My Love Debts Are Everywhere!

"What did you just say? Our troops have been overwhelmed by the Demon Race's forces on the battlefield? How did this happen?"

Sitting on a magnificent throne, Velix gazed at Jim with a disgruntled and annoyed expression.

Jim nodded slightly, maintaining a calm and composed demeanor as he explained, "That's correct, Your Majesty. We've received battlefield reports indicating that our troops are being suppressed by the demon forces. Furthermore, casualties have surpassed the thousand mark and continue to rise."

Upon hearing this, blue veins bulged on Velix's forehead, and he clenched his fists tightly.

"How is this possible!? The war only started a few hours ago, so why are there already so many casualties? Jim, I demand an explanation!" Velix shouted, his anger evident in his voice.

He never anticipated his troops would be overwhelmed so swiftly, especially considering the war had begun just hours ago—a scenario that seemed highly improbable upon reflection. So naturally, how could he not feel upset?

Moreover, this war was the beginning of his ambition to rule the world, making him even more furious at the thought.

Despite Velix's fury, Jim's expression remained calm, as if the situation did not trouble him in the slightest.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty," Jim replied briefly, with a thin, reassuring smile that left Velix a little stunned and confused.

"Don't worry? What do you mean, Jim? Did you anticipate this and have a plan to handle it?" Velix inquired, his anger gradually giving way to doubt.

Velix trusted Jim more than anyone else, even more than Rain and Natasya.

This trust stemmed from Jim's unwavering support for everything, from making crucial decisions to proposing government policies, and so on.

Hence, seeing Jim so calm and relaxed upon hearing the news of humanity's troops being suppressed on the battlefield, Velix felt a wave of calmness wash over him, and his anger diminished.

In response to Velix's question, Jim folded his arms into the sleeves of his kimono robe and chuckled slightly. "That's right, Your Majesty. This incident was within my expectations, though I didn't foresee it happening so soon."

Jim's somewhat ambiguous and puzzling answer made Velix frown. He was about to ask another question but was immediately cut off by Jim.

"Your Majesty, may I ask you a question?" Jim inquired in a casual tone.

Velix, still perplexed, nodded and replied, "Of course, go ahead."

"In the war between the Holy Empire of Elysium and the Demon Race over the past 7,000 years, how do you think we, the Holy Empire of Elysium, managed to prevail and dominate?" Jim asked, his lips curving in a faint smile.

Confused by the question, Velix narrowed his eyes and looked at Jim, wondering about the intent behind it.

However, he didn't dwell on it and responded with a confident smile, "Of course, our dominance over the Demon race for 7,000 years is due to the superior strength of the Holy Empire of Elysium."

Jim simply smiled at Velix's answer and then remarked casually, "You're correct, Your Majesty. Our sustained victory over the Demon Race for 7,000 years is indeed due to our strength."

He paused briefly, shaking his head before continuing, "However, you're also mistaken, Your Majesty. In reality, the Demon race, or more precisely, the Demon Empire, isn't as weak as you perceive. Under the leadership of the Demon Emperor, they govern the entire Demon race autonomously, without interference from any other faction or power."

"Unlike us, who contend with the Holy Orthodox as another dominant force alongside our Holy Empire of Elysium over all humanity, they, the Demon Race, are evidently stronger than us, Your Majesty."

Jim's words rendered Velix speechless. Although he wanted to deny it, he couldn't refute the undeniable truth.

In truth, his desire to wage war against the Demon Race stemmed not only from his ambition to conquer the world but also from his profound envy.

Yes, envy—specifically, envy of the Demon Race, the eternal enemy of the Holy Empire of Elysium.

He envied the Demon Race's unity and the Demon Empire's ability to rule as a single force over them, unlike mankind, which was divided into two powers—the Holy Empire of Elysium and the Holy Orthodox.

As an exceedingly ambitious emperor, this reality infuriated him because he firmly believed that mankind should be unified under a single force—the Holy Empire of Elysium.

However, he knew he could not defeat and overthrow the Holy Orthodox without first subjugating the Demon Empire and the entire Demon race.

His expression turned furious at this thought, causing him to clench his palms tightly together.

On the other hand, in the face of Velix's cold expression, Jim remained unfazed and maintained his calm demeanor, showing no signs of fear or concern.

"Furthermore, Your Majesty, the true reason behind our sustained thrumph in the 7,000-year war lies with three heroes of mankind: Spear Hero Valen, Bow Hero Luna, and Sword Hero Leon—our main assets in this ongoing era's war. However, with Sword Hero Leon fallen, we now have only two heroes supporting us against the Demon race on the battlefield," Jim explained in detail, his tone nonchalant.

He continued with a question: "So, Your Majesty, do you now understand why this situation has unfolded?"

As Jim explained, Velix's expression paled, and his body trembled slightly.

Jim's statement, though deeply unsettling and infuriating, once again left Velix unable to refute it.

'Leon...' Velix muttered, his eyes tinged with unbridled hatred.

He hadn't expected that even after Leon's death, the repercussions would continue to trouble him, intensifying his hatred for him!

Taking a deep breath to compose himself, Velix fixed Jim with a cold gaze and asked, "I understand, Jim. So, this issue stems from Leon's absence on the battlefield. However, with him deceased and Guren now assuming the role of the sword hero, can't we leverage Guren's full potential to resolve this problem?"

Jim shook his head and replied in a casual yet firm tone, "No, Your Majesty, you're mistaken. While revealing Marquis Guren's identity as a sword hero would solve the immediate problem, it's not the right solution. He is our trump card, and now is not the opportune moment to deploy him, especially with the war just beginning.

Furthermore, proceeding in this manner means we will face not only the Demon Race but also turn the Holy Orthodox into our enemies in this war.

Upon hearing this, Velix was stunned, immediately grasping the implication of Jim's words.

If Guren were to reveal his power as a sword hero and disclose his identity now, it would undoubtedly expose the truth about Leon's death to the Holy Orthodox, posing a severe threat to him and the entire Holy Empire of Elysium currently battling the Demon race.

Velix asked in a weighty and slightly irritated tone, "Then, do you have any plans or solutions regarding this matter?"

Though the issue was not yet significant, allowing it to persist could potentially lead to the defeat of the Elysium Holy Empire against the Demon Race.

Jim smiled slightly and nodded reassuringly as he replied casually, "Don't worry, Your Majesty. I have a plan and a solution for this issue."

A look of relief spread across Velix's face as he heard Jim's answer.

"Could you elaborate on your plan, Jim?" Velix inquired, taking a small breath and speaking in a softer tone.

It wasn't that he didn't trust Jim, but without hearing the details, he felt a bit uneasy.

"My plan is quite straightforward, Your Majesty; we simply need to wait," Jim replied with a slight chuckle, which surprised Velix, prompting a puzzled look.

"Wait? So you're suggesting we refrain from taking action and just wait?" Velix inquired hesitantly.

He had expected Jim's plan to be something significant, given Jim's knack for unconventional solutions. However, upon hearing this, he felt that Jim's response was out of character compared to what he knew of him.

Seeing the surprise on Velix's face, Jim continued to chuckle softly, shaking his head with a nonchalant and calm expression.

"Your Majesty, our troops were temporarily suppressed by the Demon forces due not only to the absence of Sword Hero Leon but also to their superior strategy," Jim explained, his expression cold and focused. "Though unexpected, there's no need for concern. In this war, death is an undeniable reality understood by all who have chosen to fight, so they are prepared for the consequences."

"Furthermore, the suppression of our troops did not result in significant damage; our position was only temporarily suppressed, not lost. Spear Hero Valen, Bow Hero Luna, Natasya, Rain, and Marquis Guren, leaders of this war and formidable figures, will ensure swift retaliation against the Demon race's troops, and I have full confidence in their abilities."

"As long as these five leaders remain standing, Your Majesty, there's no need for alarm. We just need to wait calmly."

As Jim finished speaking, his eyes exuded a cold and indifferent aura, sending a slight chill even through Velix.

Velix took a deep breath, closed his eyes briefly, and then nodded slightly, his expression reverting to indifference.

"Alright, Jim. I trust you."

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A/N: Ahem! I'm sorry that I updated one more chapter today because I just got off work, so I'm a little tired.

By the way, on Saturday and Sunday, I'm off and intend to write five or seven chapters for the mass update for Monday. How does that sound?
Your next chapter is on m v|l-e'm,p| y- r

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