By Zephyria The returning convoy of the Council’s central branch safely arrived in front of the main building, following the road created by the royal guard. He expected the main gate to be crowded with reporters trying to get a glimpse, but, like the plaza, there was no sign of any outsiders.
This level of control cannot be achieved simply by asking for cooperation. Only absolute power and pressure could enable such near-perfect order.
Knowing this, Hugo and Leonardo Blaine kept the curtains tightly drawn over the windows and stared only ahead until they entered the inner courtyard of the main building. Not even a conversation passed between them, and although Hugo occasionally checked Leonardo Blaine’s complexion, he decided that it was better not to speak to him.
After checking outside the window, his complexion had noticeably darkened. He even felt like Hugo was subtly distancing himself from him.
“We have arrived.”
The transport vehicle, which had been slowing down, came to a smooth stop, and the driver, who had announced their arrival, immediately got out of the driver’s seat. She approached the back seat, knocked as a formality, and opened the car door about two seconds later.
Clack—
Hugo closed his eyes briefly and then opened them as a stream of light poured in from above. The car had been closed the whole time, so fresh air circulated inside after a long time.
Soon after, Hugo, glancing to the side, took a step out first, and a thunderous roar of ‘loyalty’ and cheers echoed through the main building’s courtyard.
The unified voice that made his spine tingle was refreshing. He had heard similar cheers before leaving Fidele, but the sense of belonging that the central branch gave was particularly special.
Hugo placed his hand on the car body and looked around. The magnificent white buildings surrounding him on all sides, and the Council’s flags fluttering in the breeze. The familiar faces that surrounded the formation, which he hadn’t paid much attention to, made him realize the true return at this moment.
‘I’ve returned.’
When he left, the sun in the Zodiac was quite hot, but now he felt comfortable even in the afternoon, which meant that the time he spent in the peninsula was by no means short. The faces he had missed were scattered in his view. He wanted to say hello right away, but Hugo shifted his gaze and shook hands with the driver.
“The long drive must have been difficult, thank you for your hard work. Thanks to you, we were able to arrive safely.”
“It was an honor to be able to escort you.”
Hugo patted her shoulder as she bowed politely, lowered his voice, and promised to see her later.
“I will give you instructions in the near future, so please wait at the mansion until then.”
The driver, her eyes shining sharply, nodded quietly. Afterwards, Hugo exchanged simple eye contact with the other subordinates, then leaned his face into the back seat of the vehicle and gently called out to Leonardo Blaine.
“Leonardo Blaine, we’re here. You have to get out now.”
Leonardo Blaine, who had been clasping his hands together and bowing his head, turned slightly at Hugo’s voice. For a moment, his lips were stained red. When he was anxious, he would bite them, often chewing them until they were just about to bleed.
He didn’t know what kind of change of heart it was, but Hugo felt that the way Leonardo Blaine looked at him was very uneasy. His Gold Eyes seemed sharper than the day he first set out from here. But when he steadily reached out his hand for him to take, Leonardo Blaine, who had been staring at it, soon placed his hand on it.
“Be careful, the car is high.”
“Okay.”
Led by the large hand, Leonardo Blaine naturally stepped out of the car. But perhaps because he hadn’t walked for a long time, his legs gave way the moment he got out, and he staggered.
“Uh—.”
Leonardo Blaine grabbed the hand he was holding tightly with a surprised look, and Hugo reflexively wrapped his arm around his waist and made him lean against his chest.
“Careful—.”
He was so weak that it was as if he hadn’t given him a warning. His hands, which were usually dry and warm, were covered in cold sweat.
Leonardo Blaine barely regained his balance, placed his hand on Hugo’s shoulder, and stood on his own two feet. When he raised his head, the distance between them was quite close. But perhaps because he was conscious of the gazes around him, he quickly took a step back.
He clearly recognized that the atmosphere had subtly changed, but Hugo had many things to take care of right now. Leonardo Blaine seemed to want to pull his hand away, so he let go of it willingly for now.
Meanwhile, the members who had been waiting were clinging to the transport vehicles lined up in front and behind, quickly moving the injured to the infirmary. Dellua and Marlene, surrounded by crowds again, flashed by not far away. Considering the atmosphere of the plaza, it was fortunate that he had accidentally joined the 6th Division in front of the Gate entering the Zodiac.
“Legion Commander.”
Just as he was about to check on the return of the 3rd Division, a welcome title broke through the noise and reached Hugo’s ears. When he turned around, Loren Ophians, the commander of the 2nd Division, accompanied by the medical team of the headquarters, and her subordinates were approaching.
“Loren.”
Hugo’s face, which had been stiff, immediately relaxed as soon as he saw his trusted friend.
“I’m glad you’re safe.”
Loren, who also wore a smile on her cold face, formally saluted Hugo. Then, she shook hands with Hugo and patted the Legion Commander’s heavy shoulder a few times, as she always did. It was an inappropriate action for a subordinate to take towards a superior, but it seemed natural, as it showed the close relationship between the two.
And Leonardo Blaine watched the two of them exchange greetings with familiar gestures.
Loren, sensing the probing gaze, turned her head in that direction. Then, Hugo, following her gaze, wrapped his arm around Leonardo Blaine’s back and pulled him to his side.
“Let me introduce you. This is the main contributor to our subjugation force’s victory.”
Leonardo Blaine, embarrassed by the cheesy introduction, subtly pushed away the hand placed on his waist. But that didn’t mean Hugo’s hand would fall off. Now that he was used to it, he grabbed his forearm and rubbed it as if to show off.
“Leonardo Blaine, this is the commander of the 2nd Division of the Council’s central branch.”
Loren looked back and forth between the two, who looked very different from before the expedition. Then, she realized whose loose combat uniform Leonardo Blaine was wearing, and from then on, her expression gradually became strange.
“I heard the news a while ago, but…”
After her gaze reached the handkerchief around his neck, she trailed off and blinked. Before long, Loren placed her hand on her left chest and nodded lightly to Leonardo Blaine.
Just as a look of bewilderment spread across Leonardo Blaine’s face as he received the greeting, Loren spoke to Hugo again in an awkward tone.
“I didn’t want to believe it until I saw it with my own eyes.”
“Well, most people would think the same if they weren’t there. But now everyone will know.”
“…Shorendo was so frustrated. The division commanders barely stopped him from going all the way to the peninsula to greet you.”
Hugo chuckled softly at Loren’s words, which she conveyed with a serious face.
“It must have been a difficult task for the vice-commander, given his personality. Was he good at handling the work?”
“It must have been an opportunity for everyone to feel your need. I don’t think you should think about resting for a while.”
A bitter smile appeared on Hugo’s lips at the remark that seemed to imply his future schedule. Just then, the transport vehicles that had been parked in a row behind them followed the instructions and lined up to leave the crowded courtyard. Soon after, the stretchers that had been lowered to the ground and the figures of the injured came into view at a glance.
Loren, looking over the situation, which she couldn’t just be happy about, changed the subject with a serious face.
“By the way, is the situation outside your work?”
Hugo, who had been watching the transport vehicles leave, turned his head.
“What do you mean?”
“I’m talking about the complete blockade of the passageway from the entrance of the Gate to the front of the main building. The higher-ups are saying a lot because the royal guard stepped in without a request for support from our side.”
Hugo’s brow furrowed slightly. He lowered the arm that had been around Leonardo Blaine for a moment and took two steps away before answering.
“What kind of fault are they trying to find again?”
“They seem to think that you petitioned for it unilaterally, but judging from the reaction, it seems like it’s not related.”
“I don’t know what the situation is yet either. I’ll report that point later while…”
Leonardo Blaine quietly listened to Hugo’s voice, which seemed to be keeping his distance as if he was watching him. At that moment, a group of people crossed through the busy crowd in the courtyard and gradually approached them.
The group, armed with protective gear from head to toe, stopped when the eyes of the Legion Commander and the 2nd Division Commander reached them, and saluted Hugo.
“Loyalty. Legion Commander, congratulations on your safe return and victory.”
Hugo, receiving the congratulatory greetings with a puzzled look, quickly scanned their appearance, which seemed to be well-prepared for something.
“What’s going on?”
When he asked without preamble, the person at the head gestured to the back and received a heavy Magic Stone handcuffs from a member who had come with him.
“In order to prevent Leonardo Blaine’s appearance from being exposed to the outside, we have been ordered by the higher-ups to transfer him to the detention facility immediately upon arrival.”
“…What?”
“If you hand him over, Legion Commander, we will take charge of the transfer as is.”
Hugo’s expression hardened in an instant. Leonardo Blaine, who also frowned, scanned the crowd with increasingly nervous eyes.
‘Could it be.’
There were many urgent injuries, so the wariness towards him was less than before, but even before the expedition, this place was not a very friendly group to him. He had expected that if the surrounding places and people changed, he might face another hostility.
But now, apart from that, the situation outside was not good at all. Even if he had to wear those damn handcuffs and be locked up somewhere again, he would rather be holed up in the Council’s underground prison right now.
‘But if they send me somewhere else…’
He showed an unconscious rejection, assuming an ominous situation, and took a step back. Then, the armed members flinched and surrounded him warily.
Two of them carefully approached Leonardo Blaine to put on the handcuffs first. At that moment, Hugo suddenly intervened and pulled Leonardo Blaine, pushing him behind him as if to hide him.
“What are you doing?”
He snatched the handcuffs that the members were holding and immediately cut off the situation that was going strangely. The member whose hands had quickly become empty stammered in embarrassment.
“Ah, for safety, first of all…”
“All dispositions regarding Leonardo Blaine are solely under my jurisdiction. Who dares to try to put handcuffs on him without my permission?”
“Hugo.”
As a cold anger swirled around him, Loren placed her hand on his arm as if to tell him to restrain himself. Then, she calmly asked the armed members, who were clearly nervous, instead.
“As far as I know, there are no separate instructions, has an additional order been issued from above?”
Then, the hesitant members looked at each other’s faces, and soon, the person at the head carefully conveyed.
“Ah, yes. Councilman Gladias Agrizendro…”
“…Ha.”
As soon as he heard that name before he could even finish speaking, a cold sneer flowed from Hugo’s mouth. Suddenly, silence fell, and everyone in that place watched the Legion Commander’s expression.
‘Gladias, Agrizendro?’
Leonardo Blaine, who was behind Hugo, raised his eyebrows and savored the name. At that moment, Hugo grabbed Leonardo Blaine’s wrist and stuck him right next to him, threatening the crowd.
“Leonardo Blaine is a meritorious person who contributed to the subjugation of the peninsula, and at the same time, he is a patient who needs stability and recovery. Until he receives appropriate treatment and a formal judgment is made, he cannot be handcuffed within the Council. If a problem arises, I will take responsibility. Tell the Councilman that if there are separate instructions, he must consult with me through his aide or receive the authority to make decisions before he can execute the order.”
As soon as he arrived, pressure came in without even having time to breathe a sigh of relief, so Hugo had no choice but to respond coldly even to the members who were just carrying out instructions.
Because of that, the atmosphere froze coldly in an instant. Regardless, Hugo gave more strength to the hand holding Leonardo Blaine and clearly conveyed to the members.
“And, I’ll say it again. All dispositions given to Leonardo Blaine, except for the trial, are only valid by my order. Keep this in mind.”
Hugo shook the confiscated Magic Stone handcuffs in front of the members and emphasized again in a solemn voice. After telling them not to follow, he turned around and strode away.
“Let’s go, Leonardo.”
Leonardo, led by his firm will, hurriedly matched his pace without even having a chance to reply.
As he followed along, he glanced back and saw the 2nd Battalion Commander with a very troubled expression, and everyone else unable to move easily in the heavy atmosphere.
With a confused look, Leonardo then looked up at Hugo beside him.
His profile, which had been relaxed, turned as cold as ice. Leonardo could feel through their clasped hands that the Legion Commander was very angry.