Hey guys, what's up. As I promised, here's the new chapter for the Supreme Ruler.

Well, without further adieu, let's get on with the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Campione (Seriously, why do I keep

Chapter 4: The Heart of a Knight.

The sky at night was a vast blanket of darkness, that was blotted with several twinkling spots which were stars. From the open clearing across the top of the Hokage Mountain, the scenery presented even more beauty, along with privacy. This open night sky was a scene that brought some modicum of normalcy to the otherwise turbulent thoughts of one Erica Blandelli.

A week had passed since the earth shaking battle between the two titans; both of whom happened to be Godslayers. And it was no wonder that the news of this battle travelled across the entire globe. Mage Associations of various nations were now in even more fear and awe of Naruto, since he had achieved the feat of defeating the oldest Campione of this generation.

Erica sighed lightly to herself, as she looked at the person beside her with a faint smile. It was one of those rare moments, when Naruto accepted her demands to spend some quality time with her. While most of her requests could be considered straight out outrageous, this was one of those requests which he could take with some form of dignity.

It was almost relieving for Erica that she got some alone time with Naruto, considering all the recent developments. The inclusion of Yuri into their group, as she slowly got comfortable in the presence of the blonde Devil King, along with her now confirmed affection for the dense thick headed Campione. It was almost depressing for Erica on how fast Naruto had made another girl fall for him. She had seriously been hoping that she wouldn't be having any competition for his heart. And then, there was the case of Liliana…

That Knight was definitely a complex case. After her resignation as Marquis Voban's Knight, she had decided that she couldn't face her organization, since she was the cause of her organization losing the support of a Campione. As such, to compensate for such a situation, she had decided to swear loyalty to the only Campione who has earned her respect, and offered him her sword. Naruto, being the gold hearted person he was, accepted her as his Knight, since the cause of this entire situation indirectly rooted to him. Although, Erica could at least take respite in the fact that Liliana had not fallen in love with Naruto.

'Or has she?' Erica thought, with her eyes narrowing as she glanced at the blonde Devil King who sat beside her on the ground, while looking up at the night sky. 'With the way things are going, I think I have every right to be suspicious on that account.'

Sensing the stare of his companion beside him, Naruto turned towards her. He raised his eyebrow curiously at her. "What's the matter, Erica?"

Breaking off from her contemplation, she turned away from her stare. "No…just thinking some things."

Naruto chuckled at that. "Ah, yes." He said, while a smirk donned his lips. "You do think a lot, don't you?" He asked her in a teasing voice.

In return, Erica donned an 'innocent' smile. "Of course I do. Since my King so refuses to do such a thing, or maybe he is unable to do such things, then I guess I have to take the responsibility." Her smile widened into a smirk, as she faced her King. "Isn't that right, Naruto?"

Naruto's eyebrows twitched violently in response to the not so subtle jab at his intelligence. He guessed that it was something he had to tolerate, since he had somehow irritated her by sharing intimate time with Yuri in her absence.

But he had honestly done that due to the situational need. It's not as if he enjoyed sharing the moment with Yuri before his battle with Voban…

Okay. That was a lie. He definitely enjoyed his moment with the shy priestess. But Erica certainly didn't need to know that. The torments his blonde Knight was dishing out at the moment were enough for him.

After their teasing banters, silence encompassed the area, as both of them enjoyed the view of the beautiful night sky. Both of them remained quiet, until Erica decided to break the silence.

"Hey Naruto." Erica called out to him, successfully grabbing his attention. "To you…What am I?" She asked him in an uncharacteristically soft tone.

Naruto felt his eyes widen in surprise at her question. "Erica, what brought this on?"

Erica's gaze remained fixated at the sky above her, as she didn't turn towards him. "It's just…after all this time; I still don't think that you believe me when I say 'I love you'."

It was as if someone had punched him in his gut, when he heard her response. "T-That…Erica, it's not-"

Erica quickly shushed him, as she continued. "I know that you are not like most men. If you were, then I still wouldn't be having my virginity."

Naruto sputtered in embarrassment at this, with his face going slightly red.

Erica ignored this reaction, as she continued. "But, unlike other men, you decide to look at the character of a woman, instead of her looks. And, maybe that's one of the primary reasons why I fell in love with you."

At her heartfelt confession, Naruto didn't know how he should respond to this. As such, silence was the only thing he could grasp onto.

Erica smiled softly, as she looked at her King. "I have said it as clearly and straightforwardly as I could Naruto. But…" Her ever vibrant eyes dimmed a bit. "I can see that you still don't believe me."

Naruto looked away from her guiltily, and it was all the answer Erica needed, as she felt a sting in her heart, knowing that Naruto still didn't believe in her love for him.

"I…I'm sorry." Naruto whispered in a faint voice. He was feeling quite bad for making Erica feel like this, but he had to know the full truth before he could move forward. His delicate position being the cause behind all this. "But I have to know, Erica. Why…Why do you love me?" He gave a pause at what he was going to ask, but became determined to voice it out. "Is it because I'm…a Campione?"

Erica smiled in a bitter manner, when she heard this. "Did you really consider my love to be that shallow, Naruto?" She asked in a voice that was barely above whisper. She then shook her head. "My love for you existed, even before I gained the knowledge of your Campione status."

Naruto furrowed his brows in surprise and curiosity. "…Since when?" He asked after a pause.

Erica smiled at him. "It may sound a bit clichéd, but…" Her smile gained a soft hint to it. "It was love at first sight for me." She then sighed, as she looked at the ground with her smile. "I was facing a Divine Beast, against whom I had no chance of winning. But, out of nowhere, you came at the time of my greatest need…just like a Knight in Shining Armor in the fairy tales. And, then, the more I learned about you in the time we spent together, the more I fell in love with you. In the end, I was just helpless, as I couldn't do anything but fall in love with you for such pathetic reasons."

After saying this, Erica let a self depreciating chuckle escape her lips. "Look at me. I'm presenting a pitiful sight right now, isn't it Naruto?" No matter how much grip she had on her emotions, she could feel her eyes sting a bit. In the end, she was unable to control it, as a few drops of tears escaped her eyes despite her efforts. "Talking about fairy tales, just like Lily. She would definitely laugh at me, if she were to see me right now." She closed her eyes in an effort to stop the tears, which were refusing to obey her commands anymore. "I'm sorry for being so pathetic, Naruto. But this is the truth. I don't love you because you are a Devil King. I love you because you are Naruto Uzumaki. I-"

Any more words that should have come out of her mouth were halted, as her lips got covered by another set of lips. To be particular, Naruto's lips.

Erica's eyes widened, as she seemed to be so much shocked by this action that the surprise itself was enough for her tears to cease completely. For few moments, their lips remained interlocked, before Naruto decided to part away from her mouth, all the while with a smile on his face.

Erica continued to stare at the man she loved, with her wide eyes. "Naruto…"

Naruto's smile turned into a smirk. "Why so surprised, Erica? Didn't you always look for a way to kiss me all the time?" He asked in a teasing tone. He then shook his head, as a chuckle escaped his lips. "I guess all I needed was some assurance. After all, spending all this time with you, you somehow grew on me."

Erica felt her eyes widen even more, as hope bubbled up in her heart. She dared to not think about it, but she felt helpless, as anticipation and excitement grew in her heart and mind over his words.

"I guess…what I want to say is…" Naruto, for the first time, looked a bit flustered, as he scratched his cheek in his embarrassment. "-That I think I am starting to feel the same about you."

Even though he didn't say it directly, it was all Erica needed to hear, as a large smile blossomed on her face. Erica, for the first time in a long while, looked as if a heavy burden has been lifted off from her shoulders, as she looked down at the ground.

"I'm glad to hear that." She whispered, with her smile still visible on her lips.

Naruto scratched his neck, as his embarrassment grew even more. The smile that Erica gave him was a lot different than the sensual smiles she used to give him every day. It was a genuine and heartfelt smile that tugged at his heart.

As such, he looked away from her face with a blush staining his face.

They both sat in silence, as they gazed at the beautiful night sky. They didn't say anything to each other, as no words were needed to share this moment with each other.

That night, they felt that their relationship had grown to a new height. And Erica was certainly glad for it.

When they reached home, it was quite a scene that greeted them in the dining room of their mansion.

Naruto stared at the scene in front of him with an awkward smile, as he saw Liliana berating Erica, while Yuri was arranging the food she had cooked for the night on the table. The scenario was nothing new, because of which Yuri was expertly ignoring the scene in front of her, as she focused on setting up the table.

"Erica Blandelli, have you no shame. Your actions are unbecoming of your honor as a Knight of Lord Uzumaki!" Liliana shouted, she had witnessed Erica getting a bit frisky with the Godslayer in front of the door.

"Ara Lily." Erica donned a sly smile on her face. "Don't you know that I'm also his fiancé."

Erica's expert comeback made Liliana stumble back in embarrassment. "Wh-Wh-Wha-"

"Dinner is ready." Yuri interjected their banter with a shout from the table.

"At last!" Naruto exclaimed happily, completely destroying the atmosphere of argument that Erica and Liliana had created. "I am so hungry tonight."

Both the female Knights sighed, as they looked at each other in resignation. It seemed that their King was either oblivious to the situation around him, or he did not care about it in the slightest.

As they all gathered around the dining table, and started to dine on the food that Yuri cooked, Naruto quietly mused on the matter of Liliana becoming his knight.

It was not that he was against her becoming his knight. After all, he could clearly see that she would be a great help to his management tasks that he may have, considering his position as the King. While no one may expect him to do any duty, as his only job is to fight Heretic Gods, he actually had a lot of establishments and organizations that may require his attention. As such, Liliana becoming his Knight could be considered as quite the boon. The fact that she was loyal to a fault was also a bonus.

There was only one thing that irked him to no end. And that was the rumor of him creating a harem for himself. It was kind of expected, since he clearly surrounded himself with many females, three being the number now. And Erica made it no secret in proclaiming herself to be his fiancé.

Hence why, he now had a new reputation, one that he could have been better without, of being a womanizer.

Thinking about all this, Naruto sighed to himself in melancholy, as he took a bite out of his food.

As the calm atmosphere of dinner settled in the room, Liliana made a sudden request.

"My lord." She suddenly addressed the Godslayer, who stopped eating his food to give her his attention. "May I be granted the permission to make a request?"

Naruto sighed in exasperation at Liliana's need for being overly formal, but gave it up as a lost cause. "You may."

Liliana nodded in gratitude. "Then my Lord, could you spare some time to meet with the representatives of the Bronze-Black Cross?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "And why would they want to meet me? I thought that they were in association with Duke Voban."

Liliana nodded to his reply. "You are right. Our organization was in association with Marquis Voban. But after your battle with him, it has proven to my organization that your powers rival that of the oldest Campione. Which is why, they officially want to ally themselves to you by offering me."

Naruto clenched his jaw at the specific way in which she described about how her organization was giving her away to him. Like she was some commodity that was to be bartered for a value.

"I…see." Naruto stated blankly.

Erica could see the tenseness in Naruto's shoulder and knew that he was upset with the way Liliana's organization continued to play around with her freedom, while not giving her any value as a person.

It was one of the reasons why she disliked the rival organization, Black-Bronze Cross. Liliana's grandfather was someone who would even kill his own granddaughter, just so that he could climb up the social ladder. In fact, he actually did just that when he sold his Liliana, his own granddaughter, to Marquis Voban in a ceremony that had a high chance of killing her, all so that he could garner favor from the oldest Campione. That old coot just disgusted her.

Which was why, judging by the expression on her King's face, she could deduce that he had some special treatment reserved for those from the Bronze-Black Cross.

And she was going to enjoy it.

Naruto stared at the scene before him with a calm and cool expression, even though it was taking all his effort in suppressing the twitch that was threatening to appear in his eyebrow.

In the main hall of his mansion, as he casually sat on his large couch, before him stood the members of Bronze-Black Cross, who were supposed to be the representatives of Liliana's grandfather, who was the current head of the organization.

At the thought of the grandfather of his Fairy Knight, a frown almost appeared on his face. His thoughts on that man ran parallel to one his blonde Knight, Erica, had. Which was his disgust at the old man's callous behavior regarding his own flesh and blood. He might have been a bit bias regarding this, since his own parents sacrificed their lives for his safety; as such he had a really high standard fixed for a family member.

But, that was not the primary reason why he was making such a conscious effort to suppress his eyebrow twitch. No, the credit for that went entirely to Erica. His blonde knight had the bright idea that against a foreign organization, which is not directly under his control like the History Compilation Committee, he should present an image that strikes as a tyrannical ruler. The reason for this being that any foreign organization would become more wary of earning his ire.

Which was why, as he sat on his couch, he was surrounded by three beauties. On his lap sat Erica, who had her arms around his neck, while cuddling close to him like a lover would. On the left arm of the couch sat a heavily blushing Yuri, who was thoroughly embarrassed in being pulled into this scheme by Erica. On the right arm of the couch sat a stoic Liliana…Well, as stoic as a blushing girl could be.

The members who stood in front of them were the ones who were ranked directly under Liliana's grandfather. It would not be wrong to say that they were cohorts with that old man in treating the members of their organization like disposable commodity.

Which was why, Naruto felt like he was allowed to be a bit vicious today and let loose his restraints, which he had been holding on to tightly.

"Your majesty," A man who seemed to have his hair just recently starting to grey, bowed to him deference. "Words cannot describe your might which has been the talk around the magical world, after your battle with Marquis Voban."

Great. They were already trying to sucker up to him with their simpering buttery words. They were the kind of people who annoyed him the most, because you didn't need a Campione's extraordinary senses to determine their intentions on the inside.

"That good and all," Naruto casually dismissed their praises for him, which immediately brought a frown to their expression, though they were expertly able to hide it. "What I want to know is the reason behind your sudden interest in allying with me. Aren't you already in association with Voban, even though your foremost loyalty should lie to Doni?"

In short, Naruto was making merciless jab at their fickle loyalty, where they would go for the one who could provide them the most advantage. If it had only been the case of them serving no one other than Doni, then he might have excused their actions. Because Doni was his self proclaimed friend, the mage associations of Italy could ally themselves with him without any repercussions. It was the reason why Erica was accepted as his Knight in her organization.

From the winces that came from the people in front of him, it seemed that they also got the jab that was directed at them.

"Hmph," Naruto closed his eyes, as his lips gained a mocking smirk to it. "If your loyalty is so malleable, then why should I accept it in the first place?"

"But your Highness," Another mage frantically said, as he saw how this meeting was turning out. "Liliana Kranjcar was-"

"Silence!" Naruto roared at them, which immediately made everyone in the room jump back a little in fright. "She was accepted by me as my Knight, because I found her loyalty as an individual commendable. As such, even without your organization's consent, she's already mine!"

Liliana, who had been staring at the unexpected proceeding with stunned expression, had a sudden blush creeping up her face at his words. Even if she was shocked at the way the blonde Devil King acted, she had a hard time not being embarrassed at what he insinuated.

And judging by expressions on Erica's and Yuri's face, it seemed that they were seeing Naruto act like this for the first time.

Alas, it seemed that the one with the grey hair was not satisfied with the situation. He even seemed to panic at the way this meeting was turning out as. "But Liliana Kranjcar belongs to-"

Something stopped him from completing his sentence. Something which took away his breath. As if an overbearing physical pressure had settled on everyone. It was like something that has been slumbering for a long time was stirred. Even the girls, who surrounded the blonde Campione could feel that something fundamental had changed in the atmosphere.

The King awakened.

Naruto, whose eyes were closed until now, opened. But, it was not to the cerulean blue eyes that everyone knew. Instead, they were rich crimson blood, with a black slit in the middle. They were the kind of eyes which made everyone standing before him wither. And his entire demeanor had changed. Now, his very aura possessed pride, confidence and absolute authority. As if there could be no one above him.

"Did I give you the permission to speak, Mongrel?"

All the mage representatives from the Bronze-Black Cross took a step back, as they gazed at him with frightened expressions. Even Erica, who was sitting on Naruto's lap, stared at him with wide eyes at a completely different attitude he was now showing.

"Tarnishing the image of loyalty is unforgivable for me. As such, that old fool who heads your organization repulses me." Naruto stared at mages in front of him with his glowing red eyes. "Know this that it's only because of Liliana that I'm not eradicating the existence of your organization. The very same granddaughter who that withered fool bartered her life with Voban like she was some commodity. Tell that senile worm that it's now his life that's in the hands of her granddaughter." Naruto narrowed his crimson eyes, as the slit slightly opened in his glare. "Do you mongrels understand that?"

The mages that stood before him were too frightened to give a verbal response. As such, they only nodded back in a terrified manner.

Naruto scoffed, as he closed his eyes back. "If that's all, then your presence now annoys me. Be gone from my sight."

The mages from Liliana's organization needed no other encouragement in bolting out as fast they could from his mansion.

As soon as the people from Bronze-Black Cross left the mansion, the physical pressure that had settled on the room lifted. The whole atmosphere reverted back to how it was, before the mage representatives came to the room.

"…What was that, Naruto?" Erica asked, as she stared at him with a frown. That was something that had not happened before. And going by the expressions on Liliana's and Yuri's faces, they were also left speechless by how the whole event transpired.

Naruto remained silent for few moments, after which slowly opened his eyes, which had reverted back to cerulean blue. He pondered over her question for a few more seconds, before deciding to answer.

"That, Erica, is the reason why I'm a Campione."

A few days passed since the whole fiasco of Naruto blowing off the mages that came from Bronze-Black Cross. And the biggest change that could be observed in those days was in Liliana.

In those few days, whenever he was around, she became a bit shy and demure. It was as if she no longer knew how to act in front of him. And because of this, it created a lot of awkward and tense moments when Naruto and Liliana where around each other.

It was because of this reason that Naruto decided he should take a stroll down the streets of Konoha with Liliana. Erica had also noticed the change in Liliana, which is why she, in an unexpected graciousness, allowed some her to have some alone time with the blonde Devil King.

Yuri just had a pout fixated on her face the entire time she watched them go from the mansion for the stroll.

As they strolled across the streets, Naruto glanced at Liliana, who was walking beside him. Even while walking, she still had a shy expression on her. Seeing this, Naruto just sighed to himself in defeat.

He had thought that by taking a walk with Liliana like this, he might be able to bring her out the shell that she had created around her ever since the meeting he had with the mages from her organization. But it seemed that nothing was able to faze her demeanor.

Naruto then looked ahead, and saw wardrobe shop. He then got an idea, as he suddenly grabbed Liliana's hand, much to her immense embarrassment and blush, and started to drag her towards the shop.

"M-My Lord!" Liliana stuttered in an extremely flustered manner.

But Naruto didn't pay any attention to the Fairy Knight's embarrassment, as he continued to drag her and entered into the store. As soon as the pair stepped into the establishment, all movements stopped as every individual inside the store were wide eyed and stunned at seeing the Godslayer inside the wardrobe shop.

Naruto snorted at this. What did these people think? That he never needed any clothing or couldn't shop on his own?

"My lord?" Liliana asked in a confused manner, though she still had prominent blush on her face.

Naruto turned to her with a smile. "I thought that you would like to buy some clothes for yourself. You didn't have a lot of time to settle yourself here, didn't you? Don't worry, the tabs on me. You could buy whatever you like."

Liliana merely blushed even more at his consideration, before giving a mute nod as she went to the ladies section of the shop.

Seeing this, Naruto once again sighed to himself. Normally, Erica got really delighted whenever she got a new wardrobe. Which was why he thought it was a good idea to take Liliana to a wardrobe store. But it seemed that even that was not enough to bring her out of her shyness.

Naruto strolled around the shop in boredom, as he thought of more ways to somehow break the silver haired knight out of her current demeanor, when he caught the glimpse of a blue ribbon on the far end side of the shop. Immediately, his Campione senses to flare as he made a beeline towards the piece of cloth.

"What the hell?" Naruto mumbled to himself, as he stood in front of the ribbon, which was hung on the wall, in a glass showcase.

"Naruto-sama." A middle aged man, probably the store owner, came close to him. Though there was an extreme caution in his steps. Probably his fear of his status as a Godslayer. "Something interests you, your majesty."

"Hmm," Naruto hummed to himself, as he still stared at the ribbon that was inside the glass case. He gazed sideways at the man standing beside him. "Why is this ribbon in such a showcase?"

The man gulped slightly, as he hurriedly answered. "Your Majesty. This ribbon is actually a legitimate artifact that was in the possession of a past Godslayer. Or at least in the possession of one of the wives of the past Godslayer."

Naruto raised his eyebrow slightly, before he once again stared at the ribbon. So his instincts were not wrong. This ribbon, that contained divine aura, is actually an artifact that a Devil King of the past created.

Though it appeared to be hollow to his senses, which meant that it was devoid of the divine energy that it once held. Which also meant that it could be used by a new user who had divine energy.

And that was actually perfect for him.

Naruto turned his sights to the shop owner. "I want this ribbon. You will get paid by the History Compilation Committee."

The shop owner stepped in shock at his demand, before he regained his composure. "M-My lord. This ribbon was actually ordered by the wife of daimyo. "

Immediately, Naruto made a look of disgust at what he heard, as he growled lowly. "You mean to say that an artifact that one of my kind made would be wasted as a decoration on an overweight gold digger lumberjack!"

The shop owner was definitely not expecting such a response, as he gaped in shock at the blonde Devil King. "N-Naruto-sama."

Naruto just narrowed his eyes at the man before him. "Well that woman that the King of the elemental nations has demanded the possession of this ribbon." Here, Naruto's eyes narrowed even more, as his eyes momentarily flashed in crimson color. "Or are you willing to defy the orders of your one true king?"

Immediately, the man's eyes widened in absolute fright, as he frantically shook his head. "No, Your Majesty! I will immediately pack this for you!"

And soon enough, the man fled from the scene, in fear of receiving the wrath of the Godslayer.

Naruto sighed to himself. While he didn't like using force in such a manner, it was an unfortunate fact that it was also second nature for him.

Soon enough, Liliana came back with all the garments that she thought she would require. In the mean time, he had discreetly purchased the ribbon from the shop owner, without the notice of his silver haired Knight.

With the shopping done, they once again set out on the streets of Konoha. As they strolled aimlessly, they were distracted by various food stalls, which Liliana tried not to be too enthusiastic. But she failed in hiding her excitement over a variety of foods, as they were all new to her taste buds. Naruto merely laughed at all this, much to her immense embarrassment.

At the end of the day, as the sun began to set, Naruto decided to take Liliana to a place that never failed to cheer him up in the past. They quickly climbed up the Hokage Mountain and stood on top of the head of the Yondaime Hokage's face.

The scene that was presented to them was a beauty to behold. The sun that was almost disappearing on the horizon, casted an orange hue on both the sky and the land. Konoha, as a whole was already lit with lights, as the dark was starting to take over the visibility of the daylight. All in all, along with the hue shading the forest and lakes of the village, created a landscape that would enrapture anyone.

Say what you will, Naruto had to admit that Hashirama Senju had created a picture of art that not many Campione could.

And it seemed that Liliana too agreed with his thoughts, as she also seemed enraptured by the scenery before her.

"Lily…can I call you Lily?" Naruto suddenly asked in an awkward curiosity.

That seemed to break her out of her trance, as she turned towards him, with her blush coming back to her face.

"You are my King, my Lord. You can call me in whichever manner you like."

Naruto sighed in exasperation. "Then can you please call me by my name. You calling me by my titles is getting real old."

Surprisingly and shockingly, Liliana didn't protest his request, as she mumbled in a low voice that was still hearable. "As you wish…Lord Naruto."

Naruto blinked at her quick acceptance of request, as he expected a lot more resistance. 'Wow, that was quick.' He then decided to ignore that, as he focused on his Knight. "Lily, I have something to give you."

Lily stared at him, and then looked at her surroundings. Then, if possible, her face reddened even more, resembling more like a tomato.

"My lo-N-Naruto Uzumaki! This is too quick. I…my heart is not…"

It was clear that Liliana was somehow having a panic attack.

Naruto blinked in confusion at her rambling, before deciding to ignore it, as he brought out the ribbon he brought. And right in front of her, he channeled his divine energy into it, causing it to have a golden glow, before settling down. After doing all that, he then presented his gift to her.

Liliana, although having settled down from her panic attack still had her blush on her visage. "Lord Naruto?"

Naruto merely smiled in response. "It's quite the special ribbon that was made by a past Campione for his wife. I thought it would suit you."

'R-R-Ribbon for wife!' Liliana stuttered in thought, as her embarrassment once again came back in full force. Then, without thinking too much, she took the ribbon from Naruto and held it close to her heart.

Naruto kept the smile he had on his face. "I hope that all this was enough for you to be not angry at me anymore."

"Angry?" Liliana repeated in confusion, her embarrassment forgotten. "Why would I be angry?"

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck, as he looked away from her. "Well, you requested me to meet your superiors, and I manhandled them right in front of you."

"Oh…"

"But," Naruto now gazed at her with a serious expression. "I will not apologize for what I did. They used you, Lily. They traded your life like it was nothing. They used you like a pawn." At that last word he clenched his fist, as if he was reliving a horrific past. "And that is unforgivable."

Liliana remained silent, even after Naruto was finished with his words. Seeing this, Naruto looked down in disappointment, as he didn't get any response from the Fairy Knight. 'Guess she's still angry at me.'

"I was never angry at you."

Naruto's head shot up in surprise. "Eh?"

Liliana's face was now once again covered in blush. "As a matter of fact, Lord Naruto, I was actually happy that you did that." She clenched the ribbon in her hand tightly to her chest. "It's the first time in my life that someone stood up for me and was angry for me. That someone cared for my life so much that not even my own family did. I….couldn't describe how happy I was when you did that for me."

Naruto's eyes softened, as he heard her reasoning. "Lily…"

"Which is why," Liliana suddenly took a bold step forward, and came into his personal space, with her face literally an inch from his own. "For treasuring the life of this Knight, I, Liliana Kranjcar, offer my life and complete devotion to you. Please accept this Knight, Naruto Uzumaki."

As she said this, she sealed her lips with that of Naruto's. It was a semi sensual kiss, as both their tongues swapped at each other, with their saliva sticking to each other's tongue. They remained like this for few seconds, after which Liliana finally decided to end their lip lock, as she separated herself from Naruto with a heavily flushed face.

Naruto was still stunned at the bold move that came from Liliana of all people. He could have expected it Erica…

'Oh shit, Erica!' Naruto's eyes widened in slight panic. 'She's going to kill me if she learns about this!'

He wondered if another vacation to Italy would be such a bad idea. Because he seriously needed it.

And that's the chapter for you guys.

I know there was not much action in this chapter, but this chapter was needed for the plot development of the story. I always felt that at the initial stages of Campione, the romance was bit too much rushed. Which is why, I presented the romance interaction in such a manner. I really hope that I was not too shabby in how I did it.

Oh, I left a really big hint. I won't what the hint is. And I won't even say for what the hint it. Just that it's a massive hint. If you guys are smart, then you would actually be able to figure it out.

So, I hope you all liked it.

And now, the next chapter I would be updating is for the story 'Love is Denial'.

Well, that's it for now folks. See you next time.