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 thinking speed and

begin to giggle to herself, the soft bells of her

Aina got such a teasing side to her. The two sides Leonel knew were either the overly shy Aina or the

Leonel like this. Before, it felt as though Leonel was always the one causing her to be flustered. Getting back at

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

back to Arthur

grow apart

even thought through herself what she felt for Leonel, she didn't even believe she had the

so suddenly with such a loaded question left

possible for you

a question back

she was also afraid of such a possibility. Leonel had pursued her so doggedly for years. She

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

admit to herself that thinking of this might have subconsciously been one of

her in a perpetual cycle where

these scars. It was even possible that the reason she hadn't shut down Leonel's line of questioning like she would have usually done was precisely because she could no

Leonel's response left

I could grow

was collapsing at that very moment. Her mind swam, her vision

answer, but what she absolutely never expected was for a response to be able to

undeniable that even she couldn't mistake what it was

Like a twisting knife at her heart,

tell if it was due to tears or if it

Leonel continued. "... That's if and only if

couldn't breathe enough air, as though there wasn't enough oxygen in the world. Every

"Aina."

frowned, gripping onto

force that Leonel was almost thrown across the room. But, he held onto

spell. He hadn't expected Aina to react so violently, but the last

struggled, but Leonel didn't