Chapter 52

*Rainelle’s POV

At that question, I glanced at Karmeut. He was smiling, but there were subtle convulsions on his lips. So I replied,

“You can ask Karmeut about that. I’m just a crow, I don’t know anything. I did everything Karmeut told me to.”

I said I don’t know and shifted the blame to Karmeut –and as expected, the child’s gaze turned to him. I added with a cheeky smile to Karmeut who started to shed cold sweats,

“Isn’t that right? Karmeut?”

“Uh, well…”

“Elder brother, you’re so mean! It’s not that Rainelle is bad, it’s that you’re bad!”

Good job, good job!! It’s not my fault! So was it Karmeut’s fault? Scold him more!!

Cheering for Sepia’s actions in my heart, my eyes lit up.

I’m not going to let you off the hook just because you apologize! Get in trouble! Be embarrassed! A child’s question is indeed strong!!

“Sorry, sorry. It’s okay to reveal now, but it wasn’t like that before. Sepia knows, right? What was Luwellin’s personality like?”

Sepia frowned at those words, and so did I. Ugh, that bastard Luwellin! I’d be sorry to even compare a dog to you! A non-recyclable that makes me sorry for garbage! My wing broke because of him!

“I don’t like Little Elder brother.”

“I really hate Luwellin! That guy—!! He, he broke my wing! It hurt so much then!”

The more I thought about it, the angrier I felt, so I raised my voice and huffed without realizing it. Sepia moved her eyes and looked at me, then she sprinted over and stretched her arms.

“Wing? Are you okay? That Little Elder brother! Rainelle is so pretty, but he broke your wing?!!”

I smiled as I watched the angry child grabbing my arm. Then, to show that I was okay, I returned to my crow form and hovered over the child’s head.

It was cute to see Sepia stroking her chest with her small hand as she sighed in relief.

“Rainelle.”

At the voice calling me, I purposely turned my head away quickly.

Hmph! I didn’t forgive Karmeut yet! I even heard Sepia say that she hates me!

After puffing up my feathers to the fullest, I cawed loudly. Karmeut’s eyes looked around embarrassingly at my behavior, and then he suddenly turned into a wolf.

I felt something ominous when the large golden wolf appeared.

…why did you suddenly turn into a wolf?! Is there an enemy?! Or… What is it? What? What?

I looked around to see if there was anything. …Huh? There’s nothing… Aargh?!

Suddenly, I felt my body being smothered along with something warm and moist on my feathers. I was pressed by something so tightly that I couldn’t spread my wings and had no choice but to wriggle my feet.

Ah ah ah ah! What, what, what?!

I shook her head, struggling to figure out what had happened.

Hah?!

“Kkaaak!! (Karmeutt!!)”

As the wolf grabbed me and I was put in the wolf’s mouth, I screamed and inflated my feathers.

Argh! It’s wet! I can feel your breath! Kyaaa!!

I struggled to get away. The wolf, Karmeut, just wagged his tail slowly while gently squinted his eyes.

Aside from getting angry at the wolf’s behavior, who sat down on the floor and wagged his tail like a puppy, a soft feeling of cuteness rose in my heart.

…hah! Nope! I’m still mad at Karmeut!! I’m mad! My feathers are wet! Aaaa!! I can feel his tongue licking my stomach! Aaaah!!

I continued to struggle, but Karmeut pretended not to notice, raised his head slightly, and began to tap the floor with his tail.

Ugh, I’m tired… The feeling of being pressed down is stuffy and I get tired because I’m struggling. Urgh…

When I became tired, the wolf turned his head near his arms and put me down. Then, as he slowly covered my body with his tail, I tried to shake off the moisture and saliva on my feathers.

So wet!! It’s so wet!!

After fluffing up my feathers, I flapped my wings, trying to shake off as much moisture as possible.

Left wing flapping, right wing flapping! Now shake my body…!! Ooh, that’s a little better.

As I was cleaning and arranging the messy feathers with my beak, I heard Sepia’s voice close to me,

“Wow!! Elder brother!! Your wolf looks really cool!!”

The golden wolf’s body tilted slightly as the child jumped on Karmeut’s back and gave him a big hug. Whether it was because of the child or not, the wolf began to wag his tail slowly.

Haa, my feathers!! Let Karmeut play with Sepia! My feathers!! It must have been because he used his mouth! My feathers are a mess! Huu huu!! Let’s see, let’s get the wing feathers in order first.

Starting with the right wing, I stretched it out, bit each feather with my beak, and tidied it up while pulling it. I was concentrated on arranging my feathers as I felt some strange pleasure(?) from the neatly cleaned feathers that were messy before

Hoo, there is such a thing. Cleaning itself is cumbersome, but when I do it, it put me in a better mood. It feels like that!

As I was arranging my feathers without stopping, I felt someone grab my body.

Uh? It’s much smaller than Karmeut’s hand,

So I turned my head and I saw Sepia holding me with her eyes twinkling.

“I want to hold you! Is that okay, Rainelle?”

Uh, um… Of course you can.

With that in mind, I nodded my head slightly and started to focus on tidying my feathers again. The child laughed softly at my actions, hugged me, and laid her back in the wolf’s arms.

Despite the restless servants around them or Galenos who kept his composure and guarded them like an escort, Sepia and Karmeut were unconcerned.

Me? Feather tidying is the most important thing for me right now! And I’m not human in the first place! Hmmm!!

“I wish I could awaken too– it’s really cool that you turned into a wolf, Elder brother.”

Sepia’s eyes were full of envy as she pouted her lips and stroked my feathers as if she was really envious.

As if to appease his little sister, the golden wolf nudged her with his head and licked the child’s cheek. I thought for a moment as I looked at the child who burst out laughing because she was ticklish,

Sepia as a wolf? Let’s see… Sepia is still a child, so if she turns into a wolf, she’ll definitely turn into a little wolf, right? Then, then—!!

Of course she’ll be cute! She’s going to be a fluffy wolf pup. A wolf pup with golden fluffy fur and green eyes would be cute! Imagine her waving her tail while sticking out her pink, moist tongue—!!

Whoa, is this a heart attack? Just imagining it is this powerful!

Just imagining something like that made me feel happy, and I felt as if my body was floating. Then suddenly a thought popped,

Crobanlock… Should I get another one? If it’s to see Sepia’s wolf cub version, I think it would be ok to look for it? No, eating Crobanlock and awakening is also a matter of life and death. I think it would be better to give up…

…huh? But is there a reason why I have to worry about this? Aren’t I still angry? No, no! What’s more important now is Sepia’s awakening! Baby Wolf version!! It will definitely be cute!

Argh! It’s a pity that we had to give up! A pity!! How was Sepia in the original story? Has she ever been mentioned?! Ohhh it’s a waste!! To have a faint memory of the game that I played for a few years! I entered after having finished the game for a long time! I don’t think there is anything worse than this!!

I leaned back on Sepia’s arms, positioning myself in a comfortable lying position with my feet up toward the sky, and looked up at the child. It was much more comfortable to sit on a perch, but the small arms of the child were not uncomfortable.

Above all else, the soft and clear skin of the child along with her shiny blonde hair were very pretty when I looked up like this.

Of course, Karmeut’s golden hair is much prettier… but it’s a different kind of beauty than that!

Ha, being so shiny is the best… The child is cute— and Karmeut’s wolf form is so cool. No, it’s Sepia and Karmeut themselves that are great…

I cawed softly and flapped my tail feathers. Then, with a small hand rubbing my stomach, I unwittingly relaxed and slipped into the arms of the child.

Haa, let’s not think much and just accept the hug. Whatever the case, the misunderstanding has been resolved!

*Karmeut’s POV

Sepia’s and the wolf’s eyes gathered in one place. They couldn’t help but pay attention to the figure of the crow, who was asleep with her legs up and her back on the child’s body. The appearance of the crow sleeping with her beak slightly wide open was showing how comfortable she was.

Seeing such a crow, the child covered her mouth with her hand and giggled. The wolf also opened his mouth and laughed silently. Then the wolf quietly returned to his original form.

Giving a “shh” while putting his index finger in front of his lips, Karmeut signaled to Sepia, stretched out his hand, and lifted the sleeping crow. Seeing that, the child smiled broadly and waved her hand to see them off.

The Emperor, who returned to his room together with Galenos, lowered his head and looked at Rainelle. The crow’s stomach was going up and down while she hadn’t moved, indicating that she was sleeping well.

Thinking that she looked cute, Karmeut put his lips on Rainelle’s chest lightly. The soft feel of feathers tickled his lips.

Seeing that the crow’s beak was clacking and her feet were twitching from what she was dreaming, Karmeut had to do all he could to suppress his laughter.

“What are you dreaming about?”

Unknowingly muttering and smiling, Karmeut then hugged the crow a little more tightly and lightened his footsteps.

I can’t wake Rainelle when she’s sleeping so comfortably, but…

It would be better if you are in human form, if possible.

Noticing the feeling rising in his heart, the Emperor bit his lower lip.

—It seemed that, to be liked by Rainelle, it is necessary to act more actively than before.

It was clear that Rainelle valued me. But… I knew it was not the way I wanted it to be.

In order to turn that heart in the direction I want it to… As expected, it shouldn’t be just the way it is now.

A sly smile emerged on Karmeut’s lips like before the coronation ceremony.

“Sleep comfortably… my lovely Rainelle.”

Karmeut laid Rainelle on a soft cushion and tapped her smooth beak with his index finger. The crow shook her head as if annoyed, but still did not open her eyes. He smiled at the sight.

That smile was alluring enough to make the viewer’s face blush.

***

*Rainelle’s POV

Hoahhhm… I slept well! Whoa!

As usual, I stretched out my wings, but then I lost my center of gravity and rolled over.

Ugh?! Huh?! I wasn’t on the perch?!

Struggling with my wings and legs, I barely straightened my body. I looked around to see where I was and realized that this was Karmeut’s room.

Uh, so… Ah! I slept on my back like a human in Sepia’s arms, right?! Eh, but being in this place mean… Karmeut brought me here, right?

Looking around by turning my head, I looked for Karmeut.

Gold, gold… uh, he isn’t here?

Ah, since he’s an emperor now, there must have been so many things he has to do that couldn’t even be compared to when he was a prince. Well, I’m a little sad. Ugh… By the way, why is your body so sore?

While groaning, I shook my head and spread my wings.

Oh, maybe it’s because I slept by laying like a human instead of on a perch? Uu, my body is aching.

Whimpering, I stretch my right-wing and flapped it.

I have to stretch my legs too to loosen my body. Aaaaah- great!

I also loosened my body by stretching my left wing next.

Ugh, I can’t seem to be like the ‘parrot sleeping lying down’ that I saw in videos. It was really cute in the video, but… that must have been uncomfortable. How did they sleep like that? Ah, indeed. Not all parrots sleep like humans.

A groan of pain emanated from between my beak.

Uhhh it’s so uncomfortable. I felt a little better after I loosened my body and flapped my wings.

I am hungry. In my dream, I was eating a very delicious cake! Strawberry cream cake topped with red and shiny strawberries…! Ugh, just thinking about it makes me hungry.

I looked around again to see if there was anything for me to eat.

There are also no cookies… Aww, I don’t like it…! Yeah, it’s not good to give animals a lot of snacks, but I’m half human! Hunph! I’m going to grab some fruit and eat it!

While grunting, I picked up the apple slices on one side and ate them.

It tasted good, but…

Ugh, Karmeut…!! Come back quickly! I can’t eat cake, so I want to eat cookies! Sweet things! I wantt!!

Maybe it was because I slept on my back, but it was only then that I noticed that my feathers were a mess.

Oh, what’s this? No wonder it was kind of uncomfortable.

I carefully selected the feathers with my beak. I gently pulled the messy feathers and straightened them out.

Whoops, my feathers are so messed up from sleeping on my back and falling off the cushion.

Although I grumbled inwardly, I carefully tidied my feathers.

I need to be well-groomed so Karmeut will think that I’m pretty, right?

I was terribly surprised at the thought that came to my mind.

Wha, what was I thinking?!

Mu, of course, Karmeut suddenly said that I’m the future empress… But will that really happen? First of all, I’m a crow with nothing. If you’re an emperor, it’s normal to marry a woman of good family or condition.

Besides, Karmeut is a target character in a female-oriented game, so he can be connected to the original heroine. In the first place, the original heroine is also the daughter of a count.

As I thought about it, my mood went more downhill.

So when he said me being the empress, I was very surprised. It’s not that I don’t like it, but…

If what I thought is right, since when was Karmeut… No, he said that he also doesn’t know when. Then…

It felt like my eyes were spinning with confusion. I couldn’t figure out what to do and how it would change the future. I was walking around on the perch, lost in thought when I felt a touch on my back.