My Love Debts Are Everywhere!

"Sorry, Athena. I can't visit your ancestor right now. There are important matters I need to take care of first." Leon shook his head, subtly but firmly refusing.

Athena's expression changed instantly upon hearing Leon's direct refusal.

A slight crease appeared on her brow as she narrowed her eyes, her voice taking on a displeased edge. "Leon, are you lying to me? You're rejecting me because you don't want to go with me, right?"

Though her tone remained calm, there was an undercurrent of pressure that could send shivers down anyone's spine.

Leon let out a soft sigh and rubbed his temples, his face showing a mixture of helplessness and regret.

"I didn't mean it that way, Athena," Leon replied, taking a deep breath. "But I truly have something important to handle. Once that's settled, I promise I'll go with you to meet your ancestor."

Leon had always prided himself on keeping his word, so breaking his promise to Athena filled him with shame and guilt.

Yet, he knew this was something he had to do. After all, Luna and Albert were already on their way back to the Imperial capital, and he couldn't afford to fall behind.

Listening to Leon's explanation, Athena could sense the sincerity in his words. Still, the displeasure and anger inside her didn't fade.

"Tell me honestly: What exactly do you want to do, and what's so urgent that it made you break your promise?" Athena asked, her tone indifferent.

As she spoke, she suddenly wrapped her arms around Leon's waist, pressing her right cheek against his broad chest with a look of drunken obsession.

Despite being a woman, Athena was quite tall, her head reaching just below Leon's chin.

Leon stiffened at Athena's unexpected embrace, his body tensing as though struck by lightning. He hadn't expected her to be so bold. But remembering her daring behavior in the parlor, he realized this was nothing new.

He tried to gently break free from Athena's embrace, but her grip was so strong it felt like she was glued to him.

With a resigned sigh, Leon gave up and gazed at Athena with a mixture of uncertainty and frustration.

Considering Athena's status as the Dragon Empress and the supreme leader of the Dragon race, Leon hesitated to speak. After all, the overthrow of Velix's rule over the Holy Empire of Elysium was a human matter, unrelated to her.

However, knowing Athena's stubbornness and her extreme, yandere behavior, Leon reluctantly decided to tell her the truth.

"I must return to the Holy Empire of Elysium to seek my revenge on Velix and overthrow his rule," Leon replied firmly.

Athena was momentarily stunned by his words, then lifted her gaze to meet his golden eyes.

"Overthrow Velix's rule over the Holy Empire of Elysium? Are you serious? You realize how impossible that is, don't you?" Athena asked cautiously, narrowing her eyes.

As Dragon Empress, Athena had diplomatic ties with the Holy Empire of Elysium and was fully aware of the immense influence and power Velix wielded over the empire.

Based on the intelligence she had gathered in the Holy Empire of Elysium, Athena knew that Velix held absolute power in all major institutions, and no one could challenge his orders.

Even the nobles who once wielded power and influence had been stripped of their authority by Velix. Now, they were left with nothing but small parcels of land to manage in the cities, at Velix's discretion, without real power to speak of.

It was clear just how solid and unshakable Velix's position was within the Holy Empire of Elysium.

As Leon sensed the hesitation and concern in her voice, he couldn't help but chuckle softly, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

"Of course, I know that," Leon replied calmly, then continued with confidence, "But I've already prepared a well-thought-out plan for it. So, you don't have to worry."

"Oh?" Athena raised an eyebrow slightly, taken aback by Leon's confident demeanor, but simply nodded slowly without saying another word.

She then rested her cheek against his chest again, a playful grin slowly spreading across her lips.

"Since your reasoning is clear, I'll forgive you and allow you to settle your affairs with Velix first. If my ancestor scolds you, I'll defend you," Athena said gently and generously, surprising Leon.

He had expected Athena to insist he stay with her to meet her ancestor, but instead, she graciously allowed him to leave—and even promised to defend him if her ancestor rebuked him.

A soft smile unconsciously spread across his lips, his heart warming at her unexpected kindness.

However, before he could speak his gratitude, Athena's next words made his body stiffen.

"In exchange, I'll accompany you until your business is done. How about it? Agreed?" Athena raised her head to look at Leon, her gaze sly, her lips curling in a seductive and alluring smile.

...

Two hundred and fifty kilometers from the border between humanity's territory and the desert of chaos stood Rothinia, a large and thriving city.

Under the jurisdiction of the Holy Empire of Elysium, Rothinia was far more densely populated than any other city on the border. This advantage drew many merchants from outside, eager to sell their goods, making the city an economic hub.

At this moment, the main street was teeming with people. On both sides, merchants called out eagerly, trying to attract customers.

"Come, customers! Fresh fruits from the eastern region! High quality, you won't regret it!"

"Fall is almost over, and winter is approaching! Stock up on fresh meats for the long season—three percent off every purchase!"

"Don't miss out, everyone! I've got..."

The merchants' calls added to the lively atmosphere, drawing in crowds with their various offers.

Amid the bustle, two striking figures—a man and a woman—walked side by side, their arms intertwined.

Despite their efforts to blend in, their extraordinary appearance still attracted the attention of many—especially the woman beside the man, whose beauty made it impossible for any man to look away.

The two striking figures were Leon and Athena. After a three-hour journey, they had finally arrived at the city of Rothinia as planned.

However, Leon's face took on a helpless expression when he saw Athena, smiling happily as she clung to his left arm.

"Athena, are you sure you want to come with me? Don't you have tasks waiting for you at your palace?" Leon asked, the corner of his lips twitching slightly.

At first, he had been touched by Athena's generosity in letting him deal with Velix before meeting her ancestor.

But what he hadn't expected was that, beneath her kindness, Athena actually intended to accompany him!

He had immediately refused, but this stubborn woman had proven to be clever and persistent. Not only did she mock him for being unable to keep his word, but she also threatened to report him to her ancestor if he didn't bring her along.

After much consideration, Leon had reluctantly agreed to her request.

Upon hearing his question, the smile on Athena's lips widened. She pressed her right cheek against Leon's arm, occasionally sniffing him like a perverted woman.

"You don't need to worry about that. I've already taken care of all palace matters for the next six months. Unless something urgent comes up, I'm actually free now," Athena replied playfully, tightening her hold on his arm.

Leon felt the soft pressure of her chest against him, making his throat dry.

Suppressing the reaction from his little brother, Leon cleared his throat to hide his embarrassment and said seriously, "Alright, then. But you must promise to stay out of my business. Understand?"

Knowing that forcing Athena to leave was pointless, he had no choice but to set this condition to avoid disrupting his plans.

Athena nodded and reassured him, "Don't worry; I promise I won't interfere."

Leon smiled in satisfaction, his body relaxing slightly. What he didn't notice, however, was the faint, mysterious smile tugging at Athena's lips.
Your next journey awaits at empire

Afterward, Leon and Athena made their way to the largest and most luxurious inn in Rothinia. Originally, Leon hadn't planned to stay in the city, intending instead to stop in a small town a hundred kilometers away.

This would have allowed him to speed up his journey to the Imperial capital. However, Athena's unexpected appearance and decision to accompany him forced Leon to adjust his plans.

Fortunately, the changes didn't inconvenience him too much, and he was still able to relax without feeling rushed.

As they walked, countless gazes followed them—envious, amazed, surprised, and even lustful eyes were fixed on the pair.

"Athena, did the disguise magic really work? It feels like it was a waste," Leon murmured, glancing around with a helpless expression.

With their striking appearances, it was impossible for them not to draw attention wherever they went. To avoid unwanted stares, Leon had asked Athena to use disguise magic on them. But it didn't seem to work, as they were still attracting plenty of attention.

Athena blinked and nodded slightly. "I'm certain the magic is working. No one can see our true appearances," she replied confidently.

Leon could tell that Athena wasn't lying, so he let out a soft sigh.

"Perhaps it's our aura and temperament that's drawing attention," Leon mused inwardly.

While disguise magic could conceal one's true appearance, it couldn't hide the aura or temperament a person naturally exuded. Leon was certain that was the reason they were attracting so much attention.

Shaking his head slightly, Leon decided to ignore the attention and continued walking.

After five minutes, they arrived at a towering building—an inn where they would spend the night before continuing their journey the next day.

Without a second thought, they stepped inside and were immediately impressed by the exquisite interior, which more than lived up to its reputation as Rothinia's most luxurious inn.

"Good afternoon, visitors. How may I assist you?" The receptionist, a young woman, greeted them with polite respect.

Leon smiled gently and was about to book two rooms when Athena suddenly spoke up.

"We'd like to book the most expensive room," she interrupted.

Leon: (⊙ _ ⊙)