"I will help you."
At Leonardo’s voice, Cordelia lifted her head to meet his gaze. Hugo did the same.
Leonardo took a step closer, placing his clenched right fist firmly against his left chest, as if making a vow. His eyes, gleaming like lightning, locked onto hers as he declared with absolute clarity,
"I will exterminate the monsters of Elder Millie."
The last time Leonardo and Cordelia had met was about five years ago. At that time, Leonardo was still not an adult but had already become a member of Armsilver, undertaking various confidential missions and venturing into harsh battlefields, earning his reputation as a war hero.
He hadn’t wanted to meet his former superior, whom he last saw during his glorious days, in such a miserable state. It felt uncomfortable, humiliating, and painful.
However, Cordelia had also retired from the military before Leonardo's expulsion, disillusioned by the military system. She abandoned her position as an officer, which could have brought her both honor and an entry into the political world.
Knowing this, Leonardo could feel, as soon as he faced her, that even if she didn’t know the specifics of his dishonorable discharge, she understood that he was not at fault for his judgment and recognized what kind of person he truly was.
He wanted to honor that belief in him, the belief that he was not a dangerous man, and seeing her fight just as fiercely as he did, in places unseen, stirred a desire to help her.
When Leonardo offered his assistance, Cordelia appeared moved but quickly masked her emotions, replying as though she didn't want to burden him.
"Thank you, Blaine. But you don’t need to push yourself. You’ve already done too much—"
"You know it well, don’t you, Lieutenant?"
Leonardo interrupted her words, his voice filled with casual confidence as he raised his chin slightly and grinned.
"Slaying monsters is something I excel at in this empire. Isn’t it my specialty?"
With that familiar confident smile of his, all traces of the earlier discomfort vanished. Cordelia found herself unable to continue speaking, as Leonardo’s demeanor made her feel as if she were seeing him again from the glorious time of their last encounter.
Biting her lips, which were quivering with a mix of emotions, she released a soft, exhaled laugh.
"Yes, that’s right."
Seeing her much more relaxed, Leonardo allowed himself a pleased smile before turning his attention to Hugo.
Hugo, who had been quietly watching the two with what appeared to be a sense of distance, raised an eyebrow when Leonardo's golden eyes shifted toward him. Leonardo spoke again.
"Parren gained independence from Turandos with the help of Raina Logia. And they’ve fought alongside us, acting as Raina Logia’s support troops in battles against Turandos."
Hugo listened silently.
"Even though they’ve entered our territory, they are certainly not people who would harm the empire. I know this best, having fought alongside them on the same battlefield. So, consider it as receiving their help, and overlook the fact that they’ve crossed into our territory. In the end, it's the empire’s fault for failing to deal with the monsters in time, which allowed them to cross over there."
"The empire’s fault." His words rang true. It had come to this point because the Council and the Imperial Army had been procrastinating.
However, Cordelia seemed taken aback by Leonardo’s words, especially his informal manner of addressing Hugo. She observed the dynamic between the two, troubled by the atmosphere. She gently grabbed Leonardo’s arm and, with a worried tone, chastised him.
"Blaine, that’s disrespectful. You should show respect to His Grace."
"His Grace is magnanimous enough to forgive me even if I act a little impolitely."
With that, Leonardo gave a cheeky grin to Hugo.
"Isn’t that right, Your Grace?"
At that, Hugo’s brows furrowed deeply. The man who usually didn’t speak like that was now using honorifics that felt distant and devoid of respect, making him seem even more arrogant. And though the honorific was common, it felt oddly uncomfortable coming from him.
Clearly displeased, Hugo responded sharply.
"Stop with the unnecessary honorifics and speak as you normally would."
"You see that?"
Leonardo’s smile didn’t falter, but Cordelia looked slightly tense at the sight of Hugo’s bad mood.
Hugo briefly glanced at the sky before pulling the key to the handcuffs from his pocket. He grabbed Leonardo’s right wrist, which had been bound to his, and, after a moment’s pause, unlocked the handcuffs.
Leonardo, who had felt the weight of the handcuffs for so long, rubbed his wrist repeatedly, savoring the newfound freedom. The thick metal had been removed, and his arms felt lighter than they had in a long time.
As Hugo removed the cuffs from his other wrist, Leonardo looked at him with a hint of curiosity.
"Why did you remove them? Did you suddenly gain trust in me?"
Hugo sighed quietly, holding the handcuffs that had once been on Leonardo’s wrist.
"You’re smart and, above all, cunning. You know well what actions are beneficial or harmful."
At his words, Leonardo chuckled and replied, a touch of sarcasm in his voice.
"Ah, is that so?"
Hugo observed him, a man who used honorifics in a way that felt strangely arrogant and self-centered. Hugo thought to himself,
"Even though he says saving the empire's citizens isn’t his duty, when it comes to them, he acts like he feels some sense of responsibility. If I bring it up, he’ll get angry again."
Hugo closed his eyes for a brief moment and shook his head.
"A contradictory fellow."
Then, looking at the handcuffs in his hand, Hugo silently mocked himself.
"I, who freed such a guy, am just as contradictory..."
Cordelia, who had been quietly observing the interaction, then spoke up.
"Since you said the empire received help, I’ll let it slide for now. But after we finish the subjugation, a report will need to be made. Be prepared for some level of reprimand."
At those words, Cordelia blinked in surprise before smiling brightly.
"Your Grace, thank you."
Hugo turned his gaze back to Leonardo.
"You asked if I gained faith in you? Yes, the fact that I freed you means I’m willing to trust you, at least a little."
Upon hearing Hugo’s declaration, Leonardo stared at him in disbelief. Seeing the confusion in his eyes, Hugo continued,
"So while I trust you, I have one request."
Leonardo, still baffled, asked,
"What is it?"
"When we enter the peninsula, I must stand at the front as the Commander. So I’m entrusting the rear to you. One of our battalion commanders will accompany you, but alongside him, you’ll be in charge of securing the rear and protecting our forces in case anything unexpected happens."
The unexpected request left Leonardo speechless.
If he had a change of heart and ran away now, he could pass through the gate and disappear without a trace.
Yet, the Commander of the Council, who had previously fought against him with overwhelming force and kept him locked up until recently, was now entrusting him with the rear. Leonardo couldn’t quite understand what Hugo trusted him for.
The man in front of him wasn’t a «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» soft person, but at times, he acted in these strange, unexpectedly soft ways.
But Leonardo could assess what was beneficial or disadvantageous, as he had claimed. He had no intention of running away when he had already promised Cordelia Hareth that he would help. If he completed this task, he could help her and the suffering imperial citizens, and in doing so, escape the Council’s surveillance for good.
So, Leonardo decided to choose what benefited him and locked his gaze on the Council Commander, who had placed some trust in him.
Eventually, he raised the corners of his mouth and nodded lightly, indicating his agreement.
"Roger."
His brief but decisive answer made a satisfied smile appear on Hugo’s face.
