Episode 20
“Chirp!”
Forgetting that I had snuck into the office, I sharpened my claws and prepared to headbutt the stranger, trying to chase him away.
But my body wouldn’t move, as if frozen.
“Why is there a strange bird in my disciple’s office, and not my disciple himself?”
“…Chirp?”
‘Disciple?’
The word “disciple” made me recall the novel. There was someone who called Cesar his disciple.
He had reached out to the villainous Cesar with a regretful expression.
‘Is that what you truly desire, my disciple? Then I won’t stop you. But you will come to regret your decision.’
Saying that, he disappeared. The bystander in the novel, who always spoke in riddles as if he knew everything. And the only person Cesar called Master.
The Tower Master of the Magic Tower, who regretted teaching him magic and lived as if severing ties with the world.
‘Why is he here, sneaking into Cesar’s office like a thief?’
“Beep.”
‘Let me go. I didn’t know the thief who snuck in was the Tower Master.’
As I looked up at him with aggrieved eyes, the Tower Master chuckled playfully.
“If I let you go, will you attack me?”
I blinked, looking at him, conveying that I wouldn’t.
“Chirp.”
‘No. It’s a misunderstanding. So can you let me go now?’
“Oh, you seem to understand.”
“Chirp.”
‘Yes, I understand. So let me go. It’s frustrating not being able to move!’
At that moment, my frozen body became mobile again.
“Beep!”
‘I can move!’
I rejoiced at my regained freedom and looked at the man in front of me. He seemed to be looking at me with an intrigued gaze.
“I came to see my disciple for a bit, but it seems it would be more interesting to spend time with you today.”
“Chirp?”
‘I’m interesting? I know I’m not an ordinary bird. Do you know something about me?’
As I looked at him questioningly, he muttered something briefly. Then, the locked drawer opened, and papers flew into the air.
‘Oh, how fascinating.’
“I knew he had gotten a bird, but… I didn’t expect it to be such a mystical bird. He hasn’t taken any measures, so he must be unaware. But still, to not even show his master the bird? My disciple becomes more and more uncaring with age. That’s why I snuck into his office.”
“Chirp…”
‘I think sneaking into someone’s office without permission is the reason Cesar doesn’t say anything.’
I could almost picture a young Cesar being bossed around by the Tower Master.
“Hmm. Is this what you were looking for?”
“Beep!”
‘Yes, that’s it!’
The papers floating in the air unfolded neatly. They were undoubtedly covered in unfamiliar characters, but for some reason, I could read the contents.
Come to think of it, it was a little strange that I could communicate so naturally in this world without learning the language.
As I read the contents of the unfolded papers, my eyes landed on the words “bird monster.” It seemed like this was the old book I was looking for.
With a strange sense of excitement, I carefully read that section. Then, I deflated, as if my excitement had melted away.
“Beep.”
‘There’s no way to become human.’
The slowly building excitement subsided. I had snuck in and read it, but there was nothing useful for me. It didn’t even mention the power I had unknowingly used.
I sighed in disappointment. The Tower Master, watching me, spoke nonchalantly,
“Seeing you carefully reading the bird monster section, you must be curious about your true nature.”
“Chirp?”
‘Do you know something about me?’
My heart pounded with a strange sense of anticipation. I felt like I had caught a big fish in an unexpected place.
“But this doesn’t apply to you, so there’s no need to read it so intently.”
“Beep?”
‘I’m not a monster? Then what am I?’
As I hopped closer, tilting my head, the Tower Master smiled.
“…I sense a mystical power within you. It seems you’ve absorbed something you were lacking recently. But your energy is still weak, so others, besides me, will have a hard time discerning your true nature. They might mistake you for an ancient monster.”
The Tower Master kept speaking in riddles. As I blinked, he continued,
“You seem to be asking me to tell you. It’s a bit too early to reveal that.”
“Beep!”
‘You’re making me curious and then not telling me!’
“Oh dear, don’t be too angry, little bird. I’ll help you when you need it.”
“Chirp?”
‘Help me? Will there be a time when I need the Tower Master’s help?’
“It will surely be useful to you. Because you have a different soul than the original, don’t you?”
“…Chirp?”
“Others might not know, but having lived for so long, I can tell. Perhaps you might change that child…”
I blinked at his hand, gently stroking me.
“This is truly fascinating. Even I, who have lived for so long, have never seen anything like this.”
“Beep.”
‘If you keep staring like that, my face is going to wear out…’
Even though he was depicted as someone who knew everything in the novel, to know that I had possessed this body just by looking at me… He was a scary person.
If I stayed any longer, he might figure out everything I was trying to hide.
“Hmm, there’s no need to be scared. I was wondering why I suddenly wanted to see my disciple today, and it seems it was to meet you.”
“Beep?”
‘To meet me?’
“The world turns with inevitabilities disguised as coincidences. And I think you’ll come looking for me soon.”
‘Hearing the Tower Master say it, it feels like it will really happen. He feels like a very important person to me, like the fortune tellers that always appear in novels.’
The Tower Master’s words were never wrong in the novel. If there was someone in this world who was omniscient and omnipotent like a god, it would be him.
He tapped my cheek. A mystical energy spread from the point of contact.
“I’ve placed a small spell on you. So you can come to me anytime.”
“Chirp…?”
‘There’s no trace of the spell. Does it activate when I want it to?’
Everything felt like a midday dream. Perhaps it was because I was facing someone I didn’t understand, or perhaps I was sensing something from his words.
I had a feeling this encounter would become an important turning point for me.
As I stared blankly at the Tower Master, he asked kindly,
“Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something else you’re curious about, little bird?”
As I looked at the Tower Master, a petal fell on my head, carried by a sudden gust of wind. The Tower Master reached out and picked it up.
“What a pretty flower.”
“Chirp.”
‘Do you like flowers? Wait a moment, Tower Master.’
I fluttered out the window and picked a pretty flower. I held the flower in my beak and hopped onto the Tower Master’s hand.
“Beep.”
‘Here you go. The festival is coming soon, and everyone is decorating with pretty flowers!’
“Haha. You’re quite the opposite of my unlovable disciple.”
He stroked me as if praising me. I hesitated for a moment, then accepted his touch.
“Beep.”
‘I don’t usually let just anyone touch me, but I’ll allow it just for today.’
A gentle spring breeze ruffled my feathers. Words drifted through the softly falling petals.
“Little bird. You don’t have to worry too much. You’ll soon regain what you desire.”
‘What I desire?’
Just as I was about to ask what he meant, I heard light footsteps approaching the office. Startled, I flapped my wings, and the door opened. It seemed like the maid who managed this place had returned.
The returning maid gasped at the scene.
“Oh my goodness, what happened here? Did you do this, Lily?”
“Chirp…?”
At the maid’s words, I looked at the papers scattered across the floor.
“Ugh, papers are everywhere. I thought you left, but you were playing here.”
“Beep!”
‘No! The Tower Master made the papers float in the air with magic…!’
I looked towards where the Tower Master had been. But he was gone.
‘H-he ran away?!’
“I told you the Duke would be furious if you played around here.”
“Beep…”
‘I didn’t do it.’
“Lily. If you did something wrong, you should apologize.”
I suppressed my frustration and apologized.
‘Just you wait, Tower Master. I won’t let you get away with running away like that.’
As I fumed, a small petal landed on my head.
“Chirp?”
Soft curtains and brightly blooming flowers filled my vision.
Spring, the season of festivals.
The moment I would leave Cesar’s side.
It was approaching before I even realized it.
Today was the long-awaited festival day. I slowly recalled what was supposed to happen today.
First, Sylvia, hiding her identity, would enjoy the Spring Festival with Cesar. And she would encounter the Crown Prince, who came to observe the Second Prince’s movements.
Naturally, this festival was centered around the Crown Prince. It was the point where the subtly developing feelings between them would become more prominent, and the readers would implicitly realize that the Crown Prince was the male lead.
It was also an event that would instigate Cesar’s descent into villainy.
Sylvia treated Cesar as a precious person, but she didn’t feel any romantic feelings towards him. Unlike the way she felt about the Crown Prince.
‘I need to prevent her from getting involved with the Crown Prince as much as possible during this festival.’
Although she hadn’t realized it yet, Sylvia had some feelings for the Crown Prince. I had to prevent her from becoming aware of those feelings.
“Beep.”
‘I can do this.’
Unable to clench my wings, I tightened my grip on Cesar’s shoulder with my claws.
But I gripped too hard, and my claws dug into his clothes.
“Beep!”
‘Oh no!’
“That stings.”
I saw Cesar’s menacing purple eyes glaring at me. I desperately wished for Sylvia to get out of the carriage quickly.