Dimensional Descent

"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..."

once again. He didn't know how all his insane

herself, the soft bells of her laughter warming his

know when Aina got such a teasing side to her. The two sides Leonel

to begin teasing Leonel like this. Before, it felt as though Leonel was always the one causing her to be

Leonel like this, she had to play into the fact

sighed, thinking back to Arthur

think we'd ever grow

hadn't even thought through herself what she felt for Leonel, she didn't even

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

it possible for you to grow

asked a question back

possibility. Leonel had pursued her so doggedly for years. She couldn't help but

best friends were Yuri and Savahn. Savahn especially used to always say that men were just like that. They loved the

her rants seriously, she had to admit to herself that thinking of this

a perpetual cycle where she never said

from that reality thanks to these scars. It was even possible

left her completely

I could

felt as though her whole world was collapsing at that very moment. Her mind swam, her vision

expected was for a response to

that even she couldn't

hurt. Like a twisting knife at her heart, it tore her

was due to tears or if it was the foggy state her mind

That's if and

hiccupped like she couldn't hear Leonel at all. It felt as though she couldn't breathe enough air, as though there wasn't enough oxygen in the world. Every huff she took felt filled with

"Aina."

frowned, gripping onto Aina's

thrown across the

Leonel had already put up a [Light Refraction] spell. He hadn't expected Aina to react so violently, but the

didn't let her