"Come here quickly."
In the cramped, prison-like space, with only Agrizendro standing at the sole exit where light entered, his hand extended to him, Leonardo almost unconsciously reached his hand forward.
However, he reminded himself of his proper role by digging his raised fingernails into the cold, smooth pillar.
He had intended to return immediately after finishing his business, but he couldn't take that hand right now. Because he had to draw the pursuers’ attention and time until Kenis reached the vicinity of a tunnel where he could hide and move with Alec.
That was also the reason he had deliberately allowed himself to be caught in this fragile ice pillar.
However, the way Agrizendro was looking at him now reminded him of when he had come to save him just before the fall, pricking his conscience. But at the same time, it also aroused a strange defiance. To be honest, he still had many lingering resentments toward him because of the hardships he suffered in the water and other tangled emotions.
In the end, Leonardo spoke firmly, half for his purpose and half with sincerity,
"No."
Hugo's eyebrows twitched. There was a subtle movement in his facial muscles, but he seemed to be trying not to show it. After studying his expression, Leonardo continued,
"If I go... you'll put handcuffs on me again, won't you?"
He spoke with an appropriate mix of enchantment and wariness in his eyes. He added a bit of acting as if he was pondering, but his true feelings weren't much different. Anyway, if he returned, he would be handcuffed under the pretext of preventing escape, and that was the one thing he really wanted to avoid.
To such a Leonardo, Hugo gave the answer that would reassure him, as if he had been waiting,
"I promise I won't. So don't worry and come here, Leonardo."
"..."
He couldn't be sure if those words were sincere or not, but Leonardo was inwardly surprised by the answer that came so quickly.
In fact, he had expected quite a fierce pursuit the moment he was discovered. And he thought Hugo wouldn't listen to any of his demands anymore. Although he might be trying to persuade him since he had obediently been caught, his attempt to convince him with words rather than force was unexpected.
Leonardo pretended to ponder a bit more on purpose and asked to verify the truth of those words,
"...Really?"
At that, Hugo nodded once and answered again in a sincere voice,
"I promise."
At least, no falsehood was felt in his eyes or voice.
Leonardo quietly stared at the blue gaze and then rolled his eyes once more to look at the blocked left gap.
Considering Kenis's speed, he still had to stall for quite some time, and he was very conflicted about whether he should take that hand or not. However, he was also worried that if he ignored it and ran away, the goodwill Hugo had extended would twist, and he might break his promise.
As he thought about this and that and turned his gaze back to the man below, it was blatantly obvious how tense Hugo became whenever he did so. His appearance, unable to manage his expression as usual, was both refreshing and amusing.
Leonardo lowered his eyes and silently mocked Hugo. But soon, he lowered the corners of his mouth in his heart and secretly sighed.
His inner self criticized him for not being a little more heartless.
Eventually, Leonardo slowly stepped out and descended through the narrow hole. Even at that moment, he pondered how to lure him and the other pursuers after going down first.
According to his original expectation, the entire 1st Battalion should have come here with the Commander to catch him. But now, seeing that he couldn't feel their presence, they were either away on a completely different task or perhaps chasing after Kenis and Alec.
If it was the latter, that would be the worst-case scenario, so he had to lure them himself and buy time. Because if Alec Siles was caught and interrogated, the person who would be in the most trouble first was himself.
As he lightly slipped through the sharp tips while floating in the air, the light poured down /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ strongly, making him furrow his brows slightly.
When he was inside, he hadn't realized it, but now that he was out, the position where he had been trapped was quite high. Because of that, even after completely escaping through the ice pillars, he was still floating far above the ground, and the distance between them was still considerable.
As Leonardo emerged, Hugo straightened his bent knee and took about two more steps forward. Leonardo scanned the surroundings once from the air and slowly descended toward him.
For Hugo, the time it took for Leonardo to approach felt excruciatingly long. Perhaps because his desperation was projected, this flow felt very slow and frustrating, like when their hands had been about to touch at the collapse site.
His figure slowly approaching in the backlight was almost dreamlike. It was the perfect situation to captivate the gaze and lose one's mind, but Hugo was not letting his guard down even now.
Because it was too easy.
As Leonardo approached, his eyebrows, which had softened, became subtly stiff again. If he had been hiding to avoid being caught, there must be a reason, but there was almost no resistance for someone who had suddenly been caught. No, it would be correct to say there was none at all.
In the first place, with the strength Hugo knew he possessed, he could have shattered that ice trap with a single punch. But he had obediently gotten caught in it and commendably waited until Hugo peeked inside?
It was not like him at all.
Just as Hugo was thinking that way, Leonardo also did not lower his guard as he slowly descended. Because he had no intention of being caught in one go.
When the distance between the two narrowed to within about two meters, Hugo, who had been hiding his impatience, took one more step first. Then, Leonardo, who had been approaching in the air, flinched and stopped.
Hugo, unable to bring his back foot forward at the sight of Leonardo’s wariness, also halted in place. The gazes that met in that brief moment were close yet distant, and a tense atmosphere disguised as gentleness lingered.
"..."
"..."
In the silence, the heel of Hugo's military boots lifted slightly. It was a subtle movement that normally wouldn't be noticed, but Leonardo, sensing it, slightly lowered his gaze and looked at his feet.
And at that moment, Hugo—who had been waiting for a moment of carelessness—kicked off the ground and charged straight at Leonardo. At the same time, he reached out his right hand to grab the arm in front of him.
Leonardo was a little startled by the sudden action, but thanks to his excellent reflexes, he immediately moved back. However, as he had been floating in the air, he relatively lacked propulsion, and as Hugo's hand came up to his chin, Leonardo twisted his body and tilted his head back, barely escaping his grasp.
The speed at which the hand brushed past was so fast that the whooshing sound of the wind rang right in front of his nose. That sound seemed to mean he wouldn't let him off easily if caught, sending a chill down his spine.
The two gazes that met in the air in that brief moment were like a signal flare announcing the opening of the second act of the pursuit.
****
Kwaaang—! Boom—!
Large and small roars rang out in succession from afar. As the rushing wind pressure was anything but ordinary, the two members and the 8th Platoon Leader who had been searching for Kenis in the forest turned their heads in that direction. The two opposing currents of mana spreading widely in the fog flaunted their presence in all directions, wielding their power as if to devour each other.
Feeling that air current, one member of the 1st Battalion trembled and said,
"...Shouldn't we provide support?"
Then the 8th Platoon Leader, who was behind him, opened her mouth with her gaze fixed beyond the fog,
"He said absolutely no one should come even if a loud noise is heard. We focus on our own task."
She spoke firmly, as if unconcerned. It was an attitude possible because she knew the Commander's strength better than anyone else. The member nodded in agreement with the Platoon Leader's words but kept glancing back, worried about the two energies felt from far away.
Just as they were about to resume the search, the 8th Platoon Leader—who had just told them to focus on the task—suddenly sensed the two entangled energies in the distance rapidly approaching.
The moment she turned her head again with a start, she saw Leonardo brush past her side at nearly the speed of light. And Leonardo, who had flown here following the 8th Platoon Leader's mana, also turned his head the moment he passed her.
"Huh?"
Leonardo, who had slowed down upon discovering the ones he was looking for, immediately used teleportation to move right next to the 8th Platoon Leader. The visibly startled 8th Platoon Leader reflexively tried to grab him, but Leonardo lightly pulled his body back again and slipped away.
He only circled around and neither attacked with the flame sword he was holding nor moved away. And such teasing behavior scattered the worry in her heart and reminded the 8th Platoon Leader—who had been tracking him day and night until recently—of unpleasant memories.
"What is this now—."
The 8th Platoon Leader frowned and drew her sword, starting to chase him in earnest. Leonardo, thinking that the lure had succeeded, confirmed that they were following and quickly increased his flight speed in the opposite direction.
As he was leaving the fog with his body moving forward and his eyes constantly watching behind him, he instinctively slowed down again as the energy coming from the front was extremely murderous.
And when he turned to look, Hugo was right in front of him with a terrifying face.
He tried to avoid him right away, but the speed at which they were closing in on each other was so fast that his mind couldn't even register it, and the two collided as they were. Unable to overcome the inertia, their bodies became entangled and flew away, falling in a parabola through the dense undergrowth.
Rolling across the forest floor, which was covered with leaves but could never be called soft, Leonardo couldn't easily escape from the impact, similar to when he slammed into solid rock. He barely registered the fact that he was currently rolling on the ground with his entire body pressed against Hugo.
When the involuntary rolling finally stopped, Leonardo's vision was a jumble of the blazing twilight hanging in the sky and Hugo's face straddling him.
And a moment later, by the time he could distinguish between the two, he realized that his left forearm was firmly grasped and that Hugo's other hand was supporting the back of his head.
Their panting breaths mingled, and their shoulders and chests rose and fell rapidly.
Rough breathing filled their ears. Their gazes locked in silence.
