between us," Leon answered honestly and casually.
"Really?" Liliana narrowed her eyes and was clearly skeptical.
"Of course, Liliana. Do you think I need to lie to you?" Leon chuckled softly, pinching her soft, supple cheeks.
Liliana's expression grew troubled and indecisive after hearing his words. It wasn't that she didn't believe Leon, but Athena's previous statements hadn't seemed like lies.
Moreover, Leon's unusual behavior around Athena, including hiding his real name, made her even more doubtful and uncertain.
Noticing the change in her expression, Leon gently stroked her cheek, sensing her anxiety.
"I don't have any relationship with her, but there is a bit of history between us," Leon said softly as he began to explain everything to Liliana.
From how he became a diplomat representing the Holy Empire of Elysium to his encounter with Athena and the ensuing conflict between them due to Athena's attempt to rape him, Leon detailed the events without reservation.
Honestly, he had never desired to discuss this matter, not even with Liliana, as it was deeply embarrassing for him.
However, with the circumstances as they were, he had no other option. If he didn't explain everything, his relationship with Liliana would inevitably suffer.
As Liliana listened to Leon's entire story, her puzzled and hesitant expression vanished, replaced by shock that gradually transformed into uncontainable anger.
"That woman…" Liliana gritted her teeth hatefully at Athena.
She hadn't anticipated the deep history between Leon and Athena, which fueled her anger toward Athena for her actions towards Leon. This revelation also altered Liliana's perception of Athena, who had always appeared elegant and majestic to her.
However, amidst her anger, Liliana found herself astonished by Leon's ability to resist Athena's advances, a feat beyond her expectations.
After all, Athena was considered the most beautiful woman in the world, with a figure and appearance comparable to hers.
Driven by this curiosity, Liliana gazed at Leon intently and asked, "Why did you refuse Athena's invitation, Leon? Isn't Athena incredibly beautiful and alluring?"
Leon was taken aback, as he hadn't anticipated Liliana asking such a question, but he didn't outright deny it.
Indeed, Athena possessed an admirable figure and appearance, comparable even to Liliana, Luna, and Arshley.
In terms of temperament, demeanor, and features, she was flawless, and Leon couldn't deny that Athena was at the peak of her allure.
However, despite her many merits, all were tarnished in his eyes by one trait—her extreme possessiveness.
Her trait, resembling that of the yandere heroine from the novel in his previous life, instilled fear in Leon rather than love for Athena.
If only Athena didn't exhibit such extreme possessiveness, he was confident that he wouldn't have minded being in a relationship with her at that time.
Taking a small breath, Leon shook his head slightly and gazed at her with affection, teasingly replying, "Even if she is beautiful, you surpass her in beauty, Liliana."
Upon hearing this, Liliana froze in shock before a red blush spread across her already stunning face.
"You…" Liliana flushed, giving Leon an annoyed look for teasing her in such a way.
"Pfft!" Leon simply chuckled and gently caressed her flawless face.
The two locked eyes for a moment before embracing under the radiant light of the two moons, Sylvia and Miranda, which seemed to illuminate their love.
***
Meanwhile, thousands of kilometers away, a red-haired woman in a loose red gown flew eastward at an astonishing speed.
After a while, she gradually slowed down and finally stopped mid-air.
She turned her gaze back, a faint smile blooming on her exquisite lips, and whispered, "Although I don't know how you managed to be with Liliana and even pretend to be her husband, your disguise can't deceive me. The scent of your body has been embedded deep within me, my dear Leon Orion—no, my Leon Kruger~."