Chapter 65: Misunderstandings, and Liliana's Disappointment
'Damn it! Despite my admiration for beautiful women, I'm not foolish enough to stoop to despicable acts like cheating, okay?' Leon cursed inwardly in annoyance, knowing he had to clear up this misunderstanding as soon as possible.
Otherwise, not only would their relationship suffer, but their commitment to co-parent their three daughters would also be jeopardized.
Furthermore, Leon dreaded the possibility of Liliana kicking him out and keeping him away from her three daughters, a scenario that was utterly unacceptable to him.
Quickly, Leon snapped out of his thoughts and fixed his gaze on Liliana, who was still striding towards him.
"L-Liliana! You've got it all wrong. Lyra and I aren't sneaking and playing around behind your back," Leon stammered, struggling to speak under the weight of Liliana's intense pressure, which made it difficult for him to catch his breath.
This woman could be truly fierce when angered!
Upon hearing Leon's words, Liliana halted her steps, her eyes narrowing as she fixed her gaze on him.
"Do you think I'm foolish? A woman and a man alone in a room at this hour... What other explanation could there possibly be?" Liliana's voice dripped with coldness, tinged with palpable resentment.
Initially, she hadn't doubted Leon and Lyra, but after waiting for half an hour and overhearing their conversation, how could she still feign ignorance?
The corner of Leon's mouth twitched at her words, a sense of helplessness creeping over him.
Her imagination truly knew no bounds!
He had held Lyra in his room earlier, intending to engage her in casual conversation without any ulterior motives, okay?
While he couldn't deny Lyra's beauty, it didn't lead him to entertain any deviant thoughts about her.
After all, he still upheld his principles and wasn't some pervert who let his desires dictate his actions, unlike the lewd protagonists often found in other fantasy novels.
Of course, in this misunderstanding, Leon couldn't entirely blame Liliana because, from any point of view, his actions were indeed prone to misunderstanding.
However, despite Liliana's misunderstanding, Leon was reluctant to divulge his conversation with Lyra regarding his request for numerous books on poisons and his goal of finding a cure for the poison in his body.
He still desired to surprise her and wasn't ready to disclose the information so soon.
Consequently, he needed to find another excuse to pacify Liliana's anger.
'What excuse can I use to deflect this issue?' Leon asked himself inwardly, racking his brain intensely to find a way out of this predicament.
Unintentionally, Leon's gaze fell upon Liliana's clenched fist, sending shivers down his spine.
'If I get hit by that punch, it seems like this novel will be over, won't it?' Leon pondered cautiously, swallowing nervously.
Meanwhile, observing Leon's silence, Liliana felt deeply disappointed and hurt.
'Looks like I really misjudged him...' she muttered to herself with a tinge of sadness.
She had believed that Leon, as the father of her three daughters and also a hero, possessed a nature distinct from that of other humans.
It was this very judgment that prompted her to save him, and together they willingly committed to caring for their three daughters.
She had even considered the possibility of falling in love with him, as they had agreed upon yesterday in order to nullify the effects of the demon's marks.
Yet, this incident left her deeply disappointed in Leon.
Just as Liliana was lost in thought, Leon, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up.
"Liliana, if I can prove that I'm not having an affair with Lyra, will you believe me?"
Upon hearing his words, Liliana was momentarily stunned.
Though her initial impulse was to answer 'no,' the sight of Leon's pale, determined face left her unable to voice the rejection.
After a moment of contemplation, she finally offered a slight nod, her gaze cold and indifferent as she looked at Leon.
"Alright, I'll give you one more chance." Liliana's response prompted a sigh of relief from Leon.
Slowly, the weight of the pressure that had been bearing down on Leon began to ease, allowing him to breathe normally once more.
With deliberate care, Leon rose to his feet, taking a deep breath as he regarded Liliana, who stood calmly before him with her arms crossed.
'This is my final opportunity, and I'm uncertain if this excuse will work.'
Although Leon maintained a calm exterior, internally, he was fraught with anxiety.
He had devised a plan to convince Liliana, yet he remained unsure of its efficacy.
'Well, regardless of the outcome, I must give it a shot,' Leon muttered quietly to himself.
Afterward, he slowly returned from his reverie and paused briefly to take a small breath.
"Liliana, everything you assumed is incorrect, and I have no involvement with Lyra," Leon began, continuing, "Initially, Lyra came to my room to deliver my dinner, and as you can see, all the food on that table serves as evidence of that."
Liliana glanced at the table beside her, her frown deepening slightly.
However, before Liliana could utter a single word, Leon swiftly interrupted her.
"Secondly, Lyra spent half an hour in my room because I requested her presence to discuss your condition and the impending war," Leon explained, his expression conveying a profound sense of sadness and loneliness.
His demeanor appeared genuine, devoid of any discernible flaws, instantly sparking doubt in Liliana's mind.
"Even if you say that, how do you prove that you were merely engaging in casual conversation with Lyra?" Liliana narrowed her eyes, her tone laced with suspicion.
"Of course, I have a method... No, you should have," Leon responded, maintaining the same expression as before.
"Me?" Liliana furrowed her brow, asking in confusion.
Leon nodded and continued, "Indeed. As the Demon Emperor, you must be familiar with the high-level magic known as 'Illusion Creation Magic,' correct?"
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A/N: Thank you and please give your support and gifts, cough!