"Hey, do you know who I am?"

The owner of the booming voice echoing down the middle of the corridor was Ero. Swinging his arms wildly to assert his presence, he stopped the two reporters heading the opposite way.

"I am the Joker of this League! The hero of victory and the king’s right hand! If you want information, follow me!"

Since he had suddenly jumped out from around the corner, the reporters wandering inside the building looked him over with confused expressions. Declaring his identity so boldly for everyone to hear made him seem suspicious instead. The theatrical tone of his voice didn’t help either.

However, when his appearance matched the clothing of the final passers list written in their notebooks, their attitude immediately changed.

They scribbled ‘JOKER’ beside their notes and hurried after him. Having gathered two new reporters, Ero climbed the stairs to the second floor of the operations headquarters.

Five or six reporters who had already been chasing him followed like a tail. Ero deliberately made his footsteps loud, sending a signal to anyone nearby. He was confident in his running, so he intended to circle around and buy time.

After a wave of people rushed past, Leonardo, who had been hiding behind the stairwell watching his movements, pressed his forehead.

Why is he saying nonsense like being the king’s right hand?

Judging by how he revealed the alias Joker without hesitation, Ero might actually be enjoying the fame of the situation. Leonardo worried that, if caught, the man might spill information about him.

Still, since Ero was playing the bait role perfectly in his poor condition, Leonardo felt a certain gratitude and stepped onto the stairs leading underground. Meanwhile, security personnel who had received instructions turned the corner and headed toward the noisy staircase. The two groups passed by without noticing each other and grew distant.

The basement level of the north building contained a staff-only passage connected to Gate C. Leonardo figured that once he passed through, he could either reach the Controlled Area, get caught by the council members, or shake off the reporters.

At this rate he would actually end up under the council’s protection. Letting out a dry laugh, he recalled the map he had seen earlier while wandering. Finding escape routes from blueprints was something he often did during past missions, so the path remained clear in his mind.

But he had underestimated the thugs blinded by betting information. As the destination drew closer, louder murmuring than before grabbed his ankles.

Leonardo’s steps slowed sharply. Instinctively pressing his back and palm to the wall, he leaned his head out to observe the situation around the corner.

Damn....

"If you continue this behavior, we will have no choice but to arrest everyone! Step back!"

"You said someone already went inside! Why are only we being stopped?"

"Are you not bringing that person out?"

"They shouldn’t get the scoop first...."

"You must cooperate so we can resolve the situation!"

A curse escaped him. The corridor was completely packed with people. On top of that, a fire door hung halfway down above them. Its purpose was probably to block the heat of the boiling crowd — and it meant the path he needed was blocked as well.

Six security members guarded the front, and while restraining the crowd peeking around hoping to get something, they themselves couldn’t move easily.

"If you do not step back by the count of three, we will suppress everyone for obstruction of official duty!"

"Uh, over there!"

As the member issued the threat, a person at the very front pointed straight ahead. The finger indicated the corner where Leonardo had peeked out. Sucking in a breath, Leonardo pressed himself back against the wall and turned the other way without hesitation. A roar erupted from the clogged corridor at the same time, but he had no way of knowing what happened.

Giving up heading toward the destination, Leonardo began knocking on tightly shut doors one by one. It seemed better to hide until the council arrested them all.

The problem was how strict the security was in places like this — not a single door had been left open by mistake. Every handle only rattled with a click and refused to budge. Meanwhile pounding footsteps and shouting drew closer.

If a participant used force outside the match area, they could lose participation rights. Since it was written in the rules, Leonardo gritted his teeth in annoyance and quickly released the handle he was holding.

Running through the maze-like corridor, he hammered on every visible door with his fist, but the result was the same. People who gathered after hearing the noise persistently pressured him to reveal his League alias.

Ah, it’s just an alias anyway — should I just tell them and run? With blurred vision and short breath, the thought of relief naturally surfaced. But imagining whether they would really back off after hearing it made him shake his head.

If they caught him, they would try to check his face next. They would never let him go easily.

"Ah, please, just one open. Just one—."

Shaking the final door at the end of the corridor, Leonardo muttered anxiously like a plea. The pressure closing in from all sides made him bite his lip.

Then, as the cloth wrapped around his head seemed about to loosen, he tightened it with his hand and hurried around the curved passage.

He suppressed his footsteps and concealed his presence. His body moved first, and just as he dragged his lagging awareness and gaze forward—

“...!”

A shadow fell before him. Unable to overcome the inertia of running, he crashed straight into it.

The impact felt like slamming into a rock.

"Are you alright?"

Ero, who had fallen awkwardly, stood up with help from a council security member. The member brushed the dust and stains off his clothes.

"Everyone here is under arrest for unauthorized entry into a restricted area. Any resistance will be suppressed by force immediately."

Ero and the reporters chasing him were already surrounded by security personnel. The reporters, panting without daring to curse, sighed regretfully and then quickly switched tactics to plead with the guards.

"No, uh, sirs. We didn’t enter on purpose...."

"We didn’t know it was restricted. Could you overlook it just once?"

"Signs reading ‘Authorized Personnel Only’ are posted throughout the operations headquarters — claiming you didn’t know makes no sense. Furthermore, applying psychological and physical pressure to a League participant under the pretext of being press constitutes interference with League operations and public order. You will come with us."

Handcuffs were fastened onto the reporters one by one. All groaned, but none resisted. Since they were the kind who frequently caused disturbances, they seemed accustomed even to this situation and only clicked their tongues with pitiful expressions.

Meanwhile Ero looked increasingly tense rather than relieved. Looking up at the guard supporting him, he stammered.

"Am I being arrested too...? I’m not being disqualified, right?"

"A movement ban has been issued for all F-Group participants. You are not under arrest but will be escorted to the Controlled Area, so please cooperate. Whether participation rights are revoked will be decided by match operations and cannot be stated now."

Ero’s mouth went dry. If he insisted he was a victim, he might get through, but since passing wasn’t even certain yet, he feared possible disadvantage.

He obediently followed within the security formation ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) with stiff legs. Then suddenly he stopped and shouted urgently.

"Ah, there’s another person being chased!"

The palm wrapped behind his waist was extremely large. The firm strength supporting his tilted body carried an affection that tugged at the heart.

Reflexively grabbing the man’s forearm and clutching his throbbing nose, Leonardo looked up with wide eyes. The expression of the one looking down at him wasn’t much different.

“.......”

“.......”

Neither spoke for a while.

When you finally witness what you desperately searched for right in front of you, you forget what reaction to show.

Leonardo stared blankly into the handsome man’s deep eyes. The face he always imagined felt more dimensional than memory. Maybe it was just his mood, but the scent of perfume seemed stronger today. The presence brushing past his nose flowed inside and consumed his mind.

The fragrance placed the man from just before their parting back in front of him. As he only exhaled ragged breaths, the stiff blue eyes slowly moved, scanning his disheveled appearance.

Leonardo fell into the illusion that the touch reflected in that gaze was wandering across his cheek. If the arm supporting his back and the hand gripping his waist had not been there, he would have believed it completely.

Even through layers of fabric, the touching warmth was hot. Stimulating enough that even the smallest faint movement spread into obvious agitation.

But the sentiment lasted only a moment.

"Where did he go?"

"The entrance is blocked though?"

Whispered voices of uninvited guests echoed from the far end of the passage. Leonardo reacted first.

As he flinched and turned back, Hugo, who would never miss that movement, looked the same way. Soon his straight brows narrowed slightly.

Turning his gaze back to Leonardo, he spoke shortly.

"Come here."

The low voice that gave reassurance brushed his forehead. Hugo set Leonardo upright so he could balance, then firmly caught his wandering hand.

He quickly led him beyond the corner of the corridor he had come from.

Held by the decisive grip, Leonardo followed Hugo with stumbling steps without time to explain the situation. Even so, he could not take his eyes off the man’s profile slanting into view.

Was it because he couldn’t believe it? It was hard to tell whether what he faced now was truly reality. Ridiculously, Leonardo raised his free hand and grabbed Hugo’s forearm pulling him along.

It was purely the desire to confirm.

Hugo’s grip twitched at the touch. But he only glanced at his person and did not stop walking. Instead he tightened his hold so he could not slip away.

It took quite a while before both of them untangled their gazes and looked forward.