Leonardo blinked. It seemed my weight wasn't much of a burden to him — either that, or the dead grass and snow beneath him provided enough support to make it bearable.
Hmm. So, how did I end up sitting on Leonardo like he was a cushion?
***
Time flew by as I mingled with the nobles, exchanging information, and before I knew it, it was closer to dawn than evening when I finally returned to the outpost.
Aside from the quietly burning torches, silence filled the surroundings. A feast had been held for the knights as well, but having just returned from an exhausting expedition, it seemed they had wrapped things up quickly.
Raul probably would have wanted to continue discussing the First Field Army's rescue operation, but I had left word before the banquet to let him know to rest for now. We'd talk in detail tomorrow. After such a gruelling reconnaissance, one good night's rest was more than deserved.
I carefully stepped into the tent, and Vittorio, with his tousled hair pressed down awkwardly, groggily sat up from the bed. His half-lidded, drowsy eyes made it clear he'd just woken up.
"Go back to sleep, okay?"
We'd be up early again tomorrow anyway — no need for him to force himself awake in the middle of the night.
Vittorio, being a light sleeper, was always the first to wake. Over time, as we spent more days together, it seemed he'd grown accustomed to the everyday noises Leonardo and I made. I was grateful for that, at least.
Lately, though, he seemed to wake more from the sound of the knights' boots crunching over the frost that settled overnight.
"Mm… okay…"
Watching the little one drift back into sleep, I let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Leonardo, for his part, usually woke around the same time as Vittorio — must be his soldier's instincts. But to be honest, he'd been lazing around in bed a bit more these days. I couldn't help but wonder if my bad habits were rubbing off on him.
'Or maybe it's just because it's winter.'
Just then, I heard the faint rustle of fabric behind me. Leonardo had approached quietly, unfastening the clasp of his ceremonial cloak.
The soft sound of cloth brushing against itself, Vittorio's gentle, sleepy breaths, and the dim outlines barely visible through the darkness — that was all Leonardo could probably sense right now.
Moving slowly, holding my breath to avoid waking the child, every action felt sluggish, more deliberate than usual.
By the time I peeled off the heavy, layered ceremonial clothes, washed up, and lay back down, it felt like my spine had melted into the bed. But I knew Leonardo wouldn't be getting a comfortable night's sleep.
He shifted slightly, turning to face me.
There are things you learn about someone just by sharing a bed — small habits that don't say much, but still tell you what kind of person they are.
Leonardo always slept near the exit, ready to bolt at a moment's notice, making sure Vittorio and I were on the safer, inner side.
And at some point — I'm not sure when it started — he stopped sleeping on his back. Even if he began that way, I'd eventually find him turned toward me, leaning ever so slightly.
It felt like having a breakwater, shielding me from the waves, or a sturdy wall blocking the cold drafts. I liked it. Lying inside that safe space, the air warmed by his body heat, everything felt absurdly peaceful.
A sliver of moonlight slipped through the seam where our tent connected to the next, tracing a faint silver line down the bridge of Leonardo's nose. He wasn't asleep. He was watching me quietly.
I wasn't planning to sleep yet anyway — tomorrow's scenario was still running through my head — but…
'That's a face that wants to ask something.'
Resting my head on the arm I'd bent as a pillow, I tilted it a little closer to him.
Leonardo blinked, then gave a small, shallow nod.
「At the banquet today… I saw the king watching you.」
Yeah. I figured he'd notice. I had been putting off the explanation, but Leonardo, who watched me more closely than anyone else, was bound to pick up on something odd.
「When that golden plaque was hung next to the wildcat crest—」
His hand moved, landing gently on my cheek. Instead of his calloused palm, worn rough from wielding a sword, he pressed the soft back of his hand against my skin, letting it glide smoothly along my jawline.
「It looked like he was speaking to you.」
Caught.
I never really thought I could hide it for long anyway.
'After what happened in El Dante, Godric must've figured things out about me.'
Leonardo's muscles tensed, his frame going rigid with unease.
'And now he's trying to win me over — because he knows I'm helping you.'
「So that family's crest—」
I nodded and told Leonardo everything. How Godric had suddenly fabricated my noble status. How, overnight, I was painted as some hidden master who had slaughtered five high-ranking beasts for the royal family's sake.
Leonardo listened in silence. Slowly, his tension didn't just fade — his whole presence seemed to sink, unnervingly calm. Like a flame that had burned too hot and was now smoldering, dangerously low.
「The king promised the position of Captain of the Royal Guard to the victor of the subjugation.」
'…Ugh.'
A simple realization pierced through Leonardo.
「Isaac. He wants you.」
It was hard to make out his expression in the darkness, but I felt the subtle tightening of his arm around my waist.
Honestly, it wasn't me he wanted — it was the
Leonardo didn't move anymore. He was completely still in the shadows, so much so that I couldn't tell what state he was in. No more quiet whispers, no small shifts in his face or body. It was like he'd vanished into the dark, even though I knew he was right there.
Thinking back, it was rare for him to ever let his emotions show clearly.
If I had to describe his usual demeanour — a faint smile, a hint of gloom, gentle concern, or a calm, neutral expression. There was always a trace of restraint, like he was holding back just enough.
Maybe staying composed was a survival tactic for him. Or maybe that was just who he was from the start.
But now… the Leonardo I knew — the one I thought I understood — showed a small, undeniable crack in that carefully maintained façade.
The presence beyond the darkness felt like it had veered off the familiar path of the Leonardo I knew. The way he drew in a slow, deep breath and exhaled sharply, the relentless weight of his gaze — even the way his hand slid from my cheek, brushing over my lips in a fleeting motion — all of it felt foreign, off-track.
I held my breath for a moment, then exhaled softly through my mouth. His thumb, still resting at the corner of my lips, moved just slightly, tracing along the groove. It pressed, ever so lightly, against the wet inner part of my lower lip, where the skin curled in.
A strange taste lingered — bitter and unsettling, the raw tang of another person's skin brushing my tongue for the briefest second.
「He wants to have you.」
Leonardo murmured the words again, his voice low and steady. Hearing it like that sent an involuntary shiver down my spine.
I couldn't understand why I felt this way. He was the same person — the same Leonardo who had always been by my side. And yet…
Why did it feel so…
'…Screw it.'
"!"
I grabbed both sides of his face and yanked him toward me.
His eyes widened in surprise as he stumbled forward, the tense air between us wavering dangerously. I tugged the corner of my lips into a sharp, crooked smile and glared at him with a playful, almost wicked glint.
'What, you think you're the only one who gets to talk? My turn now. I've got plenty to say, too.'
「Hey.」
'Dragonbone Sword.'
As expected, Leonardo flinched, his confidence deflating in an instant. I pressed the advantage, pushing harder.
'It must've been bothering you even more since we got back. Why didn't you say anything?'
If the Dragonbone Sword's aura had grown so strong that it was causing people to go missing, it made sense that Leonardo couldn't sleep — that he'd been wandering around at night. But to lie next to me and not say a word about it?
Unbelievable.
Frustrated, I pinched his cheeks hard between my thumb and forefinger, squishing his face like a pouting fish. Leonardo squirmed, mumbling out a rushed excuse.
「I-I didn't do it on purpose—」
'Oh, now you're making excuses? You're the one who nags me to get proper sleep every night. Traitor.'
「Isaac…」
Now this was the Leonardo I knew. When he realized I was about to give him a proper scolding, he drew out my name in that exaggerated, whining tone — "Isaaaac~"— trying to butter me up.
He's gotten way too comfortable using that trick. I fell for it once or twice, and now he's convinced it's a surefire move.
Unbelievable.
I reached up and covered his eyes with my hand. I could imagine exactly what kind of face he was making right now, and honestly? I didn't need to see it to know.
'You should've told me.'
「Um…」
'Why do you think you're the only one curious about me?'
「…」
'I want to know things too.'
I felt the soft brush of his eyelashes against the inside of my palm, fluttering lightly. Blink, blink. He must've forgotten to breathe through his nose because a warm breath escaped quietly between his slightly parted lips.
'You can't sleep, right?'
Leonardo didn't try to argue this time. He simply nodded, obedient and quiet. What do I even call this? Did I finally knock some sense into him? Break his spirit a little? Either way — I'll take it.
'Then how about we go for a walk together? This whole area's practically surrounded by the Dragonbone Sword's influence anyway. A bit of walking might help you sleep.'
I suggested it gently, and Leonardo nodded again without hesitation. Well, that settles the scenario setup too.
He stood up smoothly, grabbed his cloak, and fetched my boots without a word. Honestly, I think he'd feel uncomfortable now not acting like a personal attendant. What am I even supposed to do with him?
Bundled in thick cloaks and winter boots, we slipped quietly out of the tent into the cold night. Leonardo trailed alongside me, then quietly slipped his hand into mine.
"It's dark. We might lose each other."
"Hmm, fair point."
It was night, after all. Not like anyone was around to see — or misunderstand. The leather gloves felt too smooth, like they'd slide apart easily, so I took off my right glove. Leonardo followed suit, pulling off his left.
His hand was warm.
We kept walking, leaving the outpost behind and venturing into quieter, emptier terrain.
Then—
「Someone's moving… barefoot?」
The scene from my scenario notes began.
A figure staggered through the snow, barefoot, moving like a sleepwalker — or like someone entranced. They wandered aimlessly, eyes unfocused, bare feet sinking into the cold, untouched snow outside the tents.
Leonardo and I exchanged a quick, silent glance before following. The person moved steadily, almost unnaturally, and their path led directly to an all-too-familiar place: the ruins of the old castle.
The same place where we'd held the feast just hours ago.
Leonardo, walking ahead, suddenly froze.
「They're here.」
His voice was low and sharp.
Above us, the clouds split apart, and moonlight poured through, brilliant and clear. I felt a jolt of unease. That light — and the thing that always seemed to come with it — made my chest tighten.
Someone was coming.
[
The moment I saw the string of text appear — right on cue — I didn't hesitate. I shoved Leonardo down, hard.
…And that's how I ended up straddling him in the middle of the night.
"Shh."
We've got a stalker.