My Love Debts Are Everywhere!

"Are you alright, Arch-demon Aragon?"

Aragon paused, unable to respond as his mind lingered on the terrifying event he had just experienced.

"Was that just a hallucination? Yet it felt so real," he pondered inwardly, still gripped by a lingering sense of dread.

As a respected and powerful figure beneath the Demon Emperor, he had never encountered such a terrifying ordeal.

In the presence of those two enormous, white-lit eyes, he felt like a helpless ant.

Recalling the incident and the thousands of swords piercing his body horrified him, causing cold sweat to trickle down his back.

Snapping out of his reverie, Aragon attempted to calm himself, but his efforts were futile as fear still gripped him.

He quickly concealed his fear from Leon while withdrawing his hand.

"I'm fine," he replied in a cold, indifferent tone.

Leon simply smiled and nodded, though inwardly he couldn't help but chuckle.

Experience new stories on empire

Despite Aragon's efforts to mask his emotions, they did not escape his notice.

"It looks like he's really rattled this time," Leon murmured, a wider smile creeping across his face.

What had just transpired with Aragon was undoubtedly a result of his actions. Moments earlier, he had used his hero technique to ensnare Aragon in a vivid illusion.

The illusion was so convincing that Aragon failed to recognize it as anything but a hallucination, completely unaware of his involvement.

However, Leon's intention was merely to play a prank on Aragon, not to engage him seriously. After all, he had promised Liliana that he would only step in if Aragon became a genuine threat to her or their three daughters.

As long as that threshold wasn't crossed, he planned to leave Aragon's matters in Liliana's capable hands, with no intention of interfering.

"In that case, Arch-demon Aragon, do you have any objections to my taking the lead of the relief force?" Leon suddenly inquired, causing Aragon to freeze for a moment.

He wanted to respond with, "Of course I do," but the words stuck in his throat as the memory of his earlier hallucination loomed large in his mind.

Taking a deep breath, Aragon narrowed his eyes slightly, meeting Leon's gaze, and replied, "I have no objections."

His response left Liliana, Lyra, and Merlin utterly stunned, especially Merlin, who felt as if the ground had fallen out from under him at Aragon's words.

With his body trembling, Merlin said in a heavy voice, "Arch-demon Aragon, you—"

Before he could finish, Aragon swiftly raised his right hand, signaling for him to be silent.

Merlin could only bite back his words, his eyes brimming with hatred and anger.

Aragon turned to Liliana, bowing his head slightly as he said, "I apologize for interrupting your time, Your Majesty."

Liliana raised an eyebrow in suspicion, but since Aragon had already shown respect, she couldn't ignore him.

"Of course," she replied briefly and nonchalantly.

After raising his head, Aragon shot one last glance at Leon before finally walking off the altar.

As he watched Aragon leave, Merlin instinctively moved to follow but paused to give Leon a sharp look.

"It must all be because of this damn man," he muttered through gritted teeth.

Aragon's sudden change was completely unexpected, and aside from this wild demon named "Leon," Merlin couldn't fathom anyone else who could have influenced him so dramatically.

Yet he couldn't fathom how Leon had managed it. On the other hand, Aragon had made up his mind, leaving him with nothing to say except to depart in resentment.

As the two left, Liliana and Lyra exchanged suspicious glances toward Leon.

"Did you do something to Aragon, Leon?" Liliana inquired with curiosity as she stepped closer to him.

Given Aragon's nature, it was highly unlikely for him to submit so easily, so she was convinced that Leon must have influenced him in some way. Lyra, too, appeared to share the same suspicion.

Leon simply chuckled and shook his head.

"If I told you I didn't do anything to him, would you believe me?" He replied playfully.

Liliana paused for a moment, then smiled and nodded.

"Of course I would," she answered firmly.

It would be a lie to claim she didn't harbor any doubts about Leon's words, but she felt compelled to trust him nonetheless.

Leon was deeply touched by Liliana's belief in him. If it weren't for the presence of thousands of soldiers in the palace courtyard, he might have swept her up and taken her to a private room to explore the meaning of life together.

"Actually, I did do something to him, but you don't need to worry; it wasn't anything serious," Leon explained gently.

"Alright, that's fine," Liliana replied with a small nod, appearing unconcerned.

In truth, she didn't particularly mind whether Leon had done something serious to Aragon. As long as it didn't result in Aragon's death, she was satisfied.

Leon smiled slightly and nodded before turning his attention to the army lined up in the palace courtyard, his expression calm and nonchalant behind his half-face mask.

"All soldiers, I apologize for the earlier disturbance," Leon announced casually. "Now, let's head out to the battlefield and achieve victory!"

At his words, excitement lit up the soldiers' faces, and they raised their right hands in unison.

"Achieve victory!"

***

Inside a large, luxurious room, Aragon and Merlin sat facing each other in silence.

After a while, Aragon leaned back and asked, "Are you disappointed and still upset about my decision, Merlin?"

Merlin felt a surge of frustration but dared not express it. "I am not disappointed, Arch-demon Aragon," he replied respectfully, though a hint of disappointment crept into his voice.

Aragon recognized this and quickly added, "I don't want to give up on making you the leader of the reinforcement line, but that figure named Leon is quite unusual."

Surprised by the admission, Merlin regarded Aragon with growing curiosity.

"Unusual? Did something about him seem off to you?" Merlin inquired, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.

Aragon nodded but refrained from giving further details. The memory of those enormous eyes and the sensation of thousands of swords piercing through his body still haunted him, sending chills down his spine with each recollection.

He suspected it wasn't merely a hallucination but something deliberately caused by Leon. Yet, without concrete proof, Aragon kept his suspicions to himself, deciding to leave the altar earlier in silence.

"By the way, Merlin, I'll need a favor from you soon, and I hope you'll assist me," Aragon suddenly said, catching Merlin off guard.

"Help with what, Arch-demon Aragon?" Merlin asked, his tone hesitant.

Aragon's lips curled into a cold smile. "A few of us arch-demons are plotting something significant—rising up against Her Majesty, the Demon Emperor."

The moment Merlin heard the word "against," he was left dumbfounded, his eyes widening in disbelief.

"Rising up against Her Majesty Liliana? Do you mean—" Before he could finish, Aragon chuckled darkly, cutting him off.

"Yes, we're preparing for rebellion," he replied, calm and unbothered.

*Badump!*

Merlin's heart pounded, and his palms clenched tightly against his knees.

Aragon's words horrified him so much that it felt difficult to breathe.

"Rebellion? How is that even possible?" Merlin swallowed hard, struggling to believe what he had just heard.

His entire life, he'd held the unshakable belief that no demon could ever rise against the Demon Emperor. After all, the Demon Emperor held the highest authority and was revered by all demons.

But Aragon's sudden revelation shattered everything he thought he knew. And what shocked him even more was the fact that not only Aragon but several other arch-demons shared the same treacherous intent.

As Merlin wrestled with his disbelief, Aragon's deep, commanding voice cut through his thoughts once again.

"Are you going to help us, Merlin?" Aragon's eyes narrowed with cold intent.

Merlin froze for a moment, torn, before finally lowering his head, unsure of what to say.

"I..."

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A/N: Will Merlin ally with Aragon to join the rebels against Liliana, or will the situation unfold differently? It's certainly intriguing to consider.

Well, stay tuned, and thank you!