“The Woman Who Became a Bahamut and the Paladin,” Leon murmured as he fed an apple to Night Star, his warhorse’s velvet muzzle gently accepting the offering. After indulging in both dinner and spirits, they had stepped out of the tent together to breathe in the night air.
“What’s wrong? Does it bother you that I shared our story?” Veronica swayed slightly. “But if we don’t somehow reveal that we saved the world, nobody will ever know! That would be absolutely heartbreaking—simply unacceptable!”
Flushed with wine, she wagged her index finger dramatically from side to side. Leon glanced at her slurred speech and chuckled at the sight of her face, glowing crimson even in the darkness.
“No, I just don’t care for the title those performers chose.”
“Oh, that—I felt the same way, but they need to keep it suitable for little ears, so what can we do?”
“I also wondered if people might recognize it as our story.”
“Oh? That possibility never even crossed my mind.” Veronica’s eyes widened with genuine surprise. “What if they do?”
“Does that worry you?” he asked, pressing his cool palm against her feverish cheek. “What others might think of us?”
Something in his long, dark eyes seemed to burn with unusual intensity. When they’d first met, she couldn’t read this enigmatic man at all, but as they’d journeyed together, his expressions had gradually become an open book to her. Veronica gazed up at him for a breathless moment before speaking.
“It’s not that I care about others’ opinions… Could it be you’re jealous?”
“Yes,” Leon replied.
“You’re brutally honest. Shockingly so.”
“Does that displease you?”
“Not at all. It actually makes me feel good. Would it make me wicked to admit I want to provoke your jealousy even more?”
“No need for that. I’m already jealous of everything—not just your playful teasing with others, but even the women who accompany you when you bathe.”
“Do you like me that much?”
“I surpassed mere ‘liking’ long ago.”
Her heart thundered in her ears at his unhesitating confession. Being with Leon always made her feel extraordinary, as though his gaze transformed her into someone remarkable—someone powerful and irresistibly alluring.
“What is it about me that you find so lovely?”
Was it the wine loosening her tongue, or the bewitching atmosphere of the night? The age-old question slipped from her lips before she could reconsider. She hadn’t expected a genuine answer, but after a thoughtful pause, Leon replied with surprising sincerity.
“The way you appear delicate but possess immense strength. I thought you were like me, but discovered you’re not. And… because you dance as though you were born for it.”
As lute music drifted from the tent like a siren’s call, Leon’s handsome lips curved into a languid smile. Veronica, who had expected commonplace compliments about her cheerful nature, burst into delighted laughter. His words sounded like a confession that he’d fallen for her all over again today—yes, that was exactly what they meant. That was the Leon she had come to know.
“Tell me, do you remember when I first held a sword?”
“When you couldn’t tell the blade from the hilt?”
“Yes.” She grinned. “I told you that if you ever tried the Baila step, you’d be infinitely clumsier than I was with that sword.”
“That sounds like a memory best left buried.”
“I’ll teach you now.”
When Veronica extended her hand in invitation, Leon’s brow furrowed as he prepared to refuse. The trouble was, she knew precisely the words that would move him.
“I happen to find skilled dancers irresistibly attractive, too,” she said.
His hand, which had been absently rubbing the nape of his neck, froze mid-motion. Leon lowered his head, a reluctant laugh escaping him before he slowly raised his gaze to meet hers. Veronica’s hand remained outstretched toward him, like someone extending an invitation to a grand adventure. He clasped her hand firmly in his own.
Laughter bubbled up between them with each counted step as they moved in rhythm. Even a simple meeting of eyes sparked mirth. Being naturally athletic, he learned remarkably swiftly, though occasional missteps still occurred. Each awkward step caused a flutter of excitement in her heart.
Veronica wished for nothing more than to continue on life’s path with him in this manner, their way illuminated by the flickering flames of their passion as they danced together.
✦ ✦ ✦
Time flew by like an arrow loosed from a bow. After traversing mountains, meadows, valleys, and villages, a full month had passed since they had crossed the border.
“I can smell the sea.”
Veronica, first to reach the cliff’s edge, drew in a deep, reverent breath. Her head, which had been swimming with dizziness since dawn, finally cleared as the salt-laden breeze filled her lungs. But even without the wind, the breathtaking vista of the coastal city sprawled below would have been enough to sharpen anyone’s senses.
They had finally reached their destination. They were at Whiteland’s eastern coast, in the port city of Roberdin. This coveted trading hub had been acquired by the northern king six centuries earlier when he—desperate for an ice-free port—had accepted the state religion as the price of his ambition.
“Do you like it?” Leon asked, coming to stand beside her, the leather reins held loosely in his calloused hands. They looked down at the city, which was visibly alive with reconstruction efforts.
“I’ve heard that Roberdin shares the same ocean currents as Bayern. The climate differs, but the color of the water should be similar.”
His words suddenly reminded her of a conversation during their journey when he had asked what she loved most. Faced with that abstract question—which could have referred to either people or possessions—Veronica had proudly declared her passion for the sea’s colors. People mistakenly believed all seas are identical, she had explained, but depending on the climate and depth, some waters shone emerald, others took on a muddy grayish-brown, and some were so intensely blue they inspired both awe and fear. Among all these variations, her favorite was…
“Yes, it’s exactly the sea I’ve been wanting to see.”
She stared at the sea so intensely, achingly blue, it made her stomach flutter with emotion. The sunlight dancing on the waves like countless shimmering scales stirred something profound in the depths of her soul.
Leon gazed intently at her sparkling eyes, standing utterly still, as if that was his whole life’s purpose.
“Thank you,” Veronica whispered, wrapping her arms around him. Leon silently drew her closer, his arm protectively encircling her shoulders.
Just then, Charlotte’s voice broke their private moment. “I suppose this is where our paths diverge.”
Startled, they turned to see Charlotte and Enzo standing a respectful distance away.
“Are you truly leaving without even visiting the city?” Leon asked.
“With the prices soaring, I doubt we could afford even the humblest inn. And as you well know, if we’re to sleep under the stars, a secluded forest path offers far more comfort than a bustling metropolis.”
Even though this parting had been planned from the beginning, a sharp pang of regret pierced Veronica’s heart. She gazed forlornly at Charlotte, with whom she had formed a deep sisterly bond over their month of travel, then quickly composed herself.
“You too, Enzo?”
“I shall return after exploring the northern territories to their furthest reaches. I’ll see you again then.”
Enzo extended his hand toward Veronica, clearly intending to bestow a gentlemanly kiss upon it, but found himself shaking hands with Leon instead. The women erupted into laughter at Leon’s characteristic display of possessiveness.
“I’ll strive to host you properly when you return,” Veronica promised, finally suppressing her giggles. “Though we’ll need to find a place for ourselves first.”
“I don’t think you need to worry about that,” Charlotte said with a knowing wink, nodding toward the impressive game tied to Night Star’s saddle.
They were the birds Leon had hunted to sell in the city market. With their wings adorned with eye-like markings, they commanded premium prices among wealthy merchants and would secure enough money to sustain themselves while seeking more permanent arrangements. In truth, they also possessed gold fragments from the shattered divine swords, but Veronica merely nodded, feigning ignorance of this backup resource. She knew that she would never need to touch that gold just to keep hunger at bay as long as she was with Leon.
“Travel safely, both of you,” Veronica urged. “Stick to well-trodden paths. Beware of suspicious carriages, unfamiliar horses, and strangers with too-friendly smiles.”
“You fuss exactly like my youngest sister used to,” Charlotte chuckled. “We’ll be perfectly fine, so ease your mind. I’ll pray that your new chapter unfolds smoothly.”
Her expression shifted to one of stern warning as she addressed Leon. “And if I return to find your treatment of your wife has changed in the slightest…”
Leon, who had been gazing contemplatively at the vast sea, turned and stated with unwavering conviction that such a thing would never come to pass.
No matter how prolonged, farewells always feel cruelly brief. After their final goodbyes, the companions separated in two directions: one pair mounting horses to ascend the hill, the other holding the reins as they began their descent down the winding slope.
Veronica started down the path, her heart balanced between the hollow ache of parting and the fluttering anticipation of the new life awaiting them below.