"Daddy? Are you inside?"
The soft, melodious voice called from the other side of the door.
Leon's breath caught.
Aria's body tensed under him, wide violet eyes locked on his golden ones in shocked silence.
They both knew the voice immediately.
Leon blinked once—attempting to comprehend the sudden disruption—but before he could respond, Aria put her hand on his chest. Her palm shone dimly with mana, and with a soft burst of power, she pushed him away—not forcibly, but hard enough to make space between them.
"Aria—" he started, voice low and disoriented.
But she was already in motion.
With the grace of a shadow, she adjusted his robe neat and clean and fixed the tousled strands of his hair—all within mere seconds. Her own uniform was slightly ruffled, but a small spell shimmered around her like mist, smoothing out every wrinkle and restoring her pristine appearance.
The research still carried remnants of what had just occurred—the papers strewn about, the lingering smell of heat and tension in the air. But with a quick motion of her hand, Aria repaired the room—books on shelves, scrolls straightening out, candles upright in their positions.
She looked toward the closed study door.
Another knock sounded softly.
"Daddy?" Rias's voice came again, this time more inquisitive.
Aria glanced over at Leon; her eyes inscrutable for an instant. And then—wordlessly—she moved toward the open window. Moonlight poured across the floor, a silver path to liberty.
"Aria—wait," Leon moved forward, extending his hand instinctively. "You don't have to—"
But she was there at the windowsill. In the grace of a breeze, in the silence of a hush, Aria jumped through the window and disappeared into night—her presence engulfed in the silver of the moon, as if it had never been.
Leon froze, gaping in shock, in front of the vacant window for a second or two.
"...What in the world." he grunted to himself.
His fingers swept across the air where she'd been, and a low chuckle escaped him.
"Aria... you're such an antique," he breathed with a warm smile, raking a hand through his hair.
The door creaked open at that moment.
A voice he knew followed.
"Daddy? Are you still here?"
Leon spun around the moment Rias stepped into the study, the long, reddish hair pouring behind her in a soft stream like a brush of velvet. She had a loose, silk red robe thrown over her naked body, belted at waist level with soft, billowing folds, her deep crimson-colored eyes gleaming in the guttering candle flames.
She crept silently, bare feet moving almost noiselessly on the boards.
Leon's face curved. "Hey, sweetheart."
Rias hesitated, eyebrows lowering. Her eyes scanned the study as a quiet predator would.
Her instincts were telling her something wasn't right.
"Hmm." she said, cocking her head.
Leon had already bridged the gap between them. Before she could ask anything else, he had his arms around her waist and had him pulled in close.
"What do you want, sweetheart?" he whispered against her ear, voice low and teasing.
Rias blinked, taken aback.
But then she glanced up at him—at his face so perfectly carved, the heat in his eyes, the slope of his lips—and her mind went flying like leaves on a breeze.
"...Nothing, Daddy," she said demurely, cheeks flushed.
He leaned in close, lips touching her cheek. "That expression on your face says otherwise."
She jabbed his chest with a bony finger. "Don't flirt with me so readily. You could fall too hard."
Leon smiled. "Oh? Brash today, aren't you?"
Rias crossed her arms. "You raised me like that."
His golden eyes sparkled. "I guess I did."
He looked at her for another moment before inquiring, "So? What is my beautiful daughter doing in my study at this time of day?"
Rias's expression changed a little. She regarded him and nearly shy. "Because I'm hungry..."
Leon's eyebrow raised. "And? You could've just called a maid."
"I don't want food from anyone else."
Leon's eyebrow rose. "And? You could've just called a maid."
"I don't want food from anyone else."
"Then what do you want?" he asked with a gentle smile.
She moved closer, reaching up to lightly place her hand on his cheek.".
"I want dinner with my hubby," she whispered.
A rosy blush stained her cheeks—but she maintained her dignity like a proud queen.
Leon blinked, then released a warm, surprised laugh. "Hubby, huh? That's new."
"You said I could call you whatever I wanted, didn't you?" she said, lips pursed in a soft pout. "You're my hubby and my daddy. So be a good husband now and listen to your wife."
He grinned again, extremely amused and completely enamored. "So, I've been promoted from being a father to being a husband. Guess my sweetheart's become bold."
"If I don't say that you're my love, then who should I call you?" she replied, a bit more sincerely this time. "You're mine."
Leon hesitated for a moment, gazing down at her eyes.
So resolute. So genuine.
"I see. Then I suppose I have no option."
She arched an eyebrow. "No choice in what?"
"In granting my wife precisely what she desires."
He took a step toward her, offering his hand as a gentleman might at a royal ball. "Shall we, Lady Rias?"
Her eyes sparkled as she took his hand. "Let's."
They walked off the study arm in arm, his tall physique alongside her gaunt one, golden locks and crimson silk chafing past each other as they vanished from the stillness of the room into the calm hallway, a trail of moonlight behind.