"help me please..!" Leonardo screamed as the red hue dashed toward him. He knew this wasn't just a game anymore; he was about to die. After only three days in this new world, if there was some sort of leaderboard, he'd place dead last.

  The figure behind him sighed, watching the scene unfold. The red hue—an ominous, swirling light—changed direction slightly, just enough to make a difference. Its trajectory shifted, though the change was subtle, it was clear to those watching.

  The red light, which had almost struck Leonardo's face, veered at the last second. Adelaide, watching from the third floor, widened her eyes in shock as the light missed him by a hair's breadth. Her gaze fell to her husband standing near the fountain below. She dropped to her knees on the floor, tears filling her eyes as she called his name, voice shaky with emotion.

  "Henri…" Her whisper was barely audible as she looked down.

  Henri walked calmly toward Leonardo, his long coat swaying in the wind, golden embroidery glimmering under the light. His expression was hard to read, his face cast in shadow as he approached.

  Leonardo lay at the foot of the fountain, his hand resting in the water, the coolness of it giving him minor relief. The ripples moved gently around his fingers as he struggled to stay conscious.

  "Leonardo," Henri called his name simply, his tone even and unreadable.

  Leonardo groaned, barely able to focus, his eyes heavy as he tried to take in the situation.

  "What did you do to make her that sad?" Henri asked again, crouching down to meet Leonardo's gaze. His voice wasn't harsh, but the question carried weight.

  "Long… story," Leonardo muttered, his words barely audible. His sword was nowhere to be seen—oh, wait. Henri's eyes caught sight of it, lying a good distance away, where it had flown when Leonardo made his desperate jump to avoid the attack.

  Henri stood up, walking over to the discarded weapon. He picked it up, inspecting it carefully as he unsheathed the blade. A small, amused smile crossed his face.

  "At least you've got a spine," Henri muttered to himself, casting a glance at the distance Leonardo had jumped. He must have lunged with everything he had, probably in pure desperation, but it had carried him a fair distance.

  Then, Henri's smile faded as his fingers brushed along the blade.

  "Blunt," he muttered. His brow furrowed, and he shook his head. "Wait, this thing is blunt!" His disbelief was evident. "No way in Ghent you're going to protect my daughters with this!" He palmed his face, frustration bubbling as he looked toward the ceiling, almost in exasperation.

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  Leonardo winced. "Maybe... you could do this later," he groaned, blood oozing from his mouth. He had taken quite the beating. The pain was evident in every breath he took.

  Henri paused for a moment, his expression softening as he realized the state Leonardo was in. With a sigh, he crouched again, reaching out to help him up.

  "No… not by my hair or collar, please," Leonardo muttered, surprising Henri. The request was sudden and oddly specific.

  "Experience?" Henri muttered in confusion.

  Leonardo chuckled weakly before closing his eyes, his strength fading. "Your wife… taught me a few things," he murmured before slipping into unconsciousness.

  Henri straightened up, glancing at his coat pocket when his phone beeped. He pulled it out and saw the name Azarias flash on the screen. With an annoyed sigh, he answered the call.

  "No, Azarias, like I said, I want nothing to do with the church," Henri said, his voice tense with irritation.

  On the other end, Azarias's voice remained calm. "I've heard about the compensation—"

  "That fast? Wow," Henri replied sarcastically, his eyes narrowing as he glanced at the now limp Leonardo.

  "Yes, also Rolls-Wort—" Azarias began, but Henri cut him off sharply.

  "Your really annoying you know, i wonder what you told alphonse.. no every other head." Henri growled, his blood boiling at the mere mention of Rolls-Wort. His grip on the phone tightened, his jaw clenched.

  Leonardo's blood, still oozing from his mouth, was now staining Henri's jacket. He glanced down at the growing stain, his irritation rising. The injury was worse than it looked, and Henri realized that most of the damage was likely internal.

  "My coat," he muttered with visible displeasure. With a sigh, Henri shifted how he was carrying Leonardo, moving him from a rough head-first position to carefully cradling him in both arms, as if he were carrying a fallen comrade from the battlefield.

  Henri shook his head slightly. Funny.

  "Henri, are you listening?" Azarias's voice cut through his thoughts, growing impatient on the other end of the line.

  "Mon Dieu" Henri replied, clearly not paying full attention. He glanced at Leonardo again before turning his focus back to Azarias. "Look, Azarias, I told you, I don't care about what the church wants, and I don't give a damn about Rolls-Worth. You and the 'compensation' can shove it."

  Before Azarias could respond "oh?-" , Henri ended the call and shoved his phone back into his coat pocket with an irritated sigh. He looked down at Leonardo, who was still unconscious in his arms, blood continuing to seep from his mouth, now soaking Henri's coat further.

  With some effort, Henri adjusted his grip on Leonardo, carrying him more gently this time, as if handling something fragile. He cast a quick glance up at the third floor, where Adelaide was still watching from above, her tear-streaked face full of concern.

  "Henri…" she whispered again, her voice trembling as she descended the multiple stairs dividing them with speed, opening the door side of the large entrance door, her eyes locked on her husband and the unconscious Leonardo.

  Henri met her halfway, carefully laying Leonardo down on a nearby couch. "He'll be fine," Henri reassured her, though his tone lacked conviction. Leonardo's injuries were severe, and there was no telling how long it would take for him to recover fully.