Chapter 40: A Man Of Respect
Theo finally unlocked the door, the eyes still watching him. He walked inside and closed it behind him, and only let his shoulders drop once it clicked shut. The fight was over, and only now did the ache of it begin to settle in.
Inside, Sesan sat slumped in the chair, her legs propped up on the table, fast asleep and snoring. The sound scraped in and out of her throat, slow and steady.
’Will you look at who I’m fighting to death to save. She’s sleeping, not even giving a care in the world.’
As Theo watched her, he shivered and turned his head slowly. It was as if death itself glared at him from beside Sesan.
And that death was none other than Estea, arms folded, her stare fixed on him.
"You fool! What do you think you’re doing?!"
Theo frowned.
"I think I’d prefer a thank you husband instead of that. But don’t worry, I’m not gonna get mad just yet. You still have time to do the right thing."
Instead Estea glared daggers at him.
"You seem not to cherish your life! You’ll die! And no one in the world would care about you! And it won’t matter, it won’t be a heroic feat like you youngsters seek, it will be nothing excellent, just a pitiful, wretched death, and you know what would even be so much of a shame? We will die too! And all your effort will be for nothing fool!"
Theo stood there, blank with shock, the grin knocked clean off his face, as Estea yelled once more.
"Look out for yourself! Protect yourself! Fucking care about yourself! What is wrong with you?!"
Theo folded his arms, and the look on his face hardened.
"Perhaps, the thing wrong here is how devastated your reality is that you can’t come to the terms that there’s someone who, without any reason, nothing to gain, wants to care for you, help you and if possible love you."
The room went silent. Estea kept glaring, and then Sesan’s snore rolled out and made the quiet even more awkward. Theo stayed where he was, letting it sit.
"Since I’ve made sure that you’re okay, I’ll step outside for a bit. I need to tell the Hero Association what they need to hear."
He turned to go, then stopped with his hand on the door.
"By the way, what are the chances that your stepmother’s wedding gift to us is a category ii gate filled with huge serpents. If you ever have the opportunity to see her again, I’d like you to offer my thanks, and turns out I was right about her taste after all."
Estea’s brows knitted together.
"What? You fought a category ii gate on your own?"
Theo flashed her a grin.
"I told you. Your husband is capable."
He winked at her, and her expression twisted, visibly irritated, before he walked out and closed the door behind him.
Outside again. Aide Lance paced the wreckage, bending now and then to study the wounds on the dead monsters, torn clean through their hides. Violet blood had pooled across the ground and was already drying dark at the edges.
When Theo came out, Lance straightened and approached him, glancing toward the entrance for a moment to check they were still alone.
He stopped in front of Theo, who was lowering himself onto the bench like the weight of the whole night had finally caught up with him. Part of its edge was smeared with violet blood, and a dead Hornback Serpent lay slumped behind it, coils gone slack, jaws still parted around teeth the length of a finger.
"Are you okay? Any wounds?"
Lance asked, standing over him.
"Slightly exhausted, but that’s just all."
Lance nodded subtly and studied him keenly. His gaze kept slipping from Theo’s face to the ruin around them and back, like he couldn’t make the two match.
"This was a lot, Mr. Theolyne. You sure you didn’t get any help?"
He cleared his throat and pressed on.
"I’m sorry, it’s just that when you make a mess like this one, it’s really hard to believe you’re a newly awakened Hero. One might be convinced you were taught by a Veteran from within the Tower. But you don’t look like someone who is Affiliated, which makes all of this really confusing to me. I am just so confused."
Theo stayed silent, unable to find a response for the man for a few seconds, until Lance sighed.
"Alright then, I’ll trust your word. For now, is there anywhere else you and your... wives can stay? We will fix the damages, and also scout the area for any potential threat. We want it to be discreet in order to keep the existence of a potential SS-rank a secret from the rest of the Agencies."
Theo’s head came up.
"You’ll clean all this place?"
Aide Lance was a bit puzzled by how appreciative Theo had sounded.
"Uhm, yes, it’s the natural thing to do. We will also help you salvage the cores and parts of the monsters that can be sold, and communicate with you how much you earned."
Theo smiled. He stood up quickly and shook Lance’s hand.
"Please let them make sure it’s squeaky clean. My wives hate things dirty."
Lance could hardly believe it.
’Is this what he is worried about?’
He stammered a little as he responded.
"Uhm, sure... they will."
He brought out a sleek phone and thumbed at it as he spoke to Theo.
"Do you want me to book a room for you at some discreet hotel place?"
Theo cut him off.
"No, that’s okay... You have a car right? Please, you can just help in taking us to the hospital."
The worry from before came back to Aide Lance’s face.
"What’s wrong? Do you feel hurt somewhere?"
Theo frowned slightly.
"No, I’m fine..."
"Are your wives okay..."
"Yes they are..."
The Aide froze, his mouth slightly open, the phone forgotten in his hand.
"Then... why hospital?"
Theo chuckled.
"Oh, because my third wife is there. She’s in a coma, it’ll be better for us to just stay with her, I intend to move away from this place anyways."
Theo had lost Aide Lance at third wife. The man just wouldn’t stop staring at Theo with so much amazement and respect.