Bermuda

About ten cabins past the tent where Hugo and Leonardo had been, there was a wide-open space that could accommodate a large number of people. Most of the members' meals were prepared there, and the two of them took their seats inside a tent set up separately for the commanders.

Although it wasn't the first time they were eating face to face, there was no conversation between them until the dishes were placed in front of them. With only the occasional clinking of utensils, the air was so static that even the members passing by could feel it.

In such a situation, it was impossible for the food to go down properly. Even though the taste was somewhat better than before, Leonardo only nibbled at the soup and couldn't empty his bowl.

Hugo, who knew that more calories were needed after the recent hardships, also finished his meal quickly, focusing only on the minimum necessary protein, and soon wiped his mouth.

He occasionally asked Leonardo if the food was edible, but there was no conversation following the "Yeah" or nod of the head. Even when their eyes met, it was only for a moment before they both turned their gazes elsewhere, as if brushing past each other.

Various thoughts were tangled in both pairs of eyes. But neither of them voiced these thoughts.

After the short meal, they headed to a nearby small square within Fidele Territory. As there wasn't a suitable space for all the commanders of the subjugation force to gather other than the dining area, it was a temporary meeting place created by restricting the passage of the territory's residents. Because it was quite spacious, it took about five minutes to walk there from the cabin gathering place. As it was a large-scale general meeting, it was planned to be held outdoors this time as well.

Throughout the walk to the place, which also served as a stroll, Hugo walked about half a step ahead of Leonardo. Although he occasionally slowed his pace and looked to the side, he didn't wrap his arm around Leonardo's or hold his hand as usual.

His behavior of maintaining only the necessary distance was his own form of consideration, stemming from the thought 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 distancing himself for some reason—upset.

As they arrived near their destination, the meeting place was briefly visible beyond the entrance of an alley. Flynn, who had arrived earlier and was organizing Hugo's seat, quickly approached upon seeing the two.

"Ah, Blaine! Commander, have you eaten? You've arrived earlier than expected."

Flynn, who had also stayed up all night due to Hugo's instructions, had dark circles under his eyes. But hiding his fatigue, he smiled and led the way, saying he would guide them to the pre-set seats.

"I've summarized yesterday's compiled reports into about two pages and left them at your seat. But I didn't know Blaine was coming, so I only prepared one seat... I'll quickly bring another chair. Should I place it right next to the head seat?"

Being busy with meeting preparations and various other tasks, Flynn hadn't yet noticed the strange atmosphere between the two. However, Hugo's dry response that followed made Flynn's steps falter.

"No, not next to me."

At that moment, even Leonardo, who had been walking silently, turned to look at Hugo with slightly surprised eyes. Flynn, who had also turned around, asked with a puzzled expression:

"Pardon? Then..."

"There was an incident yesterday where members suddenly crowded around, and it might be burdensome if too much attention is focused. Moreover, since his body hasn't fully recovered yet, I think it would be better to arrange a seat next to you, Flynn, this time. If the meeting drags on, you could also look after him instead of me."

Hugo said this while turning his eyes to the side.

"That would be better, right? Leonardo."

Leonardo couldn't immediately open his mouth. He had naturally thought he would sit next to Hugo.

Although Hugo's stated reason was clearly consideration, it didn't feel like consideration to Leonardo. Even at the general meeting held before entering Peak 118, his seat had been right next to the Commander, without any choice.

Of course, it's not that he wasn't uncomfortable in that seat. Being with the final decision-maker meant the gazes directed at him were not insignificant.

But coming out like this, in this situation, felt like he was continuing to draw a line—an extension of earlier. It was like lighting a fuse to thoughts that were already tightly tangled.

Leonardo stared at Hugo with eyes that said more explanation was needed, trying hard to hide his bewilderment. However, Hugo just quietly looked down at him, waiting for his answer as if he had nothing more to add.

As the conversation paused for a moment, Flynn looked back and forth between the two. Leonardo, disliking the idea of others noticing something strange, soon responded as if nothing was wrong.

"Yeah. That's better."

It wasn't acceptance, but pride. Hugo, who had been looking at him with an unreadable gaze, nodded lightly.

Just as he turned his eyes back to Flynn, some high-ranking commanders passing by noticed Hugo and greeted him.

"Commander."

"Commander, you've arrived."

As quite a number of people flocked at once, Hugo sensed that the meeting time was approaching and checked his watch. Soon after, as Hugo responded with a gesture, the commanders also approached Leonardo and briefly greeted him. Of course, the fact that the Commander was protective of him was already well-known, so they didn't approach too closely or linger for long like the members yesterday.

However, Hugo suddenly wrapped his arm around Leonardo's back and shoulders. He pulled Leonardo slightly toward himself, making the commanders retreat discreetly.

Hugo's action—suddenly clinging after consistently keeping his distance—was incomprehensible to Leonardo. Although he didn't show it much, his golden eyes, widened into circles, looked up at Hugo blankly. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Hugo just smiled slightly at him as usual. Then, after gently pushing Leonardo's back toward Flynn, he withdrew his smile as if nothing had happened and said:

"Flynn, take care of him."

*****

Leonardo's appearance at the meeting place drew people's attention as always. But after Hugo had made a show of stepping forward once, everyone just glanced at him without daring to approach.

Nevertheless, it was palpable even to those who weren't directly involved that the gazes directed at him had changed significantly from before. While curiosity and wariness had dominated previously, now they were much more favorable, and even reverent gazes were not uncommon.

A war hero after a large-scale battle is almost no different from an object of worship. Flynn took a seat with Leonardo a bit away from the head seat, but he could feel that most of the attention in the meeting place was focused on them.

Everyone was just staring straight ahead while waiting for the meeting to start, but Flynn thought that if Leonardo had sat next to the Commander, he would have had a rather difficult time throughout the meeting.

Meanwhile, Flynn found Leonardo's silent atmosphere since earlier somewhat strange. He was sitting diagonally with his legs crossed, looking at the head seat like the other commanders.

However, Leonardo didn't seem to be in a particularly good mood today. His eyes were sharp but his energy seemed deflated, making Flynn wonder if something had happened between the two again.

As Flynn's suspicion deepened, Hugo, who had soon finished reviewing the last document, swept his gaze over the audience and opened his mouth.

"As previously announced, today's meeting aims to finally disseminate the situation before the Central Branch's return and tie up any unresolved discussion points. Since most of those who couldn't attend earlier are here today, we'll concretely reorganize the current progress of the subjugation and the stage of casualty rescue operations based on yesterday's meeting content. Afterward, if there are any newly added issues or topics, you can raise your hand one by one to propose them. We don't have much time, so please keep your statements as concise as possible, but I'd like any points that need to be shared, no matter how trivial, to be mentioned here without exception."

"Yes, understood-"

Numerous commanders responded in unison to the Commander's words. As there were many empty buildings around the small square where refugees had left, the echo that bounced off the walls resonated particularly loudly.

"Then let's start the final meeting."

As soon as Hugo's signal dropped, Gray Scott, the Deputy Commander of the 12th Battalion, was the first to stand up. He advanced to the platform in the center and began briefing on the progress of the subjugation compiled by the Operations Department.

"First, I'll briefly outline the agenda. The briefing will proceed in the order of the movements of monsters identified after «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» the mother body's elimination, the stability of the current defense line, the types and scale of monster individuals concentrated between the Elder Millie Peninsula border area and the Fidele Territory gate, and the necessary manpower and estimated duration for clearing the remaining monsters..."

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.

However, right now, the content of the briefing wasn't reaching his ears at all, to the point where there was no benefit in attending the meeting.

His mind was slowly retracing where it all might have started—at what point the atmosphere, which he had thought was quite good, had broken down. When that man's unfathomable inner thoughts had started to put up a wall against him.

'Was it because I asked why he was interfering so much?'

Looking back, it seemed that moment when he had frowned and stared outside was the beginning.

From Agrizendro's standpoint, it could have been a sufficiently unpleasant remark. He must have been quite tired from the all-night meeting. When people don't get enough sleep, they become particularly sensitive, and things they wouldn't normally mind start to bother them. He could understand this well, having experienced it himself a few times.

So while it was true that the Commander was broadly tolerant toward him, Leonardo thought that his remark at the time might have hurt him, one human to another. Of course, this was just his speculation.

'Still, he didn't have to say it like that.'

Leonardo's gaze was fixed on the head seat, which felt particularly distant today.

He always realized anew, when he was apart from the Commander, something he couldn't feel when always by his side. Perhaps because it was a gathering of numerous commanders, Agrizendro's figure suddenly felt more distant, like an unreachable existence.

Leonardo tried hard to erase this inner gap as he continuously mulled over his conversation with Hugo before leaving the tent.

'Is it really because of duty?'

'Well.'

At that moment, Leonardo's brow furrowed deeply.

'Probably so.'

Then he recalled Hugo embracing his shoulders in front of the commanders. In fact, for someone who had said it was duty, that action was extremely personal and arbitrary.

Leonardo glared intently at Hugo's profile, which hadn't turned toward him even once, while resting his chin on his hand.

Soon, his twisted red lips spat out, as if resentful:

"Liar."