Chapter 10

*Rainelle’s POV

I shook my head. There was a feeling that something precious inside me would break if I ate one, but really, I’m hungry.

Was it because I kept thinking, ‘Eating one won’t kill me, should I try just one?’

–And I don’t know if it was because my body was that of a crow, but those wriggling worms looked like noodles…

…Argh! Karmeut! Hurry up and come!

I kept contemplating whether to eat (being faithful to my instincts) or not to eat (protecting my human dignity) when I heard a click. I hurriedly turned my head and saw the door was opened.

Who? Who’s here? Who is it?! Karmeut?!

“Rainelle.”

“Caaaaw! (Karmeuuutt!)”

As soon as he came back, Karmeut’s steps accelerated, perhaps surprised by my crying and violent flapping.

His golden eyes were looking inside the cage. He quickly opened the cage door, and I took immediately took advantage of the gap to rush into Karmeut’s arms.

“Kwaaak! Caww! Caaw caaaw! (I’m hungry! Huu! And the servant brought me worms!)”

It was sad that the sound that came out was the sound of a crow even though I talked so hard. But I’ll do my best!

As I cawed with all my heart, Karmeut reached out and picked up the bowl of worms.

–Oh no! I don’t like worms or bugs!

I flapped my wings and quickly landed on the closet.

Seriously! I hate it!! That’s why I contemplated between my human dignity and my instincts!

Karmeut raised his eyebrows, then he let out a long sigh. He picked up a bell on a nearby table and shook it lightly.

“Did you call me, Your Highness?”

“Bring fresh fruits and raw meat as soon as possible. Cookies, too. And put this away.”

I saw the servant’s eyes tremble faintly as Karmeut said that while holding out the bowl of worms.

Look! It’s gross, right? How am I supposed to eat that?! Don’t think that all birds like worms! I prefer meat! I like fruits, too! Cookies are my favorite!

As I cawed with resentment and anger, Karmeut gestured to the servant to go out quickly.

With a quick but graceful backward step -I don’t know how that’s possible, but I felt that way- the servant went out, and only then did I feel a little relieved.

I’m alive! I don’t have to see those things now! I’m hungry, but I’m happy just to see no worms!

I tidied up my bristled feathers with my beak when I heard a low and calm voice.

“Rainelle, come here.”

—-Hmph! I’m not going! Even though I wanted you to come, it’s only now! I’m hungry and thirsty!

Of course, Karmeut had his reasons, but my feeling of displeasure was more than a little, so I turned my head away.

You leave me alone in the cage for a long time! I’m also being given worms! And why does it have to be placed next to the bowl of water?! I can’t even drink! Now that you’re back in the palace, of course, you’ve got a lot of things to do, but–!

Man, I still hate you! I’m hungry!! I’m thirsty, too!

I heard a few more calls from below, but I just continued to tidy up my feathers with my beak without turning my head to him at all. I couldn’t check Karmeut’s expression because I didn’t turn my head, but I ignored him even when he called me to show that I was angry in my own way. Hmph!

The door opened, and I heard the servant come in, and the things should be as Karmeut’s instruction.

The meat and the cookies are here!

I pretended not to know.

“Rainelle, come here.”

His voice was soft and sweet. The soothing sound seemed to ease my sulky heart, but I turned a blind eye.

–I’m hungry, but if I don’t make it clear that I’m angry because I was given worms, I’ll be given another worms or bugs next time, right?

So I’m going to hold back!

“Come on, come here. There are cookies that you love, you know?”

As soon as I heard the word “cookie”, I felt saliva pooling in my mouth, and I turned my head.

The image of Karmeut smiling with soft eyes came into my vision…Yeah, let’s admit it. If I’m a human, he was sexy enough to give me a nosebleed.

I can’t believe you punch my heart like this! —You’re so handsome, so please do more!

…Ha! No! I still have pride! If I rush when he calls me, I might be given those things again!

I didn’t want to see worms or bugs in my meal bowl again, so I didn’t come down from the closet and held on.

Karmeut sighed briefly and walked to the closet where I was sitting.

Then he said again in a soft voice, as if to soothe me.

“I won’t give you any more worms or bugs, so stop being angry and come down. Aren’t you hungry? It’s been quite some time, so you must be hungry.”

I felt my displeasure melted away by Karmeut’s gesture of reaching out his arms as he spoke to me, “Come on?” …and honestly, I was too hungry to hold on any longer.

Pretending to have won, I spread his wings and landed on Karmeut’s arm.

When he smiled and gently stroked my chin with his index finger, all I could think of was that this was really not fair.

Oh, this is so nice–!

“Well, you are hungry, aren’t you? I’m sorry I’m late.”

As he said so, he held out the minced meat in front of my beak. I quickly took it and swallowed it.

Heck, it’s good! So delicious!

As soon as I finished eating one, Karmeut immediately offered me another piece of meat or fruit, and I began to eat nonstop.

I was able to eat very comfortably until I filled my stomach with fresh and delicious meat and fruits thanks to Karmeut who was serving the food in front of my beak.

From a zookeeper’s point of view, Karmeut was a very good owner. He didn’t just give me cookies just because I like them, but he gave me cookies only after he let me eat enough meat and fruits.

I knew that delicious food was not necessarily good for the body, so I ate what Karmeutt gave me without any complaints.

“I’m sorry I just got after a long time. I’ve had a lot of work to do.”

Karmeut, who had broken the cookies into pieces to make them easier to eat and placed them in the palm of his hand, made an excuse.

Well, of course. I know that. I’ve seen it a lot in novels and games. I was upset because they gave me worms and I can’t eat or drink water. I’m a little upset, but it was not a big deal. Yeah.

I picked up a piece of cookie with my beak and swallowed it deliciously. I was really full and felt better after getting cookies for dessert. I couldn’t help feeling bad that after coming here, he had to clean up the worms, feed me lots of delicious meat and fruits, and gave me cookies.

I let out a small caw and rubbed my head against Karmeut’s hand. Then I heard a burst of soft laughter, and I felt a hand sweeping down my head, neck, and back.

I puffed up my feathers as I enjoyed the big, firm, and warm hand petting me.

Oh, really. This person lives an unfair life. He’s handsome, he has a nice voice, he’s sweet, he has gentle hands. Nothing is missing. Nothing!!

My stomach was full and I received such a gentle and pleasant touch, so my mind was relaxed. The surroundings came into my eyes.

A bed that looked expensive and soft at first glance, a sofa that looked luxurious, a shelf containing bottles that I believed to be wine bottles, a fireplace that burned with a crackling sound, a vase with pretty fresh flowers, and many more were decorating the grand room.

Ca- can I have a look? But what if I accidentally break them? Those things looked so expensive and gorgeous, I’d never seen them up close in my life! I want to see them up close! I want to tap them with my beak! I want to put them under my stomach!

Slowly, my eyes turned to Karmeut.

He’s the owner of this room, and there might be things he cares about here, right?

No matter how much a person loves a dog, it’ll be scolded if it bites that person’s shoe. So I won’t do anything to get in trouble! I am an intelligent, cool, and pretty crow with a human soul inside!

Karmeut’s eyes curved and he let out a soft laugh.

Why, why?!

“There are a lot of interesting things here, right? Rainelle?”

Yes! There are so many! What I’ve seen only in dramas and movies is right in front of me, so my excitement doubles!!

I spread my wings and cawed. It was natural because there was no other way for me to express how amazed I was. Seeing my actions, Karmeut chuckled, stroked my head once, and then got up from his seat. And, he did so while holding me.

Huh? Why are you moving while holding me?

I tilted my head because I couldn’t figure out the reason. Karmeut proceeded to sit down on the bed. He took out a small box and held it with one hand.

Huh? Can you explain what you’re trying to do?

As I stared at Karmeut with a question mark on my face, my eyes widened when he opened the small box in his hand with a key and turned it upside down.

Huh?!

“Caaaw?!”

There were sparkles. I narrowed my eyes at the dazzling glow and looked at what was being poured. When I realized what those things were, my eyes opened wide.

Wow!! What is this?!! Je, je, je, they’re jewels!!

Green, blue, red, and gold disrupted my vision, but the jewels that fell from the box were emitting noble lights to the extent that I didn’t take it as a problem.

I swear the jewels that have fallen on the bed now were incomparably rare, expensive, and larger than those that were found in jewelry shops that deal with precious metals like gold and silver.

Even if I don’t know much about jewelry, I can feel it!

I was staring at the jewels with wide-eyed eyes when I heard a sweet voice.

“Do you want to play with them?”

…Hah! Are you letting me play with them? Is that why you poured them out of the box onto the bed? Really? If you allow me, I want to play with them!!

I nodded fiercely, my eyes shining brightly. I bumped my head to Karmeut’s hand to express that I really, really want to play with them.

I’m gonna play with them carefully, okay? Let me! You came late and left me starving, right? I won’t hide them anywhere!

The crow’s instinct to love sparkling things, and the fact that I saw jewels in front of my own eyes that I had never had the chance to touch even when I was a human, made my mind go crazy.

Play with them! Jewels!!

The golden eyes then curved.

His golden eyes filled with laughter and seemed to sparkle more than the jewels for a moment, so I was mesmerized by them as I stared.

With a chuckle, Karmeut lowered his head and kissed me lightly on the tip of my beak.

“If you look at me so cutely, I can’t help but give you permission, Rainelle.”

Karmeut added, “Of course I took them out for you to play with,” while he stroked my chin gently. He pushed my back lightly as if he told me to go ahead.

Wow!! Permission granted! That’s why I have to play with them carefully!

*Karmeut’s POV

Slowly, Rainelle approached the jewels carefully. It was so cute to see it glancing at him while making a gesture that seemed like it was at a loss because of joy.

Rainelle doesn’t know that the jewels I’ve spilled are nothing more than stones of little value to me.

Perhaps because he was just smiling, Rainelle became courageous. It let out a caw and fluttered its tail. Then, it carefully bit the nearest sapphire with the tip of its beak and raised its head.

Perhaps it liked the sapphire, which glittered brilliant blue under the sunlight permeating through the window, because Rainelle’s black and glossy feathers puffed up as it looked at the sapphire and its violet eyes were twinkling.

It raised its head, then it stepped back and forth. The way it dropped the sapphire and flapped its wings was like a child who had just received a gift.

Rainelle was very, very happy. It put the sapphire under its belly and sat in place as if it was incubating an egg. Then, flapping its wings, it jumped lightly.

It walked to the other jewels while holding the sapphire with its beak.

Whether Rainelle knows or not that Karmeut was watching its behavior with a smile, Rainelle cawed and inflated its feathers, looking very, very happy.

Then, like a collector, it organized the jewels by color.

Rainelle simply distinguished them by color whether it was a blue sapphire or a blue diamond, but it was an exception for the pearls.

Was it because of their appearance and luster that were different from other jewels? Rainelle felt that pearls were like eggs.

Rainelle embraced the pearls of various colors (such as white, pink, black, green, etc.) as if they were eggs and picked up the rest of the jewels with its beak, then it put them down. It seemed to be playing in ways that most humans would never dream of, but it seemed unaware of that.

If it was aware of that, then it’s not an animal.

It was a natural thought, but Karmeut sighed quietly, feeling as if he was strangely regretful.

Are animals only animals, even though they act smart as if they understand everything?

“Caaw”

There was a small cry. Karmeut turned his attention to Rainelle who was pecking his hand lightly so that it wouldn’t hurt.

“What is it, Rainelle?”

It had stopped playing with pearls and was now looking at Karmeut with its pretty and twinkling violet eyes. He blinked in wonder at Rainelle who tilted its head while flapping its wings a little.

Why is it looking at me with a ruby in its beak?