Bermuda

Leonardo, who had risen from his seat holding Hugo's hand, felt the handkerchief tied around his neck. He was worried that His Grace the Duke, who seemed to know so much, might have tied it in a bow tie or butterfly shape, although that was unlikely.

Fortunately, the shape that brushed his fingertips was nothing so effeminate. However, it was tied quite firmly—rougher than the way one would tie a scarf.

Leonardo, tugging at the end of the handkerchief a few times, wondered if he would be able to untie it at all.

'...Is this a military knot?'

The knotted part of the fabric was so tightly bundled that it was hard to believe it was made of silk. Still puzzled by the sense of restraint at his fingertips, Leonardo went down the deck and squeezed into the shoes Flynn had prepared. Then, after tapping the floor with his toe, he followed Hugo past the side table that had been pushed aside.

Even as he casually skimmed the newspaper article placed on top, Leonardo's heart was still filled with the lingering heat and excitement of going outside. However, the large letters of the newspaper, visible even from a distance, formed a familiar combination of words that caught Leonardo's eye.

Leonardo, who was about to pass by, hesitated for a moment. Sensing this, Hugo stopped and turned around.

Leonardo quickly averted his gaze from the side table. He looked up at Hugo and bent his waist awkwardly.

"I haven't finished putting on my shoes yet."

Leonardo straightened the heel of his crumpled shoe and put it on properly. He straightened up and smiled awkwardly, saying he was ready now.

Hugo, who had been watching him, shifted his eyes slightly to the side table and then back.

Feeling a strange atmosphere, Leonardo grasped his hand and urged him to go out. At that moment, Hugo, who had withdrawn his gentle gaze from earlier, spoke with a suddenly serious face.

"Leonardo. Let me say this once more... It's just for a moment. We're really just going to get some fresh air and come back."

At these words, which seemed trivial for such a serious tone, Leonardo blinked and replied as if it were obvious.

"I know. You've been saying that all along. Do you think I'm going to refuse to come back?"

I'm not a child. At the faintly uttered words, Hugo made a meaningful expression without answering. His face seemed to suggest that it was entirely possible, causing Leonardo to chuckle in disbelief and add a word.

"Want me to make a promise?"

He waved his little finger, which he had barely managed to extend from his cast left hand. As it was a familiar sight he had seen once before, Hugo just smiled and shook his head. Meaning not to strain himself, Hugo carefully lowered Leonardo's left hand while holding it, then quickly returned to a serious face and admonished him.

"Outside is still not fully organized. It's also a very busy time.... It might look very bustling and confusing to you. If you feel it's hard to stand or feel tired, you must tell me immediately."

Leonardo nodded, puzzled by Hugo's words that seemed to treat him almost like someone mentally and physically weak. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was being overprotective. But still, it wasn't a bad thing to be worried about, so he decided to enjoy this moment. He might indeed look like someone mentally and physically weak in Hugo’s eyes.

Afraid that Hugo might withdraw his permission to go out, Leonardo shook the hand he was holding and urged him.

"I understand, so let's go out quickly. The sun is about to set."

Wanting to see the full sun, not just light filtered through glass, Leonardo stepped toward the door first, saying there was no time. Hugo, who had been staring blankly, followed him and moved the rest of the way. Consciously putting strength into the hand he was holding, Hugo grabbed the doorknob and slowly pushed it outward.

Creeeeak-

A faint light seeped through the opened gap. The outside scent lightly brushed his nose.

Soon, as the door opened completely, fishy yet fresh air filled his lungs. Leonardo slightly squinted at the sudden natural light, but took a deep breath and felt the faint wind.

'The smell of blood?' 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

The members around saluted the Commander in unison, but Hugo quickly stopped them with a raised hand. Of course, Leonardo, who hadn't paid any attention to them, first looked at the scene before his eyes. Beyond the layers of tents and dense foliage, he saw the red sun hiding its vast presence.

"Wow."

Although it was already almost set and retreating into twilight, he couldn't help but exclaim at something so ordinary. It was because he had doubted whether he would see tomorrow's sun again, clutching his heart when the battle with the mother body was at its peak.

The moderately breezy wind wasn't cold, but it felt relatively chilly compared to the warm interior they had just left. Even that wasn't too bad, but when he slightly tensed his shoulders, Hugo, who was holding his hand, immediately noticed and asked.

"Are you cold?"

Leonardo shook his head. Although it was much cooler than the peninsula, the temperature here was still relatively high.

Thinking again that it was overprotection, he glanced back at Hugo, and at that moment, his eyes met with five or six members who were looking at him from beyond Hugo. They wore quite surprised expressions, as if they had discovered a legendary animal. Leonardo, who had been looking without much thought, felt a rather unpleasant twinge.

'Ah, this is not the time for this.'

Remembering the contents of the newspaper he had just seen, he thought he should hurry. If the sun set any further, it would be difficult to identify faces, and there would be no point in coming out.

However, since he couldn't continue like this, Leonardo first tried to let go of Hugo's hand. But Hugo tightly held onto the hand trying to slip away and wouldn't let go. At the grip that squeezed even harder, Leonardo glanced at him. At that moment, someone's scream, certainly not small, pierced Leonardo's ears.

"Aagh-!"

Startled awake from the peacefulness, Leonardo turned toward the direction. At the source of the sound heard from afar, an exceptionally large tent was set up. Several people rushed there urgently, and the continuing screams suggested a serious situation.

'What's going on?'

Leonardo, whose expression had suddenly hardened, naturally tried to head there as well. However, because Hugo pulled the hand he was holding in the opposite direction, he was forced to stop before he could even take two steps.

"Leonardo, this way."

"...Huh?"

Leonardo looked back with confused eyes while being led by Hugo's strength. He was perplexed because Hugo, who would usually be the first to go and assess the situation at times like this, now seemed to be trying to move away to another place.

"It looks like something happened over there, shouldn't we go check?"

"The medical team would have already gone. It's not something you need to worry about."

Hugo's profile, walking about one step ahead, gave an impression of being both resolute and cold. Although Leonardo questioned his behavior, he silently followed behind him. However, as it was the first time he had walked at this pace since waking up, his respiratory system sent signals that it was struggling, even though it wasn't a particularly fast pace.

Along with this, his legs started trembling again and a slight dizziness came over him. Leonardo spoke urgently while catching his breath.

"Wait, let's go slowly."

At that moment, Hugo, who had abruptly stopped walking, turned around. Leonardo, who had bumped into Hugo while turning the corner of the cabin, took a step back and stood in place. He frowned at his suddenly accelerated heartbeat and hugged his chest.

Seeming to have pushed him too hard without meaning to, Hugo quickly cupped Leonardo's cheeks and examined his complexion.

"Leo, are you okay? I must have walked too fast. I'm sorry."

"No, it's fine, I'm fine. Do you have somewhere you need to go? Why are you in such a hurry..."

At that moment, a fairly strong wind blew, ruffling both of their hair. In the familiar fishiness carried within it, Leonardo realized that the smell of blood he had caught earlier was not his imagination.

Leonardo's eyes widened for a moment, and he stopped speaking and immediately looked around. In his view, he could see a narrow passage leading to the opposite side between two tents set up nearby. He occasionally saw members passing through there, and the wind was blowing more strongly as it funneled through that place.

"Leo?"

Sensing that something was off about him, Hugo called out with an uneasy expression, putting strength into the hand he was holding. But Leonardo, who quickly slipped out of Hugo's hand, immediately teleported to where his gaze had fallen.

"Leo!"

Hugo's cry, which had been heard right beside him, instantly became distant. Leonardo, who had run out along the narrow path between the two tents, stopped in his tracks, panting at the scene that unfolded before him.

Although he had only crossed one barrier of tents lined up in a row, a scene quite different from what he had seen right after coming out of the cabin spread out before him.

Numerous cabins and temporary tents set up at regular intervals stretched out in orderly rows. Between them, Council members who had stopped what they were doing all turned to look this way.

Some were supporting their comrades, some were maintaining weapons, some were carrying medicines—all staring at the golden figure that had suddenly appeared. In a relatively wide space, commanders gathered in small groups, stopping their discussions and report deliveries all at once.

As gazes gradually converged on one spot, a moment of silence fell over the vast plain. Soon, as one person's voice broke the ice, murmurs followed, and the sound gradually grew louder.

Leonardo quickly scanned them with confused eyes. It wasn't because the gazes directed at him were uncomfortable.

There didn't seem to be a single person who was uninjured. Injured people were groaning and slumped everywhere, bleeding, and blood-soaked bandages were scattered randomly on the ground.

Leonardo finally realized why Hugo had tried to prevent him from coming out, why he had led him to the opposite side.

The inside of the cabin had been essentially like an isolated peace he had created. This was the reality.

The end of a horrific battle stained with blood. It was the human victory they had so desperately longed for, where not a single victor could be found.