"There was actual significance in what I said... Leon Kruger, the incident four years ago in the town of Artamonth on the border region of mankind—do you still recall it?"
Liliana sat down slowly on the edge of the bed, turning her head slightly to look at Leon as she asked in a calm tone.
Her bloodshot eyes subtly concealed a hidden fluctuation, and the question she posed carried an air of nonchalance.
Yet, as Leon processed her words, his bewildered expression morphed gradually into one of horror.
His eyes widened as he stared at Liliana, as though he had just glimpsed a ghost.
"You... You..." Leon stuttered, as if each word he intended to say carried a heavy burden, rendering him unable to articulate them.
Upon seeing his reaction, Liliana only smiled faintly and shook her head slightly.
"No need to be so anxious," Liliana remarked, cutting off his words.
"I'm just asking casually, and you just need to answer my questions, Leon Kruger," she continued, and the smile on her lips gradually vanished, replaced by her usual cold expression.
"I... I..." Leon attempted to respond to the question, but inexplicably, his neck felt constricted, impeding his ability to articulate the words.
The sensation was suffocating, and the subtle pressure exerted by Liliana compelled him to bow his head.
The incident in Arthamonth Town four years ago, on the border of human territory—how could he forget it?
It remained a knot in his heart until now because, for the first time, he had violated his own principles.
The incident was marked by the commission of the most heinous and, simultaneously, the most hateful crime in his life, involving the rape of a woman in Arthamonth Town within the human border territory.
In his previous life, at the age of 10, he had a traumatic encounter when he almost got raped by a maid in his mansion while his parents weren't there.
Fortunately, he survived the incident, but the trauma he experienced left a deep imprint.
Even after being reborn into this world as a sword hero, the lingering trauma persisted, embedded in his soul.
However, due to the incident four years ago—precisely a month before he gained recognition for the holy sword—he also committed that heinous act against an unknown woman.
Certainly, he did not intentionally commit the heinous act, as during that time, he was engaged in an imperial mission to pursue a top-level fugitive.
However, he was caught off guard when the fugitive employed Aphrodisiac powder as a sneak attack.
The powder's effect quickly spread through his body, leading him to inadvertently harm an unknown woman.
The impact of the incident nearly drove him to despair, and the hatred reflected on the woman's face vaguely lingered vividly in his mind.
Even though such crimes were commonplace in this fantasy world and his action was unintentional, the undeniable reality remained that he had committed the act.
He attempted to bury the memory deep within his heart, but Liliana's words brought it rushing back, causing a suffocating sensation to engulf him.
As he tried to suppress his guilt, a sudden thought flashed through his mind.
"Wait a minute! That incident happened four years ago; how does this demon woman know about it?" Leon immediately snapped to attention, sensing an irregularity.
After all, the details of the incident should only be known to him, with the unknown woman as the victim.
He was certain that no third person knew about this; then, how did this woman know?
Inevitably, he lifted his head, locking eyes with Liliana, who was also watching him intently.
As if deciphering his expression, Liliana smiled faintly and inquired, "Are you puzzled about how I'm aware of this?"
Leon did not provide an answer; instead, he remained silent, clearly indicating his desire to know it.
It appeared impossible for anyone to be aware of the incident, and even if they were, there was no conceivable way this fierce woman could be privy to it, right?
Nonetheless, he entertained a few unreasonable guesses but quickly dismissed them as impossible.
Yet, Liliana's next response almost made his soul escape from his body.
"What if I told you I was the woman you attacked?" Liliana stated with a cold tone, a faint yet powerful aura emanating from her.
"Impossible!" Leon exclaimed loudly, firmly rejecting her claim.
It seemed impossible and highly unlikely that the Liliana standing before him was the same woman involved in the incident four years ago.
Moreover, even under the influence of Aphrodisiac powder, with his consciousness blurred, he still vaguely recalled that the woman in the incident four years ago had long jet-black hair and ordinary black eyes—distinctly different from the blood-red eyes of Liliana before him!
"Why are you claiming it's impossible? Isn't my knowledge of the incident clear proof that I am the woman?" Liliana raised one eyebrow, her tone dismissive.
A faint undercurrent of resentment was evident in her response to his denial.
"No! I refuse to believe that because that woman had a completely different appearance from you. Moreover, the incident occurred within the town in humanity's territory, and you, being a demon, could not possibly have entered it." Leon shook his head, struggling to accept her words.
His statement was quite reasonable, given that on the border wall of Arthamonth Town, there existed a high-level magic barrier specifically designed to prevent the entry of the Demon race.
The stronger the demon, the more intense the pressure exerted on those attempting to force their way in.
Hence, it was implausible for Liliana to enter without being affected or detected by the imperial palace.
"Huh! I appeared different because I was in disguise at the time, due to a problem in the Demon Race's territory. The reason I could enter Arthamonth Town was because I used special magic; however, the effect of that magic also instantly weakened my strength." Liliana snorted coldly, the mere recollection of that incident fueling her fury.
If it weren't for the conflict back then, requiring her temporary retreat into humanity's territory and the subsequent weakening effect following the use of such special magic to infiltrate the town, she wouldn't have found herself in that unfortunate condition.
Moreover, within the town of Arthamonth, there is also high-level magic that suppresses her power, and her strength at that time was not as formidable as it is now.
Upon hearing her explanation, Leon fell silent, unsure of how to refute her claims.
In the beginning, he had sought out the woman, driven by guilt and a strong desire to make amends for the incident.
Even after four years had elapsed, he had invested considerable effort and resources in gathering intelligence to discover her identity.
However, the results were consistently null, as if she never existed.
Now, even though he still struggled to believe her words, deep down, he had begun to believe her.
From Liliana's inexplicable hostility in their previous confrontation to her knowledge of the incident four years ago, everything formed a clear and interconnected narrative.
Even someone with an offline IQ could likely comprehend the truth.
Leon took a deep breath, gradually calming his racing thoughts.
However, even if he attempted to ease his mind, it proved challenging to calm down after learning this fact.
Certainly, denying was also futile, and he could only sigh.
After a few minutes, he turned his gaze to Liliana, and a subtle change appeared in his expression.
"Liliana Crimson, even though it's challenging for me to fully accept your words, deep down in my heart, I've already come to believe them. Honestly, I acknowledge a significant mistake on my part back then, and it might be unforgivable. For the past four years, I've actively sought you out to make amends. So, I sincerely and earnestly apologize to you," Leon stated with conviction and seriousness, leaving no room for hesitation.
Witnessing Leon's unexpected reaction, Liliana, for the first time, was stunned and rendered motionless.
Her gaze couldn't divert from Leon's serious and handsome face, while a faint blush adorned her cheeks, reaching up to the base of her ears.
"Huh! I don't need your apology; I need your actions," Liliana retorted, looking away to the side in an attempt to conceal her embarrassment.
For some reason, her face suddenly grew hot upon seeing Leon in this manner.
"Action? What do you want me to do?" Leon asked hesitantly.
"My earlier request remains—to take care of my three daughters," she replied coldly, still avoiding eye contact in embarrassment.
Both of Leon's eyebrows shot up immediately as he recalled her previous request to look after her three little daughters.
'(Oops! I forgot that this woman has three little daughters, and I also feel a bit guilty towards her husband.)' Leon felt an overwhelming sense of embarrassment and awkwardness upon learning the complete truth.
It felt as if he had unwittingly placed a "green hat" on her husband's head—cough!
"Alright, I agree to your request, and I'll apologize to your husband later." Despite his aversion to small children, he couldn't help but agree.
Upon hearing the word 'husband,' Liliana's little ears twitched, as if she were processing something unfamiliar.
"What? Husband?" Liliana looked at him in immediate confusion, a question mark hovering above her head.
"Cough! Yes, your husband... I will apologize later." Leon's face flushed slightly, feeling quite embarrassed after making this statement.
Liliana instantly grasped his implication, and her face flushed red, as if she were holding back her fury.
"What are you saying!? Since when did I have a husband!? You foul man! They're your children, you bastard!"