Chapter 67

*Rainelle’s POV

“—I wish you could tell me what that means now.”

A low-pitched voice rang in my ears. When I turned my head, I saw deep sunken golden eyes.

…but I can’t answer because I’m out of my head right now! I too want to run away by turning into a crow because the situation is difficult right now!! I want to fly away from here!!

“Oh, my. I forgot to explain it in detail. This is a big problem. There are a lot of things that I forget when I get older.”

Myrdin-nim, the man -no, the grandfather- who was responsible in a way for throwing a large bomb right now, smiled as he opened his mouth. …are you laughing now?! Look at those eyes1 Those eyes!!

Oh, of course, I never even dreamed that a person who signed a contract with the high-level spirits of the four major elements at once would be a slave!! I know that this is an unprecedented opportunity for the Empire, still, look at Karmeut’s eyes now!! This old man!!

—Whether or not he knew what I was thinking, the old wizard, with a smile on his face, began narrating the story from the time when I found Miel in the market to how he made a contract with the spirits.

…thanks for letting us know, but I need you to fix this situation!!

“-I see.”

Karmeut said that while nodding his head after hearing the story.

…ah! Come to think of it, this is a banquet hall for nobles and royalty! You, you old man! How can you reveal that Miel was a former slave in front of these people?!!

…Of course, I don’t know if there would be an idiot who could defeat a person as capable as Miel, but I’m sure at least there’ll be a big mouth!!

“Marquis Miel.”

“-Yes, Your Majesty the Emperor.”

When Karmeut called him, Miel let go of my hand and bowed to him. Seeing him like that, the Emperor opened his mouth,

“You owe the next Empress a lifetime of favor.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Miel’s shoulders seemed to shake a little at hearing ‘the next Empress’, but was it just an illusion?

“Your talent will be a precious treasure of the Empire. I won’t ask you about the past. And I will never ask you again. With your abilities, I hope you will use all of your talents for the most valuable thing.”

“—!! I will keep that in mind, Your Majesty.”

After saying that, Miel suddenly turned his head toward me.

Wha, what is it?!

“Rainelle-nim.”

“…please speak, Marquis Miel.”

“I’m not a knight, but the oath I made earlier was sincere.”

As he said that, his pink eyes sparkled so beautifully, but for me, it was enough to bring out cursing.

Oh please, sir! Please read the room!

“I don’t care if Rainelle-nim makes me your slave. Since that time, everything I’ve been doing has been for Rainelle-nim.”

He looked really beautiful as he said “So I’ll give it to you. Everything.” and with the gentle curve of his eyes. He was aesthetically beautiful beyond the gender of male and female…

Oh really!! Look at Karmeut’s eyes! If you say “I will give you everything”, isn’t that a bomb?! Isn’t that something you have to say depending on the time and situation, you crazy punk!! What are you doing by spitting out provocation?!!

“I see… Marquis Miel, I hope you enjoy the banquet.”

“Thank you for your consideration, Rainelle-nim.”

Not forgetting to smile softly, Miel got up from his position. Then he took my hand and gently kissed the tip of my finger. After that, he headed towards Myrdin with an elegant and relaxed movement.

Leaving the words, “Then, I hope you both enjoy the banquet”, Grandpa Myrdin disappeared through the crowd with Miel.

…it’s as if a storm had passed by, my head is dizzy. And the bomb providers have already disappeared among the crowd!!

“Uu, I want to go back to my original form…”

I mumbled that without realizing it.

Oh, I mean it. Seriously, let’s go back to being a crow and take a sand bath! I’ll tidy my feathers slowly, too. Then I want to sit on the perch and sleep comfortably!

“Sorry, but you can’t do that. If the main character leaves early from the first day of the banquet, it will get messy.”

Well, I guess so. No, wait!

“…Hey, I don’t think so? I’m only one of the guests…”

“It would be strange if the next Empress was missing, don’t you think so? At least the Imperial nobles would think so.”

The voice whispering in my ear was as sweet as usual, but somehow I felt a sense of intimidation.

“…so stay by my side, okay?”

I couldn’t help but nod at Karmeut’s action of subtly giving strength to his hand that grabbed my arm while he said “stay by my side”.

—Why, why does it feel like I’m guilty when it’s not my fault? Argh! I’m sorry to keep calling you, oh, God! Please solve it for me? Uh-huh!

The awfully long first day of the banquet passed like that. Me? I was taken straight to Karmeut’s room after the day was over.

“…Rainelle.”

” Yes?”

Ugh! I’m kind of scared that my voice has become so quiet! I didn’t do anything wrong, but I’m scared!!

“…it’s been hard for the past month, right? Would you like to be comfortable by turning into a crow?”

…but what I heard next was unexpected.

No, I’m not saying I don’t like what he said just now, but… I thought he was going to ask me some questions about Miel.

“…you aren’t asking?”

“Hm?”

“About Marquis Miel.”

—Ah, I said something wrong! His eyebrows just twitched!

“—Of course there are many things I want to ask. But… Myrdin-nim explained the situation, didn’t he?”

Patting my back gently, Karmeut added,

“He said you saved a slave from being whipped? —Was it incomprehensible to you?”

“Yeah… it was. I’ve learned the reason while I was being taught etiquette, but… I still don’t fully understand.”

He nodded.

“Well, it’s kind of like a culture between humans, something that has been decided… that’s what it is.”

He looked at me while saying so. The bright golden eyes were gleaming indescribably.

“But… because of that, the Empire only had a few talents in history.”

I said “Thank you,” then I shrank my shoulders at Karmeut’s action of kissing my eyelids. But at the same time, I could feel…

Ah, that’s why Karmeut was a respected Emperor even in the original story.

In the original game, Karmeut was also an Emperor who was respected by his subjects. He was young, not married, but competent.

…I think I know why Karmeut looked different.

“But… Rainelle, I hope you don’t get too close to Marquis Miel.”

…Huh?

“Of course, I will respect you, but… I’m not stupid enough to let you be taken away by another man with my eyes open.”

I raised my head and looked at Karmeut. His golden eyes were blazing.

“He said he’d give you everything… but Rainelle, I’ve already given you my all.”

It was such a sweet remark. And it was also a very childish thing to say.

It was like a child saying, “I like the earth as much as the sky! A lot more than him! I like it better!!”

…because it seemed cute to me, I couldn’t help but smile. Then Karmeut’s frowned slightly. He proceeded to wrap his arms around my waist.

“I’m serious. Do you want me to show you my true feelings?”

“Oh no! It’s okay! I trust you!!”

You’ve shown your sincerity, and I know what you’re going to do by saying that!

I nodded my head eagerly. Then Karmeut smiled happily and hugged me tightly.

“…do you want to return to your crow form?”

Oh! Yeah! Then thank you!

Afraid that he might change his words, I quickly returned to being a crow.

Was it because I hadn’t changed in a month? I felt a strange sense of alienation. But I cawed as I felt much lighter and much fresher.

I whirled around Karmeut’s head, crying ecstatically.

Ooh! It’s cool! I’m happy! It’s comfortable!

Of course, I like the ‘me’ after I put on makeup, dressed up in a gorgeous dress, and used accessories, but it was so uncomfortable!

Now, it’s comfortable! So comfortable!! It’s as comfortable as lounging around in pajamas at home!

The feeling of spreading my wings and flying after a month was absolutely amazing. Even though it was just in the room, the feeling of the wind brushing my feathers was beyond words.

“Rainelle.”

Hearing Karmeut’s call, I quickly landed on his arm. Then a hand gently caressing my cheek followed. I pushed my beak against his finger while smiling as I felt the longing for this touch after a month eased.

“Did you eat a lot of what you wanted at the banquet? Do you want to eat snacks?”

I pondered for a moment about Karmeut’s behavior of putting me on his shoulder while asking if I wanted snacks.

Ummm- I’m not hungry, but it’s been a while since I’ve had a snack from Karmeut…

“Caaw! (Wanna eat!)”

So, I should just eat a little bit!

When I cawed with that meaning in mind, Karmeut smiled and headed to the table. Then he gave dried fruit to me.

Karmeut has a great sense after all! I wanted to eat something light!

Excited, I picked up the dried fruit and ate it. Unlike humans, a bird had to swallow immediately, so the time to taste was short, but it was still much more comfortable for me.

Oh, really, after I possessed a crow, the crow instinct must have been engraved deep into me. I can’t believe this is more comfortable.

Feeling good, I smacked my beak on Karmeut’s cheek. Then I jumped onto his lap, jumped again a bit, and plunged into his arms.

Pet me! Please hug me! Stroke me!!

I looked up at Karmeut with hopefulness, and he smiled. Then, as I wished, he took me in his arms and kissed me on the head.

It was ticklish, but I felt a warm sensation that made my body relax.

Ah, really… This is the most comfortable, and I like it.

Receiving the familiar and comfortable touch, I was able to sleep on a perch in Karmeut’s room for the first time in a long time that day.

***

*3rd person POV

“Thank you very much, Myrdin-nim.”

“What do you mean?”

“For everything. The fact that you took me to the banquet today…”

“Gee, this old man was just taking an indispensable talent to the Empire to be introduced to His Majesty the Emperor.”

Myrdin, who laughed haphazardly while replying deftly, swept his beard. Miel who looked at him then lowered his gaze.

Shiny black hair. Violet-like eyes which shone brightly. Soft red lips and a graceful figure.

Miel’s fingertips trembled as he was unable to forget the feeling when he saw the figure that he couldn’t forget for the past month. She was breathtakingly beautiful, like a goddess.

The crow, the black wearer girl, was his salvation.

‘If it wasn’t for her, I might have been beaten to death or sold to the slave market,’ thought Miel.

“Myrdin-nim, I have a question…”

“Why did I bring you in and make you an Elementalist? I’ve answered you many times, but it was because of the potential I felt in you.”

The old wizard then muttered, “Well, when I first discovered it, the magic power was so poor compared to the affinity to the spirits,” while kept stroking his beard.

“The reason my magic was suppressed may be because of my situation of being a slave where I was suppressed, had to obey, and bowed my head a lot, but I never imagined that it would be this much.”

Miel: ‘I thought I would only sign a high-level spirit at best.’

“…did Rainelle-nim feel that too?”

“It could be. Maybe she felt something as a spirit contractor.”

Seeing Miel blinking his eyes puzzledly, Myrdin kindly added an explanation just like when he was teaching him many things for the past month,

“Rainelle-nim can take on a human form, but her essence is a crow. Since there is no concept of slavery among animals, it must have been very strange and unfair from her point of view. It’s not a turf war, nor is it a competition between males to get a female. It’s just unilateral violence and the acceptance of it.”

The hand of the old wizard that stroked his beard slowed.

Had his old friend, the crow, seen the scene, he would have been outraged.

Myrdin: ‘Perhaps by now, he is sleeping peacefully under the sun.’

“So I hope you do not forget and keep the vows you made in the banquet hall. As you said, if it was not for her, your talents would have been buried and your life would have ended as a slave.”

“…I am well aware of that.”

In response, Miel clenched his fist.

*Miel’s POV

How can I forget? How can I be shameless enough to turn away?

The crow who saved him. The noble bird symbolizing death who brought him out of the depths of despair.

So it’s very natural for me to give my everything to her. My body, my abilities, and… my heart too.

When he thought of Rainelle, he faintly felt that his chest started to beat faster. Miel took a small deep breath.

The banquet is not over yet. And I will continue to attend the banquet.

To meet her.