TYND 101

However, the estate was surrounded by a Divine barrier, and Mayton’s spawn were helpless in the face of Divine power, no matter how powerful they were, so they couldn’t dare to invade.

Theon steadily tracked the ‘Archduke’s’ location, and that bastard was circling around the estate looking for opportunities.

They would be safe inside the barrier, but they couldn’t stay inside forever.

Theon planned to settle things with the demon bastard soon. However, that “soon” would be after Rothy’s matter was resolved.

“Assign mages and priests to the Black Lion to help evacuate civilians near Paien Forest.”

“Yes.”

“Make sure to appease the territorial people if they express dissatisfaction.”

“Yes. But Your Grace, please don’t worry too much. Northerners are people who would come running with pickaxes and sickles, even farmers plowing fields, to protect what belongs to the north.”

The demon attack incident on the moving island had made it known throughout the empire that Theon possessed a Trimule. Also that this Trimule belonged solely to Theon Dert Palsen.

This meant that Palsen territory, the north, had gotten their hands on a Trimule.

Northerners had stronger possessiveness and ownership desires than people from other regions. They never give up what comes into their hands to others.

All people of Arashis were familiar with fighting demons, but especially northern empire people were those who would wash blood-soaked bodies with cold water saying ‘I took the heads of three monsters today,’ even when people in other regions were enjoying half-body baths, saying, ‘Ah, it’s a peaceful time.’

Moreover, when news spread that the precious Grand Duchess Rothy, who must be protected, had collapsed from a demon attack, northern people’s hatred toward demons reached its peak.

Such people wouldn’t have complaints about confronting demons.

If they had complaints, it would be about avoiding all-out war.

The group discussed other major matters before standing up.

“Your Grace, may I check Lord Rothy’s magical power once more?”

Theon thought for a moment before nodding. When Chungnip drew back the canopy, Chi-chi, who had been caring for Rothy, made a threatening “Haak!” sound.

The ferret had become very sensitive after Rothy hadn’t woken up for ten days.

“I’ll just quickly check how much his magical power has recovered, okay?”

Chiik! Chii!

“Oh my… it’s very angry.”

“I’ll hold it, so check quickly.”

Jay held Chi-chi while Chungnip quickly touched his finger to Rothy’s wrist. The contact wasn’t long. He withdrew his hand in less than a minute.

“His magical power has almost returned. If he doesn’t wake up tomorrow either, we can only say he’s just a sleepyhead rather than it being due to magical recovery.”

Chungnip quickly drew the canopy back for the agitated Chi-chi.

Chii, Chii…

From beyond the canopy, Chi-chi could be seen rubbing his white fur against Rothy’s cheek.

“I’m worried because Chi-chi is so anxious. I can’t tell him he’ll wake up tomorrow. It would be nice if we could communicate.”

“……”

“Your Grace, did Lord Rothy really not take animal form? On the battlefield…”

“Rothy participated in the war transformed as Yolone Sirin.”

“What…?”

Not only Chungnip but Jay, Ultje, and everyone else widened their eyes.

However, they were only surprised at first and gradually understood.

Yolone Sirin had a dual personality. Yesterday and today seemed like different people, an hour ago and an hour later seemed like different people.

It was rather strange that they hadn’t noticed until now.

“Ah…”

Chungnip covered his mouth. His fingers trembled slightly.

“Then the person who said dandelions were pretty was…”

The one who had suddenly said flowers were pretty during battle, confusing Chungnip, was none other than Rothy.

A boy who had to live in hiding without properly seeing even a single flower due to his master’s abuse.

What did I scold him for back then?

Chungnip’s complexion turned pale. He wasn’t the only one whose expression changed. Jay also recalled his encounters with the “odd” Yolone Sirin and reflected on how he had behaved.

Rothy must have had many hurtful days.

But it wasn’t their fault.

These weren’t actions committed knowingly. If they had known, they surely wouldn’t have let Rothy be overworked. No one wants victory obtained by sacrificing a child.

And… for exactly that reason, Yolone Sirin had hidden Rothy even more tightly.

“Your Grace. I… whether in the Eastern Continent or after coming here, I’ve never stopped worshipping Seara, but this time…”

In the subdued atmosphere, Chungnip bit his lips and spoke.

“I resent Seara.”

“……”

Theon gave no answer.

After the group left the room, Theon remained alone, standing in place and looking beyond the canopy.

He too had to leave. There was work that had to be done.

It was right to do what could be done instead of spending time resenting Seara here.

He let out a deep sigh and rubbed his face dry. The roughened skin felt unfamiliar. With a sudden thought, he looked at the mirror hanging on the wall for the first time in a very long while.

‘If Rothy woke up now and saw this face, he’d think the war had started again.’

Sinister red eyes and a firmly set mouth.

A murderer’s expression as if he might draw his sword at any moment and slaughter all life around him.

Theon touched his rigid mouth and tried to lift it. But until Rothy woke up, these lips wouldn’t rise.

When he drew back the canopy, Chi-chi immediately threatened with a Chiii!

Theon reached his hand toward sleeping Rothy’s cheek.

Chiii!

Chi-chi raised its tail and lunged, biting down hard on Theon’s finger. Then it was startled and made surprised eyes.

It hadn’t expected Theon to actually let itself be bitten.

Chiii… Chii!

Chi-chi was flustered as if it didn’t know what to do, and was also quite frightened. Even so, it didn’t back away, keeping its body pressed against Rothy’s face.

Theon had never seen Rothy cowering in fear in a corner of the laboratory, nor had he seen Rothy collapsed unconscious from painful experiments.

But this ferret must have seen it countless times.

Theon’s large hand moved toward the small ferret. Chi-chi shrank iis tiny body.

Stroke, stroke.

He petted the ferret’s small head.

“Rothy is just recovering his strength, so don’t worry.”

…….

“If we’re both a mess like this, when Rothy wakes up he’ll have tears welling up in those big eyes again. You don’t want to see Rothy cry either, right?”

…….

“When did you last sleep? If you sleep and wake up, Rothy will be awake to welcome you. Go to sleep.”

Chiiiii…

Chi-chi made a pitiful crying sound and nestled into Theon’s hand. He rubbed his small, round head between Theon’s palm and fingers, continuously making Chii, chiii crying sounds.

Whether it understood the words or what was being said, it was impossible to know…

“If you stay up all night without sleeping, Rothy will keenly notice and scold me for not making you sleep.”

Theon spoke gently as he covered Chi-chi’s head with his large hand.

Chi-chi cried chii, chii a few more times before falling asleep just like that.

Theon placed the sleeping Chi-chi beside Rothy’s pillow and even covered it with Chi-chi’s dedicated blanket.

Then he finally caressed Rothy’s cheek gently before standing up.

As he headed to the chapel, his eyes newly took in things like the floor and pillars of the corridor.

Rothy, who would immediately go “kyah!” and trip or bump into things if he looked away for even a moment.

The reason he tripped and bumped into things so often despite being seventeen years old was… because he was a Trimule.

A biological Trimule that had never existed once in Arashis history.

He had only had a physical body for 7 years.

Moreover, during the war he had switched back and forth between a large adult male body and a small child’s body, making it even harder to get used to this body.

‘Seara…’

Theon clenched his fist tightly.

Until now, he had thought the reason Seara gave him this watch was out of pity for a child caught in the eye of a vicious mage.

But in fact, it was Seara who had brought this child before the mage.

This Human-Demon War was particularly brutal.

For the first time in history, the empire had allowed demon invasion of the capital, and news came from everywhere that major cities had fallen to Mayton’s spawn.

The human allied forces were engulfed in despair that humanity would suffer its first defeat in history.

So Seara…

Sent down an infinite magic stone and a biological Trimule to contain it.

To Yolone Sirin, who would properly use and utilize it without any qualms of conscience.

To protect humanity.

‘It wasn’t care.’

He had thought Seara was caring for Rothy.

But in fact, it wasn’t care.

Detestable mercy.

Selfish magnanimity.

Meager guilt…

These could hardly be called care.

Most of the humans saved in this way don’t even know what child sacrificed in what way.

And they never will know.

“Your Grace the Archduke, you’ve come.”

When he arrived at the chapel, instead of the usual priest, the castle’s chaplain welcomed him.

Since they never knew when the demon Archduke might invade, at least one castle chaplain was always staying at the estate.

“Will you pray?”

“I need to use the Trimule.”

Theon had come not to pray but to activate the Trimule.

He dipped his hands in holy water and moistened the watch. Then he turned away without hesitation.

“Prayer…”

The castle chaplain was about to ask if he wouldn’t offer a prayer, then stopped.

He knew how the fact that Rothy was a Trimule would affect Theon.

“Your Grace the Archduke.”

The castle chaplain stopped Theon, who was about to leave the chapel immediately.