TYND 59

TL: motokare

Rothy continued to chirp cheerfully, but Theon wasn’t fooled. He’d caught the disappointment hidden in his voice and in that moment, it struck him like lightning. 

I’m not acting like myself.

He knew he could protect Rothy anywhere, anytime. He knew he could keep him safe without limiting his freedom. He’d always been certain of that, but here he was, behaving like a coward. When had he become so fearful? Was it since facing Maton’s labyrinth in Siren’s Sea? Or had the assassination attempt a few days ago unsettled him more than he wanted to admit? If Rothy hadn’t quickly spotted the curse magic… he might genuinely have failed to protect him. The mere thought made his blood run cold.

“Theon… you don’t have to come and play. I know you’re busy with work…”

Theon remained silent, looking terribly grave and that made Rothy’s voice grow quieter. He wriggled the blanket up until it covered his nose and watched with his big, round eyes.

Screee!

The weasel struck Theon’s hand with its front paws as if telling him to snap out of it. Rothy gasped and hugged the weasel to his chest. The sudden jolt had managed to bring Theon out of his thoughts. 

“Get some sleep now. We’ll leave early tomorrow. Elsea Falls has no portal, so we’ll need to ride in a carriage for three hours.”

“We’re going to Elsea Falls?”

“Yes.”

“We… can go? Really?”

“Really.”

Rothy’s face brightened immediately. Theon pulled the blanket down to Rothy’s chest and patted him with his hand. He could feel Rothy’s heart was racing. 

“But you don’t need to force yourself because of me. I can have fun at the mansion too. I’m absolutely not being stubborn. If you say no, I’ll accept and understand.”

“I know that. You haven’t been stubborn. Actually, I want to go. It’s been sixteen years since I last visited Elsea Falls.”

Theon smiled gently to reassure Rothy. Thinking about it, this was actually an opportunity.

I should order the assassins to be interrogated while Rothy is away from the estate.

If they used magic during the questioning, Rothy might sense it.

“Thank you. Theon… please tell me if there’s anything I can help with. I want to be useful to you.”

“You’re already helping plenty. This recent incident proves that.” 

Theon brushed Rothy’s fringe aside and planted a goodnight kiss on his pale forehead. It’d become their bedtime ritual over time. Rothy smiled brightly and wrapped his arms around Theon’s neck.

A slow smile curved Theon’s lips at the sweet scent touching his nose and the soft skin against his. Elsea Falls was described as a place you could never leave once you visited. Not for any terrifying or horrible reason, but because the scenery was so beautiful and mysterious that people wanted to stay there forever. There was actually a village called ‘Entra’ on the foothills of Mount Elsea where such people gathered to live. It was too large to be called a mountain village—it was practically a city.

There was a separate area for regular tourists, while Entra, formed by these new residents, only allowed accommodation for prestigious figures like nobles, wealthy merchants, tower masters, heads of magical organisations, academy professors, guild masters, and mercenary leaders.

In other words, only the most distinguished individuals were permitted to stay. 

Unlike other retreats that served as social hubs, Entra had become a ‘secretive getaway’ for the northern nobility. If the usual resorts were for networking, this was for seclusion and quiet relaxation. There was a clear unspoken rule to not speak to others outside ballrooms or party rooms. If someone had attendants, the attendants could interact with each other, but if someone came without attendants, it meant ‘I want to rest quietly’, and they shouldn’t be approached.

For Theon and Rothy, it was the perfect place to rest undisturbed.

“Even if you don’t need guards, you’ll need someone for errands, Your Grace. At least take me with you.”

“If I bring attendants, everyone will approach us. I want him to rest quietly.”

Theon left behind the worried Ultje, packed the luggage himself, and came here with just Rothy. 

“This is the room with the best view in Entra. You can see the waterfall right below. Originally, it was reserved by Master Peideye, but he gladly gave it up when he heard Your Graces were coming.”

“Peideye as in the head of the Peideye Merchant Guild? I’ll be sure to remember that.”

Peideye Zormilne was one of the top three merchants not only in Falsen and the North but throughout the entire Empire. He was more than twice Theon’s age and had received a title from the previous emperor for his great contributions to the empire. As someone respected by the empire’s people, Theon needed to remember to thank him. 

The staff, polite and efficient, guided them to their suite and quietly left. The sheer size of it was staggering. It was a vast space with three living rooms plus a bedroom, study, small theatre, bath, swimming pool, and office. Cowed, Rothy clutched Theon’s hand tightly.

“It’s really big… I might get lost here. You always have to stay with me, Theon. You’re big so you’d be found quickly, but I’m small so I wouldn’t be easy to find…”

“Is that so? Then we’ll have to keep holding hands from now on.”

“That’s right. We have to keep holding hands.”

Theon smiled as he rubbed Rothy’s soft hand with his fingers.

Screee…

The weasel sighed on Rothy’s shoulder before climbing down his body. As always, it began busily exploring and checking the surroundings. With Chi-chi around, Rothy wouldn’t become lost even if separated from him. 

After touring the room, Theon unpacked their luggage in the bedroom that boasted the best view. They’d only planned to stay for two days, but the Ultje had packed ten sets of clothes for Theon and Rothy combined. After hanging the clothes on hangers, Rothy fingered a thick navy-blue coat first.

“I’m going to wear navy, and if you wear navy too, we’ll really look like a married couple.”

“What a coincidence. I wanted to wear a navy coat too.”

“Really? Great. Then I’ll make Chi-chi wear something navy as well.”

“Get yourself changed first.”

“Alright!”

Rothy immediately stripped off his clothes. 

“……”

Theon turned his back and began changing as well. 

Elsea Falls had a history of fatal slipping and falling accidents, and Rothy was a boy who could trip over thin air even on flat ground. Bearing that in mind, Ultje had sent along specially made non-slip shoes. Theon knelt in front of Rothy and put the shoes on him personally. Small feet in small shoes. It felt like putting shoes on a twelve or thirteen-year-old boy rather than a sixteen-year-old. After tightly tying the shoelaces and standing up, Rothy cocked his head questioningly.

“Why aren’t you wearing these shoes as well? They say you won’t slip even when walking near water.”

“I don’t need to wear them.”

“Is it because there’s only one pair? Then you should wear them… I’ll stay in your arms.”

The suggestion that he’d stay in Theon’s arms throughout the tour sounded sweet and appealing, but unfortunately, these shoes were too small. Not even Theon’s fingers would fit inside them.

“I should’ve packed yours too. What should we do…”

“Rothy, even if I fall, I won’t get hurt.” 

“No one in the world’s immune to getting hurt. You were injured many times on the battlefield… You need to walk carefully. Don’t run… watch the ground as you walk.”

“Alright.”

Theon kissed the worried cheek and lifted the small body into his arms.

Scree!

Chi-chi, dressed in a navy-blue outfit embroidered with stars, crossed over to Theon’s shoulder. It’d grown so accustomed to Theon that it’d often perch on his shoulder or even atop his head. After leaving their lodging and passing through a short walking path lined with tall trees, the full view of Elsea Falls finally appeared. 

“Woooooowowow.”

Screeeee!

Even though they’d already seen the view from their room, witnessing it in person seemed to fill Rothy with renewed wonder. The waterfall stood sixty metres high and stretched a thousand metres wide, creating a majestic and grand spectacle. The crisp, refreshing air, the unstoppable cascade of water plunging down with raw force, even from this distance, cool droplets occasionally kissed their foreheads and cheeks. And most importantly,

“This is incredible. The water’s really dark yet so bright. I’ve never seen a waterfall like this before. It’s genuinely beautiful…”

The colour of the waterfall was not blue, but a deep, inky black tinged with sparkling particles of light. With its fantastic colours like a night sky full of stars pouring down, Elsea Falls was also called the ‘Milky Way Waterfall’. 

“Why’s the river water dark blue in colour? What’re those sparkling things inside?”

“A plant called ‘Man of Wisdom’ lives in the gorge above and below the waterfall. The chemical substance it releases makes the water appear dark blue. The sparkling specks are microorganisms that feed on the chemical.”

“That’s so fascinating… So that must be why the waterfall is not as noisy as others. It’s because of the chemicals and the microorganisms.”

“Yes. The microorganisms absorb the sound.”

Theon fondly touched Rothy’s flushed cheek, impressed that he could infer so much from just one piece of information. While it was meant as praise, touching Rothy’s squishy cheeks like this was something Theon enjoyed.