Chapter 36: The Turmoil That Starts to Come
Upon hearing this, Charlotte was startled. She looked up at Leon, her little cherry mouth open, forming the letter "O."
Leon nearly chuckled at her adorable, surprised expression, and he gently rubbed her chubby cheeks.
"Why, does it surprise you that I know your name?" Leon asked affectionately.
Charlotte nodded vigorously in response to his question, her head bobbing like a chicken.
She hadn't expected Leon to recognize her so quickly, especially since this was their first meeting.
After all, her younger sister, Iris, hadn't met him either, so Charlotte thought there was a chance Leon might get her name wrong.
'Did Mom tell him all the details about us?' Charlotte pondered inwardly, finding the situation plausible.
Otherwise, there was no way this 'father' of hers could recognize her so quickly.
Sensing the shift in her expression, Leon had already intuited her thoughts and gently withdrew his hand from her cheek.
"Do you think your mom spilled all the details about you?" Leon asked with a playful smile, further astonishing Charlotte.
He could read her thoughts—a skill even her mom didn't possess!
"You... can you read minds?" Charlotte asked, her voice tinged with uncertainty.
"Read minds? Hahaha, there's no such magic in this world," Leon replied, his laughter bubbling up as he shook his head.
"Then, how do you know what I'm thinking and recognize me?" Charlotte asked again, her curiosity growing with each passing moment.
Despite being more mature than her age and her younger siblings, she was still a little girl, brimming with curiosity about the unknown.
"Well, the reason I know is probably because of the so-called inner connection between you and me," Leon explained, smiling as he ran a hand through his silky white hair.
Having often run his fingers through Fiona's hair, he found himself addicted to the gesture, which might become a new habit in the future.
"Inner connection?" Charlotte pursed her lips slightly, her little face pouting as if dissatisfied with this answer.
This response felt perfunctory, which annoyed her even more.
Upon noticing her dissatisfied expression, Leon simply smiled and chose to remain silent, opting not to provide any further explanation.
What he said was indeed true, as Liliana herself hadn't disclosed anything about Charlotte and Iris.
Therefore, he could only rely on the brief information Lyra provided to recognize that this girl was Charlotte, his first daughter.
"How is it? Do you agree to my conditions?" Leon changed the topic and asked once again.
Upon hearing his question, Charlotte bit her lower lip and glanced shyly at Leon, nodding in agreement.
"D-Daddy~" Her voice was soft and sweet, bringing a smile to Leon's lips.
Yet, it wasn't quite enough; he yearned for this little girl to call him louder!
"What? I didn't hear that at all. Could you say it again?" Leon brought his ear closer to Charlotte, causing her face to redden like a ripe apple.
"Daddy~" Her voice sounded louder this time, and the smoke coming out of her head indicated just how embarrassed she was!
"Hahaha!" Leon burst out laughing upon hearing her call him "Daddy," finding it truly refreshing.
With this, his first daughter was already won over, leaving only his second daughter, rumored to have a cold demeanor like Liliana.
Observing Leon's overwhelming happiness, Charlotte felt a rush of simultaneous joy and relief flood her heart, as if her doubts and fears had vanished in an instant!
After Leon had finished laughing to his satisfaction, he regained his composure.
Affectionately, he looked at Charlotte as he picked her up and settled her onto his lap.
"Alright. Since Daddy promised you, I'll continue the story," Leon said softly, hugging Charlotte tightly on his lap.
Feeling the security of Leon's firm body and the gentle assurance of his big hands hugging her, a beautiful smile bloomed on Charlotte's small lips.
This was a feeling that her mom, Liliana, had never provided—one that she had longed for.
"So comfortable~," she whispered silently, resting her small head on Leon's broad chest.
Shortly after, Leon resumed his story with Charlotte nestled on his lap, and their bond grew naturally closer.
...
In her workspace, Liliana sat with her legs crossed, emanating an aura of cold indifference.
Her gaze was fixed on a middle-aged man wearing a servant's outfit, none other than Heidel, the person Liliana trusted the most besides Lyra.
"So, is there something you wish to inform me of, Heidel?" Liliana inquired in her typical indifferent and cold tone.
"Your Majesty, I have important news from the border that I must relay," Heidel responded respectfully, bowing his head.
"Tell me at once," Liliana said lightly, her red eyes calmly fixed on Heidel.
Heidel slowly raised his head, his expression suddenly turning serious as he looked at Liliana.
"Your Majesty, the spies stationed at the border report that the Elyisum Holy Empire has dispatched a large column of troops to attack our border." Heidel conveyed the information with a somber tone.
Upon hearing this, Liliana's indifferent expression shifted slightly.
"An attack? Are you certain?" Liliana frowned, her tone laced with uncertainty.
She hadn't anticipated the Holy Empire of Elysium, which she believed would hesitate due to Leon's disappearance, to launch a follow-up attack.
After all, her initial concern had been the Holy Orthodox's anticipated attack, given their deployment of troops along the southern border.
However, she had not expected the impending assault to originate from the Holy Empire of Elysium.
'Is this attack meant to be a revenge attack for Leon's previous defeat?' Liliana pondered silently, finding the notion very plausible.
Yet, if this was indeed a retaliatory strike, wouldn't the timing seem rather incongruous?
It appeared too obvious that there was a deliberate intention behind it, didn't it?
"Your Majesty, Demon Emperor, the intelligence gathered from our border sources has been thoroughly verified. It confirms that the Holy Empire of Elysium has indeed mobilized a significant force for an attack," Heidel stated firmly and directly.
The intelligence they gathered consistently reported real-time events, undergoing thorough verification before being relayed back to the imperial court.
Liliana fell silent and closed her eyes for a moment, allowing herself time to process the situation.
It wasn't that she feared the attack per se, but the news of it stirred an inexplicable sense of foreboding within her.
For someone as strong as her, experiencing such a sense of unease was no trivial matter, often foreshadowing unpleasant events ahead.
She slowly rubbed her temples before opening her eyes once more.
"Do you have an approximate count of the troops they're mobilizing?" Liliana inquired.
"As for the exact number, it remains unknown. However, our spies estimate that the troop count will exceed 500,000, Your Majesty," Heidel replied, providing detailed information.
"500,000?" Liliana's expression darkened slightly. She hadn't anticipated that the Holy Empire of Elysium would deploy such a massive force for the attack.
She couldn't shake the feeling that there was a deeper scheme or intent behind this assault, leading her into contemplation.
"Then, do you know who will lead this war on their side?" Liliana turned her gaze back to Heidel, emphasizing the importance of the question.
Considering that it was typically Leon who led the wars against them, the Demons, this implied that there must be another formidable leader spearheading the Holy Empire of Elysium's army.
Upon hearing Liliana's question, Heidel paused for a moment before responding, "Leading the vast army this time will be the Spear Hero and the Bow Hero of mankind, Your Majesty the Demon Emperor."
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