Chapter 31
Every one of her movements carried an emotion she couldn’t name—whether it was fear or caution, it bled through in drops.
The coolness of Hestia’s touch made Theo flinch, his shoulders giving a small shudder.
“…Sorry. I was too harsh.”
As if she had made a great decision, Hestia slowly lifted her head and met Theo’s gaze. A faint tremor rippled in her brown eyes.
“Remember what I told you before? That you’re special. Because you’re special, I was afraid you’d suffer even more because of me. Well… you probably already know, but the truth is, I’m a coward. I hurt you because I was afraid I’d be the one to get hurt.”
Her voice spilled out in a steady, neither fast nor slow, self-deprecating confession—more like a calm monologue than an apology.
How long had it been since she had last bared her heart? The fear that laced her trembling voice made the shadows beneath her lashes quiver.
Feeling even her fingertips shake, Hestia withdrew her hand from Theo’s.
“That’s not true. Lady Hestia, you’re absolutely not a coward.”
Golden eyes locked firmly onto her, unyielding.
He was clearly much younger than her, yet in this moment, he looked taller, more solid than she was.
And while meeting those eyes…
“All right. If you’re okay with someone like me… will you be my friend?”
A faint smile suddenly bloomed on her lips.
Truth be told, she had already started believing in this child’s sincerity long ago—seeping in slowly, like clothes soaking in a gentle rain, like leaves changing with the seasons.
To each other, they had become that.
The word friend—this awkward, embarrassing word—had been held back by the chains of her past.
“I already thought we were friends, you know.”
Hearing Theo’s sincerity, feeling the warmth from this small boy, gave her the courage to say it out loud.
There had been a time when she had been bound to the word friend so tightly that it nearly killed her. She had believed that little fence to be safe and warm.
But long ago, she had learned the truth—that a so-called friend could be nothing more than useless trash, wrapped up in beautiful, hollow packaging.
And yet… was a person such a pitiful creature that they repeated the same mistakes?
Hestia closed her eyes for a moment, exhaling deeply, before meeting Theo’s golden gaze again.
“On one condition…”
Behind her warm brown eyes, conflicting emotions collided.
“If something bad happens because of me, or if you see me in trouble someday… you must pretend not to know me.”
Theo’s brow furrowed sharply at her condition.
“…Then, if you get caught up in something bad because of me, or if I’m in danger—will you pretend not to know me?”
“You and I are in different situations. The conditions can’t be the same.”
Hestia firmly shook her head at his rebuttal.
“Don’t you think it’s a bit much to weigh the conditions when all we’re talking about is being friends? Once I leave, I might never see you again.”
Theo used the inevitability of parting as a weapon, his tone slightly sulky.
“Friends are that much of a burden to me. If you don’t like it, that’s that.”
Instead of looking offended, Hestia gave a small smile, almost finding his expression cute, and carefully adjusted his hood.
“Fine. Let’s do it. Let’s be friends.”
Theo gently caught her wrist as she fixed his hood.
Still holding her in his gaze as if engraving her into his memory, he continued,
“But your condition only lasts until I leave and before I find you again. If I happen to find you, if we meet again… that condition disappears.”
Theo broke off for a moment, staring off into the distance, then quickly locked her in his golden eyes again as if every second was precious.
“Isn’t that fair? We might never see each other again, but if we do, then it must be fate set by the gods. So, just this once, you have to pretend not to know me.”
Swallowing dryly, he rushed the rest of his words as if time were slipping away.
Hestia was about to argue that it made no sense, but when she saw the desperate look in his eyes—so close to tears—she simply nodded slowly.
Besides, even she had to admit that the chance of meeting him again was almost nonexistent.
“All right. If you find me again, if we meet again…”
Relief finally softened Theo’s face.
Having secured her answer, his tense shoulders eased, dropping with a sigh.
“Thank you. And… thank you for everything.”
He quietly reached out, gently placing her left hand atop his own, like a gentleman giving a lady a respectful greeting. There was no unnecessary contact, no discomfort.
“I’ll find you. So please, don’t forget me. It’d be too sad… if you couldn’t remember the friend who worked so hard to find you.”
He forced a smile, but in his eyes, grief swelled like clouds before rain.
“…Ah.”
Hestia realized what kind of moment this was.
The tips of her pale fingers, resting on his hand, trembled.
“You have to keep the condition you agreed to as well—pretend you don’t know me.”
Unease kept clawing at Hestia’s mind.
“Theo.”
She called his name urgently. She didn’t know exactly what she wanted to deny, but she shook her head, wishing it weren’t true. It was almost instinctive.
“I’ll find you again. We’ll definitely meet again. So… just wait for me a little.”
“…”
“If you can, just buy new things instead of repairing old ones, don’t get hurt, move somewhere sunnier. Don’t skip meals, sleep at home, and… don’t make strange friends.”
“You really…”
It was goodbye.
A farewell far too sudden.
She had suspected it was coming, but she hadn’t thought it would be today.
“You’re a warm person, Lady Hestia. Too kind. So choose your friends carefully, and don’t let just anyone into your home.”
“…Look who’s talking.”
His parting words, as if comforting a child, made her laugh in spite of herself. No—she laughed on purpose, to say Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.
“There’s not much time. I’ll go that way, and you go the other way.”
Since it was the last time, Theo did his best to leave her with a smile.
Glancing briefly somewhere off to the side, he began speaking faster.
“If anyone—by some impossible chance—asks about me, say you don’t know. Even if you see me in danger, please, pretend you don’t. I’ll survive no matter what, so don’t worry about me.”
He tried to sound fine, but the tremor in his voice betrayed him.
“…Take Baeka. Ride her.”
Hestia bit hard into her right index finger. Blood welled instantly and began to trickle down.
“Lady Hestia!”
Theo, not understanding at all, grabbed her hand, eyes wide.
But Hestia ignored him, turning his palm upward and letting her blood drip onto it.
“What is this…”
Before he could examine the wound, she clasped his hand tightly.
“Go to Baeka. Let her smell this and she’ll take you right away.”
Then she smiled gently, as if to say she was fine.
“I’ll be waiting for the day we meet again.”
It was the last farewell she could give.
Even she could now feel the sharp killing intent drawing closer—it was already nearby.
Quickly pulling his hood tight, she gripped Theo’s shoulders and turned him around. From the look in his eyes, he wasn’t going to turn away first.
“Go. Don’t worry about me. I won’t worry about you either. Protect that life I’ve worked so hard to save.”
With that, she pushed him forward, telling him not to look back.
“…Thank you. I’ll definitely come back. I won’t forget you.”
Without looking behind him, Theo murmured his final goodbye, then forced himself to take a few reluctant steps before suddenly breaking into a sprint. He knew that if he hesitated, Hestia would be the one in danger.
It really was a farewell in the blink of an eye.
Hestia couldn’t take her eyes off the direction he had run. After a moment, she lifted her trembling hand and waved.
“Goodbye, my sweet little one.”
Barely two and a half months. Not even three.
When was the last time a parting had felt this bitter?
“Make a friend, and… it’s already goodbye.”
Partings always left behind a hollow emptiness. And it was always her who had to endure them.
“But still, thanks to Theo… I had fun.”
Slowly, she began walking in the opposite direction Theo had gone—
—toward the source of the killing intent.
“I’ll buy him some time.”
She only needed to hold out until Theo got on Baeka. There wasn’t a horse alive that could outrun her.
Hestia pulled her hood over her head and took a deep, slow breath.
Then—
“Kyaaaaaaa—!”
She screamed at the top of her lungs, her voice tearing through the air.
Again—
“Catch him!!”
Clamping her hands over her ears, she shouted as loudly as she could.
Soon, masked figures began appearing one by one.
Thud.
Hestia dropped to the ground, trembling like a fragile sparrow faced with a hunter’s arrow.
“What’s the matter?”
Got them.
Behind the cover of her hood, the corner of her lips curved in satisfaction.
“A… a man… h-he…”
“Do you remember what he looked like?”
At her words, the masked figures gathered around her.
Five in total.
Something about them felt familiar, and she examined them closely.
Ah… yes.
They were dressed just like the ones who had pointed their swords at her in front of the Starlight that time.
Which meant… what they had been looking for back then—
Hestia’s eyes darkened, sinking to the bottom.
