Chapter 80

*Rainelle’s POV

“…what…”

“Please refrain from being rude, Lady Adriana.”

It was Miel who got up from his seat with a sharp reply at once, but Adriana’s gaze did not fall away from me.

“Uh, what…”

‘Who are you’, she asked? ‘Who are you?’

There was only one thought on my mind right now:

It’s ruined, it’s ruined, it’s ruined, it’s ruined! She’s starting to doubt! No, I’m suspicious even from my perspective! Crazy! I’m going crazy!!

“Caaw!!”

It was almost instinctive to turn into a crow and fly high into the sky. It was only after I landed on the roof of the Imperial Palace did I come to my senses.

Ugh, what’s going to happen now?! Um, um! Now that I have turned into a crow, I should run away! I’m running away!! Stay away from her as far as possible! I have to live!

*3rd person POV

Adriana’s eyes followed the crow with a blank gaze as she flew and ran away.

Miel was equally perplexed. However, Miel quickly regained himself and his eyes became fierce.

“…Lady Adriana. Doing such a rude thing, what were you thinking?”

But the woman did not answer his question. Looking at the blue eyes blankly chasing the air, the temperature of the bright eyes began to drop.

” ‘-Rainelle-nim is a crow, not a human, so she won’t care about etiquette. That won’t be necessary’… Did you think like this?”

“…what do you want to say?”

“Rainelle-nim is a benefactor to me, so I cannot tolerate disrespect towards her.”

Wind began to blow around Miel and Adriana. The magical wind and flames began to take forms in the air.

“Rainelle-nim is the Emperor’s partner and my benefactor. How dare you act rude to her.”

The flame made an explosion in the air, and a lizard made of fire appeared. Despite the rapid increase in the temperature of their surroundings, the leaves in the garden were not affected.

“Do you understand? Rainelle-nim is more precious than that life yours, Lady. If necessary, I will take your life.”

Adriana’s face showed shock at those words.

“Marquis, are you saying you’re going to kill me?”

“Yes if you keep that attitude towards Rainelle-nim.”

Adriana can’t open her mouth in response to his decisive answer. After a while, she then let out a long sigh and said,

“…I’ve had an unfortunate accident. My body is fine, but… my mind tends to get a bit confused. I think I should meet Rainelle-nim after I become more stable, but it seems that I’ve made a big mistake. “

“…”

“I was surprised and amazed by the fact that a crow could take on a human form. In addition, Rainelle-nim allowed me to meet her personally, so I was too excited. I’m sorry.”

“…Apologize directly to Rainelle-nim herself.”

“Right now, Rainelle-nim has refused me, but I think I’ll have to come back later and make a formal apology.”

Saying that, Adriana smiled bitterly.

She continued to say while bowing down to Miel to apologize,

“I also apologize to Marquis Albion. I made you uncomfortable because of my lack of thought.”

“…since you say that, I will accept your apology.”

The blazing lizard disappeared. But the pink eyes were still giving off coldness.

“But that doesn’t change anything. Unless you apologize to Rainelle-nim.”

As Miel told her that, Adriana became quiet for a moment.

“Then I’ll go home now. Can you tell Rainelle-nim that I want to meet her next time and apologize in person?”

“I will do that.”

Not intimidated by Miel’s cold-voiced reply, Adriana retreated. Miel, who didn’t take his eyes off of her until she completely disappeared from his view, sighed for a long time.

“—Should I go find Rainelle-nim?”

‘But now that she has turned into a crow, she may be reluctant to meet anyone for the time being…’

Thinking so, Miel had no choice but to stay in his seat and sat still for a while with a perplexed expression.

***

*Karmeut’s POV

“Well, I didn’t expect you to come, Marquis Albion.”

“Thank you for your time, Your Majesty.”

Karmeut was quiet as Miel bowed his head in a respectful manner.

He doesn’t look very happy, but he must have a reason for wanting to meet me like this.

“So… what’s going on?”

“It’s about Rainelle-nim.”

Karmeut flinched and his eyebrows rose. Unabashed by his reaction, Miel went on to say,

“Actually…”

Starting with that, Miel told Karmeut of what happened today while bowing his head until he finished speaking.

“…The Young Lady Gwynell…”

So, does that mean that the person Rainelle was reluctant to see was this Young Lady Gwynell? …but why? First of all, there must have been no contact between Rainelle and that Lady…

The Emperor, who had been silent for a while with one hand on his chin, finally opened his mouth to the Elementalist,

“…Thank you for letting me know, Marquis Albion.”

“No, Your Majesty. I just do what’s natural.”

“Natural, huh?”

The Emperor, who smiled saying so, tilted his head slightly and asked,

“Are you offering your loyalty to the Emperor’s partner, not the Emperor?”

“—!!”

“There are factions in any country. There may be those who support the queen, and there may be those who support the concubines. -But the premise of all that is to set the ruler of the country as the highest priority.”

Karmeut took a step closer to Miel and finished his words,

“It also means that there has never been a fool so blatantly loyal to others.”

Miel shut his mouth. It was because Karmeut was right, and it was natural for him to be angry. —No, it couldn’t be explained in a simple word of [anger].

“There weren’t any before. Even if there were, that person would have died right away.”

Miel’s lips trembled slightly at those words.

-But, even so…

The golden eyes narrowed at the sight of the man in front of him who closed his eyes with a determined expression and then lowered his head.

“-Raise your head, Marquis Albion.”

Hearing that, Miel raised his head and looked at Karmeut. Then Miel blinked his eyes.

It was because there was a smile on the Emperor’s lips.

“Obviously, you have gone too far. You expressed your loyalty to the next Empress rather than the Emperor who rules the empire. This sin deserves death.”

However, Karmeut then added while looking at Miel for a moment with a search-like gaze without erasing his smile,

“…well, you’re foolish enough to serve Rainelle, so I can leave you alone.”

“—Your Majesty…?”

“Protect her, Marquis Albion.”

The pink eyes widened at those words.

“Of course, there are many who protect Rainelle. Those within the Imperial Palace will protect her at my command. In fact, Lord Windster is primarily escorting Rainelle.”

“Then, why…?”

“In the end, it is just according to orders, although it’s not that they didn’t do their job with all their heart. Lord Windster and the Knights of the Imperial Palace are all swearing their allegiance to the Emperor, me. Of course, it does not disparage their ability. It’s just a difference of heart.”

The Emperor approached the Elementalist and said,

“There’s a difference between obeying because of order and obeying voluntarily. So, I’ll turn a blind eye to your rudeness.”

“—By protecting Rainelle-nim… you mean?”

“You should put her life ahead of yours.”

Miel then responded with a short but firm voice while bowing his head once again,

“Understood.”

“And if, really, if…”

“…?”

“If there comes a time when you have to save either me or Rainelle, you should not hesitate to choose Rainelle.”

“—?! Your Majesty?”

“I won’t forgive you for even hesitating. Do you understand, Marquis?”

“Ha, but…”

The golden eyes narrowed.

“Of course, that’s not going to happen, and I’ll make sure it doesn’t. But it’s a good thing to be prepared just in case. So swear on it, Marquis:

Even if my life is at risk, you would put Rainelle first.”

At those words, the Elementalist who looked at the Emperor with shaking eyes finally said while hardening his resolve,

“-I will do as you say, Your Majesty.”

At that, the Emperor smiled and nodded his head in satisfaction.

“All right. Seeing your determination, let’s skip the matter of you having attached a spirit to Rainelle without permission.”

“-Your Majesty knew?”

“Did you think there would be no barriers in the Imperial Palace?”

After saying that, Karmeut smiled and gave Miel permission to leave. As Miel left the room and closed the door, Karmeut let out a long sigh.

Personally, it isn’t to my liking, but… his feelings and loyalty are useful to Rainelle. Judging from the favor he received from Rainelle and the attitude he has shown thus far, Marquis Albion would have put Rainelle as his priority even if he has to put his life on the line.

“Now then…”

I have to go see Rainelle.

Thinking so, Karmeut sighed again.

How dare that Young Lady Gwynell makes Rainelle uneasy? On top of that, she dares to show such disrespect and expect no consequences?

Suppressing his desire to punish her immediately, he moved on to find Rainelle.

If I punish her for this kind of thing, the nobles will protest, so I’ll be patient…

“…Then all Rainelle’s unusual actions I’ve seen so far were all because of the Young Lady Gwynell?”

But why? — Is that rude attitude of Young Lady Gwynell influenced by something I didn’t know about?

Karmeut’s footsteps were accelerating as he was thinking about the correct answer. There was only one thing in his mind: Rainelle.

***

*Rainelle’s POV

Sitting on the roof of the Imperial Palace, I thought of the situation.

I’m screwed! It’s ruined!! To be questioning my existence would mean that she knows the original story! It’s ruined!!

In the original game, the setting was that the player possessed a playable character, that is, the heroine, after she attempted suicide!

Oh, crazy! If I knew this would happen, I would have rehashed the game and searched for its information before I bumped into an accident! But who would expect that I was going to die and possessed a crow in this world?! Ugh!

I groaned while moving my legs and wings in a sense of absurdity, fear, and anger. Still, I was sad because I knew very well that nothing had changed.

Oh, damn it, damn it, damn it! What to do?! What do I do?! What should I do?! As long as the playable character appeared, it means that we have entered the storyline! Adriana is completely possessed!!

I know that Karmeut is worried about me because I acted differently, but how can I say my worries?! Uhuhu! I want to tell Karmeut everything and deport Adriana out of the country, but I can’t because I don’t know how far the situation will grow!!

To twist the original storyline is to throw away predictions -which is the information from the game-!

I’m a fragile crow! I’m going to die if it’s like this! Die! Aaaaa I might die aaaah! I might die on the day the heroine seduces the hidden character to assassinate me—!!

Just thinking about it made me feel like my life was being cut short.

Man, this feeling is detrimental to my heart… I think I’m going to have a real heart attack…

I looked at the sky, looked at the ground, and then opened my beak to heave a deep sigh.

I have no choice but to sigh! How can I not when I feel so stuffy?!

Ughhh! I think I’m going to die of heartburn while doing this uhuhu!! I’m afraid that my feathers will all fall out. Huwaaa!!

What should I do?!! Aaaaaa!!

What do I do… I feel like things are already flowing, and it looks like they will explode…

I couldn’t come to my senses. It felt like an explosion took place in my head in real-time.

When the heroine noticed the abnormality, I was ruined… She knew the original story and even sent a letter to talk to me!

Now, wait a minute, let’s calm down. It has happened, so it’s not important to think back on it. What I have to think about is how to deal with it! Let’s think! What would the heroine do next?

1. Harassing me

2. Trying to kill me

3. Get closer to Karmeut

= That’s how she drives me out or kills me.

…

Life… why is it so hard… This life is harder than when I was a zookeeper. Bro… I risked my life back then (although I dreamed of becoming a beast breeder), but at least that was what I chose! Not like this! This endangers my life from being targeted by others!

Well, it might just be my imagination, but it’s not impossible either!

Spirit! Should I raise my affinity with the spirits?! Or should I change my residence? Should I make a nest in a tree like a real crow?

…but that is not a countermeasure! Ah-oh! Am I affected by the bird head?

I have to think about living! Well, animals have a better survival instinct! I have the instinct to survive to stay alive!

—Is it an illusion that the genre has changed to ‘Survival’?! Is it just an illusion? Please say that it’s a mistake!

You damn God bastard!! Why are you giving me such an ordeal!! I wanted peace, but if you give me shit like this, I will lose sight of myself!! Arghhh!!