The phone rang once.
Then twice.
Then three tis.
Each ring felt louder than it should’ve been, sharp and intrusive in the otherwise still room. The sound didn’t fade imdiately after each buzz—it lingered, echoing faintly against the walls, as if the silence itself was reluctant to swallow it whole. The call didn’t connect right away. Instead, the ringing dragged on, long enough that I briefly wondered if she’d just let it ring out of spite.
After about six rings, soone finally picked up.
"Hello?" ca a groggy, half-dead voice on the other end.
"Hello, Natalia?" I said calmly. "Where are you right now?"
"I’m sleeping," she replied instantly, without even pretending to think about it. "Can you not call while I’m resting?"
I almost laughed.
The fact that she could say sothing like that so bluntly—especially when I was technically her boss—was impressive in its own way. Most people at least tried to sound apologetic or respectful. Natalia didn’t bother. She never had. Titles, ranks, hierarchy... none of that mattered to her when she was tired. And right now, she was very clearly tired.
"Are you working tomorrow?" I asked.
"Well, yes," she said. There was a short pause, followed by a faint rustling sound, like she was shifting under her blanket. "What is this about? You don’t usually call in the middle of the night."
"It’s not exactly the middle of the night," I muttered under my breath, though I didn’t bother correcting her out loud. Arguing semantics with her at this hour would be pointless.
"I’m going to need your help tomorrow," I said instead, keeping my tone even.
"Help? With what?"
"That’s not sothing I can properly explain over the phone," I replied. "If you can co here, I’d appreciate it. I’m calling Trisha too."
The line went quiet.
Not disconnected—just silent.
I could practically hear her brain working through that sentence, replaying it, trying to figure out what kind of ss I was dragging her into this ti. When Natalia went silent like this, it usually ant she was suspicious.
"...Alright," she finally said, her voice heavy with a tired sigh. "I’ll co tomorrow. Where are you, exactly?"
"You don’t know?" I asked.
"It’s not like I care enough to keep track," she shot back without hesitation.
Fair point.
"Amon will co pick you up," I said. "And bring your toiletries."
"What? What do you—"
I ended the call before she could finish the sentence.
The screen went dark as I lowered the phone, and I let out a small breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.
"Fufufu," Tilde laughed softly beside , her shoulders trembling just a little. "You’re really cruel sotis, Leon."
I glanced down at her and smirked.
"Maybe," I said. "But it works."
The next day arrived faster than expected.
By morning, the distant thrum of rotor blades began to cut through the air, growing louder by the second. The sound rolled across the land like a warning bell, unmistakable and heavy.
A helicopter.
Which ant Amon was about to arrive.
I had already inford Layla that soone from my side would be coming to help with the current situation. She hadn’t questioned it much. In fact, she sounded almost relieved, as if she was happy to leave things in our hands. There wasn’t even a hint of suspicion in her voice.
If she really thought about it, she might’ve realized how strange the situation was—people of unknown origin, complete outsiders, being allowed into her kingdom with little resistance. Strangers arriving unannounced, backed only by my word.
If she didn’t know any better, she might’ve thought I was planning so sort of internal invasion.
Well... not that I didn’t have the ans.
But I wasn’t that kind of person. Using soone’s vulnerability as leverage to pull sothing underhanded wasn’t sothing I wanted to do—especially not to soone who was clearly struggling. There were lines I didn’t cross, even if I technically could.
The helicopter descended steadily and landed without issue, the wind kicked up by the blades rattling clothes and hair alike. The door slid open, and the first person to step out was Amon.
Graceful as ever.
Even with the noise and chaos around her, she moved with the sa composed elegance she always had. After everything that happened in the Dwarf Kingdom, I had asked her to return to Leonamon so she could resu her duties there. I already felt bad about that.
Calling her again, only days later, made it worse.
"I’m sorry for calling you even though you’re busy with the company," I said honestly.
Amon smiled, warm and unbothered, as if the thought hadn’t even crossed her mind. "I don’t mind at all. In fact, you can use whenever and for whatever you want. I am yours, after all."
I leaned in and kissed her, and she imdiately returned it without hesitation. The world seed to narrow for a mont—just us, familiar and comforting.
Then the helicopter door opened again.
Soone stepped out... or at least tried to.
Her legs were shaking violently, barely supporting her weight. She clung to the fra for a second longer than necessary, eyes wide as she stared down at the ground like it was about to swallow her whole.
"Thank goodness, finally..." Natasha muttered as her feet touched solid ground. "I thought I was going to die from that..."
She looked like she’d just gone through hell and barely survived. Pale, tense, and visibly relieved to be anywhere that wasn’t hovering in the air.
"I told you Madam Amon wouldn’t let us fall," Trisha said calmly as she stepped out beside her. Unlike Natasha, she looked completely fine—no shaking, no panic, not even mild discomfort. The trip clearly hadn’t bothered her in the slightest.
Natasha straightened up, took a breath... and then noticed .
The mont our eyes t, her expression darkened.
She stomped toward , each step sharp and deliberate, and stopped just short of getting in my face.
"You really know how to put people exactly where you can use them best, don’t you?" she snapped. "You seriously don’t hold back at all."
"Well," I replied smoothly, a small smile tugging at my lips, "since you’re available, it’s only fair that I use that availability when I have problems, right?"
Her glare intensified.
"The way you’re talking is really pissing off," she said. "You act like you’re above everyone else in the world. If you were going to make do sothing like this, you should’ve said so earlier. Maybe even begged a little."
"Well," I said evenly, "you’re here now, aren’t you?"
She scratched the back of her head, clearly still irritated, her frustration written all over her face. That reaction was only natural. Anyone dragged out like this would be pissed.
I just smirked as she continued glaring at .
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