"Tsk.."Leo clicked his tongue softly and set to work. With careful precision, he cut through the seams that held Alauna's torn dress together, freeing her from the blood-soaked fabric without jostling her unconscious form. He folded what remained of the garment and set it aside.
Methodically, he cleaned the blood from her skin, his movements efficient and practiced. When he was done, he removed his own shirt and used it to clothe her, ensuring she was covered and warm.
Only then did he lift her—cradling her in his arms—and carry her back to the clearing beneath the same tree where the panther had first attacked. He laid her down gently, adjusting her position so she rested comfortably.
Leo seated himself beside her and crossed his legs into a lotus position. His eyes closed, his breathing steady and controlled—but his awareness never dulled. Even in stillness, he remained alert, guarding her as the forest breathed quietly around them.
As Leo closed his eyes, the recently ended battle with the panther replayed itself in his mind.
I didn't think of this at first, but how does the bracelet work? Leo pondered. A sword can't just turn into a rifle and fire a bullet from nothing.
{From what I know,} Primo began, his voice echoing faintly in Leo's thoughts, {items like that possess their own internal space. If I'm right, the bracelet contains a reserve—excess liquid metal stored for later use. That would explain how it extends, shrinks, and forms essential components of whatever it becomes… including the bullet.}
The explanation settled part Leo's question. It made sense—logically.
Yet his brow furrowed.
Primo's words answered the question he had asked—but not the one that lingered beneath it. The bracelet had reacted too quickly, too precisely, as if it understood him.
Leo exhaled slowly.
There was more to the bracelet than met the eye now that his excitement has calmed and he had thought about it. And whatever that more was, he suspected it had not revealed itself yet.
Leo sat in silence, passing the time with small talk from his ever-smug system. Hours slipped by unnoticed until a faint movement drew his attention.
Alauna's eyes stirred open.
She returned to the land of the living to find the same smile she had faded out to. Without quite realizing it, she smiled back.
Bracing a hand against the ground, she pushed herself upright—and froze.
The clothes were wrong.
'Huh...these are not my clothes.'
Her gaze dropped to the unfamiliar fabric draped over her, 'Don't tell me.....'
Her head snapped up on instinct. Leo sat nearby, dressed only in a singlet.
'So it really was him.'
The realization hit all at once: he had cleaned her wounds and changed her clothes.
Heat rushed to her face.
'It's so embarrassing.... how am I going to face him from today' Alauna wanted—very suddenly—to become an ostrich and bury her head in the ground, never to emerge again.
And yet, beneath the mortification, her heart betrayed her.
It skipped a beat.
"How are you feeling?" Leo asked.
Alauna's blush deepened instantly. She opened her mouth, closed it again, then finally managed to say, "I—I'm fine. Really."
Leo tilted his head a faint smile tugged at his lips as he shook his head at her flustered reply.
"Talk to me," he said gently. "What happened back there?"
The question pulled her out of her embarrassment, grounding her. Alauna drew in a breath, her expression sobering as memories of the trial and the battle surged back to the surface.
"Well… I had just come out of the temple," Alauna began quietly. "I decided to rest for a while—only for that panther to sneak up on me."
Her fingers tightened in her lap as she spoke.
"I tried to hold my ground," she continued, voice wavering, "but… I couldn't ."
She swallowed hard.
"If you hadn't come to my rescue—"
Her words broke apart. Alauna's fists clenched, gripping the hem of the clothes she was wearing as sobs escaped her despite her efforts to stop them. Her shoulders trembled, frustration and fear spilling out at once.
Leo, being the gentleman he is, rose to his feet and crossed the short distance between them. Without hesitation, he pulled Alauna into his embrace, one arm firm around her shoulders while the other patted her back, his fingers gently brushing through her hair.
"There, there," he murmured softly. "It's okay. There's no need to feel bad about this."
He leaned back just enough to speak clearly, his voice calm and steady.
"You did your best.". he said wiping her tears causing Alauna to smile through her tears.
A prickling unease suddenly crawled up his spine, sharp and insistent, as though something dangerous was watching him.
He turned slowly, only to find the others—the team and their Instructor—standing at the edge of the clearing. Nothing seemed amiss, yet the feeling persisted.
Where is this coming from? Am I just overreacting? he wondered.
Unbeknownst to him, the source of that danger was far closer than he imagined. Avril.
Though she wore a smile, her gaze burned like cold fire as she took in the sight of him with Alauna in his arms, his clothes draped over her. Only the goddess of yanderes would understand the violence simmering in her mind—how many times she had sliced him to pieces in her imagination.
Alauna, noticing the others approaching, quickly pulled away from Leo, creating as much distance between them as she could. Her face was a blazing red—if expressions were a contest, hers could have rivaled the butt of a baboon.
Leo turned to face the group, a grin tugging at his lips.
"Seems like you've found us," he said casually. "We had planned to come after you guys… but, Ah well."
"Oh really? But it seems you were taking your time," Avril said, her tone sharp enough to make sweat coat Leo's back.
The boys couldn't hold back. Laughter rippled through the group, Max laughing the loudest, his amusement at his friend's misfortune apparent. Even Grey cracked a small smile, unable to resist the scene unfolding before them.
Leo shifted slightly, acting like a cheating husband caught in the act, heat rising to his cheeks as the teasing continued, all eyes on him and the now-flustered Alauna.