By Zephyria About 10 cabins away from the tent where Hugo and Leonardo were, there was a large open space that could accommodate a large number of people. Most of the members’ meals were prepared there, and the two took their seats inside a tent set up separately for the commanders.
It wasn’t the first time they had eaten facing each other, but there was no conversation at all until the bowls were placed in front of them. Only the sound of the tableware clashing occasionally lingered, so the air was very static, enough for even the members passing by to feel it.
In that situation, there was no way the food would go down properly. Even though it was clearly more or less palatable than before, Leonardo only fiddled with the soup and couldn’t empty his bowl.
Hugo, who knew that he needed more calories due to the recent hardships, also finished his meal with only the minimum amount of protein today and quickly tidied his mouth.
He sometimes struck up a conversation with Leonardo, asking if the food was palatable, but after a simple “Yes” or a nod, the conversation would end. Even when their eyes met, it was only for a fleeting moment before they glanced away.
Thoughts swirled in both pairs of eyes, but neither voiced them.
After the brief meal, they headed towards a small plaza within Fidele Territory. There wasn’t enough space besides the dining area for all the commanders of the subjugation force to gather, so they had created a temporary meeting place by restricting the passage of the territory’s residents. The plaza was quite large, requiring about a five-minute walk from the Encampment of huts. As it was a large conference, it was to be held outdoors again.
Hugo walked about half a step ahead of Leonardo throughout the stroll, occasionally slowing down to check on him, but he didn’t wrap his arm around him or hold his hand as he usually did.
Maintaining just the right amount of distance was his way of showing consideration, stemming from the realization that he had been too casual with someone who had a lover. However, to Leonardo, who had been waiting for him all night, it felt as if Hugo was keeping his distance because he was upset for some reason.
As they approached their destination, the meeting place came into view beyond the alleyway. Flynn, who had arrived earlier, was organizing Hugo’s seat when he spotted them and hurried over.
“Ah, Blaine! Legion Commander, have you eaten? You’re here sooner than I expected.”
Flynn, who had also stayed up all night due to Hugo’s instructions, had dark circles under his eyes. But he smiled, masking his fatigue, and offered to lead them to the seats he had prepared.
“I’ve summarized the reports collected yesterday into about two pages and left them at your seat. But since I didn’t expect Blaine to come, I only prepared one seat… I’ll quickly grab another chair. Should I put it right next to the head seat?”
Flynn, preoccupied with preparing for the meeting and other tasks, hadn’t yet noticed the strange tension between the two. But Hugo’s dry reply made Flynn stop in his tracks.
“No, not next to me.”
Even Leonardo, who had been walking silently, turned to Hugo with a slightly surprised look. Flynn, also turning back, asked with a puzzled expression.
“Pardon? Then…”
“There was that incident with the members suddenly crowding around yesterday, and it would be burdensome if too much attention was focused on him. Besides, he hasn’t fully recovered yet, so I think it would be better to have a seat next to you, Flynn, this time. You can take care of him for me if the meeting gets long.”
Hugo said, turning his eyes to the side.
“That would be better, right? Leonardo.”
Leonardo couldn’t speak right away. He had naturally assumed he would be sitting next to Hugo.
The reason Hugo gave was clearly out of consideration, but it didn’t feel that way to Leonardo. Even at the conference held before entering the 118th Fort, his seat had been right next to the Legion Commander’s without question.
Of course, it wasn’t that the seat wasn’t burdensome. Being with the final decision-maker meant he was under a lot of scrutiny.
But in this situation, if it came out like this, it felt like he was continuing to draw a line, like an extension of what happened earlier. It was like lighting a fuse on his already tangled thoughts.
Leonardo forced himself to hide his bewilderment and stared at Hugo with eyes that seemed to demand more explanation. But Hugo simply waited for his answer, looking down at him silently as if he had nothing more to add.
As the conversation paused, Flynn looked back and forth between the two. Leonardo, not wanting anyone else to notice anything strange, quickly replied as if nothing was wrong.
“Yeah, that’s better.”
It wasn’t agreement, but pride. Hugo, who had been looking at him with an unreadable gaze, nodded lightly.
Just as he turned his eyes back to Flynn, senior commanders who happened to be passing by spotted Hugo and greeted him.
“Supreme Commander.”
“Legion Commander, you’ve arrived.”
As quite a few people gathered at once, Hugo sensed that the meeting time was approaching and checked his watch. Soon after, he gestured appropriately, and the commanders approached Leonardo as well, offering brief greetings. Of course, the fact that the Legion Commander was protecting him was already widely known, so they didn’t approach him too closely or linger for too long, unlike the members from yesterday.
However, Hugo suddenly wrapped his arm around Leonardo’s back and shoulders. He pulled Leonardo slightly towards him, making the commanders discreetly step back.
Hugo’s behavior, suddenly becoming affectionate after maintaining his distance, was completely baffling to Leonardo. He didn’t show it much, but his round, widened Gold Eyes looked up at Hugo silently.
Hugo simply smiled at him as usual. Afterwards, he gently pushed Leonardo towards Flynn and said, removing his smile as if nothing had happened.
“Flynn, take care of him.”
^
Leonardo, who appeared at the meeting place, drew people’s attention as always. But after Hugo stepped forward as if to show off, everyone only glanced at him and didn’t dare approach.
Nevertheless, it was obvious even to those who weren’t directly involved that the gazes directed at him were very different from before. Before, they were mainly filled with curiosity and wariness, but now they were much more friendly, and even tinged with awe.
War heroes after large-scale battles were almost objects of worship. Flynn took a seat with Leonardo a little away from the head seat, but he could feel that most of the attention in the meeting place was focused on them.
Everyone was sitting and waiting for the meeting to begin, so they were mostly looking straight ahead, but Flynn thought that if Leonardo had sat next to the Legion Commander, he would have had a pretty hard time throughout the meeting.
Meanwhile, Flynn found Leonardo’s silent demeanor somewhat strange. He was sitting with his legs crossed, leaning slightly, and looking at the head seat like the other commanders.
But Leonardo didn’t seem to be in a very good mood today. His eyes were sharp, but his energy was drooping, and Flynn wondered if something had happened between the two again.
As Flynn’s doubts deepened, Hugo, who had soon finished reviewing the last document, scanned the room and opened his mouth.
“As announced in advance, today’s meeting aims to disseminate the final situation before returning to the central headquarters and to finalize any unresolved discussion items. Since most of the people who couldn’t attend earlier are here today, we will reiterate and specifically organize the current progress of the subjugation and the stage of the casualty rescue operation based on the contents of yesterday’s meeting. Afterwards, if there are any newly added issues or topics, each person can raise their hand and propose them. We don’t have much time, so please keep your remarks as concise as possible, but I hope that any details that need to be shared, even minor ones, will be mentioned here.”
“Yes, understood―.”
Numerous commanders replied in unison to the Legion Commander’s words. The echoes bouncing off the walls were particularly loud, as the buildings around the small plaza were empty as the refugees had left.
“Then let’s begin the final meeting.”
As soon as Hugo gave the signal, Gray Scott, the 12th Battalion Commander, stood up from his seat. He went to the podium in the center and began to brief on the progress of the subjugation, as compiled by the operations department.
“First, I’ll briefly state the table of contents. The briefing will proceed in the order of the movements of the demon beasts identified after the core was defeated, the stability of the current Defense line, the types and scale of the demon beast individuals concentrated between the Eldermilli Peninsula border zone and the Fidele Territory Gate, and the necessary manpower and estimated time required to eliminate the remaining demon beasts…”
The reason Leonardo attended the meeting today was essentially to hear this. He wanted to hear and judge with his own eyes and ears how the situation was unfolding.
But right now, he wasn’t getting anything out of attending the meeting because he couldn’t hear a word of the briefing.
His mind was solely focused on slowly retracing where it all started. At what point did the atmosphere, which he thought was pretty good, fall apart? When did that man’s unknowable inner thoughts begin to put up a wall against him?
‘Was it because I said, “Why are you interfering so much?”‘
Looking back, it seemed like that moment, when he frowned and stared outside, was the beginning.
It was a statement that Agrizendro could have been upset about. He must have been quite tired from the all-night meeting. When people don’t get enough sleep, they become more sensitive, and things they wouldn’t normally care about become annoying. He had experienced that a few times himself, so he could understand it well enough.
So, even though the Legion Commander was indeed broad-minded, his statement at the time might have hurt him as a person. Of course, that was just his guess.
‘But he didn’t have to say it like that.’
Leonardo’s gaze was fixed on the head seat, which felt so distant today.
He never noticed it when he was always next to the Legion Commander, but when he was away from him, he realized something new. Perhaps because it was a place where so many commanders were gathered, Agrizendro’s appearance felt particularly distant, like an unreachable being.
Leonardo tried to erase the gap in his mind and continued to replay his conversation with Hugo before leaving the tent.
‘Is it really because of duty?’
‘I wonder.’
Leonardo’s brow furrowed instantly.
‘Maybe, it is.’
Then he recalled Hugo wrapping his arm around his shoulders in front of the commanders. In fact, that was an extremely personal and arbitrary act for someone who had said it was his duty.
Leonardo propped his chin on his hand and stared intently at Hugo’s profile, which didn’t turn to look at him even once.
Soon, his twisted red lips spat out as if resentful.
“Liar.”