Conquering The Novel



As the vice dean left the room, Ares led the remaining members of the team towards the stage. However, Diana called out to him just as they were about to leave.

"Ares, can I speak with you for a moment?" she asked.

Ares turned to her, slightly confused. "Sure," he said, and then glanced at Erina who nodded in understanding.

"...We'll wait for you near the stage," she said, leading the rest of the team ahead.

Ziona gave them a long look before following behind Erina.

Diana then looked at the remaining non-participating member, silently indicating for them to leave as well.

"...."

They all nodded understandingly respecting Diana's request for privacy and began to exit.

"Tsk," Ayla clicked her tongue in annoyance before giving Diana a scathing stare and exiting the room as well. Soon, the whole room was empty except for Livia, who hurriedly grabbed Ares's arm possessively. Diana seemed unfazed by this.

"Is everything okay, Diana?" Ares asked curiously.

"...The thing is, I'm leaving for my kingdom right away. There seems to be an emergency as my brother has abruptly begun to make his moves," Diana informed them.

Ares knew exactly what she meant. 'Of course, he'll make his move now, as the master he serves has been unsealed,' he thought to himself. He knew that the demon disguised as Diana's brother was one of Demon Lord Asmodeus's servants.

Ares contemplated, 'His first move would be to eliminate the Elven Empress, who happens to be Diana's mother, and then he will come after Diana to take control of the entire kingdom,' he mused.

"I'm sorry that I won't be able to watch you in the final," Diana apologized. "But I have faith that you will win for sure," she added with a smile.

Livia interjected irritably, "Just leave already. He doesn't need you because I'll always be here to cheer him up," she said with a grin.

Diana chuckled and responded, "Yes, I know that you'll always be there for him, so I won't worry too much about him. Please cheer for him on my behalf as well." She smiled at Livia before turning to Ares, who seemed lost in thought.

"...."

"Is something bothering you, my love?" Diana asked with a blush, placing her hands on her face. "Are you perhaps sad to part ways with me? If so, I can spend some time with you before leaving."

Livia's face twisted in displeasure when she heard Diana's offer to spend more time with Ares.

"There is indeed something that's been bothering me, Diana," Ares spoke up at last. "It has to do with your brother," he added.

Diana looked puzzled. "Oh, are you worried that he will harm me? Don't worry, I can handle him. I will make sure he comes to his senses soon," she replied with a reassuring smile.

"No, it's not about that," Ares spoke, pausing for a moment as he considered how much information he could reveal without causing any potential backlash.

Diana looked at him with curiosity, waiting for him to continue.

"...This information is confidential, but I believe it could be helpful for you to know. Recently, two more Demon Lords have been unsealed simultaneously," he added, making eye contact with Diana.

Diana and Livia were both shocked at Ares' sudden revelation. However, Diana had already been aware of this information, and her mind raced as she tried to understand why Ares was bringing it up now.

"Are you suggesting that my brother's recent behavior is related to the release of these demon lords?" she asked, hoping for more clarity.

Ares just smiled, but his expression held a seriousness that made Diana uneasy. "It's possible," he said. "I urge you to deal with him quickly and ensure the safety of your family."

Diana couldn't shake off the uneasy feeling that Ares' cryptic message left her with. She knew he wasn't the type to joke about matters like this.

As she tried to make sense of the situation, a sudden realization dawned on her. 'Could my brother be one of the followers of these newly released demon lords?' she wondered. 'Or worse, could he be possessed by one of their servants?' She couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled in her chest.

As she thought back on her brother's recent behavior, she realized that he had distanced himself from their family and become increasingly rebellious, which was unlike him.

Gulp—

Diana's mind raced with possibilities and she couldn't help but gulp nervously. "...I-If that's the case, how was the demon able to hide amongst us for so long without being detected by my mother, the empress?" Diana wondered aloud.

The pieces were starting to fall into place, and Diana knew she had to act quickly before it was too late.

Ares looked at Diana's changed expression with a satisfied grin. 'She's smarter than I thought,' he thought to himself.

However, Livia interrupted the moment with her crude remark. "Your brother is a rotten potato, that's what my Ares meant. Just get lost already and deal with him," Livia spoke up suddenly, shooing Diana to go.

Diana quickly snapped out of her thoughts at Livia's remark. "Y-Yes, I should leave now before something bad happens," she replied with worry etched on her face.

She was aware of her mother's strength, but with the newly released demon lords, her safety was now at risk. If her assumptions were correct and there was indeed a demon impersonating her brother, then he could already be scheming to seize the throne.

Diana leaned in and planted a quick kiss on Ares' lips before embracing him tightly. "Thank you so much for this information. It means a lot to me, my love. Please take care of yourself while I'm away."

Ares hugged her back with his left hand while Livia clung to his right. "Don't hesitate to deal with him and keep me informed of the situation. I'll be here if you need me," he said reassuringly.

Diana smiled as she heard his words, feeling grateful that she had someone like Ares to rely on in times of crisis. She broke the hug but kept her hands around his neck, gazing affectionately into his eyes, "I'll keep you updated, my love," she said before leaning in for another kiss.

However, a sudden pain shot through Diana's palm, causing her to release her grip on Ares.

!?

"O-Ouch! What the hell?" Diana cried out in agony, clutching her hand, which had been impaled by a sharp shard of ice.

Livia, who had been standing next to them, sneered, "Don't you dare ignore me! How dare you kiss him in front of me?"

Diana pulled the ice shard from her palm and quickly downed a low-level healing potion to alleviate the pain.

"Oops, I'm sorry. I forgot you were here. It was in the heat of the moment. But let's not forget, you were the one who kissed him first in front of me after that match, acting as if I wouldn't notice because of that invisible potion you were using.

You're lucky no cameras caught you because the match had already ended, or the entire world would have seen the shameful behavior of a princess from the Kingdom of Demetria," Diana retorted, her voice laced with annoyance.

Livia's face contorted with anger. "I don't care what others think, and don't think I don't know that you also kissed him on that... date," Livia added.

"Oh, so you were spying on us? You see, Ares, she's a stalker who keeps her eyes on you all the time, no matter what you do. How creepy," Diana spoke shamelessly in a sarcastic tone, adding a touch of drama to her words.

!!

Livia was left speechless, realizing that she had been outmaneuvered by Diana. She slowly turned to Ares, "It's not what it sounds like, Ares. I-I was just concerned about your safety," Livia stammered, trying to explain herself.

Ares just smiled at her explanation before turning to Diana, who had a satisfied grin on her face as she observed Livia's reaction. "Don't you think it's time for you to leave, Diana?" Ares asked.

Diana flashed a grin. "Yup, I'm going to leave now. My transport has arrived," she checked her phone briefly. "Bye, my love. I'll see you soon."

Just as she was about to turn and leave, Diana suddenly stopped in her tracks. "Hey, Livia," she said, turning back to face her. "...Please don't trouble him too much and take good care of him while I'm away."

Livia's expression turned into a scowl. "Shut it, you dumb potato! You don't have to tell me that. I am perfectly capable of taking care of my Ares and will never cause him any trouble," she replied, her tone sharp with annoyance.

Diana smiled and nodded before leaving the meeting room, leaving Ares and Livia alone.

"...."

Ares broke the silence, "...Livia, there's no need to stalk me. You don't have to worry about spending time with me because I'll take you out on a date when the situation with these Demon Lords has settled," he said, offering a smile.

Livia's face turned red with embarrassment. "I-I'm sorry for stalking you, Ares. I promise I won't do it again," she apologized.

"I don't know why you took it upon yourself to take down the Demon Lords, but I will help too," she added, her determination showing in her voice.

Ares smiled warmly at Livia. "I would really appreciate your help, but for now, my beautiful Livia, I think you should focus on getting stronger," he said, gently holding her chin and drawing her gaze to his.

Livia's heart raced as she looked into his eyes. "Y-yes, I will do my best!" she replied, blushing at the attention he was giving her.

"I know you will," Ares said, leaning forward to kiss her. Their lips met in a soft, tender embrace, and Livia's heart skipped a beat. She wrapped her arms around Ares, feeling safe and loved in his embrace.