By Zephyria Leonardo grabbed Ero by the collar and slammed him against the wall. Ero waved his hands, desperately proving his innocence, but the gold eyes he faced were full of distrust.
“You bastard, tell me straight. Did you really ask without knowing?”Ah, brother!” I guessed that you liked that side because you were staring at them! How would I know the relationship between the three of you?”
“Then how did you know it was me? I didn’t even make eye contact with you, how did you recognize me?”
Leonardo was very suspicious of Ero, who recognized him at once in the crowd.
Thanks to the lesson he learned from being chased by reporters after the first game, he paid special attention to not being noticeable in today’s game. He wore a cloak and hood as well, but he wore a dark beige tone fabric because it would be strange to wear mourning clothes on a bright day.
He didn’t like it, but he even fixed it to his head with a pin that Judy gave him so that the hat wouldn’t fly away during battle. In addition, based on his previous experience, he also added a waterproof function to the mask that Miraile made. In other words, it was no exaggeration to say that he covered everything except his eyes.
But suddenly, the guy appeared and greeted him by waving his hand, so he couldn’t help but be embarrassed in his fully prepared position.
“Well, I recognized you because you were all wrapped up as if you came from some lawless zone! League participants wear doll masks or masks, and do all sorts of things, but there aren’t many people who dress like older brothers, who clearly say ‘don’t bother me’!”
Ero appealed to his innocence, saying that he was upset that he was being suspected of knowing him because he had fought together in the last game. Gillian, who was watching the two of them from nearby, intervened in the middle.
“That’s what this guy said. I told you it was too much. On the contrary, if you’re pathologically wary, it looks strange.”
Ero rolled his eyes, sensing the possibility of being on his side, and nodded his head with a pitiful expression.
“That’s right! Beast hyung knows what’s up―.”
“You can just transform with magic anyway, why bother with cloaks and masks and all that stuff…”
Beatrice, who was standing crookedly and checking if her nails were damaged, added a word. Leonardo frowned and turned to her when he heard the forbidden word. Gillian wrapped her arm around her neck and blocked her unrefined mouth from behind.
“Ugh―!”
“Miss, no one can follow you with all that stuff, so why don’t you be quiet? I’m afraid of what will come out of your mouth now.”
Beatrice, who was screaming with a blocked voice in a sarcastic tone, shone her eyes fiercely. Then, she grabbed Gillian’s arm and dug her nails into it. The silver parts on the ends of her black nails easily pierced his clothes.
But Gillian didn’t budge. Rather, he soothed her, saying that it was time for her medicine, and then dragged her to the corner to calm her down. Ero held his breath at the spectacle unfolding before his eyes. Then, he looked at Leonardo again with trembling eyes and smiled awkwardly.
Haha, as expected, brother’s companions are as strong and beautiful as brother…”
The reason why he had no choice but to slur the end of his words was because Leonardo was still looking down at him with a ferocious look.
Somehow, Ero mentioned the three of them together, and because of Beatrice’s foolish tongue. The fact that they, including Leonardo, knew each other was exposed to others. It’s just Ero, though.
Even if he didn’t know the specific relationship such as business partners, Leonardo was worried that this might ruin his plans or cause problems in his activities later. On the other hand, the two over there seemed to think it was no big deal, saying, ‘What’s the problem if we just pretend to be friends?’ Excessive caution and suspicion only make things more suspicious.
It wasn’t wrong, so Leonardo was wondering what to do with this guy in the future. In the meantime, Ero, who wanted to get out of the uncomfortable situation, grabbed his wrist with force and carefully pushed him away.
“Brother, didn’t I tell you?” I will be loyal during the league period…. Cough, so I don’t know what you’re worried about, but please trust me! And it’s getting stuffy, so please, wow!”
Leonardo let go of the collar he was holding as if throwing it to the side. Ero, who was dragged by the force, fell forward. Then, he barely regained his balance like a tumbler and complained with a face that he was too much.
“Oh no, brother!” My face was almost cut!”
“The test match will start in 10 minutes. Participants, please complete your identification quickly and gather at the waiting area!”
Just in time, the league staff announced that the match start time was approaching. Leonardo glanced at Ero and then put his hands in his pockets and walked alone into the crowd.
Ero, with a tearful face, looked at his back and then suddenly came to his senses. He then looked back at Gillian and Beatrice, who were far away. They seemed to be staring at this side too, but only for a moment.
The divided two groups stood in line following different lines leading beyond the tent. As if they had no intention of joining hands.
Ero, blinking his eyes, hesitated about which way to go and belatedly followed Leonardo.
“Brother Lion!” Aren’t your companions going together?”
“They’re not my companions.”
“Yes?”
“I said those guys aren’t my companions.”
A moment ago, you were whispering about why you were here, and that you acted arbitrarily without saying anything. The way you were whispering looked like a close relationship to anyone, so the statement that they were not ‘companions’ sounded quite strange.
“Just think of them as people I know and don’t talk to them. Don’t get involved with them and stand out together.”
“Uh…”
“Did you forget already? Do you want to be chased by reporters again?”
“Ah, that’s not it, but―.”
“It’s just a hindrance to have more hangers-on. It’s enough to pass alone anyway, why bother.”
The voice muttering while pressing down on his hat was cold today. Feeling that he was uncomfortable, Ero quietly closed his mouth.
The reason why he felt embarrassed by the words ‘hangers-on’ and ‘hindrance’ was perhaps because he already knew that he, who was lucky enough to meet Lion from the first game, was such an existence to him. He was thinking of shamelessly boarding a large warship and going along with it in this game as well, but somehow brother seems more comfortable alone.
Ero scratched his cheek and glanced at Leonardo and then smiled awkwardly. It seemed that the accompaniment was only up to here, and he was swallowing the bitterness and regret.
“So, don’t think about anything else and stick next to me. If you take your eyes off me again while gathering collaborators, you’re dead.”
Leonardo’s intention was to keep an eye on Ero, who had witnessed the contact with his business partners. The information he had was still useful.
But to Ero, who was soaked in the sentimental emotions of a man who had been used and abandoned until just now, it sounded a little different.
“Got it?”
Leonardo, who raised one eyebrow and asked, walked briskly along the shrinking line.
Ero stood there blankly with his eyes wide open. He couldn’t react properly to the sudden question, and belatedly came to his senses due to the urging of the people behind him.
Soon, he hurriedly chased after the hem of the cloak of the person in front of him, which was dragging on the floor.
“Ah, yes! Of course!”
Ero’s drooping lips slowly rose with the onrushing sense of joy. It seems that the elder brother likes a small elite.
‘What’s with saying that we should only go together so scarily.’
Perhaps he trusted himself, who showed a fantastic combination in the first game, more than the people he already knew. Ero, who felt ticklish at the thought of being recognized, kept rubbing the back of his neck with his palm.
Even so, he busily followed behind so as not to miss his older brother’s steps, who seemed to be embarrassed.
“Ah, brother.” Let’s go together! Are you going to leave your only combination like this?”