Bermuda [bl]

When Leonardo and Flynn returned to the base camp, most of the others had already packed up their tents and finished arming themselves. In the middle of the camp, the commanders were gathered, discussing the operation, and Meterion Clinder, whom they had met a little while ago, was also there.

When Hugo noticed the two who had appeared late and gestured for them to come closer, the other commanders also turned to look at them. However, only Meterion did not turn his head. Perhaps he also didn't want to make it known that they had a conversation, Leonardo thought.

The subjugation force, which had succeeded in capturing three adult Dermocas by shooting them with tranquilizer bullets, first selected an advance party for exploration and deployed them into the interior of Peak 118, where Elder Millie was presumed to be sealed.

After the advance party secured an entry route with low risk factors and returned, some commanders and elite personnel who would lead the vanguard immediately attempted to enter the interior.

Their primary objective was to determine the exact location and condition of the mother body, and the formation, divided into a total of four groups, proceeded by entering through different entrances in the east, west, south, and north, sharing the collected information and advancing toward the center.

Among them, the 1st group led by Hugo included Leonardo, most of the 8th Platoon, and some from other battalions.

However, Kenis, who lacked practical experience, Flynn, who was a non-combat personnel, and healer personnel were excluded from the deployment. After all, it was a place where a dangerous existence lurked to the extent that the energy detector malfunctioned, so the safety of individuals could not be guaranteed even for trained elite personnel.

The interior of Peak 118 was filled with strangely hot air and was a barren environment with soil and dust tangled together, and unidentified bone fragments were scattered around. Occasionally, an unpleasant stench pierced the nose, and eerie sounds echoed.

However, the Ilaptors, which were expected to be swarming, were not seen at all, and that fact made those who had entered the interior even more unable to let go of their tension.

Taking such precautions, they had been wandering in search of the ancient monster that would be bound somewhere underground for three hours now.

Hugo, who had been walking through the pitch-black cave relying on light balls, suddenly noticed a single blade of grass growing in a crack between rocks and stopped.

Given the environment, it was difficult to find any plants while coming here, and amidst that, the first green color discovered was this single blade of grass.

It seemed to have grown with difficulty, with a short stem and small leaves, resembling a miniature version of an acacia leaf. Hugo guessed that this might be "that plant" Leonardo had described.

Sweat, which usually didn't come out well due to the heavy protective gear covering his entire body, ran across his forehead and around his eyes. Immediately frowning and wiping the sweat with the back of his hand, he turned his head and called out to the guy who would be freely following him somewhere nearby.

"Leonardo."

As the low voice echoed, a shadow reflected on the wall in the not-so-distant cave flickered. The flame guiding that figure floated and approached Hugo before its owner.

It circled around Hugo and suddenly flared up as if to startle him. Although it was a small flame, the light it emitted in the dark cave felt excessively intense, so Hugo, who had been watching it, closed his eyes for a moment.

Soon, when he felt a presence and opened his eyes again, the owner of the flame was already standing right in front of him.

"What?"

Leonardo, who had made a grand entrance unlike Hugo, had very light movements. He was wearing only the mage robe and cloak he always wore, without wearing any protective gear, claiming they only hindered movement.

Perhaps because of that, or maybe because he was a fire mage, Leonardo maintained a fluffy appearance without shedding a single drop of sweat even in this humid and suffocating cave. Thinking that his judgment might have been wise, Hugo pointed to the blade of grass at his feet and asked,

"Is that 'Degalianif'?"

Leonardo, following Hugo's hand, looked down and also discovered something small and green, slightly bending his waist. He knelt down on one knee to take a closer look and soon nodded.

"Yeah, that's right. It's so small that it's hardly visible, but you found it well."

"The fact that this is discovered means there are definitely Ilaptor nests here as well."

Hugo also knelt down and sat next to him. Then, he naturally reached behind Leonardo's back and fumbled around his waist where the dagger would be tied.

"I guess... What are you doing?"

As Leonardo, startled by the sudden touch, stopped speaking, Hugo quickly drew out the dagger and showed him the blade, saying,

"Let me borrow it for a moment."

Holding the dagger in his right hand, Hugo pried open the crevice between the rocks with the blade and pulled out the young Degalianif leaves by the roots. Then, he lightly washed them with water generated from his hand and carefully wrapped the leaves in a handkerchief taken out of his inner pocket so they wouldn't be damaged.

Afterwards, when he returned the dagger, Leonardo, who had been blinking his eyes in bewilderment, put it back into the sheath without saying anything. He had missed the timing to say something because he had taken it so naturally.

Instead, while watching Hugo put the handkerchief with the leaves into his pocket, he casually asked,

"Why are you taking that?"

"Just in case."

Hugo, who answered briefly, stood up from his spot while tightening the fixed buckle strap attached to his pocket. Leonardo hesitated for a moment and then carefully opened his mouth while looking up at him.

"Hmm... But that's too small to have any effect, right? And there will be plenty of them inside anyway."

The sharp tip of his chin pointed inside the cave. Hugo glanced in the direction he was referring to but soon turned his gaze back. Then, he held out his hand to him, who was still kneeling.

"If we go further inside, we may not have the capacity to take care of it like now."

Leonardo quietly agreed with the somewhat reasonable words. Eventually, he placed his hand on top of the large hand held out to him.

As if accustomed to it now, he overlapped his hand and half pulled himself up with his strength. When his head followed and his gaze met the blue eyes, that distance felt particularly close. Meanwhile, the usually neat face was disheveled unlike usual, drawing more attention.

As if sensing that gaze, Hugo immediately let go of his hand as soon as he helped Leonardo up and brushed back his hair that had fallen down, soaked with sweat. Leonardo suddenly thought that this environment, which felt stuffy even to him, would be several times more difficult for him.

Because he rarely showed his struggling emotions, he had forgotten, but for him, who mainly dealt with ice and water attributes, the heat of Peak 118 would be almost like the fires of hell.

It was a moment when his actions, which seemed to be moving individually and hurrying since entering this place, were instantly understood.

Soon, when Hugo gave a nod to go, Leonardo stuck close to his side and moved his steps side by side. The golden eyes that had rolled slightly followed the neat side profile that was wiping the forehead.

It was then that he felt a strange sense of incongruity from his wrist moving around his handsome face.

"Oh-."

At the short sound as if he had discovered something, Hugo's gaze fell on him again. When he slightly raised his eyebrows as if asking why, the answer that came back was a bit out of the blue.

"Where did your watch go?"

Leonardo asked with a slightly tense look as if he had lost his own item. He had said his wrist looked empty, and the watch he had been wearing continuously since entering the peninsula from the capital was nowhere to be seen.

Hugo's eyes naturally turned to his own empty wrist. He soon answered nonchalantly.

"I left it with Flynn before coming in."

"Why?"

"Because it might break during combat."

It was such an obvious statement that Leonardo let out a meaningless sigh, saying "Ah..." That reaction was incredibly bland compared to when he had asked with tension, so Hugo turned his head back to the front as if it was no big deal.

They continued walking together without conversation for a while, but Leonardo, who had been pondering something, soon opened his mouth again.

"Then, was that why you didn't wear a watch in the Frost Territory? In case it broke while fighting with me?"

Hugo's steps, which had been half a pace ahead, suddenly stopped. His eyes, which had immediately turned to the side, contained a hint of surprise.

The fact that Leonardo had been watching him in the Frost Territory was already known to him, but it was quite surprising that he remembered even the presence or absence of his watch during that time. Come to think of it, his actions that seemed to strangely focus on his watch before flashed through his mind.

In fact, Hugo had not worn a wristwatch in the Frost Territory. The reason was the same as Leonardo's question, so if he were to answer his question honestly, it would be "yes."

However, the reason he couldn't answer the abruptly asked question straightforwardly was probably because his relationship with Leonardo had changed considerably since then.

If he admitted that he had judged him as a high-risk individual in society and had anticipated a situation where a battle would occur, he thought it would somehow make the listener feel unpleasant.

"..."

Because of that, he automatically refrained from speaking, but as the silence prolonged, Leonardo seemed to have already half-confirmed it.

Although he didn't seem to be displeased by his appearance, the atmosphere was strangely uncomfortable.

At that moment, when the awkward silence persisted, the sound of someone running urgently from inside the cave was suddenly heard. The gazes of the two, which had been cut off at a good timing, turned in that direction.

In the darkness, someone was approaching at a fast pace, and the protagonist who appeared with the light ball was the 8th Platoon Leader. Although she should have been out of breath due to the heavy protective gear she was wearing, she only had a slightly sweaty face without any sign of difficulty and immediately approached Hugo.

"Commander, we discovered a section where the energy level increases exponentially at a point about 200m away. I think you should go and see."

Upon hearing her words, Hugo and Leonardo simultaneously looked at each other. Eventually, deciding to put aside the conversation they were having for a moment, they hurriedly moved their steps, following the platoon leader.