Chapter 244

After being stupidly frozen for a while, Leonardo covered the bedding again with a rather serious expression. He stared at the white blanket with complex feelings, then soon put aside unnecessary thoughts and looked at Hugo again.

It wasn't the first or second time this had happened for no reason, and there was nothing strange about it at all. However, he didn't want to know that his body was healthy in this way as soon as he opened his eyes, so he couldn't help but feel somewhat uncomfortable.

'Is it because blood suddenly started circulating in my body?'

It was natural for blood circulation to speed up as his heart rate increased while regaining consciousness. Leonardo tried to shake off his confusion with a subtle expression, attaching a plausible reason.

Then, a thought suddenly struck him, and he lifted the bedding widely again. He wondered if he had seen wrong, but he was wearing a navy blue battle uniform.

It was quite large, and the sleeves were so long that they covered his palms. Moreover, the strong scent emanating from the clothes almost matched the body odor of someone he knew well. Just in case, he sniffed the sleeve, and sure enough, it seemed to be the Commander's battle uniform.

'...?'

Leonardo, burying his mouth and nose, shifted his gaze slightly and stared at Hugo with eyes full of questions.

There was no immediate reason why he was wearing this, of all clothes, and why he was wearing this person's clothes. But as he pulled the bedding up to his chin and pondered deeply, he felt like he had found an answer in another aspect.

Ah, if he was wearing clothes that reeked of someone else's scent, he couldn't help but be conscious of it, even subconsciously.

Coincidentally, Agrizendro was lying close beside him, and it seemed that he had become unconsciously aware of it because it was a bit embarrassing. His sleeping face looked a bit more innocent than usual, but what was that about? Anyway, it seemed better not to think any more about this person.

His reason abruptly cut off the causal relationship his lower body was trying to make. Leonardo, deciding to somehow treat it as not a big deal, decided to postpone waking Hugo for now.

Facing someone in this state was quite awkward on his part. Moreover, judging by how the Commander was sleeping unusually deeply, he seemed quite tired.

In the end, Leonardo, lying back down straight with his head against the pillow, stared blankly at the ceiling with narrowed eyes. If he were alone, it wouldn't matter, but if this continued, it would be troublesome in many ways.

He counted the wood grain on the ceiling, trying to divert his concentration elsewhere as much as possible. However, perhaps because he had been holding it in for quite a long time even before waking up, the stiff and full feeling wouldn't go away easily.

'I feel like I need to go to the bathroom.'

He tried to remember what he had last seen before falling asleep, something important seemed about to come to mind, but he completely forgot due to the situation. Leonardo, who had been blinking in disbelief, thought about singing a military song in his mind, but decided against it.

However, just lying like this didn't seem like it would resolve quickly, and his arm and leg muscles were itching, not knowing how long he had been lying down. As his body felt beyond stiff and started to ache, he finally decided it would be better to get up and look around, so he propped himself up on his arm and raised his upper body diagonally.

But habitually, he put weight on his left arm against the floor. The terrible pain he had forgotten pierced through all his nerves as if punishing his foolishness.

"Ah!"

The sharp voice that reflexively burst out echoed briefly in the quiet space. Fortunately, it wasn't loud enough to wake the person next to him, but because the weight was concentrated on one side, muscles he hadn't been using seemed startled. His entire injured left arm felt like it was being torn apart.

Suddenly, at the "feeling of being torn apart," a vague memory flashed by, but as his unbalanced upper body leaned forward, there was no time to recall it. As Hugo's sleeping face rapidly approached unintentionally, Leonardo, whose thoughts momentarily stopped, was silently aghast.

"...!"

The remaining thread of reflex extended his right hand before his brain could react. Fortunately, not too late, he planted it on the floor with a thud.

However, as he barely managed to plant it beyond Hugo's head, he was on the verge of pouncing on the sleeping person.

'...Shit.'

Leonardo looked down at Hugo with his heart pounding, regardless of the pain in his shoulder.

Because the other was lying on his side, the height of his shoulder standing like a wall was considerable. So he awkwardly balanced himself with his arm stretched upward to avoid touching.

Due to the strange posture, the distance became so close that he could see even a single eyelash. Perhaps because of the damnably innocent face today of all days, strength wouldn't properly enter his arms that were supporting him.

His whole body trembled, but feeling that he couldn't avoid collision with some part if he moved even slightly, Leonardo gritted his teeth and exerted all his strength not to collapse.

He didn't want to become a strange person who pounced on the person next to him with an erect lower body as soon as he opened his eyes. And especially not if that person was the Commander of the Council, who looked like the embodiment of asceticism.

'This is driving me crazy.'

Leonardo, who had been unconscious for three days and hadn't even been awake for five minutes, felt dizzy and cold sweat poured down. However, he had to somehow defuse this situation, so he slowly lifted his right hand that had been planted on the floor, relying on willpower while wobbling.

Once again, an absurd pain rushed to his left arm, but at this moment, dignity came before pain. Straining even the veins in his neck, he succeeded in raising his right arm over Hugo's head.

However, as if by fate's prank, footsteps were heard from outside. Someone was approaching quickly in this direction.

'First, to the Commander...'

'As you said last time...'

The voices of two people conversing flickered, and immediately outside the door, several salutes sounded quite loudly. Because he heard them calling out "Adjutant," Leonardo, who hadn't yet withdrawn his arm, stiffened his entire body.

If the Commander's adjutant had come to this vicinity, the next destination was clear.

As that thought occurred to him, his mind went blank.

Creeeeak-

"It seems he's been busy with various things lately. Even now, I have no idea where he is-"

At this hour, Hugo was always in meetings outside, so Flynn naturally thought Leonardo would be alone and opened the door without knocking. However, as he entered, he had to stop abruptly after taking two or three steps.

Cordelia, who had approached the door following Flynn, also stopped in place as he halted just as she was about to take a step. Cordelia, who had been peering over Flynn's shoulder, cautiously asked him with a puzzled expression.

"What's wrong? Did something happen..."

"Ah, well."

Flynn, who had quickly turned around, gestured for her to be quiet by putting his index finger to his lips. It was because he had seen the back of the Commander lying motionless facing away from them.

However, belatedly remembering that Cordelia was a noble, Flynn hurriedly removed his finger and bowed his head, apologizing. Yet he still subtly gestured towards the outside, whispering to block the doorway as if to say they should leave.

"It seems the Commander is sleeping. Let's talk outside for now."

As Flynn lowered his voice, Cordelia, who had been blinking, stretched her neck and looked inside.

It was common knowledge among those who knew that Hugo had barely slept for the past few days. So the news that he was sleeping was rather welcome. However, she hadn't known he would sleep next to Leonardo, so Cordelia nodded to Flynn's words for now, still uncertain about His Excellency's intentions.

The two stopped talking and walked quietly, carefully closing the cabin door. Flynn inwardly debated whether to cover him with a blanket, but chose to leave quietly as the interior temperature was high and the Commander was known to be a light sleeper.

Thud-

As soon as the door closed, silence fell as if nothing had happened. Hugo remained still with his eyes closed, not waking even to the small commotion.

Leonardo lay curled up in front of Hugo, holding his breath and looking at the other with trembling eyes.

He had succeeded in escaping the misunderstandable position before Flynn saw, but there wasn't enough time to return to his original place and lie down as before. Because of this, Leonardo, who had no choice but to lie flat next to the Commander, fervently prayed inwardly for them to please leave as soon as he heard Flynn's voice.

He didn't know why he was feeling guilty, but instinctively, he felt this situation shouldn't be discovered. Thankfully, due to the Commander's broad shoulders hiding his figure, it seemed he wasn't visible from Flynn's position.

The footsteps moved away again. Leonardo closed his eyes tightly in relief, then opened them.

His position, with his head half on the pillowcase, was by no means natural if seen by others. The sight of two large men facing each other while sharing one pillow was a scene where it wouldn't be strange for comrades to throw punches, saying it made them want to vomit.

Tick tock-

The small sound of the second hand seemed very loud in the quiet interior. Perhaps because the tension had eased, Leonardo remained lying there for a while, unable to move.

The incoming sunlight lazily illuminated the upper bodies of the two closely pressed together. Fine dust floating in the air sparkled as it reflected the light.

They floated leisurely around the interior before gently settling on Hugo's chin area as he slept. Leonardo's gaze also slowly settled, following them.

The strong jaw and lips washed by sunlight somewhat matched the position of the golden eyes slightly below.

Unconsciously reaching out to Hugo, Leonardo lightly brushed off the dust on the tip of his chin. However, when he actually checked his hand, nothing was on it, making him wonder if he had seen wrong.

Letting out a low sigh, he strained his neck to finally return to his place. In that state, he slightly raised his head and looked up at Hugo's face.

At that moment, Leonardo's shoulders visibly flinched.

"..."

"..."

He could directly meet the blue eyes looking down at him.