"Please, don't let her words bother you," Leo said, a hint of fluster evident in his tone. He was taken aback by Minerva's remarks, but when Hera heard him, she burst into merry laughter at his adorable concern. Leo's impeccably handsome face crinkled slightly as he regarded Hera with a worried expression, unsure of how to ease her distress.
"I'm not giving her words a second thought. They're not even worth my attention," Hera stated firmly, then turned to Leo with a serious expression. "Anyway, I appreciate your help today. If you hadn't shown up when you did, who knows how long Alexi would have kept holding onto my arm like that." Her tone was teasing, but there was truth behind her words. She genuinely didn't know how long Alexi would have continued to cling to her arm, or why he still tried to engage her in conversation when their relationship had long been over.