Silver and Malleus

Upon meeting the infant Silver for the fist time Malleus’ initial reaction is, “…What is this strange creature? It looks like a hairless monkey.”

Lilia says that Silver is adorable, but Malleus seems unconvinced.

Lilia immediately leaves the infant alone with an unwilling Malleus (“You would ask ME? To watch THIS?”) as he must go solve the mystery of how something can be both “powdered” and yet “milk” at the same time.

Malleus asks, “This creature is so tiny-what if I touch it and it breaks?,” and Lilia responds that he need only “pat him gentle and sing him a lullaby.”

Malleus calling after Lilia awakens Silver, and he hums a lullaby until Silver falls asleep again (“Please come back soon, Lilia”).

Malleus is unimpressed by Lilia’s adoption of the abandoned infant: “That doesn’t mean you had to raise the thing. You could have brought it to a human land and let them take care of it.” When Lilia says he wants to know if he is truly capable of loving a human Malleus responds, “What if you aren’t?”

When Lilia threatens to give the stewed grains and vegetables he feeds to Silver “a few creative twists” with armadillo meat and powdered blacknewt, Malleus advises against it, saying that he will arrange for regular deliveries of baby food from the castle, as he is unsettled by the thought of Lilia shouldering the responsibility on his own.

Lilia teases Malleus about this sudden interest in helping, saying, “I thought you disliked humans. What brought about this change of heart?,” but Malleus responds, “If the baby grows weaker, it would make you sad, would it not?” (Lilia: “…you’re a sweet boy, Malleus.”)

It seems it was Malleus who was able to guide Silver in using magic for the first time where Lilia could not, telling him and Sebek to control their breathing, extend out a hand and picture themselves winding thread around the length of a spoon that they are trying to move with magic.

The exercise works for Silver and only Silver, with Sebek saying he was unable to consciously use magic for another year and a half following that day.

It seems that it was also Malleus who taught Silver how to dance: he talks about an unnamed person who visited his and Lilia’s home in the woods, and whom Lilia asked to instruct Silver, who had been practicing on his own with a log. While Silver does not name him his speech patterns align with Malleus, and we have never heard of anyone else but Sebek and Baul visiting the cottage.

Silver says that the unnamed dance instructor spent all day teaching both him and Lilia how to dance.

While Silver is quieter in general than Sebek he seems equally devoted to Malleus. He says, “I hope to attend a Night Raven College ceremony alongside Malleus”, “I’ve no desire to reflect poorly on Malleus”, “I train myself ardently to better protect Malleus and his entourage” and “The stronger I get, the better I can protect Malleus. That is why I seek as much power as I can get.”

Silver says he has trouble rejoicing in the fact that he and Sebek were selected to attend the social in Fleur City because they are supposed to be Malleus’ guards, and it would be wrong for both of them to leave him behind to venture into another country.

Malleus encourages them to go regardless but is soon invited anyway, with Lilia encouraging them to guard Malleus diligently.

When Malleus comes into first contact with the fire lotuses it seems that Silver and Sebek saved his life.

Later in the event they send Malleus on ahead to confront Rollo, both volunteering to take on the fire lotuses by themselves (Silver: “I could never face my father if you were to fall here”).

Silver asks Malleus’ forgiveness of not be able to protect them to the top of the bell tower and Idia asks, “Are we suddenly in a medieval drama or something?”

Silver asks Idia and Azul to take care of Malleus on his and Sebek’s behalf and Malleus tell them, “I have truly fine retainers,” and “Now show me your resolve.”

When he notices the portal that marks the start of the Tsumsted event Silver’s first reaction is that Malleus ought to return to Diasomnia, as it might mean trouble.

Recognizing the light, however, Malleus suggests that they go to welcome their guests: two tsums that look similar to himself and Silver. Silver is wary and tells Malleus to be careful, but Malleus responds, “Relax, Silver. That one’s sound asleep. Isn’t it precious?” (Silver says he had thought his own tsum was “a mushroom or something.”)

Silver says he was “intimidated for a moment” by Malleus’ tsum, as “It’s got a rounded form and a cute face, but it has this sheer presence…”

Silver has a voice line of, “Ortho said this outfit makes me look like a prince from a fairy tale. Does that mean I look like Malleus to him?”

Silver explains to Idia that he “cannot let anything happen to Malleus”. Idia comments that Silver is “way more loyal” than any of the students in his own dorm, and asks if that loyalty is just a result of being scared to defy Malleus.

Silver responds, “I don’t know much about Ignihyde and its students, but I will do anything for the man I have pledged my loyalty to. Without Malleus and Lilia, I wouldn’t be standing here today. I simply want to repay my debt to them. And if some trouble were to befall Malleus, I’d like to avoid a war between the human countries and Briar Valley at all costs. I may be limited in my abilities, but I want to do what I can.”

While just as loyal to Malleus as Sebek Silver and Sebek differ in opinion on how strict they ought to be about guarding him: Silver tells Malleus that if he ever finds Sebek’s presence stifling he should tell him “as clearly as possible”, while Sebek insists he wouldn’t dream of stifling their liege. 

Silver expresses exasperation about Sebek’s insistence to do things like handle clothing stains on Malleus’ behalf despite Malleus being perfectly capable of such simple feats of magic. 

In a vignette Silver explains to Kalim that he and Sebek got into an argument about the strictness of their patrols, with Sebek accusing him of negligence toward Malleus.

Silver is distraught by the thought that he has hurt Malleus by failing to understand his feelings, saying that he couldn’t even eat his favorite risotto at lunch, as “Whenever I lifted my spoon, I would think of Malleus and stop.” 

After Kalim reveals that he “would be completely lost” without Jamil, Silver decides that being overprotective must be avoided at all costs.

Despite this devotion Silver losing track of Malleus is a recurring theme, but in the main story we see that it is not exactly Silver’s fault: Malleus runs actively away from them at one point, with Sebek blaming Silver. 

Silver and Sebek also lose sight of Malleus during the Glorious Masquerade social, and despite Silver reassuring Malleus that he will accompany him on his stroll around campus with his tsum, by the time Silver has figured out how to carry his own tsum along with him Malleus has disappeared.

He loses track of Malleus again at the end of the event.

Malleus also disappears in Book 6 to get some space away from Sebek, despite how Silver has been cautioning Sebek to not become an imposition and not to give in to paranoia, let he not be ready to act when it is truly needed.

Silver has a voice line about being reassured that Briar Valley will always be safe every time he sees Malleus acting as Housewarden.

Silver first interprets Malleus’ reaction to the revelation that he was tricked, not invited, to the NBC social as unfathomable sorrow.

After Malleus summons enough rage-filled magic to fry the fire lotuses in the area (leading the group to temporarily believe that the flowers had devoured him) Silver scolds him with, “I must ask that you NEVER give in to your anger and expose yourself to danger like that again.”

Silver says that he is haunted by the sight of Malleus’ face when he realized that his invitation was just a trap, and “Rollo needs to learn just how much he hurt Malleus’s feelings.”

Silver interrupts an argument between Idia and Azul during the Glorious Masquerade event, telling them to look to Malleus as an example: “He’s been nothing but calm this whole time. I’m sure he’s fully focused on moving forward.”

Malleus follows with how he is indeed focused on moving forward: “…..And illustrating to Flamme just how grave a mistake it was to issue me a false invitation. It’s consumed my every thought.” Silver responds, “Really…?”

In a vignette Malleus invites Silver out to introduce him to the school’s gargoyles as a part of his Gargoyle Study Club activities, but is repeatedly disappointed in Silver’s inability to tell the difference between a gargoyle and a grotesque, and his presumption that gargoyles are generally monsters. After receiving a lecture Silver tells Malleus that he feels they have grown closer, and he wishes to gift Malleus with a gargoyle for his room.

The vignette ends with Malleus beginning a new lesson on gargoyles to teach Silver “at greater length.” 

Silver is first to identify a gargoyle in Fleur City, which Malleus dismisses as merely a grotesque due to its lack of purpose. Silver confirms that it is hollow on the inside, however, and Malleus apologizes to the gargoyle for dismissing it as grotesque, thanking Silver and Sebek for bringing it to his attention.

Silver worries about performing poorly in a class and being an embarrassment to Malleus in a vignette, and Vil has learned how to take advantage of Silver’s loyalty to Malleus manipulate him, namedropping Malleus to pressure Silver into participating in a Film Club project (“Does he mean to say that I will sully Malleus’ good name if I refuse?…I cannot bring shame upon Malleus”) and to get Silver to join his group during Beanfest. 

During the White Rabbit Fes event Silver gets a bookmark made from pressed flowers for Malleus. He chooses a black one (“Malleus likes black…”) made from a plant called “black dragon.”

Silver says, “The elegant purple flowers even remind me of him.”

After Lilia announces his intent to move to the Land of Red Dragons, Silver immediately makes the connection that, while he and Sebek will still be able to visit him, Malleus will not. 

Silver insists on going to find Malleus when Malleus does not attend Lilia’s farewell party, despite Lilia’s assurance that that Malleus does not need to see him off.

Silver says, “Yes he does! Father, you depart for the Land of Red Dragons TONIGHT! Once you do, you’ll never see him again!,” and leaves. (Lilia: “I don’t even know where that stubborn streak comes from…”)

Silver finds Malleus and asks him to please “spare a few words” for Lilia before Lilia leaves, assuring Malleus that he does not need to prepare a gift.

It seems that Silver was not aware of Malleus’ habit of summon snow when he is distressed: he seems to think the blizzard around them (despite how it is spring) is a natural phenomenon until Malleus dismisses it and wonders, “Everyone in Briar Valley knows that Malleus summons lightning when he’s angry…did he also cause the blizzard, then? Is he that distressed?”

Silver reflects on how he has only known Lilia for 17 short years compared to how long Malleus and Lilia have been together. Malleus concedes to Silver’s request and actually agrees to attend the party, but Silver tries to send Malleus back alone, as he has begun to cry. Silver apologizes for crying in front of Malleus but Malleus assures him that “Lilia has a fine son.”

Silver responds, “I’m far from a fine son! I can’t grant my father the one thing he wished for. He wanted me to send him off with a smile on my face…but I just…”

Malleus reflects on how powerless he is to help them, at which point his tamagotchi-adjacent toy begins to make a sound: it has departed, leaving an egg in its wake.

Silver observes, “That must feel lonely…” and Malleus assures him that it is not, as the it will continue to “live out its fictional life inside this miniature garden…hence, there is nothing to grieve over.”

This inspires Malleus, making Silver the third of the three light-magic users who unintentionally serve as the catalyst to someone’s overblot.