Chapter 597: Big Bird

Leon threw a glance over at Duna, who showed a rare expression of surprise before his lips curved into a smile. 

"What do you think?"

"Just answer the question, dammit. I don't want to play these guessing games!" Duna snorted impatiently. 

Leon's playful smile quickly turned into a wry one, thinking that it was rich of Duna to say such a thing. 

'It's usually the women that force the men into these guessing games... Yet, when the tables are turned, they quickly become unhappy, huh? Haiz... the double standards.' Leon silently lamented. 

Duna narrowed her eyes before asking with a sharp glint, "You're thinking about something rude, aren't you?"

"Ahem, not at all." Leon coughed before saying, "I was just thinking about how beautiful you are." 

"Huh?"

Duna was stunned by the unexpected response before averting her eyes with a cold snort, "Was that supposed to make me happy? Idiot." 

"Take it however you see you it." Leon chuckled slightly before feeling someone's gaze on him. 

Turning to the side, Leon quickly noticed that Aria had unwittingly ended her cultivation session to give him a hard look, "Hmmm..."

"Hmm...?" 

"Hmmm...!" Aria hummed more forcefully with a pouting expression. 

"Oh!"

A lightbulb lit up in Leon's head before he spoke with a smile, "Of course, Aria is also very beautiful." 

After receiving her desired compliment, Aria nodded with satisfaction before resuming her cultivation. 

Leon heaved a silent sigh of relief, thinking Aria was relatively docile and for not nitpicking at his sincerity. 

"What about me?" Lilith asked with expectations, causing Leon to not know whether to laugh or cry.

'Why do you want to hear my opinion too? Aren't you just causing trouble for me?' Leon thought. 

Shortly after, Leon put on an awkward expression while scratching his cheeks wryly, "Well... I guess Lilith is also pretty." 

"Che! So insincere!" Lilith immediately snorted, obviously unsatisfied with his response. 

Suddenly, the flight's stability was disturbed slightly before regaining its calm—but Leon quickly discovered that Soft Feather was also expectant for a compliment. 

Sure enough, Soft Feather spoke in the next moment, "What about me?"

"You're a damn bird! Why do you also want to hear my opinion as well?!" Leon said with an exasperated expression. 

"Huh? You got a problem with birds?"

"Huh? You got a problem with birds?"

Soft Feather and Lilith spoke in unison, causing Leon to be mildly stunned before feeling a headache, recalling that Lilith also had bird lineage. 

"Ahem, not at all. I love birds. Why wouldn't I? I also have a big bird down there myself." Leon chuckled wryly before he suddenly paused with a frown. 

That did not sound right. No, it sounded very wrong!

A pink blush was quickly seen on everyone's cheeks before they turned away to hide it. Why are they turning away? He should be the one embarrassed!

"No, what I meant was...Haiz, forget it." Leon shook his head with a sigh. The more he tried to explain himself, the worse it will be.

"Ahem! Didn't you ask if I made an artificial demon core?" Leon coughed, turning to Duna with a change of topic. 

The disgusted look on Duna's face immediately shot straight through his heart, causing Leon to suffer critical damage before his lips twitched. 

Nevertheless, he persevered and continued to speak, "You can say that it is an artificial demon core, or you can simply call it a demon stone. It's just the crystallization of pure Demonic Energy."

The Demonic Energy reserve inside Leon's Black Vortex Space was quickly expended to produce another three demon stones, giving him a total of four before he slotted them into the empty sockets in each corner of the portable teleportation array. 

Once the rotating pads were aligned correctly, the portable teleportation array immediately activated, opening a spatial rift that connected to the teleportation array back in the Capital. 

"Well, I'll be off for a short while," Leon stated with a light smile, feeling a bit embarrassed to stay and face the ladies. 

However, Duna stood up and said, "I'm coming too." 

"Oh, oh! Me too! I want to experience the spatial travel!"

Lilith's eyes lit up with interest before Leon shot her down with a clear statement, "Who's going to direct Soft Feather where to go if you leave with me? Be good and will stay back."

"Oh..." 

Lilith's mood dampened with a downcast expression like a deflated balloon.

"Maybe next time."

Leon patted her on the head with a light smile before hugging Duna and leaping into the spatial rift, disappearing together.

...

Crawford Empire, Old Capital.

On the outskirts of the city, a massive group of 600-thousands elves and humans trekked on foot, passing the old heart of the Crawford Empire.

Initially, they numbered roughly 500-thousands elves and humans. But after passing through a few cities on the way, absorbing their population into the group, their numbers soared to 600-thousands. 

"Let us pitch camp and take a break here. We will resume in half a day after restocking supplies for the journey to the Grassland Region." Elizabeth ordered, intending to pay a visit to the Royal Palace and get an update on the Old Capital's current situation. 

"Yes, Your Majesty." The surrounding elves and humans answered. 

Princess Thessalia, Faelyn, and the Elders spread their words amongst the elves and humans before they came to a stop, followed by expanding onto the spacious fields with their camping supplies.

Elizabeth turned to Darlene, "Come with me, Darlene."

"Y-Yes, Your Majesty."

Darlene responded nervously before Elizabeth grabbed her hands with a warm smile, "You're not like the other people around here. It's fine to just call me mom or mother."

"Yes, Mother." 

"Oh-ho, you learn quickly," Elizabeth commented with a slight chuckle, causing Darlene to lower her head shyly. 

"Elders, you can arrange for small groups to accompany you in touring the Capital while we are here. However, don't take too long." 

"Thank you, Your Majesty." 

The Elders of the Elven Tribe saluted with a slight bow before casting their curious gazes onto the Capital in the distance.