#32

‘Well, of course his nerves are shot to hell.’

Carnis fully understood how the Marquis of Hesperi must feel.

If Ufikla or Pinu ever acted like they were madly in love—like they’d rip out their hearts and livers to hand them over—his nerves would be burnt to cinders too.

And considering who the other party was, it must be even more frustrating not to be able to do a damn thing.

The only small comfort was that Leonia’s feelings, at least, were entirely reserved for Scandia alone.

‘...No, wait.’

But still. That doesn’t mean it’s okay to cut someone’s tendons just to keep them close.

Carnis was genuinely curious who Leonia had been watching to come up with such ideas.

Ferio, the man he knew, wasn’t like that.

‘Don’t tell me... the duchess?’

While Carnis seriously worried—

Leonia, who had also been looking in the same direction, had a strange, unsettled glint in her eyes.

“...Young Lady?”

Carnis called when he noticed it.

“......”

When she didn’t respond, concern creeping in, he called again.

Leonia quickly composed her expression and returned a pleasant, innocent smile.

“Count, I’ll be taking my leave now.”

“Wait, wait!”

In his alarm, Carnis even dropped formal speech as he stepped in front of Leonia on her way back to the black carriage.

“You’re not really going to cut them, are you?”

He asked, his voice pleading.

“No matter how important a man’s lower back is, don’t you realize how diverse the miracles are that require both functioning legs?”

“I mean... it’s not my place to say, but that seems a bit inappropriate to say to your friend’s daughter.”

Honestly, borderline harassment?

If his wife Abipher had been there, she would’ve smacked him ten times on the spot.

“But the Young Lady gets what I mean.”

“Of course I do.”

Leonia nodded without shame.

The only reason that didn’t qualify as harassment was because the recipient of the words was Leonia—the same Leonia who had never once in her life hidden her own perverse tendencies.

“That’s why you can’t just go cutting tendons.”

Carnis had repeated this warning endlessly—for Leonia’s own good, if nothing else.

‘You really are Ferio’s old friend, huh.’

Growing weary of the relentless nagging, Leonia gave Carnis a gentle tap on the forearm.

“Count.”

Then she stepped into the carriage, leaving him with one last remark:

“Tell the Marquis and Marchioness it won’t hurt that much if they use anesthesia.”

And with that, she hopped inside.

“Young Lady! A man’s life is in his legs!”

Carnis shouted after her, saying the thighs are powered by strong ankles, growing increasingly desperate in his appeal.

Leonia, ignoring his heartfelt lecture, climbed into the carriage—only for the door she was closing to be blocked.

“May the gods have mercy upon him...”

“Hey, can you make a magic potion to reattach severed tendons?”

“If I live through this, I’ll research it first thing.”

“Little groom, if it gets dangerous, just blink twice.”

While Scandia, the one facing imminent tendon-severing, boarded the carriage with perfect calm, the Gladiago Knights behind him wouldn’t shut up.

Some of them were even praying.

“Which one of you said that.”

Leonia ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ growled, and the knights finally went silent.

“I didn’t tell you to get in.”

She slumped into her seat with a huff through her nose.

Her tousled bangs wavered from the breath.

“I brought you a change of clothes.”

With the shamelessness of someone wearing steel for skin, Scandia sat beside her, holding a clean shirt, trousers, and a cloak.

But as Leonia said nothing, a suffocating silence filled the space.

The carriage began to move.

Though the black carriage was so smooth it didn’t even jostle, the stillness inside it made even the luxurious comfort feel stifling.

Eventually, Leonia moved first.

Not with words—but with her hands.

Thump.

Her bloodstained cloak dropped to the floor.

As Scandia bent to pick it up, Leonia began unbuttoning her shirt one by one.

The soft click of buttons slipping loose echoed in Scandia’s ears.

So this is what dying feels like.

The gentle rustle of fabric sliding off, the sharp pop of buttons through their holes, and even the calm sound of Leonia’s breathing—it all grated against his fraying restraint.

To survive, Scandia forced his mind elsewhere—to a book.

The harmony of muscles.

Delicate brushstrokes, emotionally rich narration.

Miraculously, peace settled within him.

Seizing the moment, he moved the change of clothes closer to Leonia. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

He also neatly folded her cloak and shirt and set them beside him.

“She was a cousin.”

Then, eyes closed, he finally offered a belated explanation.

“...I know.”

Leonia replied while slipping her arms into the clean shirt.

Her voice, softer now, had returned to polite speech.

“But earlier, I didn’t see that cousin of yours.”

“She was too scared to come out.”

“Tell her not to hide daggers in her skirts next time.”

“I’ll just stop paying attention to her.”

“That works too.”

Leonia, now fully dressed, ran her fingers through her hair, pulling it free from the collar.

Only then did Scandia open his eyes.

“I’m not going to cut your tendons.”

Leonia crossed her legs with elegance.

“Hmph. As if that’s doing you any favors.”

Up until the border, she had fully intended to arrest Scandia’s limbs and lock him in a cage.

She had even looked into real anesthesia options.

But the moment she saw him standing under the silver moonlight, all those wicked thoughts vanished like a lie.

All her irritation, all her indignation at him not coming to her immediately—gone.

Leonia jutted her lips.

“The Count wasn’t wrong, you know.”

Not all adult wisdom was trustworthy—but at least the adults around Leonia were usually right.

Carnis, a former knight himself, was well aware that strong muscles depended on firm ankles.

And ultimately, the reason she gave in was just one:

‘The more you love, the more you lose.’

Even the black beast of the North was just a human when it came to love.

“...You must have been hurt.”

A large hand gently cupped Leonia’s soft cheek.

As her black eyes narrowed in a warning glance, Scandia furrowed his brow in remorse.

“You make me sick, then try to act like the cure.”

Leonia’s voice dropped in warning, telling him to remove his hand.

But Scandia ignored it.

Instead, he used his thumb to slowly stroke her cheek.

“I’m truly sorry.”

He apologized.

“For not following right away, for not coming to the North.”

“......”

“But... I was also, just a little... glad.”

Of course, he had been mostly worried and sad—but still, there was a tiny part of him that had been happy.

“Because you were jealous... weren’t you?”

He smiled faintly.

“I thought I was the only one desperate.”

“Who says that?”

Leonia scoffed. He was getting cocky, daring to poke at her heart.

“I was the one who saw you first.”

She rose to her feet, looming over Scandia, who was seated.

“I was always the one who called your name first.”

Scandia’s arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her toward him.

Their eyes met—predator and prey.

“I was more desperate.”

Leonia muttered low, her gaze rising naturally with the tilt of her head.

“You should be grateful I’m still underage.”

If she weren’t, she might’ve already done something unforgivable.

“That’s...”

Scandia’s arms tightened around her waist.

“That’s my line.”

With his other hand, he cradled the back of her head.

Their lips were so close now, not even a fingertip could slip between them.

Well, look at you.

Leonia twisted her lips in amusement.

Just a few years ago, this awkward boy couldn’t even approach her without permission—and now he dared to rebel?

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Her silver eyes gleamed dangerously.

The low growl that rumbled from his throat was like a beast licking its chops in anticipation.

Grrrr... A subtle tremor rippled visibly across his skin.

“Hm?”

Scandia hid his filthy, primal intentions behind his most pleasing smile.

The innocent smile Leonia loved best.

“You really won’t be able to handle it.”

“Is that so?”

Leonia snorted, finding his impudence oddly cute.

Their lips hovered in the air, barely brushing past one another with maddening tension.

That missed contact only made the atmosphere more charged.

The heat inside the carriage rose like a lie.

‘...Might be worth fighting sometimes.’

Leonia toyed with the hair at the base of Scandia’s ear.

This docile boy was rebelling?

Rather than being annoyed, she was curious—just how “unbearable” this sharp-toothed silver beast might become for her.

‘If it were anyone else, I’d have trampled them a dozen times over.’

But Scandia’s defiance only made her more eager for that promised “later.”

“How long till we come of age again...”

Leonia murmured absently.

“I have one year, one month, and eighteen days left. Leo has two years, eleven months, and six days.”

A sulky voice came from below.

Especially when he said Leonia’s remaining time—he emphasized it even more, like saying you’re the bigger problem here.

“That’s why I love my Boom-Boom.”

Leonia trembled with laughter.

Partly because her adorable lover made her smile, and partly because his snuggling nose and lips near her neck tickled her.

“You’re too cute. I lose.”

She murmured, combing her fingers through Scandia’s hair.

Then she peppered kisses near his temple.

Even while sitting astride his thigh, their eyes met at equal height.

Proof of how tall Scandia really was.

“I always thought I was the one losing.”

Scandia murmured, gently grazing his teeth against Leonia’s slender neck.

Leonia pretended not to notice as his hand slipped open the buttons on her shirt—

And by the time it was undone all the way down to her chest.