The chosen of Vortheis

Zehron walked away without a word, his steps steady, his expression unreadable—😐—as if the whole situation was beneath his concern.

But behind him, two figures crept along, trying (and failing) to be stealthy.

Sylus, crouching unnecessarily low, whispered, "We're doing great. He has no idea we're following him."

Elvienne, peeking from behind a fruit stall, nodded seriously. "Yeah. We're practically invisible."

Zehron, who was fully aware of them the entire time, sighed internally. They really think I don't know?

Sylus dramatically rolled to another hiding spot—a barrel that was way too small to conceal him. His entire upper body stuck out, but in his mind? He was a shadow in the night. A master of disguise.

Elvienne, slightly more reasonable, simply walked behind another stall, trying to act casual—except her occasional peeks from behind a pile of apples completely gave her away.

Zehron's expression didn't change. 😐

He suddenly stopped walking.

Sylus and Elvienne immediately threw themselves behind cover.

Silence.

Zehron sighed again. Then, without turning around, he spoke in his usual flat tone.

"You two are terrible at this."

Elvienne froze mid-peek. Sylus, still crouching, gasped dramatically. "Impossible! He saw us?! How?!"

Elvienne smacked his arm. "Of course he saw us, you idiot! You're half a person sticking out of a barrel!"

Sylus looked down at himself—torso completely exposed, legs awkwardly stuffed inside the barrel—and sighed. "Well. That explains the back pain."

Zehron, unimpressed, resumed walking.

Sylus quickly untangled himself and caught up, throwing an arm around Zehron's shoulder. "Well, since we've been discovered, we might as well make it official! We're your new followers—whether you like it or not!"

Zehron smoothly dodged the contact, leaving Sylus hugging air.

Sylus blinked at his empty arms. "DID HE JUST DODGE ME ?!"

Elvienne laughed, and Zehron?

His face remained utterly indifferent—😐—as he walked on.

Zehron resumed walking, his pace steady and unbothered, while the two self-proclaimed followers trailed behind him.

After a short while, they arrived at his home. It was a simple yet sturdy house, and in front of it sat a woman, peacefully knitting.

Zehron's mother.

She hummed softly as her hands worked the threads with practiced ease. But the moment her eyes landed on her son—with two people following him—her entire world shifted.

Her knitting slipped from her hands. Her mouth parted in shock. Her wide eyes sparkled with disbelief.

And then—

"Zehron!"

A dramatic gasp. A hand over her chest. She looked like she had just witnessed the impossible.

Zehron? With friends?

Zehron, completely unfazed, took large strides forward—swift and efficient. Before anyone could react, he gently but firmly grabbed his mother and whisked her inside the house, shutting the door behind them.

Silence.

Elvienne and Sylus stood frozen, their brains still catching up to what just happened.

Sylus blinked. "Wait. What?"

Elvienne, still in shock

Sylus scratched his head and started to sulk.

Elvienne looked at the closed door, arms crossed. " I'm a bit hurt"

They both turned to stare at the house.

Sylus dramatically wiped a fake tear. "Rest in peace, Lady Astravahn. It seems your son has locked you away forever."

Elvienne smacked his arm. "Oh, shut up."

Just as Elvienne and Sylus were still processing what had just happened, the door suddenly swung open again.

Standing there was Zehron's mother—with the widest, most radiant smile they had ever seen.

"Oh my goodness!" she exclaimed, eyes twinkling. "You must be Zehron's friends!"

Sylus and Elvienne exchanged glances, but before either of them could respond—

"Ah…! How I have longed for this very moment!" she dramatically clutched her chest like a long-lost dream had finally come true.

Before anyone could react, Sylus leaped forward, practically throwing himself in front of her.

"Madam!" he gasped, clutching his own heart. "What a beauty you are! No wonder Zehron looks the way he does. He must have inherited your divine looks!"

Zehron, who had been standing behind his mother, blinked once with a bit of frown on his face.

His mother, on the other hand, giggled like a maiden. She dramatically fanned herself with her hand.

Zehron's mother beamed. "Oh my, young man—" But then her eyes landed on Elvienne.

She froze.

A dramatic gasp left her lips. She clutched her chest like she had just witnessed a miracle.

Her eyes sparkled with delusion as she stared at Elvienne. "Such beauty… such grace… My son… has brought home… a future daughter-in-law?!"

Zehron, sensing absolute nonsense unfolding, rubbed his temples.

Before he could deny it, his mother clapped her hands excitedly. "Come in, my dears! You must eat!"

—

A few moments later—

Sylus was on a roll.

"Madam, your cooking is a gift to mankind! No—to the entire universe! Zehron must've grown up eating nothing but heavenly meals! How lucky he is to have you!"

Zehron's mother giggled, clearly enjoying the flattery. "Oh, you're just too sweet!"

Sylus, not done yet, dramatically put a hand on his heart. "If I were your son, I'd never leave home!"

Zehron, who had been silently eating, looked up. "…Please do leave."

Sylus blinked. "Huh?"

Elvienne burst into laughter. Zehron's mother patted Sylus's back. "Oh, don't mind him! You're welcome here anytime!"

Zehron let out a deep, exhausted sigh. He was never getting rid of this guy, was he?

.

.

After spending much time in his house they finally decided to go as it was evening, and just outside the door

Sylus dramatically flung his arms wide. "Zehron, my dear, dear friend! Parting is such sweet sorrow! But worry not, for I shall grace your home again very soon!"

Zehron simply stared at him, completely expressionless. "Don't."

Elvienne let out a soft chuckle and smiled warmly. "Goodbye, Zehron." Her voice was gentle, carrying an elegance that lingered in the air.

Zehron gave a small nod, his face unreadable as always. But as he turned away, a strange, unfamiliar feeling stirred in his chest.

Sylus elbowed Elvienne. "Do you think he'll miss us?"

Elvienne laughed. "I doubt it."

Meanwhile, inside the house, Zehron leaned against the door, his arms crossed, forcing himself to ignore the strange warmth in his heart.

He then helps his mom wash the dishes while his mother kept teasing him about the future daughter in law she so much wished for.