My Love Debts Are Everywhere!

Zariel and Noah exchanged doubtful glances, both stunned by the words.

Sensing their hesitation, Aragon smiled mockingly and said, "Are you afraid? We've come this far. If anyone retreats now, it'll all be for nothing."

His eyes glinted coldly as his gaze locked onto them. The two remained silent for a moment before letting out a soft sigh.

"Let's review the plan. How will we proceed with the rebellion against Her Majesty the Demon Emperor?" Zariel asked cautiously, crossing his legs.

Noah, beside him, wore a serious expression, his gaze fixed intently on Aragon.

Aragon chuckled softly, then took a leisurely sip of his coffee.

"You don't need to worry about the plan," Aragon said mildly, placing his cup back on the saucer. "With Heidel dead, Liliana Crimson has lost her greatest help. Our plan to overthrow her power isn't as difficult as it seems."

This rebellion had been on Aragon's mind for a long time. He was disgusted by Liliana's ascension to the throne—a weak woman becoming the Demon Emperor. To him, the title of "Demon Emperor" should belong to a man, not a woman.

His dissatisfaction grew until he believed he was the one destined to rule.

Fueled by this thought, he crafted several schemes to erase Liliana's existence, one of which involved abducting her as a child.

The success of that plan brought him immense satisfaction, and he thought it was finally his time to claim the throne. But things weren't as easy as he'd hoped.

Heidel, a powerful Arch-demon from the previous demon emperor's era and Liliana's protector left behind by her father, managed to rescue her from the kidnapping, directly thwarting his plan.

In that moment, hatred and fury surged within him. But Heidel was far too powerful for him to take on directly.

For over twenty years, Aragon adjusted his strategy, seeking the support of the Demon race's higher-ups from the outer palace and forging alliances with other Arch-demons.

Though the method was time-consuming, it proved more effective than ever. By now, many of the Demon race's higher-ups and several Arch-demons were under his control, all poised to remove Liliana from the throne!

The thought of the entire demon race's power slipping into his hands made Aragon smile with dark amusement.

Meanwhile, Zariel and Noah, who had heard his words, fell silent for a moment before finally nodding in agreement.

"We'll follow your plan," they said, their voices firm.

Aragon smiled in satisfaction at their response, then his expression turned cold as he added, "Once Heidel's funeral is over, we'll begin."

...

The Imperial Capital, Astralyn...

As the heart of the Holy Empire of Elysium, Astralyn stood as the most prosperous city, unrivaled by the others. It was both the economic and administrative center of the empire.

In sectors such as technology, social affairs, and more, Astralyn was clearly the most advanced. The city had become a prime destination for many, whether for vacations or to seek employment.

Human poets from various eras had referred to Astralyn as "the world's storehouse of gold," a testament to the city's grandeur.

If any place could rival Astralyn's prosperity, it was Erantum, the capital of the Demon Empire.

However, Astralyn, once brimming with life, now appeared changed. The bustling streets, once filled with merchants from all corners of the land, had fallen eerily quiet and somber.

There was no traffic of horse-drawn carriages, nor were there any cheerful passersby; instead, only somber faces and expressions of sorrow filled the streets.

At every corner of the city, homes stood shuttered, and only a few merchants remained, offering their goods.

Before the city gates, Leon, Athena, Luna, Albert, and two thousand human soldiers stood, gazing at the scene with curiosity.

"Did a mass rebellion cause all this, Albert?" Leon inquired calmly, turning to Albert at his side.

Albert gave a small nod and replied honestly, "Yes, Sword Hero Leon. According to the information I've gathered, the rebellions in various cities have left many people fearful and anxious. Although Velix tried to reassure them, his efforts were largely ineffective. They fear the rebellions will reach Astralyn, so many have opted to flee to Holy Orthodoxy."

"Merchants from across the Empire have also avoided Astralyn, preferring to seek safety in Holy Orthodoxy while continuing their trade."

Hearing this, Leon narrowed his eyes and nodded slightly. The aftermath of the rebellions was something he had anticipated, so he wasn't overly concerned.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

The reason he, Albert, and Luna had plotted to spark the rebellions was to create trouble for Velix, stirring up the people's resentment toward him.

The dissatisfaction with Velix's mishandling of the situation would clear the path for Arshley to rise as humanity's true leader in the future.

As harsh as it sounded, this was a necessary step. Without it, uniting the entire human race would have been nearly impossible.

Of course, Leon had another motive—seeing Velix suffer and die in despair. To him, that would be the most perfect and agonizing form of revenge.

Subconsciously, a thin, cold smile spread across his lips, making Albert, Luna, and the rest of the soldiers behind them tremble in fear.

Only Athena was mesmerized by that smile. She tightly hugged Leon's arm while resting her head there.

Snapping out of his reverie, Leon returned a gentle smile and said, "In that case, let's find a temporary place to stay while we await the outcome of the rebellions."

"As you command," Albert replied in a respectful tone.

With that, they all, enveloped in Athena's magic, entered Astralyn unnoticed by the gatekeepers or the city's residents.

...

"Damn it! Why is everything like this?" Velix roared, slamming the armrest of his throne.

His usually calm and composed face was now flushed with rage.

It had been over two days since the mysterious man had promised to help him deal with the rebellion, but there had been no word on any resolution.

The material losses from the rebellions have also severely strained the national treasury. If this persists, the Holy Empire of Elysium could very well face bankruptcy.

What made him even more anxious wasn't just the material loss but the erosion of public trust.

In any nation or empire, the people are the backbone. Losing their trust threatened his position and could even ignite a larger rebellion.

"If I had known it would turn out like this, I would have never trusted or cooperated with that damn Temple of Twilight!" Velix muttered, his face twisted with hatred.

The defeat of humanity's army by the demon forces, coupled with the disappearance of Jim, Natasya, and Rain, were the main reasons behind his alliance with the Twilight Temple. In exchange for their help in securing his position as Holy Emperor, he agreed to support the spread of their heretical beliefs throughout the Holy Empire of Elysium.

However, the mysterious man and the Temple of Twilight had yet to resolve the ongoing rebellion, which had left Velix seething with anger.

"Your Majesty! Bad news!" A soldier's voice suddenly broke through, pulling Velix from his thoughts.

Velix's expression darkened further as the soldier hurried toward him.

"What news?" he asked coldly.

The soldier paused to catch his breath before bowing respectfully.

"Your Majesty, the spies in Ardonia report that the city has fallen to a rebel army led by the local noble family!" he announced, his voice trembling.

"What!? Ardonia has fallen!?" Velix's eyes widened in shock, his heart pounding in his chest.

Ardonia had been one of the largest and most prosperous cities in the Holy Empire of Elysium. Along with Therondia, it was considered a twin city, powerful enough to withstand a rebel onslaught. Yet, now Ardonia was the first to fall, a turn of events Velix had never anticipated.

Velix's face tightened, and his body trembled with rage. "How could the city fall so quickly? Didn't I send thousands of soldiers to quell the rebellion there?"

Sensing Velix's fury, the soldier nervously shook his head.

"I... I don't know, Your Majesty. But it's rumored that the troops led by the noble family are highly skilled. Their battle prowess far surpassed our own soldiers, which ultimately led to Ardonia's downfall," the soldier stammered.

"What did you say?" Velix was stunned, disbelief spreading across his face.

Due to the war in the Desert of Chaos, he had deployed all of his elite forces to fight the demon army, leaving only regular soldiers to guard the capital and other cities.

Nevertheless, those soldiers were by no means weak. They were highly trained, with each one capable of taking on five to ten ordinary people.

Still, the idea that the soldiers led by the noble family were stronger than his own army was difficult for Velix to accept.

"Moreover, it wasn't just Ardonia that fell, Your Majesty," the soldier continued, his body trembling. "The cities of Therondia, Vazula, and several smaller towns along the border with the Desert of Chaos have also fallen to the rebels!"

His words struck Velix like a thunderbolt, leaving him breathless and dizzy. His vision blurred as the weight of the news hit him.

He had never expected that not only Ardonia would fall, but also Therondia, Ardonia's twin city, and Vazula, a prosperous northern city.

The news left him feeling disoriented, his body weak. In all his life, he never imagined things would spiral out of control like this.

He had believed that with the Holy Empire of Elysium in his grasp, it could become the world's dominant power, surpassing even the Holy Orthodox, the Dragon Empire, or the Demon Empire.

Now, that dream lay in ruins. Not only had he failed to surpass those three, but he was also powerless to survive or quell the rebellion.

"Is this the consequence of killing Leon?" Velix wondered, wearily slumping against the throne.

In human history and legend, the three heroes were chosen by the gods to defeat the demon race, their status akin to that of divine messengers.

This is why they were so revered and sanctified by humanity. Although Velix had never truly believed in the legend, he couldn't help but now connect Leon's death to the misfortune that had befallen him.

At that moment, the gatekeeper's voice echoed through the throne room: "Supreme Military Leader, Sir Albert has returned and requests an audience with His Majesty the Emperor."