Episode 37
Cesar stopped the carriage. He needed to go somewhere other than the Dukedom, and magic was convenient in times like these. Although he didn’t prefer teleportation magic, he was in a hurry.
“You’ve arrived. You’re visiting quite often these days.”
As he entered, Wilhelm, who had been waiting, greeted him in a less than welcoming tone. He had been suffering from unexpected overtime due to the sudden search.
“You seem to have a complaint.”
“That’s your imagination. How could I possibly have any complaints about the master I serve?”
Saying that, Wilhelm clutched the resignation letter in his pocket. Cesar, unconcerned, spoke nonchalantly,
“There’s a rumor circulating in the Imperial Palace. What did you find out?”
“Ah, there’s a rumor that His Highness the Crown Prince has been frequenting a secluded area within the Imperial Palace, not his usual residence. It was quite difficult to bribe the Imperial servants.”
“…You can bribe them, yet you couldn’t do anything when the Crown Prince obstructed the search warrant.”
“It was a royal order. Even we couldn’t do anything about that…”
Cesar frowned, recalling the Crown Prince’s annoying face. He truly disliked the way he kept obstructing him.
“But you did hear that the woman at the place His Highness frequents was seen with Lady Veronica.”
“Yes, that’s right. Her hair color was brown, wasn’t it?”
“Yes. It’s not the woman you’re looking for, Duke.”
“…Isn’t there a possibility that she changed her hair color?”
Cesar remembered the hair that had changed color when he touched it.
If his master was hiding his bird, it would be somewhere beyond his reach. The only place like that within the Empire was the Imperial Palace.
“You know magic doesn’t work within the Imperial Palace.”
“My master can use it.”
“Even so, that’s a stretch. Besides, if she changed her hair color, you wouldn’t have found her even with a search warrant.”
“But it would at least send a message.”
“What message?”
“That I’m desperately searching for her. If she heard that, she would understand it’s a warning to come back.”
Wilhelm quietly rubbed his arms, which had broken out in goosebumps.
Ignoring his reaction, Cesar considered the possibility that the woman Sylvia met was Lily. Her changed hair color was brown, after all.
But his master might have hidden her in a country outside the Empire, and brown hair was too common. It was more likely that she wasn’t his bird.
Yet, clinging to that slim possibility, he found himself heading to the Veronica County’s mansion. He hadn’t visited in a while, preoccupied with searching for his bird.
He felt a strange pull in his heart.
‘Just what is it about that bird?’
Even as he thought that, he used the magical tool he had acquired at the auction to examine the hair he had found at the Magic Tower. While waiting for the results, he stared at the empty birdcage. Hearing the results, he burst into laughter.
‘I don’t know what this means, but it’s a match. The owner of that hair and the bird seem to be the same person.’
She really had become human and run away. Perhaps she had been collecting the jewels with that intention from the beginning.
A wry smile spread across Cesar’s face as he recalled the incident. It was a bird that had heartlessly abandoned him, leaving him waiting blindly, yet he missed her.
‘…What should I do with you? Now that you’re human, should I treat you differently than when you were a bird?’
His eyes, clouded with obsession, gleamed.
After organizing his thoughts, his gaze slowly shifted towards the Imperial Palace. It was best to confirm the most likely possibility first.
“…The Crown Prince wouldn’t allow me to visit. Should I go to the Second Prince?”
Wilhelm, who had been listening, asked in surprise,
“Pardon? Are you planning on getting involved in the power struggle for the throne?”
“No. I think I can gain what I want by using the greedy Second Prince.”
“Ah, you’re planning on using him and then discarding him. As expected of our cunning and resourceful master.”
“Do you want to die?”
“Please spare me…”
The resignation letter in Wilhelm’s pocket resonated once again.
“Lady Valerie, where have you been?!”
Pona, whom I met after changing my clothes following the suffocating encounter with the Crown Prince, looked angry. Her reaction reminded me of the time I left the Dukedom without permission and caused an uproar.
I chuckled awkwardly and replied meekly,
“Ah… well… I was captivated by a beautiful woman.”
“Pardon? A beautiful woman?”
Pona’s usually gentle eyes narrowed.
‘I don’t seem to be inspiring much trust these days.’
I felt a pang of guilt.
Pona sighed, looking at me, and straightened my disheveled clothes.
“Sometimes I really don’t understand what you’re thinking, Lady Valerie.”
I had already heard that from the Crown Prince.
“You shouldn’t do that again. Understood?”
I nodded at her firm words. But I wasn’t confident I could avoid causing trouble while staying here.
Even if I tried to be well-behaved, I had already run into Sylvia…
I wondered if I had been doomed from the moment I arrived at the Imperial Palace. Just then, Pona clapped her hands and cheerfully exclaimed,
“Now, shall we resume our enjoyable lesson on etiquette and the power dynamics of the Empire?”
‘Etiquette is one thing, but something seems off.’
“Pona, it seems like there’s one more subject.”
“Ah, His Highness said you should also learn about the power struggles within the Imperial family, since things have turned out this way.”
‘Why do I need to know that? I’m leaving soon.’
After the Second Prince approached me, the Crown Prince had become increasingly wary and was clearly trying to keep me by his side.
I had no intention of getting involved in the fight for the throne.
“I’d like to refuse…”
“We don’t offer such choices in the Imperial Palace, Lady Valerie.”
My last hope was crushed, and I reluctantly followed her, replying,
“Yes… I’ll do my best.”
‘I need to eliminate that monster and get out of here before I get caught up in something I can’t handle.’
After being tormented all day, I collapsed onto the bed, panting. When I calmed down a bit, I wiggled my fingers and toes, checking my movements.
“…They’re getting more natural.”
I hadn’t thought I would adapt, but my movements were more natural than before.
I clutched the mana stone the Tower Master gave me. My body felt relaxed.
‘As expected, when mana enters my body, my fatigue disappears, and I’m not as hungry.’
“Should I just sleep like this? Since the monster is sealed, I can visit it tomorrow.”
I was mentally exhausted from the day’s events.
‘What’s the point of my body feeling refreshed when I’m mentally tired?’
Just as I was idly thinking,
—Ah.
“Huh…?”
—Aaah.
The noise between floors started again. I tried covering my ears with a pillow, but the voice persisted. It was clearly calling out to me.
“Fine, I’m coming, I’m coming.”
Sighing, I rolled up some clothes from the wardrobe and placed them under the blanket to make it look like someone was sleeping there.
Arenz didn’t usually enter my room, but I couldn’t be too careful. I had forgotten to do this last time, but this time, I made it look perfect.
Satisfied with my work, I focused my mind. And I opened my eyes again.
“Beep.”
My soft feathers, check. Wagging tail feathers, check. Cute little beak, check.
‘Now, as annoying as it is… should I go back there? I can hear things more clearly as a bird.’
—When are you coming? I’m bored. Hurry up.
“Beep…”
‘Sigh. I’m coming, I’m coming. Do you even realize I want to delay even more when you keep rushing me?’
Despite all the complicated things happening, my priority was to discover my true nature. The monster would know what kind of power I possessed and what I was capable of.
And if I could wish for one more thing…
—You finally came?
“Beep!”
‘Can’t you be quiet?! I can’t focus on flying! This is clearly noise between floors!’
“Beep, chirp… chirp.”
‘Ha, shouting makes me breathless.’
—I’m sorry. I don’t have anyone to talk to.
The voice started whimpering again.
“Beep?”
‘Are you really a monster? You’re completely different from that wolf-type monster that tried to eat me. And why is a monster so sensitive?’
—…I’m not crying.
“Beep.”
‘Yes, of course you’re not.’
—I’m really not crying.
“Beep. Chirp chirp.”
‘I know, I understand, so stop crying.’
I halfheartedly comforted it and then plopped down on the floor. My soft downy feathers protected me from the cold floor, and my bottom felt warm.
“Chirp.”
‘You said you would tell me anything. I have something I want to know.’
—Hmm. What do you want to know?
“Beep.”
‘What am I?’
It was the question I had been wanting to ask. I was suddenly reincarnated as a bird, struggling to survive, and then one day, I defeated a monster with a mysterious power. And now, I had become human and left Cesar’s side.
I was just a bird meant to die to draw the heroine’s attention. That’s what I was supposed to be.
But now, everyone was saying I wasn’t an ordinary bird.
—…You are.
I swallowed at its hesitant words. The feather on my head trembled with anticipation.
“Beep…?”
‘I am…?’
—A mystical bird. A very strong one!
“…Chirp!”
‘Are you kidding me? Who doesn’t know that?!’
I puffed up my feathers, feeling ridiculed.
—I’m sorry. I was just teasing you.