Beyond the Personal Estate Gates

Her pace dropped just a bit as sunlight touched the red strands of her hair, setting them aglow. A quiet hush followed each footfall on the dew-damp path.

This spot, she whispered, her tone quieter than normal.

Right away, Leon caught the change, peeking sideways to look at her.

Aria moved through the garden with arms crossed, not tight, just resting there. Purple strands - long, royal-colored - drifted like water behind her. She looked at the buildings nearby, eyes cutting slow from one stone edge to another. The way she watched made it seem like she was measuring more than walls.

"The architecture alone must have taken decades," she said thoughtfully. "Look at the symmetry of the towers... and those marble pillars. Nothing here was built without purpose."

Cynthia moved several paces back, those steady dark eyes tracing how the garden unfolded. Noticing paths first - then how trees stood, spaced just so. Even the lanterns near the water caught her attention, settled where stone met shadow.

"Every line is intentional," she said after a moment. "The pathways guide movement naturally. The bridges control visibility across the water. Even the flower beds are positioned to frame the main palace behind them."

For a moment she stopped, then continued speaking

"Nothing here feels random."

Close to Kyra, Syra drew near, her words slipping softer, as if guarding a hidden truth.

"Tell me something," she whispered with a crooked grin. "Did we seriously spend two full days locked inside the estate while this existed outside?"

A small smile tugged at Kyra’s mouth when she looked over. Her eyes met the other woman’s, soft with a hint of laughter.

"I don’t think any of us were complaining," she replied calmly.

Syra snorted.

"That’s not the point."

Just ahead, Leon gave a tiny shake of his head. Not much movement, barely more than a flicker, yet it shut down the murmurs at his back like a switch flipped. Every syllable had reached him - he caught everything, always - yet silence was his reply this time.

Onward they moved, following the stony trail curving between garden rows of the palace grounds.

Mia moved at the rear next to Cassidy, pace lagging behind the rest. Upward her eyes wandered constantly, pulled by the immense palace walls peeking through branches above. Seen from here, it loomed unnaturally huge, like the stone was silently keeping watch on every part of the land.

A whisper slipped through her lips, shaky at first. Then a pause - like she wasn’t sure it belonged.

"It feels... larger than Moonstone Palace," she whispered.

Up ahead, Sona traced the look, eyes landing on pale spires rising high. The corner of her mouth lifted, just slightly.

That’s right, she said, without fuss.

Lira tipped her head a touch, eyes moving across the stretched courtyards and still gardens lying between the stone buildings.

Far off, her words came soft. A quiet hush followed after she spoke them.

Natasha moved forward first, arms folded tight across her chest.

"That’s because Leon designed most of the renovations himself."

Right away, people started noticing.

Several of the women turned toward him.

You did? Chloe said it like she wasn’t sure what to think. Her voice lifted at the end, soft but sharp with disbelief.

A flicker of movement caught the edge of Leon’s eye. He turned, slow and unhurried, face loose like a man weighing flower pots instead of stone columns and throne rooms.

"Most of the internal gardens," he said. "Some of the defensive structures too."

A flicker of doubt crossed Tsubaki’s face as her eyebrow rose. Her gaze tightened, just a fraction, like she wasn’t quite buying it.

"You designed a palace while preparing for war?"

A little shrug came from Leon, like the reply should’ve been clear all along.

"Efficiency."

A hush hung for just a moment. Out came a snort from Rias, laughter breaking loose. Her crimson eyes swept upward like she’d heard the oldest joke in the world.

"Madman."

Some of them let out soft laughter, barely audible. Others stayed silent but couldn’t hide the quiet amusement in their eyes.

A quiet smile tugged at Leon’s lips, showing he’d faced those words before. He stayed silent, letting the moment pass without reply.

Might have nodded along, just a little.

Forward they moved again. The team pushed on without pause.

A hush settled between them when stepping past the first courtyard. The air grew heavier, though no one spoke of it.

Fans of green space saw more room to wander as the grounds spread out. Beyond neat rows of bushes and blossoming branches, pathways made of stone reached deeper into the landscape. Quiet figures carved from marble kept watch near splashing basins, where liquid moved in soft, steady trails.

Few noticed how different things looked, yet the shifts went deeper than sight alone.

Footsteps on the path caught the attention of armed guards nearby. They shifted their stance, eyes narrowing at the movement ahead.

A single guard stood there at the start.

His posture stiffened the moment his eyes landed on Leon.

Then another soldier further down the path straightened abruptly.

Then another.

Like a ripple moving through still water, the reaction spread along the patrol line.

Helmets turned.

Armor shifted.

Boots planted firmly against the stone.

Hands struck breastplates in sharp salute.

"Greeting your Majesty!"

The voices rose together, echoing through the garden paths and between the white marble pillars.

Leon acknowledged them with small nods as he walked past, his stride steady and unhurried.

No dramatic gestures. No speeches.

Just quiet recognition.

His wives followed his lead.

Sona offered a graceful smile.

Lira inclined her head politely.

Tsubaki gave a firm but respectful nod.

Even Natasha, arms still crossed, dipped her chin slightly as they passed the soldiers.

To the guards, the moment was simple—just a royal procession moving through the palace grounds.

But for Leon’s wives...

It felt very different.

Because while Leon’s expression remained calm, almost routine—

His wives were quietly amazed.

They had arrived in Nagarath two days ago, yet until now they had barely stepped beyond the quiet luxury of Leon’s private estate. The world outside those gates had remained a distant rumor—something spoken about in reports and court discussions, but never truly seen.

Now that veil lifted.

As they walked beside Leon, the full scale of the royal palace slowly revealed itself.