Chapter 24.2
"Alright, we will leave immediately." Maximus stood up from his seat and began walking to Leon's direction.
"Well that solves our problem, I didn't think he would agree so easily. Vincent are you fine with this?" Sinc asked while looking at Vincent.
Vincent smiled at him "Yeah, from the looks of it he already made up his mind." Sinc nodded in response.
"Grand Duke is your daughter with you?" Achilles asked, Leon's brows furrowed. "Yes." Leon answered.
"Can we see her?" Kink asked in curiosity. "I'm afraid she's not in a good condition to meet anyone your highness."
"Oh, ok maybe some other time. Well we won't hold you back any longer, we wish you a safe trip." Emperor Vincent said with a genuine smile.
"Thank you your highness, when we come back I would like to request an audience with you." Leon answered.
"You don't need to ask." Vincent said, he knew Leon was just making him feel at ease by requesting an audience with him. [He's still on my side, that's good.] Vincent thought.
"I'll be waiting for your return. Have a safe trip." Vincent stated, Leon nodded in response.
Leon along side with Maximus went out of the room, they were greeted with Winston and Sebastian outside the room.
"Greeting to the emperor of the Musgravite kingdom." Winston and Sebastian said in union bowing ninety degree to show respect.
Maximus's eyes immediately went to Winston who was carrying something, it was wrapped in atleast ten blanket. "Is that the little lady?" Maximus asked Winston.
Winston looked at Leon to ask permission to answer, Leon nodded in response. Winston smiled at Maximus before answering "Yes your highness."
"Why is she covered in layers of blanket?" Maximus asked.
Winston and Sebastian flinched at the emperor's question.
"I will explain it on the way." Leon said, Maximus sigh in defeat before looking back at the burrito wrapped lady.
"Fine, tell me on the way. " Maximus said before turning his back at them.
Leon, Winston and Sebastian followed suite they made their way outside the palace, where Jace and his troops are waiting for Leon.
Maximus saw this and immediately frown in displeasure.
"Grand Duke if you want to enter my territory then you have to leave your troops here, I will only allow you and the little lady with me." Maximus said.
Winston and Sebastian was shock at Maximus request, they all looked at Leon for decision. "Atleast let me bring Sebastian and Winston." Leon said.
"But your grace! You cant-" Jace tried contradicting it but Leon raised his hand halting Jace at his place.
"I'll allow Sebastian and Winston but not the troops." Maximus said firmly. Leon looked at Jace "Go home."
Jace clenches his fist in anger, but at the same time he couldn't do anything but obey.
"Grand Duke!!" Someone shouted from a distant yelled.
All of them turned to see who it was. It was Prince Lionel.
Leon's mood immediately turned sour at the sight of the prince but he didn't show it.
"Prince, is there something you need?" Leon asked. The young prince Lionel blushed in embarrassment, "n-nothing, I just want to see you."
"He has been wanting to see you since last night Leon, he was worried about you." Empress Vivian commented out of no where, Leon didn't even realized she was there with the young prince.
"Greetings to the Empress." Leon as he bow in respect. Empress Vivian blushed when he called her empress instead of her name.
"Grand Duke, we have to go." Winston said while carrying Leonna, Leon turned his attention to Winston, he grabbed Leonna from Winston hand and carried her himself.
"I heard of what has happend from the Emperor, I truly wish Leonna would be cured, your grace. " Empress Vivian said, her tone of voice shows no concern for Leonna whatsoever and her fake smile can be seen by anyone who isn't blind.
Leon saw right through her facade. More so, she didn't even address Leonna as 'lady' which means she doesn't recognize her as the Lady Viosta.
"Thank you." Leon said as plain as possible. He was about to turn around but Prince Lionel tug on the hem of his shirt.
"Grand Duke, can you please stay here for a while and teach me sword fighting?" The young prince said in admiration. That did'nt sit right with anyone watching.
Leon think that the prince was too young to understand the situation so he just took a deep breathe and bow in respect to the prince.
"Forgive me your highness but my daughter needs me. I'm sure your father would entertain your needs what ever it may be." Leon said in a monotone serious voice.
The Prince was taken back at Leon's answer, more like he was taken back at how he answer.
It was cold and serious and it hold no affection at all, its so different than how he interracted with Leonna last night.
Prince Lionel force a smile at the Grand Duke, then bow his head in disappointment.
"Oh y-yeah." The prince said in a low soft tone. Then the Empress held the prince's hand comforting him.
"Don't worry my prince, I'm sure that the Duke would make it up to you some other time. I'm sure he would love to spend some time with you."
Then with hopeful eyes the prince looked at Leon.
"I'm sure there are more people qualified to teach you sword fighting, my prince. My attention and time is already dedicated to my Daughter. Please forgive me." Leon answered.
The Empress gasps in shock and disbelief both her and the prince face redden in embarrassment.
Winston who knew the Empress's intention couldn't help but smirk at what he was seeing.
[Serves them right!] Winston thought.
Then Leon turned his back at both the Empress and the Prince.
"Ready to go?" Maximus asked.
Leon nodded and made his way to the Emperor's luxurious big carriage. Leon, Sebastian, Winston along with Emperor Maximus all rode the carriage together.
"It would take atleast a month to arrive at Musgravite kingdom but lucky for you we have a magic portal which will only take five minutes. HA HA HA!" Maximus said as he laugh deeply and loudly almost shaking the entire carriage.
"Your highness give us your signal to open the portal." One of the knight that Maximus came with said.
"Open the gate." Maximus ordered, the knight bowed in respect "as you wish your highness."
"Open the gates!!" The knight shouted to his comrades, Leon look back at Jace before nodding, signaling that they would be fine.
Jace was a little apprehensive with Leon's decision but what else could he do? He is a servant who is loyal to his master's orders.
"Now, Grand Duke mind explaining the situation to me?" Maximus said with his arms crossed in his chest.
Leon sigh in frustration but at the end he told Maximus everything.
He then showed Leonna's skin to Maximus, "her skin is..... breaking." Maximus stated in an astonished tone of voice.
He stared at the sleeping girl being held by Leon, before they went to the palace Leon ordered Sebastian to use magic to make Leonna unconscious for the time being.
"Have you tried healing her from the inside? Suppressing her powers and forcing it to come out of her body?" Maximus asked.
"Unfotunately your highness Lady Leonna's body is quiet unique. Healing powers doesnt work on her."
Maximus's eyes widen in shock at this statement, he looked at Leon asking for confirmation.
"Her body has its own way of healing, it has been proven when someone tried to poison her, I dont know what or how or why. That's why Im hoping this Riri guy has some information that could help us." Leon said.
Maximus nodded in response, he stroke his beard a couple of times before taking a deep breathe.
"Let me just give you a fair warning Grand Duke, that guy Riri is.... weird, crazy even."
"What do you mean?" Leon asked with a frown on his face.
"I dont know if he's sane, thats what Im saying. He has been practicing such weird magics unknown to mankind that we dont even know if he's in his right state of mind."
"As long as he can talk, I'll take my chance." Leon said firmly looking at Leonna.
Maximus smirk at Leon, looking at him with eyes full of pride. "You've change Grand Duke."
"What do you mean?"
" I never thought that the so called beast of the kingdom of Ruby stone would ask me for a favor, yield to my request, show compassion to someone and actually love someone. I believe in different circumstances you would have just killed everyone in your way and move on with your life." Maximus said.
Leon grin at him "you never know, maybe I'm still the same as before."
Instead of being affected by Leon's words Maximus just laugh at him, then stared at Leon with piercing glare.
"You wouldn't dare to betray me." Maximus said confidently, his chest puffed as he looked down on Leon.
"How can you be so sure?" Leon asked in a serious icy tone.
"As an Emperor I know you might betray me but as a father you know your daughter won't be able to live a normal life if you dare to wage war with the other kingdoms."
Leon tsk in annoyance, Maximus is right and Leon knew it. He can easily kill everyone in his way but his life is different from before, he has someone he wants to protect now.
He wants Leonna to grow up in a happy and peaceful environment far from what he grew up from.
A sudden shake from the carriage they were riding halted their conversation.
"Relax, we have just entered the portal." Maximus said.
Minutes later they arrived at the Musgravite kingdom a much smaller kingdom compared to Tanzanite and Ruby stone but rich in culture.
A loud drum noises filled the as as the knight outside announces the Emperor's return.
The people of the street chanted their praise and admiration to the Empire's Emeperor for his safe return.
"They're chanting like you just went to war." Sebastian stated.
Maximus laugh at Sebastian's remark "well I did went to a party of the famous Leon Viosta and made it out alive isnt that enough to be celebrate?"
Both Sebastian and Winston laugh awkwardly while Leon glared at Maximus.
When they arrived at the Empire's palace, Winston and Sebastian was in awe at how grand the palace is. Its a complete different style from the palace of the Ruby stone Kingdom.
They were so used at seeing Ruby stones that it surprises them when they saw Musgravite stones everywhere.
"Follow me." Maximus said as he step out of the carriage.
The knights of the palace is align to greet the Emperor and to their suprised their Emperor didn't come home alone.
Maximus didnt want to waste anymore time that he immediately guided them to the palace dungeon.
While they were making their way to the dungeon Leon felt Leonna squirming around his arms while he was carrying her.
"Little cub? Are you awake?" Leon asked Leonna. [The sleeping magic must have already worn off.]
"Y-yes." Leonna answered groggy.
"How do you feel?" Leon tried feeling Leonna's skin and it was still cold as ice.
"Better....hmm where are we dad?" Leonna, she wondered her eyes around.
[Better? How can that be when she's still cold as ice.] Leon thought.
"Were at the kingdom of Musgravite, I was told that there's someone here that could help us with your condition." Leon said.
Leonna's skin is still breaking well more like a crack and its growing by the minute.
When they arrived at the palace's dungeon, Maximus guided them at the very corner.
There they saw a cell, with two knights guarding it.
"Greetings to the sun of the empire!" The knights said while putting their left hand to their chest.
"At ease. Leave us alone for a minute." Maximus said, the knights looked at each other before nodding in response.
When the two knights left their post. Leon walked closer to the cell.
"Well, here he is." Maximus said.
Leon looked at the man sleeping on the corner of the cell.
"Are you the man name RiRi?" Leon asked.
He didn't answer.
"I need to ask you something." Leon once again said to the man sleeping on the corner. Leon just continued in talking, knowing that the man is not truly asleep.
"My name is Leon Viosta."
That perked the man's interest, he immediately jerked his whole body toward Leon.
"Viosta? The Viosta? The blood blessed by the god of war?!" The man leap in joy. He stood up from the ground and began running towards the prison cell rail.
"Give me your blood!!" The man name Riri said as he slip his hand through the mental rail and tried to reach Leon.
Leon had to step a few steps back to protect himself and Leonna from this guy who just shouted that he wants their blood.
Leon stared at the supposed black magic user, he was thin as a twig has this long gray hair loopy eyes and body full of writings of unknown language.
"I told you he's crazy." Maximus said, Leon didnt answer him instead he looked at the guy once again.
"My daughter needs help, I was told that you could help me." Leon said to Riri ignoring is remarks about the blood.
The man name Riri pouted like a child and slammed his whole body to the floor.
His behavior irked everyone who was watching. Sebastian and Winston immediately felt uncomfortable with the situation.
Clearly the man name Riri is not in his right state of mind, or is he? Its hard to tell.
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[End of Chapter]
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