Chapter 69

*Rainelle’s POV

Whether they knew my confusion or not, the Emperor and the Elementalist were fighting a tight battle of nerves.

Oh please!! Don’t do this!! I’m really going to turn into a crow, y’know?!

“Is there anything you need, Rainelle-nim? Just name it. I’ll bring it to you.”

What’s wrong with you? I’m in trouble right now!!

“A marquis shouldn’t run errands that a servant would do. Act with dignity.”

The same goes for Karmeut!! Do something about those blood-seeking eyes!!

“Oh, um… Marquis Miel…?”

“Just say it, Rainelle-nim.”

…I wanted to tell him to stop and go somewhere else. However, when I saw Miel with his eyes wide open like a puppy, I couldn’t bring myself to say that.

Ugh, how can I kick away such a handsome guy who looks at me with teary eyes and just wanted me to be nice?!

“Uh… sigh… Cookies, I want to eat them.”

“I’ll do as you wish.”

Given that I had asked for something, Miel bowed with a smile that looked like a blooming flower. He then moved from his spot.

“…you could’ve told me. I can bring you some cookies.”

A sulky voice tickled my ears. Feeling some strength in the arms that hugged my waist, I had to whisper,

“…the Emperor shouldn’t do that!”

“In front of you, the status of an emperor is just a decoration for me.”

…oh really, why are sweet-talking at times like this, Your Majesty the Emperor? Karmeut?

And why are you being sulky? I don’t expect you to sulk…

“Rainelle-nim, I don’t know what you like, so I brought you all the kinds of cookies…”

…there it is. There it is! Karmeut’s eyes change whenever he looked at Miel! Argh!! The original storyline has gone to dust! Oh, why are you guys fighting such a nerve-wracking battle?!

Seeing the sparks flying when their gazes collided in mid-air, I thought to myself: …I hope the banquet is over soon! Please, please, please!!

…but contrary to my wishes, I had to experience the feeling of being mentally squished between Karmeut and Miel throughout the banquet. Therefore, when the banquet was over and I was alone in the room, I automatically let out a burst of cheers.

Aaaah, it’s finally over! The banquet is over!!

I flew excitedly around Karmeut’s room, screaming as much as I could for the feeling of freedom.

Of course, the banquet was spectacular! It was fun to dress up in colorful dresses, jewelry, and perfume. And it was fun to watch the makeup skills of an expert.

Besides, everyone at the banquet dresses up nicely, right? It’s a lot of fun, the food is delicious, and dancing to the music is fun in its own way.

…But, as expected, it’s most comfortable to be a crow!

Then my mind changed courses.

Hm… Miel was there too, wasn’t he?

When I thought of Miel, my head throbbed.

No, everything is fine. It’s all good! It can’t be bad! Who doesn’t like it when a pure handsome man follows you around!! In terms of beauty alone, he is comparable to Karmeut!

No, that expression is a bit strange. I think it’s accurate to say that they have a different types of attractiveness. Yeah, Karmeut is a sharp and cool type of handsome, while Miel is a pure and flowery man? There’s some sort of protective instinct when looking at him, but he also doesn’t look like he’s weak!

Miel is a person who fits the expression that if he smiles, flowers will bloom. When someone like that says that he’s gonna give me everything he got and follow me around, I can’t hate him! He’s outstanding both in ability and appearance!

—The problem is that he seems to have attached a flag to me! You’re not supposed to flag other people before entering the original story! This is the problem!! Depending on the choice of the female lead, the matter of a flag being attached or not is different!!

Aaaaaah! God, why are you giving me such an ordeal!! It’s good to have a good-looking man to come at me, but it twisted the original story! Now it even seems to have broken into particles!!

Besides, there’s also Karmeut! His eyes ignited when Miel approached me! Oh, God! I wanted a little more calm, but what is this?!!

***

*3rd person POV

Myrdin’s mansion, located far away from the Imperial Palace, and a place that was even perfect to be called a quasi-dungeon. The place had all kinds of magic that were seemingly hidden from the exterior. And now, voices were flowing from a room inside the mansion.

No, the voices that were about to leak out were blocked by a wind wall and were sealed off inside.

“-What’s going on, Contractor? Calling me like this.”

“I have a favor to ask of you.”

“Yes? What is it?”

The gray translucent bird with two pairs of eyes and two pairs of wings narrowed its eyes. When the contractor said that he had something to ask of it, it was half curious. The other half was anticipation.

“There is a crow with a golden necklace in the Imperial Palace. It is a crow that can transform into a human form… I want you to protect that crow.”

“…protect?”

“Yes, protect her. So that she would be safe no matter what.”

At those words, the spirit frowned. The words he said now had never been heard by the spirit.

“I refuse. The one I will protect is the contractor, not a crow.”

Hearing that, Miel shook his head and responded,

“I know that’s the case… but I want you to protect her.”

“It is you who signed the contract and provides mana. Not that crow.”

“…you really won’t?”

“Yes. Without you, I can’t show myself like this. Naturally, the most important thing for me is the contractor.”

The spirit quickly turned his head.

A caring heart for others, a heart that wanted to protect, was a noble thing. –But it was a law that a spirit couldn’t put that nobleness and the safety of the contractor on the same line. Moreover, there was no way that human values ​​could be applied to the spirits.

Miel’s expression became clouded at the spirit’s decisive refusal as it spat out the facts. Miel lowered his head. After being silent for a long time, his lips moved,

“…He’s like a benefactor to me.”

When he said that, the spirit’s gaze was drawn to Miel.

‘…I’m aware of that fact,’ thought the spirit. Because long before the contract was signed, the spirit had been around him and watched him. Waiting for the contract to be signed someday.

The spirit raised its head. Its’ contractor’s pink eyes were shining with urgency and earnestness.

“I want to protect her. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be here. Um, when I tried to escape, by my master… no, I would have been beaten to death by my former master, without knowing that I could sign a contract.”

The spirit could not respond to those words. What Miel said was true. No matter how strong the power of the high-level spirits was, the way they could be involved in this world was very limited unless they had a contractor.

It was to the extent that this high-leveled spirit couldn’t help Miel, who was being beaten by his previous master.

While the spirit was silent, Miel continued to speak,

“In that sense, she is like a benefactor to you too.”

“…why?”

“I wouldn’t have been able to make a contract with you and the others if she hadn’t saved me.”

“…”

The high-leveled spirit of the wind was worried. Originally, no matter what the contractor said about it, the spirit had to refuse.

But… it wasn’t that it was shaken by the words of its contractor who almost pleaded, saying that he would not have even signed a contract without the crow. It was because what its contractor said was also true.

A sigh flowed through the beak of the spirit, who had been staring at its contractor’s face for a while.

“…fuuu… Right. As you said, without that crow, the contract might not have happened.”

“—! Then…?”

“I’ll protect the crow you told me about. But keep in mind: this is an exceptional situation. I hope you realize how much you’ve asked me to do.”

“…thank you.”

At those words, the high-leveled wind spirit waved one of its wings slightly. The wind spirit, who shook its head as if saying “You shouldn’t say such a thing”, dispersed. It was as if it had disappeared along with the wind.

Pink eyes followed the wind as if they were chasing the trail of the spirit that disappeared from its spot in an instant. Miel let out a long sigh and then sat down on the sofa.

*Miel’s POV

The beginning was stupid. One day, a child who was born as a slave and learning to live as a slave, was suddenly thinking:

‘I want to be like that too. I want to eat delicious food to my heart’s content, have neatly tucked hair, have soft hands, and wear such nice clothes,’ when he saw the child of a noble family that he served.

Not knowing that those were something never allowed for slaves, the young slave dreamed.

Fortunately or unfortunately, he was born with good looks. That was why, unlike other slaves, he rarely did chores from a young age.

He was nurtured, groomed, and cared for according to the wishes of the master. And when he grew up to a certain extent, he had to repay the care he had received with his body.

Only when he flatters, curry favors, and entertains could he receive ‘care’.

Was it because he achieved what he wanted? He was hoping for more.

‘I want to be free, I want to leave this place. I don’t want to be looked down upon as a slave.’

…it was an absurd wish. In order to achieve that absurd wish, he haphazardly ruined what became of his first dream and was almost beaten to death at the market.

…but that was how I met her.

An ominous bird that flew over graves. A black crow that flew with death.

And, that ‘death’ changed into a human form and saved his ‘life’. Presenting the future. It gave him a dreamlike situation that was far better than he had imagined.

“…so…”

I want to give my life and everything to her. Because she saved me. I want to devote everything to her and serve her, unlike when I was forced ever since I was born.

He had been a slave all his life, so he was confident that he would do better than anyone else as far as flirting with her.

However, his actions seemed to have been very burdensome to her. Miel’s expression distorted when he recalled the face of that person smiling awkwardly while looking at him as if she didn’t know what to do.

I didn’t mean to. I just wanted to be by her side, protect her, and entertain her.

…Then let’s protect her. So that you can be safe no matter what happens. So that you can smile.

However, he did not know how to use swords, nor was he strong. All he can do was summon spirits and use his body.

—That was why he asked the high-leveled wind spirit for that favor even though he knew it was against the principle.

I want to protect her. I want to protect her no matter what. Without her, I would have been born and died as a slave.

Recalling that fact again, the Elementalist clenched his fist. His pink eyes were shining resolutely as he thought of the crow that gave him a new life.

***

*Rainelle’s POV

I puffed my feathers, fully enjoying the wind coming in through the window.

“You like it that much, Rainelle?”

I nodded my head without thinking at Karmeut’s question that was said while he grinned.

Oh, how long had it been since I was in my crow form? And how long had it been since I came to Karmeut’s room?

I was more familiar with this place than the other room since I had stayed in Karmeut’s room longer than a month. The room allotted to me before was spacious, luxurious and nice.

I know that it’s a very nice room… but it’s awkward.

I spread my wings and flew up. Then I flew to Karmeut, who was sitting on the sofa and reading a book leisurely. He smiled softly and gently stretched out his hand, but I avoided it and sat down on his lap instead.

Then I rolled over my body like a human. I felt at ease with my back on Karmeut’s lap and my feet stretched out to the sky.

OMG! This is so comfortable! So warm!! Come on, Karmeut! Pet me now!

I cawed and tilted my head back.

Come on! I even tilted my head so that you could stroke me comfortably, y’know? Pet me!

A burst of loud laughter followed. Karmeut smiled softly as he rolled his eyes. He reached out and stroked my stomach. A pleased caw flowed naturally out of my beak as his hand stroked the feathers near my belly.

Uu, this touch is the best! I don’t know how you can caress so pleasingly.

I was enjoying the happy feeling while enjoying the touch when I heard Karmeut’s voice,

“Is the human form so uncomfortable?”

I hesitated, not knowing how to respond to that.

It’s not… exactly uncomfortable. Besides, looking at my human form objectively, isn’t it perfect? An absolutely superior beauty! My form is so pretty that there is no guarantee that I will be able to have this beauty no matter what I do in my next reincarnation!!

I’m happy because my appearance is really superior to what I have ever imagined… I’m very happy to be able to eat well, have nice clothes, and good makeup, but…

Etiquette is the problem, etiquette! Madame Fangxia is scary! If I don’t follow the etiquette, she might come out of nowhere and start nagging at me, starting with the words “Is that how you behave—?!…” and she would even drag Karmeut’s name!!

…It was difficult for me to convey these feelings by simply nodding or shaking my head, so I straightened my posture, then, when I was a little further away from Karmeut, I turned into a human and answered,

“…it’s not that I’m uncomfortable to be human, it’s just that I’m not comfortable with etiquette. Don’t you know how scary Madame Fangxia is?!”

No, she’s beyond scary! Just thinking about Madame Fangxia… No, let’s not think about it! Thinking about it is detrimental to my mental health!!

“Oh. Hmm, are you so scared of Madame Fangxia?”

“I’m a crow. Do you know that human etiquette is too difficult? Not only talking, but also facial expressions, posture, and even eating are full of ‘don’ts’. I don’t know why it’s like that.”

I grumbled and pouted my mouth. Of course, I know it was necessary. Because being courteous was tantamount to oiling the relationship between people.

But I’m a crow now! It’s only natural that it’s difficult to all of a sudden learn the etiquette that I hadn’t learned when I was a zookeeper before! Of course it’s no wonder that it’s hard!

“Well, the higher your position is, the more you pay attention to useless things.”

Karmeut’s face as he nodded while fixing his dressing seemed to be shining. Was that why? While suppressing my beating heart, I shook his head and turned my face away.

“And I’m more comfortable being a crow. I can fly freely, I can sleep on a perch…”

“…Ah, I see, because your nature is a crow.”

…I was somewhat appalled by the words. He was right, but why do I feel this way?

“Rainelle, if you’re comfortable with it, you can return to being a crow.”

However, Karmeut’s words that said that it was okay for me to return to being a crow brought a smile to my face.

“Caaw! (Thank you!)”

After crying out in gratitude, I sat on his shoulder and rubbed my beak on his cheek. He smiled a little, followed by a hand stroking my wing.

It was a familiar touch, but that was why I missed it even more.

I haven’t received this touch for over a month! That Madame Fangxia is really—!!

…No. I’m in no position to be angry with Madame Fangxia. Argh! I won’t blame you, so please just don’t come out and shoot me with scary eyes!!

Ugh, I’m frightened just thinking of Madame Fangxia–! I, I’ll do so well that I don’t have to see her again. Yes, that’s right!

Seeing the crow trembled as she was lost in thought, Karmeut smiled and then brought her into his arms.