Little Pink Starfish

“THEODORE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS!!”

Asher, bound pitifully to the pillar, shouted. Gallan’s expression wavered for a moment, and he glanced at Art. Even Art furrowed his brows, seemingly surprised by Asher’s words. Seeing Art about to raise his hand, perhaps to put a stop to everything, Theodore felt a brief moment of relief—until the very next second.

Before Art could make a move, Barf struck with blinding speed.

A sharp whoosh cut through the air, followed immediately by a piercing scream.

Barf’s whip slashed across Asher’s back. The sheer force of the beastman’s strike tore through fabric and flesh alike, sending a spray of blood splattering onto the ground.

Theodore’s eyes widened in shock. His voice caught in his throat.

Asher’s agonized scream echoed through the hall, reverberating off the walls.

“Barf… you…!”

“What’s with that look, Gallan? You hesitating? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—we get to torture a royal!” Barf grinned, enjoying himself.

Matilda shrieked. “HOW COULD YOU…!? How could you actually whip the prince!?” She clutched her head, face pale, and collapsed to the ground.

“Barf… why did you act on your own?”

“What, you’re acting all high and mighty now? Weren’t you the one who gave permission, boss?”

Barf knew full well Art had been about to stop him. That’s why he struck before Art could intervene.

“Besides, look at this! Isn’t it amazing!? The people who’ve always been oppressed by royalty are now the ones whipping them! Hahaha!”

The scent of Asher’s blood filled the air, riling up the beastmen. Their eyes gleamed with hunger.

“It’s too late now! Kidnapping the prince was already enough to justify war! Even if we send him back unharmed, they won’t let us go unpunished!“

“We didn’t do this to start a war, Barf! We did this… for our people… for the beastmen who just want to live peacefully in Dias!”

“Our original plan was assassination! Which means we can still kill him now!”

Barf raised his arm to strike again.

Then—

A crack rang out.

A deep, earth-shaking roar followed.

The whip never struck Asher.

Because in that instant, Theodore broke free.

With bloodshot eyes, bared fangs, and sharpened claws—Theodore lunged at Barf like a wild beast.

“BLACK KNIGHT!?” Gallan gasped. “How did he—!?”

The chains on Theodore’s shackles were shattered. He had torn them apart with raw strength.

Barf and Gallan instinctively moved to surround him.

“What the hell… what is that form!?”

Theodore’s transformation was unnatural. Though human, his teeth were now sharp fangs, his nails had extended into claws, and his ears had grown pointed.

He looked—

“…WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY MATE?!”

—like a half-beast.

Barf tried to dodge, but Theodore was faster. He sank his fangs into Barf’s arm, claws digging into his flesh.

Barf’s scream filled the air. He thrashed violently, but Theodore refused to let go.

Gallan and several large beastmen immediately leapt in to help. But even as they attacked, Theodore’s rage made him unstoppable.

He was about to rip Barf’s arm clean off—

Until Art slammed his massive body into Theodore, pinning him down.

More beastmen rushed in, grabbing Theodore’s arms and legs. Four of them struggled to hold him down, yet he continued to thrash, growling ferociously.

“…What the hell is this guy…!?”

Gallan held his injured arm as he stared in shock. “He’s not just a human…!”

“He’s as strong as a beastman!” one of the guards gasped. “Even four of us can barely restrain him!”

Looking down at the writhing knight, Art narrowed his eyes.

“…Black Knight… are you… a half-blood?”

Theodore growled lowly. “Let me go! Anyone who lays a hand on my mate… I WILL KILL THEM!“

“MATE…?”

Art turned his gaze to Asher. The prince had gone limp against the pillar, unconscious. His back was covered in deep, bleeding wounds. The sight was horrific. But for a human to be so gravely injured by a beastman’s whip—it was expected.

Theodore thrashed harder, muscles straining. The beastmen restraining him trembled at his raw strength.

But then—

Gallan drove his boot into Theodore’s back, pressing him down with all his weight.

“GUH…!”

Theodore finally collapsed to the ground, panting heavily.

“…The Third Prince is your mate?” Art asked, voice unreadable.

Theodore stopped struggling. He closed his eyes briefly, then exhaled.

“…Please…”

His voice broke.

“He’s my mate… Please, don’t hurt him anymore… If you must punish someone, punish me instead… I’ll do anything. Just, please…!“

Silence.

Theodore lay face-down in the dirt, begging.

One by one, the beastmen restraining him slowly let go.

“…To harm someone’s mate right in front of them…” one murmured. “That’s… far too cruel.”

Beastmen valued their mates above all else. Their other half, their destined bond—something sacred, something irreplaceable.

Defiling a mate’s bond was the ultimate taboo.

Even if they didn’t fully believe Theodore’s claim, they had seen it with their own eyes.

Asher had tried to protect Theodore.

And now, Theodore was fighting desperately to protect Asher.

One by one, the beastmen stepped back.

All except Gallan.

“You’re all idiots!” Gallan snarled. “What if he’s lying!?”

Matilda’s voice cut through the tension. “Gallan. Look at him properly. Look at his form.“

Gallan turned and froze.

A human-born half-blood—one who had never transformed—had suddenly awakened his beastly traits.

“Half-bloods don’t usually manifest like this. But this…? This only happens when a mate is in mortal danger.“

Matilda shoved Gallan aside and reached out to Theodore, helping him up.

“Art. This is wrong. We cannot torture a beastman’s mate.”

Art’s expression darkened. “…You’re saying this half-blood is one of us?”

Matilda met his gaze fearlessly. “Yes. And if someone whipped your mate, Art, what would you do?“

“…I would rip them to pieces.”

“Exactly. That’s why I had to stop you.”

The hall fell into uneasy silence.

Meanwhile, Asher had been untied from the pillar by the female beastmen. They gently wrapped his wounds, trying to stop the bleeding.

“WAIT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?” Barf shouted. “HE TRIED TO KILL ME!!”

“Shut up, Barf!” Matilda snapped. “You’ve done enough damage! Take him away!”

Barf struggled, cursing. “I’LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU, BLACK KNIGHT!!”

Matilda let out a sigh as she watched Barf being forcibly dragged away. Then, sensing Theodore’s gaze fixed on her, she turned around and drooped her ears apologetically.

“…I could have stopped this much sooner. I’m sorry.”
“…That is…”

Before Theodore could ask what she meant, Matilda continued.

“…If you had just been an ordinary human, I would have left you to die. I opposed it, sure—but if I didn’t know you were one of us, I wouldn’t have fought my own people to stop them. Not for a human. So, you don’t need to thank me.”
“…I see.”
“…And there are still plenty here who despise you. You can tell just by looking at Barf. There are others like him—’mate-less’ ones. Those who don’t understand bonds, to whom you and the prince are nothing but enemies. But now that we know you’re mates, I won’t let them pull anything like that again.”
“Because we’re mates…? It’s true that I’m a half-blood, but His Highness is human. Isn’t he still an enemy to you?”
“…”

Matilda didn’t answer. Or rather, maybe she couldn’t answer. Theodore couldn’t tell.

“…Anyway, after treating your injuries, you and the prince are going into the dungeon. We can’t let you go. Right, Art?”

A massive shadow loomed over Theodore and Matilda. Art, standing behind them, looked down at Theodore with cold eyes and snorted.

“…That’s right. Since we changed the plan from assassination to kidnapping, we can’t kill you.”

With a dissatisfied expression, Art turned his gaze away from Theodore and pulled him away from Matilda.

“Take him away. Black Knight, if you try to—”
“Do you really think I would abandon His Highness, injured as he is, and run?”

Theodore’s sharp words cut him off. Art grimaced.

“You don’t need to shackle me. I won’t resist. Just… His High—”
“Your mate’s wounds will be treated by the physician.”

This time, Art interrupted Theodore. Then, stomping heavily, he turned and walked away.

Theodore watched his retreating figure with a serious expression. Finally, he let out a deep breath of relief.