It was Theo, standing motionless while gripping the maid Kate's hand.
They'd deliberately moved Ririn to another room after her nosebleed-induced collapse, worried she might startle awake. Judging by his disheveled appearance, he must have thrown a tantrum to get past the maids.
“…….”
The gazes of Calek and the knee-high child collided in midair.
Round honey-colored eyes stared unblinkingly at him as if examining some exotic creature. Calek found the unabashed scrutiny oddly refreshing.
"Your sister's sleeping. Won't do you any good to barge in now."
“…….”
Theo blinked once in his characteristic slow manner.
Even to childcare novices, Theo stood out as abnormally placid - a baby so quiet he bordered on indifferent. He rarely fussed or stubbornly demanded things.
Which made this unprecedented scowl all the more remarkable.
Thud. Thud.
The chestnut-shaped toddler stomped forward and kicked Calek's shin.
"Are... angry?"
Thud. Thud.
"Fire punch."
When Theo spotted Ririn's blood on the sleeve, he sank his teeth into Calek's hand with startling ferocity.
"Lord Theo!"
"Let him."
Calek hoisted the biting child one-handed, their faces now level. At this proximity, the boy's golden eyes seemed to blaze with actual fire.
"Still holding that grudge from our first meeting, aren't you?"
Silence. Only the sound of determined chewing.
"Think I'm hurting your sister?"
Calek knew the brat didn't care about him personally. Their relationship consisted of Theo trailing after Ririn like an obligatory appendage.
"Only show your cute side to her, huh?"
He flicked the boy's forehead. As Theo squirmed, Calek noted the surprising density of the small limbs. Ririn had felt like holding dandelion fluff, but this one...
'This cub's built like a bear.'
Though still too young for magic manifestation, his physical foundation surpassed expectations.
'Could the speech delay be magic-related?'
As Calek pondered, Theo wriggled free and landed butt-first on the floor.
"My lord! Are you hurt?!"
The butler panicked while Theo impassively dusted himself off. With determined pushes, the toddler forced open the heavy door.
Silent as a cat, he scaled the bedframe and curled against Ririn's side. Soon, twin rhythms of sleepy breathing filled the room.
Calek examined his teeth-marked hand with wry amusement.
"Mistook a lion cub for a sweet potato, didn't I?"
I drifted through psychedelic dreamscapes again.
Another precognitive vision? Except...
This felt different.
I'd been dumped in an alien world of iron carriages racing past skyscrapers that dwarfed magic towers. People with stone-faced expressions navigated smoggy streets under a sickly teal sky. The park bench reeked of urine and alcohol, but I had nowhere else to go.
"Don't wanna go..."
I aborted the foot-kick when my threadbare sneakers threatened to release big toes. Classmates could smell difference like hounds, and nothing fueled bullying better than poverty's stench.
"Kids mirror their parents," the teacher said. Then whose failure did I reflect?
"Hey kid! Why skipping school?"
An approaching woman made me bolt. Adults considered truancy a cardinal sin.
"Legs hurt! And I'm TWELVE!"
Weaving through concrete canyons, I willed time to accelerate. If I could just get home...
...to where?
Munch munch.
I blinked awake to a chestnut-shaped head nuzzling my chest.
"...Theo?"
The maids must have brought him during my medicated haze. Night pressed against the windows as I hugged him, drowsily puzzling over the fading dream.
Different dimension? Future vision sequel?
But exhaustion smothered curiosity.
Days passed in convalescent monotony.
Former Duchess Elisa visited thrice daily, demanding menu updates while complaining about my "fishbone limbs" (I'm not seafood!). Her concern manifested as food towers on my tray.
Father conducted bedridden inspections morning and night, rotating me like roast chicken while scrutinizing for injuries.
Today changed everything.
"I, Ririn Balt, am fully—"
"HATCHLING!"
Applause erupted as I sprang from bed. The maids cheered while swapping linens.
"Lunch in dining room?"
"Obviously!"
The mirror revealed a stranger - chin-length curls framing a newly exposed neck. Lighter. Fresher. No more morning detangling wars!
"Chirp chirp!"
My delighted grin contrasted with Kate's gloomy expression behind me. No more twin tails or candy-floss hairstyles. This magic-infused hair wouldn't regrow quickly.
"Ririn, I'm..."
Kate's brushstrokes grew heavy. She'd been drowning in guilt since the park incident.
"My fault for wandering off."
She crushed me in a hug. "Newbies are disaster magnets! Should've watched closer—"
"Was that an insult?!"
"From now on," she vowed with terrifying intensity, "I'll watch every breath you take."
The door creaked open.
"Lady Elisa!"
No response. The duchess stared icily until I remembered.
"GRANDMAAAA! All better!"
"WHAAAT?!"
Her ears worked perfectly when properly addressed.
