Ten hours earlier...
In her workspace, Liliana sat at her desk, reading through the pile of docunts with a serious expression. Yet, despite her efforts to mask it, the anxiety on her face and her dazed gaze made it clear she couldn't focus.
Letting out a soft sigh, she set the docunts down and bit her lip, her worry apparent.
"Why hasn't Lyra sent any updates yet? Has her search not turned up anything?" Liliana wondered, rubbing her forehead in frustration.
It had been over four hours since Leon was kidnapped by Athena, and she had dispatched Lyra along with countless Demon troops to scour the Demon race's territory for him.
Yet, no word had co from Lyra, leaving her so anxious that she couldn't concentrate on her work.
She took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself, but it was futile. The more she tried, the stronger her anxiety beca, leaving her feeling utterly helpless.
"Athena must have cast such powerful magic on Leon that his presence is completely concealed," Liliana speculated, her face contorted in a hateful expression.
As the Empress of the Dragon Empire, Athena possessed undeniable power, her abilities rivaling her own.
In fact, one could even argue that Athena was slightly stronger, particularly in matters related to magic—a strength that stemd from her identity as a dragon.
It was undeniable that of the three races inhabiting the world, the dragon race was the most powerful, having surpassed both the human and demon races.
In terms of physical strength and magical ability, they far surpassed the other two. This superiority earned them the fad title of "the race loved by nature."
However, despite their remarkable power, the dragons were not without weakness. Their greatest vulnerability lay in their small numbers compared to the human and demon populations.
As a result, encounters with the dragon race were rare, as they preferred to remain hidden within their territories or the Dragon Empire.
Shaking off her reverie, Liliana turned her cold gaze toward the stack of docunts on her desk, clearly in no mood to complete them.
Just then, a burst of laughter echoed from the sofa in her workspace, followed by a lighthearted joke.
"Pfft! It's quite rare to see the Demon Emperor, known for her cruelty and cold deanor, appear so helpless. If your subordinates and subjects witnessed this, wouldn't it alter their perception of you?"
At the sound of the voice, Liliana's body stiffened, and her eyes widened in shock.
She turned to the source of the voice and saw a mysterious white-haired man, clad in a white robe and wearing a white blindfold, sitting on her sofa and sipping coffee that had seemingly materialized out of nowhere.
The man appeared strikingly handso, his features smooth and free of wrinkles, as if untouched by ti. His calm and relaxed deanor might lead anyone to believe he was a kind middle-aged man.
However, Liliana, sensing the underlying tension, quickly rose from her seat and assud a wary stance.
"How did you get into my palace?" Liliana inquired, her tone icy and alert as she began to channel her magical power.
Though she didn't recognize the middle-aged man, she rembered their previous encounter on that transcendent night when he had appeared behind her, catching her off guard and prompting a confrontation.
However, it couldn't truly be called a battle, as the middle-aged man never countered her. Each ti she launched an attack, he effortlessly dodged or neutralized her strikes, rendering her efforts completely futile.
Consequently, she was left with a lasting impression of this enigmatic white-haired man.
Unfazed by Liliana's vigilance, the middle-aged man maintained a playful smile.
"Why do you look so angry? Am I not allowed to visit your palace, Your Majesty Demon Emperor Liliana Crimson?" the middle-aged man asked, a slight chuckle escaping his lips.
Liliana narrowed her eyes, unable to conceal her irritation.
"Visiting, you say? Do you an trespassing in soone else's palace without an invitation?" She sneered, her icy tone causing the middle-aged man's face to stiffen.
"Ahem! Well, I admit I was wrong to co in unexpectedly like this," the middle-aged man replied lightly.
With a gentle smile curling his lips, he added, "However, you needn't worry or be on guard, as I have no intention of harming or threatening you. Instead, I've co to offer my assistance—or rather, a bit of advice."
Liliana was montarily taken aback by his words but quickly regained her composure, keeping her vigilant stance.
"Why should I trust you?" she asked, her tone indifferent.
Since she didn't know him at all, trusting him was out of the question.
The middle-aged man, however, displayed no anger at Liliana's bluntness, calmly sipping his coffee.
"Of course you should trust ; what I'm about to share concerns both your future and Leon's," he replied matter-of-factly.
Startled by his words, Liliana fell silent, her eyes reflecting a mix of astonishnt and uncertainty. She opened and closed her lips as if weighing whether to believe him.
After a brief pause, she shook off her thoughts and took a deep breath.
"Alright, I'll trust you," she replied coldly, adding, "But I warn you not to toy with . If you do, don't be surprised if I respond harshly."
The middle-aged man chuckled lightly, responding casually, "Of course, you don't need to worry about that."
Liliana scrutinized him for a few monts before finally offering a slight nod.
"So, what do you want to tell ?" Liliana asked bluntly as she settled back into her chair.
Though she had agreed to trust him, it didn't an she would soften her deanor or treat him politely.
The middle-aged man leaned back on the sofa, a faint smile curving his lips as he asked bluntly, "Liliana Crimson, how would you respond if Leon had other won in his life?"
*Boom!*
Suddenly, a red aura erupted from her, filling the room with oppressive tension. Her bloodshot eyes glinted with cold killing intent.
"What do you an by that?" She asked, her aura intensifying and making the surrounding objects tremble violently, as if they were about to shatter.
Unaffected by the red aura, the middle-aged man crossed his right leg and said, "Before I explain, you must first answer my question. How would you react if Leon had other won in the future?"
Liliana remained silent, her mind racing as she grappled with the middle-aged man's question.
If she were to answer honestly, she would feel furious and utterly unwilling to accept such a situation.
Not only did she refuse to share Leon with anyone else, but her high self-esteem as the Demon Emperor made it impossible for her to tolerate the thought. All she wanted was for Leon's love and attention to be focused solely on her, without the distraction of other won.
Noticing Liliana's silence, the middle-aged man smiled and said lightly, "Even if you don't respond, your expression clearly shows that you disagree."
After a brief pause, he took a sip of his coffee and continued, "Let rephrase the question. What if Leon's predetermined destiny includes not only you but also other won as his partners? How would you react?"
Liliana jolted back to reality, her icy deanor shifting to one of shock.
Quickly drawing her aura back into her body, she regarded the middle-aged man with a furrowed brow and asked, "Are you saying his predetermined destiny includes not only but also other won as his partners? What do you an?"
The middle-aged man nodded and set his coffee cup on the table. "As you know, Leon is the Fated One, a figure awaited for 7,000 years. He is destined to save the world and confront the evil god in the future. However, defeating the evil god won't be easy; he will need support from external factions, including the hidden races and the dragon race.
And you should understand that nothing in this world cos without a cost."
"The hidden races and the dragon race will not hesitate to forge bonds with Leon in exchange for their assistance. I trust you grasp my point now, right?"
Liliana, quickly grasping his aning, sat stiffly in her chair, her beautiful face draining of color.
From the middle-aged man's explanation, she understood the implications of his intentions all too well.
To secure Leon, the Fated One, the hidden races would undoubtedly seek to pair him with one of their own, and Athena was a clear example of this.
That bitch had the audacity to kidnap Leon from her palace, believing she had the dragon ancestor's support.
Otherwise, Liliana was certain Athena would never have dared to entertain such thoughts, as doing so would be akin to declaring war on the Demon race.
At that mont, her heart felt unbearably heavy, as if crushed by a stone weighing hundreds of kilograms and pierced by thousands of needles.
The re thought of Leon having other won constricted her chest, making her breathing slightly labored.
The middle-aged man's expression shifted slightly at the sight of Liliana's pale face, and he instinctively wanted to comfort her but quickly restrained himself.
Taking a deep breath, he smiled gently and said, "I understand that you're feeling upset and struggling with the fear that Leon may not love you or your three daughters if he has other won. But you can trust that he would never do that."
His words surprised Liliana, yet for so reason, they only deepened her unease.
"Why do you have such confidence?" She inquired, her teeth slightly gritted in irritation.
The middle-aged man chuckled and replied, "Because I know him very well."
Liliana found herself at a loss for words, unsure how to respond to his straightforward answer.
Rising slowly to his feet, he folded his arms behind his back and said softly, "If you don't believe , I will prove it when Leon returns. Then you'll see just how deep his love for you truly is."
Once he finished speaking, he smiled at Liliana before vanishing, leaving her dazed and alone.
As the middle-aged man departed, Liliana's troubled expression remained unchanged as she stared blankly at the afternoon sky.
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