TYND 111

Even when morning came, the liquid wasn’t complete. Rothy stamped his feet impatiently. But that didn’t make the trimule work any faster.

“Rothy. Put off today’s work.”

“No. I won’t become an irresponsible adult who abandons their duties just because I’m excited and can’t concentrate.”

Rothy steeled his resolve and went to work.

After diligently handling his duties and returning with Theon in the evening, he found that a clear, beautiful liquid had been completed, as if bestowed from above.

Rothy drank the liquid all at once while Theon and everyone else watched.

As soon as he drank it, he couldn’t resist the overwhelming sleepiness and fell asleep.

After sleeping deeply without any dreams and opening his eyes…

“…!”

Rothy bolted upright.

“Are you awake?”

Chiik.

Rothy felt the gentle touch surrounding his back and the small weight jumping into his embrace while examining his entire body thoroughly.

Lengthened arms and legs and a changed height of vision.

Rothy hurriedly got out of bed. He didn’t even notice that this wasn’t the Archduke’s bedroom where he’d fallen asleep, but a secluded secret villa far from the mansion.

Like a bumblebee startled to find pollen all over its body after waking up, Rothy waved his arms and touched his legs, examining his entire body.

When he staggered, Theon supported him.

“You slept for two whole days, and your physique has changed. It’s dangerous to move suddenly.”

“Theon!”

“Yes.”

“My arms and legs got longer.”

“So they did.”

“I got so much taller…!”

“You did.”

“Theon’s face is right here. It used to be much farther away.”

“Is that so?”

Rothy bounced around with joy while measuring the height difference between himself and Theon.

Theon smiled and sat Rothy on the bed, bringing a full-length mirror in front of him.

Rothy couldn’t sit still and got up again, spinning around in front of the mirror.

“Wooooooah.”

Chiiiiiiiik.

“Waaaaah.”

Chiiiiiiiik.

White hair grown to his shoulders, height increased by over 10cm, arms and legs without a single scar.

It was disappointing that his eyes didn’t become deep like Theon’s and remained round, but he had definitely grown.

Now he looked like someone no one would ever describe as a young boy.

“Chi-chi, look. I became an adult. I grew so much.”

Chii. Chii.

“Look at this. It’s still spacious even when I hold you with one hand. My hands have gotten bigger, though not as big as Theon’s.”

Chik.

Chi-chi also seemed amazed, traveling around Rothy’s hands, arms, waist and chest, nape, shoulders, face, and crown of his head, continuously making squeak sounds.

“Rothy. If you keep spinning like that, you’ll get a headache.”

“Yeah… I’m getting a little dizzy.”

Rothy nestled into Theon’s embrace and checked their height difference again.

“Looking up from here, you’re even more handsome…”

“Thank you. Let’s wash up and eat first. I’ll have the meal brought to the room.”

“I want to eat outside. But what time is it now? I have to work today too…”

“You have three days off starting today. This is a villa.”

“Oh, right. That’s what we planned.”

They had arranged vacation time in advance after taking the growth medicine. Since they didn’t know how long he’d sleep, they initially set it for three days.

After Rothy finished washing and preparing to go out, Theon simply lifted him up and held him in his arms.

“I don’t want to get carried around.”

“Your physique has changed, so I need to know how to carry you comfortably.”

Rothy thought for a moment and nodded.

“Yeah… that makes sense.”

Rothy rubbed his bottom against Theon’s forearm, finding a comfortable position.

For the next half day, Rothy bounced around the villa.

“My goodness, Lord Rothy! You’ve truly grown into a beautiful young man. If a snow fairy grew up to become a snow spirit, they would look like this.”

Only the minimum guards and attendants had accompanied them to this villa, and naturally Chungnip was one of the chosen few. Chungnip admired him enough to satisfy Rothy, and next was Ultje’s turn. Ultje had to express admiration using words Chungnip hadn’t used.

“Is this really Lord Rothy? You’ve grown beyond recognition. I wasn’t even this proud when my own son grew up. Seeing you become an adult like this brings tears to my eyes.”

Ultje genuinely reddened his eyes.

Next was Jay.

“My, Lord Rothy has become such a grown young man that from now on I can ask you to help push the snow shovel when clearing the snow piled in front of the mansion!”

It was the highest praise a cleaning enthusiast could give.

“Now that you’ve become such a big adult, we can begin serious muscle training!”

Likewise, Seon also showed the greatest admiration a fitness enthusiast could offer.

In Naran’s case, he said this,

“Now you’re about the same height as me.”

Actually there was quite a difference, but the world needs kind lies sometimes.

Anyway, thanks to everyone showering him with such varied praise, Rothy was floating on cloud nine the whole time.

The servants who didn’t know the situation were very surprised that the Archduke consort, who had been “this small” just before, had appeared “this big.”

Theon roughly explained that Rothy’s growth had been suppressed due to some personal magical experiments he’d been conducting, but now that the magical experiments were complete, he had grown. He planned to use the same excuse when they returned to the mansion. What could anyone do if they didn’t believe it? The Archduke said so.

“Rothy, let’s go inside now.”

“Okay.”

After finishing watching the sunset, Theon guided Rothy’s steps back to the villa.

Rothy walked fairly well. This ‘fairly well’ meant the same as before, and the same as before meant that he still often stumbled, got his feet tangled, staggered, or misjudged distances and almost bumped into things.

But since this body wouldn’t change anymore, he would become very skilled with time.

Ultje, Chungnip, Jay and others were pacing at the villa’s main entrance when they welcomed the two returning from their walk.

“Finished your walk? Lord Rothy, shall I bring you some bread or refreshments?”

“I’m too full to eat more.”

“Your appetite is still small.”

“But Theon might want to eat. Theon, do you want bread or sweets?”

Theon shook his head and said to Ultje,

“Don’t send anyone up to the second floor. If I need anything, I’ll come down. And for the next three days, leave thin soup, soft bread, and high-calorie drinks by the door every morning, lunch, and dinner.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Even after returning to the bedroom, Rothy paced in front of the mirror admiring his enlarged body. Then drowsiness hit him so suddenly that Theon had to wash him personally.

When he laid the fluffy and warm Rothy on the bed, he looked up with sleepy, blinking eyes.

“I shouldn’t sleep… Wake me up quickly, Theon… I can’t fall asleep yet…”

“Why not? Don’t think about work. You can sleep comfortably.”

“It’s not about work…”

Rothy said while yawning.

“The first night…”

“……”

“I’m twenty years old now. A complete adult… I’m going to have my first night with Theon…”

It wasn’t something to say while holding a ferret.

Theon brushed Rothy’s bangs aside and kissed his round forehead.

“We’ll have our first night when you’re used to this body.”

Of course, he didn’t plan to hold back forever, but he had even less intention of embracing Rothy immediately after he became an adult. If there was anything he wanted now, it was simply for the side effect of sleepiness not to last too long.

“Then… if I don’t almost fall even once all day… that day will be our first night. Got it…?”

“Yes. I understand, so go to sleep quickly.”

Mmm… Rothy mumbled and fell asleep.

How much time would need to pass before he wouldn’t almost fall even once all day?

Theon hoped it would be within a year as he caressed Rothy’s cheek.

And that day came sooner than he thought.

About four months later, Theon and Rothy came to the villa again. This time it was for a different purpose than before.

‘Theon! I didn’t fall once today. I didn’t even stumble or bump into anything. I’m completely used to this body!’

That’s what Rothy said as he jumped into Theon’s arms when the grandly celebrated first adult birthday banquet, one of the most magnificent in imperial history, ended. Even Theon hadn’t expected it to take only four months, but Rothy had adapted to his enlarged body faster than expected.

It was welcome news for Theon too, so… after handling all urgent business, he moved up their vacation and came to this villa.

“Don’t send anyone up to the second floor. If I need anything, I’ll come down. And for the next three days, leave thin soup, soft bread, and high-calorie drinks by the door every morning, lunch, and dinner.”

It was an instruction with a different meaning than before.

“……”

“……”

Theon actually widened his eyes at the reproachful gazes.

Amid the pouring criticism, he put his arm around Rothy’s waist and headed to the bedroom.

The guards and attendants didn’t follow them up to the villa’s third floor, but Naran followed them to the end.

Theon let Rothy enter first and tried to close the door. However, Naran wedged his staff in the door gap.

The former assassin guard mage, who had somehow grown as tall as Chungnip, glared at Theon.

“Are you really not coming out of the bedroom for three days?”

“That’s right.”

“……”

“……”

The former assassin guard mage, also skilled in dark magic, sent a fierce gaze as if he might commit insubordination at any moment.

“Theon? Naran?”

Rothy peeked his head out from beside Theon.

“Why is the atmosphere like this? What’s wrong? You’re not going to fight, are you…?”

Seeing Rothy’s green eyes well up with tears, Naran quickly backed away.

“Lord Rothy. If anything becomes too difficult or… painful, send me a telepathy. I’ll be downstairs.”

“With Theon here, I doubt I’d have reason to be in pain. But if that happens, I’ll definitely send telepathy. Don’t worry.”

Naran shot one last glare at Theon before turning away.

Theon closed the door.

“Chi-chi, it’s been a while since we’ve been to the villa, right? Good things always happen when we come here.”

Chiii.

Rothy grabbed Chi-chi and moved its front paws around while spinning around the room.

Theon gently caught the fluttering, dancing Rothy and sat him on the bed. Rothy looked up with bright, round eyes.

Theon smoothly stroked Rothy’s long hair and caressed his delicate nape with his other hand.

Realizing what was about to happen, Rothy’s cheeks instantly flushed.

Theon pressed his lips to the rosy cheeks.

And so… began the three trials that would be remembered as the most difficult and challenging of all the hardships he had experienced in his lifetime.