Chapter 13 –
It felt like being stripped naked—no, like being flayed alive by shame and embarrassment. That was what Theo felt through every inch of his body.
Desperately, Theo ducked into the shadowy corner where the candlelight couldn’t reach. If he so much as stepped into the light, he was sure his entire body would burst into flames.
“Ahem! Ahem!”
Hestia cleared her throat sharply and turned around with a flick of her body. Seeing Theo’s horrified expression and flushed face made her feel as though even she might be scorched by the heat.
Honestly, if Theo hadn’t turned so red and acted so shy, Hestia wouldn’t have felt so flustered either.
Well… she had to admit, the boy’s body was unexpected. She had truly thought of him as just a “kid”…
The awkward, stifling silence only stoked the heat between them.
“W-Wait a second. Just stay like that! Please don’t turn around!”
At Theo’s stammered plea, Hestia immediately covered her eyes with one hand and nodded vigorously.
Clutching the towel tightly over his body, Theo carefully began to move.
Gulp.
Someone’s swallow, whose it was unclear, deepened the tension.
Flustered as well, Hestia quickly added in a shaky voice:
“Ah! I-If you’re looking for clothes, th-they’re in that basket over there…”
She fumbled around, grabbing the first set of clothes she could reach from the basket in front of her.
“Ah…”
Theo froze and looked at the clothes Hestia held out behind her, without turning around.
Come to think of it, even his original clothes were placed on a shelf beyond where Hestia was standing.
“P-Please don’t look. Just stay still!”
He crept toward her cautiously, issuing one last firm warning.
Snatch!
Fearing even the brush of her fingers, Theo swiftly snatched the clothes from her hand.
Thud-thud-thud!
BANG!
In a blur, he disappeared into the room at record speed.
“Phew…”
Finally, Hestia’s tensed-up body slumped down without her realizing, and she leaned on the table for support.
“What the heck? Why was that little brat so embarrassed? Now I’m flustered, too.”
Why in the world was he just standing there with nothing but a towel?
Despite calling him a kid, Theo’s frame was surprisingly sturdy. The muscles neatly defined along what she thought was a skinny build were firmer than most adults’.
And he was only fourteen.
Hestia sighed, astonished once again by how fast kids grew up these days.
“…I’d better start preparing dinner.”
Shaking off thoughts of Theo, Hestia began sorting through the overflowing basket.
First, she hid the hair dye and the forbidden book deep in a drawer. Being caught with a forbidden book was a grave crime that could land her as food for the crows—alive.
Since she couldn’t die anyway, she wasn’t about to endure any more pointless pain or suffering.
Once the basket was emptied one item at a time, the table was soon filled with food she had bought from the village.
“Um…”
Just as dinner was almost ready, Theo timidly called out to her.
“Oh, you’re here?”
Hestia turned around at the sound of his voice and looked at Theo.
“Are… these really my clothes…?”
He fiddled with the white ribbon tie on the sky-blue shirt, his brow furrowed. It was obvious from his expression that he was not a fan of the outfit.
However—
“Wow! It looks great on you! It fits perfectly, too!”
Hestia’s eyes sparkled as she beamed with satisfaction.
“…I haven’t worn something like this since I was… really little.”
Seeing her expression, Theo couldn’t bring himself to say outright that he didn’t like it. He merely hinted at his discomfort.
Truthfully, Hestia had noticed Theo’s sulky face,
But said cheerfully instead, “You’re still young. It suits you perfectly!”
Rather than offer a change of clothes, she simply fixed his crooked tie with a soft smile.
It truly did suit him.
Theo considered whether Hestia was teasing him, but surprisingly, it seemed she was being completely sincere.
“…”
So he swallowed his complaints and kept quiet.
It wasn’t like he’d be wearing this in front of anyone else anyway. It was more of a resignation than acceptance.
That is—until Hestia brought out more clothes.
“There’s more! Want to see?”
There was nothing quite like the joy of seeing someone look good in clothes you picked out yourself!
Beaming with anticipation, Hestia pointed at a neat stack of new clothes on one of the shelves.
“Ah…”
Theo blinked rapidly, clearly taken aback.
This couldn’t be happening.
“Pink, yellow, light green… Uh… lace…?”
With every word, Theo’s frown deepened.
Since that wasn’t the reaction she’d expected, Hestia nervously fidgeted with her fingers.
“Uh, um… You really don’t like them…?”
She laughed awkwardly, glancing at him.
She really thought they looked good, but if the wearer hated them, there wasn’t much she could do.
Theo stared at her for a moment, then composed his expression.
“…No. I love them. Thank you, truly.”
With a smile as smooth as if nothing had happened earlier, he nodded politely.
It was a foreign feeling—to receive such a sincere, warm gift. It was enough to stir a strange emotion within him.
“Honestly… it’s been so long since someone gave me a gift like this. I don’t even know what to say.”
He added shyly, sincerity coloring his words.
He could feel Hestia’s genuineness and wanted, in some small way, to respond in kind.
And Hestia, in turn, responded to his sincerity with a gentle smile.
“Hm… Getting that emotional already? It’s a bit early for that.”
She tilted her head toward the neatly arranged items on the table.
“I don’t know how long you’ll be staying here, but think of these as simple conveniences from a kind landlord who wants you to be comfortable while you’re here.”
There, cups, forks, plates, teacups, blankets—brand-new items that didn’t match the worn-down house—shone softly.
No, even if they were old, they would’ve still shone in that moment.
Theo closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, as if committing the feeling to memory, lips pressed tightly together.
When he opened his eyes again, his golden irises shimmered with layers of tangled, conflicting emotions.
“…I have to repay you for this.”
It took a long time for him to find the words, and when he finally spoke, Hestia immediately interrupted.
“No need for repayment. I’m seriously rich.”
She narrowed her eyes, clearly unimpressed.
“…”
Theo silently glanced around the shabby corners of the house.
“The house looks like this for a reason, okay? Haven’t you heard—what you see isn’t always what you get?”
“No, I believe you. I do. Thank you for the gifts. I’ll use them well. Truly… thank you.”
Seeing her speak so sharply, Theo couldn’t help but smile faintly as he took a step back.
“That’s more like it.”
Hestia broke into a satisfied grin.
“Now! Let’s eat! It might’ve cooled, but it’s still tasty!”
With sparkling eyes, she declared triumphantly.
Only after Theo mirrored her smile and took the seat across from her did the meal begin.
After the hearty dinner, Theo sipped on the brewed mint tea to cleanse his palate. Outside, night had fallen completely.
“…Miss Hestia, do you trust me? I could be someone who’s committed terrible crimes and is on the run.”
Theo gently swirled his teacup, voicing the question he’d held inside all this time.
“Well… Whether I trust someone or not doesn’t really matter to me.”
“…Even if my presence puts your life in danger?”
“If it’s about risking my life, then it matters even less.”
But to his cautious question, Hestia simply took in the aroma of her tea with a calm expression and answered flatly.
“Why would you…”
Theo wanted to ask, shaken by her indifference, but couldn’t.
Clink.
“Let’s get you ready for bed. You have to sleep early to grow big and strong.”
Hestia stood with a gentle smile, setting down her empty cup.
“I even bought you pajamas.”
With confident flair, she took out a yellow outfit from the shelf and handed it to him.
“…”
Theo looked at the pajamas without taking them, lips sealed tight.
In his eyes, there was a glint of solemn determination, as if steeling himself.
“Th-thank you.”
He slowly took the pajamas, his gaze still fixed on the patterns printed on them.
“I heard this is a design kids like nowadays. Aren’t the bunnies cute?”
Pointing out the dozens of bunny patterns on the pajamas, Hestia beamed proudly.
“…Yes. They’re… very cute.”
Faced with her smile, Theo couldn’t hide the soft groan that escaped him.
“Hurry up and get changed and ready for bed.”
As Hestia started clearing the table in a rush, Theo shot up.
“Let me help.”
He rolled up his sleeves to lend a hand, but Hestia stopped him.
“No need. You’ll just get in the way. Go on inside.”
Shoving him into the room along with the pajamas, she said:
“I’ll come check later to see if you’re asleep!”
Click.
And shut the door behind him.
After quickly tidying up and taking a shower, Hestia crept to the door and gently opened it to check on Theo.
Only then did she sense something odd.
“Huh?”
The usual loud creaking of the door was gone.
She opened and closed the door slightly. The creaking door now moved silently and smoothly.
“Impressive. He even knows how to do things like this.”
A warm smile spread across Hestia’s face. Come to think of it, the tilted shelf had been fixed, the wobbly chair was steady, and the floor was spotless.
Someone else’s touch had clearly lingered in spaces that had only ever known her own.
It had been so long since she’d felt such traces, such warmth, such consideration, that she couldn’t even remember the last time.
“This’ll make me want to give my best again…”
Hestia’s life had been nothing but frozen time—devoid of passion or regret.
Long ago, she had tried her best, made efforts, even cried over lingering attachments.
But in the end, what always returned were things like despair, deprivation, isolation, betrayal, contempt—nothing but the negative.
So she had let it all go.
Desire, greed, want, and willpower.
The tension between them was so offputting 😭 He’s 14! I can’t! 😭