My Love Debts Are Everywhere!

Since the destruction of the Forest of Eternal Silence by the Evil God's consciousness, the land had been reduced to a silent expanse of sand.

However, thanks to the efforts of the elves—and with Astra's help—the trees had slowly begun to grow back.

Of course, the growth was still far from enough to fully restore the forest. Even so, the recovery had already reached ten percent, which was an impressive result.

After all, it had only been ten days since the battle between Leon and the Evil God's consciousness, and to achieve this much in such a short time was remarkable.

At this pace, the Forest of Eternal Silence could return to its former glory within three months, just as Astra had promised.

Leon walked leisurely among the newly planted trees, his gaze filled with quiet satisfaction.

Then, his thoughts drifted to Elina, and a flicker of guilt stirred in his chest.

"That girl won't be mad… right?" he asked himself with a long sigh.

He had promised to take Elina with him on his journey—but in truth, he'd lied.

He knew breaking a promise was cowardly, and this was the first time he'd done it so directly. It left a bitter taste of shame.

Still, he had no choice. If she had come along, her life might have been at risk.

As he reminded himself of the reason behind his lie, the guilt began to fade, and a smile returned to his face.

"Alright, let's put that aside for now," Leon said, eyes fixed on the distant horizon. "It's time to explore the other side of the world… and uncover the secrets waiting there."

Coincidentally, Leon had never ventured beyond the territories of the demon race or mankind. He had always wondered what lay on the other side of the continent.

Now, he finally had the chance—and he couldn't wait to find out.

*Whoosh!*

Holy power burst from his body. Just as he bent his knees, ready to dash out of the Forest of Eternal Silence, the sound of hurried footsteps rang out from behind him.

Startled, he turned—and was shocked to see the last person he expected: Elina.

"Elina?" Leon froze, staring at her in disbelief.

"Hah... Hah..." Elina was panting heavily as she ran up to him.

When she saw that he hadn't left yet, a wave of relief washed over her. But almost instantly, her expression shifted to anger, her chubby cheeks puffed out as she stomped to a stop beside him.

"Young Master, you're so cruel! You broke our promise!" She snapped, glaring at him.

Leon winced at her words, his expression twisting with guilt. But confusion quickly overtook his embarrassment.

"No, wait," he said seriously, scanning her from head to toe. "How did you get here? Didn't Zelda lock you in your room?"

He clearly remembered how furious Zelda had been when he mentioned Elina's wish to leave. She had even vowed to lock the girl in her room until he was long gone.

So why was Elina here now?

Did Zelda make a mistake? Or... did she allow Elina to go?

But knowing Zelda's nature—strict, unyielding, and extremely protective—it was hard to believe she'd ever agree to such a thing.

"Hehehe..." Elina flashed a proud smile. "You underestimate me too much, Young Master. Did you know I have a thousand ways to sneak out of Elven territory? I even built a secret passage in my room! That's how I used to sneak into human lands."

Leon was speechless. He hadn't expected her to be this clever—or this cunning. After a brief pause, he let out a small sigh and gently patted her head.

"I see... But Elina, go back to Elven territory. The outside world is dangerous—even I can't always guarantee your safety," he said softly.

But Elina shook her head firmly and replied with stubborn determination, "No. I'm not going back. I want to go with you, Young Master!"

She crossed her arms in front of her chest, puffed out her cheeks, and huffed. "You made a promise to me—and you broke it. Aren't you worried your name will be tarnished in the history books?"

"Besides, I've had enough of life in Elven territory. That place doesn't feel like home anymore. Out here... this is where I belong. So please, Young Master…"

She stepped closer and hugged him tightly, clinging to him like a baby koala.

"Take me with you, okay? Trying to send me back would be pointless. No matter where you go, I'll follow."

Leon's lips twitched slightly. He finally understood—there was no way he could send Elina back now. For better or worse, she had made her decision.

If he pushed her too hard, it could backfire. This stubborn girl just might venture into the outside world on her own to find him.

And if that happened, Leon would be the one to blame.

What he didn't realize was that his fears would eventually come true if he tried to send Elina back. She was the kind of girl who would chase after him—no matter where he went.

Unfortunately, should that happen, a terrible misfortune would befall her… and it would become the greatest regret of Leon's life.

But that was a story for another time.

"Alright, I understand," Leon said softly. He gently pinched Elina's chubby cheeks and added with a mildly threatening tone, "I'll take you with me—but don't do anything reckless or dangerous. If you disobey, I'll leave you behind."

To his surprise, Elina didn't get angry. Instead, she beamed with joy. She knew full well that even if she did something reckless, Leon would come to her rescue—no matter what. After all, he had a kind heart.

Even so, Elina had no intention of causing him trouble. Without hesitation, she nodded.

"I promise, Young Master!" she said cheerfully.

"Good." Leon nodded in satisfaction and patted her head. "Then let's go."

Suddenly, he lifted her into a princess carry, catching her completely off guard.

Before she could react, holy power surged from Leon's body—and in a flash of white light, the two of them darted into the distance like a streak across the sky.

...

"Elina, are you in there?"

Zelda knocked gently on the door to Elina's room and waited in silence.

But to her surprise, there was no response. That alone was enough to raise her suspicions.

Without hesitation, she opened the door and dispelled the magic barrier protecting the room.

The moment she stepped inside, her eyes widened in shock—Elina was gone.

"Hmm? Where did she go?" she muttered.

Her gaze landed on a piece of paper on the desk. She quickly walked over and picked it up.

The moment her eyes scanned the contents, her expression darkened.

"This girl..." she murmured, gripping the note tightly.

Then, as if already anticipating it, she knelt slightly and peered under the bed.

A faint sigh escaped her lips, and she gave a small shake of her head, a helpless look in her eyes.

"Sigh… Let's just hope she doesn't cause trouble for Leon. That's all I can hope for now."