By Zephyria Hugo finished his meal quickly and got up, disappearing somewhere as if he had something to do. Not long after he got up, the members also finished their meals quickly and cleaned up.
Flynn took Hugo’s dishes as well as Leonardo’s dishes, saying that he would clean them up himself. Thanks to that, Leonardo, who had some time, first entered the tent and opened his artifact and rummaged inside. It was difficult to find because the items were mixed up, but he grabbed the communication magic tool inside and took it out immediately.
He immediately got up from his seat and moved around, trying to contact someone. But it was completely out of order, perhaps because this place was a remote area where magic power was not transmitted. Leonardo bit his lip and pressed it a few times before throwing it back into the artifact.
Then he sighed and unwrapped the high-calorie energy bar that was included in the combat rations and put it in his mouth. Then, as he unbuttoned the top of the magic robe he was wearing, he suddenly stopped when he saw the black military T-shirt he was wearing inside as a habit.
He fiddled with the black choker around his neck and hesitated for a moment whether to take off his top or not. However, even if the bottoms were unavoidable, he didn’t want to roll around in bed wearing clothes covered in dirt, so he unbuttoned the remaining buttons.
‘Well, it’ll be okay.’
He roughly hung the top of the magic robe on the head of the bed and spread out the sleeping bag on the cot, making the sleeping arrangement look quite plausible. Leonardo plopped down on it, crossed his legs, and ate the chocolate-flavored energy bar without thinking, then muttered in admiration.
“Wow… this is really delicious.”
It was definitely in the combat rations, but the chocolate didn’t taste cheap, but had a deep taste as if it used good cacao. He took a few more bites of the energy bar and then pushed the rest into his mouth.
Because of that, his sleek cheeks became so puffy that anyone would laugh if they saw him, but since he was alone, he didn’t care at all.
He chewed the chewy energy bar in that state and put the chocolate that had melted a little on his finger into his mouth and sucked it. If he had known that Agrizendro would open the tent and come in at that moment, he would never have done that.
“……”
Leonardo, who made eye contact with Hugo who was coming in, slowly lowered the thumb he was sucking. Then, suppressing the urge to spit it out immediately, he struggled to swallow what was in his mouth to reduce his still puffy cheeks.
A moment of awkward silence passed, and Hugo, who had been watching quietly, turned his body and went outside. Leonardo was rather embarrassed by the sight and widened his eyes.
‘…What, why are you going out? Did you see something you shouldn’t have?’
While he was left alone in confusion, Hugo opened the entrance of the tent again and came in. Then he strode up to Leonardo and handed him something.
What was in his big hand was the energy bar that Leonardo was eating, not just one, but five. He had guessed what he was eating so deliciously by looking at the scattered wrappers.
When Leonardo just stared blankly, Hugo moved what he was holding a little further forward and said.
“Take it.”
Leonardo, who was blinking his eyes, coughed awkwardly. Then, reluctantly receiving the energy bar, he asked Hugo, pretending not to know.
“Why this? Are you telling me to eat it?”
“Yeah.”
“I don’t need this much…”
He said that, but Leonardo gathered the chocolate-flavored energy bars that Hugo gave him.
Hugo smiled in disbelief at his actions, which didn’t seem like he would never accept them, and went back to his seat.
* * *
The surroundings were all quiet as if most people were asleep. Occasionally, the sound of demon beast howling from deep in the mountains or the sound of patrol shift personnel and watchmen walking around could be heard, but overall, the base camp area felt like it was in a deep sleep.
The inside of the tent wasn’t very dark because there were several lamps hanging, so Leonardo could clearly see the inside with a faint light. And he could see how Agrizendro was sleeping from where he was lying.
Leonardo got up silently and sat down.
He wasn’t exactly someone who slept little, but he hadn’t been able to sleep deeply in areas where demon beast appeared or in the middle of enemy territory, where there were dangerous elements nearby, unless there was someone he could trust.
He had been keeping his eyes closed all along, but in the end, he failed to fall asleep and got up.
Leonardo swept his hair back once and groped on the side table to grab the cigarette case he had taken out. Then he slowly put on the shoes he had taken off under the bed, got up from his seat, and slowly approached Hugo’s bed.
Unlike his place, where the magic robe was roughly draped and the side table was cluttered with chocolate bars, Agrizendro’s place was neatly folded and everything was neatly arranged.
Looking at him lying straight up and quietly closing his eyes, he thought that he slept like himself.
Leonardo hesitated for a moment in front of him, then put his hand on Hugo’s face, who was fast asleep, and carefully shook him.
He was worried that he might wake up because he was as sensitive to movements as he was, but seeing that there was no reaction other than subtle and regular breathing, it seemed that he was really fast asleep.
Once he judged that Hugo was sound asleep, Leonardo bent his back a little and carefully scanned his face. As he brought his face a little closer, a cool and heavy scent reached him.
‘He’s really handsome.’
The light from the lamp shone faintly on his neat, beautiful, and bold face. Then, shadows fell on his shaded eyes and high nose, making him look like he was looking at a beautiful sculpture.
Besides, it was definitely the same cot as his, but when he lay down, it was wide enough to have room to toss and turn, but when Agrizendro lay down, it seemed to be full with his tall height and sturdy build.
Leonardo straightened his bent back and looked down at him and thought.
‘If it weren’t for his somewhat cold expression, his appearance would be completely my type.’
Then, he suddenly thought that he was thinking all sorts of things about him, and Leonardo let out a laugh without realizing it. Then he hid his footsteps and turned back to the entrance of the tent. He seemed to be sleeping deeply, so he thought he could quickly smoke one cigarette and come back without him knowing.
Before going out, Leonardo carefully lifted the cloth hanging at the entrance and checked if there was a guard nearby. As expected, one person was passing by in front of him, so he closed the entrance again and waited for a while.
He was planning to sneak out when the guard had completely passed. It was clear that if he saw him going out, he would wake everyone up as if an emergency had occurred.
Before long, the guard who had circled around the tent went down to where the members’ tents were. After confirming that there was no one around, Leonardo slightly opened the entrance again to slowly go out.
And at that moment,
The heavy scent that he had smelled just now brushed past the tip of his nose.
Leonardo had no choice but to stop his movement. Then, a chilling voice that was deeply locked and lowered even further was heard right above his head.
“Where are you going?”