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..."

had been checkmated once again. He didn't know how all his insane thinking speed and people

herself, the soft bells of her laughter warming

The two sides Leonel knew were

choice but to begin teasing Leonel like this. Before, it felt as though Leonel was always the one causing her to be flustered. Getting back at him now

she had to play into the fact they were a couple. Who knows how she'd react if she

thinking back to

ever grow apart like

felt for Leonel, she didn't even believe

loaded question left her not knowing what to say for a

it possible for you to

asked a question back

for years. She couldn't help but

like that. They loved the chase,

herself that thinking of this might

had left her in a perpetual cycle where she never said yes but also never said

been the most beautiful in their school, and now she was even further from that reality thanks to these scars. It

left

Yes, I could

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

was for a response to be able to flip her world upside down like

and undeniable that even she couldn't

hurt. Like a twisting knife at her heart,

was hard to tell if it was due to tears or

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

hiccupped like she couldn't hear Leonel at all. It felt as though she couldn't breathe enough

"Aina."

frowned, gripping

used such force that Leonel was almost thrown across the room. But, he held onto her tightly, gripping the sides of her face and forcing her to

hadn't expected Aina to react so violently, but the last thing

Leonel didn't let her slip