A Pact

Leon stroked the new bear toy with a proud face.

Thanks to the delicate carving, it felt like there was a real bear in front of his eyes. Leon, feeling good, held the bear toy high and imitated the bear’s cry.

“Kyao, Kyao.”

“……”

Theodore, who was sitting far away, looked at Leon with a pathetic look.

But it wasn’t like their ways of playing were that different.

They were just staying apart, glancing at each other, as if guarding against each other.

Sian, their teacher, wanted them to get along well. Theodore also knew that, but he couldn’t get along with Leon at all.

His heart would boil up every time Sian smiled and petted Leon.

Everything was the same. Just as he had brought Theodore, who was hurt and wandering, Sian had brought Leon, who was caught in a hunter’s trap. And he took care of him with all his heart, without driving him away.

Theodore had already noticed that the kind and gentle Sian would not send Leon away.

‘Am I the same as that child….’

For Theodore, Sian was a unique existence. He was ignored by his mother, and his uncle, who hated him, only thought of killing Theodore. And he had almost succeeded.

He was able to escape and survive somehow… He didn’t want to go back there again.

Sian was the first person to ‘love him’. It wasn’t just because he felt sorry for him. He knew very well what the eyes of those who pitied him in the imperial palace looked like. Sian was different from those people.

But Theodore wasn’t the only existence for Sian. He had many other precious things besides himself.

That child he brought because he felt sorry for him might actually be no different from him.

He might not be a special existence to the teacher. His heart ached when he thought about it.

That’s why he couldn’t get along with Leon. His presence was annoying, and every action of his was displeasing.

When he clung to Sian, wagging his tail, he had a lot of wicked thoughts that he knew Sian would hate.

Theodore frowned and tapped the toy on the floor.

“Hey! Then… the deer will hurt!”

“I don’t care.”

“Gosh… Give me the deer.”

“You have one too.”

“Still, give it to me!”

Leon, reaching out his hand, tried to take the toy Theodore was holding.

Theodore frowned and pushed Leon, who was clinging to him.

The two people pushed each other and squabbled in the living room.

“Don’t be annoying… Go away!”

“Ugh…!”

Then Leon, pushed by Theodore’s hand, fell to the floor of the living room.

However, Leon, a beastman, quickly got back up on his feet with agile movements. Leon’s eyes glared at Theodore.

“You…!”

As much as Theodore hated Leon, Leon also didn’t like Theodore.

At first, he almost felt a little friendly because he wasn’t as scary as other adults, but he became completely hostile after the incident in the bathroom.

Moreover, Leon was constantly interfering with Sian’s touch and also sticking his tongue out when Sian was in his arms.

His actions were also hateful.

It was when Leon, his fur puffed up, was about to rush at Theodore.

“Ugh…!”

“…!”

Suddenly, Theodore held his head and staggered. Leon looked at Theodore with a bewildered face.

“Wh, what….”

He hadn’t done anything yet?

If Sian saw him, he was worried Sian would misunderstand and think he had hurt Theodore.

Leon involuntarily reached out to help Theodore.

“You… why are you….”

“……”

“Ugh…!”

However, Theodore brushed aside the hand that Leon had extended.

Thwack, the sound of flesh hitting each other echoed in the living room. Leon clutched his stinging hand with the other hand.

This… Because I was worried and tried to help you…!

Of course, it wasn’t done out of pure goodwill, but Leon was still upset.

He was about to shout in anger, when suddenly Theodore started staggering towards the outside of the living room.

“Hey, where are you going…!”

“……”

“Hey…!”

Leon shouted, following Theodore. Sian had told him to play quietly inside, but he shouldn’t go out without permission.

Leon was at a loss and tried to stop Theodore.

“You can’t… go!”

“……”

“Ugh…!”

However, Leon, approaching Theodore, was only pushed away. He dimly noticed that a strange energy was pushing him away only after Theodore went out of the living room, but he didn’t think of anything else other than that he had to stop Theodore.

“Leon…!”

“Grrr…”

Sian, having come out after them, found Leon biting Theodore’s ankle. Leon’s body was tattered from trying to stop Theodore.

But he was desperately holding on, trying to keep Theodore from going into the forest. Sian waved his arms urgently.

Kwoong!

At Sian’s gesture, the ground rumbled, and a pile of soft dirt rose up and enveloped Theodore and Leon’s bodies.

Leon was startled and let go of Theodore’s ankle.

“Aah…!”

“It’s okay now, Leon.”

“……!”

Sian, who had approached, gently embraced Leon’s body. Leon, held in the warm embrace, looked at Sian with a surprised face.

“You’re hurt a lot.”

“It’s, okay…”

“Shh, stay still.”

The wounds on Leon’s body were quickly healed by Sian’s healing magic.

Leon, who hadn’t even felt the pain, realized then that his body was a mess.

However, the pain soon subsided thanks to Sian’s magic.

“Th, thank… you.”

“Yes, well done, Leon.”

“……!”

If it hadn’t been for Leon, it would have been later when he found Theodore.

Then Theodore might have gone into the forest while Sian wasn’t there. It was a terrifying thought. Sian was able to come on time thanks to Leon stopping Theodore.

Even Leon didn’t care that his body was damaged, and desperately restrained Theodore, who was out of his mind. Thanks to that, Sian was able to stop it before something serious happened.

Sian’s hand stroked Leon’s head. Then Leon’s ears and tail, which had been stiff, drooped with a pleasant feeling.

“You did really well, thank you.”

“He… Hehe…”

Receiving a warm touch, Leon was bewildered and then smiled brightly.

He didn’t realize he had done this himself, but it felt so good to be praised by Sian. Leon’s wagging tail hit the ground with a thump, thump.

“Theo, calm down. Theo.”

“……”

“Theo…”

After treating Leon, Sian quickly approached Theodore.

Theodore, wrapped in the soft dirt, was hanging limply with his eyes closed as if he had lost his mind.

Sian examined Theodore’s body and finally let out a sigh of relief.

‘I shouldn’t have taken my eyes off him…’

It was because his mind had become lax due to the many events. Normally, he wouldn’t have left Theodore alone, but since he brought Leon into the house, his head was filled with other thoughts.

No, it was all an excuse. He should never have neglected Theodore, no matter what the reason. This was all his fault.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry, Theodore.”

“……”

Sian mumbled in a small voice, feeling guilty. As if he had heard the words, Theodore’s face trembled. After a moment, the child opened his eyes. Golden eyes that contained light were slowly revealed.

“Don’t… cry.”

“……”

Sian gave a dry smile at the delicate whisper that seemed about to vanish.

Dragons do not cry. Sian didn’t know the reason. Whether it was a simple racial trait or another reason. Perhaps it was the will of God to prove that the existence of dragons was a perfect being, unlike other races.

Anyway, Sian had never shed a tear since he was in the body of a dragon. Perhaps it was because there had never been much to cry about until now. But Sian was vaguely aware. Perhaps he would never be able to shed tears in the future.

“I didn’t cry.”

“But… you have a very sad face.”

“Did I… look like I was crying?”

“Yes…”

“……”

Sian embraced Theodore tightly without saying anything. And he promised himself in his heart.

I will never leave you alone again. I will not neglect you. Never, ever again…

Sian was muttering to himself, holding Theodore in his arms, until Carli, who came to help with the meal preparation, came running in surprise.

“……”

Thump, thump, Leon’s tail hit the living room. Leon narrowed his eyes and looked at Theodore’s small back.

After that incident, Sian explained Theodore’s condition to Leon.

That he sometimes had severe sleepwalking and was trying to wander alone to dangerous places with monsters.

So he told him that he was grateful for stopping Theodore.

Although it was done without much thought, it felt very good to be praised by Sian.

Because Sian rarely stroked his head with such joy.

‘I still don’t like that guy, but I want to be praised again by Sian-nim.’

Leon, thinking so, glared at Theodore, who was turning his back.

Since that day, Sian rarely left the living room where they were.

Leon glanced at the busy Sian from afar and cautiously stretched out his hand and tapped Theodore’s shoulder.

“Hey.”

“……?”

Theodore frowned and turned his head. And he looked at Leon, as if he was displeased.

“What.”

“I don’t like you… But especially, I will protect you!”

“……What?”

Theodore’s face became more distorted at Leon’s words, shrugging his shoulders. He said with a look of disbelief.

“I don’t need it.”

“Hmph, it’s not… because I like it!”

“Then?”

“It’s…”

Leon’s gaze went to another place. To Sian in the living room. Theodore, who understood the meaning, was furious.