Chapter 71
Boom!
A dull, heavy impact echoed through the dark mountain—far too blunt a sound to be from a sword.
The assassin stumbled, sharply sucking in a breath. Leo didn’t miss the opening and closed in deep.
“You…!”
Only then did the assassin’s eyes tremble with shock.
He had just seen that child—the one who had left Richmond’s side, betraying him during their training days—standing before him once more.
But the assassin couldn’t finish his words.
Without the slightest hesitation, Leo’s sword sliced across the assassin’s neck.
Shhhk—
A red spray of blood split the night air as the assassin clutched his throat, staggering before collapsing.
“Khuhk, kuhk…”
The sound of him choking on his own blood faded quickly.
Cecilia watched the scene blankly.
She had seen people die before, but never had she witnessed a death so quiet, so cold.
What truly shocked her, however, was Leo—the one who brought about that death.
In his eyes, his hands, even in his blade… there wasn’t a trace of hesitation.
The quiet, devoted demeanor he had always shown was nowhere to be found. As if everything until now had been an act, he killed without blinking.
Step. Step.
Leo approached her slowly, drenched in thick blood. Droplets of crimson fell from the tip of his sword, and his cloak swayed silently in the dark.
Frozen in place, Cecilia slowly lifted her head.
“…I told you not to be reckless.”
His voice was as calm as ever—but his eyes were not.
Those sorrowfully sunken red eyes, that face crushed beneath suppressed emotions.
“You suddenly vanished… I searched everywhere. If I’d been even a little later, really…”
He tried to smile, but his expression faltered.
Cecilia, breathing unsteadily, barely managed to speak.
“Leo…”
“You heard it all, didn’t you?”
Her hand, reaching out to him, stopped midair.
Cecilia was not someone who could lie.
Leo knew that better than anyone.
He closed his eyes briefly before asking gently,
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“Huh? Oh, I’m fine. I…”
Her trembling voice scattered into the air.
She reached toward him—but couldn’t touch him.
Leo gazed at her for a long time.
As if memorizing someone he would never see again.
Then, without a trace of hesitation, he turned away.
“That’s a relief. Then please head back safely. And… if you get the chance, tell the Lord—thank you for picking up someone like me.”
Her heart plummeted.
He was trying to leave. To leave her side—leave the family.
“Leo, what are you saying? Where are you going?”
She couldn’t let him go like this. If she did, she was sure she’d never see him again.
“Leo! Hey!”
Cecilia called out desperately. Leo flinched and stopped. He turned his face only slightly toward her. Cecilia quickly reached out her hand.
“I… I think I twisted my ankle when I fell. Help me, please?”
It was a lie, of course. And Leo likely saw through it.
But he made no move to come closer.
He just quietly shook his head from a distance.
“…I can’t. My hands are too filthy now to hold yours.”
As he said, his hands were soaked in blood.
But she knew immediately—what he meant by “filthy” wasn’t just the blood.
It was guilt. From the life he had lived, trained as an assassin, taking others’ lives.
Cecilia bit her lip and stood up.
Without the slightest hesitation, she approached him—and grabbed his hand.
“You’re not filthy.”
Leo flinched, trying to pull away, but Cecilia gripped tighter.
Her small, pale hand turned red with blood, and Leo winced in anguish.
“…Let go.”
“You were just protecting me. That’s all that matters.”
Her voice was firm, though both their hands trembled.
It didn’t matter whose hands were shaking.
Cecilia ignored the tremble and continued,
“Whatever you were, whatever you did in the past—it doesn’t matter. You’re Leo Nivenis now. My childhood friend and my family, Leo Nivenis.”
Not a slave. Not an assassin.
Everything he had shown her proved that.
She wouldn’t forgive anyone who called him a slave.
Leo looked at her, and let out a bitter smile.
“You saw it yourself. I learned to kill before I learned to speak. I’m no different from a beast.”
Unable to bear those self-deprecating words, Cecilia shouted,
“If you were truly a beast, you wouldn’t even have the desire to protect someone!”
Leo’s eyes trembled slightly. He turned his head to hide his reaction—but she caught it.
“I only pretended to be human because I was beside you. That doesn’t change my nature.”
“Then stay by my side. I’ll help you live as a human for the rest of your life. I’ll stay with you.”
The more she spoke, the more her voice shook. Tears welled in her eyes.
She had always known he carried wounds he couldn’t speak of.
But she never imagined the darkness inside him ran this deep.
It made her feel wretchedly sorry.
She’d called him family, yet had never thought to look at his pain.
“If something hurt you, tell me. I’ll share your burden. Just… don’t keep it all to yourself and decide things alone.”
She placed her other hand over the one she held tightly.
Leo’s hand, trapped in hers, was ice-cold.
“We’re family…”
And finally, like a prayer, she said firmly,
“So don’t leave, Leo.”
Leo froze.
A voice, wrung from deep within, barely escaped his lips.
“…You got hurt because of me.”
“Then I’ll just get stronger, so I don’t get hurt.”
“I’ll put you in danger if I stay. I don’t deserve to be by your side.”
“I decide who stays by my side—not you. Don’t talk about ‘deserving’ like it’s your choice!”
Leo clenched his eyes shut and ground his teeth.
Then, suddenly, he tore his hand away from hers.
“Ugh!”
The force made Cecilia stagger.
She had never imagined he would ever use that kind of strength on her.
“…Do you even know what kind of feelings I had, staying by your side?”
Leo’s face twisted into a painful grimace, laced with mockery.
He looked like a wounded beast, afraid of being touched.
“You’re the one saying things you can’t take responsibility for.”
Clutching her stinging hand, Cecilia slowly lowered her head.
Then, lifting it again, she looked straight at him—without an ounce of hesitation.
“I know. How you feel.”
Leo’s eyes widened. His red pupils trembled wildly.
“But that’s not a reason to push you away.”
There was so much emotion packed into that resolute statement.
Cecilia wasn’t oblivious to the affection behind Leo’s loyalty and devotion.
But even so, she kept him close—because what mattered more was that he was her family.
Leo stood dazed for a moment—then let out a breathless laugh.
“…You’re really selfish, you know that?”
“And you stayed by my side knowing that.”
Cecilia took Leo’s hand again.
“So just a little longer… let me be selfish.”
Her strength always shone brilliantly.
That’s why he wanted to be like her. Stay by her side. Protect her. Love her—desperately.
She had taught him how to live like a person. Taught him that hands made to kill could also protect.
When she said she was getting engaged to that damned duke, it had made him furious—but also… he understood.
He had never belonged by her side anyway.
Maybe he had even wanted an excuse to leave.
But now…
“Hold my hand, Leo. Let’s go back together.”
