By Zephyria Hugo, who was staring at the same place, answered as if it were nothing.
“It will be convenient to live in many ways if it’s registered as my territory. When issuing a registration certificate, the identity verification is more thorough than in other territories, so the credit rating is high. There are many more places you can go, and the verification process for receiving medical benefits or support for people of merit is also simpler. The process of changing it later is difficult, but… it won’t be bad for now.”
His tone was the same as usual, but Leonardo Blaine somehow felt that he was adding a lot of unnecessary words. In conclusion, he was trying to let him enjoy more things. Leonardo Blaine nodded and asked again, lowering his eyes.
“You said that you thoroughly verify the identity, but can you just register me like this?”
“I’ve verified your identity more thoroughly than anyone else.”
Golden eyelashes slowly rose. It was a gaze asking when he had done that.
His eyes were stiff, which was quite cute, so Hugo deliberately watched for a few seconds before adding.
“…I’ve verified it while living with you all this time.”
Leonardo Blaine, who had a blank expression for a moment, retorted with a hollow laugh.
“What, I thought you had done some background investigation.”
“I’ve already done a lot of background investigation for 3 years. I found out very little.”
“Well, you chased me persistently.”
“I won’t do that anymore, so don’t worry.”
I only spoke the obvious, but the conversation ended again with a hint of farewell. Even Leonardo, who thought he wasn’t managing his expression well, smoothed his mouth and chin as if to cover them.
He bit his lip, wondering if the expression he’d seen in the mirror would appear. Hugo, who had been watching him closely, quietly added.
“Of course, if you want… I can arrange a residence for you within the territory.”
“…A residence?”
No sooner had he asked than Hugo took out a small Artifact from his pocket. Then, he took Leonardo’s hand and placed the flat Artifact in it.
“I’m sure you’ll do well anywhere, but it’ll be much more stable if you have a base. I’ve packed some extra clothes, simple food, and Magic Tools you’ll need for travel. And… there’s also the key to my villa.”
His elegant golden eyebrows rose.
“What key?”
“The villa. It’s a place I recently acquired secretly, so only a very few people know about it. Not even Flynn knows. I send someone to manage it once a week. But I don’t plan to send anyone for the time being.”
“……”
“It’s in the warmest and safest place in the territory. …There are many flowers, too. I’m sure you’ll like it. If you need a place to rest, you’re welcome to use it.”
It was definitely an unnecessary remark. The man, who was unlike his usual self today, trailed off and cast his eyes elsewhere.
Leonardo stared intently at Hugo, then curved his eyes and softly asked.
“So, is that why you brought me here? To your territory?”
Hugo didn’t respond immediately. He cleared his throat and made an indirect excuse.
“Rather, it’s because it’ll be safer for you here.”
It was an answer with many meanings. Leonardo understood what he meant and quickly agreed.
If he had been released in the Zodiac, it would have been much more difficult to move around. There might be forces following him, and crowds might gather, leaving him floundering in a mire of criticism and insults.
Of course, he would have managed to get out of that situation somehow, but His Excellency’s consideration in bringing him all the way to his territory was both meticulous and somewhat dangerous.
He had seen a newspaper article criticizing the Council at Fidele’s cabin. It was less out of sympathy for him being forcibly sent to the Eldermilli Peninsula and more about the opinion that the Council’s move to use a waste product abandoned by the Empire as a force was insulting to the Imperial Family.
In other words, in a situation where the perception of ‘Leonardo Blaine’ was not good, if his relationship with this man became known to the world, it could become a fatal weakness. He would simply become a suitable prey for the public, who love to ruin people. He was used to such things now, but it was definitely not something that His Excellency in front of him should experience.
Regardless of what Agrizendro meant by giving him this key, Leonardo sensed that it was a bond and lingering attachment that would one day endanger them both.
So, he had to return it for this man’s sake. Just as he bit his lip and was about to hand it back, Hugo opened his mouth.
“Oh, I almost forgot to mention this.”
He naturally gazed at the end of the passage and put his hands behind his back.
“From today for the next three days, I’ve ordered all Gates within the territory to allow ‘Leonardo Blaine’ to pass, even if the personal information is different.”
Leonardo blinked. This man is very quick-witted.
“Even if you’ve regained your freedom, you’ll still need more time before you can confidently show yourself to the world. If you’re planning to leave the territory, hurry within three days. Also, I’ve kept it to myself that you can change your appearance with magic, so feel free to use it in the future if necessary.”
“Oh….”
Come to think of it, when he was investigated for the Frost Territory demon beast smuggling case, he wasn’t questioned about how he changed his face. The investigators had no way to explain how he had concealed his appearance, so they pushed ahead with suspicion alone, and the suspicion that he had helped the head merchant escape was vaguely dropped.
He thought it was sudden, but he never imagined that this man’s influence had been at play. Changing one’s appearance was Forbidden magic, and it was clear that the user was subject to punishment. But he was even willing to overlook that, so he couldn’t even calculate how many things he had already turned a blind eye to.
“…Is that okay? You, you hate things like that, don’t you?”
“It’s a means to protect you, so that much is fine. But, promise me just one thing.”
Golden Eyes, filled with doubt, reacted. The hand that had been behind his back came forward and brushed away the golden hair that flickered around his eyes.
“If we ever meet again….”
The touch was more intense than before. The lips of the man, who was assuming a sweet future, drew his attention.
“Promise me you won’t use that magic in front of me. So that I can recognize you.”
A touch on his forehead. A gentle tone. In contrast to that, an intense gaze landed on his eyes.
Leonardo, enveloped in the lingering feelings of the man who seemed to be able to cover his entire profile, barely held onto his heart, which seemed about to falter.
“Even when I hid my appearance… you eventually found me.”
“…If you knew how consumed I was until I found you, you wouldn’t say that so easily.”
“……”
“Besides, I’ve already promised not to look for you anymore. So, I have no choice but to wait until you come to me.”
It was a vow that was so noble that it felt ironic. And it was also ironic that he wanted him to continue to be consumed in the future.
Leonardo moved his lips, which were not easily parted. If he promised not to use Forbidden magic in front of this man, it would be impossible to secretly see his face alone. But if he were to face this man again in his true form, he couldn’t be sure that his heart wouldn’t waver while experiencing the same farewells every time.
“……”
It wasn’t so difficult when talking about farewells and reunions with Flynn. Why was one word so difficult in front of this man, as if he were making an eternal vow?
Hugo’s finger, which had been crushing his thin eyelashes like silk, slid down his cheek as he urged him to answer. Then, it landed on his beautiful lips. Because it was an area that he had not readily allowed in the past, Leonardo felt that his lips were particularly tense.
“Promise.”
As if telling him to speak quickly, an oppressive voice rang in his ears. The man’s intrusion secretly pried open the slightly parted lips. Through the briefly visible teeth, a red tongue, lost in agony, made his blue eyes narrow.
Hugo glimpsed the same lingering feelings as his own entangled at the end of it.
He quickly closed his mouth to hide his inner thoughts, but he couldn’t hide the swaying Adam’s apple.
The trembling golden eyelashes fluttered up and down before falling.
“…Okay. I promise.”
As if he had heard a satisfactory answer, a faint relief spread across his serious eyes. At the same time, the dangerous touch that had been playing around was withdrawn as if nothing had happened.
Leonardo licked the end of his lips, which had become empty after the finger that had felt like a thousand pounds had moved away.
And he quietly became aware of the man’s gaze watching him.
The other man sent a nostalgic gaze, like a black-and-white photograph, under the vast sense of space given by the stained glass.
The color of the eyes looking at him was endlessly blue and clear, but the things inside were filled with a deep longing, like a waiting room that had long lost its passengers.
Like a single photograph left in an instant, Leonardo captured that sense of incongruity in his eyes.
As the silence grew longer, Hugo spoke first.
“…I have to go now. It’s dangerous when the sun goes down.”
He gathered the things he had given him and carefully placed them in the backpack hanging on one of Leonardo’s shoulders.
“The compensation is also in here, so take good care of it.”
He was a man who acted as a protector to the end and was kind. Suddenly, Leonardo recalled the messenger of God who had appeared in the courtroom.
He also remembered Flynn’s words that the Commander had spent some money to get him released.
This man defied providence and gave him freedom.
In the process, there must have been his ideals and beliefs, a noble spirit, and constant conflicts with those around him. But had this man ever shown any of that to him even once? Rather, he hid it to the point of frustration and didn’t share his thoughts at all.
It was the same today. He only offered greetings and didn’t mention any of the responsibilities he was bearing in front of him.
Leonardo quietly stared at Hugo’s cheek, which had been drawing his attention since earlier.
Could that also be the price of his freedom? As all sorts of imaginations unfolded, Leonardo’s lips moved on their own.
“Did you spend a lot of money?”
At his remark, which seemed to know something, Hugo’s brow furrowed for a moment.
“What?”
When he asked back as if he had misheard, Leonardo offered a sweet question.
“As a reward… shall I give you a gift too?”
He looked down at the magic robe he was wearing once more. He fiddled with the cuffs of his sleeves for no reason and added.
“I received this too, so I want to give you one too.”
“……”
Hugo didn’t answer. He had no intention of receiving anything from Leonardo, even if he had given him more. However, because of the clear face that came a step closer and stood near him, he couldn’t take his eyes off the beauty and asked.
“What is it?”
Leaving only a little over a hand’s breadth between them, Leonardo fell into agony. In his mind, the white Butterfly he had seen from the window fluttered. At the same time, everything surrounding the man in front of him and himself swirled together.
He imagined the scene of the man’s calm and perfect face being cracked by his impulse.
‘If I make a mistake, I could be in danger.’
Even as he thought that, Gold Eyes glanced at the watch on the man’s wrist again today. Leonardo slyly intertwined his hand with the large hand hanging below it.
As if continuing the spoiled behavior of the previous night, which had ended disappointingly, he slowly burrowed between the long fingers.
“……”
The warm heat of rubbing his palm was eerie. Hugo quietly watched what Leonardo was doing. Whether it was an expression of affection or seduction. Following the slow contact, Gold Eyes between the beautiful eyes shone enchantingly.
Hugo knew these eyes. Extremely dangerous eyes without a hint of playfulness. It was a cunning snake-like elixir that thoroughly made the viewer’s perspective only instinctual and scattered reason.
Was there also Forbidden magic that shook people’s hearts? Hugo deliberately had trivial thoughts and slowly closed and opened his eyes. It was to come to his senses, but in the meantime, a sunshine scent resembling someone had spread like paint and tickled the tip of his nose. Since two senses had already been dominated by the other person, his head was no different from a living corpse.
Taking advantage of his blurred consciousness, the distance became excessively close. It was a distance where even his breath could be felt, so the thought that it was very dangerous flashed through his mind.
Leonardo pulled Hugo’s arm toward him. A hot touch extended behind his neck, and a vivid sensation touched his sensitive skin.
“……!”
Blue eyes hardened in an instant. The contact that had collided arbitrarily hastily contained Hugo’s lower lip.
While disguising his reckless provocation and impetuosity as clumsiness, Leonardo painted his breath on the man’s lips. Before he could even recognize the dizzying kiss, Hugo, who had hurriedly grabbed both arms, forcibly pulled him away.
“Ha, Leo―.”
It was only for that brief moment, but both of their chests rose and fell rapidly as if they would burst. As the line that he had struggled to protect until now was about to collapse, Hugo called his name with a confused face.
“Leo, this….”
Blue eyes with constricted pupils revealed considerable embarrassment. It was the moment when his firmly built, noble sanctuary was shaking precariously.
However, Leonardo couldn’t hear Hugo’s voice well, as if it were underwater. Only his heartbeat and each other’s breathing were filling his ears.
Even in a situation where his arms were tightly held by a large hand, Leonardo stubbornly stared at the cracks forming in the man’s eyes. Eventually, he took irregular breaths and threatened in a relatively calm tone.
“Since it’s the last time, don’t lie this time. Tell me honestly.”
“……”
“You sometimes, wanted to kiss me, didn’t you?”
That day, and just now too.
Hugo’s mind went blank for a moment, and he looked down at the other person, speechless. Gold Eyes, filled with certainty, urged him on as if to break his reason. He locked his sticky gaze with the other person, leaving only a small distance between them. In Hugo’s vision, red lips, which had already turned sensual, were dangerously moving.
The vivid blood flow flowing through his neck was more intense than ever, as if he had been swept away by the young man’s agitation.
He didn’t know exactly when the ‘sometimes’ that Leonardo had mentioned was. That was probably because it wouldn’t be strange to apply it to any moment.
The man’s thick Adam’s apple swayed dangerously. Leonardo poured all his attention into that sign of instinct.
In that instant, a cold hand ruthlessly rummaged through the golden hair that had been gently stroking it. He suppressed his desire over the fearless and presumptuous lips.