TYND 26

He’s terribly perceptive.

The restaurant was lively, almost overwhelmingly so. Friends, lovers, families sat together, their conversations weaving into a tapestry of warmth. The atmosphere that swelled with joy was a stark, suffocating contrast to the battlefield. Theon, who’d half his life on the frontlines, felt out of place. It was like wearing clothes that didn’t fit. 

There were no screams of agony, no wails of despair, no roars of death—only laughter. The war was over. And this was the life he was meant to belong to now. Theon glanced at the other tables. Their faces mirrored his own—awkward, uneasy, each of them looking like they might bolt at any moment. 

“Theon… are you alright?”

Rothy asked again, his voice soft, his green eyes wide and searching. No sixteen-year-old should look like that—too cautious, too careful. 

“What I mean is, is it too scary…? We could eat upstairs, I’d be fine with that.”

If Rothy hadn’t been there, Theon wouldn’t have bothered staying. Peace be damned. 

But—

“Should we take it upstairs…?”

Rothy shifted in his seat as though ready to move at a moment’s notice. The look in his eyes, the hesitant tremor in his voice gave Theon his answer. 

“I’m fine. I’m not scared. Just uncomfortable.”

“Oh, but—…”

“It’s a new era now. We’ve got to adapt. We can’t avoid crowded places forever just because they make us feel awkward.”

Rothy stared at Theon, unblinking, weighing his words. Those green eyes met Theon’s with a piercing clarity. He knew Rothy understood what he was really saying. 

You must adapt too.

You’ve left the archmage’s lab behind.

Those cruel, hellish experiments are over. You can now claim a noisy, messy life like everyone else here. 

That was what Theon’s words carried, and Rothy understood it completely. 

“Yeah… You’re right.”

Rothy lowered his gaze, but not before a fleeting shadow of resignation crossed his eyes. That was when Theon realised his mistake. It was foolish and cruel to tell a child he was free when he didn’t feel that way.

He’s completely given up on the future.

Of course, Rothy wasn’t really safe yet. For now, he was here under the pretext of the northern front’s need for magic stones and his status as Theon’s fiancée. But Harrié Geelin wasn’t someone that’d give up on the living magic stone, and Theon couldn’t hide Rothy’s existence in Araxys forever. 

One day, the truth would come out. 

Rothy’s war wasn’t over yet, and no one knew that better than he did. The table stayed silent until the food arrived. The course meal they ordered was served all at once at Theon’s request. True to his usual eating habits, Rothy felt full after eating just the bread and soup. However, he kept holding his fork and pretended to eat until Theon finished his meal—a piece of etiquette he’d learnt from Ultje. 

“Theon, can I give this to Chi-chi?”

Rothy pointed at the leftover lamb and asked. When Theon nodded, he placed the weasel on the table. The drowsy creature cracked open its eyes halfway as the meat was placed before it and began to eat. Rothy diligently cut the meat with a knife and fork and fed it. 

“You know, Chi-chi’s really cute,” he said as he fed the weasel. 

“Yes, I know.”

“Chi-chi’s fur is white as snow.”

“I know. The same as your hair.”

“Yeah… But Theon, Chi-chi listen really well, too.”

“I know.”

“Chi-chi’s eyes are the same colour as yours.”

“I know.”

Theon felt pathetic, aware he’d been only saying ‘I know’ repeatedly. 

Was I always so easily swayed by my emotions?

He’d actually planned to ask Rothy something today. He wanted to know exactly what magic Yolone Sirin had taught him and what experiments he’d endured by probing gently after lightening the mood. But now, he just couldn’t bring himself to ask. 

This white-haired, curly-headed boy, like a snow fairy, had turned Theon into someone ruled by his emotions. 

“Chi-chi dances really well too.”

“Dance?”

Rothy suddenly grabbed the weasel’s torse with both hands and stood it upright on the table. The weasel flinched. Still holding its body, he lifted the creature’s front paws, swaying them left and right.  

“Da-dan. Dan-dan-da-ra. Da-dan. Da-ra-dan-dan.” 

Like a little dance……

The weasel’s long, sleek body wobbled limply and swayed in Rothy’s hands, moving wherever he directed it. Its resigned expression made it clear this wasn’t the first time it’d been made to dance.

“Isn’t it adorable?”

“Yes… it’s adorable.”

Screeeee…

The weasel let out a low, drawn-out squeal of indignation, though Rothy didn’t seem to notice.

“Theon, do you want to try…? Chi-chi won’t bite,” Rothy said while handing the weasel to him. Both Theon and Chi-chi looked equally horrified. 

Screeeeeeee! Screeeeeeeeeeeeeee! 

The weasel, in Theon’s hand, began squirming immediately, desperate to escape. 

“Chi-chi… What’s wrong? You’re a calm, obedient weasel, aren’t you? Just stay still…alright? Aren’t you a good and well-behaved weasel…?”

Rothy’s green eyes glistened with unshed tears as he pleaded softly. The weasel sighed dramatically, letting out a soft puff of air before begrudgingly relaxed its body. 

“Go ahead, Theon. Make him dance.”

Theon moved the weasel as his young archduchess requested, though his movements were clumsier and rougher than Rothy’s. 

“So adorable.” Rothy smiled blissfully. Both Theon and the weasel felt relieved. When the dance ended, Theon set the weasel down. It quickly scurried back to the little cradle Rothy had made and began grooming itself furiously. 

“Whenever you’re having a rough day, making Chi-chi dance will definitely cheer you up.”

“I see.”

“But as cute as Chi-chi is, its magic power isn’t much, only 100 wyons. That’s why Chi-chi has no value for magic.”

“I see— What?”

Theon had answered half-heartedly, but then turned to face Rothy, his eyes narrowed without meaning to. The chill in his gaze made the child shrink back, his shoulders hunching nervously. 

“It’s true… Chi-chi isn’t worth experimenting or researching on. It’s just a leftover test subject with only 100 wyons of magic… But it listens well and is this adorable. So Chi-chi can stay with you, Theon… Chi-chi doesn’t need to go to PLEIN……”

Theon understood what Rothy was trying to say. He was quietly pleading; even if he were dragged back to the laboratory someday, he was asking for this small creature to remain by Theon’s side. It wasn’t the first time he’d made such a request. 

Rothy stroked the weasel nervously, glancing at Theon. The weasel perked up its ears, glancing back and forth between Theon and Rothy, almost as if it understood their conversation. 

“The weasel won’t want to leave your side.”

“I know. But Chi-chi’s magical ability is so insignificant, it can’t follow me. You can take care of him, Theon……”

“It’s an animal you’ve tamed, that means you’re responsible for him until the end.”

Rothy didn’t reply, knowing he couldn’t keep that promise.

Silence hung over the table. 

In the loud and bustling restaurant, it felt as though a bubble of quiet had enveloped them. Theon, hoping he didn’t appear as cold as before, spoke again. 

“I used to have a pet too. Its name was Chase. And when it was fully grown, he was bigger than you’re now.”

Rothy’s eyes went wide.

“When I decided to join the Human-Demon War, the portal was broken, so I’d to take a carriage to the front line. Chase followed the carriage, running it without rest for three days and two nights. No matter how many times we sent it back, he kept escaping and following my scent. In the end, I’d no choice but to take him into the battlefield with me. I can confidently say, Chase was the bravest war dog on the battlefield.”

“I’ve…never seen Chase.”

“He passed away ten years ago and now rests with Seará. But he left behind plenty of offspring. When we get to the estate, you’ll be able to see Chase’s grandchildren. I hope you’ll find one you like.”

“They’d need to get along with Chi-chi. Chi-chi’s shy around strangers and scares easily……”

“Then you’ll need to be there for him. A tamed beast, if separated from its owner, wastes away and withers to death. For your weasel to stay healthy as it is now, you’ve to keep giving him your trust and care. Just like I stayed by Chase’s side until the end.”

“But… if he stays with me, Chi-chi will suffer and hurt a lot.”

His words came from experience, and another heavy silence fell between them. 

“It’s different from your Chase, Theon. You could protect Chase. I can’t protect Chi-chi. I hope you’ll grant me this request…”

Chi-chi, sensing Rothy’s distress, abandoned the piece of lamb he’d been chewing and scampered down to Rothy’s lap. It rubbed its white fur against his fidgeting fingers, doing its best to offer comfort. Rothy, in turn, hugged the creature tightly, and the weasel licked Rothy’s fingers earnestly. 

Sreee, scree…

It turned to Theon, its red eyes glaring fiercely, looking every bit like Rothy’s protector. 

“Rothy, when did you start raising Chi-chi?”

“Chi-chi’s six years old, so… for six years…”

That meant Rothy had been with the creature almost since the beginning of his time in the lab. Theon thought about how long he and Chi-chi must’ve relied on each other for comfort in the archmage’s laboratory. 

The constant cycle of new children and weasels arriving, only to end up as corpses discarded in the cold storage must’ve been traumatising. He could picture it vividly: a trembling boy clutching a small weasel to his chest, and that weasel licking the boy’s fingers in a desperate attempt to calm him.