"Although the effect of the relic is quite good, it is still just a strange object, and it places extremely high demands on its users. For now, it can't be mass-produced."
Leon checked Barbara's current condition.
If she had only been at level 30 before, she had now reached level 70. It could be said that her strength had undergone a tremendous leap.
This was also the reason Leon kept people all over the world exploring ancient ruins—because the effects of the relics found in those ruins were extraordinarily powerful.
Even Leon himself used two sets.
One was a two-piece set, [Pale Fire],
and the other was a three-piece set, [Old Master's Ritual].
As for the five-piece set Barbara was wearing now, it suited her perfectly.
After constant trials and experiments conducted by Leon and his girls, it seemed that only beautiful girls with pure hearts and strong aptitude in healing magic were qualified to use this set.
All Leon could say was that he hadn't expected the relic to judge people by their looks…
"Well, after some time, I'm sure they'll figure out the secret behind this equipment and manage to mass-produce it," Leon muttered to himself.
What he possessed wasn't just strong organizational power—he also lacked no talent in scientific research.
Relying on the few incomparable genius girls under his command, he could even achieve the mass production of many of the relics discovered so far.
When that time came, the girls under his command would undoubtedly experience another qualitative leap in strength.
"Alright, that's enough. Let's try some real combat," Leon said, clapping his hands.
"N-No… I don't want to fight Your Highness," Barbara replied timidly.
Although she could feel that she had become much stronger and completely different from before, the gap between her and Leon was still unimaginable.
Leon smiled and shook his head.
He took out several Master Balls from his storage space.
Then he tossed them onto the ground, and several monsters immediately emerged, including fire slimes, stone lizards, and other creatures.
"Just use them as opponents."
"Is that really okay? Aren't these Your Highness's pets?"
"They're not qualified to be my pets. They're just some gadgets I picked up casually to test the effects of the Master Ball. If you help me get rid of them, I can even free up some space to catch a few more."
Leon patted Barbara on the back insistently, and she nodded.
"Alright, I understand!"
"Yes Barbara, let's go" Leon said, deliberately imitating Barbara's voice.
"Y-Your Highness, please forget that!"
The priestess's cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. Then she raised the Gatling toward the monsters that had no idea what was going on.
Just a few seconds later, the monsters were instantly killed.
Although slimes were weak, the other monsters were powerful enemies that inexperienced adventurers couldn't hope to face.
Barbara proved, with concrete results, the terrifying power of the equipment Leon had given her, as well as the might of the magical weapon. From now on, she could easily earn several titles such as [Violent Healer].
"Alright, the experiment is over. Not bad at all. Barbara, your objective has been achieved."
"Yes, thank you, Your Highness! I really don't know how to thank you."
Barbara was extremely happy at that moment.
She had finally become stronger—strong enough to protect her sister. From now on, she wouldn't have to watch her sister get hurt anymore, and she could fight side by side with Jean to help resolve those dangers.
Because of this, she understood just how mysterious and precious the prince before her truly was.
Leon had actually managed to make a girl as weak as her become so strong in such a short time.
This wasn't like the stories written in fairy tales, where one had to pay a price such as souls or lifespan.
This man was incredible.
And Barbara also knew that, even so, Leon had only shown the tip of the iceberg.
The young priestess clenched her small hands, thinking that sooner or later she would come to know everything about this man.
"Barbara, you are my beloved girl. There's no need to be so polite between us. But… if you insist on thanking me, I won't refuse."
Leon smiled and opened his arms.
Barbara's cheeks turned red, and then, consciously and obediently, she threw herself into his embrace and rubbed her face against his chest.
"Your Highness, how long can you stay in Mondstadt?"
"Probably today and tomorrow. There's another vast and distant kingdom waiting for me to conquer."
Leon gently stroked the girl's light-blonde hair as he spoke.
"It's amazing. You truly deserve to be called Your Highness, but sometimes you're just too far removed from us. My sister and I feel a little ashamed, as if we're not worthy of you."
Barbara said this with a wry smile.
This person was so handsome, so powerful, so perfect—thousands of times more outstanding than the princes depicted in fairy tales—that it made her feel sentimental.
If she were just a woman coveting his power and body, she wouldn't think too deeply about it.
But for girls who truly loved him, this excessively outstanding prince—who seemed almost omnipotent—would sometimes make them question whether they had become a burden or an obstacle to his grand cause.
"Barbara, don't overthink it. I love you just the way you are. You're not a burden to me—you're one of my precious jewels," Leon said gently, offering comfort.
"Your Highness…"
"Maybe it wasn't like this in the beginning, but now it's different. Even if you weren't capable anymore, I'd still care deeply for you."
Leon had read about this in a book in his previous life.
Everyone's capacity for love is limited.
Once you exhaust all your love, you won't be able to fall in love with anyone or anything ever again.
That's why one must choose their partner carefully.
Leon believed he had enough love to care for the entire world, but he was stricter when choosing the object of his affection. Girls who only had looks were not qualified to receive his favor.
And he had already judged it:
Barbara and Jean possessed the qualifications to receive his love.
That meant the two women were already special in his heart. Even if he had to choose between a girl from another country and them, he would choose the latter without hesitation.
Even if one day they lost all their power and could no longer be useful to him, Leon would still love them deeply.
"So don't worry, don't worry. It's not a matter of whether you're worthy or not. It's simply that I love you, and you love me—and that is already enough."
Leon said gently.
Barbara's eyes grew hazy, and her heart began to race.
She nestled into Leon's arms, feeling as though she were sinking into a bottomless sea—sinking without hope, unable to break free.
Then the girl spoke with love in her voice:
"Then… Your Highness, please allow me to serve you."
"Alright. I accept."
---
(End of the chapter)