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Chapter 15
Meanwhile, Pera found herself caught in Theo’s surprisingly tight grip, unable to move an inch. Her eyes rolled in confusion.
How did the little prince end up this upset…?
Thankfully, from her perspective, it wasn’t too difficult to guess. If Theo was throwing a tantrum, it was certainly because of that man.
Pera turned her eyes silently toward Ray. The distrust and reproach in her gaze made his brows knit even deeper.
“Right? Pera belongs to Theo, doesn’t she?!”
“Y-Yes… huh?”
“Pera doesn’t have a tail or ears, so she’s weaker than Theo!”
“…Well, that’s true, I suppose…?”
Pera awkwardly agreed. She was an ordinary citizen of the Empire, and Theo was the prince—if one looked at it from that angle, perhaps she did belong to him.
Her hesitant affirmation made Theo’s teary eyes brighten with a smile. See? That was so easy. Why can’t Ray do the same?
Pera sent Ray a tiny smirk, mocking him for failing where she had succeeded.
Theo, clinging to her side as though glued, showed no intention of letting go. After sniffing the floral fragrance at her neck for a long while, he turned and shouted toward Ray:
“See?! Pera’s mine!”
“Theo…”
“Theo did good! Ray did bad! Right, Pera?”
“Uh… y-yes, yes…”
It felt wrong, but if she denied it, Theo would burst into tears again. Reluctantly, she nodded.
Pera stroked Theo’s back gently, then raised her brows at Ray, signaling him to apologize. Cornered by their combined pressure, Ray dragged his hand through his hair and extended his arms toward the child.
“Fine. Theo, come here. You’re too heavy for a human to hold.”
A half-hearted apology—if it could even be called one. Theo’s lips jutted out. He didn’t like Ray’s words one bit.
And to say something so embarrassing in front of Pera! How inconsiderate.
Still, he gave in with a pout and let himself be held. The familiar scent that had been with him since infancy calmed his sharpened nerves.
“Ray, you have to say ‘sorry’ to me, right?”
“…Yes, yes. It’s all my fault.”
Theo hummed a little tune in satisfaction. Ray let out a breath of laughter, ruffling the boy’s golden hair with gentle fingers. Even in such small gestures, affection overflowed.
Carrying Theo, Ray wandered slowly around the living room. Perhaps because he had cried so hard, Theo’s eyelids soon drooped.
Gorong, gorong.
Soft snores filled the quiet space. Watching from the side, Pera released a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.
Ray, too, swallowed a short sigh, then carefully laid Theo on the sofa. Pera hurried to fetch a blanket and tucked it over the boy.
Theo buried his nose into the fluffy fabric, lips quirking upward as he smacked his lips in his sleep.
“So cute…!”
Pera clasped her hands over her mouth, squealing in a whisper.
Ray’s ears twitched in annoyance. He hadn’t known silence could still be so mentally noisy—until he met her.
For years, his life had been solitary, quiet to the point of emptiness. Even after Theo was born, the noise was nothing compared to what he experienced daily in Timi Village. Yet… it wasn’t unpleasant. Theo’s mood swings and even Pera’s chatter had become strangely tolerable.
Ray dropped his gaze. Pera was crouched by Theo’s side, eyes brimming with genuine affection. Not the shallow, artificial fondness of nobles in the palace—hers was simple, unadorned, almost like looking at someone fawning over a stray kitten.
Once he confirmed Theo was fast asleep, Ray reached out and tapped Pera on the shoulder.
“Let’s talk for a bit.”
Her eyes widened. It was rare for him to start a conversation.
“Y-you want to talk? With me?”
“Don’t want to?”
“N-no, not at all!”
Ten seconds hadn’t even passed. So impatient…
Pera quickly stood, leading him into her small clinic. Ray followed, taking a seat as though the chair were his own.
“Would you like some tea?”
“No.”
“…Right.”
His curt refusal made her cheeks burn. Treating his wounds side by side hadn’t been this awkward, yet now the silence between them was suffocating.
Finally, Ray broke it. His finger tapped the tabletop as he asked:
“Remember what we saw in the forest earlier?”
“You mean… the failed monster bomb and the tracking device?”
“Exactly. Didn’t it strike you as strange?”
“Um… well…”
Pera faltered. What kind of answer was he hoping for?
The carriage carrying the prince had been covered in lethal traps—that was no trivial matter. But it wasn’t her place to judge. She was just a villager; she shouldn’t even be speaking of such things.
Her silence stretched, so Ray continued.
“As you saw, there are people targeting His Highness Theo. The problem is, it’s not just one or two of them.”
“I-I see…”
Pera nodded, though her heart raced. She remembered her own outburst in the forest—calling the culprits “villains.” But anyone who could target a prince had to be someone of considerable power. Her rashness chilled her in hindsight.
She lowered her head in shame. Insulting nobles was itself a crime, even if they truly were villains.
Still, Ray pressed on.
“The bomb may have failed, but the tracking device means someone will be coming here soon—someone sent by them.”
Pera’s face drained of color.
“T-Timi Village…? They’re coming here? Oh no…!”
Timi Village was far from the capital, so far it hardly received any aid. A tiny, peaceful community with no ties to the imperial court.
If enemies discovered the prince here, her home could be destroyed. Fear gripped her, memories surfacing of nearby villages erased from the map for offending nobility.
She trembled violently.
“What do we do? If they find out His Highness is here, our village will be wiped out! And His Highness will be in danger too…!”
“Correct.”
Ray confirmed it with blunt finality. Then he rose, poured a glass of water, and set it in front of her.
“Drink. Calm yourself. I’m telling you this so it doesn’t happen.”
“Y-yes. Th-thank you.”
With shaking fingers, Pera sipped.
She knew she had to steady herself, to think rationally of solutions that would protect both Theo and her village. But fear clawed at her heart, conjuring only the worst outcomes.
She pressed a hand against her thundering chest, trying to will her breath steady.
Minutes passed. At last, she exhaled deeply, straightened her back, and fixed her eyes on Ray. Her gaze, now firm, no longer trembled.
“I’m calm now. Ray—please, tell me what must be done to protect both His Highness and the village. If there’s anything I can do, I’ll help, no matter what.”
Ray had half-expected her to panic, to demand they leave immediately, maybe even scream at them for endangering her home.
Instead, her answer intrigued him. She was different from ordinary humans, who cowered before stronger powers. Her determination stirred something he hadn’t felt in a long time.
Unaware that his tail flicked behind him, Ray leaned forward across the table, closing the distance between them.
