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Bermuda Chapter 274
🕑 Added 2024-09-01 10:35:12 +0000 UTCChapter 274
Leonardo blinked his heavy eyelids and stared at the darkened ceiling. Unusually bright moonlight seeped in through the small window high up on the right.
Although it wasn't because of that, he couldn't fall asleep for some reason. Even though he was lying still, he could feel his pulse throbbing in his neck and ears.
However, the real reason he couldn't sleep was something else. It was probably due to the heavy hand patting his lower abdomen.
Leonardo slowly shifted his gaze following the large hand moving in a steady rhythm. Tracing along the thick forearm to its end, he saw a handsome man lying with his head propped up, looking at him.
"Why aren't you sleeping?"
He asked in a monotone voice with languid eyelids. The pale moonlight shattered and poured over his face. He looked like a beautiful plaster statue that a master craftsman had painstakingly refined.
While a cool, clear sky suited him well too, the cool yet sensual color of the night was undoubtedly a light created for him.
Leonardo slightly furrowed his brow at his own embarrassing thoughts, but couldn't deny the appreciation welling up from his heart. Just in case the other might hear his heartbeat, he pulled the bedding up to his chin and asked back in a whisper:
"Why aren't you sleeping?"
"...I'll sleep when you do."
"I said I might have nightmares, not that I needed help falling asleep..."
Regardless, Hugo continued patting his lower abdomen and used his right arm that had been propping up his head to pull another pillow from the headboard. After placing the pillow overlapping in a spot slightly closer to Leonardo, he laid his head and heavy thoughts on it. Although his face was full of fatigue, he absolutely wouldn't close his eyes. He would probably continue like that until the fellow in front of him fell asleep.
Leonardo stared blankly at Hugo, who didn't answer, then reached out his arm under the covers and placed his hand on his own stomach. Hugo's patting hand hesitated as it felt the presence under the blanket. Soon, he lightly grasped the temptation fluttering along with the thick bedding.
Feeling a sense of security, Leonardo asked him in a low voice:
"So why were you avoiding me? Was it really because you were upset by what I said?"
Hugo suddenly realized that he hadn't properly explained about that yet.
His blue eyes moved upward for a moment. Then, looking down, he nodded as if pushed:
"...It seems I was."
At this, the golden eyes that had been sharply on edge all day drooped weakly.
"I'm sorry."
The hand under the covers moved slowly, gently scratching Hugo's palm.
Hugo closed his eyes tightly, then opened them and sighed.
'This is trouble.'
Even if this fellow suddenly turned on him one day and tried to harm him, with that face and a single word of apology, everything would be forgiven - it was that effective.
Hugo felt the crisis but conflicted with the complacency that didn't want to escape it. At the same time, he fell into deep contemplation about whether he should accept this apology.
In fact, he didn't really know why he had acted that way. He just thought it would be better to keep his distance.
Although it had resulted in this situation... if the other felt hurt by it, his actions must have been a bit excessive.
Rather, he should be the one apologizing, but receiving it instead pricked his conscience. However, considering how he had bustled about for the coming troubles, it seemed okay to accept this level of apology without thinking too much about it.
Hugo caressed the fingers fidgeting under the covers. Then, looking at the sorrowful face, he rubbed the eye rims with his gaze. The topic of conversation quickly moved on to something else.
"There aren't many places in Fidele that handle high-quality fabrics. I'll have the new magic robe we talked about before made for you when we return to the imperial capital."
Leonardo knew that Hugo had deliberately changed the subject, but he didn't mention it further. Instead, he calculated the last moments that would remain between him and Hugo after returning.
Talking about high-quality fabric meant it would be custom-made, which would take quite some time from cutting to production. Leonardo casually asked:
"Once we go back, how long will it take?"
"...What?"
When Hugo asked back as if it was ambiguous, Leonardo paused before answering:
"How long will it take until you release me?"
Hugo was momentarily at a loss for words at the direct question. His gaze wandered in the air before returning to its place.
"Well, if we change the disposition summarily, about 2-3 days. If it goes to trial, a day or two more than that."
"You're saying it has to go to trial?"
Leonardo asked back in an incredulous tone. Deep trauma from three years ago was inherent in it.
Hugo stared at him, whose expression had darkened instantly, and recalled the northern grand plaza of the imperial capital that had been nearly half-destroyed.
Strictly speaking, it couldn't be said to be anyone's fault, but externally, Leonardo, who had disobeyed public authority, was portrayed as the cause.
The higher-ups would try to prevent the Council's image from being tarnished, so if Leonardo wasn't co-opted after his return, they would propagate that incident to the public as an even more cruel event. Then, the media that had negative views of him would write sensational articles as if they had been waiting for it.
In the end, Leonardo, who had enemies on all sides, needed an official indulgence that could offset all of that.
An indulgence to cleanly shake off the suspicion of helping the merchant group leader escape from Frost Territory, whether true or not, and to wash away the stigma of destroying facilities in the imperial capital and threatening the safety of imperial citizens. Furthermore, he needed a stepping stone that would become the foundation for recovering his tarnished honor to some extent and living freely in this land.
Hugo believed that a trial for Leonardo, hosted by the Council as a deliberative body, could be the answer to that. Of course, it wouldn't flow easily as intended, but it was the surest way to improve public perception and the key to reclaiming his rights.
Moreover, the credibility of the Council's judgment would prevent external forces from approaching Leonardo in the future. And there was nothing more Leonardo needed to do for that. The merits he had established on the peninsula were achievements too great to be converted into just the value of freedom.
Now, conveying those achievements truthfully and effectively without any lack was solely his responsibility. However, since his conversation with Cordelia inside the watchtower a few days ago, Hugo had to question several times whether he could actually accomplish that.
Although he was preparing through his adjutants Flynn and Gabe, and various external subordinates, he wasn't sure if the situation would flow as expected. Moreover, something he didn't know was controlling the truth underwater. Something like that chillingly thick and secretive stack of petitions.
Hugo blinked his eyelids slowly and bitterly swallowed his reality.
'Can I, who can barely keep my own position, really protect you?'
He met the golden eyes looking at him with an even more subdued gaze. As Hugo had been silent all along, anxiety naturally settled on Leonardo's face.
"Why?"
It meant why are you looking at me like that. To that short question, Hugo uttered words completely different from his inner thoughts.
"Don't worry. Whether a trial is held or not, there won't be any problems in regaining your freedom."
Hugo murmured this while reaching out his hand. He lightly touched Leonardo's soft cheek.
"Trust me."
Leonardo blinked at the other's sweet assurance. It seemed like words directed at him, but it also sounded like a solemn pledge to himself.
What came to mind next was the image of Agrizendro telling him to trust him amidst the falling volcanic ejecta. He and this person had survived from there. All he had done then was to believe in him.
So this time too, it would go according to his will. Believing so, Leonardo answered:
"Okay."
He nodded his head slowly, allowing Hugo's hand to rub against his cheek.
Hugo's tight lips loosened naturally. He had meant to reassure the other, but the coy golden eyes and the skin brushing against his fingers seemed to tell him to be reassured instead.
Hugo indulged a bit more in the cheek that had come to him on its own, then turned his attention to the golden hair that kept falling.
"When we return, it might be good to cut your hair a bit too."
"Why, don't you like it now?"
"No, it's not that..."
He couldn't bring himself to say it was because he couldn't see your eyes well.
Instead of holding back his words, Hugo looked for another reason, partly to change the atmosphere. Unfortunately, what suddenly came to mind was a topic he didn't particularly want to think about.
"...There will be people worried about you. It would be better to show them a neat appearance when you return."
Leonardo listened to Hugo's words without much thought, but at the somewhat out-of-place remark, he carefully chewed over the implications. Then he suddenly flinched. People worried about me? Return? He thought Hugo might know something.
Afraid that his stiffened expression might show, he unnecessarily pushed the inside of his cheek with his tongue to loosen the tense muscles. Then he asked back as if nothing was wrong:
"People worried? Well, who?"
Surprisingly, quite a few people passed through Leonardo's mind. Starting with Nero first... faces he hadn't seen in a long time, like the white butterfly that had flown between the prison bars.
Hugo withdrew his hand from Leonardo's hair that he had been passing through. After a brief pause, he spoke in a calm tone:
"People like, a lover. I don't think you wouldn't have one."
It was completely different from what he had expected, so Leonardo's eyebrows subtly rose.
"A lover?"
Leonardo was confused about whether the other was being sincere or had some other intention. Meeting his blank stare, he replied in a puzzled tone:
"I don't have anything like that though?"
Hugo's eyebrow muscles moved slightly. He thought Leonardo was lying to him to protect that thundering idiot.
Contrary to Hugo's misunderstanding, Leonardo soon chuckled and said nonchalantly:
"Ah, of course, I do have a face that would seem strange not to have one. But-"
Speaking in a brazen tone as if showing off, he lightly grumbled about how busy he had been, asking where he would have had time for that. Then he teasingly criticized the Council, asking if they had been following him around doing background checks.
His natural facial muscles and comfortable vocalization confused Hugo, who had been certain that he had a lover.
Having had much experience with interrogations in the past, he was confident in his ability to determine with high probability whether what the other was saying was true or false. However, Leonardo reflected in his blue eyes somehow didn't seem to be lying.
Hugo's relaxed brow gradually stiffened. One of his eyebrows rose as if twisting, sensing some error.
The anguish that had tormented him countless times just moments ago quickly passed through his mind.
Hugo asked in a rather serious tone:
"...You don't have one?"
Leonardo, who had been chattering, stared at him blankly. Then he nodded as if it was obvious.
"No."
Comments
Yudrain
LMAO HUGO ππ
IzetIsa
Hugo: π€‘
Monmon
Oh Hugo my idiot king enjoy your first piece of good news in days LMAO
Ahbrimone
Hahahahhahahahaahha finally you realized it Hugo. You know what they say about making assumptions. You made a whole ass outta yourself. Poor Leo had no idea what internal angst you put yourself through.
Jesse Gibson
Ahhhhhhhhhh finally geeezzzzzz these two give me heartburn seriously
Bodacious
It would be nice to have a chapter where the two shop around town. π₯°
Mkslushi
Thank goooodddd thatβs cleared up now- see what happens when you assume Hugoππ
