"Hah..."
Leonardo, who had let out a sigh without realizing it, gave Hugo a smile filled with mixed emotions. A tingling thrill spread from his back, igniting a fire in his chest. If God had sent a messenger to take his side, would it look like this?
Hugo, too, finally felt relieved at the sight of the other smiling. The only gold in the dark hall shone especially brightly today. As if telling him not to look anywhere else, their gazes clung together desperately.
However, the moment that felt as if only the two of them remained in the vast space didn't last long.
An echo of crowd noise similar to when he had entered resounded. Angry Upper House members rose en masse and left the courtroom.
Soon after, the wave from the gallery was about to cross over the temporary fence set up in the hall.
"Blaine, let's go."
Leonardo was freed from the handcuffs binding his wrists with the help of Flynn and the 1st Battalion, who had approached without him noticing. Seeing the fallen metal pieces, he stood up abruptly and moved outside the courtroom as if escaping, under their escort.
Knowing the overheated atmosphere, he didn't ask why. However, Leonardo met eyes with the man in the white smoke who watched his exit until the very end.
Like a male god appearing in a majestic oil painting. He stood straight, noble, and clear against the blurry background, all alone.
Woong, bang–
He hadn't noticed when entering, but the massive door about three times a person's height closed firmly, creating a gust of wind. Leonardo passed through the maze-like passage with Flynn gripping his forearm, without even a moment to catch his breath.
"What about your Commander? Is it okay to leave him there?"
"He'll come after cleaning up. We'd be in the way if we stayed."
At Flynn's resolute answer, Leonardo nodded but occasionally looked back towards where loud voices could still be heard. Though he felt relieved, it didn't seem to have ended cleanly. He trusted him, but he was worried about him.
After passing through the fourth door, which he had only gauged by sensation with his eyes covered earlier, they were able to emerge into a wide space like a hall. There, they encountered the 8th Platoon of the 1st Battalion, who were waiting. These were guys he had bumped into once or twice on the peninsula.
Just as he was feeling inwardly glad to see familiar faces, they, including the 8th Platoon leader, saluted with their hand to their eyebrows.
"Congratulations on your release verdict. We're glad there was a good result."
At the Platoon leader's greeting that made him feel awkward, Leonardo was at a loss for how to react. Then, with his usual relaxed smile, he answered as if it was nothing special:
"What's this, all of a sudden?"
"If you're ready to leave right away, we'll escort you on your way out. Let's go to the annex first."
"What?"
After being momentarily flustered, Flynn, hiding his urgency, added to Leonardo:
"Blaine, you saw the situation, right? I think it's better to hurry."
Though concise, the meaning was well understood.
Today, he would say goodbye to these people.
Leonardo looked around for a moment with a blank expression. He had barely emerged from the lingering effects of the release verdict.
***
When he returned to the Commander's private room, which had become as comfortable as his own room by now, the clock on the wall had just passed 5 PM. The intense midday light that had been pouring through the window frame was now replaced by scattered crimson light preparing for sunset, falling like drops of paint that had shaped the male god.
Leonardo took out the new mage robe from the sprawled gift box. He carefully inserted his arms and legs between the soft yet firm fabric.
The tailor's note said that he had heard about recent significant changes in body shape, so he had made it generously considering that point. Perhaps because of this, it was quite loose, but rather, it was almost the same size as the mage robe he had worn when first departing.
A belt was neatly included in the box, as if anticipated. The short name engraved in luxurious lettering on the metal buckle part caught his eye.
'Leo'
Leonardo immediately realized that there was no way the tailor he had first met would know his body shape from a few months ago or his short name, and that this crystallization of delicacy was both a farewell gift and 'his' work.
'He put a lot of thought into it.'
Leonardo approached the chair where Hugo had dried his hair, and fastened the belt while checking his appearance in the mirror attached to the side table. However, what actually caught his eye wasn't the neatly dressed mage robe. It was the image of himself sitting in the chair and the phantom of the man smiling affectionately behind him.
"..."
He stared blankly at the two people reflected in the mirror for a moment. Unconsciously, he repeatedly moved his lips and then firmly closed them.
A corner of his chest loosened and tightened again repeatedly. When that happened, the ache spread from his chest to his back, stomach, and face, gradually distorting his expression reflected in the mirror.
Leonardo knew what this emotion was. But he carefully covered it up and pretended not to know.
"...Pull yourself together."
When his inner thoughts suddenly spilled out of his mouth, Flynn, who had been packing his belongings in one corner, turned around as if asking what he had said.
"Hm?"
"Ah, it's nothing."
Leonardo shook his head nonchalantly. Flynn stood up from his seat, stretched his stiff back, and approached him.
"I packed some travel money and a pass... and various other things. Does the clothes fit well?"
Leonardo blinked, shaking off his thoughts, and raised the corners of his mouth as he lightly turned his body.
"Yeah, it fits well. How does it look?"
"It suits you."
Flynn made a subtle expression mixing pride and bitterness, as if feeling a new sentiment.
"It's like seeing you when you first departed for the peninsula."
"Ah."
Before Leonardo could grasp the hidden meaning behind his words, he recalled his situation at that time, going back to the point Flynn had mentioned.
It had felt hopeless, stifling, and maddening, but. Even so, there was one thing then that wasn't there now.
Leonardo raised his head again to check the 'time.' Then, lightly shaking his long eyelashes, he muttered:
"It's already come to this."
His mind was filled with thoughts of that person rather than the joy of release. He was very concerned about his well-being, left behind in the chaotic courtroom.
Leonardo carefully asked Flynn, just in case:
"Before I go, will I... say goodbye to your Commander?"
"What? Of course. Were you planning to leave without saying goodbye?"
When Flynn responded with surprised eyes, Leonardo hastily added:
"It's not that. It just seems like he's running a bit late."
At his uncharacteristically adamant tone, Leonardo raised his eyebrows and smiled slightly. Soon after, he reassured Flynn saying he understood, and he too felt reassured in turn.
He unnecessarily turned around to look in the mirror again. Though he wanted to quickly show how he looked in Agrizendro's gift, he was quite careful in his movements, worried that even the sleeve cuffs might wear out.
"But you know."
"Hm?"
Leonardo, who had been meaninglessly tidying his appearance and hair, brought up one curiosity that had remained slightly unsettling:
"How was I actually released? Honestly, the trial atmosphere was almost invalidating it."
At the direct question, Flynn's face was instantly colored with embarrassment. Leonardo looked at him from the corner of his eye and added as if it wasn't a big deal:
"It wasn't a situation that should have ended in release, what did your Commander do?"
Flynn hesitated, considering whether to change the subject, but with the bright golden eyes staring at him intently, he had no choice but to answer awkwardly:
"Well... I think he, spent some money."
"Money? How much?"
"...Well."
His awkward smile as he shrugged his shoulders looked quite troubled. It seemed to say not to ask any more, so Leonardo closed his mouth at that point.
He knew that money often changed hands in the world of politics and nobility, but he hadn't expected the Commander, famous for his uprightness as someone had said, to use such methods. Moreover, judging by Flynn's reluctant demeanor, he guessed that a considerable amount must have been involved.
He felt grateful to him for keeping his promise, but at the same time, his feelings became complicated.
"Hmm..."
Leonardo sat lightly on the chair's backrest and looked down at his feet. Flynn watched his expression silently, and was about to change the subject when:
"Blaine, where are you going to–"
"You know Kenis Weber. Can I meet him too?"
"Huh?"
"I want to thank him for attending as a witness. I'd like to say goodbye before I leave."
Flynn nodded with an "Ah..." and then answered with a slightly difficult nuance:
"As far as I know, that friend had some urgent business, so I heard he went somewhere else right after giving his testimony."
"Is that so? No wonder he was in civilian clothes. That's a shame."
"I'll pass on your greetings for you."
Leonardo nodded as if it wasn't a particularly important matter and turned his eyes towards the window. However, his profile showed considerable regret.
Flynn traced the handsome man's fine lines with his eyes, which might be for the last time. Then, without realizing it, he suddenly opened his mouth:
"Aren't you going to miss me?"
Leonardo rolled his eyes slightly. Before he could even ask back, Flynn continued matter-of-factly:
"I'm, going to miss you when we part."
"..."
The clock on the wall sometimes revealed its presence excessively. Today too, with the ticking sound of the second hand, Leonardo realized that he had been silent for quite a long time.
As he stared at Flynn, who was turning his eyes away in embarrassment, he soon laughed with a deflating sound.
"W-What? Why are you laughing?"
"There was a kid I saw before. You're exactly like him."
Flynn didn't feel particularly good about Leonardo's remark that seemed to remind him of someone else. Noticing this again, Leonardo approached him with a smile in his eyes and lightly punched his shoulder.
"Miss me? We'll see each other again."
Flynn asked back, seemingly surprised:
"See each other again? Then, can we meet again?"
"Why not? We met now, didn't we?"
Though it was an ambiguous statement, Flynn nodded reflexively. He took it to mean that since they had met once like this, they could meet again next time.
Seeing the other's mood lighten at just that one word, Leonardo chuckled and picked up the small backpack Flynn had packed.
Though he regretted Leonardo's touch leaving so quickly, Flynn watched him sling the backpack over one shoulder and asked:
"When we meet again, can I call you by your name too?"
Leonardo turned around with a puzzled face at the weight of the backpack, which felt like cotton.
"Only the Commander calls you by your first name. I... want to call you by your first name too, not Blaine."
The grown man asked like a shy girl, which didn't suit him at all. Leonardo strangely furrowed his eyebrows at Flynn's statement, which seemed to express envy.
However, the nape of his neck, which had turned bright red, looked like it might burst if he didn't answer quickly. Leonardo laughed dryly and answered as if doing him a favor:
"Call me Leo. That's what all the guys close to me call me."
Flynn's eyes sparkled. He brightened his expression and spoke without hesitation:
"Okay, Leo."
He had said he would call him that when they met next time, but his hasty speech was ridiculous, though Leonardo didn't particularly stop him. Leonardo raised the corner of his mouth crookedly and jerked his chin towards the exit.
"Didn't you say we need to leave quickly? Let's go now."
"Ah, right."
As he followed Flynn, who opened the door and went out first, Leonardo thought quietly to himself:
'I was really envious of you.'
But he didn't bother to say it out loud. Finally, after adjusting his shoes, he stepped outside, imprinting the scenery of the room in his mind one last time.
***
"Don't schedule any internal appointments for the time being. I'm prepared for disciplinary action anyway. Ah, I'll attend the press conference held tomorrow in person."
"Yes, understood. But... Commander, are you really alright?"
Gabe, who was walking quickly through the corridor, asked carefully. The Commander's profile that briefly came into his view didn't look particularly comfortable for someone who had finished his work.
Of course, knowing that his superior had just done something big, Gabe kept glancing at him while pretending to be nonchalant.
Hugo, who had brushed back his hair that had fallen in the meantime, arrived first in front of the Commander's office and stopped walking. Soon, after taking a small deep breath, he tidied his clothes with a posture without a single flaw.
The guards lined up in front of the door bowed their heads and stepped back. The number was three times more than usual.
Hugo counted to 3 internally for a moment and knocked on the Commander's office door.
"It should be fine."
Soon after, he opened the heavy door forcefully. An alien chill permeating the ownerless room seeped out thickly from the small gap.
Hugo stepped inside while maintaining his composure. The cold-blooded witch who had made the presiding judge tremble was standing in the middle of the office like a mannequin, wearing a long fur cape blending white and navy blue.
Thick jewels dangling from slender fingers and a staff disguised as a cane. The thick cape dragging down to her feet boasted a splendor no less than an emperor's coronation.
No, perhaps her spirit was already that of an emperor. The emperor of Logia, whose hair had turned white but whose face and eyes still maintained sharpness and youth. A noble woman like cold dew fallen on a winter dawn. As if she had known Hugo would come, she had been staring this way since the moment the door opened.
Meeting those icy eyes that resembled his own, Hugo put on the facade of an affectionate adopted son and gave a light bow.
"Council member, have you been waiting long?"
A gentle smile played on his lips. His voice was unprecedentedly kind and showed gladness.
However, the detestable role-play didn't last long. This was because the woman who had approached him with large strides raised her right hand with a fierce expression.
It was before Gabe could even close the door. The sound of flesh being torn echoed inside the quiet Commander's office.
Slash–
Hugo's face, which he hadn't managed to block, turned halfway.
His Grand Madam opened her bright blue eyes wide and asked:
"Are you in your right mind?"