Little Pink Starfish

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As Theodore closed the door and took a breath, he noticed the sound of footsteps approaching from a short distance away.

Turning his face towards the sound, he saw Ward walking over, waving his hand. With his usual untrustworthy smile, Ward stopped in front of Theodore.

“Ellie was running down the hallway in a panic, so everyone started freaking out, thinking something happened to Prince Asher.”

“…His Highness just woke up.”

“Oh… then maybe it’s about time Louis got some rest? While you’re resting, I can keep watch here.”

“I’m getting enough rest. There’s no need.”

“…I heard you’ve been here all night, though?”

Ward gave him a probing look, but Theodore remained expressionless as he responded.

“I’m his direct bodyguard. What’s wrong with staying near His Highness?”

“…Have you been here every night since you became his guard?”

“That’s right.”

“Hmm. Then, I guess I must have been mistaken when I looked for you the night before last and couldn’t find you.”

Neither of their expressions changed.

“…I was speaking with His Highness for a while.”

“Speaking, huh…?”

“……”

“Well, I suppose most people wouldn’t dare approach a room being guarded by the Black Knight Theodore… except for me, of course.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“Oh, nothing. I’m not going to ask any unnecessary questions about what you and Prince Asher were doing back then. But, you see… it’s just a feeling I have.”

Ward had been smiling, but his expression suddenly turned serious.

“I honestly thought… it was Lady Doriana. But it turns out it’s you? Even though you always act like you have no interest at all…”

“What are you talking about?”

“…I’ll tell you because it’s you. Be careful of Prince Samuel.”

“Prince Samuel?”

“As soon as he found out Prince Asher might have feelings for Lady Doriana, he forced her engagement through. It was done so aggressively that even the Duchess of Vale had no choice but to accept it.”

“……”

“He’s the same guy who figured out that I was trying to make a move on Prince Asher.”

“Trying to make a move?”

Theodore, who had remained expressionless until now, furrowed his brows and glared at Ward.

“…See? You’re so obvious. You’re not even trying to hide it, are you?”

“…Hide what?”

“And you’re not even aware of it… It’s hopeless.”

“What are you saying?”

With a deep sigh, Ward’s usually carefree face twisted in displeasure.

“In the past, even after becoming his direct bodyguard, you wouldn’t have gone this far. You wouldn’t have cared whether I made a move or not.”

Theodore remained silent as Ward shook his head in exasperation.

“If it were anyone else, I’d have gone straight to Prince Samuel to report them… but honestly… I know you don’t like me, but I actually like you. That’s why I’m giving you this warning. The other party is a prince. If it were just a fling, there’d be no issue… but neither you nor Prince Asher are the type for that, are you?”

Royal marriages are determined solely by the king. Prince Asher, the third prince, is no exception.

What he had told Asher earlier wasn’t a lie. But eventually, for the sake of the kingdom, Asher would be married off—either to a foreign royal or to a noble of high and distinguished lineage.

“I’m telling you, it’s better to give up before Prince Samuel notices.”

“…Give up?”

“That’s right. Before the wound gets too deep.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

Theodore let out a quiet chuckle, causing Ward to widen his eyes in surprise.

“You don’t need to worry.”

“H-Hey! Louis!”

“I know what I’m doing… Oh, right. Can I leave this place to you?”

With a small smile, Theodore placed a hand on Ward’s shoulder before quickly walking away.

“Eh? Wait—Louis! Where are you—”

“I’ll be right back.”

“Hey! Louis!!”

As he walked, Theodore let out a dry chuckle.

He already knew.

Even without Ward saying anything, he had understood everything. That’s why, once, he had tried to distance himself. But it had crumbled so easily.

And now, he already knew.

He knew the warmth of that skin, the sweetness of that voice.

Once you’ve known, it’s too late. There’s no letting go. If someone tried to take him away, he’d seize him back by force.

─── He would do anything to make Asher his.

But for that to happen, he needed to make King Augustin approve of a marriage between him and Asher.

A knight and a prince—was such a marriage even possible? He didn’t know. But now that Ward had told him to “give up” to his face, there was no way he could.

He would investigate everything—every past royal marriage in Dias. Anything, any loophole.

He would never let another touch him.

“Aah! Sir Theodore!!”

A sudden voice stopped him in his tracks.

Beast soldiers had spotted him and came running over.

“What about Prince Asher!?”
“Has his fever gone down?”
“We’ve been so worried… Look at this, I lost some fur from the stress…”
“Huh? Prince Asher? Ah! Sir Theodore!! Everyone!! Sir Theodore is here!!”
“What!? Did something happen to Prince Asher!? Did he wake up!?”
“What!? Prince Asher is awake!? Someone said they saw Ellie running down the hall just now—”

Their tails wagged furiously as they jostled each other with their massive bodies, swarming around Theodore.

“…Get back to your posts.”

Despite Theodore’s cold command, they kept closing in, speaking all at once.

“Even though he was unwell, he still went to the trial to stop the beastfolk’s execution…”
“He himself suffered terribly, and yet…”
“I heard there are still aftereffects from that bastard Clark’s strange drug… Is that true, Sir Theodore!?”
“His Highness is safe! There are no aftereffects! Get back to your posts!!”
“But Sir Theodore! Ah! Where are you going!? Sir Theodore!!”

Ignoring their calls, Theodore continued forward.

Since the public trial, nearly everyone in the castle—both humans and beastfolk alike—had been talking about Asher.

The same was happening in the capital.

Those who had witnessed the trial firsthand, as well as those who had heard about the details of the incident, were spreading the story rapidly. The pace at which it spread was almost unnatural, as if someone were deliberately spreading it.

Because of this, people’s perception of Asher had changed.

Even beastfolk who once despised him were no longer openly hostile. Some who had suffered at his hands remained wary, but few displayed their former hatred. Instead, many now pitied him.

Of course, not everyone was convinced. Some couldn’t believe that the cruel Asher had been manipulated.

But the sight of Asher at the trial had been real.

Unbeknownst to him, people were now in an uproar over him.

Everywhere, they spoke his name, praised him, and worried for him.

No one called him the “Beast-hating Third Prince” anymore.

The story of Asher spread, growing more exaggerated with each telling. Even those who hadn’t seen the trial firsthand spoke of it as if they had witnessed it themselves.

The merciful Third Prince Asher—he was now spoken of as if he were…

“The way he stood so dignified before the king… that image should be passed down for generations.”
“So brave, so regal, so divine… Words cannot do him justice.”
“He pushed his ailing body to its limits, ascending the platform to save the accused beastfolk… Such mercy, such kindness…”
“His golden hair shone like light… His sapphire eyes… a beauty beyond this world… He was like… Yes, he was like—”

─── An angel.