My Love Debts Are Everywhere!-Chapter 581: A Prophecy Shrouded in Interests

"I'm sorry, Zelda. I can't do that."

The words struck her like a sword to the chest. Zelda stared at Leon, astonished and confused.

"W-Why are you rejecting me? Am I not attractive to you?" She asked, biting her lower lip.

Though she wasn't an arrogant woman, Zelda had always been confident in her appearance.

It was no exaggeration to call her the most beautiful among the Elves—many Elven men had long been enamored with her.

Yet now, Leon—someone she believed would accept her—had rejected her without hesitation.

The shock left her wondering if something was wrong with the beauty she had always taken pride in.

Seeing her heartbroken and disheartened expression, Leon didn't know whether to laugh or feel sorry for her.

He understood that his rejection had probably bruised her pride.

After all, she was a beautiful woman—and this was likely the first time she'd been turned down so bluntly by a man.

Still, Leon stood by his decision. Zelda was a good woman, but Leon wasn't the kind of man to act on impulse in a difficult situation.

That kind of behavior, to him, was no different from the sleazy men in the erotic comics of his previous world. freёnovelkiss.com

Though he had many partners, Leon lived by his own principles.

He reached out and gently patted her head—just like how he used to comfort that smelly girl, Fiona.

"Don't get me wrong. It's not that you're unattractive or anything like that. In fact, you're incredibly beautiful and charming. Honestly, I was even tempted and intrigued by your offer," Leon said sincerely.

Zelda's face flushed red, as if steam were rising from her head.

The compliment itself wasn't new—she had heard it many times from Elven men enamored with her.

But for some reason, hearing it from Leon made her so flustered she didn't know how to respond.

"But I'm guessing there's a reason behind your request, isn't there?" Leon gazed into Zelda's beautiful green eyes.

Zelda fell silent for a moment, then let out a soft sigh. A faint, wry smile tugged at her lips as she spoke. "Elina was right. You really are a kind and perceptive man, Leon. You rejected me without hesitation, yet still noticed I was hiding something."

Leon chuckled and leaned back in his chair. "Well, I don't mean to brag, but I'm pretty good at reading situations. Besides, we just met. It wouldn't make sense for you to ask something like that so suddenly. Especially when Elina once told me you're a very traditional woman."

He added with a knowing smirk, "And wouldn't it be odd if someone so conservative suddenly made a request that only makes sense between husband and wife?"

With his words laid bare, it was impossible for Zelda to keep pretending or press the matter any further. She quietly stepped back and bowed her head.

"I'm sorry, Leon. I must have disgusted you... made you hate me. Please believe me—I acted on my own, not on behalf of the Elven race. If you want to hate or punish someone, let it be me. Don't blame the Elves," she said softly, her voice filled with sadness and regret.

Her fingers clenched tightly, a clear sign of her anxiety and fear.

Leon let out a quiet sigh. Then he stood and walked toward her.

Sensing his approach, Zelda shut her eyes, bracing herself for whatever punishment he might deliver.

But instead, Leon gently took her hand and helped her to her feet.

"Raise your head," he said. "You are the Elven Queen—a woman of dignity and honor. Even in front of me, it's not right for you to bow your head."

Zelda's eyes widened. She stared at Leon, stunned by the kindness and sincerity reflected in his smile.

A wave of warmth and embarrassment washed over her, leaving her at a loss for words.

Leon noticed her reaction and broke the silence before it grew heavy.

"If you don't mind, tell me the real reason behind your request earlier. Don't worry—I'll help you."

As he spoke, he gently guided her to sit at the edge of the bed.

Instead of returning to the chair, Leon chose to sit beside her, facing her directly.

His eyes remained fixed on her, full of calm and patience, silently assuring her that he was ready to listen—no matter what she had to say.

Zelda bit her lower lip and spoke softly, "Actually, I'm doing this because the Elven elders insisted... and because of a prophecy tied to our race."

"The Elven elders' insistence? And a prophecy?" Leon blinked, clearly taken aback.

Zelda nodded slowly. "There's an ancient prophecy left behind by the fifth Elven Queen. It states that the Elven Queen living during the time of the Fated One's appearance must marry him and bear his children."

"If that happens, our race will be blessed by the gods and prosper for millennia. But if it doesn't... chaos and ruin will descend upon us."

She paused, then lowered her gaze. A faint blush colored her cheeks as she added in a hushed voice, "That's why the elders—who had already learned of your arrival—asked me to bear your child as soon as possible… to fulfill the prophecy."

Leon fell silent, taking a moment to absorb what he had just heard.

"A prophecy, huh?" He muttered, narrowing his eyes.

Unlike Zelda and the other Elves, who saw the prophecy as divine guidance, Leon viewed it through a different lens—one grounded in reality.

To him, it wasn't merely a spiritual message or a sacred mandate—it reeked of political maneuvering, cloaked in the guise of divine will.

Just imagine—if he and Zelda had a child, a blood and emotional bond would form between him and the Elven race.

Such a connection would make it nearly impossible for them to be separated.

Any race that established a blood relationship with him would gain benefits that no other race could have.

Take the Dragon race, for example. Thanks to his bond with Athena, he and the Dragon race would never be apart. Leon understood this fully, yet he didn't mind it.

After all, Athena loved him sincerely—even before she knew he was the Fated One.

If the Dragon race were ever in danger, Leon would be the first to protect them.

It wasn't just because they were his wife's kin, but also because the Dragon race had shown him immense kindness—especially the Dragon ancestor.

Without that ancestor's aid, his power wouldn't have grown so rapidly.

In fact, he now carried half-dragon blood. It could be said that he was part of the Dragon race.

But what about the Elven race?

He had just arrived, and his emotional bond with them was still shallow.

Even with Elina, their relationship was no more than friendship.

A knowing smile curved on his lips as he shook his head and sighed softly.

"Sure enough, the older you get, the more cunning you become..."