Chapter Text
Leonard had been feeling dizzy lately.
Or rather, his condition had been terrible this entire week.
Ever since The Fool fell into slumber one month ago, Leonard had thrown himself into work almost obsessively.
The Church still operated normally. Missions continued. Reports piled endlessly on his desk. The world did not stop turning just because a god had fallen asleep.
Still, somehow, Leonard’s nausea kept returning.
Sometimes in the morning. Sometimes in the middle of work. Sometimes so suddenly that he had to grip the nearest wall just to steady himself.
“Probably because you’re overworking yourself.”
Pallez answered lazily, sounding only mildly concerned.
Leonard had specifically come home to ask him about it, but after hearing the explanation, it honestly sounded reasonable enough.
He really was overworking himself.
Maybe because if he stopped for even a moment, he would start thinking again.
About Klein.
About how Klein had once again left him behind.
So Leonard continued working despite the dizziness, despite the growing exhaustion weighing heavily on his body.
Until eventually, he collapsed in the middle of the Church.
When Leonard woke up again, he had already been sent home to recover.
Following the Church’s advice, Leonard reluctantly decided to go outside for a while and get some fresh air.
And apparently, he would not be alone.
Fors Wall stood quietly on the street, looking around for a familiar figure.
Ever since Mr. Fool had fallen into slumber, the Tarot Club had changed somewhat. Without the gray fog concealing their identities during gatherings, the members had gradually become closer than before. Some had even met in real life.
And surprisingly…
They got along much better than Fors expected.
Mr. Hanged Man and Ms. Hermit had apparently gone on several adventures together recently. Ms. Justice occasionally invited some members to gatherings in Backlund. Mr. Moon and Ms. Magician exchanged letters about mysticism and novels from time to time. Even Mr. Sun had received enough “care packages” from the older members that Fors suspected half the club had developed parental instincts toward him.
Today, Mr. Star had invited Fors out for a casual gathering. They planned to exchange poetry recommendations and discuss books together.
“Ms. Magician?”
A familiar voice pulled Fors from her thoughts.
She looked up immediately.
“Mr. Star.” Fors smiled lightly. “Happy to meet you here.”
“Haha, me too.” Leonard adjusted his gloves casually. “Shall we go?”
“Sure.”
The two eventually settled down inside a nearby coffee shop together. After exchanging a few polite greetings, Fors waved her hand dismissively.
“Just call me Fors, Ms Magician sounds way too formal.”
“Then you should call me Leonard.”
“Alright, Leonard.” Fors leaned back comfortably in her chair. “So. You’re writing poems for Mr. World, and somehow you decided asking me for help was a good idea?”
Leonard looked genuinely miserable at the topic.
“Honestly, I still don’t know why Mr. Fool asked me to do it. Klein—” He abruptly coughed into his fist. “—Mr. World knows perfectly well I’m terrible at poetry.”
Then he suddenly laughed under his breath.
“One time I read one to him and his face went completely black.”
Fors immediately became interested.
“You actually survived that?”
“Barely.”
Leonard pulled several folded papers from his pocket and slid them across the table.
Fors opened the first one confidently. Three lines later, her expression twisted.
Five lines later, she slowly lowered the paper and stared at Leonard in horror.
“…How are you still alive?”
Leonard immediately broke into a smug grin.
“See? I told you they were bad.”
“Bad?” Fors looked deeply offended on Klein’s behalf. “Leonard, these sound like cursed artifacts.”
“That’s why I need your help.” Leonard clasped his hands dramatically. “Please, Fors. Save me before I’m forced to read these out loud to him again.”
Fors narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
“And what do I get out of this?”
“You can ask for anything.”
Fors immediately pointed at him. “Stories about Mr. World.”
Leonard froze.
“…You negotiated that way too quickly.”
“Deal or no deal?”
Leonard sighed like a man accepting his fate.
“Deal.”
The two looked at each other across the table before suddenly bursting into laughter. The rest of the day passed surprisingly pleasantly, with the two of them chatting about everything and nothing.
…
“Finally, your poetry improved a little, Leonard.”
“Really?”
Fors gave him a deadpan stare. “No.”
“…That hurts.”
…
“Honestly, Mr. World is actually super kind.”
Fors immediately looked unconvinced. “You sound exactly like Ms. Justice. I still don’t believe you people.”
Leonard coughed lightly. “Maybe because the two of us are the only ones who survived long enough to realize that.”
“…That sounds more terrifying somehow.”
…
“So, Leonard…” Fors stirred her coffee casually before glancing at him curiously. “Are you and Mr. World very close?”
Leonard paused slightly.
“…Yeah, I guess so.”
“Best friends?”
Leonard nearly choked on his drink. Fors looked at him immediately with undisguised interest. Leonard’s ears turned slightly red under her gaze.
“Yeah…” He looked away awkwardly. “I think so.”
Friends… huh?
Maybe or maybe not.
Honestly, even now, Leonard still did not know what exactly his relationship with Klein should be called.
Old colleagues?
Partners?
Friends?
Or…
Maybe something more.
Because when Leonard thought about it carefully, they already did almost everything normal friends would do.
They chatted constantly. Met whenever they had free time. Hold hands naturally. Introduced each other to important people in their lives.
But after what happened that night…Could they really still call themselves “just friends”?
“Hmm.” Fors looked at Leonard with obvious amusement.
Leonard immediately looked away. “Don’t look at me like that.”
Fors was just about to tease him again when Leonard’s expression suddenly stiffened slightly. A familiar wave of nausea crashed into him without warning. Leonard immediately pressed a hand against his stomach, his face turning pale.
“Mr. Star?” Fors frowned slightly.
“I’m fine…” Leonard forced out quietly before standing up abruptly. “I just need to—”
Before he could finish speaking, another stronger wave hit him instantly. Leonard staggered slightly and quickly covered his mouth.
Fors’s expression immediately changed.
“Leonard!”
Leonard barely managed to reach the restroom before vomiting violently. When he finally came out, Fors immediately handed him a glass of water, her expression full of concern.
This was not normal. They were high-ranking Beyonders. Ordinary illnesses should barely affect them anymore.
Something was definitely wrong.
“Leonard, you seriously need a check-up.” Fors frowned. “Do you want to go to the Evernight Church? Or maybe find a Beyonder doctor?”
“Nah, don’t worry.” Leonard wiped the corner of his mouth tiredly. “It’s probably nothing.”
Fors stared at him in disbelief. “Are you having symptoms like this every day?”
“Not really. Most of the time it’s just dizziness.”
“This is absolutely not normal, Leonard!”
Under Fors’s insistence, Leonard finally gave in.
Still, instead of asking to return to the Evernight Church, Leonard slowly said:
“Can you help me get to the Harvest Church?”
Fors froze. “…The Harvest Church?”
If Leonard had asked for the Evernight Church, it would make sense. Even the Fool Church would make sense.
But why the Harvest Church?!
Leonard, still looking half-dead from nausea, could not help but smile faintly at Fors’s expression.
“You’ll understand when we get there.”
—
As they stepped through the gates of the Harvest Church, a familiar figure approached them.
“Leonard? If you’re here because you finally feel guilty for capturing me last time, let me tell you, I still haven’t forgiv—”
The man suddenly paused after noticing Fors beside him.
“Ms. Magician?”
Fors also looked surprised.
“Mr. Moon?”
The young Sanguine immediately corrected her proudly.
“Call me Emlyn when we’re outside Tarot Club gatherings.”
“Then call me Fors.”
“Hey, you two…” Leonard muttered weakly. “Did you both forget I’m dying over here?”
Only then did Emlyn properly notice Leonard’s pale face. His expression immediately became serious.
Fors quickly explained the situation. “Emlyn, Leonard suddenly started getting dizzy and vomiting. We weren’t attacked or cursed or anything, so I don’t know what’s happening.”
Emlyn frowned slightly before leading them into an empty room. After asking several questions and performing a basic examination, Emlyn’s expression gradually became stranger and stranger.
Leonard immediately noticed.
“…What happened?”
Emlyn looked at him with an extremely complicated expression.
“How do I explain this…”
Fors instantly became nervous.
“Wait, is it serious?”
“Very.”
Leonard’s expression stiffened slightly.
“…Am I dying?”
“No,” Emlyn replied honestly. “Honestly, this might be worse.”
“What do you mean worse?!”
Emlyn rubbed his forehead like his entire understanding of medicine had just shattered.
Then he finally looked directly at Leonard.
“Leonard.”
“You’re pregnant.”
Silence filled the room instantly.
“…Yes?”
“About two months already.”
“…WHAT?!?!”
After what felt like an eternity of chaos, the three of them finally managed to calm down enough to actually speak properly again.
Leonard sat there looking completely lost, one hand still pressed against his forehead as though reality itself had just punched him.
“So…” Leonard finally spoke weakly. “How did this even happen?”
“Hey, don’t ask me!” Emlyn immediately snapped back. “Ask yourself!”
“You’re the doctor!”
“Well, in all my years of living, I have never encountered a male Sequence 4 Beyonder getting mysteriously pregnant before!” Emlyn looked personally offended by reality. “How am I supposed to know?!”
“Then how am I supposed to know?!”
Before the argument could continue, Fors suddenly cut in calmly. “No, there’s something much more important right now.”
Both men immediately turned toward her. Honestly, neither of them could imagine what could possibly be more important than figuring out how Leonard somehow became pregnant.
Fors stared directly at Leonard.
“…Who’s the father?”
The room instantly fell silent again. Emlyn slowly turned toward Leonard too, eyes burning with curiosity and horror.
Leonard blanked out for several seconds. He had never done anything with anyone before. Then, that night suddenly surfaced in his mind.
Leonard’s already pale face somehow became even whiter.
Fors immediately noticed his reaction. And her own expression slowly stiffened too.
“…Wait.”
Emlyn also seemed to realize something at the same time. The atmosphere in the room became increasingly terrifying.
Fors struggled briefly before finally forcing herself to speak. “…Could it be…”
She could not even finish the sentence.
Leonard lowered his head slightly, fingers trembling faintly.
“…It’s him…The World.”
Silence. Then Emlyn covered his face immediately.
“Fuck.” He took a deep breath. “This is officially the worst day of my life.”
Fors looked equally horrified.
“What are we supposed to do now?” She immediately stood up anxiously. “I’ll pray to Mr. Fool—”
Before she could do anything, Leonard suddenly grabbed her wrist weakly.
“Please don’t.”
“…Why?”
Leonard lowered his gaze.
“Because if He knows…” His voice became quieter and quieter. “Then The World will know too.”
The room suddenly fell silent.
“I don’t want to burden him right now.”
Fors frowned immediately. “Burden him? Leonard, what are you talking about? This is important.”
Leonard forced out a laugh, but it sounded fragile.
“He already sacrificed so much just to reach this point.” Leonard laughed weakly. “I don’t want to become another problem he has to worry about.”
“But Leonard—”
“And honestly…” Leonard laughed softly again, though this time it sounded even more bitter. “What if he doesn’t even want this?”
Both Fors and Emlyn immediately stiffened.
Leonard lowered his head further.
“That night happened because both of us lost control emotionally.” His voice became quieter. “Maybe if Klein was awake right now, he would just see this as a troublesome accident.”
“Leonard.” Fors’s voice softened instantly.
But Leonard kept talking as though he could not stop anymore.
“He already has so many responsibilities now… so many things only he can carry.” Leonard lowered his gaze. “And now suddenly I’m pregnant with his child?”
Leonard rubbed his face tiredly.
“Doesn’t that sound ridiculous?”
Fors suddenly felt her chest tighten painfully. Because Leonard genuinely believed that.
Before Fors could continue, Emlyn finally stepped in.
“If Leonard doesn’t want to inform him yet, then let’s respect that decision.” Emlyn glanced toward Fors quickly before adding carefully, “For now.”
Fors immediately turned toward him with an expression that clearly said you are on thin ice.
Emlyn silently looked away.
“…Thanks, Emlyn,” Leonard muttered tiredly.
Still, Fors clearly had no intention of letting this matter go so easily.
“At the very least,” she said firmly, “we need to hold a meeting.”
Leonard immediately looked up. “Fors—”
Before he could refuse again, Fors interrupted him softly.
“Leonard.” Her voice became unusually gentle. “You and Mr. World are both members of the Tarot Club.”
“That means this matter concerns us too.”
“We’re your friends.”
Leonard froze slightly.
Fors continued carefully, as though afraid pushing too hard would make Leonard retreat again.
“No one is forcing you to tell Mr. Fool immediately.” She smiled reassuringly. “We won’t even conduct the gathering under the gray fog.”
“We’ll just gather the members currently available in Backlund and think of solutions together, okay?”
“You don’t have to handle this alone.”
Leonard stared at her quietly.
For the first time since hearing the news, the panic in his chest seemed to calm slightly.
“…Fine,” he finally whispered.
Fors immediately let out a small sigh of relief.
She quickly wrote down an address and handed it to both Leonard and Emlyn.
“Tomorrow morning. This is Ms. Justice’s residence.” Fors explained. “I’ll inform Ms. Justice and Ms. Judgment tonight.”
The two nodded silently.
Afterward, Fors personally accompanied Leonard back home. Yet when they finally arrived outside 7 Pinster Street, Leonard stopped walking. He stood there quietly, staring at the familiar house in silence, as though suddenly afraid to step inside.
How was he supposed to face Old Man now?
Leonard let out a tired sigh. Well… what had to come would come eventually.
Pushing open the door, Leonard immediately saw Pallez sitting on the sofa reading casually.
Hearing the door open, Pallez looked up instinctively. Then he noticed Leonard’s terrible complexion and exhausted appearance.
Pallez frowned.
Without asking anything first, he helped Leonard sit down, handing him a cup of water.
“What happened?” Pallez asked slowly. “I thought you were going out to relax today.”
Leonard stared blankly at the cup in his hands for several seconds, then quietly said
“…I’m pregnant.”
Silence.
“…What?”
Leonard lowered his head further. “I’m pregnant with Klein’s child.”
This time, even Pallez completely froze. For the first time in a very long while, the ancient angel genuinely looked stunned.
A thousand emotions flashed through him at once—shock, disbelief, confusion.
And strangely enough… Anger.
Not toward Leonard.
Toward Klein.
Pallez knew full well that the current Lord of Mysteries was Klein, a part of him felt like his “grandson” had somehow been tricked away by some terrifying existence.
“…Is it because of that night?”
Leonard’s fingers tightened slightly around the cup.
“…Yeah.”
The night Klein suddenly came to Leonard’s house.
The night Pallez knowingly left the house to give the two of them privacy.
Pallez suddenly felt overwhelming regret.
Maybe he should have stayed.
Maybe he should have stopped something.
Maybe—
“Some Tarot Club members and I are having a meeting tomorrow,” Leonard interrupted quietly. “Would you come with me?”
Pallez looked at Leonard properly then. Leonard looked exhausted. Lost. Terrified. Like he was barely holding himself together.
Normally, Pallez would already be scolding him endlessly at a moment like this. But now… Pallez only sighed quietly before reaching out and gently stroking Leonard’s back.
“Of course,” he answered softly.