CH 37

“That…”

When asked about his impression, Theodore was greatly taken aback.

Face? He didn’t know because it’s covered with a mask.

Hair? The hood of the robe was pressed down deeply, so he didn’t even know what color it was, let alone its length.

A sure clue…

Gold eyes, and the platinum ring she was wearing.

The voice was of neutral tone… No, it might be a little lower, and he believed he heard her shout the word ‘Iprus’ before passing out.

Maybe it was someone’s nickname.

With such little information, could he find his benefactor on this vast continent?

Theodore took a deep breath in the fear that slowly engulfed him.

This was because he realized that his emotions were being led by the imprinting before he even realized.

…Yes. It might have been a good thing that there were few clues about the benefactor.

Didn’t he promise that he wouldn’t have his emotions manipulated by imprinting until noon yesterday?

If he had imprinted on the person he fell in love with at first sight, he might have accepted his fate.

However, the person he imprinted on was someone whose name or face he did not know.

Even if she saved his life, that was not a reason to love her.

Rather, his one-sided imprint could harm his benefactor.

With determined eyes, Theodore said,

“Mother. I will not look for her.”

⋆﹥━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━﹤⋆

It’s been a week since Theodore declared that he would not be looking for his imprinting partner.

The day before the Igle family’s banquet, Theodore had a big disagreement with Isabel, his mother and the madam of the Wulf family.

“Give up, Theo.”

“I’m not a patient.”

“You’re not a patient. Look in the mirror and try to say that again. If you go to the Igle’s banquet, it’s like announcing that you’re not feeling well.”

Theodore insisted, his face reddened by the boiling heat.

“The fever has nothing to do with the fact that I was attacked by assassins, Mother.”

“Theo.”

“As long as I’m determined not to complete the imprint, I can’t hide my physical condition forever.”

“But there is no need to reveal it right away. Why the hell are you going to the banquet hall with such a body?”

“I’m just trying to do what I have to do. I don’t like it when my daily life is disrupted because of the imprint.”

“Theo, you…”

With a sigh, Isabel looked at her son and eventually raised the white flag.

That stubbornness was the kind that could not be undone no matter how much she persuaded him.

“First of all, since you’re determined, I will allow you to attend the banquet.”

“…Thank you.”

“However, you should be sick right now right after the hunting competition. I hope you know what I mean.”

“…You mean, after announcing that I’m well in public, I should pretend to be sick because of another illness, not because of the attack.”

“Yes.”

It was definitely better to do so both for his honor and to show the power of the Wulf family to the attacking family.

As long as they still hadn’t found the family behind the attack. If they showed weakness, they could aim for the next opportunity.

Theodore knew that too, but he couldn’t readily nod his head.

“But the only way to improve your physical condition is to complete the imprint…”

The fever caused by incomplete imprinting was not a disease, so medicine did not work at all.

Isabel’s words continued without hesitation, as if she had something in mind.

“I heard that among the high-ranking magics, there is one that forcibly raises one’s physical condition. It lasts for about a day.”

“Then…”

“The magic tower lord is busy looking for a penguin or something, so I need to ask the Weil family for help.”

“…Is Mother all right with it?”

Bella and Isabel had often been compared since decades ago because of their similarities in age, location, and even personality.

She probably wouldn’t be too happy to get help from the Weils.

But she shrugged her shoulders, as if it didn’t matter.

“I will contact the Weil family. If I send a quick flier, it will probably come within the day.”

Before leaving the room, Isabel gave Theodore a reminder to get some rest.

She let out a small sigh of her own and thought as she walked along the hallway.

As both Isabel and Ruben inherited the blood of their distant ancestor, the black wolf, their son Theodore was naturally destined to imprint.

However, Isabel had never worried about the fact that Theodore had the dense blood of their ancestors until just a week ago.

As she truly lived a blissful life after imprinting on her husband Ruben.

She didn’t know that Theodore, who had experienced imprinting, albeit imperfectly, would so stubbornly refuse to find his partner and benefactor.

‘It’s already been a week since the fever started.’

He was holding on thanks to his strong body, but if this imperfect imprint lasts for a long time…

“Your life will be in danger.”

Just then, Ruben came into her field of vision. He seemed to have come because he was worried about Theodore.

“How is Theodore, Isabel?”

She frowned, slowly shaking her head.

“I guess we got it wrong. Theo’s will to not complete the engraving is strong. Or more like, stubborn.”

“…That’s a big deal. It would be easier if we knew at least a little about what his benefactor looks like.”

Isabel brought her hand to her forehead and spoke in a trembling voice.

“Ruben. Perhaps we have placed too great a burden on Theodore.”

“But Isabel, don’t you know? If it had been a perfect imprint, not an incomplete imprint, Theodore would not have even thought of rejecting it.”

“I guess so. But then it’ll be like Theodore said, the emotions are controlled by the imprint.”

Ruben squeezed Isabel’s shoulder and murmured quietly, as if asking her to think again.

“Wake up. Are we going to let Theodore die like this? The imprint must be completed somehow.”

“…….”

Isabel licked her lips, but she didn’t say anything.

Unfortunately, as Theodore’s life depended on it, there was no choice from the beginning.

⋆﹥━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━﹤⋆

Tok tok.

“Theodore. I’m here.”

To the familiar voice that came with the sound of knocking, Theodore pressed his throbbing head and answered.

“Come in.”

The one who opened the door to his room and entered was Suradel. Theodore expected it, but it wasn’t a particularly welcomed face.

But if it’s him, even high-level magic would be casted successfully without difficulty…

Theodore halted his train of thoughts and jumped up from the bed. His reaction speed was such that no one would have thought he was a sick person.

“You…”

Theodore stared at Suradel, his face distorted.

Suradel could have been angry at Theodore’s reaction. But he approached the wolf with a smile like he was having fun.

“Why do you frown upon seeing me? I’m here because you asked me to come here. I’m disappointed.”

However, as Suradel approached, Theodore’s brows only dug deeper.

“…Did you wear perfume?”

Suradel shrugged his shoulders lightly.

“I don’t wear perfume or anything like that. Our Adelia might not like it.”

“If it’s Adelia… Looks like you’re still looking for the missing penguin.”

“Well. Adelia is the reason for my life.”

The answer that came without hesitation made Theodore narrow his eyes.

He thought about it before, but he couldn’t understand at all how someone like Suradel would be desperate for something like an insignificant bird.

Not to mention, it wasn’t because he raised it himself like in the case of Lord Reynos.

Theodore suddenly became curious about Suradel’s intentions.

‘Do you really like penguins?’

‘Or are you just acting to win the favor of Lord Reynos, the master of the magic tower?’

“What will you do if you can’t find the penguin till the end?”

“There will be no such thing.”

There was not even the slightest worry on Suradel’s face, which wore a leisurely smile.

‘Really, is it a pretense that he likes penguins?’

“Then what if an accident happens and your favorite penguin dies?”

“…If Adelia dies, ah.”

Suradel, who had been smiling handsomely until this second, slowly hardened his face.

“You know what, Theodore?”

When Theodore nodded to urge Suradel to continue, the latter’s golden eyes curved eerily.

“A reason to live is, paradoxically, a reason to die.”

At a glance, madness shone in Suradel’s eyes as he said that.

From those eyes, Theodore realized that the whale was serious.

Seeing those mad eyes reminded Theodore of an uncontrollable, instinctive fear that was buried deep within him.

The fear of predators would gradually fade the longer one had seen them. Eventually disappearing.

As you would get used to the other person.

However, Suradel was different. Even now, nearly twenty years after Theodore first saw him, fear still popped up when he faced him.

It was a very unpleasant feeling for Theodore, a black wolf who reigned as one of the top predators.

Ame: Haha, who has gold eyes and a platinum ring? Who hugged Lia before visiting Theodore? I feel so sorry for Theodore’s impending shock and misunderstanding, but I can’t stop laughing ahahahahaha