When Leonard was with Claudia, he always felt as if his soul had been cleansed. Immersed in the natural scenery, the sensation washed away the pressure and exhaustion weighing on him.
The two of them played by the stream all the way until dusk. Claudia, needless to say, had outstanding stamina. After all, her true form was a Unicorn, so she naturally wasn't afraid of catching a chill.
As for Leonard, he had the foundation of an Ancient Sprout-like constitution, and on top of that he trained regularly. In winter, he often trekked through snowy terrain, so there was no way the stream's cold water would make him sick.
"Hey—Leonard—come back for dinner—!"
Londo's shout drifted over from the distance. Hearing it, Leonard pulled the reluctant Claudia out of the stream.
"Come on. Time to go back for dinner," Leonard said.
For a little Unicorn, aside from playing, the most important thing in the world was obviously eating.
Sure enough, the moment Claudia heard the word "dinner," she instantly forgot all about playing and tried to sprint back barefoot.
Luckily, Leonard reacted fast. He wrapped an arm around her slender waist and lifted her straight up.
"Socks. Shoes," Leonard said, deliberately putting on a stern face.
Even though she'd been human for half a year now, Claudia still occasionally forgot about socks and shoes, and every time Leonard had to remind her before she remembered.
She did fine with clothes, though. Who knew how Midgard had taught her, but Claudia actually wore them obediently.
Claudia sat down on a rock, her pale, delicate feet swinging back and forth as she waited for the water to dry. Once they were mostly dry, her eyes flickered with mischief, and she grinned as she stretched her feet out toward Leonard.
"Leonard, help me put my shoes on, okay?"
She looked at him with a pitiful, pleading expression.
Leonard glanced at her helplessly. In the end, he completely lost to the attack of her misty, watery eyes. He crouched down in front of her, gently taking her foot in one hand.
Maybe it was because her true form was a Unicorn, but Claudia's proportions were flawless. Even the foot Leonard held was perfectly shaped, with smooth, balanced lines. Her toes were soft pink, like cherry blossoms, so delicate they looked like a piece of art.
Seeing Leonard space out slightly, Claudia smiled as she remembered what her big sister Midgard had told her.
"Claudia, you're a perfect girl. So you have to be careful of people who might covet you. Don't let anyone have a chance to see your body, understand?"
That was what Midgard had told her when teaching her to wear clothes.
"Why?" Claudia had asked, genuinely confused. She hadn't understood at all. When she was still a Unicorn, she'd always been like that.
Whenever it came to explaining "why," Midgard always looked a little helpless. Claudia had never received any kind of education about such things, and expecting Midgard to explain it clearly was far too difficult.
After all, Midgard wasn't some professional educator, and she didn't have much experience either.
So Midgard had changed tactics.
"Claudia, you don't want Leonard to be unhappy, do you?" Midgard asked.
"Mm! I want Leonard to be happy, just like me," Claudia replied brightly.
"If other people see your body, Leonard will be very unhappy. That's why you have to wear clothes, understand?" Midgard cut straight to the point, using Leonard as the key.
"Is that so…" Claudia thought about it for a while, then said reluctantly, "Alright. If it makes Leonard happy, then I'll wear clothes."
"Yes. Exactly," Midgard said, finally letting out a sigh of relief.
"Then… if Leonard sees my body, will he be happy?" Claudia asked curiously.
The moment she asked, she noticed Midgard's expression stiffen in awkwardness.
"Maybe he will. Maybe he won't," Midgard answered vaguely.
"Huh? Why?" Claudia couldn't understand why the answer could go both ways.
"Even in front of Leonard, you can't just casually show what's under your clothes. You need to go through a series of experiences, some trials, and in the end it has to be under Leonard's request before you can…" Midgard trailed off, not even sure how to continue.
"In short, you can occasionally do some affectionate things with Leonard. Like leaning into his arms, giving him a kiss, or touching him casually without meaning to."
Midgard spoke like some self-proclaimed strategist. "Tease him a little. You might see an interesting reaction. Some parts of the body are always visible, but touching them carries a different meaning. Like your feet, or your ears…"
Midgard was clearly trying to influence Claudia with her suggestive little hints, but innocent Claudia didn't understand what those carefully worded remarks were really implying.
Still, she secretly remembered what Midgard had said, and every so often she would try it out without thinking too much about it.
Claudia wasn't stupid. She just lacked a bit of common sense.
Like what she was doing today, for example. She was testing Midgard's words.
And Leonard really did have an interesting reaction.
Claudia tilted her head, her pale golden hair spilling down over her shoulders.
She watched Leonard intently as he carefully wiped the water from her feet, then slid her socks on and helped her into her shoes.
His movements were gentle and slow, completely unlike his usual brisk and decisive manner. He handled her with such care, as if he were afraid of hurting her.
It made something stir inside Claudia.
The feeling was strange. It was a little like happiness, but mixed with a faint sense of unease.
"All right. We can go back for dinner now."
Leonard had just finished putting her shoes on and was about to stand when he noticed Claudia still staring at him, her head tilted. Her eyes were damp, as if they were about to glow.
"Leonard."
Claudia suddenly lunged forward, throwing herself into his arms and knocking him down onto the grass.
Leonard lay there blankly, staring up at the sky. He could feel Claudia's breath against his neck, her soft hair spreading over him like a blanket.
What just happened?
Why had he suddenly been tackled?
"Leonard…" Claudia's soft voice whispered by his ear. "Claudia wants to stay with Leonard forever."
Clouds drifted across the sapphire-blue sky. Leonard looked at the dreamlike scene above him, then tightened his arms around Claudia.
"Of course," Leonard said with a smile. "We'll always be together."