Chapter 15: New Issues, and The Holy Orthodox Movement
"Clack"
The door to the room opened slowly, revealing Liliana in a simple black dress that failed to conceal her plump curves.
"Hm? Are you awake?" Liliana was slightly surprised to find Leon already awake as she approached him with a slow stride.
"Yes, I just woke up," Leon replied casually.
As he looked at Liliana, the image of last night's dream rushed back into his mind, causing a momentary stiffness in his facial expression that quickly transformed into embarrassment.
Liliana nodded in understanding, oblivious to Leon's strangeness.
Her attention swiftly shifted upon seeing Fiona embracing Leon.
"Fiona? Why are you here?" she asked, a hint of surprise in her voice.
Despite having informed her three daughters about Leon, seeing Fiona suddenly appear in his room still managed to catch her off guard.
Upon hearing Liliana's question, Fiona reluctantly let go of her embrace of Leon's body and stepped off the bed, moving toward Liliana with her small feet.
"Hehehe~ Of course I came to see Daddy!" Fiona said it in a spoiled manner, hugging Liliana's thighs and wearing a cute expression.
Especially, her chubby, bun-like cheeks pressed tightly against Liliana's thighs, creating an irresistibly adorable sight.
Upon witnessing Fiona's spoiled display, Liliana couldn't help but smile as she lifted her up and held her in a warm embrace.
"Do you miss your daddy that much?" Liliana inquired with a gentle touch, pinching Fiona's cheek affectionately.
Her face, which typically bore a cold and indifferent expression, now radiated an unusual tenderness that was rarely witnessed.
Even Leon found himself slightly mesmerized by this unexpected change in her demeanor.
"Yes! I missed a lot~" Her shy gaze fixed on Leon with an affectionate expression that couldn't be concealed on her small face.
Liliana, recognizing the sincerity in her words, felt a profound sense of relief.
From this, it was evident that her youngest daughter, the smallest among the triplets, felt truly at ease with Leon.
As for her other two daughters, it was certain they wouldn't be too different from Fiona.
After all, being triplets meant that the emotions of all three were intertwined.
Liliana affectionately rubbed her little head.
"Alright, Fiona, I understand. By the way, head to the dining room for breakfast first," Liliana said in a gentle tone, surprising Fiona as the words reached her ears.
"Eh!? I don't want to have breakfast because I want to stay with Daddy longer." Fiona feigned a sad expression, hoping to elicit sympathy from Liliana.
Unfortunately, Liliana, well-acquainted with her youngest daughter's antics, pondered how she could fall for such a setup.
"No, you should have breakfast first. Besides, I need to discuss something privately with your daddy," Liliana asserted, shaking her head with firmness, causing Fiona to abandon any further resistance.
"Alright~" She pursed her lips sadly, and Liliana slowly lowered her from her arms.
With a face as pitiable as an abandoned cat, Fiona glanced back at Leon, saying, "Daddy, I'll come see you later, okay?"
For some reason, the atmosphere had taken on a dramatic tone, almost prompting Leon to burst into laughter at the sight of his little daughter's demeanor.
However, he understood that this display highlighted how precious he was to Fiona, making it impossible for him to mock her.
"Okay, Fiona. I'll wait for you." Leon's response caused a bright smile to instantly light up Fiona's lips, and she gave a small nod.
"Um! Wait for me, Daddy~" With that, she exited the room, leaving Leon and Liliana alone.
Observing Fiona's back, Liliana offered a small smile before turning her gaze back to Leon.
"It looks like Fiona really has a soft spot for you, doesn't she?" Liliana asked playfully.
"Yes, she's quite clingy. She hasn't even let go of my hug from earlier." Leon chuckled at the memory of Fiona being so spoiled, which brought him immense joy.
"I see..." Liliana murmured softly, a subtle trace of concealed happiness flickering across her face.
Afterward, the two fell into silence, and an awkward atmosphere settled between them.
Whether it was Leon reflecting on his previous dream or Liliana herself reminiscing about how she had suppressed the poison in Leon's body, both were equally absorbed in their own sense of embarrassment.
However, sensing the increasingly awkward atmosphere, Leon promptly cleared his throat.
"Cough! Alright, Liliana Crimson, is there something you want to discuss with me?" Leon quickly regained his composure and asked with a casual tone.
In response to his question, Liliana also regained her composure, adopting an indifferent expression as she gave a small nod.
"Yes, there is. But, before that, has your body gotten better?" She inquired in her usual cold tone, yet a subtle fluctuation went unnoticed by Leon.
"It's better, and I even feel fresher and healthier than before." Leon smiled and nodded with enthusiasm.
He keenly sensed the distinct contrast between his current state and the previous one, experiencing a significant boost in vitality.
Inevitably, curiosity gripped him, and he looked at Liliana with excitement as he inquired, "By the way, when I fainted earlier, how did you go about suppressing the poison inside my body?"
Upon hearing this, Liliana's face instantly stiffened, and the tips of both her ears turned as red as tomatoes.
"I just suppressed it as I did before," she replied, turning her face to the side as if attempting to conceal her embarrassment.
"Like before?" Leon tilted his head in confusion at her words.
The change was evidently distinct, and if it was the same method, why did the results differ?
On the other hand, already feeling embarrassed, Liliana quickly interrupted him, putting an end to any further discussion on the matter.
"There's no need to ask further, and there's something I want to discuss with you," she said with a tone that instantly shifted to a more serious note, taking Leon by surprise.
Though he couldn't fathom why Liliana was acting oddly now, he chose not to pry further and simply nodded in acknowledgment.
"Well, tell me." He replied calmly and looked at Liliana to wait for her to speak.
Liliana closed her eyes for a moment, as if gathering her thoughts.
After a few seconds, she slowly reopened her eyes and spoke with nonchalance.
"I would like to ask for your assistance in temporarily looking after our three little daughters," Liliana stated.
Leon raised his eyebrows, observing her indifferent yet serious expression, piquing his curiosity.
"'Temporarily look after'... Does that mean you won't be able to accompany them?" His golden eyes calmly regarded Liliana as he asked with care.
Liliana nodded in agreement and responded, "You're correct. I'll likely be occupied for the next few days. However, it doesn't mean I'll neglect them; it just means my time with them will be limited."
A subtle undercurrent of sadness marked her expression, carefully concealed from Leon's attention.
Upon hearing this, Leon sensed that there must be an underlying issue, and he had already speculated what it could be.
"Is humanity's army gearing up for battle again?" He deduced it after a thorough analysis.
If there was anything that could suddenly make Liliana busy, it was undoubtedly the prospect of going to war with humanity.
Sure enough, after hearing Leon's words, Liliana took a deep breath.
"You're correct. There are indications of a potential war, though it might just be a threat from humanity's side. I need to be prepared for it," Liliana explained to Leon with folded arms on her chest, showing no hesitation.
Although Leon was the hero of mankind, it was apparent that he was in a severely bad and weakened condition.
Therefore, Liliana didn't hesitate to mention it.
Leon nodded in understanding, and there was no surprise on his face.
Given the history of numerous wars between the two races, the prospect of another one was only natural.
Moreover, with his disappearance, it was certain that Velix would launch a war, raising the flag in the name of revenge, even though it was because of him that Leon found himself in this condition.
Leon sighed and gazed at Liliana calmly, asking, "Is it the Holy Empire of Elysium that is beginning to make moves?"
Upon hearing this, Liliana bit her lower lip, her expression instantly turning cold.
"No, it's not the Holy Empire of Elysium; it's the Holy Orthodox."
-----------
A/N: If the support and data records are favorable, I will release two chapters tomorrow as a gift! What do you think? Feel free to leave your comments!
Thank you, and stay tuned!
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone