As they stepped outside, the blazing sunlight crashed down on Leonardo’s head like a shattering wave. Shielding his eyes with one hand, he stood still and looked up at the sky. The black shadow of his palm stretched across his pale, translucent face—like a slow, serene scene from a film.
Perhaps because he’d been confined for so long, it had been ages since he last felt sunlight like this. Leonardo found it dazzling—yet oddly comforting.
His gaze followed the towering white pillars of the Council’s grand building. Slowly, his eyes climbed upward until they stopped on the Council’s flag, fluttering against the flawless blue sky.
He stared quietly at the white scales on the deep blue background, murmuring as if struck by a strange emotion.
“I can’t believe I’m actually standing in the Council.”
The whole situation felt surreal.
Back when he was in the Imperial Army, the military and the Council were constantly at odds. Even after his discharge, the Council had relentlessly pursued him, so he’d done everything to avoid them. And now—he was standing in the heart of their stronghold.
It was no less strange for Hugo, who stood beside him.
Leonardo Blaine—once deemed an unsolvable problem for three years—was now inside the Council. And «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» more than that, he was bound to Hugo by a chain.
For years, Hugo had tracked his name, his crimes, his location, his footsteps. Time and time again, he’d asked himself: What kind of person is this man? But reality had exceeded all his speculations. And now, ironically, when the man he’d chased for so long was finally within reach—he was preparing to release him.
Council members passed by, throwing curious glances their way.
Even inside the Council, the Commander wasn’t someone they saw every day—and standing next to him was that Leonardo Blaine, the very center of attention across the entire Imperial Capital. It was a rare sight, priceless even.
Still, even beyond the shock of who he was, there was something else that kept their eyes on Leonardo.
He didn’t look like the man in the stories.
His golden eyes, framed by long lashes, were a rare jewel even in the Empire—bright, sharp, and vivid. The profile of his face as he tilted his head back to look at the sky seemed almost lonely.
With smooth, fair skin and faintly tinted lips, the handsome blond youth before them didn’t seem real.
It was hard to imagine that this same man had once stood knee-deep in blood on the battlefield, that he was a former soldier capable of commanding such immense mana he was nearly called the god of war.
Hugo followed his gaze up to the fluttering flag for a moment, then looked back at him, thinking:
If this guy hadn’t had mana, he might’ve lived a much happier life.
If he’d been an actor in a theater troupe, or a model admired by crowds instead of a soldier, his beauty alone would have made him beloved. There would’ve been no reason to disobey orders or waste his prime years in hiding.
Hugo didn’t claim to fully understand Leonardo, but he had the distinct impression this was a man not meant to be caged. Maybe that’s why he clashed so hard with the rigid structure of the military.
As those thoughts spiraled, Hugo found himself surprised—Why am I trying to justify him?
Even so, he couldn’t deny the truth: he had a particular softness for Leonardo.
Under normal circumstances, he would never have entertained so many demands. And yet... the reason he did was likely because what he felt was something close to sympathy.
“Agrizendro, I have a question.”
Leonardo’s voice broke through Hugo’s thoughts. He turned and met his gaze.
“What is it?”
“I thought I’d hidden it well, but...”
Leonardo took a few steps closer, narrowing the space between them. Then, looking up with an expression somewhere between curious and perplexed, he asked:
“In Frost Territory—how did you know it was me?”
A breeze blew between them, gently stirring Leonardo’s golden hair. Hugo paused to recall that moment, then answered,
“I didn’t know for sure. I had a hunch.”
Leonardo scoffed lightly.
“So you froze someone’s hand—based on a hunch?”
“It was a gamble.”
Hugo’s voice was calm. Leonardo blinked at him, clearly finding the admission insane, but he didn’t push further.
Instead, Hugo asked,
“Since when were you watching me?”
Tergio—that was the name Leonardo had used in Frost Territory. He’d claimed to approach Hugo and Flynn on purpose to leave them a clue.
He was meticulous and calculating—even bold enough to bait the Council. So Hugo wouldn’t be surprised to learn he’d been watching from the shadows.
But Leonardo’s answer still caught him off guard.
“From the very beginning.”
“...The very beginning?”
Leonardo nodded lightly with his signature casual smile.
“You mean from when I arrived in Frost Territory?”
“Hm... Yeah, that’s about right.”
“So you already knew my face before we met there.”
Leonardo didn’t answer right away. Hugo studied his face closely.
Feeling the weight of that probing stare, Leonardo’s smile held, but his brows twitched ever so slightly. He turned his head half away, then replied with a vague smirk,
“You’re more oblivious than I thought. Do you not realize how much you stand out? Sure, maybe some hermits in the north haven’t seen you—but most people have.”
To be fair, Hugo had appeared in a few published articles. It wasn’t impossible for Leonardo to recognize him. Still, being told he stood out by Leonardo of all people left him oddly speechless.
Getting no reaction, Leonardo added playfully,
“You’re handsome. That’s why you stand out.”
Hugo narrowed his eyes slightly.
“Do you always say things like that without thinking?”
“It’s just the truth.”
Leonardo shrugged as if it were nothing, and Hugo didn’t press the issue.
“Commander!”
A shout rang out from a distance. Both turned their heads toward the voice, which came from the left wing of the Council’s central garden.
A man with light camel-colored hair and eyes stood waving energetically from the third-floor balcony.
Leonardo didn’t think much of it at first—probably someone from Central Branch.
But then, the man put one foot on the railing—and leapt straight down.
Landing on the first floor in an instant, he swiftly approached.
Leonardo’s eyes widened.
He’s fast.
Even without paying full attention, Leonardo could tell—that speed wasn’t normal. In a city where teleportation was restricted, it was fast enough to feel like teleportation.
His gaze dropped to the man’s badge and shoulder insignia. After briefly studying the rank displayed on his crisp white uniform, he lifted his eyes again and locked eyes with the man, who was now smiling directly at him.
The man was younger than most battalion commanders Leonardo had seen. He was taller than Leonardo, but slimmer than Hugo or Frederick—a frame built for agility.
And yet... his mana was overwhelming—far beyond that of an ordinary battalion commander.
Could this guy be...
“Deputy Commander! You need to report in first!”
A voice shouted from the same balcony above. The man glanced back and waved it off.
“I’ll just say hi real quick!”
Then, turning back to Hugo and Leonardo, he asked with open curiosity,
“Commander, is this the infamous Leonardo Blaine?”
Hugo nodded slowly. A soft gleam passed through his gaze as he offered a polite greeting.
“It’s been a while.”
“Yeah, not since the last time you personally left on a mission. Do you know how fast I came when I heard about this guy?”
The man beamed, clearly thrilled to meet him, and thrust out a hand to Leonardo.
“Blaine—great to finally meet you. I’ve been dying to.”
His choice of words struck Leonardo as a little odd, but he didn’t hesitate. He grabbed the offered hand—because he had something to confirm.
Contrary to Hugo’s expectation that Leonardo would hesitate, wary of strangers, he took the hand like he’d been waiting for it.
And the moment he did, he felt it—mana, flaring outward around the man.
Among all the Council’s combat personnel he’d encountered, only Hugo’s mana had left such a sharp impression.
Now that he understood, Leonardo’s grip tightened ever so slightly. He smiled, lips curling upward.
“You’re the Council’s Lumen, aren’t you?”
