By Zephyria There were many stories to share, and the topic and time passed quickly. Leonardo, who was busy emptying his plate, asked how the water rippling under the table didn’t wet things.
Hugo was about to answer that he increased the density of the water particles and covered the surface with an air film, but stopped himself. Instead, he replied that water could take on any property or form if he wanted.
At that, Leonardo asked if it would be okay to dip his bare feet in the water during the meal, and Hugo readily agreed, saying, “As much as you want.” After a servant brought a tray with shoes and socks, he slipped his legs under the draped tablecloth. The flowing waves on the floor rippled from the soles of Leonardo’s feet to the tops of his feet.
Unlike before, he could feel the water particles seeping into his skin. The moist droplets clung together and occasionally stuck to the floating hydrangea petals, tickling his skin.
“Is it cold?”
“No, it’s perfect. It’s cool.”
Watching him, who was as excited as a child splashing in the water, Hugo smiled without realizing it.
Many Fire Mages were said to dislike water, but Leonardo seemed quite friendly, perhaps because he was an all-rounder. Come to think of it, he had left the ranks alone in the peninsula and turned a puddle into a hot spring, and he had said that he wanted to wash whenever he sweated a lot. Today, he was enjoying the world he had created so much, so he was more than satisfied from the position of the one who had prepared it.
Hugo added a slight flow to the waves flowing at his feet to make him happy. At the same time, he gradually asked Leonardo about his whereabouts and recent situation so as not to feel like he was interrogating him.
Leonardo, who was hungry, finished his sixth main dish and slowly answered the questions. He periodically moved his accommodation, traveled around the Empire as if it were a trip, and the reason I reappeared in front of you was….
“Because I was curious about how you were doing.”
It was one of the few truths among the many lies. Apart from the League’s prize, it was true that he had been looking for His Excellency in the crowd.
But Hugo’s reaction was not very satisfactory.
“Is that all?”
“Is that all? I’m telling you I’m interested in you.”
“That’s obvious. In the first place, if you were curious about how I was doing, you could have contacted me or come to see me directly.”
Hugo subtly pressed him, asking what had happened to the Magic Tool for communication that he had given him. Leonardo, who was about to cleanse his palate with grilled pineapple, paused, speechless for a moment.
He was dumbfounded by the other party’s words, which took his interest for granted. Moreover, he was at a loss as to how to respond because His Excellency, who was so cold-blooded, was showing his disappointment. If someone else said that, he would have scoffed that they were a narcissist, but since this person was saying it, he wondered if he had been a bit too much.
“Um, uh….”
Leonardo swallowed the pulp and licked his lips. He was about to retort, ‘You seem to be mistaken about something, do you know how rare it is for me to be interested?’, but what came out of his mouth was completely different.
“I thought being away for a while would help you.”
Hugo’s eyelids reacted subtly to that statement.
“What?”
“Because your reputation would have been tarnished for letting me go. As a Duke, as a Legion Commander. Of course, you swore you’d let me go first, but we both know it wasn’t easy.”
Leonardo’s gaze, saying so, fell under the table. His hands, which had temporarily put down the cutlery, also went down and fiddled with his thighs for no reason.
“The reason I didn’t stop by the villa is similar. I was afraid that bad rumors would follow. Especially since you, for a while, because of that explosion―.”
Leonardo was about to say that he wasn’t involved in tiring scandals, but stopped himself. It wasn’t a story to bring up in this situation. Especially not with his mouth, which wasn’t honest in front of him.
The flow of water in which he had dipped his bare feet became a little faster, but Leonardo didn’t notice because his attention was focused elsewhere. He was just holding the seat of the chair and balancing his body while his toes splashed on the surface of the water.
At that time, Hugo, whose voice had lowered a tone, asked again.
“…Then, why didn’t you contact me?”
The golden eyes that had been lowered slowly rose upward.
“If I heard your voice.”
He made eye contact only when he was telling the truth.
“I didn’t think I could stand it.”
The hesitant voice ended there. But it wasn’t needed anymore.
There was nothing to block the gazes of the two people sitting across the table. The keen senses that crossed in the air counted each other’s expressions and breaths in detail. Apart from the occasional sound of crying insects, there wasn’t a single breeze today, so it was as if only the two of them were left in the world.
Like a lone boat adrift in the vast ocean, the pure white table floated leisurely on the sea of emotions. Hugo maintained an indifferent expression, but he was actually seasick, unlike himself.
Leaving aside the story that had been interrupted in the middle, it sounded like Leonardo had hesitated to approach him because of the negative perception surrounding him. And in the process, he seemed to have been constantly restraining and controlling his emotions.
The very fact that he had thought that made him feel bad, and he was also surprised at how far he had seen.
On the other hand, Leonardo’s words that he didn’t think he could stand it were etched in his mind, and the emotions he had been trying to maintain calmly surged up to a terrifying degree.
Waves rippled in the water that had been rippling at his feet.
“You….”
A deep sigh escaped from Hugo’s lips. He rubbed his sunken eyelids and the space between his eyebrows, and muttered quietly with his head bowed halfway.
“You don’t have to, you know, not stand things like that.”
Leonardo’s head tilted slightly at the small voice that scattered like a soliloquy.
“The kind of things you’re worried about, Leonardo.”
Hugo, who had been pausing for much longer than usual, pondered diligently. He wondered what kind of answer he should give to the other party, who had a maturity that didn’t match his age. At the same time, he pushed the plates on the table to the sides appropriately.
He reached out his hand over the path that had been created in the middle. Leonardo stared at his hand and face alternately, then gently pulled his hand, which was under the table, closer.
“Rumors always follow me in the place where I am. It’s always the case. But whether it’s positive or negative, it can’t shake me.”
Leonardo’s hand was placed on top of the wide palm along with the quiet voice. Hugo, who grasped the warm heat, continued.
“I’ve always lived in the public eye. I’m now an expert in how to protect myself in that gap.”
He slowly rubbed the inside of Leonardo’s bent finger joints with his thumb. It didn’t seem like an action with great meaning, but Leonardo flinched his fingertips at the sensation of digging into his flesh.
“You’ve always been watching me, so I won’t make the excuse that nothing happened. But I want to make this clear. No matter what evaluation follows me, it’s not something you have to deal with. All the series of events that happened until I swore to set you free and fulfilled it were my choices.”
“But―.”
“Also, my honor was completed the moment you regained your freedom.”
Leonardo swallowed the words he was about to say. Hugo, who had been waiting for a while, continued.
“The promise with you was sworn not as a Legion Commander or as a Duke, but in my name.”
Leonardo followed Hugo’s voice and eyes into his memory. The situation was very different, but at that moment, he and this person were holding hands like this.
“Do you remember?”
“Yes, I remember.”
‘I swear in the name of Agrizendro.’
It was an unforgettable moment. The voice, the eyes, and the air at the time were more vivid than ever.
“Yes. So, if your worries make you hesitate to reach me, you can erase them completely. But that doesn’t mean that your worries were foolish. As much as there is attention around me, there will inevitably be things that will be focused on if you are with me. Those things will just be tiring noise for you.”
Hugo added that it wasn’t a bad decision because he was able to protect him by letting him go from the center of the commotion as a result. It was more like he was saying it to himself than encouraging the other person.
“I don’t want you to be hurt by others anymore. I will always try to protect you. But if you have the same worries again, then just act as you please. Pass the burden of dealing with it to me. Your Excellency is not that sloppy.”
The blue eyes curved gracefully. The eyes, harmonized with the mysterious light of the dawn sky, were more refreshing than ever. It was so clear that it felt like his breath was clearing. Leonardo was about to nod his head as if he was momentarily possessed, but he suddenly came to his senses.
He grimaced as if something didn’t please him, and then intertwined his fingers between Hugo’s fingers and gave strength.
“No.”
He rested his chin on one hand and stared intently at the other person, adding.
“We’ll deal with it together. I’m going to do that.”
Hugo, who raised his eyebrows at the unexpected answer, chuckled and then laughed helplessly. He was the most audacious person in the world. That was exactly this guy’s charm.
Leonardo’s lips, which had been infected by the other person’s smile, also drew a parabola.
He turned his eyes to the lake and asked.
“Can I come here again?”
“Of course. You can live here.”
“I’ll think about it.”
Giggles and playful laughter spread. Perhaps that’s why Hugo didn’t feel like Leonardo’s answer was a rejection. He was just thinking as he pleased, but how could someone who was holding hands so tightly reject him? Even while shedding seductive smiles.
‘I should reinforce the fence soon and fill it with some clothes.’
He said he kept moving his residence, so he probably didn’t have a settled place yet. He’ll gain some weight in the future, so should I prepare a generous size?
Hugo, gazing intently at the shimmering eyelashes, fell into a rather specific train of thought. If he paid a little more attention to security and created a cozy atmosphere, wouldn’t there be a day when he would settle down here himself? His figure playing by the water against the backdrop of the lake in broad daylight would also be quite a sight.
As he continued his imagination, Hugo’s handsome eyes twitched for a moment.
His blue eyes naturally lowered to the table. More precisely, he stared quietly at the unseen space beneath it.
Soon, his eyelids lifted, and he met Leonardo’s gaze.
The Gold Eyes, which had been devoid of laughter, now shone brightly as they stared straight ahead without avoiding his gaze.
It was as provocative a gaze as when he had been thrusting into his palm. Like the bewitching behavior of lifting his trouser leg and brushing his ankle with wet skin.
“…….”
The water-soaked anklebone encroached upon Hugo’s shoe, gradually soaking the leather and fabric. It swayed as if wrapping its tail around his ankle, and it would be inhuman not to feel strange at that. Before he knew it, his trouser leg and socks were damp as if they had done something messy, but he didn’t care.
Leonardo, who had been tilting his head and looking up at him, still had his hands clasped together, his thumb tracing Hugo’s index finger.
“I want to rest now.”
It sounded like a simple act of affection, but Hugo couldn’t possibly be unaware of the hidden meaning.
“I’m full and tired.”
A subtle force entered the back of his hand holding the crystal glass. Leonardo, who glanced at him, naturally averted his eyes and hid his laughter.
The glittering Gold Eyes gazed at the pink clouds slowly spreading across the azure sky. His eyes blinked slowly.
It must have been only around 4 a.m., but the world was becoming dimly lit as if dawn was breaking. Perhaps it was because the sunrise was earlier than in other regions, and it was a shame that the darkness was fading so quickly, but His Majesty’s birthday was just beginning.
Being bright wasn’t bad either. It would be much easier to see that way.
“Um… Leo.”
However, contrary to expectations, Hugo wore a slightly troubled expression.
Unable to let go of his hand, he subtly pulled his intertwined legs back. Leonardo turned his head in puzzlement at the intention conveyed first under the table.
Hugo, who had been uncharacteristically hesitant, cautiously opened his mouth.
“I really only intended to treat you to a meal today.”
As an entirely unexpected answer came back, Leonardo blankly asked.
“…What?”