Chapter 433: Cloud (1/2)

”I think I will return now.” Mordred said softly, motioning toward Crakos.

From start to finish, the #1 Demon Lord hadn't said a word and had simply observed things. Though he received many looks and several auras were constantly locked onto him, the Demon Lord always remained calm, restraining his own.

Leonel nodded lightly. He knew that Mordred had gone through a lot today. The wounds she had suffered in her past couldn't be cured so quickly, but Leonel felt content that they were going in the right direction.

He and Mordred practically knew everything about one another. In many ways, Leonel felt that he was closer to her than he had ever been to James. Seeing her slowly coming back to her family left him feeling happy.

”What's with that smile?” Mordred teased. ”Is big sis very beautiful?”

Leonel coughed, not knowing how to respond. But, his predictable reaction left the Demon Empress giggling.

Just as Mordred was about to turn to leave, Leonel suddenly spoke out.

”Demo – Em, I take you to be one of my close friends now. I just wanted you to know that.”

Mordred's steps froze, looking back toward Leonel with surprise.

Seeing those clear, pale green eyes and that handsome, charismatic smile, she felt her heart shudder. For some reason, she felt her tears well up in her eyes.

She quickly dried them with a subtle use of Force, not letting them fall. Then, just as quickly as she had almost cried, she smiled a charming smile.

”Big sis has more to teach you about women. Rule number one is to not make them cry.”

Mordred strolled away under the escort of several guards, clicking her tongue as though she was still reprimanding Leonel. But, in response, Leonel only chuckled.

”You must be happy having such a beautiful friend, hm?”

Aina's voice disrupted Leonel's mood, causing his coughing fit to return.

”… It's fine, I'm pretty sure Em only likes women anyway.” Leonel quickly recovered.

”So you mean that if she liked men instead you'd be happier?”

”Ah…”

Leonel had been checkmated once again. He didn't know how all his insane thinking speed and people skills couldn't find him a path out of this.

Luckily, he then heard Aina begin to giggle to herself, the soft bells of her laughter warming his heart.

He didn't know when Aina got such a teasing side to her. The two sides Leonel knew were either the overly shy Aina or the bloody killer Aina.

What he didn't know was that Aina had no choice but to begin teasing Leonel like this. Before, it felt as though Leonel was always the one causing her to be flustered. Getting back at him now made her feel much better.

Maybe even Aina herself didn't realize that in order to tease Leonel like this, she had to play into the fact they were a couple. Who knows how she'd react if she realized what her jokes meant…

Leonel suddenly sighed, thinking back to Arthur and Guinevere.

”… Do you think we'd ever grow apart like that?” He suddenly asked.

Aina froze. She hadn't even thought through herself what she felt for Leonel, she didn't even believe she had the time to think of such things now.

Being presented so suddenly with such a loaded question left her not knowing what to say for a long time.

”… Is it possible for you to grow distant from me?”

Aina asked a question back herself.

Maybe deep down she was also afraid of such a possibility. Leonel had pursued her so doggedly for years. She couldn't help but admit to herself that she thought he would have given up on her a long time ago.

During those days, her best friends were Yuri and Savahn. Savahn especially used to always say that men were just like that. They loved the chase, but the moment they got something, they would soon grow bored and leave it behind for other things.

Though Aina never really took much of her rants seriously, she had to admit to herself that thinking of this might have subconsciously been one of the reason she also never tried to respond to Leonel.

This had left her in a perpetual cycle where she never said yes but also never said no…