Leorino was strolling through the courtyard of Brungwurt Castle, accompanied by Josef. The days had ticked by, and winter slowly turned into spring. The lingering snow had begun melting away.
They walked slowly, Josef matching Leorino’s pace.
Leorino’s guard was very concerned about his master’s recent low spirits. It began after the news of Fanoren’s victory in the war reached Brungwurt.
Leorino was supposed to be looking forward to seeing his fiancé again after the long winter apart, so what was the melancholy Josef could still glimpse in his expression?
“Master Leorino, let’s take a break, shall we?”
They sat down on a stone bench. Leorino’s expression was cheerless.
“The general will be coming for you soon… Do you not want to see him?”
“No, of course I do. It’s just…”
Josef was impatient by nature, but he remained silent and waited for Leorino to vent his feelings.
Leorino gazed at the rustic courtyard for a while, and eventually, looked up at the cloudy sky with a sigh. Little by little, he began to speak his mind.
“…I’m truly glad I’ll be seeing Vi soon.”
“Right.”
“I’m really glad that the war is over and that we won.”
“Yeah, of course.”
He had heard the news of the victory from his father about a month ago.
He also heard that Zwelf was finally destroyed by Fanoren. In the end, they captured the royal capital with nearly no bloodshed after executing the king and his generals.
Now that the royal family of Zwelf had fallen, the vast territory to the north was occupied by Fanoren.
He was told Lucas would be stationed there for the time being to deal with the aftermath of the defeat.
It appeared that he was providing emergency aid—such as food for the starving people of Zwelf who were left destitute by the foolish rule of King Vandarren—while setting up a temporary governing system and maintaining public order.
“Josef…can I tell you how I honestly feel right now?”
Josef nodded.
“When Ionia’s memories returned to me and I remembered Zweilink…I loathed Zwelf for starting the war. If it hadn’t been for that battle, Ionia would still be alive.”
“I suppose…”
“But we won the war and dissolved the country that attacked us this time. Not that that was good or bad…but Vi and Lucas got their revenge…and I, for some reason, still didn’t feel satisfied.”
Josef nodded once more. Leorino began to speak of his feelings in depth.
“War is an ugly thing. But I also heard that the people of Zwelf were suffering under the tyranny of the foolish king, so perhaps the people of his kingdom will be happier if they are annexed by Fanoren.”
“…Maybe so.”
“Zwelf is no more. Gdaniraque will not touch Fanoren for a while. I think Vi made the right decision… But, even so…”
Leorino stared intently at a spot on the ground.
Ahead of his gaze, piercing the ground where the snow still lingered, a small yellow flower bloomed. It was still cold and frosty in the mornings and evenings, but the flower was strong and resilient. What was this flower called?
Encouraged by the flower, Leorino continued.
“But…I was thinking how hard it must be to be in the position to change the fate of a country.”
Josef guessed the meaning of Leorino’s words. “You mean the general?”
“Yes. To destroy one country in order to keep another alive. How difficult it must be to make such a choice…and to bear the responsibility of taking and losing so many lives in the wake of that decision.”
Leorino looked at his clenched fists.
“Killing and dying are not so different. Ionia’s death after he was betrayed by Edgar and my escape after killing the Gdaniraque soldier in the outer fortress were both deaths of one person. Once I realized that, I became afraid to stand by Vi’s side.”
“Did the weight of everything the general was carrying frighten you?”
“…No.”
“Did you lose confidence in your ability to be the general’s spouse?”
Leorino shook his head.
“That’s not what I meant… Well, yes. Perhaps. I was just wondering if I could be his other half.”
“Other half?”
“Yes. Half of his heart. I have already entrusted Vi with half of my heart, but I wondered if Vi would entrust me with half of his and let me protect it… I wondered if I could bring him happiness and make him smile in Ionia’s stead.”
The victory in the war felt empty. It was heartrending to think that Gravis had lived with this emptiness for so long.
“But you miss him, don’t you?”
“Yes…I miss him.”
Josef placed his hands on the stone bench and leaned back to look up at the heavens.
When he noticed the presence behind them, Josef stood up with a start.
Leorino looked up at his guard. “Josef?”
“I can’t help you with that…and I’m afraid thinking about it all on your own won’t bring you the answer.”
Josef’s words were always painfully honest. The guard stood in front of his master and looked down at him.
“Perhaps it’s too early to find that answer. Then again, what do I know?”
“What?”
“I think that you should live with the general, let the years go by, do your best to be happy…and then, at the very end, you can both figure out the answer together.
“So,” Josef smiled and pointed behind him. “…Go ask the general if that’s all right with him.”
Leorino gasped at his guard’s words and turned around.
A short distance away, the man he had been waiting for this entire time stood in silence.
“Leorino.”
The moment Gravis’s deep voice called his name, Leorino broke into a run, forgetting all about his legs.
Tripping over his feet, he leaped into the man’s arms.
Gravis’s strong arms held him with breathtaking strength.
“I came for you, as promised.”
“Vi… Vi…”
“I’m sorry I kept you waiting. It couldn’t have been easy for you.”
He shouldn’t have worried.
In the end, Leorino’s heart screamed beyond all reason to be in Gravis’s arms.
“Please take me back to the royal capital with you.”
Gravis must have overheard Leorino’s doubts, so Leorino wasted no time in expressing the emotion filling his heart.
“I will never leave your side again, no matter what. I may be too hopeless to be your other half…but I’m confident I will love you more than anyone ever could.”
“Leorino…”
“Lift me. Let me see your face up close.”
Gravis’s face twisted in something resembling pain, but he still picked Leorino up and brought him close to his face.
Leorino placed his hands on Gravis’s cold, refined features and took his lips in his.
Sobbing, he put all the feelings in the world into the embrace as he kissed Gravis over and over.
“I love you. I want to return to the royal capital with you.”
“Will you come back with me? Are you ready to give me one last answer?”
He really had overheard the conversation with Josef.
Even as he cried, Leorino made light of the situation.
“…If at the very end, you realize I wasn’t your other half and regret your choice, it’ll be too late to return me to Brungwurt.”
“I see. Then I must make up my mind now.”
Gravis’s large palm wiped away the endless stream of tears. His hand was warm.
“I will always carry a dagger with me, just in case we should have a disagreement and end up fighting,” said Leorino.
“Hah! Seems like I’ve met my match.”
Gravis broke into a broad smile as warm as the spring sun.
Leorino felt as if a large flower had bloomed in his heart.
He could not fight at Gravis’s side. He had been saved and could only wait for Gravis’s safe return.
Once upon a time, when Leorino had traveled from Brungwurt to the royal capital, he would have been ashamed of himself for being so helpless and always needing the protection of others. He would have considered himself unmanly, pathetic, and useless.
But now, he no longer deprecated himself.
His heart was enough for Gravis.
This desire to be close to him was enough.
All he had to do now was never let go of Gravis’s hand. Leorino would never again be ashamed of who he was.
“…Please take me back to the royal capital, back to where you are.”
Leorino clung tightly to his neck. Then Gravis looked into Leorino’s eyes teasingly and laughed.
He laughed with joy, with all his heart.
Tears of joy welled up again in Leorino’s violet eyes.
“I could take you home right this instant if you wish, but are you certain?” Gravis teased.
Leorino lowered his eyebrows in thought. “Well, I want to say good-bye to my father and mother and…my brother, and then to everyone else. And, and… Ah, can you take Hundert and Josef back with us?”
Gravis sighed emphatically.
Tears running down his cheeks, Leorino smiled.