Chapter 114

*Rainelle’s POV

The story of Namuel’s route was no different than what I heard before.

But it wasn’t exactly the same to same. Although the content was the same as what I heard as a crow, the feeling I have now was completely different.

—Aria also said that she started keeping a note of what she remembered because a person’s memory fades as time goes by.

“—Huu, the story writer is a real bastard…”

Of course, it’s not something I can’t understand. If it’s Namuel’s route, and if there’s a secret of his birth, it’s normal to plot it that way.

But!! Was it really necessary to hand over the emperor’s seat?! Namuel already has a lot of things!!

“Rainelle.”

“Wait a minute. I feel like my head is going to explode.”

It looks like real swearing will come out. No, it already popped out in my mind.

Is this story writer an xxx?!!

“I’ll go back. Really…”

“Hey, Rainelle? As expected…”

“As expected, what? You think I’ve gotten smarter?”

“Uh, um… —A little bit?”

I wasn’t angry at Aria’s behavior of saying that while darting her eyes around.

—Even I myself thought that I was really stupid after possessing the body of a crow.

“Of course, I have to be smart. Think about it. I have gained great strength, but if I’m simple and use my strength recklessly, what do you think will happen?”

“—The Capital will be destroyed.”

“Or, I die before that.”

At that, Aria shut her mouth.

Why? It’s true.

“Will the army who guards the Capital stand still? They’ll attack. I can dodge by flying, but… I can’t leave Karmeut alone.”

Aria didn’t respond. But she looked at me with a complicated expression. Then she let out a long sigh and mumbled,

“Sigh… Rainelle…”

“—Why are you reacting like this?”

“Wuu… the cute feeling is gone… Rainelle was really cute too…”

“…what?”

“I will not say it if I don’t think so! I can’t lie!”

“That’s right, but do you have to say that in front of me?!”

“I’ll tell you! It’s better than lying, right?!”

“Hey!!”

When I yelled at her, Aria deliberately turned her head on purpose.

Ha?? I don’t wanna lose in an argument!!

“Then I will take the Crobanlock!”

“You can’t just do that!!”

“Why not? Karmeut’s life is still at stake!”

At that, Aria bit her lower lip. I lowered my shoulders and said with a groan,

“Don’t worry. I won’t take it.”

“Huh? Why? Taking it away is the safest way, isn’t it?”

“Fool. Then it will warp the original story. Although it has already been twisted by my existence.”

“—Isn’t it good to be different from the original…?”

“It’s good if Karmeut lives. What if Namuel awakened in a different way after the Crobanlock is taken? What if he awakens in a way we don’t know about?”

“—!! Oh…”

Aria clenched her fists and her face crumpled as if she wanted to pluck her hair, then she shouted,

“Ah! Then it’s going to be a real pain in the ass!!”

“Right? Wouldn’t it be better to know the future to some extent?”

“You know that if you take the wrong step forward by riding the original route, it’s going to be bad, right?”

“There’s no way it’s going to go completely like the original. I’m here.”

When I pointed it out, Aria answered with an even more bizarre expression on her face,

“…I wanted to tackle you because it felt like you’re showing off, but I can’t say anything because you’re right.”

“Give up and accept it.”

“…Ah, really!! Give me back the cute Rainelle from before!”

“Rejected!”

“You’re so mean!!”

Aria leaned her back on the chair as if she was tired of the exchange.

Then a quiet voice can be heard,

“…Sorry.”

“Huh?”

“It’s because I attacked Namuel… No, because I fell in love.”

When Aria said that, I looked at her. Aria, with her eyes closed, was leaning her head comfortably against the chair. It was as if she didn’t want to meet my eyes, so she did it on purpose.

“It would have been better if it was a different target character than Namuel. At least Karmeut wouldn’t have to die. It’s only Namuel’s and Sedarun’s route where characters die “

Saying that, Aria gently turned her head slightly. Her behavior made me laugh somehow.

“Then, Aria, if you go back to that time, do you think you’ll be able to love someone else? Other target characters like Miel and Galenos?”

“…”

Aria didn’t answer. Then, slightly, very slightly, she shook her head. Because that was her answer, I shrugged my shoulders.

“I know that people can’t change their feelings as they want like that. That’s why I’m thinking of resolving it in a way that doesn’t involve taking the Crobanlock away if possible.”

“…Is that so?”

“No one has the right to say things that force their minds on others, right?”

Besides, it’s not like I hate Aria either.

I swallowed the words and lifted my head.

The sky was blue, and white flakes of clouds were floating around.

“–Ah, then, we have no choice but to make a plan assuming Namuel eats the Crobanlock.”

“I came to see you because of that, because now I am not a crow that can simply turn into a human.”

Aria sighed again. Then there was a long silence. I didn’t have much to say either, so I closed my mouth.

“…how about attracting Sedarun?”

“—What? That hidden character? Are you talking about the assassin character?”

Hearing me question it, Aria nodded her head.

“—Isn’t that dangerous? He’s a target character, but he’s an assassin, so if we make a mistake, we might get assassinated, right?”

“If we went along with the original storyline, we have to take risks to twist the crucial part. Isn’t that also why Rainelle met the Crow deity?”

“That’s right.”

“We need to add at least one card. Ha, really… love is hard.”

“Still, giving up is not a choice.”

At Aria’s resolute words, I giggled.

“Well, if both you and I could give up, we wouldn’t have to worry so much, would we?”

“Right. So let’s cheer each other.”

I nodded my head to Aria who clenched her fist as she said so.

“Then I’ll go now.”

“Already?”

“I went out without telling Karmeut. Plus… they say the more cards you have, the better, right? I’ll prepare my cards in my own way.”

“…Then I’m in charge of Sedarun?”

“Isn’t it easier than me who doesn’t have the original heroine buff?”

“Ah, that… I don’t think it’s as simple as that… He’s called the hidden character for a reason…”

I finally pulled out my trump card at Aria’s whining behavior,

“If you do it, I’ll let you touch, hug, and pet me as a crow as much as you want for a week.”

“Okay then!!”

—I like that it’s easy to negotiate. But I don’t know why I’m getting so confused.

After swallowing a sigh inside, I turned into a crow and flew to the sky to return to the Imperial Palace.

“That child is also a human with a soul from another world.”

“Yes, she is.”

“Is she trustworthy?”

After I arrived at the Imperial Palace’s grounds, I pondered for a moment at Eileen-nim’s voice asking if Aria was trustworthy.

Is Aria trustworthy?

“Um… I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

“She’s a good and pleasant person. That’s why I hope it goes well. —But this involves the person she fell in love with… so I’m not sure.”

For Aria, Namuel is at stake, and for me, Karmeut is at stake too.

—This is not an easy problem at all.

As I frowned at the uncomfortable and anxious feeling, Eileen-nim’s voice can be heard,

“Don’t worry too much, sweetheart. If it’s really urgent, I’ll use my power.”

“—Eileen-nim’s?”

“Yeah. Of course, it’s a method when everything else is not working. Don’t rely on me too much. Because my power has a big impact.”

I nodded at Eileen-nim’s words.

Great power comes with a great backlash.

…But it made me feel like I had insurance, so I felt much more reassured. A smile slipped out of my lighter heart.

“…Huh? It’s Karmeut, isn’t it?”

When I saw Kamut walking down the hallway, I was somehow curious and happy. So I folded her wings and went over to him.

“Karmeut!”

“…Rainelle?”

As if surprised, his eyes opened wide. Then he smiled slightly at the sight of me.

Well, it would be surprising to see me flying with my wings out in the shape of a human being.

“Do you want to fly around with me for a bit, Karmeut?”

“…Ah, I’m on my way to the office. My work isn’t done yet…”

—I don’t know why Karmeut looked so salty when he said that.

I’d like to help him…

“Rainelle, would you like to come with me?”

“—Huh? Where? The office?”

Karmeut nodded his head. Then he added with a clumsy smile,

“I wish Rainelle say yes. Just being by my side is enough. Can you do that for me?”

How can I reject him who asked so cutely? Thinking like that, I nodded my head.

“Yeah, okay! I have nothing to do anyway, and I’m curious to see how Karmeut works.”

Hearing that, Karmeut’s smile broaden. Then he politely reached out his hand towards me. When I gripped it back gently, I made my wings disappear.

“Let’s go, then. My Lady?”

“…Puho2! What is that?”

“Hmm, you don’t like it?”

“No. It’s just weird and fun.”

Unable to suppress my laughter, I walked down the hallway with him. The office was not as far away as I thought, so we arrived quickly.

…The office, as I had seen before, was full of stacked paperwork. Karmeut, who looked tired as he looked at that, shook his head and smiled.

“Sit there. You can always go back when you get bored.”

Saying so, he immediately sat down and held up a quill. My mouth gaped slightly as I watched him start working right away.

Oh my gosh, a man who focuses on something is said to be attractive, but is it really like this?

The serious expression, the sharp jawline seen from the side, and the movement of the quill moving in a slanted manner were simple, but I couldn’t take my eyes off him.

How should I say it? Should I say it’s neat? Maybe it’s because it’s something I don’t usually see.

Karmeut was already concentrating on processing the paperwork. He told me to go back when I was bored, but I didn’t get tired of watching him like that, so I continued to look at him blankly.

*knock, knock, knock-*

I wonder how long I have been watching him. Suddenly knocks can be heard, and Kamut, as well as me, jumped slightly.

“Come in.”

After he answered in a low, calm voice, the door opened and someone walked in.

“Your Majesty, all the nobles have gathered.”

“…Ah. It is that time already?”

The person who opened the door looked like an aide. The person dressed neatly as a whole. He greeted me with a simple nod before making a report to Karmeut.

By the way, already time? Is it a nobles meeting?

I was curious, but somehow I couldn’t open my mouth easily because it seemed like a difficult atmosphere to speak into.

“—Ah, there’s a nobles meeting. It’s a regular thing.”

Perhaps he noticed my curiosity, Karmeut turned his head and explained.

Aha… Well, nobles should gather together to discuss policy directions and solve other issues. —Eh, wait a minute.

“Karmeut.”

“Hm? What is it, Rainelle?”

“Can I join the meeting too?”

Hearing that, Karmeut widened his eyes slightly. Surprisingly, the aide seemed to be the same.

“…Excuse me, Rainelle-nim, why don’t you reconsider?”

“—Why is that?”

“It’s because we didn’t consider Rainelle-nim’s attendance at the nobles meeting scheduled now. There may be some shortcomings…”

It was not that I did not understand the feelings of the aide who spoke softly and said that it would be difficult for me to go.

—Because I’m an uninvited guest. But I also want to attend for a reason.

“I’m guessing that it’s uncomfortable and difficult for me to be there in many ways. —But in the future, I have to meet a lot of nobles. Besides, I also need to learn a little about government affairs. I’m not going to participate and give my opinion. I’ll just be another person who’ll watch and observe the way the meeting went at the side.”

Yes, that, and I will have to filter out those who like me and those who don’t. …but it won’t be easy.

The aide looked at Karmeut with a perplexed look. Receiving that gaze, Karmeut turned to me.

“Rainelle.”

“…can’t it?”

He looked at me for a while and sighed softly. Then he answered with a smile,

“There’s nothing you couldn’t do, especially since you have a reason for it.”

“—! Thank you, Karmeut.”

“But don’t stay away from me, okay? Like you said, just watch.”

“Okay, I just wanted to see the atmosphere anyway.”

“…Then, Rainelle-nim will also participate. Shall I inform the nobles?”

“Yes.”

The aide left the office after a bow of courtesy.

—I gulped inside.

…it’s a coincidence, but it’s an opportunity to meet the nobles in person. Keep your mind straight, me. People in politics are like savages no matter where they are, so if I make a mistake, their opinion will be easily swayed.

In order not to bother Karmeut, let’s just shut up and observe. After all, I’ll have to deal with people like that to the point of getting sick of it.

***

Notes:

1 A similar sense to one of Napoleon’s famous quotes ‘Impossible is a word to be found only in the dictionary of fools.’↩

2 She almost burst into a laugh ↩