Bermuda [bl]

As they went outside, the intense sunlight crashed down on Leonardo's head as if shattering. Shielding the sun with one hand from the glare, he looked up at the sky without moving. The image of his transparent and pale face with a palm-shaped black shadow cast on it was like a slow and tranquil scene from a movie.

Perhaps because he had been confined for so long, it had been a while since he received sunlight directly like this. Leonardo found the shining light dazzling yet very welcoming.

He looked up at the grand building of the Council, following the thick and tall white pillars. His gaze, which had been gradually moving upward, stopped at the Council's flag fluttering in the gentle breeze against the background of the blue sky without a single cloud.

Quietly staring at the white symbol of a scale drawn on a blue background, Leonardo muttered blankly as if feeling a new emotion.

"I can't believe I'm at the Council in my life."

He felt it quite surreal that he was here.

When he was in the Imperial Army, the military and the Council had a very bad relationship, and even after leaving the military, the Council had been chasing him every time, so he had been avoiding them so much. In the end, it felt very strange to him to be caught and standing in the middle of this white fortress.

And it was the same for Hugo, who was looking at Leonardo.

Leonardo Blaine, who had been considered an unsolved problem for three years. He was now standing inside the Council. Moreover, he was firmly connected to Hugo by the chain of the handcuffs.

While constantly pursuing his name, his past mistakes, his whereabouts, and his footsteps, he had countless times speculated, "What kind of person would that guy be?" But all those thoughts could not fully compare to him when they actually met. And ironically, now that the guy he had been chasing was right in front of him within reach, he was about to embark on a journey to let him go.

The Council members passing by glanced at the two people standing still.

Although this was inside the Council, even the Commander was not someone they could easily see, and beside him was "that" Leonardo Blaine, who was not an exaggeration to say that all eyes in the Imperial Capital were focused on him. It was a rare sight that couldn't be seen even with money.

However, even considering all those things, there was a separate reason why they couldn't take their eyes off Leonardo. It was because his appearance was completely different from the stories and expectations known about him.

His golden eyes, overshadowed by his long eyelashes, were a rare and precious color even in the empire, and their hue was clear and brilliant. At the same time, his side profile, looking up at the sky with his head raised, seemed somewhat desolate.

Looking at the handsome blond young man with smooth and clean skin and slightly reddish lips, his past seemed like an unbelievable tall tale.

It was impossible to imagine that this beautiful man was once a soldier, engaged in bloody slaughter on the battlefield, and possessed such powerful mana that he was almost called the god of war.

Hugo looked at the fluttering flag for a moment, following his gaze, and then shifted his gaze back to him, thinking,

'If this guy didn't have mana, he could have lived more happily.'

If he had chosen a profession like an actor in a theater troupe or a model instead of being a soldier with powerful mana, his brilliant appearance would have been a weapon loved by the public, and there would have been no reason for him to disobey orders or spend his prime years in hiding.

Although Hugo didn't fully know him, he got the feeling that he was a free soul that didn't suit being tied down to something, and perhaps because of that, his values might not have aligned with the strict discipline of the military.

As he continued his train of thought, Hugo was confused by his own mind, which for some reason kept trying to rationalize Leonardo's actions. However, even in the midst of that, he had to admit that he had a particularly soft spot for the guy.

If it were originally, he would never have agreed to do as he wanted like this. Nevertheless, the reason he was agreeing with him was probably because the emotion he felt towards him was close to sympathy.

"Agrizendro, I have a question."

When Leonardo suddenly turned his head and opened his mouth to Hugo, Hugo barely escaped from his own thoughts and gazed into his eyes.

"What is it?"

"I thought I hid it well, but..."

Leonardo took about two steps closer to Hugo, narrowing the distance between them. Then, from a fairly close distance, he looked up at him and asked with a face that seemed unable to understand no matter how much he thought about it.

"In the Frost Territory, how did you know it was me?"

The wind blew faintly, crossing between the two. Hugo, taking in Leonardo's brilliant blond hair that was slightly swaying, briefly recalled that moment and opened his mouth.

"I wasn't certain. It was just a hunch."

"Then, you used mana with the intention of freezing the hand of someone you weren't even sure about?"

Leonardo let out a snort as if it didn't make sense. Hugo, once again carefully retracing his memory, pondered deeply about when he started suspecting the guy.

Because he knew too many things for a low-ranking merchant. Because he smelled like the sea despite claiming to have been in the lodging the whole time. Because he hesitated to hold his hand. Because his hand was warmer than others'.

They were all true, but none of them were decisive.

"Well, let's say it was a gamble."

"...That's scary."

Leonardo made a subtle expression while looking at him but didn't ask further. Instead, this time, Hugo asked,

"Since when have you been watching me?"

Tergio was a fictional character played by Leonardo. And the first time he met him in the Frost Territory was at the tavern on the first floor of the lodging. Leonardo said he had deliberately approached him and Flynn to give them a hint.

He was a calculating and astute guy who even tried to lure the Council, so it wouldn't be surprising anymore to wonder where he had been watching him from.

However, even more than Hugo's expectations, Leonardo's answer was something he hadn't even thought of.

"From the very beginning."

"...From the very beginning?"

At Hugo's counter-question, Leonardo lightly nodded his head with his characteristic leisurely smile. Hugo followed up with another question.

"Do you mean you've been watching me from the moment I entered the Frost Territory?"

"Hmm... Well, I guess you could say that?"

"Then, it means you already knew my face before meeting me there."

Leonardo remained silent for a moment. Hugo carefully scanned his face, analyzing every fleeting expression.

Leonardo, now knowing what that persistent gaze meant, was still smiling but slightly furrowed his brows. Turning his head halfway to avoid the probing gaze, he retorted, glossing over it appropriately.

"You're more oblivious than I thought. Do you not know how much you stand out? Even if people living in the polar regions might not know, most people do."

Indeed, it wouldn't be unreasonable for Leonardo to know Hugo's face since it had appeared in articles a few times. However, when this conspicuous guy was telling him that he stood out, Hugo wasn't sure how to react to his words.

Receiving no response, Leonardo told him once more with a bit of playfulness.

"You stand out because you're handsome."

Hugo, slightly narrowing his brows at Leonardo's words that seemed somewhat teasing, looked down at him with narrowed eyes.

"...Are you usually the type to say such things without hesitation?"

"It's the truth, though."

Leonardo answered, shrugging his shoulders. It didn't seem like he meant much by it, so Hugo didn't continue the conversation.

"Commander-!"

At that moment, the sound of someone calling from afar was heard, and Hugo and Leonardo turned their heads at the same time. Looking up at the left building where the voice came from in the central garden of the Council where they were standing, a man with light camel-colored hair and eyes was smiling brightly and waving his hand from the third-floor balcony.

Leonardo didn't pay much attention, thinking it was probably "someone" from the Council's Central Branch without much thought. But then, the man who had been waving his hand suddenly put his foot on the railing and jumped down to the first floor in the blink of an eye, approaching the two of them.

Seeing that, Leonardo's eyes widened for a moment.

'He's fast.'

Although he wasn't focusing on him, that was definitely not an ordinary speed. In the Imperial Capital, where teleportation couldn't be used, his speed was extremely fast as if he had used teleportation.

Leonardo immediately examined the badge and epaulets attached to the man's white uniform. Unable to take his eyes off the rank insignia on his shoulder for a moment, he slightly raised his head again and directly met the smiling light camel-colored eyes.

He had a younger-looking appearance than any other battalion commanders he had seen so far, was a bit taller than him, and had a physique smaller than Commander Agrizendro or Battalion Commander Frederick. It was a body closer to being agile.

However, Leonardo felt an immense power from him, who had come close, that was incomparable to other battalion commanders.

'Could this guy be...'

"Deputy Commander! You need to go report to the higher-ups first!"

From the third-floor balcony where he had been until a moment ago, someone poked their head out again and shouted loudly. The man who had approached Hugo and Leonardo turned around, looked up, and answered the voice of the adjutant calling for him.

"Ah, I'll just say hello and go right away!"

He turned his head again, looking at the two with an interested face, and abruptly asked Hugo,

"Commander, is this guy that Leonardo Blaine?"

Hugo slowly nodded his head and then gave him a plain greeting, his eyes shining.

"It's been a while."

"Wow, it's the first time since I saw you personally leave back then. Do you know how quickly I came to see this guy?"

As if he had been looking forward to this moment, he couldn't hide his excited demeanor and suddenly extended his hand in front of Leonardo.

"Blaine, nice to meet you. I really wanted to meet you."

As he smiled and offered a handshake, Leonardo found his inexplicable words a bit strange, but without hesitation, he grabbed the hand that was thrust at him. It was because he had something to confirm with him.

Contrary to Hugo's expectation that Leonardo would be reluctant to shake hands, being wary of a stranger, he was surprised to see him grab that hand as if he had been waiting for it.

The moment Leonardo held hands with the man in front of him, he felt his mana spread out around him. Among the combat personnel he had encountered in the Council so far, the only one with strong enough mana to give him this level of sensation was Hugo Agrizendro.

Soon, having figured out his identity, Leonardo tightened his grip on the hand he was holding and twisted the corners of his mouth upward.

"You're the Council's Lumen, aren't you?"