Gilded Cage, Golden Eyes

“Should we send word to the Dark Elves in the desert village again? They may have become lax since it’s been so long.”

“Yes, do that for me.”

“Understood.”

“…….”

Carli, who nodded, looked at Sian’s face in confusion as it turned gloomy again.

Sian had been like this quite often lately.

He would seem happy, but then his face would suddenly darken and he would become depressed.

Now that he saw it, it seemed to be all because of that arrogant human.

Carli still didn’t like Theodore.

He wished he would just disappear.

If he was out of sight, Sian wouldn’t care about him.

Carli clicked his tongue inwardly.

“Then I’ll go to the village to deliver the message.”

“Ah, okay.”

Sian forced a smile and saw Carli off.

His face was still dark.

It was only natural for Theodore to leave the mountain, but he kept feeling uneasy.

He wished he wouldn’t go.

Just stay here, with me… Even if he gets angry and says I’m disgusting, it’s okay…

Sian froze, startled by his own thoughts.

At that moment, he heard a gentle voice calling him.

“Master.”

“……!”

This time, Sian turned around in surprise.

Then, his eyes widened.

‘He’s dazzling as always…’

Theodore was cute and angelic when he was young, but now that he had grown up, he was even more radiant.

Sparkling golden hair, golden eyes like melted gold.

His lips, which parted whenever he smiled brightly, seemed to hold flower petals.

Theodore had grown up quickly and was tall enough that there wasn’t much of a height difference between him and Sian, even though he was only 15 years old.

Whether it was because he was Western or because he was the protagonist, his development was exceptional.

But even though he had grown so much, his smiling face was dazzlingly beautiful.

Just looking at him made his eyes squint as if the light in front of him was getting brighter.

“Master?”

“Ah.”

Sian came to his senses and looked at Theodore again.

Theodore was facing Sian with a soft smile.

“Are you not feeling well?”

“Of course not, why would I be?”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

Sian, a dragon, had never been in bad condition.

Sometimes his body was affected when he was in a bad mood, but it wasn’t that bad.

When he shook his head firmly at Theodore, who was worried, Theodore nodded in relief.

“By the way… were you upstairs with Carli?”

“Huh?”

“…….”

Sian’s eyes widened at Theodore’s subtle question.

Since some time ago, Theodore would often ask Sian where he had been and who he had been with.

And Sian hadn’t thought it was strange and just answered him every time.

But today, for some reason, he felt a little uneasy.

“Y-yes, I was. We had something to talk about for a while.”

“I see.”

“…….”

Theodore nodded and gave a soft smile.

Seeing that smile, he couldn’t ask why he was asking such a thing.

Well, it’s probably nothing.

He probably just asked out of curiosity.

Sian thought so and tried to shake off his uneasy feelings.

“Then is your conversation over?”

“Yes, Carli went back to the village.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Huh?”

“It’s nothing.”

“Really……?”

Did he hear wrong?

It sounded like Theodore was relieved that Carli had returned to the village…

Of course, Sian knew that Theodore and Carli didn’t get along well.

No matter how angelic and kind Theodore was, he couldn’t think well of Carli, who was hostile to him.

But Theodore had never openly disliked Carli before.

Above all, it wasn’t something that the gentle Theodore would say.

As Sian tilted his head in confusion, Theodore took another step closer and said.

“Master, let’s go downstairs.”

“Ah… okay.”

Theodore, who had come close, held out his hand to Sian.

Sian reflexively took his hand.

It used to be the opposite.

Sian was always the one who held out his hand because it was dangerous to go down the stairs.

But that had also reversed since some time ago.

As he grabbed the hand of Theodore, who had grown so tall, his heart fluttered strangely.

Was it because he was moved that his child had grown so much?

Sometimes he was sad and sometimes he was happy.

Feeling both happy and sad, Sian slowly went down the stairs, holding Theodore’s hand.

“Where’s Leon?”

“Leon went out with Ryuisa.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Another achievement during that time was Leon.

Leon could now read and write the imperial language.

Of course, he didn’t speak it perfectly, but he could speak well enough for everyday conversation and write simple sentences.

That alone was a great achievement.

It was an achievement that he hadn’t been able to achieve even in the original story.

As Sian had hoped, Leon, who had learned to write, became a free man.

These days, he didn’t stay in the mansion very often and wandered around every corner of the mountain with Ryuisa, catching magical beasts.

Perhaps the current Leon was stronger than the original Leon at that age.

Everything was going smoothly no matter how he thought about it.

The children were ready to go on an adventure right away.

It was because Sian had taught them perfectly.

A bitter smile appeared on Sian’s face.

“Are you sad?”

“What?”

Sian flinched and turned to look at him at Theodore’s quiet question.

Had Theodore learned mind reading without him knowing?

But even so, he wouldn’t be able to see what he was thinking, being a dragon.

His heart sank, but Sian tried to act as if nothing was wrong and looked at Theodore.

“Are you sad that Leon is often away from home?”

“Ah… that.”

“Yes?”

“Hmm, no. It’s because it’s the time for him to play outside. Leon is also a beastman.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, so don’t say anything to Leon.”

“Okay.”

Sian added a word, feeling embarrassed for no reason.

Unlike him, Theodore might not think well of Leon for often being away from home.

Leon wandered outside according to his nature, but Theodore didn’t go out of the house very often.

He would only follow him when Sian went out for outdoor classes.

He seemed to like going outside in the past.

Sian thought to himself and tilted his head.

Then, he looked at Theodore’s hair, which was shining as it received the sunlight coming through the window, and said.

“Come to think of it, it’s about time to dye your hair.”

“Dye my hair?”

“Yes.”

Theodore’s hair had been maintained as a dark brown color with strong dye.

But if he didn’t dye it regularly, it would return to its golden color like now.

It was about time to dye it again.

Theodore pouted at Sian’s words.

He didn’t like dyeing his hair whether he was young or old.

Sian chuckled and looked at Theodore.

“Do you hate dyeing your hair that much?”

“There’s no one to see it anyway…”

“You still have to do it.”

Sian said to Theodore, who was grumbling, with a smile and swallowed the rest of his words.

There will be many people to see it in the future, so you have to do it regularly.

Sian just raised his hand and stroked Theodore’s brightly shining hair.

“Then please do it for me, Master.”

“Again?”

“Yes.”

Was it because he had been dyeing Theodore’s hair since the beginning?

He had been teaching him the method steadily, so he should be able to do it, but Theodore kept insisting.

He always wanted Sian to dye his hair for him.

Dyeing hair was no longer difficult for Sian.

His skills had improved over the 5 years he had been dyeing Theodore’s hair.

But now he should slowly get Theodore into the habit of dyeing his hair by himself.

Sian thought so and opened his mouth.

“You have to try doing it yourself now.”

“I don’t want to. I won’t dye it if you don’t.”

“Goodness…”

Sian shook his head as if he couldn’t do anything about Theodore’s stubbornness.

It seemed that he would have to dye his hair this time as well.

But unlike what he was expressing, Sian felt quite good.

He acts cute like this at times like this.

Sian chuckled as he looked at Theodore, who didn’t refuse or avoid his touch.

“I can’t help it, I guess.”

“Hehe.”

As he continued to stroke his hair, Theodore closed his eyes and enjoyed Sian’s touch.

It was like looking at a well-trained cat.

That’s right.

What if Theodore was going through puberty?

He’s just so cute and pretty.

Sian felt his worries melt away and gave a soft smile.

He wished time would just stop like this.

“……!”

“…….”

Then, Theodore, who had been closing his eyes, opened his eyes.

Sian, who had been stroking his hair, made eye contact with Theodore.

His bright yellow eyes reflected the light coming through the window and sparkled.

They were mysterious eyes.

His golden eyes, like embedded jewels, had a warm and soft light.

Sian stared at those eyes as if he was possessed.

“Master…”

A quiet voice was heard in his ear.

It was a sweet and gentle voice.

It was also a voice with the magic to make anyone want to grant whatever he asked.

Sian blankly gazed at Theodore.