"What? Only three books!?"


    Leon was rendered speechless upon seeing the three tomes on his desk.


    He had expected Lyra to bring a multitude of books, but the reality of only three caused his happiness to crumble.


    Quickly, he turned his gaze to Lyra behind him and inquired, "Lyra, why are there only three books? Aren''t there supposed to be numerous books rted to poisons in the outer pce library?"


    Leon''s tone carried a hint of disappointment, but itcked any trace of anger.


    He was aware that Lyra was not a careless person, and he was certain that there must be a reason behind it.


    Upon hearing Leon''s question, Lyra, maintaining herposed demeanor, replied, "Indeed, the outer pce library has numerous books on poisons, Your Majesty Leon."


    "However, the majority of them may no longer be useful to you, as the content and information about the poisons contained within are likely simr to the books you''ve previously read."


    Leon''s disappointment gradually dissipated with Lyra''s reasonable exnation.


    Come to think of it, it does make sense that Lyra wouldn''t bring books simr to those found in the inner pce library.


    Given that he had already gone through almost all the books on poison from the inner pce library, rereading them would only result in wasting both time and energy.


    "Then, these three books..." Leon nced at the three tomes on his desk, his expression a mix of confusion and curiosity.


    Lyra didn''t immediately respond to Leon''s question. Instead, she approached his side and regarded the three books with a respectful gaze.


    "Your Majesty Leon, do not underestimate these three books. They are exceedingly valuable, containingprehensive details on all the poisons in the world from every era," Lyra stated in a serious tone, turning her gaze towards Leon.


    Her typically indifferent and t facial expression now bore a serious demeanor after she uttered those words.


    Upon hearing her statement, Leon was taken aback and regarded the three tomes before him with deep scrutiny.


    He harbored no doubts about Lyra''s words, as there was no motive for her to deceive him.


    Furthermore, witnessing Lyra adopt such a serious expression, contrasting her usual indifference, further strengthened his belief in her words.


    "If your words hold true, then these books would fall into the category of forbidden books, correct?" Leon pondered for a moment before voicing his query with a hint of hesitation.


    Forbidden books are typically prohibited from being read without permission from the highest authority.


    Within the libraries of the Elysium Holy Empire Pce and the Holy Orthodox Hall, numerous books fell under the category of forbidden books, often safeguarded by powerful magical arrays.


    As a hero, he naturally enjoyed special privileges, which granted him ess to all the books within both libraries, even the heavily guarded forbidden books.


    However, ess to the forbidden books still required permission from the highest authority, such as Velix in the Library of the Elysium Holy Empire Pce or Arshley in the Library of Holy Orthodoxy Hall.


    Certainly, despite his privileged ess to the forbidden books in the libraries of the Elysium Holy Empire Pce and the Holy Orthodox Hall, there were certain forbidden books that he was strictly prohibited from essing.


    Therefore, upon hearing Lyra''s words, Leon felt a twinge of apprehension, realizing that these three books likely fell into the category of forbidden books.


    Lyra was slightly surprised by Leon''s correct guess and gave a small nod.


    "You''re correct, Your Majesty Leon. These three tomes are indeed forbidden books," she replied tly and casually, showing no particr concern about their forbidden status.


    Upon hearing this, Leon couldn''t help but take a deep breath, feeling a shiver run down his spine.


    If he were caught reading these books, would he end up facing another beating from Liliana? MVLEmPyR-your-story-source


    Given that Liliana held the highest authority, essing forbidden books required her permission.


    As if sensing Leon''s anxiety, Lyra offered a reassuring smile and continued in a soothing tone, "Don''t worry, Your Majesty Leon. As the archdemon and personal maid of Her Majesty the Demon Emperor, I wield considerable authority."


    Lyra''s words brought both relief andfort to Leon.


    While Leon was aware of Lyra''s high status as Liliana''s personal maid, he remained uncertain about the extent of authority she wielded.


    However, with her ability to ess and retrieve forbidden category books from the library, it seemed like the saying "to stand under one person and sit on ten thousand" suited her perfectly.


    "I''m truly grateful, Lyra. Your efforts in bringing forth such forbidden books are beyond my expectations," Leon expressed with a sincere and gentle smile.


    Without Lyra''s assistance, he knew he would face significant challenges in regaining his strength in the future.


    "You''re wee, Your Majesty Leon. Assisting you is my duty," Lyra replied respectfully, shaking her head.


    Leon smiled, nodding slightly, before his gaze returned to the three tomes with excitement.


    "Hmm? What''s this?" Suddenly, Leon''s attention was caught by a small inscription atop one of the books, partially obscured by dust.


    Fueled by curiosity, he brushed away the dust and discovered a name etched on the cover.


    As he leaned in to read it, Leon''s expression froze instantly.


    "Jared... Crimson?"


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the throne room of the Elysium Holy Empire Pce, Velix sat on his throne in silence, his eyes slightly closed.


    Despite his apparent stillness, a majestic and powerful aura radiated from his body, imbuing the throne room with palpable tension.


    In front of him stood four figures, each exuding their own distinctive aura.


    The four were Jim, Natasya, Rain, and another striking figure—a handsome man with golden blonde hair and green eyes, none other than Guren.


    They stood in silence, each of them seemingly waiting for Velix, seated on the throne, tomence.


    After a brief moment, Velix, who had kept his eyes closed, gradually opened them, causing the tension in the throne room to dissipate.


    His gaze, indifferent yetposed, swept over the four individuals before him.


    "Are the war preparations finalized?"