By Zephyria “If he tries to do anything strange, send me a signal. I’ll quarantine him right away.”
Hugo caressed the back of Leonardo’s neck and left forearm, which were wrapped in a handkerchief, and urged him. Hearing this, Leonardo slightly frowned and replied to the other as if to say it was okay.
“I told you he’s not a dangerous person? I told you earlier, we met during Paren’s War of Independence. So we’re quite close. He might like me more than you guys do?”
Leonardo gestured with his chin in turn towards the two Southern Branch battalion commanders who had come as support troops and Paren’s General, who was standing far away. Then, the two battalion commanders, who had been watching him from a distance, flinched and turned their heads elsewhere.
Hugo was momentarily speechless at Leonardo’s remark, as if he had noticed the signs of vigilance. He had deliberately not introduced them, hoping he wouldn’t notice, but it seemed he couldn’t escape his keen eye.
Since it would be unnatural to add anything now, Hugo straightened Leonardo’s collar and lowered sleeves instead of adding words. After a moment of silence, he opened his mouth.
“…Okay. Anyway, I’ll be here, so just say hello and come back. We don’t have much time, so don’t stay too long.”
It might sound harsh, but it was true that they didn’t have much time. Hugo’s appearance, which seemed quite uneasy, gave Leonardo a sense of novelty. He seemed quite displeased with the situation, openly emitting Magic Power, even though he had said it wouldn’t hurt to greet him first.
Of course, it was definitely the General’s fault for ignoring the procedure and rushing into the territory armed. He also thought that it was too harsh of a treatment since they had cooperated in the subjugation of the peninsula, but if the Turandos army had crossed the military demarcation line and done the same thing, it would have been enough to start a war, so it was considered a natural measure as the Duke of the Empire and the Legion Commander of the Council. That was why he had bothered to ask for permission to talk.
Therefore, Leonardo did not reiterate to Hugo that the man was a good person. Instead, he nodded in agreement and dug his large hand into his and hooked his fingers as if promising.
“I’ll be right back.”
Afterwards, Leonardo turned around and hurried towards his waiting friend. Hugo’s twitching hand followed, but it couldn’t reach his collar.
The General, who had been forcibly quarantined and retreated with his aides, quietly stood with his hands behind his back, waiting only for Leonardo. Then, as soon as he saw Leonardo approaching him, a bright smile spread across his face. At the same time, the aides and a dozen unit members guarding the General kept a reasonable distance out of consideration.
The two faced each other with welcoming faces in the middle of the dirt floor, without chairs or screens. Watching their atmosphere, which quickly became friendly, from afar, Hugo let out a low sigh. Cordelia, who was next to him, glanced at him and spoke as if to say not to worry.
“Your Excellency, although he has a somewhat eccentric side, he is a person who values etiquette and is upright. He has always wanted to meet Blaine and said he was indebted to him, so you don’t have to worry. Blaine also called him a friend himself, didn’t he?”
“It’s because he’s a friend that it’s more of a problem.”
Hugo replied in a somewhat cold voice, keeping his eyes fixed on the two people in front.
“Excuse me?”
Cordelia asked back with a puzzled expression. Hugo narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms without saying a word.
Hugo had never seen anyone other than himself call Leonardo by his first name. But that General called Leonardo by his first name without hesitation.
This was the southernmost part of the Empire, where the border with a foreign country was within spitting distance. Hugo was not sure whether a lonely person who had met a friend from a foreign country in such a place would be able to remain unshaken.
He opened his mouth in a sighing voice.
“For the past three years, our Council has been searching for even the slightest trace of Leonardo Blaine. In the process, we were able to face numerous organizations, institutions, and ambitions that were chasing him. What do you think is the reason they chased Leonardo?”
When the sudden question was thrown, Cordelia answered after pondering.
“Isn’t it because they want Blaine’s power…? His Magic Power would be attractive enough to be coveted anywhere.”
Hugo nodded and asked again.
“What if Paren’s resident delegation was among them?”
“…Excuse me?”
At that moment, Cordelia’s pupils widened greatly. She followed Hugo’s gaze and looked at the front again.
“I asked about it on my own because of the relationship between the two countries, but that’s a clear fact that can’t be erased. Cordelia, I… I hope that, as you said, he is a person who values etiquette and is upright, even if he has a somewhat eccentric side. I hope he is not someone who covets what he should not covet.”
Hugo said that and stared at the two people, who seemed closer than he thought.
The golden eyes that could be seen from afar were particularly lively. The General’s curved eyes were the same.
^
“Why do you suddenly call me a friend? Other people will think it’s weird if they hear it. I went along with it, so it was passed over appropriately.”
“If those who risked their lives on the battlefield and had each other’s backs aren’t friends, then what are they? I was just telling the truth. We are close, having crossed the front lines of death together.”
The General grabbed Leonardo’s hands with both of his and said, bringing his face closer. Leonardo, who was originally affectionate and a bit peculiar, laughed it off without saying anything. Well, it wasn’t entirely wrong.
“At first, when they said I was going to greet the General, I thought the Paren’s General I knew would come out. So I was hesitant when you ran towards me. I didn’t know you, no, …you would be here. The last time I saw you, you were just a General.”
“That’s how it was back then. But as time passed, shouldn’t I have been promoted too?”
The General patted his chest and pointed to the insignia of the General. As far as Leonardo knew, there were a total of three people who had been granted the position of General in Paren, including the friend in front of him. He was one of the highest-ranking people in the country. Thinking about it that way, he felt that Agrizendro’s actions were a bit excessive.
The General added that he had been promoted to Lieutenant General for his contributions during Paren’s War of Independence and had recently been promoted to General while taking on the task of subjugating the peninsula. At the same time, he praised Leonardo, saying that Leonardo’s contribution was great in helping him, who had weak backing from his origins, to rise to his current position.
“Perhaps if it weren’t for you, our Paren would still be a Vassal Kingdom of Turandos, and more than 30% of our land would have been severely damaged by this peninsula issue. I might not be in this position either… I feel like I’m only receiving help from you every time. I’m just sorry that I can’t fully express this feeling with my lacking insight.”
“What, would it make that much of a difference if I was there or not? You and the others have been doing well in your positions, so it’s the result of that.”
Leonardo replied, feeling embarrassed, and stroked the back of his neck. His expression stiffened for a moment, but he soon returned to his original state and smiled.
The General said with a subtle smile.
“The you I met before was much more confident, but have you even acquired the virtue of humility in the meantime? Nothing could be better.”
Leonardo awkwardly raised the corners of his mouth at the General’s cheesy words. At the same time, he lightly tapped the armor on the shoulder as if to say stop.
However, even though he barely put any strength into it, the General’s large body staggered for a moment. Leonardo grabbed him with a flustered face, and the General took a step back with an exaggerated gesture. Leonardo looked at him askance as if he knew it. He was clearly teasing him.
The two maintained a bright atmosphere and exchanged stories about the subjugation they had gone through so far. The General was about to recite the moment when the core disappeared as a poem, so Leonardo cut him off appropriately, fearing that he would have to listen to that cringe-worthy stuff again.
As they were catching up in a short but fulfilling way, the General, who had suddenly lost his smile, stood with his back to the crowd of the Council. Leonardo looked at him with questioning eyes. The General straightened his shoulders, shielded Leonardo from the people’s view, and opened his mouth with a serious face.
“But… I’ve heard some rumors about your situation. That you had an unpleasant experience in the Imperial Army.”
At the sudden topic, Leonardo naturally closed his mouth. He pondered for a moment how to react to this. Then, thinking that it was nothing to hide, he answered with a bitter smile.
“Oh, yeah. Something happened.”
“Then, does that mean you’re not a soldier now?”
“Well… that’s right. I’m a civilian.”
The General’s eyes widened as if he was somewhat shocked, and the black color of his pupils became even darker. He had a face that was struggling with what to say. Leonardo, who had expected that reaction, tried to change the subject. But the General made the first move.
“Then, if you’re not a soldier, why are you here? Did you transfer your affiliation to the Council?”
As the General’s gaze swept over the combat uniform he was wearing, Leonardo scratched his chest where the Legion Commander’s insignia was engraved for no reason.
“No, I just borrowed this for a bit. I’m not affiliated with the Council either. I’m just….”
He was about to tell the truth, but the words that lingered on the tip of his tongue were too pathetic to convey his current situation as it was.
How could he tell his friend, who had been promoted to general, that he had been caught for causing a ruckus in Zodiac after being arrested for disobeying the summons, and that he was temporarily accompanying them on the condition that he would be released if he completed the subjugation?
‘…How embarrassing.’
Leonardo Blaine bit his lip and quickly looked for another excuse. However, seeing his darkened complexion, the general made a serious expression and bowed slightly. He then brought his face closer, met his gaze, and placed his hands on his shoulders.
“Leonardo.”
Leonardo Blaine slowly raised his head. Seeing the shadow in his Gold Eyes, the general lowered his voice and asked without preamble.
“Won’t you come over to Paren?”
Leonardo Blaine’s eyes twitched.
“…What?”
“I will help you. If you say just one word in this place that you will come over, I can move in the near future, if not immediately.”
Leonardo Blaine frowned. He lowered his voice and retorted.
“What do you mean…?”
“I only found out about you being here a while ago, so my preparations are insufficient…. Aside from that, I can’t understand why a great soldier like you had to suffer such disgrace, and why you are still here.”
The general’s Adam’s apple bobbed slowly. His eyes did not lose the gentleness he had shown, but the feeling was quite different from before.
Leonardo Blaine had a hunch that the other party knew more about his situation than he thought. As he said nothing, the general’s hand, which had slid down his shoulder, grabbed Leonardo Blaine’s hand.
There was no hint of a joke in his steadfast, honest eyes. He said firmly in an even lower voice.
“I mean I will help you defect.”