Bermuda

He had not intended to brush off the league coordinator’s explanation. He had simply been pressed for time and worried for various reasons.

If he waited idly in a place like this for three hours, His Excellency—having finished his schedule—might return to the manor. Especially with only a few hours left before his birthday.

Yet even after the coordinator left, the medical team’s treatment continued, and a staff member briefly explained an unidentified medicine before handing it over with instructions to take it with water.

The gist was this: the mucus of the Plarinus contained volatile organic compounds that attracted organisms capable of aiding moisture for reproduction. A small amount touching the skin caused no problem, but if it entered a wound or soaked the body in large quantities, symptoms such as headaches and fever could appear.

“Depending on the person, hallucinations, nervous hypersensitivity, or other bioactive reactions may occur.”

Of course, it was not toxic enough to threaten life, and recovery would come naturally with time.

Ero complained that the heat in his back and head was unpleasant and immediately swallowed the medicine. Leonardo only watched him quietly and did not put it in his own mouth.

He had always been suspicious; even when detained by the council, he had only taken medicine that passed through the legion commander and his adjutant. Even then, he had been blindsided several times—without malicious intent, perhaps—but he would never obediently swallow an unverified drug handed to him by a stranger.

When the staff member treating his wound stepped away briefly, Leonardo handed his own pill to Ero and told him to take it as well. Then he rose, saying he would check the situation outside.

He was someone who stood out anywhere; if he looked briefly and returned quickly, he could be found just as quickly. He only needed to check for a moment. Just a moment.

Ero worried about him leaving, yet unable to ignore the sharp hunger after the match, decided to follow.

They believed covering their faces well would be enough, but that was a grave miscalculation. Distinguishing features such as their height and clothing had already spread by word of mouth. Moreover, reporters and gamblers did not intend to miss a single piece of information that might improve betting odds starting from the preliminaries.

Before the guards at the controlled area entrance could stop them, the swarming crowd spotted them first—the commotion had been inevitable.

He should have stayed hidden.

Having run so much that heat surged through his entire body, Leonardo sat with his back against the cold corridor wall and pressed his palm to his eyes. Whether from feverish chills or overstimulated peripheral nerves, his fingertips trembled faintly even while sitting still.

The tingling sensation he had felt throughout the match and the heat spreading through his body also seemed to come from prolonged exposure to that chemical substance. Perhaps the heightened nerves and racing pulse were caused by the same thing. He rubbed his chest with his palm and lowered his head deeply.

Ero, peeking around the corner, found his condition strange, crouched down, and asked quietly.

“Brother, are you all right? Should I go get more medicine now?”

“...It’s fine. It’s nothing.”

Leonardo lifted his head through the dizziness and answered as if nothing were wrong. Yet the back of his pale neck and both cheeks were flushed, and his breathing was heavy. Even his golden eyes were tinted red, and Ero—who could look only at his brother—swallowed unconsciously. A thought that speaking might cause trouble crossed his mind, and he covered it with a cough.

“Ahem, thankfully the rumor about a terrorist was quickly suppressed. I hid in the crowd earlier and overheard some talk—it seems to have ended as a mere incident. For once, the council moved fast.”

The chaos caused by the last portal passers of Group F stirred anxiety among the crowd, risking the institution’s long-prepared event. Commanders at the scene immediately contacted the match operators, heard the circumstances, and began damage control.

They widely announced it was not an explosion caused by hostile forces, calming those trying to leave first. Then they doubled security personnel and proposed a measure to keep people in place—expensive commemorative goods originally meant for sale would be distributed for free after the event.

Afterward, they even extended unscheduled performances twice, and the opening ceremony somehow seemed to be concluding grandly. During the explanation, however, it could not be helped that word slipped out that among the test match participants was a powerful individual capable of destroying the wall.

“That’s good to hear it was resolved.”

He did not want to cause trouble.

If the opening ceremony held in Agrizendro territory had ended in disaster because of him, he would have had no face to show the lord of the land. All because of that sadistic bastard. He had only gathered crystals quietly like a child’s game to pass unnoticed, yet again he had become the center of a disturbance and ended up fleeing.

Meanwhile he kept glancing toward the stands, searching for the reason he had come outside despite breaking his promise—but even in what seemed to be the VIP seats, the legion commander was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps he had not attended after all. He might have taken shelter during the earlier commotion. The imperial faction had reacted sensitively to explosions in /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ recent months.

When the thought crossed his mind that he might not see him after all, Leonardo deflated and sighed. Today was not his only chance, yet he had secretly anticipated it after deciding to participate in the league.

He forced his unusually heavy legs upright. Then, bracing a hand against the wall, he jerked his chin at Ero.

“Let’s head back. They’ll come looking for us.”

“Yes? Already?”

“Sandran—the match coordinator—told us not to leave the controlled area.”

Ero looked at him as if to say, You were the one who insisted on leaving, but did not voice it.

“But Brother... to return where we were, we have to pass that crowded place again. Wouldn’t staying here be safer—”

At that moment, murmuring came from the far end of the corridor. Not just one or two voices. Instinctively, Ero and Leonardo fell silent and turned.

“.......”

For the first time in his life, he hoped the council would appear. Since this place was marked ‘No Entry Except Authorized Personnel,’ he wished passing staff would find them and escort them somewhere safe. As the indistinct voices drew nearer, Leonardo glanced around and lowered his voice to instruct Ero.

“If it’s reporters, run immediately.”

“I’ll lure them left, so you go the other way.”

“Thanks. I won’t refuse.”

It was only a contingency plan, but luck deserted them today. The ones who appeared were three or four men in plain clothes. They stretched their necks and looked around as if they did not belong here, approaching quickly. Spotting the two standing tense, they exchanged glances before shouting.

“There they are!”

Leonardo and Ero groaned at the same time and ran back. Upon reaching the fork, they split in opposite directions without hesitation.

“Venue stabilization is nearly complete. Although not a small number left, roughly ninety percent have returned to their seats. Ticket holders near the damaged wall have been upgraded to premium seats and guided to new locations. Some minor injuries occurred due to pushing and collisions during the confusion, but none are serious.”

Hugo strode down the corridor with the opening ceremony director and security personnel behind him. After briefly stopping at the operations headquarters to direct the situation, he had left the rest to Flinn and Andreas. He was heading quickly toward the controlled area near Gate C.

“We withdrew the additional personnel sent from the central branch for reinforced security from the gate and redeployed them among the stands. We did not expect matters to develop this way... but thanks to the legion commander’s prior order to reinforce manpower, swift control was possible. We also requested each newspaper issue corrections stating the explosion occurred during match operation, so the false report that it was terrorism will soon be suppressed.”

“Good work.”

Though he replied briefly, the director’s voice carried heavy breathing as he matched the hurried stride of the legion commander. Hugo did not slow down, sweeping his cumbersome cape aside as he crossed the corridor.

Then a report stopped him.

“And as instructed, we issued movement restrictions to all Group F participants to protect match confidentiality. However... when headquarters personnel arrived, we received reports that several had already left the controlled area. The problem is that Leonardo Blaine is among—”

“What?”

Hugo halted and turned back. Under his cold gaze, the director hurriedly added,

“A tracking team has been formed and will escort him shortly. However, he is already being discussed among reporters as a strong preliminary candidate, so measures may be necessary to prevent identifying information from leaking internally.”

“.......”

“I have already requested the league operators to exercise special caution, so a gag order should soon be issued.”

Listening, Hugo’s brow narrowed.

Leonardo had gone outside? The reporters lying in wait would swarm him like dogs the moment he stepped out. If the man—already startled—received excessive attention from the very start of the league he had bravely joined, it would surely trouble him.

Hugo suddenly grew anxious the Lion who had come of his own accord might hide again.

At that moment, a disturbance arose across the corridor.

“Don’t let him get away!”

“Surround from the other side!”

The legion commander and council members turned toward the source.

Dark shadows darted quickly through the far end of the corridor where they stood. This area was meant to exclude anyone not in white uniform.

Hugo looked at the director. Under his questioning gaze, the confused director began to sweat and signaled the lined-up security personnel to move.

As they hurried off, Hugo also headed toward where the outsiders had rushed without another word. Where there was noise, there was always its source. His instinct led his steps, thinking he might be there.