Chapter 273

Hugo couldn't easily continue speaking. He had been struck deeply at his core. Fearing that his inner turmoil might be reflected in his golden eyes, he deliberately maintained a cold expression while keeping silent.

However, Leonardo felt the subtle current transmitted through their joined hands, not his impassive face. While clearly shaken by his words, the cold man pretended otherwise. Leonardo looked up at him as if reproaching him.

"You've been doing it since this morning, deliberately keeping your distance. Did you think I wouldn't notice? Why are you suddenly acting like this?"

He burst out at Hugo with the emotions he had been suppressing all day.

"Is it because I spoke as if telling you not to interfere? Did that upset you? Is that why you're angry with me?"

Leonardo shook the large hand he was holding, urging for an answer. He seemed to be throwing a tantrum while simultaneously seeking forgiveness.

His voice, with its coexisting nuances, sounded extremely anxious and agitated. Like a child afraid of being left behind, desperation was entwined in his fingertips that held on.

Being quite perceptive, he might have noticed the distance to some extent, but Hugo hadn't expected him to think he was angry. He tried to correct the misunderstanding. Grasping the other's hand firmly, he spoke in a sincere voice:

"I'm not angry. Why would I be angry with you?"

However, Leonardo didn't seem to believe him.

"...You always say you're not doing something while actually doing it. You say you're not avoiding me while avoiding me, you say you're not angry while being angry."

"I–, ...Ha. No, I didn't avoid you. And I wasn't angry either."

Hugo, who was about to naturally ask when he had done such things, suddenly stopped as a few scenes flashed through his mind. Then, shaking his head, he corrected his thoughts. It was true that he hadn't been angry. It wasn't something worth getting angry about, nor was there any reason to. He added in a calm voice:

"I've been busy sorting out the situation, haven't I? Of course, I understand why you felt that way. I should have taken better care of you, but I was too preoccupied."

Mentioning appropriate facts, expressing understanding for the other's feelings, and even reflecting on his own actions - his response was always excellent. But to Leonardo, it sounded highly contradictory.

"Liar."

Leonardo bit his lip and spat out. His eyes were sharp, but they were full of hurt.

Hugo felt as if his inner thoughts had been pierced by that single word. Although surprised, he didn't show it outwardly, of course.

Leonardo, who had been watching the silent Hugo, furrowed his brow deeply and turned his head away. At the same time, he raised his stiff left arm and roughly ran it through his bangs. He hated how the situation was turning out like this again.

He knew that Agrizendro had more responsibilities than two bodies could handle. So he had waited quietly. Even when he didn't return all night after saying he'd be back soon, even when he emptied a bottle and a half of liquor and was absent until dawn, discussing the return route.

But now, everything he said didn't feel sincere. When Leonardo had indirectly tried to hold him back by mentioning Flynn, he had been extremely firm, but when it came to his own turn, he always hid behind responsibility and circumstances.

Although Leonardo guessed there was another reason, he couldn't bring himself to press Hugo further when he said he had been busy. Looking back on their current conversation, he was just a whining child to a busy person.

The unbridgeable gap stemming from the positional and emotional differences between himself and this person was clear. So today, yesterday, and back then too. It was always his role to be considerate and wait.

Nevertheless, he had smiled in front of everyone and bestowed upon him the glory of the title of hero, so he had hoped that at least tonight, he would stay by his side so he wouldn't be lonely. But even that had to be fought for, demanding answers and questioning why while maintaining formalities.

His shoulders, which had slumped powerlessly, rose and fell rapidly. His breathing was labored, a sign that appeared when suppressing his emotions.

Watching this, Hugo placed his hand on Leonardo's lower lip, as if telling him not to bite it, lest blood form on the bitten lip.

However, Leonardo strongly expressed his wish not to be touched with a shake of his head. Then he roughly pulled his hand, which was entangled with Hugo's, away.

As Hugo hesitated at the warmth that had escaped, Leonardo spoke to him in a subdued voice.

"You said that interfering with and protecting me was your duty."

Leonardo took Hugo back to that time when he first felt the strange atmosphere, to the ending point of their messy conversation.

Hugo's eyes became ambiguous as he listened. Leonardo moved his lips, then asked with difficulty:

"Then were the things you said before also said out of a sense of duty? That you were worried about me, that you were anxious I might get hurt. Were those all said because of duty too? Not sincere?"

Even as he questioned Hugo point by point, Leonardo didn't know exactly what kind of answer he wanted to hear. He just wanted some kind of definite answer, feeling that someone who wouldn't normally act this way seemed to be constantly avoiding him.

Now that Nero was gone, Agrizendro's presence in this desolate subjugation force was incomparable to anything else for him. So he hoped that his presence was not insignificant to the other as well. Although he knew the magnitude wouldn't be the same, in the time and hearts they had shared, each other's existence was clearly present.

Moreover, when tomorrow's sun rises, the Central Branch will return to the imperial capital. The hourglass of his time with this person was flowing towards its end.

So, even knowing that revealing deep emotions was wrong, Leonardo didn't want to face this farewell in this way. Since he had said he was for his sake, he wanted to take away a beautiful memory to look back on at the end of this subjugation.

Leonardo looked down at the gap between Hugo and himself, then raised his sorrowful eyelids to stare at the other. Soon, letting out a low sigh, he threatened:

"If it was duty, you can go. I don't want to be with someone who says such things out of a sense of duty."

Hugo's pupils moved subtly at the firm voice. But still, there was no sign of agitation.

Leonardo, gritting his teeth at the one who remained aloof until the end, spoke, crushing his pride:

"But, if there was even a little sincerity-"

Pausing for a beat, he squeezed his eyes shut and muttered:

"Don't go. Stay by my side tonight."

Hugo looked at the pitiful beauty asking with his whole body to stay by his side.

"..."

For about a minute of ensuing silence, only their breathing could be heard.

He couldn't remember at all how the situation had come to this. Hugo's gaze wouldn't leave the drooping golden eyelashes for a long time.

Leonardo, at the young and passionate age, cherished every single word of his with all his heart. Finding comfort and also getting hurt by them, he tightly held onto and treasured even the trivial things that he himself might have overlooked.

So Hugo couldn't utter even a simple word carelessly to this pitiful hero. Although he was naturally cautious by nature, his thoughts and concerns deepened especially in front of him.

The eyelashes precariously shadowing the golden eyes created a tempting tremor that made him want to reach out and caress the eye rims right away. It shattered his weak resolve to maintain an appropriate distance. So even while recalling all the social responsibilities weighing on his shoulders, Hugo felt an impulse to shed them a little.

He just wanted to be there for the nation's hero, soaked in loneliness and craving warmth, not to leave him alone on the day he should be most celebrated. But the reason he couldn't was simple. It was because of his own cowardice and immaturity.

When the time of promise approaches soon, both he and Leonardo would have to return to their places. But Hugo had to face his contradictory inner self that wanted to change the ending they would face at the end of this subjugation every time it progressed.

Even if he tried to ignore it, this young fellow always placed him before the judgment seat of innocence. Hugo found this uncomfortable. It felt like his solid reason was being completely shaken by another person.

He closed his eyes tightly and inwardly let out a deep sigh. Soon, the voice that flowed through his teeth was clearly not his own.

"Sometimes, you really make me into a pathetic person."

Leonardo, who had been looking down, slowly raised his head at those words.

Hugo stared at the other who made him unlike himself with a relaxed gaze.

In his mind, he built a plausible defensive wall saying that this time, he shouldn't make the one who said he had waited for him wait.

After this time passes today, who knows what obstacles will come before him and the other. So just for today, just for this night like the calm before the storm, let's give in to the pitiful beauty's wishes. Hugo thus compromised with his reason for one night. One night, just one night.

Having firmly resolved alone, he reached out and grasped the back of Leonardo's neck. He caressed his own handkerchief brushing against his palm and ruffled the long golden hair at the back.

He fiddled with the heated skin in between with his fingertips and pulled Leonardo towards himself.

He could see a future where his insincere sincerity would eat away at him. Wavering towards someone who needed comfort, he might regret this moment as soon as tomorrow.

Nevertheless, Hugo decided to care only for the small sun now, even if he had to bear all the blasphemy himself.

As if asking forgiveness from the one tired of waiting, he gently kissed the pretty forehead.

"...!"

As the dizzying sensation firmly pressed against his skin, Leonardo's eyes flew open like sparks flying.

The hot thrill that settled on his forehead made his nose bridge, scalp, nape, and shoulders twitch.

The deep breath caressed his brow and eyelids along the graceful curve. Finally, it mercilessly pressed down on his delicate eyelashes.

Even until the shadow cast over his eyes moved away, maintaining the line, Leonardo couldn't grasp what had happened. He just stared blankly at the other with a dumbfounded expression, and Hugo rubbed the reddened eye rims that his lips had traced with his thumb.

He met the hazily opened golden eyes, then slowly pulled Leonardo into his arms, embracing his back.

The warm heat stiffened for a moment but soon found its place, wrapping around the broad chest. A large hand enveloped the small head and made it rest on his shoulder.

Burying his breath in the golden hair, he vowed:

"I'll stay by your side."