My Love Debts Are Everywhere!

Upon hearing that, Velix was shocked, his eyes widening in disbelief.

"Albert has returned? How is that possible? Shouldn't he, along with Jim, Natasya, Rain, Guren, the heroes, and the rest of humanity's army, have been captured by the Demon Emperor?" Velix muttered in surprise.

He frowned, trying to understand the reason behind Albert's return. None of the possibilities made sense, so he decided to set those thoughts aside for now.

With Albert's return, there was still hope that Jim, Natasya, Rain, Guren, and the heroes might still be alive in the Demon Emperor's grasp.

Velix took a deep breath, steadying his emotions before speaking. "I give my permission. Bring Albert to me."

Moments later, a middle-aged man with a stern expression and a well-built frame stepped into the throne room.

As Velix's gaze landed on him, his heart raced, and his fists clenched with anticipation.

"He's really alive!" Velix thought, overwhelmed with joy.

With the Seven Crystal Aurora Magic Staff in his possession, he could see through any disguise magic. No matter how powerful the spell, it could not deceive him.

The man before him was unmistakably the real Albert, not a demon in disguise. Velix couldn't help but feel both relieved and elated.

Albert slowly stopped two meters from the throne stairs, raising his head to meet Velix's gaze from above.

Suddenly, his stern expression drained of color. Trembling, he bowed his head and knelt before Velix.

"Your Majesty, forgive me. I have failed to fulfill the orders you entrusted to me," he said in a hoarse voice.

His once-steely eyes, filled with confidence, were now red-rimmed, tears slowly trickling from the corners.

Velix felt a mix of anger and helplessness. The defeat of humanity's army wasn't entirely Albert's fault; it was also the result of Velix's own oversight.

He had underestimated the Demon race, especially the Demon Emperor, whose power far exceeded his expectations.

Had he been more cautious and refrained from rashly declaring war without fully understanding the Demon Emperor's strength, perhaps things would have turned out differently.

But in this world, there was no remedy for regret and no way to undo the past. Still, there were more pressing matters than dwelling on the defeat in the Desert of Chaos—Jim, Natasya, Rain, Guren, Luna, and Valen's fates, and the rebellions spreading across the cities.

Both were urgent issues, and he needed to find solutions to them immediately.

"Well, Albert, you don't need to blame yourself like that. Your successful return alone is an incredibly important and valuable achievement," Velix said in a soothing tone. "Now, raise your head and tell me everything—the condition of Jim, Natasya, Rain, Valen, and Luna. Are they still alive, or did the Demon Emperor kill them?"

There was a rare trace of nervousness on Velix's face as he asked the series of questions.

Albert briefly smiled but quickly masked it, lifting his head and standing up.

With a sorrowful look, he began to explain, "Your Majesty, it happened like this…"

Velix listened intently to every word of Albert's explanation, his expression slowly growing graver.

"So, you're telling me that all of them, except Valen and Luna, are dead?" Velix inquired in a tone filled with horror and disbelief.

Albert nodded gravely and answered, "Yes, Your Majesty the Emperor."

Velix's vision blurred as he heard the answer. He had held onto the hope that they were still alive, but now, that hope was shattered, leaving him overwhelmed with despair.

Slowly regaining his composure, he gritted his teeth and asked once more, "What about the more than six hundred thousand soldiers of humanity? Are they also dead?"

Albert paused for a moment before replying in a tone heavy with regret, "They're not dead, Your Majesty. However, they've been imprisoned by the Demon Emperor in an ancient city. As for their fate beyond that, I truly don't know."

At that, Velix's breathing grew ragged, and his head throbbed.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Those six hundred thousand soldiers were the elite forces, the backbone of the Holy Empire of Elysium. They were the strongest, most talented, and best-trained of all his troops.

Training them to that level of strength had been neither easy nor cheap. Velix had poured an unimaginable amount of resources and gold into their development.

Now, with them in the Demon Emperor's hands and their fate uncertain, it was a crushing blow—not just to him, but to the entire Holy Empire of Elysium.

A wave of fury and hatred surged within him, urging him to destroy everything in sight. But the rebellions spreading through the cities quickly reminded him of the greater crisis at hand, forcing him to rein in his emotions.

"Alright, I understand," he said, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

Once calm, he shifted the conversation. "By the way, you must be aware of the rebellions spreading through the Empire's cities, correct?"

Albert's expression grew serious as he nodded and replied, "Yes, I know about it, Your Majesty. Was it all sparked by the noble families?"

"Yes, it was those bastards," Velix said bitterly. "I never expected them to have secretly mustered enough power to pull this off. Had I known sooner, I would have wiped them all out long ago."

The thought of them made his blood boil, and a surge of killing intent radiated from his body. This regret was one that would never be healed.

Albert listened intently, his face solemn. What Velix didn't notice, however, was the faint, mocking smile hidden behind Albert's serious demeanor.

"Since you're back, I'm reinstating all the authority of the army into your hands, Albert," Velix declared firmly. "I want you to take charge of managing the rebellion. Are you able to handle it?"

"Of course, Your Majesty. I will carry out your orders to the best of my ability," Albert responded without hesitation.

"Good!" Velix nodded in approval, his gaze filled with a quiet sense of appreciation. "Then go, and begin at once."

"As you wish." Albert bowed his head once more before turning to leave the throne room.

As Velix watched him depart, his expression slowly turned cold and indifferent once more.

"I still can't believe Albert managed to escape from the Demon Emperor's grasp," Velix muttered, his voice laced with suspicion. "Did he truly manage to break free, or is there something else at play...?"

His eyes narrowed, a cold glint flashing in them as a dangerous aura began to seep into the air around him.

Though his thoughts were clouded with doubt, Velix couldn't dismiss the possibility. After all, his relationship with Albert had been far from smooth. Enjoy more content from empire

Albert's immense power and authority in the military had made Velix cautious, prompting him to quietly undermine him. He did so out of fear that Albert's increasing strength might eventually threaten his position as Holy Emperor.

On top of that, he had even orchestrated a kidnapping plot involving his daughter, Eris Lennister, hoping to use her as a means of control over Albert and keep him from becoming a threat.

However, the kidnappers turned out to be utterly incompetent and lost the girl instead. Now, he had no clue where Eris was, and it often left him feeling regretful.

Trying to steady his mind, Velix closed his eyes, muttering, "I hope things are not as I fear."

...

In a grand mansion on the western side of Astralyn's capital, Leon was temporarily staying with Luna, Athena, and the rest of humanity's soldiers.

In the spacious living room, Leon sat back comfortably, his right leg crossed, his gaze fixed on Albert, who sat across from him.

"So, Velix has authorized you to command all the soldiers of the Empire?" Leon asked casually.

Albert nodded solemnly. "Yes, Sword Hero Leon. Velix granted me that authority. But, despite his apparent pleasure at my return, I sensed a distance and suspicion from him. I believe he harbors doubts about me."

Leon paused for a moment, taken aback, then chuckled softly. Albert's return was certainly strange and highly suspect, so it was no surprise that Velix might have his own reservations.

However, Leon wasn't overly concerned. Velix was in a precarious position, with few subordinates he could trust other than Albert.

Despite his suspicions, Velix was unlikely to take any drastic action against Albert. To do so would mean losing his only hope of suppressing the ongoing rebellions.

"By the way, Sword Hero Leon," Albert said, his eyes meeting Leon's, "I've received reports from my spies that several cities have been captured and are now under the control of the noble families and our forces."

"Oh?" Leon raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise flickering across his handsome face. "I didn't expect the results to come this quickly."

"Yes, I was surprised as well," Albert replied seriously. "However, considering the intensity of the battles over the past few days and the sluggishness of the reinforcements Velix sent, it's actually quite reasonable."

The army he had lent to the noble families was the elite force of the Holy Empire of Elysium—the strongest and most capable among all its military units. It was no surprise that the noble families had managed to conquer several cities so swiftly.

"What cities have fallen?" Leon inquired casually, sipping his hot tea.

"The cities of Ardonia, Therondia, and Vazula, as well as several smaller towns along the border," Albert replied with respect.

Leon paused, a faint smile curving the corners of his lips.

"Ardonia, Therondia, and Vazula? Hahaha! Incredible," he laughed."I'm sure Velix is having a difficult time right now."

Those three cities were among the wealthiest and most crucial in the Holy Empire of Elysium. Now, with all three cities fallen, Leon could easily imagine the devastating blow that would strike the Holy Empire of Elysium.

"Albert, I need you to do me a favor," Leon said suddenly, rising to his feet and handing him a gold-colored letter. "Please deliver this to Edward of Holy Orthodoxy."

Albert was momentarily taken aback by the request, but he said nothing and gave a small nod.

"As you wish," Albert replied respectfully, rising to his feet.

Leon smiled in satisfaction, but just as he was about to speak, his heart suddenly skipped a beat.

His eyes widened, and an inexplicable pain shot through his chest, causing him to gasp for air.

Noticing Leon's unusual behavior, Albert rushed forward in alarm.

"Sword Hero Leon, what's happening to you?" Albert asked with concern, quickly moving to support him.

Leon frowned and shook his head. "I'm fine."

His gaze drifted toward the window, his eyes narrowing as though he were staring into the distance, toward the demon race's territory.

"What's going on? Why do I have such a terrible feeling?"