Episode 38
I flapped my small wings vigorously to express my dissatisfaction. It probably wasn’t any more threatening than a kitten’s paws. I was a bird with excellent self-awareness.
After venting my anger, I calmed down, shook my wings, and preened my feathers. The monster spoke again,
—It’s been so long that my memory is hazy.
“Beep!”
‘Stop stalling and tell me!’
—It wasn’t in the Empire. It was somewhere further away, but I couldn’t approach it. I knew they would eliminate me if I caused any harm.
“Chirp.”
‘Eliminate you?’
—Yes. But you feel subtly similar yet different. And you don’t have the mark… You’re either not that bird, or you’ve been misplaced and haven’t been properly protected.
“Beep?”
‘So what is that bird? Tell me. I want to know.’
—You want to know? Then come closer.
At its words, my feet moved forward on their own. The monster’s voice strangely resonated in my head. My vision blurred as if a fog was rolling in.
‘It feels like it’s enchanting me. Come to think of it, why did the Tower Master only seal the monster? It would have been faster to eliminate it than to painstakingly bind it with magical formulas.’
—But it’s a relief. If you had fully awakened your power, you wouldn’t have foolishly followed my words.
My body moved on its own, as if bewitched.
“Bee…p.”
‘You said you’d tell me anything. Were you lying…?’
—You shouldn’t have trusted a monster, stupid bird. Now, open the box that’s trapping me. Then I will be free again.
“…Beep.”
‘My wings are moving on their own. This is strange. Can’t I do anything? You helped me before. Light poured out when my life was threatened. You granted my wish when I desperately wanted something.’
This felt wrong. If I released this monster, someone would definitely get hurt. But my body, enthralled, moved on its own. My reason was fading.
‘Please… please… like you saved me back then, please…’
I wished upon the power within me. But my wish wasn’t granted.
As my wings touched the tightly closed box, the magical formulas on the floor and walls distorted. The shimmering formulas shattered like a broken mirror.
Creak. As the tightly closed box opened, a blinding light engulfed the surroundings, and a fierce wind swirled.
—Hahaha! I’m finally free from the Tower Master who trapped me!
A voice filled with hope echoed in the room. I had to do something. I had not only failed to eliminate the monster, but I had also unknowingly released it.
But my body trembled as a large serpentine form appeared before me. The monster, filling the room, was targeting me.
—If I eat you, I’ll become even stronger, won’t I?
Its flicking tongue reminded me of the snake that had attacked me before.
“Bee…p…”
‘I don’t taste good…’
—After eating you, I’ll get revenge on the ones who trapped me. I should start by destroying this place.
Crack.
Cracks appeared in the space where the monster had been trapped. The word “revenge” made me recall the description from the novel when the monster was released.
The monster, turning the Imperial Palace into ruins, hurt innocent people. Amidst the cries for help and the injured, the Crown Prince would kill the Second Prince.
That horrific scene from the latter half of the novel was about to happen because of my mistake.
My life was the most important thing to me. But I didn’t want innocent people getting hurt or dying because of my mistake.
I bristled my small wings and raised my tail feathers.
‘I might just be a small bird, but I have to fight.’
My legs trembled, and the urge to flee welled up. I couldn’t rely on the power I didn’t know how to use, and there was no way I could do anything significant with my small bird body.
Still, I chirped bravely,
“Beep!”
‘I won’t let you go!’
The monster scoffed and opened its mouth. I flapped my wings in response.
“Beep!”
‘I won’t let anyone get hurt because of me. So I—’
Will protect this place!
At that moment, something strange happened. Like when I defeated the monster inside the Dukedom’s carriage, a bright light enveloped me.
—What is this? I can’t move.
The light, coiling around the large snake, completely engulfed the monster, and a blinding light, as bright as the sun, spread like flower petals.
“Beep?”
‘What is this?’
Something I hadn’t noticed in the previous life-or-death situation was now clearly visible. My chest, which I glanced down at, was shining brightly white.
The symbol of the moon, illuminating the night sky, was clearly engraved there. A deafening roar shook the space, and the monster’s dark energy dissipated under the light.
I felt drained.
Thud. I lost strength in my legs and collapsed onto the ground. A sharp pain shot through my body.
Clink. Roll.
A mana stone rolled where the monster had been. I lay sprawled on the floor and chuckled weakly.
“Chirp…”
‘I did it. I took care of it…’
My head feathers swayed in the gentle breeze. It was a cool night breeze.
“Beep?”
‘Wait, night breeze?’
Startled, I struggled to lift my head and look around. I saw a gaping hole where the wall used to be. I looked up, and the ceiling was gone.
“Chirp.”
‘Oh, crap.’
I had destroyed the Imperial building while eliminating the monster.
Aaron, the Crown Prince, tapped his quill, feeling a strange sense of foreboding. It was an unusually chilly night for the approaching summer.
Just then, the communication device shimmered.
“A message from the Tower Master at this hour? What’s going on?”
He touched the device, and an annoying voice rang out.
[How are you doing?]
“It’s been a while. That Valerie you sent is waiting for your contact.”
[Valerie?]
The Tower Master’s voice sounded strange as he repeated the name. After a few seconds of silence, he replied,
[Ah, yes. Valerie. She’s been waiting for my contact?]
Aaron frowned, sensing something amiss in that strange silence, and continued,
“Yes. It seems she hasn’t received any means to contact you. That’s strange treatment for someone you cherish.”
[I suppose it might seem that way. But if I gave her a way to contact me, she would only complain about being sent there. It’s best to keep a certain distance.]
He had basically thrown her into the Imperial Palace without any explanation, so it was natural for her to complain. He himself had been annoyed about suddenly being entrusted with an unfamiliar woman.
Still, the fact that he contacted him meant the Tower Master cared about her. He was an irresponsible person who often expressed himself poorly, so the person involved might not feel that way.
[I was wondering if she’s adapting well.]
“She’ll be concerned about eliminating the monster. I told her to take her time, but she’ll probably take care of it soon. More importantly, is it really alright for me to use Valerie, whom you sent?”
[Use her… you’re quite heartless.]
It was the Tower Master who had suggested using her as a pawn.
Of course, he had told him to protect her temporarily and send her away after the matter was resolved, but he couldn’t let her go before he found out anything.
In fact, if her safety was his true concern, it would have been better to entrust her to someone else. Staying by his side, the Crown Prince, in the Imperial Palace, would only put her in danger of getting caught up in courtly intrigue.
Protecting someone safely in a place where brothers were trying to kill each other was a contradiction.
“That’s rich, coming from the one who threw her into the Imperial Palace and told me she might become a valuable asset. You already anticipated this, didn’t you?”
[Yes, that’s right. But she’s in a precarious position wherever she goes, so I had no choice but to entrust her to the Imperial family. But isn’t she quite interesting? She’s a peculiar child who draws your attention and concern.]
His words brought a few scenes to mind. Suddenly appearing and landing on his lap, daring to spit tea on him, the Crown Prince, barging in on his meeting with Sylvia and making plans with her. Her actions were beyond his imagination.
“I’m more worried about what kind of trouble she might cause.”
[Trouble? What trouble could she possi…]
Boom.
Before the Tower Master could finish his sentence, a loud explosion echoed. Aaron drew his sword, wondering if the Second Prince was up to something, but the surroundings were quiet.
“What was that?”
Aaron ran a hand through his hair, puzzled. Just then, someone burst through the door.
“Your Highness!”
Arenz, seemingly having rushed over, was breathing heavily.
“What is it?”
“The building where the monster was sealed… it’s been destroyed, centered around the sealed room, and the surrounding garden is caved in.”
Aaron rubbed his temples. It hadn’t been long since he had told her to be careful. Had she already caused trouble?
“I told her to eliminate the monster, and she destroyed the building instead?”
“Yes… it seems so. First, I’ve been informed that there were no casualties since no servants were using the building… but the building and garden are completely destroyed, as if something had violently crashed into them.”
“Where is that woman now?”
“She wasn’t in her room. I’ve ordered my knights to search the area in case the monster wasn’t properly eliminated.”
“Did she cause trouble and run away?”
He felt a sense of déjà vu, as if the Tower Master’s actions were repeating themselves.
Just as he turned around to complain to the Tower Master, the shimmering light on the communication device vanished. He had cut off the connection after hearing the news.
‘That damn old man. Did he run away again?’
Aaron gritted his teeth and sighed. He instructed Arenz,
“Make sure this incident is handled discreetly, so the Empress doesn’t find fault. Make sure everyone keeps quiet.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“And I’ll find that woman myself. If she ran away, it will be quite amusing.”
If she had run away, he planned to tell Duke Clovis. That he, the Crown Prince, had what the Duke desired.