The Next Morning, the sun gently filtered through the window, its soft golden rays creeping in slowly as the pleasant chirping of birds echoed faintly from outside.
"Arhh..." Leo groaned, his face scrunching slightly as his eyes fluttered open. Blinking away the lingering sleep, he stared up at the ceiling—familiar... and yet oddly unfamiliar.
Leo let out a soft hum under his breath. Somewhere in his heart, deep down, he had been half-hoping that everything from the previous night was just a dream... a long, surreal, messed-up dream.
He sighed and shook his head, trying to chase away the tangled mess of thoughts. Just as he started to push himself up—
"Hmm..." A soft, sleepy hum resonated beside him.
Leo stiffened instantly.
His head turned—slowly, almost mechanically—and there she was. Pride, lying peacefully beside him. Her soft, relaxed breaths brushed against his skin, and her hand was still wrapped gently but firmly around his body, holding him close as if afraid he'd vanish in his sleep.
He exhaled sharply, confused, overwhelmed... and just a bit flustered.
His eyes slid toward the bed again, 'Wait... what was the point of the bed if she ended up on the ground?' he thought with a groan forming on his face. But then his gaze returned to her—her serene, resting face.
And everything else sort of... faded.
Leo smiled quietly, his expression softening as he leaned in just a little. She had told him... her name was Caelindra Pendragon, hadn't she?
Her face was calm—no, more than calm. It looked completely innocent. Peaceful. Like none of the chaos had ever touched her. So different from her usual self... that sharp, serious, warrior-like expression always stuck on her face like armour.
He leaned in further, closer than he probably should have, his fingers gently brushing the silver strands of hair that had fallen across her eyes. He carefully tucked them behind her ear, watching her features with fascination.
'She really just looks like a normal girl...' he mused, his lips curving into a small, thoughtful smile. 'And... she smells good too.' He let out a quiet, awkward hum, then paused.
Wait... No. No, don't get the wrong idea!
He wasn't some pervert!
He was just... observing. That's all!
Just casually observing the person who had practically become his guardian overnight. Nothing more!
Leo kept staring at her face, something weird twisting in his chest. It was strange. Even though she had sworn to protect him, even though she called herself his champion... it still felt foreign. Alien. People caring about him... about him, not just the body he was stuck in.
The others—they cared about the one who used to live in this body.
But Pride... she was protecting him.
Especially that night, when he'd collapsed after getting bitten by that vampire girl. He could still remember the panic in Pride's face—how horrified she had looked.
And now... she was here, lying beside him. Maybe to guard him. Maybe to watch over him. Maybe just to make sure he was still breathing.
Or maybe... something else.
Who knew~
Honestly, this girl...
Leo didn't even have words. His fingers lightly grazed her cheek. Last night had been... intense.
He had looked death right in the eyes. He had seen a river of blood—innocent, cruel, and haunting.
'Third rule of being a thief... nothing is more valuable than your life,' he muttered in his mind, his fingers still gently brushing her skin.
Honestly, after everything that happened... he had been tempted to bolt.
To just disappear from this war, from this madness.
Give up the game entirely.
This war... wasn't his.
Yes, he was not a good guy like real Leo.
He was a thief.... but Definitely not a killer!
Seeing all that blood... feeling that helplessness—it messed with him.
No sane person could stay normal after witnessing something like that.
Thank god he'd hidden his fear, even if barely. Otherwise... who knows what could've happened?
The very thought made his stomach twist.
But even if he did run—where would he go?
He had nothing. No place. No one. Not in this world. Not even in the one he came from.
This body wasn't even his...
Would he ever return to his original world?
Would he even get back to his own body?
Hell... was his real body even alive anymore?
So many questions.
And no answers.
'Maybe... I should live as Leo?' he wondered, eyes clouding with uncertainty. A guilty smile crept on his lips. He didn't even know how to respond to that thought. He couldn't even figure out what he was supposed to feel anymore.
But then—
"L-Leomf?" came a muffled, sleepy voice.
Leo's heart practically jumped out of his chest. He snapped out of his spiraling thoughts and turned—
And froze.
His finger... was rubbing her lips.
His face turned pale with pure horror.
"I—I'm sorry! I didn't mean for that to happen!" he blurted, yanking his hand back like he'd touched fire. His face burned red, his fists clenched tight.
"I wasn't trying to do anything weird! I swear!"
Pride blinked at him for a moment, eyes still hazy with sleep. Then she shook her head softly.
"I should be the one apologizing," she murmured. "For lying beside you and making you sleep on the ground..." Her voice trailed as she bowed her head slightly, now fully awake.
Leo opened his mouth, ready to say something, but—
"LEO! WAKE UP! IT'S ALREADY MORNING!" his aunt's voice roared through the door as heavy knocks rattled it.
Leo flinched at the sudden noise, then scrambled to his feet. As he walked to the door, he glanced sideways at Pride, who had already moved to hide by the edge of the wall, out of view.
He opened the door cautiously, and there stood Raphael, dressed in a pair of bright white training clothes, her arms crossed, her expression stern.
Leo blinked, then burst into laughter.
"You're going jogging in that? What even are those sleeves?! You look like a puffed marshmallow! Pfft! Ahaha!" he chuckled, holding his stomach.
Raphael's lips twitched.
"It's your training outfit, Leo," she said flatly. "You might have forgotten, but we train every single morning." She tossed a matching white karate uniform at his face and added with a voice like steel, "Get ready. Today I'm going to knock your memories all the way back."
Her eyes were dead serious as she turned and walked away like a silent storm.
Leo stood there blinking, holding the clothes, and mumbled under his breath, "...She's definitely angry, isn't she?"
Pride tilted her head cutely.
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