Still Failed

- Nighttime, in the Bedroom - 

Leon lay on the bed, staring at the room's ceiling in a daze. 

The conversation he had with Liliana earlier that afternoon lingered in his mind, preventing him from closing his eyes and falling asleep.

"What's her excuse? Asking me to accompany her to meet that crazy dragon woman under the guise of a guarantee? Does she think of me as some sort of heirloom talisman?" Leon sneered inwardly, annoyed by Liliana's unreasonable request.

Asking him to accompany her to meet Athena, the fierce dragoness who had almost raped him in the imperial palace of dragons, was akin to asking for suicide.

Did she desire for him to be devoured entirely by that dragoness, leaving no trace of bone behind? And did she also wish for their three daughters to be left fatherless?

Contemplating this, Leon could only inwardly grumble with annoyance.

However, he understood that Liliana couldn't be faulted, as she was unaware of his history with Athena.

Had Liliana been aware of it, she likely would have canceled the plan to bring him along to meet Athena.

Unfortunately, the past was too embarrassing, and he was reluctant to let anyone else know about it.

"In this world, weakness is truly a sin!" Leon clenched his palms, feeling his annoyance gradually dissipate as his usual calmness returned.

Experiencing a setback like this dealt a fatal blow to him, especially considering he typically stood proud as a renowned sword hero known for his extraordinary strength.

"Perhaps this truly can be a lesson for me—that even someone as strong as me has moments of downfall," Leon murmured softly inwardly.

Gradually, his eyelids grew heavy, and an overwhelming drowsiness washed over him, causing him to fall asleep almost instantly.

As his room descended into a profound quiet, his bedroom door creaked open, and a small, shadowy silhouette slipped inside.

The next morning... 

Leon was startled awake from his sleep as he felt something heavy fall upon him.

It felt as though a ten-kilogram stone pressed into his stomach, a sensation he found somewhat familiar.

With his eyes still heavy, he glanced downward and discovered Fiona sleeping on his stomach, curled up like a cat.

Observing this, Leon was initially taken aback but gradually regained his composure as he fully awoke.

"Do you always cuddle up to Daddy like this every morning, little one?" Leon gently poked her bun-like cheek with his index finger.

Feeling a sensation on her cheek, Fiona, still immersed in sleep, unconsciously rubbed her cheek against Leon's stomach, a cute smile gracing her small lips.

"Daddy~ I want to stay with you forever~" Fiona's delirious voice elicited a chuckle from Leon, softening his gaze toward her.

"Of course... I'll always be with you, forever," Leon reassured her, gently stroking her white hair with love.

This little girl was so innocent, akin to a pristine sheet of paper, untouched and pure white.

Her obedient demeanor stirred a great deal of affection within him.

Therefore, he resolved to shield her from any harm.

Certainly, this vow extended not only to Fiona but also to his other two little daughters.

"Come to think of it, I haven't seen those two little girls... Are they intentionally avoiding me?" Leon mused for a moment, contemplating the situation.

However, he understood that they might need time to adapt and could be feeling shy about approaching him.

"Well, there's plenty of time; there's no need to worry about it," Leon said with a casual smile, glancing back at Fiona, who continued to sleep peacefully on his stomach.

Leon stroked her little head once more before carefully moving her to his side.

Then he arranged the four pillows around Fiona, protecting her on all sides to ensure she wouldn't fall off.

Despite the king-size bed, he couldn't guarantee that Fiona wouldn't roll over in her sleep, especially when she was restless.

After all, this little girl couldn't seem to stay still while sleeping, a trait quite reminiscent of his childhood.

Thus, he took precautions to prevent any potential mishaps.

"Ugh~ Waking up early is the best..." Leon stretched his body, glancing at the clock that already read 7 a.m.

The energy in the morning was extraordinary; its effects were undeniable.

At this time of day, the quality of mana in this world has doubled, making it perfect for the training of wizards, knights, and various other beings who possess mana in their bodies.

"Tsk! It's a pity that my holy power is locked, preventing me from taking advantage of this precious morning time," Leon lamented, shaking his head.

His attention was soon captured by the spread of food on the table.

"It looks like Lyra prepared it earlier," he noted with a small smile as he made his way to the table, ready to enjoy breakfast.

Initially, he intended to wake Fiona up to have breakfast together, but seeing her sleep so soundly made him abandon the idea.

After breakfast, Leon neatly arranged all the plates on the table for Lyra to collect when she came to clean up, then headed to the shower.

With everything completed, Leon stood in the center of the room, closing his eyes for a moment as he raised his hands.

"The Zenith Holy Sword... answer my call!!" Leon exclaimed quietly.

However, after a while, the Zenith Holy Sword failed to materialize, prompting Leon to open his eyes once more.

"Still can't..." he muttered to himself, falling into contemplation.

The power of heroes, also known as holy power, originates from the three most potent holy weapons in the world: the Zenith Holy Sword, the Soaring Dragon Holy Spear, and the Void Holy Arrow.

In history, it is recounted that the gods bestowed upon mankind these three weapons to combat the formidable Demon race, led by the immensely powerful Amon Crimson, who was the first Demon King.

Hence, there should be no single poison or force capable of suppressing the holy power within a hero like himself, save for an equivalent force such as the Demonic Energy wielded by the Demon Emperor.

His current condition is exceedingly rare and seemingly impossible to occur.

"Interesting... The poison Rain created is truly fascinating..." Leon mused, his hand resting on his chin as a smile spread across his face.

He was no longer consumed by desperation; instead, he found himself filled with curiosity.

Indeed, such an occurrence had never occurred before, hinting at a conspiracy that might be far more complex than initially perceived.

"Tsk! It does make sense, now that I think about it," Leon chuckled, dismissing those thoughts in an instant.

There was no need to dwell on it; it was better to concentrate on restoring his strength as quickly as possible.

The future loomed with mysteries, leaving him uncertain about what might unfold in the days ahead.

With casual steps, Leon walked out of his bedroom.

His current objective was to go to the palace library to find out more about the poison within him and, at the same time, to take a stroll around the palace to better understand its structure.

Coincidentally, Liliana was occupied, and Fiona remained in a deep sleep, granting Leon some freedom.

Shortly after Leon stepped out of the bedroom, Fiona, still lost in her dreams, suddenly raised her small hand to the sky and muttered in her delirium, "Death to you, evil god, in the name of the holy sword Zenith! Nyam~ nyam~ nyam~ nyam~"