Chapter 11. Bewilderment

Thank you LeoHP for the ko-fi. I’m truly, truly sorry for the huge delay. I’ve been so out of it for a while, but I’m hoping to pick myself up again. Also, thank you pomelochi on the Discord for pointing out the missing links. They’ve been updated now.

As for this chapter, we get more development as well as Theodore’s thoughts. Enjoy~

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Theodore knew that the person in front of him had fallen asleep when he heard the prince’s breathing slow down. He had been cold but no longer felt that way with the cloak wrapped around him now. There was also the body heat shared with the person in front of him. The forest was quiet except for the faint sounds of animals. He looked up at the notvis tree, something he would have never approached if he were alone. The notvis smell continued to cause a headache even now. Normally, the wound on his back would have immediately closed, but it remained open because of the smell.

The notvis smell affected Theodore. That was because he was a mix; he was half-human, half-beastfolk. Having both human and beastfolk parents meant that while the notvis smell wouldn’t kill him, it would still greatly affect him.

Theodore shook his head a little to stave off the terrible dizziness and headache before closing his eyes. He wanted to leave here if possible, but that wouldn’t be sound as the beastfolk bandits might still be nearby looking for them. But at the very least, they wouldn’t get close. Theodore considered leaving the sleeping Asher behind here to rest elsewhere nearby, but in the unlikely chance that a human was working with the beastfolk bandits, that move would endanger the prince.

To be frank, Theodore absolutely despised the third prince Asher. Not only was he extremely selfish, but he also ordered terrible things to be done to beastfolk as if it was only natural, and Theodore was fed up with seeing all this.

It was the same as that day. Even though Asher had only reaped what he sowed, three of Theodore’s subordinates were arrested and tortured. Notice of this came several days later to Theodore’s attention, thus delaying his reaction. It was likely due to Angela pulling strings from behind. He met with the queen numerous times, but she never paid him any mind. His subordinates remained in prison and suffered. When he heard that Asher had awakened, he immediately made his way to the prince’s room. He thought the prince would demand for his subordinates to be executed as soon as he woke up. However, that didn’t happen. Instead, they were promptly pardoned. Although the prince was surprised to see Theodore burst into the room without permission, the cold eyes the prince always had were gone. Instead, he looked at Theodore with a soft gaze. As if he were a completely different person.

Asher even apologized to Theodore’s subordinates afterward, personally treated a beastfolk despite his immense disgust towards them, and even gently scolded the beastfolk child who attempted to harm him.

No, this wasn’t “as if”. Asher was a completely different person.

Theodore slowly opened his eyes and Asher reflected off his pure black eyes. “…Just who are you…?”

At first, Theodore thought the prince was planning something because of a suggestion from Marquess Clarke or Queen Angela. However, the more he observed the prince, the less likely it seemed. In the past, the third prince raised a ruckus if any beastfolk were to get near him, meaning that physical contact was unthinkable. No matter how much Angela or even Marquess Clarke advised him otherwise, he wasn’t the type to listen to anyone.

Therefore, Theodore couldn’t understand Asher’s attitude towards him just before. Asher insisted on treating his injury and even sat close to share warmth because he assumed Theodore was cold. All this confused Theodore. In his eyes, Asher looked like a young boy, still naïve and innocent.

“…Though I’m not going to understand anything through this pain…”

Theodore’s head continued to hurt. He weakly hung his head. It wasn’t his intention, but his head ended up resting on Asher’s shoulder. He took in shallow breaths to ease the pain just a little when he caught a whiff of something sweet.

“…? Has my nose gone numb…? I should probably change locations as soon as dawn breaks.”

However, Theodore felt like the sweet scent was gradually easing his headache. The gentle, comfortable, and calming scent made his eyelids heavy. Instinctively drawn to the scent, he unconsciously buried his face where it smelled the strongest.

That unpleasant notvis scent was no more. Theodore took in a deep breath and fell into a deep slumber.

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Asher was confused. More than he had ever been.

How? How could this have happened?

Asher didn’t know when he fell asleep, but he woke up from the pain of a tight hold around his body. After having just woken up, he was groggy as he slowly looked around, unable to grasp his current predicament—the arms wrapped tightly around his abdomen and Theodore’s face buried in his neck.

Huh? Why? Why was this happening?!

Asher stirred a little because Theodore’s breath on his neck felt ticklish, but he quickly stopped because he didn’t want to wake the sleeping knight up. Theodore’s face had been so pale before Asher fell asleep, but his complexion was looking much better. Asher was a little relieved and remained still for some time, but Theodore showed no signs of waking. Unable to take it any longer, Asher slowly turned to the side to get Theodore’s face away from his neck, careful not to wake Theodore up.

Asher took another thorough look at Theodore to check his complexion. He couldn’t help but get lost in Theodore’s handsome face, from his dignified brow down to that straight nose. So much had happened that he never noticed how handsome Theodore was. But now that Theodore was asleep, that usual distant feeling was nonexistent and he seemed to be at peace.

“His eyelashes are also long… Well, I’m not one to talk…” Asher chuckled to himself thinking back to his own appearance, when Theodore suddenly opened his eyes and the two locked gazes.

“…”

“…”

The two didn’t move, their eyes fixed on the other and locked in place. The first to move was Theodore. After quickly lifting his face from Asher’s shoulder, he loosened his tight grip around Asher’s waist. “I had hoped to stay up and keep watch. My apologies.”

“Huh? Oh, right… We should have decided before what shifts to take. Sorry for falling asleep first.” Asher unfastened the cloak with slightly awkward movements and slowly got up. It was already dawn. “But it’s good that nothing happened.”

The fire had already gone out, but their clothes were completely dry. Asher grabbed the dried clothes draped over a tree root and handed Theodore’s over with a smile. “Here. They’re fully dry.”

Theodore accepted the clothes and looked down, something on his mind. “You’re not chastising me?”

“Huh?”

“By not keeping watch, I have exposed Your Highness to danger. That is unbecoming conduct for a knight.”

“But you were injured, Theodore… B-besides, nothing happened in the end.”

“Your Highness would have been enraged if this happened… I cannot understand you…” Theodore stood up, his black eyes questioning Asher. “Are you truly Prince Asher?”

Asher dropped the clothes in his hand at that question. He was taken aback for a moment, experiencing a strange sensation of being sucked up by those black eyes directed right at him.

Theodore’s question was reasonable. The past “Asher” and his current self were like completely different people. Should Asher tell the truth? Since Theodore asked so straightforwardly, he would believe him, right? He might even help Asher…

“…When I woke up after falling off the horse,” Asher slowly spoke, his voice trembling. “I woke up and didn’t know where or who I was.” Theodore opened his mouth to interject, but he soon closed it and waited for Asher to continue. “But I’ve been slowly recovering my memory bit by bit… But it feels like… they belong to someone else… I don’t really get it.”

Theodore’s face slowly changed into one of surprise as he looked at Asher. Asher was crying. Numerous tears fell from his eyes and down his cheek. “I don’t understand it myself…” 

Asher realized he was now crying. He covered his face so Theodore couldn’t see and roughly wiped the tears away. Naturally, he couldn’t disclose the whole truth. He couldn’t talk about his past life’s memories. But what he said was indeed true. He wasn’t lying. He possessed memories as “Asher”, but he did feel like they didn’t belong to him. He didn’t know what to do in the future.

Asher looked up with puffy red eyes at Theodore since Theodore had been quiet. He continued to say nothing, but he suddenly turned to look deep into the forest.

“Theodore?”

“I sense someone. Please hide.”

Theodore promptly stomped the remains of the campfire. He told Asher to hurry up and put on his clothes. Then he erased the signs that they were her and took Asher to hide behind a thicket.

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