Episode 14

“Ha.”

With a low breath, Hestia tried to shake off the old memories, the ones she’d hoped to bury as a distant memory, but which were still so vivid.

But the more she did so, the more vividly it rose as if it were yesterday.

“No, no. Don’t remember. Don’t think about it.”

Hestia muttered to herself over and over again, her grip on the doorknob tightening until it was shaking.

Then.

“What are you doing without coming in?”

Theo grabbed the doorknob on the other side and gave it a gentle tug, and Hestia took a step forward, drawn by the force.

“Ah…….”

Suddenly pulled up from her reverie, Hestia stared blankly for a moment,

“……Are you asleep yet?”

Her light brown eyes held Theo’s full attention.

“How could I sleep first?”

Theo shook his head at Hestia’s question as if to ask the obvious.

“Oh. It’s not because I don’t trust you, Hestia, it’s because I haven’t decided where I’m going to sleep, don’t get me wrong.”

Theo blurted out as if he wanted to.

“No offense.”

Hestia smirked at Theo’s apologetic rambling and ruffled her faintly damp navy blue hair.

“Next time, dry your hair better. It’s just for today.”

Then she locked eyes with Theo and gave him a stern look.

“It’s getting late.”

Hestia tugged on Theo’s hand and led him to the only bed.

Theo’s golden irises fluttered with an unexpected glint of panic, but he followed her without a word.

“…….”

When they reached the bed, Hestia tugged on Theo’s shoulder and sat him down, even though he didn’t seem to want to lie down.

“You’ll grow taller if you sleep early, right?”

It was the smallest of nudges, but this time Theo complied.

“Good night, then.”

Hestia kissed Theo goodnight as he sat up in bed and turned to leave the room.

Halted.

Startled by the force tugging at the hem of her robe, she shifted her gaze to the owner of the hand holding her clothes.

“Oops, sorry.”

Theo’s eyes widened at Hestia’s startled gaze and he hastily hid his hand behind his back.

“I guess I should add one more rule to …….”

Hestia spun around and leaned back, locking eyes with Theo.

Her smooth red lips curved into a wicked smile.

“No more apologies from now on.”

Hestia ruffled her navy blue hair as if to warn him sternly.

“What……? No, that means…….”

Theo tried to protest the ridiculous rule, but Hestia was firm.

“Shhh. If you want to stay here one more day, you’d better follow the rules, and don’t forget, I’m the landlord.”

Hestia raised her index finger to my lips and made a menacing pout.

“…….”

Theo gave me a nasty glare and I forced myself to nod.

“So why’d you grab it?”

At Theo’s nod, Hestia looked satisfied and stood up from her crouch.

“Uh. Well, as…….”

For a moment, Theo’s eyes widened in confusion, and he trailed off.

“Together?”

Hestia echoed, seemingly impatient.

“I thought you were sleeping with……?”

Theo swallowed dryly and made a crawling sound.

The boy’s expression showed that he didn’t like this frustrating situation where things weren’t going his way.

Hestia leaned her ear closer to Theo’s, as it was a small sound that you wouldn’t hear unless you listened closely.

“Hmm? Ah. I see you’re still afraid to sleep alone.”

She listened to Theo’s question and came to her conclusion.

But isn’t 14 old enough to sleep alone?

She wondered for a moment, but the river had changed dozens of times since her time.

Hestia chalked it up to the changing times, and let it go.

But Hestia’s understanding was not enough,

“That’s not true!”

Theo jumped to his feet and denied it vehemently, looking as if he had heard something outlandish.

Soon, Theo cleared his throat and spat out a low breath, then spoke quickly.

“Hestia-sama can sleep here. I’ll sleep on the floor.”

Theo gestured to the bed.

“……So, the bottom line is you don’t want to sleep alone?”

I guess that means you want to sleep in a room…….

Hestia cocked her head in confusion.

Theo curled his lips into a tight line as if he was speechless for a moment.

“Haha. It’s not that…….”

Taking a deep breath of patience, Theo began to explain the situation.

“There’s only one bed, so if I sleep here, where will Hestia-sama sleep? Home, like you said. The state. In. You can’t make her sleep on the floor.”

“Oh. Is that what you meant?”

Haha, if that’s what you meant, you should have said so.

Hestia smirked and scratched her head.

“So, Hestia, you can sleep here.”

Theo started to move away from the bed, but Hestia grabbed him.

“No, no, no. The bed is yours. We can’t have guests sleeping on the floor. Besides, it’s child abuse to put a child to sleep on the floor like this.”

Hestia slapped his hand away.

“…….”

Hestia rolled her eyes at Theo’s continued stare, not wanting to listen.

“I’ll go to……. Yeah, your friend’s house, you can sleep over.”

Hestia rolled her eyes and hastily spat out the makeshift plan she’d come up with.

Theo’s golden eyes seemed to sink lower as he looked back at her…….

Yeah. Must be the mood.

“……Friend, home?”

Theo asked after a moment’s silence, his eyes rolling.

“Uh, yeah. A friend’s house.”

“Are you the same friend I met yesterday, the one with the power?”

His name was Linus.

Theo muttered something low, but Hestia didn’t seem to hear.

“Yep. So now go ahead and…….”

“No.”

Before Hestia could finish her sentence, Theo took a step toward her, his eyes hard and unyielding.

What does he mean, no?

Hestia shook her head at Theo’s incomprehensible response.

“I don’t mind sleeping on the floor.”

“What?”

Hestia exclaimed, startled when Theo suddenly tried to sit on the floor.

“No, no, no. You can sleep on the floor, but I’m sleeping at a friend’s house!”

Hestia quickly stopped him.

Theo’s brown eyes were filled with confusion as he looked at her uncomprehendingly.

“That’s why I said no. Where else are you going to go out at this time of night, and are you sure that friend is trustworthy? Why would you sleep outside when your landlord left you alone?”

“…….”

Was she always this talkative?

Hestia narrowed her eyes at the swirling embarrassment, choosing her words carefully.

As reliable as her strong friend was, ……. but he wasn’t human, so it was hard to say.

But he couldn’t just shout out that he was a spirit!

“Look, I’ll just sleep outside, and Hestia can sleep in the bed.”

Oh, no?

Suddenly, a theory popped into my head that could explain Theo’s incomprehensible behavior.

“Don’t worry too much, he won’t say a word about you to her.”

It was clear that I was worried about this.

Otherwise, there would be no reason for Theo to act like this.

Hestia put her hands on her hips, her eyes gleaming with goodwill.

But only for a moment.

“…….”

Theo’s brow narrowed, as if she’d said something out of nowhere.

Confidently sliding her hands off her hips, Hestia scratched her head, avoiding Theo’s gaze.

He’d assumed she was worried about being discovered, but by the look on her face, he’d been wrong.

“……You’re not as clueless as I thought.”

Theo relaxed his hard eyes and smiled weakly.

“Mmm…….”

Hestia still didn’t have an answer.

As if she couldn’t help but continue to search for a reason, Theo gave her the answer.

“It’s considerate.”

His voice sounded soothing.

“…….”

Hestia’s eyes widened with embarrassment at the unexpected words.

To her, consideration was just a common courtesy, a way to get along with people.

So she had only one thing to say to Theo.

“You don’t have to do any of that for me. Just think only of you. I’ll do the same.”

“……You’re not doing that, so I’m doing it.”

Whoever started this caring thing started it.

Theo’s gaze took in the new blanket on the bed, then his yellow pajamas, then Hestia.

“I’m not used to being thoughtful, either, but I can’t help but notice your thoughtfulness, Hestia. Look, you’re all over the place like this.”

“…….”

No way…….

It can’t be.

You’re so scared to be alone, so wounded by so many betrayals, so desperate to fit in somehow, to be among people, to be the only one…….

There were times when she lived breathlessly as if she were not among them.

But she knew that she could never fit in.

She was different, and they were afraid of her.

So she decided to forget it all, to leave no regrets behind.

It had been nearly two hundred years since he had made such a feeble resolution.

So I’m sure you don’t have any more of those little considerations left in you.

I see. The child must have gotten something wrong.

“……I’m sorry, child, but you’re wrong.”

Hestia’s usually warm brown eyes turned cold.

“Ms. Hestia.”

Theo called her calmly, clasping his hands tightly together as if to say otherwise.

“It’s late tonight, so let’s call it a night, and we’ll think about sleeping arrangements tomorrow. For now, I’ll sleep outside.”

Hestia spat out her words as if they were inaudible.

She walked past Theo and grabbed the doorknob.

“Hestia!”

Theo called out again, but Hestia, who seemed to pause for a moment, didn’t look back at him and only gave him a curt greeting.

“Good night.”

Snapped.

Hestia stalked out of the room and slammed the door behind her.