TYND 91
by Cherry“Does Your Grace remember the Magic Stone Harvest Festival? It was a very grand festival where the late emperor attended, along with the Saint of Solten, and the royal family of Givarche.”
“I remember. The last time it was held, I was ten.”
“Has it been that long already?”
The elderly retainers were suddenly overcome with fresh nostalgia, and beside him, Rothy was swept up in a different kind of sentiment.
“Ten-year-old Theon… he must’ve been so adorable.”
“Lord Rothy, have you not seen His Grace’s childhood portraits?”
“I have. I even hung one in my bedroom because he was too adorable.”
“He really was adorable, wasn’t he? He was famous for being a handsome boy with black hair and red eyes. Even though he was cold and aloof then as he is now, that sullen face was still so endearing that he neared the nickname ‘Winter Blossom’.”
“Winter Blossom? Oh, what am I going to do with that? That’s so fitting and adorable…”
Theon tensed slightly, worried that Rothy might start calling him ‘Lord Blossom’ right then and there. But Rothy apparently had something more pressing on his mind.
“But Theon isn’t cold at all. I thought he was at first, but he’s actually really warm and sweet. Do people still misunderstand and think he’s cold? That would be so sad…”
“Ah…”
Count Yemvei looked at Theon and smiled.
“How nice to have a spouse who takes your side.”
“Yes. This is what I live for.”
“You’re not giving your loyal retainers any fun to tease you with.”
Count Yemvei grumbled lightly before continuing.
“Lord Rothy, actually here’s a new nickname for His Grace that’s been going around these days.”
“Besides ‘Demon of Seará’? What is it?”
“The Embarrassing Northern Husband.”
Pfft—Chungnip, who happened to be drinking water, spat it out. Zey’s face also contorted like she’d heard something bizarre or bitten into an unripe persimmon.
Rothy’s eyes went round.
“Embarrassing… they must be referring to how Theon acts with me…”
Theon felt somewhat shocked. So even Rothy knew his behaviour towards him was embarrassing. If Rothy were to tell him to hold back, he’d lose one of his greatest pleasures in life.
“You’re right. Theon’s really quite tactless. My husband has a bit of an embarrassing side…”
Rothy’s cheeks flushed a light pink. Seeing how pleased he looked, Theon felt relieved that he wouldn’t have to restrain himself.
“But I’m glad we got rid of the ‘demon’ part. Looks like my adorableness actually came in handy.”
“Lord Rothy’s adorableness is the kind that saves the world. But Count, is there no nickname for Lord Rothy?”
“Ah, well—”
When Chungnip asked, Count Yemvei looked away awkwardly, looking somewhat troubled by his question. He hesitated, undecided if he should answer.
“So there’s something, but you can’t say it…?”
Rothy was very quick to catch on.
“I see. It’s fine. You don’t have to tell me. I’m really fine with it.”
Rothy buried his face in Theon’s chest. Theon, in turn, hugged Rothy and glared sternly at Count Yemvei.
That made the count feel all kinds of wrong.
“That isn’t why I hesitated. Lord Rothy’s nickname is ‘The Demon Tamer’.”
In the end, Theon couldn’t shake off the ‘demon’ moniker. That was why the count was reluctant. Rothy lifted his head again and sighed deeply.
“That bloody ‘demon’. I want to get rid of it quickly. I’ll try harder.”
‘That bloody demon’… Rothy used such crude words sometimes. But even that was endearing, so all the adults simply smiled.
“Lord Rothy, do you have a nickname you’d like for His Grace?”
“There’s one nickname I want.”
“What is it?”
Theon asked.
“Tender and Yielding Northern Archduke…”
“……”
“Because Theon actually has this unexpectedly tender side to him…”
“Hmm.”
“I wish everyone would know that the Northern Archduke isn’t a demon, isn’t cold-hearted, but is tender and yielding…”
Even Theon looked uncomfortable at that.
Even Naran Daisy, the usually stoic-looking mage, turned his head away.
Since the Magic Stone Harvest Festival traditionally invited not only the imperial family but also foreign dignitaries, they needed to coordinate and confirm the dates in advance.
Theon first contacted the emperor.
—The North’s Magic Stone Harvest Festival! I’ll finally get to see it with my own eyes, the very festival Mother had praised so highly. Since there’s the princess’s birthday banquet in the eighth month, late seventh month to early eighth month would work well.
“Then we shall hold it in the late seventh month.”
—I’ll bring the empress and the princess as well. Ah, late seventh month in the North isn’t too hot, is it?”
“It’s similar to spring in the capital.”
Unlike the South where the sun scorched the skin, northern summers were bright and sunny so that actually drew many southerners to the north to escape the oppressive heat.
—It’s been a while since I’ve seen Rothy… I’ll finally be able to see for myself the famous Embarrassing Northern Husband. Oh, is this the first you’re hearing it? You’ve got yourself a new nickname.”
“I’m aware.”
—Then do you know this too? Word has it you and I are competing for the title of the century’s most hopeless fool. I’m a fool for my daughter, and you’re a fool for your spouse.
“I’ll definitely win.”
—What? Ha-ha-ha-ha! You’re really the embarrassing one!”
Emperor Dierm roared with laughter, even slapping the table. Theon considered ending the communication but restrained himself since they still had matters to discuss.
—But how come you never come down to the capital even once? Don’t you wish to see my daughter?
“Did we not exchange greetings through the communication orb a short while ago?”
—She’s much more adorable in person! The orb doesn’t capture even half of her real charm.
—I’ll be able to see her during the festival.
—That’s two months from now. A baby changes by the day. You can only see today’s Asheena today.
Emperor Dierm’s face seemed to melt into pure adoration. It made Theon wonder if someone had coined the term ‘hopeless fool’ after seeing this exact expression.
—Ah, my darling Asheena… I wish she’d never grow up…
Theon felt he understood that sentiment. He wanted Rothy to grow, but had it not been for the side effects, he would’ve wished for him to remain a child for a very long time.
“About the watch.”
—Ah, right. You still have no interest in small talk. What’s the great hurry?
The emperor dismissed his attendants in the room, leaving only a few trusted aides behind.
—Continue.
“I’m thinking of showing the watch to the Saint of Solten.”
The Zibiah Empire was, in name and reality, the cultural, military, and economic ruler of Araxys. The question of its religious dominion, however, was another matter. Solten was a small country sharing a border with the southern part of Zibiah. Perhaps because it was where an apostle of Seará had once been born, bled and died, babies with divine power were born in that tiny country with remarkable regularity.
—The Saint of Solten… you mean Romerie.
The temples of Solten revered any child with divine power as a ‘Saint’, regardless of whether they were of noble, commoner, or slave blood. Though Solten had its own royalty and nobility, but they could never oppose the actions of the temple. While all those with divine power in Araxys were called by various names such as priest or cleric, only the divine power users of Solten were called saints. The reason for this was that among these saints, some were occasionally born with special abilities.
Romerie, the Saint of Solten who fought alongside them in the Human-Demon War, was one such case. Romerie’s divine ability was receiving oracles directly from the god through dreams. Even on the battlefield, that oracle had saved them from danger multiple times.
—Come to think of it, if your tremuhle can see the future, there should be a connection to Romerie’s divine ability.
“……”
—Romerie isn’t the type to covet the Tremuhle you own. That person can be trusted. But you must maintain boundaries. If you carelessly reveal too much and the living magic stone gets exposed…
Even without the emperor finishing his sentence, the meaning was clear. Romerie was a saint who’d received grace directly from Seará. She was someone who’d reveal to the entire world what terrible human experiments and dark magic had occurred, even if it meant war with the Empire.
Theon had agreed with the Empire’s High Priest to reveal the truth when Rothy was ready, but Romerie would never agree to such terms.
“I understand. I’ll be careful.”
—Good. I trust you.
Theon ended the communication after receiving the Emperor’s permission, and then he sat alone in his office, lost in thought.
During the war, Theon had believed Seará had abandoned Araxys, so he thought overcoming the crisis wasn’t because of Romerie’s oracle but rather they’d correctly assessed the situation of the war and planned their strategy accordingly. But now he knew Seará was actually watching over humanity.
And so, Romerie’s oracle was a true divine revelation.
She said she receives oracles through dreams.
He planned to ask Romerie in detail when they met this time. What form those oracles took, what kind of dreams she had, and if, by any chance… Was it possible to communicate with the people in the dreams? This time, he would definitely find out the method of growth from the future Rothy.
That was his goal.
Time passed quickly. After inspecting the Devil’s Icefield and the Hydra’s Nest, the Magic Stone Harvest Festival was suddenly just around the corner. The festival lasted only seven days, the shortest of the North’s three great festivals, but also the grandest. Theon and Rothy were up since dawn to receive the guests that were arriving.
“The Lord and Lady of the Zelphiti Merchant Guild. Their son, Lord Saetemay, attends Aephys Academy with Lord Aeruhen.”
“The Count and Countess of Veyaine. The count’s mother recently passed into Seará’s embrace.”
“The scholar Cheller. Was formerly a professor at Tincinq Academy and now serves as a historical advisor for the Tincinq City library.”
Each time guests entered, Ultje and Zey whispered from either side while checking the register. Theon and Rothy had read the personal details of the visitors beforehand, but with so many people coming from all over the country, they needed someone to provide these explanations.