My Love Debts Are Everywhere!

"Liliana, were you aware all along that the poison within my body was the devouring poison?"

Upon hearing his question, Liliana was naturally stunned and regarded Leon with curiosity.

"How could you possibly have come to such a conclusion?" she asked, blinking innocently.

"How could I possibly have come to such a conclusion? Isn't it obvious?" Leon retorted, rolling his eyes lazily. "Firstly, the devouring poison is one of the ancient poisons created by Jared Crimson, the tenth-generation Demon Emperor, and as his descendant, it's improbable that you wouldn't have knowledge of it."

"Secondly, your knowledge of the devouring poison far surpasses mine, and you're even familiar with its success percentage—a detail completely unknown to me."

"Thirdly, when I mentioned making an antidote for the devouring poison with Lyra's help that night, although surprise flickered across your face, it seemed rather ordinary, as if you had known about it beforehand."

"Given all these facts, do you still intend to evade?" Leon narrowed his eyes, fixing an inquisitive stare on Liliana, seated across from him.

To be honest, there were numerous other reasons, but the three he mentioned stood out as the most compelling, solidifying his certainty.

Listening to Leon's words and his astute deductions, Liliana fell silent for a few moments before releasing a small sigh.

"Yes, I knew," Liliana admitted with an apologetic expression, casting a fearful glance at Leon, half expecting his anger.

To her surprise, Leon's expression remained calm as ever, devoid of any anger or annoyance, leaving her somewhat perplexed.

"Are you not angry, Leon?" Liliana asked cautiously, her lower lip trapped between her teeth.

It was the first time she had experienced such nervousness, and her demeanor revealed a vulnerability she hadn't displayed before.

As a formidable Demon Emperor, when had she ever displayed such nervousness and fear?

However, the cause of her current emotional turmoil was none other than Leon himself, a testament to the significance she attributed to their relationship.

Observing the anxiety etched on her exquisite features and hearing her admission, Leon finally smiled and shook his head.

"I have no right to be angry," Leon replied calmly, his expression devoid of any signs of anger. "After all, I deceived you too, creating an antidote for the devouring poison without discussing it with you."

"So, I truly have no grounds to be upset with you, do I?" Leon's casual question left Liliana feeling unsettled.

Yet, before Liliana could respond, Leon quickly interjected.

"Nevertheless, can you tell me why you kept it from me?" Leon asked nonchalantly, meeting Liliana's gaze directly; his eyes locked onto her blood-red pupils.

Liliana took a small breath and nodded. "Of course, I'll explain. But before I do, you should understand that I didn't deliberately withhold the information. I only became aware of it myself shortly after you told me about the devouring poison within you that night."

Leon was naturally shocked by Liliana's revelation, finding it hard to believe.

"Are you serious? Did you only discover this shortly after I mentioned it?" Leon inquired, disbelief still evident on his handsome face.

"Of course, I couldn't possibly be lying," Liliana replied, her nervous expression gradually fading to reveal a calm and indifferent yet gentle demeanor.

Across from her, Leon's skepticism gradually dissipated, replaced by intense curiosity.

"If you truly only discovered it shortly after I told you, then when exactly did you become aware of it?" Leon inquired.

"The night I had a misunderstanding with you and Lyra, do you recall?" Liliana calmly inquired, her gaze fixed on Leon.

"Of course, I remember," Leon replied with a hint of hesitation, surprised that it was on that particular night.

Indeed, if one counted from the moment he discovered the information about the poison within his body, it hadn't been too long ago, only a day or two later.

However, he found it somewhat perplexing why Liliana had only realized it then, given her extensive knowledge of the ten ancient poisons.

Meanwhile, he, with only limited information, had deduced that the poison within him was the devouring poison.

Or perhaps, actually, Liliana had been aware of it from the start but had doubts, only becoming convinced during the night of the misunderstanding?

Observing Leon's furrowed brow, Liliana sensed his confusion.

With her chin propped up by her palm, Liliana gazed at Leon gently and inquired, "Leon, are you familiar with the origin of the ten ancient poisons?"

At this question, Leon instantly snapped out of his reverie and regarded Liliana with a puzzled expression.

"Weren't the ancient poisons created by Demon Emperor Jared Crimson? Why do you ask?" Leon asked, his tone tinged with skepticism.

Liliana smiled faintly and shook her head as she replied, "If you're suggesting that my ancestor Jared Crimson created the ten ancient poisons, you're correct. But if you're implying that he personally discovered them, you're dead wrong."

Leon widened his eyes in disbelief at Liliana's words.

Jared Crimson, the Lord of Poison, is the creator but not the discoverer of the ten ancient poisons? What sort of nonsense is this!?

Doesn't that imply that there's someone even more skilled and talented than Jared Crimson in the field of poisons, having discovered ten ancient poisons?

Taking a breath to steady the shock within him, Leon asked, "If it wasn't Demon Emperor Jared Crimson who discovered them, then who did?" His heart raced with anticipation as he gazed at Liliana with intense curiosity.

Liliana smiled and replied, "Actually, I don't know much about it myself. However, according to the ancient records passed down from generation to generation by my ancestor Jared Crimson, it is said that he discovered a mysterious black book in a remote valley deep within the Desert of Chaos while he was away fighting against the three heroes of mankind in his generation.

"In that mysterious book, he found all the information about the ten ancient poisons and created them," Liliana explained with a calm expression.

In contrast to Liliana's composed demeanor, Leon, upon hearing her explanation, couldn't help but draw a deep breath.

He hadn't anticipated there was such a tale behind the ten ancient poisons.

Had it not been for Liliana, he likely wouldn't have been aware of it.

Yet, upon reflecting on the narrative, Leon couldn't shake off a sense of unease.

In a mysterious book detailing the manufacturing processes of the ten ancient poisons, each with exceedingly terrifying effects, even heroes like him could succumb to their potency. Isn't that book too terrifying?

It's crucial to highlight that heroes like himself are typically immune to all poisons except the ten ancient varieties.

Initially, he found Jared Crimson to be quite intimidating, given his ability to discover ten ancient poisons with varying effects, capable of killing even heroes.

However, it turned out that even Jared Crimson was merely replicating and creating them based on a mysterious book he stumbled upon.

Now, the question arises: who authored the mysterious book, and what level of power does this individual possess?

From which era does it originate, possessing the capability to craft poisons lethal even to heroes protected by the Holy Weapons?

The more Leon pondered it, the more perplexed he grew, inevitably shifting his gaze towards Liliana.

"Any insight on who might have authored the mysterious black book your ancestor stumbled upon?" Leon voiced his doubts to Liliana without hesitation.

Liliana shook her head, her expression filled with regret, and replied, "Unfortunately, no one knows who possesses the mysterious book; not even my ancestor, Jared Crimson, is aware of its whereabouts."

Leon nodded, unsurprised by this revelation.

"So, does the mysterious book still exist?" Leon inquired.

"In the records I've perused, the book vanished after my ancestor, Jared Crimson, absorbed all its knowledge, and there have been no subsequent mentions of it," Liliana explained, shaking her head.

This gesture caused Leon to narrow his eyes in immediate suspicion.

'Vanishing once its knowledge is absorbed?' Leon muttered to himself, his eyebrows furrowing.

In this fantastical world, where magic and wonders abounded, it was the first instance he had encountered of a book vanishing once its contents were absorbed.

For some inexplicable reason, it brought to mind the fantasy novels of his former life, where protagonists stumble upon scrolls or ancient tomes that fade away after being opened or perused.

This occurrence bore striking resemblance, didn't it?"

Returning from his reverie, Leon sighed, shrugged off his curiosity, and regarded Liliana with a gentle expression.

"Well, thank you for your explanation, Liliana," Leon said, a smile gracing his lips.

"You're welcome, and I should apologize for hiding this matter from you," Liliana replied with a slight shake of her head and pursed lips.

Leon chuckled and said, "Don't sweat it. I've already forgiven you," he said, shrugging both shoulders.

Then, he quickly changed the topic: "May I ask you one more question?"

"Sure," Liliana replied calmly, a beautiful smile gracing her lips, as if indicating that she would answer any question Leon posed without hesitation.

"Actually, I'm curious why you only realized that the poison inside my body was a devouring poison when, with your expertise, it should have been easy to detect from the start, shouldn't it?" Leon locked eyes with her, his doubts evident.

He recalled that during their initial examination of his body, Liliana had claimed ignorance about the poison within him.

In fact, given her abilities and knowledge, she should have easily recognized it. Or was his suspicion correct—that Liliana knew but harbored doubts?

Upon hearing this, Liliana's smile faded into a faint one.

"The reason is simple: I had doubts," she replied calmly.

Leon arched an eyebrow, not anticipating his suspicion to be accurate.

Nevertheless, he remained silent, waiting for Liliana's next words.

"As for why I harbored doubts, it's actually quite complex. However, if I were to simplify it for clarity, it's because the initial symptoms in your body didn't align with those typically associated with the devouring poison; instead, they resembled those of a different poison," Liliana explained, her expression serious and her features icy.

Leon gasped in shock, his eyes widening in surprise. "Another poison? What kind of poison is that?"

Liliana remained silent for a few moments before answering in a nonchalant tone.

"An ancient poison that has no record in history, also known as the Eleventh Ancient Poison—Destroyer of Eternity."

------------

A/N: Thank you for your support and stay tuned!