Episode 19

“Go ahead and get cleaned up and I’ll get it ready, just leave it alone.”

“Never mind. I’m up early, I’ll do it. Go wash up.”

Hestia yawned softly, her eyes still groggy from sleep, and shooed Theo away.

“I’ll be right back, then.”

Now that they knew each other’s personalities, Theo was no longer needlessly stubborn.

Like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, the two of them adjust to each other.

When Theo disappeared into the bathroom, Hestia casually prepared a meal for the two of them.

“I don’t remember the last time I’ve been with someone this long.”

She didn’t mind.

She wondered if she’d been missing him, but quickly decided that wasn’t the case.

I was still traumatized by the idea of being connected to someone.

“It’s …… Theo, so I hope it’s okay.”

Theo hadn’t asked me anything for the past two months, as he’d asked.

Even when his eyes would glaze over with curiosity, he would never speak up.

Some days, I was tempted to tell him a few things, just to see if he’d be so unreasonable. I didn’t, of course.

After reminiscing, Hestia bustled about again, humming a tune.

The fresh scent of lemon dressing filled the room, and it wasn’t until the tea was brewing that Theo came in with wet hair.

“I told you to dry your hair properly, it’s cold in the morning.”

Hestia’s words didn’t stop Theo, who walked over and sat right down in the chair.

“It’s okay, it’ll dry quickly.”

Ugh. Hestia let out an exasperated breath and walked over to Theo, lifting the towel from his shoulders and draping it over his head.

“Who’s to say you can’t be stubborn, I’ll just do it.”

She began to dry his damp, navy-blue hair.

Theo relaxed into the touch and closed his eyes.

He didn’t know when the next letter would be answered, but when it was, sooner or later he would have to leave.

He’d made his decision known.

“……From now on, don’t bring anyone with you.”

Theo said it out of habit whenever he thought about his breakup with Hestia.

“You’re not even tired of saying it, I’m not that nice.”

“You’ve been there, done that before.”

“You were such a special case.”

“I’m special?”

“Of course you are. Normally, we’d just throw you out of town, or build you a grave, or, uh……. Not this. After all, it’s extremely rare to find a child in the woods like this.”

“I’m sure …… doesn’t stay in the woods all the time.”

At the word child, Theo was about to retort in Moorish, but he shut his mouth tight and said something else.

“Yeah, but I think I’ll stay in the forest for a while.”

That way I can visit my friends freely.

Hestia’s muttered words to herself made Theo’s head snap up, and at the same time, Hestia pulled off her towel.

“That should do it.”

“Friends? Hestia’s words were faster than Theo’s, who was about to ask.

“Let’s eat! It’ll be even better with honey in the dressing.”

Theo’s words trailed off as he saw Hestia’s face light up with a smile as bright as the clear sunlight on a fall morning.

“……I’ll eat it.”

Again, Theo swallowed back his curiosity.

For some reason, seeing that smile was reassuring. It didn’t matter what the answer to his question was.

“I’m going out as soon as I finish breakfast.”

I was deep into my meal when Hestia casually announced my routine.

“So early? You left town a few days ago.”

Deep in the forest, it was still the last of the dawn light. Theo shook his head since he usually only went out at this time of day to visit the village.

“There’s an herb that can only be picked at this time of year. It’s best to pick it before the sun is fully up.”

“Oh, so that’s why you’re up so early today?”

“Yep. I’ll be back around lunchtime, but you might want to eat first, just in case.”

“……Can’t I come with you?”

Theo asked coyly after a moment of silence.

“Uh, no. No.”

“…….”

But this time, Hestia was still adamant.

I’d asked her the same question a few times before, and her answer was always the same.

“Waiting at home alone……. I don’t like it.”

Theo’s voice was solemn, and he lowered his eyes. His long lashes fluttered, adding to his pity.

“I’ve told you before that playing the poor guy doesn’t work.”

It didn’t work on Hestia this time, not even a hint of wavering in her voice.

“Yes, yes. You also said you were the most pathetic person in the world.”

Theo’s expression quickly softened, his lips pouting, and he picked up his salad with a flourish.

“Then you’ll have to be careful not to hurt yourself this time.”

Theo’s usual admonishment followed.

“Ew. No worries.”

Hestia ruffled Theo’s hair in a cute little pout.

Theo still looked pouty, but he obediently let her touch his hair.

“So, are you going with him again today?”

“Um, I guess?”

“…….”

Theo’s face crumpled.

“That guy has a really big mouth, huh?”

Still, Hestia had the wrong idea about Theo, and he didn’t like it,

“No, it’s not that. Ha, never mind.”

He clenched his jaw shut and teased his fork with a loud, harsh stab.

What could it be?

Theo always crinkled his brow whenever Lou’s story came up. No matter how many times I asked him why, he just clenched his mouth shut and let out a frustrated breath.

Hestia was equally frustrated by this behavior.

After finishing her meal in a hurry, Hestia packed her things and got ready to leave.

“Stay home as much as possible, don’t open the door for anyone, and if you do leave, don’t go more than ten paces away.”

“If you’re late, Ms. Hestia, I’ll eat lunch first, and I’ll be waiting for you without doing any unnecessary chores, so be careful, Ms. Hestia. Early. Come in.”

Hestia said the same thing every time she went out alone, and Theo interrupted her, bored.

“That’s sweet. Bye.”

Hestia rolled her eyes in amusement.

“Bye.”

Theo watched Hestia’s backside disappear into the woods for a long moment before closing the door behind her.

* * *

Theo rolled up his sleeves and picked up his broom, swept away by the now-familiar song of the forest.

It had been well over two months, and still, Hestia hadn’t made him do any of these things.

But he didn’t want to sit around doing anything, so he only helped out when she was away.

“At first, I didn’t even know how to whisk.”

By now, he could make a breakfast salad, do the laundry, clean, and wash the dishes.

“He said he’ll be home around lunchtime, so I can at least fluff the bed.”

If Hestia saw him doing these chores, she’d probably nag him about it again, so he had to get it done before she did.

“I wonder who you’re calling stubborn.”

Hestia, who always does the same thing behind her back, or Hestia, who always nags her.

Theo’s face broke into a smile as he realized the uncanny resemblance between their stubbornness.

Heh!

“Hestia-sama, you must be fine.”

The ferocity of the bears in the distance continued to bother me.

I’ve gotten used to the sounds of these beasts, and they don’t frighten me like they used to.

But on the contrary, the thought of Hestia wandering through these woods made him glance out the window at every opportunity.

* * *

After walking for a long time into the deep forest, Hestia stopped and looked around.

When she saw no one else, she spoke.

“Finn.”

A nearby clump of grass rustled at her call, and ears perked up in anticipation.

“I’m a little worried about the bears now that it’s hunting season. I need you to keep an eye on her.”

Fall was the hunting season for brown bear packs to prepare for hibernation.

I’d told Theo about it, but I’d also told Finn, just in case.

“Trust me, Hestia!

Finn’s black nose twitched in response, and he quickly disappeared.

In truth, she’d planned to move out before this time came.

But now that she’d spent more time with Theo than she’d planned, and her timing had slipped, she could only be so careful.

“You should take a cue from Finn.”

Hestia scolded softly, glancing back at Lou, who had already come up behind her without warning.

“I can do that, I’m just trying to protect the house!

Roo’s bushy tail thumped on the floor in frustration. Thump. on the floor.

“Uh-huh. You can’t talk like that. Or maybe I’ll go with Baek Ah, and you can guard the house for Finn?”

Only if she was confident that she wouldn’t be seen by Theo.

Hestia looked Lou up and down, sizing him up.

Roo turned his back on her and sat down as if he didn’t want to hear it. Roo hated being reduced to a tiny form.

“I see you don’t grow old just because you live longer.”

Boom!

As if in retort to Hestia’s words, Roo jumped up and howled loudly.

A roar so loud that it shook the forest, and the sound of startled beasts scurrying away shook the forest.

“……Yes. I was wrong. I was bad, I was.”

When the commotion subsided, Hestia swallowed hard against the lump that rose in her throat and spoke her apology slowly, word by word.

It wasn’t the most sincere of apologies, but it made Lu feel better, and she lowered her posture, her nose to the sky.

“Huh.”

Hestia blew her hair out of her face with her mouth and climbed onto the beast’s back.

Taking a firm grip on his silver mane as a cue, Lu took off at a light trot with the basket in his mouth.

“Oops. My tail.”

Running on Roo’s back for long periods was hard work, no matter how much the fur cushioned the impact.

Hestia dropped to the ground and patted her stretched ass.

“Can’t you let me ride with Baek-ah for a long distance like this?”

Lu shook her head dismissively.

“I’d rather hang on to Mr. Suri than …… next time.”

Yuck.

Lou snorted, as if to say, do it if you can.

“You better get over this fear of heights, Wen.”