"Nani! It's you!"
Leon exclaimed in astonishment, fear etched across his face as he gazed at the figure opening the door—an extraordinarily beautiful woman.
With snow-white hair elegantly gathered into a bun cascading over her right shoulder, she possessed an extraordinarily flawless face, complete with blood-red eyes that exuded an air of indifference.
However, what truly startled him was the revelation that this stunning woman was none other than Liliana Crimson, the Demon Emperor with whom he had clashed in battle before!
Hence, how could he not express astonishment?
Meanwhile, Liliana, upon hearing Leon's exclamation directed at her, was taken aback for a few moments before a faint smile finally graced her lips.
"Oh? Has the valiant sword hero awakened already?" Liliana teased, entering and gently closing the door behind her.
"Awake already? Blast it, what happened, and why am I suddenly here? Is this your doing?" Leon became vigilant, scrutinizing her as if trying to discern the motives of this woman.
He couldn't fathom how he had ended up here, considering his memory was crystal clear that he should have vanquished this woman with one of his ultimate attacks—the Clock of Destiny!
However, upon scrutinizing her seemingly well-state and himself, appearing as if he had just fainted, it became evident that things were not unfolding as he had anticipated.
So, what exactly transpired?
"Ugh..." Leon winced, holding his head with a pallid expression as another wave of pain assailed him, inducing extreme dizziness before gradually subsiding.
Observing him in pain, Liliana's expression inexplicably exhibited a slight fluctuation, yet she promptly suppressed it, ensuring Leon remained oblivious to her momentary reaction.
"If I claimed it wasn't me, would you believe it?" Liliana walked over, her tone indifferent.
"Not you? Huh, I'd sooner believe in ghosts than your words." Leon sneered, his face still pale, dismissing her statement.
Considering Liliana was the only one present in front of him, engaged in combat in the war, who else could have inflicted this upon him?
Observing his complete disbelief and the irritating sneer on his face, Liliana's fists clenched, seemingly poised to strike this infuriating man.
Yet, contemplating her long-term goals, she reluctantly restrained her anger and forced a stiff smile.
"I've told you, I'm not the one responsible for your current state." Liliana struggled to suppress her anger, glaring at Leon with intense hatred, as if she truly desired to confront and defeat him.
At her words, which carried an air of truth, Leon's expression inevitably shifted to one of hesitancy.
"Then, who is responsible for it?" He asked, his face reflecting a mix of confusion and complexity.
"Hah~ it appears your memory vanished after that incident. Well then, I'll assist you in recovering it swiftly." Without allowing Leon to deny or evade, Liliana promptly extended her index finger, and a red spot of light blossomed on Leon's forehead.
"Buzz!"
Leon's expression instantly transformed as an overwhelming pain surged through his head.
"Arghh!" He groaned in agony, and the memories that had initially felt blurred gradually began to come into clarity.
Liliana delicately withdrew her index finger from his forehead, calmly awaiting Leon to process his memories.
A complex expression adorned her beautiful face as she scrutinized Leon, concealing emotions that were not entirely clear.
After five minutes, the pained expression on Leon's face gradually subsided until he finally opened his eyes.
"I understand..." He murmured in a low tone, a creased expression marking his face.
As it turned out, Liliana's words were true, as she was not the one responsible for his current condition.
Upon executing his ultimate attack, the Clock of Destiny, a sudden pain surged through his inner body, disrupting his mana flow and resulting in the failure of his final attack.
The repercussions of the failure backfired, inflicting such severe harm upon him that he found himself critically injured and teetering on the verge of death.
Fortunately, Liliana promptly intervened, saving him and mitigating the impact of the self-inflicted damage, averting his demise.
The Clock of Destiny, after all, was not an ordinary attack; rather, it proved to be an extraordinarily lethal strike with unimaginable consequences, harnessing the power of time.
Anyone struck by this attack would vanish instantly, their existence erased from both the past and the future.
Thankfully, the counterattack effect of the Clock of Destiny didn't fully befall him; otherwise, his existence in both the past and future would have vanished.
Contemplating the possibility sent shivers of fear down his spine.
Nevertheless, a complex expression graced his face, perplexed by the incomprehensible nature of Liliana's actions in saving him.
"I apologize for accusing you, and I'm grateful for saving me," Leon sighed, expressing genuine sincerity.
Being a straightforward person, he harbored no shame in admitting defeat.
In this war and the encounter with Liliana, he undoubtedly experienced a substantial defeat, irrespective of the underlying reasons.
"You needn't express thanks in that manner; your gratitude holds no value for me." Liliana, although feeling somewhat at ease regarding his behavior, maintained a cold and indifferent expression.
"Despite your stance, the fact remains that you saved me. Furthermore, I am now the defeated general, and you stand as the victor." Leon shook his head subtly, a hint of sadness lingering in his heart.
Honestly, this marked the first instance of defeat for him since acquiring the holy sword's recognition and ascending to the status of a sword hero.
Whether in one-on-one duels or on the battlefield, he had never experienced defeat before.
The realization that he would ultimately experience defeat at the hands of the eternal enemy he was destined to confront as a hero was unexpected.
Contemplating this, a small smile graced his lips as he sensed that this outcome wasn't entirely unfavorable.
His animosity toward the demon race wasn't as intense as that of other humans.
His past life in the modern world had molded his thinking to be more open-minded than the inhabitants native to this world.
The conflict between the two races was a struggle for their respective glory, and it was not an exaggeration to say that there was no clear right or wrong between them.
However, being the hero of the human race, it was only natural for him to defend humanity and fulfill his duty, wasn't it?
Observing Leon's composed demeanor, Liliana, feeling irritated herself, asked in a cold tone.
"Aren't you afraid I might torture you or kill you violently?"
She intended to instill fear in Leon and witness the panic she had seen before.
Unfortunately, Leon lay lazily on the bed, unfazed.
"If you pose that question, I am genuinely quite frightened. However, as I mentioned earlier, I am a defeated general, so I must accept whatever fate awaits me. Even if you choose to end my life, I won't resist," Leon stated indifferently and calmly, devoid of any emotional fluctuations.
He then gazed at Liliana with confidence and continued, "Moreover, I'm quite certain you won't kill me, right?"
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AN: Cough! Please give me the support and thank you! ✿◕ ‿ ◕✿