Episode 34
“Don’t worry about your safety; you’re under the protection of the Imperial Palace. And I heard the Second Prince approached you.”
I nodded, as it was a predictable topic.
“I don’t usually keep untrustworthy people around me. Behave yourself. Remember I’m the one protecting you.”
His oppressive words were a little suffocating. I cautiously gauged his mood and spoke,
“…I understand. Has there been any contact from the Tower Master?”
“Unfortunately, no. Is there something you want to ask him?”
I wondered how I could ask him about how to eliminate the monster.
‘If I do, they’ll find out I’m useless.’
“No. It’s nothing.”
“Then focus on completing your assigned task.”
His words made my mind go blank. I had to find a way. If I said I couldn’t do it, I would surely be kicked out of the Imperial Palace.
Even if I went back to the Tower Master, I had no money or identity. He was providing me with mana stones, but I couldn’t rely on him forever. It seemed like he expected me to eliminate the monster in return for his help.
If I couldn’t complete the task, I wouldn’t receive any more mana stones and might revert back into a bird. I had no choice but to endure my stay in the Imperial Palace for now.
‘Money and power are everything. Sigh, poor me. Next time, I want to be reincarnated as a princess, not a bird.’
“…I’ll do my best to complete the task Your Highness entrusted me with.”
As I replied, the Crown Prince spoke in his smooth voice,
“Yes. I’ll be looking forward to it.”
“Sigh… What’s going to happen to my life?”
I lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling. I thought becoming human would make things better, but even greater hardships had come my way.
It was already nighttime, but I couldn’t sleep.
—Aah… Aaah…
“I can’t sleep.”
The sound kept echoing in my ears. After several days of this constant noise, I was more angry than annoyed. It felt like experiencing loud, stomping noises from the floor above every night.
Even the earplugs had reached their limit; I couldn’t endure it any longer. But there was no way to block the noise from the sealed monster. Because I didn’t know how to eliminate it.
“But I can’t sleep properly because of that noise.”
I thought about the time I defeated the monster. I was in my bird form then.
‘If I become a bird again, could I find a clue? I can’t wait for the Tower Master forever.’
The surroundings were dark, and Arenz was guarding outside my room.
I looked at the mana stone. Without it, I would revert back into a bird.
“Should I try to deplete my energy? My body wouldn’t move properly after I ran down the hallway that time.”
I rolled around in the room and did sit-ups, trying to exhaust myself, but transforming back into a bird seemed unlikely.
“I wish I could transform between human and bird forms whenever I wanted.”
I closed my eyes.
What I needed to maintain my human form was mana. So I replenished the depleted mana by absorbing mana stones. Then, shouldn’t the opposite be possible, too?
‘Focus. Let’s focus. Like when I absorbed the mana stone, I should try to extract it from my body.’
Recalling the sensation of the mana stone spreading through my body, I felt a coldness around my heart. And when I opened my eyes again, I saw a shimmering mana stone on my stomach.
“Beep…!”
‘I’ve become a bird again!’
I hopped over to the mirror.
‘A tiny beak, fluffy wings like a cute companion!’
I hated being a bird when I was a bird, but now that I could become human again, I welcomed it.
‘Now that I’m a bird again, I should go check out the source of the noise between floors that’s been disturbing my sleep. I might figure out how to get rid of it if I see it.’
I tucked the shimmering mana stone into my feathers and flapped my wings. And I tore off a piece of the dress and wrapped it around myself like a robe, just in case.
“Chirp!”
I flew out the window, into the brightly moonlit night.
“Beeeep~”
‘It’s been a while since I flew around the Imperial Palace. And the night is brighter through a bird’s eyes, better than when I’m human.’
“Chirp.”
‘Ah, this isn’t the time. I have to find the source of the noise first.’
The Crown Prince hadn’t told me where the monster was sealed, but I could follow the sound that had been tormenting me every night.
As I flapped my wings and snuck into the hallway through a window on the lower floor,
—Come here.
“Beep?”
‘Did someone just call me?’
As I raised my tail feathers and looked around, I heard the voice again.
—Just come a little closer.
“Chirp!”
‘I’m really hearing it! It was just annoying noise when I was human.’
I followed the voice. It was a bit strange that it was guiding me like a navigation system, telling me which way to go whenever I went the wrong way, but I safely arrived in front of a door at a dead end.
“Beep?”
‘But it’s locked.’
I turned the doorknob, but it wouldn’t open; it was firmly locked. It seemed like they had secured the place where the monster was sealed to prevent unauthorized entry.
—…Ah, is that so?
“Beep?”
‘Does the voice sound dejected?’
—It’s okay. You must not want to come in.
“Beep.”
‘And you’re misunderstanding me. It’s really locked!’
—I can just stay here alone in this lonely room. Even though no one can hear my voice… It’s okay even if I’m alone. Sob.
“Beeeep…”
‘Now it’s crying. I made the source of the noise between floors cry. Sigh, what can I do?’
I proudly displayed my sharp claws and beak, which I hadn’t used in a while, and skillfully unlocked the door.
“Beep.”
‘This is a piece of cake.’
I felt like I was doing something bad as soon as I became a bird again, but it must be my imagination.
I fluttered into the room.
“Beep?”
‘Goodness, what is that?’
I rubbed my eyes with my wings at the scene before me. All sorts of magical formulas were engraved on the floor and walls, and in the center of the room, a dangerous-looking box was tightly closed.
I instinctively kept my distance, and the voice spoke again.
—Welcome, precious friend who has come to release me.
“Chirp?”
‘What is it talking about? We’re friends now?’
—I was sealed here by the Tower Master. And I’ve been like this ever since.
“Chirp.”
‘Yes, I know.’
I wasn’t particularly surprised since I already knew.
—Yes, the reason I happened to come here is…
“Chirp.”
‘No, I’m not interested.’
—…
There was no response. I tilted my head and ruffled my head feathers.
“Beep?”
‘Why aren’t you talking? Are you sulking?’
—That’s not it. It’s not that I’m upset that the first person to talk to me after being sealed here alone for so long… sniff… is so cold…
“Beep.”
‘You’re definitely sulking.’
I suddenly remembered a scene from the novel. When the monster was released at the climax of the novel, a deafening roar echoed, and everyone covered their ears.
Thinking about it now, maybe it was just excited to be freed after being trapped alone for so long. I would also shout for joy if I was released after being confined in a small space.
I felt a pang of sympathy, but since this was a monster I had to eliminate, I decided not to feel too sorry for it.
But the monster, seemingly eager to talk, started speaking again.
—It’s so lonely being sealed here alone. So I called out to the people around me. But the more I called, the further they went away. I just wanted to talk.
It sounded increasingly pitiful.
There’s no way the servants who lived here could understand the monster’s words. They would have been tormented by the loud noise every night and staged a protest.
And I, having grabbed onto the rotten rope that was the Tower Master, was now stuck in this place filled with schemes and plots, dealing with the aftermath under the guise of “protection.”
“Chirp…”
I sighed at my own unfortunate reality, no less pitiful than the monster’s.
—But now that you’re here, I’m not lonely anymore. Won’t you release me?
“Chirp?”
‘You want me to release you?’
—Yes. I promise I won’t cause any harm and will return to where I came from if you release me.
I pondered its words.
I didn’t know if the monster was lying or telling the truth. Besides, the important thing was that I was asked to eliminate the monster, not release it.
It was a menace that caused havoc in the latter half of the novel, so I had to eliminate it.
“Chirp.”
‘No. Go back.’
—Why not? Weren’t we friends?
“Chirp!”
‘What are you talking about? I couldn’t even sleep because of you! Do you know what noise between floors is?!’
I puffed up my feathers angrily and prepared to leave. I couldn’t figure out how to eliminate it even in my bird form.
Besides, if I stayed any longer, Arenz might come in and look for me.
I spread my small wings, preparing to fly back to my room. Then, a desperate voice stopped me.
—Wait, don’t go!
“Beep?”
‘Why are you calling me? I’m not going to release you.’
—It’s okay even if you don’t release me. Could you come back tomorrow?
“Bee…p…?”
‘Well, do I have to…?’