A Journey Beyond the Forest
Right after Leon left the central zone, a pause came when someone called his name - turns out it was a younger woman whose appearance hadn't faded much.
Quiet fell through the trees, closing in near her. She stood while the woods held their breath.
White clothed her, still as a breath held too long. Impossible she seemed, though doing nothing at all.
Floating behind her, strands of silver hair moved as if whispering to the wind. Not thick, her brows arched lightly above eyes - calm, sharp, like dawn touching a quiet lake. A cool light lived in her skin, slick and untouched, like stone shaped by centuries beneath soil. All this stood out, strangely calm, amid the tangled chaos of the Starfall Woodland.
Warmth lingered on her mouth, gentle curves shaped without effort. Softness surprised, out of step with the sharp grace of her look.
Yet it was the quiet detail that caught everyone's eye -
Was her figure.
A breath lifted under the cloth, pushing softly against the tight weave of the robe. Curves showed through, calm and unhurried, shaping the drape without force. Below, the body narrowed like a secret kept well. Hips widened next, carrying weight with ease, leading down to legs firm and even - steady, lived-in, saying little but meaning much.
She wasn't loud.
She didn't try.
And yet -
Her presence pulled you in, sharp and unignorable.
Out of nowhere, her face lit up the second she spotted Leon - eyes sparkling with thanks. Down went her torso in a bow, smooth like water finding its level. As she leaned forward, the shape of her shifted without effort, quiet and real. Her chest dipped just enough to catch the light differently. Warmth spread through the space between them, unasked for, impossible to ignore.
"Selena pays homage to her benefactor."
One blink. A flicker of surprise crossed Leon's face.
Standing there, what brings you around? His voice held stillness, yet questions slipped through.
Up she stood, posture shifting as her words came through - gentle, yet carrying quiet strength.
"Empress sent a voice transmission, mentioning that you have been rebuilt, and ordered me to bodyguard you to the human world."
A flick of Leon's fingers broke the still air.
"Don't bother."
Selena moved her head slowly from side to side, then drew nearer by a small step.
"No trouble… it is Ah Wu's honor to take care of my benefactor. If it weren't for your help back then, I would have already died in the Soulforge Citadel hunt."
A shiver ran through her eyelashes, so still a moment before. They dipped, then lifted, caught in the quiet breath between thoughts.
"I've waited years for a chance to repay you… please don't refuse me."
She spoke quieter then, a hint of need in her words.
Leon exhaled slowly.
"I really don't need a bodyguard."
Selena sighed faintly.
"Benefactor… my daughter has also been in the human world for a long time. As a mother, I don't feel at ease."
She looked at him again, her eyes carrying a quiet determination.
"So I want to go out… and check on her."
Leon paused.
That… made sense.
But still—
"If I walk around with a beauty like you beside me, I'll attract trouble for no reason."
Selena smiled faintly.
Then—
Silver light flickered.
Her body shrank instantly.
In a blink—
She transformed into a small, delicate Silver Rabbit.
Soft fur, glowing faintly, with elegant patterns along her ears.
She leapt forward without hesitation—
Straight into Leon's arms.
"Benefactor, I can stay like this. No one will suspect anything."
Her soft voice echoed in his mind.
"I can protect you… and stay by your side. Isn't that perfect?"
Leon looked down at the rabbit in his arms.
Warm.
Soft.
Comfortable.
His expression turned… complicated.
"…This is what you call two birds with one stone?"
A grown woman… turning into a rabbit and jumping into a man's arms without hesitation.
Was this normal?
Or were Magical Beasts just built different?
"You're making this difficult for me," Leon muttered. "What, are you planning to sleep with me too?"
The rabbit's ears twitched slightly.
"Benefactor, just treat me as an ordinary Lunar Rabbit."
Leon's mouth twitched.
Yeah.
Right.
Ordinary.
For a brief moment, her human form flashed through his mind—
That soft chest.
That slender waist.
Those long, smooth thighs.
He immediately shook his head.
"…Nope. Not thinking about that."
Still—
Kindness like this wasn't easy to reject.
In the end, Leon sighed.
"Fine."
And just like that—
He gained a clingy companion.
Leon set off.
The forest gradually faded behind him as the terrain opened up, sunlight filtering more freely through the trees.
The rabbit in his arms stayed still.
Too still.
After a while—
A thought crossed his mind.
Lunar Rabbit…
Are they actually soft?
Curiosity.
Pure curiosity.
With the spirit of exploration—
Leon casually reached down and stroked the rabbit's fur.
Soft.
Extremely soft.
Softer than anything he had ever touched.
Then—
"Hiss… ha…"
A faint voice echoed.
Leon froze.
His hand stopped mid-motion.
"…Selena?"
He looked down quickly.
"What happened? Are you alright?"
The rabbit's body trembled slightly.
Then—
"This feeling is too good… don't worry… I love it… I love it…"
Leon blinked.
"…What?"
He stared at her.
Then slowly nodded.
"…Alright."
He didn't think much of it.
After all—
To him, this was just petting a rabbit.
Nothing more.
But what he didn't see—
Was the way the rabbit's blue eyes shimmered.
Soft.
Dazed.
Almost melting.
-------
Half a day later—
The forest gave way to civilization.
Stone roads.
Tall walls.
And at the center—
A city that radiated authority.
Leon stopped.
His gaze lifted.
In front of him stood the Soulforge Citadel.
Magnificent.
Towering.
Its palace rose high above everything else, golden light reflecting off its surface, giving it an almost sacred presence.
But beneath that beauty—
Was power.
Control.
And something darker.
Leon chuckled softly.
"I wonder…"
His golden eyes narrowed slightly.
"…does that woman still remember me?"