Looking into Furina's mischievous eyes, Leo wasn't sure if this was right or wrong.
Should I eat it or not? What if Lady Furina gets upset? But what if she doesn't…?
Swallowing hard, Leo decided it was a blessing to be fed by the Archon herself.
Opening his mouth, he sucked the noodles from her fork in a single gulp, savoring the taste. The sauce was salty with a hint of sweetness that puzzled him. What he knew for certain was that his entire face had turned red—the warmth burning across his cheeks couldn't be faked. He could hear the pounding of his own heartbeat.
How many times has Lady Furina fed me before? I've lost count. But this time… this is the first time she's done it so directly, without playfulness, without pretense.
"Does my saliva taste good?" Furina teased.
"T-Tasty."
"Ah?" she raised a brow.
"No, no, Lady Furina—I meant the noodles are delicious!" Leo stammered.
With a faint blush on her own cheeks, Furina smiled and sat back down. She continued twirling noodles with her fork, forgetting entirely that she hadn't changed utensils and simply kept eating.
Across the fire, Leo had lost all appetite. Instead, he found himself stealing glances at her over and over. He didn't even know what he was looking for—he just wanted to look.
Noticing his gaze, Furina lifted her head, her face touched with a shy blush of her own.
The atmosphere between them grew strangely subtle…
The morning breeze at the seaside, the crackling fire, the half-eaten noodles—all of it carried a quiet tension.
"Lady Furina… would you like more?" Leo asked at last, unsure what else to say. His master had never taught him how to navigate moments like this.
"Eat? Of course!" Furina grinned. "Give me all of yours."
Obeying her without hesitation, Leo handed over the rest of his noodles. But the moment she touched the plate, Furina paused, staring at him intently.
"What's wrong, Lady Furina?" Leo asked nervously, unsettled by her sudden stillness.
Placing the fork on the plate, Furina leaned close, bracing one hand against his side. With the other, she pointed at her mouth.
"Feed me."
"Huh? Lady Furina… did I hear correctly?"
Hand on her chest, Furina tilted her head proudly.
"Of course you heard correctly. Must I repeat myself, little guard?"
Leo nodded quickly, picked up the fork, and carefully twirled a bite of noodles. With trembling hands, he raised it slowly to her lips, terrified of making a mistake.
Furina swallowed it in one graceful bite, sucking the noodles from the fork. Strange… somehow, food tastes better when he feeds me, she thought, savoring the warmth of the moment.
But for Leo, it was pure torment—a sweet, excruciating torture.
Gathering another forkful, he prepared to feed her again.
But Furina suddenly nudged him with her shoulder, eyes gleaming.
"What about you? Do you want me to feed you too?"
"Eh? Y-yes—no—I don't—"
Chuckling at his honesty, Furina snatched the fork from his hand, twirled more noodles, and held them before his lips.
"Come now, Leo. Open your mouth."
"O-okay."
Blushing furiously, he leaned forward and accepted the bite. His cheeks flushed bright red, like ripened apples under the sun.
And so, the two of them took turns feeding each other until the last noodle was gone.
After breakfast, Leo washed the dishes, his face still burning crimson. Behind him, Furina watched quietly, her gaze lingering as unspoken thoughts swirled in her mind.
I…
Later, under the sunlight, Furina ran ahead joyfully, the members of her Salon trailing nearby. Leo followed behind, burdened with a heavy pack—but the weight was nothing to him.
"Hey, Leo, hurry up! We're almost at the summit!" Furina called, waving her arms as she bounded uphill.
"Understood, Lady Furina!" he answered.
She skipped ahead, and he dutifully chased after her.
By evening, Leo finally caught up with her at the mountain's peak. Setting down his baggage, he exhaled in relief. The climb itself wasn't difficult, but carrying such a load—and staying alert for Furina's occasional sneak attacks—was exhausting.
Still, every time he saw her smiling face, heard her laughter bright as silver bells, his fatigue seemed to dissolve.
Once the bonfire was lit and the tent pitched, Leo turned to Furina, who was lying in the grass and gazing at the stars.
"Lady Furina, what would you like for dinner?"
Sitting up and stretching, she replied, "Let's see what we can find nearby! I'll come with you."
"Oh—alright."
That night, with torches in hand, Leo and Furina wandered the forest in search of food.
Furina trailed close behind him, eyes darting nervously at the shadows. In five hundred years, she had rarely set foot in a forest at night. But with Leo walking ahead, she felt strangely safe—so safe, in fact, that she pressed close to him, nearly brushing against his side.
For Furina, it was comforting. For Leo, it was a different kind of danger altogether—his focus on keeping watch was constantly tested by her nearness.
At last, Leo speared a swift forest boar with a clean strike, ensuring a hearty feast for the evening.
Clapping her hands, Furina beamed.
"Wonderful! Truly wonderful! As expected of my little guard—so skilled that even a forest boar couldn't escape you."
Scratching his head in embarrassment, Leo blushed at the praise.
Since leaving Palais Mermonia, Furina had seemed… freer, more vibrant. Away from the Opera Epiclese and the eyes of her people, her cheer felt unrestrained.
After tying up the boar, Furina skipped ahead, humming a playful tune. Leo followed behind, dragging their prize along and humming a few notes of his own.
Turning around with mock outrage, Furina pinched his nose.
"Terrible! Absolutely terrible! Your master claims to be the greatest bard in the world, and yet you learned nothing from him?"
"Alas, Lady Furina, I'm helpless—I have no talent for music," Leo admitted with a laugh. "If I did, I would have followed my master's path as a wandering singer. I wouldn't have come to serve as your bodyguard."
Her eyes widened in confusion. "Singing… for money? What do you mean? Surely you didn't beg on the streets with your master?"
Blinking, Leo recalled his travels. When Mora was scarce, his master would spin stories or sing in the plazas of foreign cities, gathering coin from amused crowds.
"That's about right."
"Your martial skills are remarkable. Then your master must be even stronger?"
"Indeed. My master is incredibly powerful—he can defeat me with just a wave of his hand."
Through their conversation, Furina found herself more and more intrigued by this enigmatic figure. A man who could sing, tell stories, and even humble such a capable young guard as Leo…