Knock, knock, knock!
A sudden knock sounded at the door.
"Who could it be at this hour?"
Sersi stood up in confusion and went to answer it.
Leon followed closely behind her.
"Mr. Whitman?"
"It's pretty late—what brings you here?"
When she opened the door—kept partially shut by a 25-centimeter security chain—Sersi saw that the visitor was Dane Garrett Whitman, whom she had met earlier that day. She brushed her hair aside and asked curiously.
Since the door handle opened on the left, Leon deliberately stood on the right side, hiding himself from Whitman's line of sight. Whitman didn't notice him at first.
Whitman looked at Sersi somewhat awkwardly, rubbed the bridge of his nose, then pulled out a document protected in a transparent folder and handed it to her.
"You forgot to take the thesis you printed on the school printer. I thought you might need it urgently tomorrow, so I brought it over."
"Thank you, Whitman."
Sersi accepted it with a smile.
"I've been a bit forgetful lately. It feels like my brain is stuffed with too many things—it's been foggy all the time."
"You've really helped me out."
"I'm glad I could help."
Whitman smiled politely. Instead of leaving immediately, he paused and glanced inside the apartment.
"Is Sprite already asleep? I thought she usually stays up late watching TV."
"You two have gotten that close already? She even told you that."
Sersi chuckled softly.
"But… yes. Something happened today, and she's already asleep."
Whitman's eyes lit up. He rubbed his hands nervously and leaned one arm against the doorframe, as if gathering courage.
"Mr. Whitman, is there something else?"
"Well…"
After hesitating for a moment, Whitman finally worked up the courage and said jokingly,
"Won't you invite me in for a cup of tea?"
"Today isn't very convenient."
Sersi glanced at Leon beside her and politely declined.
"Ah… I see."
Whitman had thought that with Sprite asleep, it would be the perfect chance to get closer to Sersi. The refusal left him deeply disappointed, though he only showed a faint hint of regret.
Just as he was about to turn and leave—
A distinctly male hand suddenly rested on Sersi's shoulder.
The security chain dropped open automatically. The door swung wide, revealing Leon standing beside her.
The three of them formed an oddly awkward tableau—
Like a humiliated husband, a patient wife, and an overbearing boss—though Whitman wasn't Sersi's husband, and Leon certainly wasn't his boss.
"Y-you… who are you?!"
Whitman asked, even though he already suspected the answer.
"He is—"
Sersi tried to explain but didn't know what exactly to say. Whitman was merely a friend, while Leon was…
"Hello, Mr. Whitman. I'm Sersi's boyfriend. Thank you for bringing her thesis tonight."
Leon pulled Sersi slightly closer into his arms, openly declaring his claim.
Whitman froze for a long moment.
In the end, he only said:
"I wish you both happiness."
Then he hurried away.
On the Street
As Whitman walked down the street, he suddenly noticed a poster of Homelander Leon Stark.
The face on the poster overlapped perfectly with the man he had just seen.
"My God… that's Leon Stark!"
Whitman had heard plenty about him. Leon Stark was famous among the public—both admired and infamous as a notorious playboy.
After realizing this, Whitman instinctively turned back, intending to warn Sersi not to get too entangled with him.
But halfway through lifting his foot, he stopped.
Who am I to interfere in someone else's relationship?
Sersi must know exactly what kind of man Leon Stark is. It's her choice. I have neither the right nor the reason to interfere.
With that thought, Whitman finally gave up completely.
He could only hope Sersi would be happy—and that Leon Stark wouldn't betray her.
Although Leon Stark was surrounded by endless romantic scandals, there had never been any news of him abandoning women afterward.
Even the models he lost interest in still spoke well of him.
Leon himself would probably say the reason was simple—
Money solved almost everything in the world.
And if it didn't, it only meant you weren't rich enough yet.
Whitman, a declining aristocrat, owned several ancient castles and had considerable wealth, but he pursued a simple life. This mindset was something he could never fully understand.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have ignored his family inheritance and chosen to become a teacher at a prestigious academy.
That was the peaceful life he had chosen.
But Leon's existence had shattered his hope that life might become even happier.
He doubted he would find another woman like Sersi anytime soon—someone gentle, graceful, and beautiful.
Whitman sighed.
When a jewel has already dazzled your eyes, no other gemstone can match that first brilliance.
He bought a can of beer from a roadside shop.
A quiet toast to a love that had died before it ever began.
Lying on a park bench, slightly drunk, Whitman stared up at the night sky. Moonlight fell softly across his face.
A cool breeze passed by, sobering him a little.
"Leon Stark… what a terrifyingly powerful man. In every sense…"
Whitman murmured bitterly.
If there was any way he could surpass Leon…
"Wait!"
Whitman suddenly jolted upright and slapped his thigh.
"The family heirloom! I could ask him to help examine it! Better yet—let him take it entirely so I won't have to deal with it!"
But it was too late tonight.
He decided to visit Leon tomorrow.
Meanwhile
After Dane Whitman left, Leon pinned Sersi against the doorway, intending to take advantage of the moment.
After struggling for a while, Sersi forced herself to regain some rationality.
"No—"
"Leon, not here. What if Sprite wakes up…"
Leon lifted her effortlessly by the soft, pale thighs revealed beneath her nightdress and collapsed onto the sofa, his arms locking around her like hydraulic clamps.
"What's your relationship with him?"
One hand held her waist while the other pressed gently against the back of her head as Leon whispered near her ear, sounding suspiciously jealous.
"J-just friends!"
"Whitman and I are only ordinary friends!"
Sersi gasped weakly in explanation.
Unlike Gilgamesh, she didn't possess overwhelming physical strength. She couldn't break free from Leon's grip—and she didn't dare use strength beyond that of a normal human woman, fearing Leon might realize she wasn't human.
Under such restraint, her struggling looked less like resistance and more like shy teasing.
Like a big bad wolf teasing a trembling little rabbit.
"Really?"
"Really!"
Sersi was genuinely afraid Leon might take her right there in the living room. The mix of excitement and nervousness made her heart race.
Leon, who had been quietly watching the affection meter, curled his lips into a sly smile.
Sersi's affection toward him had already reached 95.
At this point, he could practically do anything he wanted.
Apparently, the real threshold was between 89 and 90. Once that psychological barrier was broken, affection would continue rising naturally.
Until the target's emotional capacity was exhausted.
But Leon had no limits.
After thoroughly teasing Sersi and leaving her emotions hanging, Leon scooped her up in a princess carry and walked into her bedroom.
At the same time, he set up a soundproof barrier.
In reality, it was a precise manipulation of telekinesis, suppressing vibrations in the air, floor, and walls—preventing sound from traveling.
That way, no matter how loud things became, Sprite in the next room wouldn't hear a thing.
After locking the door—
Leon tossed Sersi onto the bed.
The curtains fell.
The sound of silk tearing echoed faintly.
What followed was only natural… and not meant for outsiders to hear.
…
The Next Day
When Leon woke up in Sersi's bed, he found that she had already been awake for some time.
Instead of getting up, she lay on her side, resting on his arm. Her face was radiant, filled with happiness.
Her finger traced Leon's sharply handsome face—so perfect it seemed to surpass even ancient Greek sculptures.
Her gaze lingered lovingly, utterly captivated.
"You're awake?"
Sersi smiled warmly.
Her affection had already reached 98, only two steps away from the maximum of 100.
"Mm."
Leon replied lazily, gently stroking her hair like petting a cat before kissing her forehead.
"How does your body feel? You're not hurt, are you?"
"I got a bit too excited yesterday. You must've had a hard time."
"No," Sersi said softly.
"I feel wonderful."
"Thank you, Leon."
"What are you thanking me for?"
Leon continued playing with her hair.
"Thank you for making me feel alive again. For helping me realize I'm not some cold machine… that I deserve love and emotions."
"What kind of talk is that?"
Leon smiled as if he didn't understand.
"You were never a machine. You're a living person."
"Listen—"
"I can feel your heartbeat."
"Leon… actually, I…"
Sersi hesitated briefly.
Finally, she made up her mind.
Under the blanket, her palm began glowing with golden cosmic patterns. She was about to reveal her Eternal powers—
But at that moment—
Knock, knock, knock!
A voice filled with faint resentment came from outside.
"Sersi, Dane is here. He says he has something very important to discuss with Leon."
"Looking for me?"
Leon blinked in surprise.
After recalling information about Dane Garrett Whitman, he instantly understood.
Sersi could only helplessly suppress the golden glow of matter transmutation in her palm, deciding to confess her identity another time.
Soon afterward, Leon and Sersi walked out together like an inseparable couple.
Sersi wore a blue pleated home skirt paired with denim shorts barely covered by the hem.
Her full thighs and delicate bare feet were on display.
Leon liked it.
So she dressed beautifully for the one who pleased her.
Leon's outfit, meanwhile, was simple—loose black athletic pants and the same black hoodie he had worn earlier.
After shaving with heat vision, he looked like a muscular high-school athlete.
When he checked himself in the mirror, he even thought smugly that he seemed to be getting younger.
Outside the room, Sersi exchanged a glance with Sprite.
Feeling slightly guilty, she quickly excused herself to prepare breakfast—or rather, lunch.
Seeing Leon and Sersi emerge from the same room together, Dane Whitman felt complicated emotions despite all the mental preparation he had done overnight.
Some people, once missed, are missed forever.
Regret runs through life like a quiet thread.
"Mr. Whitman, what did you need from me?"
Leon sat casually on the sofa like the host of the house, crossing his legs.
"Meow~"
In her kitten form, Bast suddenly jumped onto Leon's lap, letting him stroke her.
"Mr. Stark… please just call me Dane."
"Well, here's the thing…"
Whitman went straight to the point.
His family possessed an ancient cursed sword—
The Ebony Blade.
He hoped Leon could help him remove the curse.
In return, Leon could take the sword as payment.
Whitman had no interest in becoming the Black Knight.
He only wanted a quiet life.
With Sersi not being taken away by Arishem the Judge, Whitman was essentially a wealthy aristocrat living peacefully.
Why become a superhero?
Fighting monsters sounded terrifying.
Wasn't lying flat and enjoying life better?
That was Whitman's philosophy.
"I see. Understood."
Leon nodded and accepted the request.
The Ebony Blade—
A legendary sword forged by the great wizard Merlin from meteoric iron.
It possessed atomic-level cutting power, a fusion of magic and physical craftsmanship.
The blade was unimaginably sharp and nearly indestructible. Blocking Wolverine's Adamantium claws would be no problem.
It could even reflect magic and grant its wielder a form of immortality.
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