Chapter 5

*Karmeut’s POV

When he endured and took in the energy, he could feel that the seemingly endless energy was gradually clearing up.

As he became more relaxed bit by bit, Karmeut focused his attention on the commotion that had been there since earlier.

Karmeut frowned at the sound of a sharp, high-pitched cry and dog-like bark sounds.

‘A group? The number is… five, or so. But, what’s that noise?’

It took a little while for him to realize what the high, sharp, and desperate cries were.

‘…Rainelle?’

The crow had low, rough, and slow cries.

But unlike usual, the cries were higher and faster, so he didn’t realize it right away.

But why? Why can I hear gnoll’s bark and Rainelle’s cry at the same time?

Karmeut scrambled to absorb all of the remaining energy.

I had to hurry and find out what’s going on.

Rainelle has never cried like that before, but now…

Is it in danger because it helps me in my awakening?

‘I told you to live freely…’

Why are you foolishly guarding me?

A smile crept up Karmeut’s lips. He couldn’t help but be thankful to it that kept guarding him despite it being able to fly away in no time.

The light emanating from Karmeut’s body instantly became intense enough to give the illusion that one could hear a ‘schiing’ sound.

As if a small sun had risen, the momentarily intense light gradually decreased in size and formed a certain shape.

Golden fur shined brilliantly as if pure gold had been melted with sunlight.

Long snout. Furry tail and four strong feet.

Golden eyes full of intimidation and sharp white teeth.

Now in the form of an ox-sized wolf, Karmeut looked around with glinting eyes.

Even though a large wolf appeared as the tremendous light disappeared, the gnolls did not seem to care about it, because they just kept growling wildly while violently swinging their crude swords in the air.

In addition, the crow, who was flying around and cawing sharply, also seemed to haven’t realized the appearance of the wolf.

The frantic crow quickly evaded their weapons and scratched a gnoll’s nose with its claws. The injured gnoll’s mouth frothed.

He aimed an arrow and shot at the crow, but his skill wasn’t good enough to hit a frantically flying bird.

Karmeut’s eyes sharpened. He understood the situation without needing further observation.

Therefore, he rushed towards the gnolls while revealing his sharp fangs.

“Aung?!”

With a cracking sound, a gnoll’s neck twisted at a bizarre angle.

When one gnoll died in an instant without a moment to scream, the rest of them were startled and aimed their weapons at Karmeut immediately.

Seeing the action of the gnolls, he narrowed his eyes and growled a little.

The golden wolf’s movement was so natural. It was unbelievable that it was his first time to turn into a wolf. The oppression and intimidation were enough to make the monsters shudder.

The next moment, the crow attacked a gnoll at the face with its beak while letting out a sharp cry.

Perhaps it was very excited, the crow kept its wings high and did not stop attacking the gnoll.

“Bark! Bark! Krrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!”

Attacked by the crow, the gnoll’s eyes were overturned with anger.

Feeling the pain on his face, he lost his temper for the crow’s action that attacked him as if it was protecting its own chick.

A sharp sound cut through the air. And with the scream of agony that followed, Karmeut immediately charged at the gnoll.

When a large wolf came straight to him, the gnoll began to move, so was the rest. They ran away. Karmeut, who had killed two from their group, roared.

He felt the irresistible desire to chase and kill the rest of them, but now wasn’t the time.

“Rainelle!”

Karmeut, who had returned to his human form, lifted Rainelle carefully.

Rainelle, who had been hit by an arrow, flapped its wings weakly. Its body was trembling from the pain.

Seeing the crow’s pitiful appearance, Karmeut unconsciously clenched his teeth.

For now, treatment was a priority, so Karmeut broke the arrow in half and removed it.

Blood dripped down the crow’s wing.

As soon as he carefully touched the wound to check the condition, Rainelle flinched. Karmeut murmured apologies with a shaky voice

“I’m sorry. Hold on for a bit, okay?”

After looking through the feathers and examining the wound, fortunately, the bone was not broken. However, it was not a small wound, so he chewed the herbs that he had saved and applied them on the wound, then wrapped it with an extra bandage that was left on him.

“You fool—if you had left me alone and lived freely instead, you wouldn’t have been hurt.”

That was what he said, but Karmeut’s expression didn’t say the same.

He usually only pet its head. He felt happy to hold it in his arms like this, but he was also feeling sorry right now.

He was also grateful.

I still don’t know why you’re helping me like this–

Thank you Rainelle, you saved my life once again. That’s a fact.

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you get better soon.”

Karmeut carefully stroked its feathers.

Holding the crow that had closed its eyes weakly in his arms, the prince’s eyes gleamed as he looked towards one direction.

It was the direction in which he had fled from to protect his life and not to waste the sacrifice of the knights who had vowed their allegiance to him.

*Rainelle’s POV

It hurts.

The pain piercing through my wing penetrated was difficult to describe in words.

As if electricity flared out and burned the nerves, my body trembled by itself and the mind went blank.

It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, I thought I was used to pain in my own way, but it really hurts. It was incomparable to bites or scratches from an animal’s claw.

It hurt so much that my vision went blurry and I seemed to have lost my mind.

Hah, I didn’t know I’d experience such a mind-numbing experience like this. I thought I’d never experience it for the rest of my life.

“Rainelle.”

I struggled to open my eyes at the sensation of touch on my beak.

I closed my eyes again because I can’t afford to respond to the golden eyes that looked at me with anxiety.

It’s painful and I’m tired. Don’t bother me.

“Rainelle, you need to eat to get better.”

With a friendly whispering voice and tapping to my beak, I opened my eyes again.

I contemplated whether or not to eat the fruit that was held up in front of my beak.

Is it because of the pain? But I lost my appetite.

In the end, I closed my eyes and buried my beak in my feathers without eating.

My feathers shook lightly from a certain someone’s sigh.

…I’m sorry, I got hurt while trying to help you.

Come to think of it, I didn’t have to be sorry, did I? Why didn’t you finish your awakening earlier and help me?!! My wing hurts! It hurts so much that I’m going to cry!!

Thinking like this made me think that the world is unfair.

Woo, why did I get into the body of a crow——-?!! At least with a human body, such injuries would have been rare……

“Caaaaaw?! (Ahhhhhhh?!)”

I flapped my wings as my beak was pried open forcibly.

Well, I tried flapping my wings, but I couldn’t because a hand was wrapped around them. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes.

No! I don’t want to eat! I’m not hungry! Don’t touch me, I’m hurt!!

However, I had no choice but to swallow the fruit because Karmeut simply ignored my resistance and forced the fruit deep into my throat.

Cawk! Cawkcawk! Ugh! Why are you forcing me to eat it?! Uuh, of course, when I was a zookeeper, I was paid to force-feed the sick animals who didn’t want to eat, but—!!

I didn’t know I would feel this dirty!

Of course, if one doesn’t eat, the stamina needed for recovery can’t be replenished, so it’s right to force oneself to eat.

But that’s that and this is this! Who would like it if food is forced down into your throat when you don’t want to eat it?!

When I glared with resentment, I felt a gentle touch on my head as if it was soothing me.

Uugh! Do you not understand?!

When I pecked one of the fingers, the hand that held me flinched.

I don’t want to be force-fed! Hah, does it hurt? It hurts more for me!

This time, he took minced meat and tried to feed me with it.

Agh, I don’t want to! Ugh!

I struggled to convey that I don’t want it, but I can’t overpower Karmeut’s strength and I had to eat meat until I was full.

I turned my head to express that I was angry. I’m trying hard to convey that, but it was then that I realized that I was somewhere else instead of the forest.

…Where am I? Why are we here?

I struggled to get out of his hold.

Pleased that his hand didn’t hold me back, I jumped to a nearby table in a high spirit.

–!! Wahh! The, the distance is-!

I fluttered with one wing spread.

Al, almost there!

I could barely reach the table.

Hah, hah, I almost fell to the floor.

I can feel that my heart was pounding hard. I began to look around.

I heard a chuckle behind me, but I tried hard to ignore it and continued to see where I was.

The room was old-fashioned. The wardrobe, bed, tables, chairs, and other furniture that seemed to be made of wood gave off an imposing feeling.

Overall, it wasn’t flashy, but it has a profound charm.

“…Caaw? (Where is this place?)”

Ha… really, I feel depressed because what I heard is a crow’s caw whenever I say something. But, the fact that I’m here… Did he bring me along to this place?

I turned my head and looked towards my injured wing. Neatly tied white bandages stood out on my black wing.

Ho… how much better is it?

I carefully spread my wings…

Ah ah ah!! It hurts! It hurts! It’s still so painful!!

Tears came out because of the shock-like pain that stab my head directly.

As I crouched and whimpered, I felt a hand stroking my head.

–Hmph! I haven’t forgiven you!

Looking at Karmeut, I opened my beak and made a snappy sound.

Hmph! Don’t touch me! The feeling of being forced to eat was the worst!

—But maybe my reaction was just cute, because as he stroked my head while smiling, he said,

“I’m sorry. But you have to eat to get better quickly.”

His voice and touch were so soft that my anger diminished.

-Ugh, if you say sorry with that face and that voice, who wouldn’t go easy on you?

-I couldn’t turn a blind eye to Karmeut who apologized so much, so I sighed briefly inside while grumbling and letting him rub my head.

I can’t be too sulky. He treated my wing and brought me here after all.

– Come to think of it, this means that my efforts have been successful, right?

Yay! He’s not the main character, but I’m able to stick to one of the target characters! Hey! No, wait a minute. Now that I think about it, this is natural, right?

I led the orcs away for Karmeut, found herbs, found tree fruits, and the last time, I intercepted the gnolls that appeared during his awakening so that they couldn’t attack him!

Thinking of those things, this is a reasonable treatment!

I hurt my wing while helping him, right? If he had left me, I would have cursed his three generations!

Well, no matter what, if Karmeut had abandoned me on the spot, I would not have been able to escape the situation of being the prey of the passing animals, so I’m thankful.

While saying so in my heart, my eyes met his golden ones.

I don’t know what kind of feeling it gave me, but I won’t deny that Karmeut’s act of reaching out while smiling was very hot.

That face is really a cheat. While thinking that, I jumped and sat on his arm.

Perhaps this behavior of mine was unexpected, because his golden eyes widened slightly, but soon they curved gently.

“Thank you for forgiving me.”

…Dont, it makes my heart flutter when you put on that expression……

I’ll be a foot wash forever! I feel like I have to declare myself as a slave!

There’s a main target character, but forget about him! The future emperor is the best! Oooh, praise to Karmeut!

I was happy to receive the gentle tickling on my chin when I suddenly heard knocks.

Knock, knock, knock-

“Royal Prince, excuse me for a moment.”

“-Come in.”

Woah… It’s different than when you talked with me. Your voice is so low that it’s scary!

—No, after thinking about it, I think this way is sexier. But who came in?

As I was looking at the door with some anticipation, I saw a man that was dressed in uniform-like clothes.

Oh, oh, oh! This person is handsome too! His orangish-red hair caught my eye— Huh? Wait a minute.

I think there was such a character among the target characters in this game—?

I looked at the man with a frown because of my faint memory.

The man came in with a restrained gait. He approached Karmeut, knelt down on one of his knees, and bowed his head to greet him.

“I’m glad you’re all right, Your Highness. For the fact that I was not being able to assist you during such hardships, I’ll apologize with my death.”

I was surprised by the man’s action that pulled out a sword and pointed it at his own neck.