Conquering The Novel

Clap—

"So, how do you think we should handle this, Livia? As you have heard, Ares has feelings for both of us, right? I know his feelings toward us are not that of love. So, I propose we both get equal time with him and see who can make him fall in love with them first before the other competition arrives, ok?" Diana suggested excitedly.

!!

Hearing her, Livia kept quiet for a moment, her mind raced with questions and doubts about her chances with Ares. 'How many other women did he have feelings for? Is there someone he is already in love with? Could I really compete with them to make him mine and mine alone?' She lost herself in thought, wondering if she can become strong and capable enough to win his heart.

But then she shook her head, as if clearing away the doubts that plagued her. "I won't know until I try," Livia whispered to herself, determination filling her voice. She turned to face Diana, who was waiting for her response.

"...Alright," Livia said, her eyes meeting Diana's with a dangerous glint. "If that's the game we're playing, then it's fine. But let me warn you, you foolish potato. If anyone dares to get in my way, I won't hesitate to take drastic measures. Ares is mine, and I'll do whatever it takes to keep him by my side."

Livia's voice was firm and menacing, her words dripping with a clear threat. She wasn't going to let anyone, especially not Diana, come between her and Ares. The mere thought of losing him to another woman was unbearable, and she was willing to take extreme measures to keep him by her side.

'Ares is mine...and mine alone! I deserve him, and I'll do whatever it takes to prove it,' she repeated the same thing again inwardly, her expression hardening even further.

"....."

"Good!" Diana said with a grin unfazed, nodding. "What are your thoughts, Ares? And if you don't mind me asking, can you tell us if there are other women you have feelings for?" Diana asked with a smile, and Livia turned to him as well with a curious expression. She wants to know how many others are vying for his affection and whom she needs to worry about.

Ares, meanwhile, looked between the two women, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Well, this is unexpected," Ares chuckled. "I never knew Diana was this quick-witted." He paused and turned his gaze to Diana. "If you really want to be by my side Diana, why don't you start by telling us the truth about why you acted like a dumb potato all this time," he asked with a grin as he was genuinely curious about her situation.

Diana's smile faltered as she heard his words.

Livia nodded with a similar grin. "Yes, please enlighten us, not-so-dumb-potato."

Diana's expression suddenly turned uneasy under Ares and Livia's gazes. "The truth is, I can't say much," she started, hesitating for a moment before continuing. "However, one of the reasons was because... I'm actually a chosen one and I have to keep a low profile due to my constellation's identity. It's a complicated situation, and I wish I could tell you more, but I'm bound by certain restrictions," Diana said, pausing for a moment as she looked at both Ares and Livia.

However, as she saw Ares' blank expression, Diana's heart sank, realizing that the truth was far more complicated than what she could convey in just a few words. "I-I know this must sound like an excuse. But please trust me, It's not that I don't want to tell you, Ares, but I just can't. All I can say is that it was to protect myself from my brother," she said, looking directly at Ares with a pleading expression.

"...."

And there was a brief pause after that as no one spoke for a moment.

'W-What should I do now? What if my love thinks I am lying to him? Should I tell him the truth? B-But if I do, his life will be in danger too,' Diana's mind raced anxiously as she bit her nails.

Diana knew that her situation was complicated, more akin to a backstory from an anime than real life, and that it would be difficult to convince Ares to trust her. She wanted nothing more than to confide in Ares, but the consequences could be dire. She hoped he would understand her situation and not push her to reveal more than she could.

!?

Livia raised an eyebrow, skeptical of Diana's explanation. "That's it? You were pretending to be Dumb because you're a chosen one and because of some power struggle with your brother? I'm not buying it," Livia scoffed, clearly unconvinced by Diana's two different answers. 'Only a stupid potato will buy that!' She thought.

"I understand," Ares said, taking Diana's hand in his, fully comprehending her situation just from her mention of being a chosen one. "Whatever happens, I'll be here for you," he added with a gentle smile, reassuring her of his unwavering support.

!?

In the novel, Diana's sudden character development occurred after the academy arc. It was only after she revealed her true strength using her constellation's ability and defeated her imposter brother, who turned out to be a demon in disguise.

Ares mused, 'It seems that her behavior wasn't the result of character development, but rather her decision to stop pretending?'

As he connected the dots, Ares also recalled the challenges that often accompanied Diana's connection to the constellation Artemis. He was also well aware of the enmity between her constellation and a demon disguised as her brother, which made him understand the gravity of her situation.

Livia, on the other hand, looked confused. "W-Wait, you believe her just like that? Aren't you going to ask for more explanation?"

Ares gave her a small smile. "I don't think I need to. The fact that Diana revealed that she is a chosen one shows that she trusts us, and that's enough for me. I'm going to trust her and believe that she has her own reasons," Ares said, giving Diana a warm smile.

Diana felt a flutter in her chest as she heard Ares' voice, her heart racing as she took in his words. Tears began to form in the corners of her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away, not wanting to appear weak in front of him.

'I don't care whether his words are genuine or not. Just hearing him trust me is enough.' She thought to herself.

In truth, Diana had been keeping a close eye on Ares and knew his character very well, including his complicated relationships with his ex-fiancee, a vampire, and his demon servant, as well as his loyalty to his master, nothing had escaped Diana's notice. Despite all of this, she was not bothered by any of it.

Suddenly Ares' voice broke through her reverie, and Diana refocused her attention on the present.

"I heard that the Elven empress has banned interracial relationships," he said curiously. "How do you plan to make this work, Diana?"

The ban on interracial relationships among the Elves had not been fully explained in the novel, but Ares had heard the story from Aegis.

According to the legend, it all began when the Elven empress fell deeply in love with her childhood friend, an elf named Lirien. However, Lirien's heart belonged to someone else: a human woman.

As humans have a much shorter lifespan than elves, the human woman passed away due to old age. Lirien was devastated by the loss, but the Elven empress waited patiently for her love to return to her.

After 250 years, which was a relatively short time for an elf, the two finally married. However, Lirien could not forget his human love, which enraged the empress and led her to ban interracial relationships among the Elves.

And as the saying goes, "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

In Diana's case, she didn't mind Ares having other women beside her because she believed that their time with him would be temporary, and eventually, they would all die before her.

Diana had a way to lengthen Ares's lifespan, which gave her hope that they could be together for a very long time and that no other woman could replace her in his heart.

"...Don't worry, my love. When I become the Elven Empress, I can create my own rules," Diana said with a confident smile as she wiped her tears.

"...."

'This bitch!'

Livia's expression twisted with annoyance as she heard Diana call Ares 'my love.' While she had reluctantly allowed Diana to spend time with Ares to avoid hurting his feelings, the possessive tone in Diana's words grated on her. Livia couldn't stand the idea of someone claiming Ares as their own.

!!

"Master, The Representative of Cherry Blossom Academy has arrived as per your request," Meira suddenly emerged from the shadows and informed.

"...."

!?

Diana and Livia looked at him in confusion.

'So, they are finally here huh?' Ares pondered, a huge grin forming on his face.

"Let them in."