Two weeks had passed since Leon arrived in Hellheimer—Xemos City, to be precise. Rather than kick-start his journey right away, Leon decided to lay low and study his new environment. With the help of his new friend—Delphina—it became much easier to learn about Hellheimer.
After recovering, Leon discovered that he had been on the brink of death, having gone without food and water in the Red Death—the desert he crossed to reach Xemos—for about a week.
(That's some serious plot armor.)
Now, Leon finally decided that he was ready to leave Xemos. But he still had one last quest to complete.
Leon took one final glance at the room he'd stayed in during his time in the city.
"Even though this place stinks, I think I'm actually going to miss it," he sighed, packing his belongings.
As he was gathering his things, someone knocked on the door. He instantly knew who it was.
"Come in, Delphina," Leon said.
Delphina opened the door, tears already forming in her eyes.
"S-so you're actually leaving," she mumbled.
Delphina ran to Leon and hugged him tightly. "I'll miss you."
"Me too," Leon replied, returning the hug.
It had only been two weeks, but for Delphina, it had been the best time of her life.
She wiped the tears from her eyes and delivered the message she'd been asked to relay.
"My father said he wants to speak to you before your departure."
"Okay, I'll go meet him," Leon said as his eyes glowed faintly.
---
Moments later, Leon was already standing in front of Delphina's father's house. As it turned out, Delphina's father was the mayor of the slum. The building Leon approached was in much better condition than the others.
He was met at the entrance by Delphina's father—Anul.
"I've been expecting you, Sir Leon. Come in and let's chat," Anul greeted cheerfully, waving him in.
Anul led Leon up a flight of stairs and into a large room.
"Come and take a seat," Anul said, smiling.
Leon scanned the room cautiously before sitting down.
Suddenly, a demon waitress entered with two glasses of water on a tray.
"Would you like some water?" Anul asked, still smiling.
"No, I'm good," Leon declined.
"Oh, then let's get down to business," Anul said, slightly disappointed. "I heard you'll be leaving Xemos today."
"Yes, that's accurate," Leon answered in a stern tone.
"So where will you be going? Vytra, Zekě, Loha… or perhaps somewhere in the Innerlands?" Anul asked with a crafty smile.
"Why are you interested in where I'm going?" Leon asked coldly.
"Well, since your arrival has brought some kind of safety to this city, I was hoping…" Anul began, sweating slightly.
"Cut to the chase," Leon interrupted.
Anul gulped. "Well, I have an offer for you," he said with a mischievous smile.
"Go on," Leon replied, frowning.
"I want you to marry Delphina," Anul said, his tone suddenly serious.
Leon laughed. "And what do you want in return?"
"Stay in Xemos," Anul said firmly, dropping his cheerful act. "You've grown close to Delphina. I know she's a rare beauty, and you're quite capable. As a father, I think this is the right decision."
"Mr. Anul, aren't you rushing things a little? You seem kind of desperate," Leon mused.
"Indeed, I do seem desperate," Anul replied in a sulking tone. "But as a worried father who's seen such a big opportunity, I can't help it."
Leon shook his head. He wasn't buying any of it.
"How foolish do you think I am, Anul?" Leon said, a cruel smile creeping onto his face as the air grew heavier.
"You're the true God of Trickery, Anul… I almost fell for it."
Anul's expression changed instantly into an ominous grin.
"You're really sharp, Leon. How disturbing," he said, laughing darkly.
"With the number of demons you've hidden in this room, I guess you never really expected the plan to go through anyway," Leon said, shrugging with a condescending smile.
"Hahaha! You even sensed them? You're more of a threat than I thought," Anul said as demonic energy began to radiate from his body.
"Before I kill you, tell me where I went wrong, so I won't make mistakes like you again," Anul sneered.
"You really are dumb," Leon grinned, his eyes glowing. "You failed from the f**king start."
The shadows around the room suddenly revealed themselves.
"Stupid brat!" Anul snarled.
End of bonus chapter