Shut Up, Malevolent Dragon! I Don’t Want to Have Any More Children With You Vol. 3 Ch. 125

With two days remaining until the Lantern Festival, Leon and Rosvisser returned to the Lionheart Society’s clock tower, still needing a solution for the paper lanterns.

While the Society lacked a dedicated supplier, they did have contacts in the Empire’s business circles who could pull a few strings. Still, it wouldn’t be enough.

Leon’s goal was ambitious: he wanted the recorded ssages to reach every one of the Empire’s five districts, not just the central areas. Focusing only on the palace or the upper district would leave the rest of the populace in the dark, missing the chance to witness the truth behind their leaders.

The more people who learned the Empire’s secrets, the better it would be for Leon and the Lionheart Society. They needed the public’s support to challenge those in power.

With that in mind, Leon decided to seek help from Claudia. His resourceful “auntie” might just have a solution.

Rebecca had ntioned that Claudia had been spending ti at the central district’s library, so Leon and Rosvisser headed there.

As they arrived, they overheard a young paperboy nearby shouting the day’s headlines with enthusiasm:

“Central City Daily! Central City Daily!”

“Collapsed Bridge! Who’s to Bla for This Tragedy Between Districts?”

“Secret Warehouse Revealed! What Surprises Lie Inside?”

“Cri Rates Rise Ahead of the Lantern Festival! Is it Human Nature or Moral Decay?”

“Read all about it in the Central City Daily!”

“Sir, care for a copy?”

Leon ignored the boy, his focus set on finding Claudia. They entered the library, eventually spotting her by a second-floor window.

Seated by the window, her ocean-blue hair catching the sunlight, Claudia looked every bit the picture of serene elegance. She sat surrounded by thick ancient tos and a stack of newspapers.

Leon and Rosvisser approached her.

Hearing footsteps, Claudia glanced up and, after a brief pause, recognized them through their disguises.

“Nice disguises, but I still prefer Rosvisser with silver hair.”

The two took seats across from her, and Leon noted the books on her desk—mainly texts on human history and culture.

“Co to wage war already?” Claudia asked, flipping through a page.

“Almost. Two days from now, during the Lantern Festival,” Leon replied.

“Lantern Festival…” Her blue eyes twinkled as she mused, “It’s a traditional human holiday, dating back over nine hundred years. It was initially created to honor the first great mage in human history and has since evolved into a major annual festival.”

Leon raised an eyebrow. “Wow, looks like you’ve done your howork.”

Claudia tapped her temple, smiling. “Know your enemy.”

Closing her book, she looked at them. “So, the plan’s set for two days from now. Have you figured everything out?”

Leon nodded, explaining his plan to use the lanterns and recording stones to create a massive public display.

Claudia listened carefully, then remarked, “It’s a solid plan, but with only two days left, will you have enough lanterns and stones?”

“That’s actually why we’re here. We’ve gathered enough recording stones, but we’re short on lanterns.”

With a sly smile, Claudia teased, “And what do you expect to do? I don’t exactly look like a lantern maker, do I?”

Leon laughed. “But you did offer to help , and this counts as part of the operation, right? You can’t just be muscle; you have to help with logistics too.”

“Oh, you cheeky brat! When I agreed to help, it was to take on the Empire—not to go lantern shopping.”

“Then, Auntie—”

“I’m raising the stakes.”

“Raising the stakes?”

Claudia nodded. “Originally, the deal was that I’d help if Helena could visit your daughters. But now, if I’m also going to assist with gathering lanterns, I’ll need an extra incentive.”

“Na it,” Leon said, grinning. He knew Claudia well enough by now to see where this was going.

Satisfied, Claudia leaned forward, gesturing for them to co closer. As they leaned in, she whispered her request.

When she finished, Leon and Rosvisser exchanged looks, their expressions a mix of surprise and confusion.

“That’s… quite unexpected,” Leon managed.

“What? Is there a problem?”

“No, not really… We just didn’t expect you’d be interested in that sort of thing.”

Claudia crossed her arms, replying coolly, “It’s Helena. She seems to have taken a liking to it. So, what do you say?”

“Alright, no problem. We’ll take care of it after this is all over.”

“Good.”

Leon cleared his throat. “Now, could we ask for your advice about the lanterns?”

Claudia nodded. “You’re on the right track trying to find suppliers. But lantern vendors are scattered throughout the Empire, so collecting a significant quantity quickly is difficult.”

“For the Lantern Festival, the royal family actually built a special warehouse stocked with thousands of lanterns, enough to light up every district. All you have to do is get into the warehouse, insert the recording stones into the lanterns, and hide them with illusion magic. Then, on the festival day, the images from the stones will be broadcast all over the Empire.”

Leon blinked, montarily stunned.

“What’s wrong? Didn’t follow?”

“No, no. Just…” Leon scratched his head. “If there’s really a warehouse, how co Rebecca and Nacho, who’ve been operating here for years, didn’t know about it?”

Claudia had been in the Empire for less than a week, yet she was aware of the lantern warehouse. anwhile, Rebecca and Nacho, who had been active in the Empire for five years, had never even ntioned it.

Leon felt at a loss.

Claudia picked up the stack of newspapers and waved it at him.

“Because it was only announced this morning. The Empire set up the warehouse this year as part of a publicity stunt for the festival. It’s all written here in detail.”

“Wait, what?”

“Leon, your mistake—and that of the entire Lionheart Society—is in assuming that you need to go to extre lengths to gather intelligence.”

Claudia explained patiently, “In so cases, the most crucial information hides in the most ordinary places.”

Leon absorbed her words, reflecting on what she’d said. He suddenly recalled the paperboy’s cries outside the library:

“Central City Daily! Central City Daily!”

“Collapsed Bridge! Who’s to Bla for This Tragedy Between Districts?”

“Secret Warehouse Revealed! What Surprises Lie Inside?”

It turned out… the warehouse he’d been so desperately seeking was right there in the headlines.

And he’d brushed it off because it sounded like tabloid nonsense!

Wait—!

This really *was* a tabloid headline!

How could anyone expect him to buy a paper with a headline about “missing cattle”?

This was all because of that silly newsboy—

“Ouch!”

Leon felt a sudden tap on his forehead.

It was Claudia, rolling up the newspaper and giving him a little smack, like an elder scolding a clueless youngster.

Rosvisser stifled a laugh—until she, too, received a tap.

The couple rubbed their foreheads, wearing matching expressions of mock indignation.

“When you’re reaching for the stars,” Claudia advised, “rember to keep an eye out for the puddles at your feet.”

A thought-provoking line.

Leon was so focused on his big mission—revealing the Empire’s corruption, fighting for justice—that he hadn’t even taken the ti to read a newspaper.

And sotis, the smallest details held the key to everything.

“Well, I didn’t an to turn this into a life lesson,” Claudia continued with a smile. “Consider it friendly advice. It might help in the future.”

The couple nodded in appreciation.

“Good. And… don’t forget our little arrangent once this is over,” Claudia reminded them.

“Don’t worry, Auntie. We, the lkvey family, keep our promises!”