Seated across from each other on the sofa, Leon and Liliana remained silent, neither of them making a move to start the conversation, resulting in a tense and awkward atmosphere between them.
"So, what did you want to discuss, Liliana Crimson?" Leon, unable to bear the silence any longer, initiated the conversation, breaking the awkwardness.
A twitch appeared at the corner of his mouth, and impatience flickered across his face, impossible to conceal.
Ten minutes had passed in silence, neither of them uttering a word, which left Leon feeling increasingly irritated.
After all, it was Liliana who had come to his room and requested a private conversation, prompting his two daughters to vacate the space to allow for privacy between the two of them.
Unfortunately, ten minutes had already slipped by, and uncharacteristically, Liliana remained silent, failing to initiate the conversation she had sought.
In response to Leon's inquiry, Liliana, through gritted teeth, slowly raised one hand towards him.
"Can you wait a moment?" Liliana's voice sounded cold, though an underlying sense of unease tinged her words.
Despite outward appearances of composure, she was now in the throes of intense turmoil.
The demon mark on her right breast reacted intensely, nearly causing her to lose control of her emotions and common sense.
The unusual reaction of her demon mark wasn't just due to today being the deadline for its reactivation, but also because Leon, the person to whom she had bound this demon mark, was sitting right in front of her.
In essence, Leon was akin to the sole source of water for Liliana, who found herself stranded in the desert without a drink for two days.
As a result, the reaction to her Demon Mark intensified greatly, rendering Liliana, the Demon Emperor, powerless to control it.
Meanwhile, upon hearing Liliana's response, Leon furrowed his brows and regarded her with a puzzled expression.
It was uncommon for Liliana, who typically maintained a firm demeanor and disliked wasting time, to speak in such a manner.
"Liliana Crimson... umm, are you feeling unwell?" Leon asked hesitantly, feeling uncertain.
After all, a powerful Demon Emperor like Liliana was unlikely to succumb to illness unless subjected to a mysterious poison akin to the one that had afflicted him.
Liliana didn't respond to Leon's question right away; instead, she lowered her head, as if attempting to hide any peculiarities from him.
'Do I have to use that secret magic now?' Liliana muttered softly, biting her lower lip to maintain her composure.
The magic she referred to was a secret technique designed to temporarily suppress the potent effects of the demon mark on her right breast.
While this magic seemed advantageous, its side effects were equally terrifying.
After 14 hours of its use, Liliana herself would lose control of herself, succumbing to the overwhelming lust induced by the Demon Mark controlling her body.
Consequently, it seemed probable that the incident from four years ago would recur, with the roles between her and Leon reversed.
After a moment of contemplation, Liliana took a deep breath, signaling her resolve.
With a composed gesture, she lifted her head once more, directing her gaze towards Leon.
"Leon Kruger..." Liliana's voice rang out, carrying a slight chill but a softened tone.
At her call, Leon, who had been lost in thought, as if pondering the reasons behind Liliana's peculiar behavior, snapped back to attention.
"Hm? What's the matter? Have you decided to begin the conversation you wanted to have?" Leon adjusted his posture, his excitement evident in his voice.
He didn't want to waste any more time with Liliana, knowing that his two daughters were likely waiting for him to play together.
Isn't it more fulfilling to spend time with your daughters than to waste it in vain with Liliana?
Just as Leon was feeling content in his heart, Liliana's next words took him by surprise, exceeding his expectations.
"Leon Kruger, you still remember that you owe me for what happened four years ago, don't you?" Liliana's tone was calm and nonchalant, causing him to flinch in surprise.
Of course, he remembered; that incident was etched into his memory, unforgettable for the rest of his life.
It was due to that very incident that he had three daughters, which was the catalyst for the beginning of his current relationship with Liliana.
However, he couldn't comprehend why Liliana was suddenly revisiting this topic.
"Sure, I remember," Leon replied, nodding his head in confusion and hesitance.
Upon hearing his response, a smile instantly spread across Liliana's lips, and she nodded in satisfaction.
"Good," she replied in a rather pleased tone, while secretly making a hand seal that caused the demon mark on her right breast to lose its effectiveness and fade away instantly.
With a graceful motion, she slowly rose to her feet, casting a meaningful glance at Leon.
"In that case, I'll take my leave for now, as I have a lot of work to attend to. I'll come to your room tonight to continue our conversation, so don't retire to bed just yet," Liliana stated with a significant smile directed at Leon.
Without waiting for Leon's reply, Liliana gracefully wagged the skirt of her dress and strode away with elegant steps, leaving a stunned Leon struggling to comprehend her intentions.
It was only after Liliana vanished from Leon's sight that he quickly regained his senses, a question mark hovering above his head.
"What does she mean?" He muttered, still bewildered by Liliana's meaning.
...
Nighttime
On the bed, Leon leaned his head against the headboard with a dazed expression.
His bewildering conversation with Liliana earlier this morning left him feeling uneasy.
"What does she mean by continuing our conversation at night?" Leon muttered to himself, pondering the matter.
Liliana's highly suspicious behavior in the morning, coupled with her unusual request to visit his room at night, led Leon to suspect that she was hiding something from him.
After all, this behavior was a stark departure from the Liliana he knew—typically cold and indifferent.
"This woman doesn't have any ill intentions, does she?" Leon's mind raced with suspicions as he quickly rose to sit up, wearing a wary expression.
However, after a moment, he regained his composure and settled back against the headboard.
"No... That can't be. Liliana is a proud woman; it's difficult to believe she would stoop to such actions. After all, what I did four years ago has surely left an unforgivable mark," Leon mused, smiling faintly and shaking his head in disbelief at his own thoughts.
He would sooner believe the news of Velix's death than entertain the thought of Liliana planning to commit inappropriate acts with him.
"Tsk! When is she going to show up? Doesn't she realize it's late?" Leon glanced at the clock, which already read 10:45 p.m., and muttered in dissatisfaction.
If it weren't for Liliana, he would have been in bed an hour ago!
Just as he was feeling irritated and cursing inwardly, suddenly, a knock sounded outside his bedroom door.
*Knock!*
Upon hearing it, Leon immediately let out a sigh of relief, knowing it must be Liliana.
Turning his gaze towards the door, he replied casually, "Come in; it's unlocked."
After receiving a response from Leon, the door knob turned.
*Clack*
Slowly, the door opened, revealing Liliana's figure standing behind it.
"Hey~ You took so long! Didn't-" Before he could finish his sentence, his words trailed off, and his eyes widened in shock as he caught sight of Liliana's appearance behind the door.
"Liliana... You!"
-------------------
A/N: Cough! My handsome readers! I'm sorry that this is the last chapter where the next chapter is a locked chapter. To be honest, I wanted to lock it at chapters 42 and above, but due to the short time and my being quite busy, I couldn't help but lock it at the next chapter to participate in a win-win mission, ehem! Well, that's all I wanted to say, and I hope for your support~ Thank you~ o(〃＾▽＾〃)o