It had been four days since the hunting competition disaster.
Nobles had expected, like every year, a simple hunt of a few beasts, showing off a little, and returning ho boasting about their bravery.
Well.
That wasn't what happened at all.
Officials managed to cover up the academy do incident—thanks to the limited number of witnesses. But this one was impossible to hide.
This ti, servants, guards, and nobles alike had seen everything.
They saw a hunting cage, bones of creatures no one had ever docunted, and worst of all, the shadowy figure that obeyed Leonhardt's command and carried people like a nanny.
Rumors spread throughout the kingdom like a wildfire.
So nobles said Leonhardt was a demon, while others whispered he was sothing special.
No official statent could silence the crowd this ti.
Currently, Leo was seated on a soft velvet chair in the guest room of the Caulem manor. The room was filled with several guests from the emperor's castle—the official investigators.
Leo yawned loudly, rubbing his temple, headache still throbbing. "It's only been a day since I woke up, and you already want to interrogate ?"
He looked at the man sitting across from him.
He had neat, short dark-blue hair and sharp yellow eyes. His spotless Royal Knight's robe didn't have a single wrinkle.
"What do you want to talk about, Chief Knight Noel Lechner?" He asked, leaning slightly with a slight grin.
Noel didn't blink. He lifted his teacup with practiced grace.
"My deepest apologies, Young Lord Caulem. This is rely a formality. We want your statent on the events. Nothing more."
Although he spoke professionally, Leo could see sothing behind it—maybe curiosity about how Leo survived that carefully designed ambush.
Duke Alric, sitting on a high chair beside Leo, had already gotten annoyed by the emperor's doings from the past three days.
He leaned forward, glaring at Noel like he's an annoying pest.
"You've already taken statents from my youngest, Lucian. From Lady Rin and Lady Erin. Can't my son take a rest he deserves?"
Noel set his cup down and t the duke's glare.
"With respect, Your Grace, procedure is procedure. The emperor demands thoroughness, especially when shadows... obey commands." His yellow gaze shifted to Leo. "Anomalies must be cataloged. For the safety of the nation."
Alric was about to say sothing; he wants to end this nonsense interrogation.
But Leo waved his hand lazily.
"It's fine, Father. Let's get this over with." He shifted in his seat, ignoring the pain on his bandaged ribs.
Noel nodded, pulling out a ledger to record. "Very well. Walk us through the events, Young Lord. From the mont the hunt began."
Leo leaned back, forcing a casual shrug, and started his story—not the story that actually happened, but a story that Rin gave after he woke up.
Erin sent a letter with her explaining a fake story that hides the cult, rcenaries, and so ancient witches.
He closed his eyes and breathed out slowly.
"I was casually hunting for higher points to impress Rin Valarune. Then, out of nowhere, that sa kind of do from the academy incident five months ago just… appeared. It sealed us. As I was looking around, I found out my brother, Velmira, Erin, and Rin were also trapped along with ."
Noel noted down his version, word by word. "And inside? Did you encounter another demon commander as reported in the previous incident?"
"No. Nothing like that." Leo let out a humorless laugh that turned into a cough. "We just… ca across so wild beasts we had never seen."
He gestured to his bandaged torso.
"They were impossibly strong. We used every ounce of our strength, every trick we had, just to survive. To keep each other alive."
"When one of those things got too close to Lady Rin… well." A faint, cold smirk ford on his lips.
"Let's just say I have a very simple rule. You don't touch what's mine. It doesn't end well for you. Beast, man, or otherwise."
The temperature in the room seed to drop a few degrees.
The other investigators exchanged glances, and Noel's pen stopped moving.
He looked into Leonhardt's eyes; they weren't saying it was a joke, it was a direct warning.
Noel understood what it ans; he knows who is behind that and their goals.
He tapped his quill against the ledger, his expression unreadable. "What about that shadow thing? No mage in the archives commands umbral shades. Care to elaborate?"
Leo shrugged, red eyes widening with innocence.
"Hey, I'm not an archmage. Maybe the do's magic stirred up so old curse, a guardian spirit, or whatever. Hell if I know. All I rember is yelling 'go away,' and it listened."
Alric snorted softly. Noel tapped his quill against the ledger, yellow gaze narrowing; he knows he's lying, yet he couldn't prove it. Leo t his gaze with that lazy grin.
Finally, Noel closed the book with a snap. "Fascinating. Your account aligns... broadly. We'll verify with the others." He rose, smoothing his robe. "Thank you for your ti, Young Lord. Your Grace."
Alric waited until the door clicked shut behind Noel and let out a long, frustrated breath.
The duke rose from his chair and placed a heavy hand on Leo's shoulder. "You did well, son," he murmured with the proud voice that he rarely voiced aloud.
"You handled that snake like a true Caulem. Now go rest. You've earned it."
Leo nodded as he pushed himself to his feet. "Yeah… rest sounds better. Thanks, Father."
Alric's grip remained a second. "We'll talk later. About everything." He released him with a final pat, turning toward the window to gaze out at the gardens.
Leo walked out the door, pulling it shut behind him with a soft click.
He leaned against the wall for a mont, exhaling. His head still throbbed.
As he lifted his head, she was there.
Rin stood at the end of the hall, as if she'd been waiting since the mont the investigators arrived. Her violet hair was loosely braided.
She'd been at Caulem Manor for days now since Valarune lands were too far for ergency. She's still wearing a silver ring on her finger: the one he gave to her in the chaos.
Her pink eyes lit up with relief the second she saw him.
"Leo," she whispered, stepping just close enough that he could feel the warmth radiating from her. Before he could say a word, she rose on her toes and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek.
She wants to confirm that it wasn't a dream.
The confession in the forest wasn't so fevered hallucination of hers.
He froze for a mont, then let out a low, genuine laugh—the first real one in days.
"You've got impeccable timing, princess," he murmured, holding her hands, thumb brushing over the ring. "Co on. Let's get out of this damn hallway before Father decides to lecture on 'imperial decorum' again."
"Lead the way," she whispered.
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