Chapter 127

*Rainelle’s POV

It was hard for me to say anything. His restless appearance was like a whining puppy in fear of being scolded.

That was why I purposely turned into a crow.

It’s difficult to fix things early, but this is worth it in its own way! So I have to pretend to be upset!!

“Caw!”

I cried loudly and turned around. Then, a timid voice reached my ears.

"I'm sorry, Rainelle."

I had to work hard not to burst into laughter at the sound of his low-spirited voice.

Thank God I turned into a crow! If I was a human, I would have been rolling on my stomach by now!

"It's not that I didn't trust you. It's just… I was anxious because you're so pretty. The Empire hasn't stabilized yet, so I have a lot of things to do, and I'm spending less time with you…"

At the voice that gradually get smaller, the desire to look back welled up within me.

Ha. But no! I should pretend to be a little more upset! But I was kind of angry, too!

As I stayed silent without turning my head to Karmeut's voice, I felt a touch on my back.

The touch was full of hesitation, as if asking if it was okay. I thought for a moment that I should flap my wings and pull away, but I didn't. I felt like he would be hurt if I really did.

As I remained quiet, Karmeut mustered up a little more courage. Carefully, cautiously, he spoke quietly as he touched the tips of my feathers with the feeling of lightly sweeping them.

"I… no, I mean…"

Perhaps organizing what he wanted to say in his head, he went silent for a moment.

"—Rainelle, you are so lovely. It's probably not just me who thinks so if they knew you at all and if they didn't hate crows in the first place, no, even I didn't like them too much at first."

My ears perked up at those words.

Well, it's only natural because crows are recognized as an unlucky bird here.

"So I'm anxious. I want to keep you hidden in my room without showing you to anyone. I want to be the only one who sees you, be with you, and have you completely."

His words were brimming with possessiveness. When I unknowingly flinched at the words full of sincerity, he gently stroked my back soothingly.

"That's my greed, and it's not fair for you, so I've been putting up with it. Caged birds aren't happy, but…"

Karmeut's voice lowered slightly when he said “When I saw that man, my thoughts flew by in an instant.”

"That male crow like you, wooed you. He even sought out and ate the precious Crobanlock. Seeing it in front of me made me anxious and I couldn't stand it. Besides, since you two are of the same kind, I felt even more anxious about what if your heart might get shaken."

Aww, he’s so cute that I'm dying. He's usually cunning, but he's only like that at times like this.

To be honest, everyone looked at their lover with their eyes upside down. Isn't this all the same even for either men or women?

But just because I’m a bit angry and pretended to be sulky, he makes excuses with such a voice! Besides, the way he speaks is just like blaming himself, so the cuteness explodes!!

Ugh. That's why I can't get angry or make any further progress. It's bad for the heart! Very harmful!!

Besides, he’s possessive. It may be a little strange thought, but I’m even a little happy that he sounded like he wanted me that much.

I turned and looked at Karmeut. I could see his dead face. The moment I turned around, Karmeut met my gaze and whispered, “I’m sorry.”

—Whew, I lost.

I felt him flinch when I bit the tip of his ear with my beak. Seeing the scene was funnier than I thought, I changed into human form.

"I'll let you off with this."

"…Rainelle?"

"Since you told me honestly, it quenches my anger And I would also have been angry if there was another woman next to Karmeut, so it's not like I don't understand."

Don’t you dare have a woman like that, I won’t let you off the hook! No, I've already been doing that since Aria appeared, right? Mum. So I wasn't in a position to talk.

Karmeut nodded his head and agreed in his own way, but he had a slightly dazed expression. Then he came over and hugged me.

"?!"

"Thank you. I'll try not to do that in the future."

"You aren’t saying that you won't?"

"I'm not confident that I wouldn't be jealous."

A smile emerged on my lips at his act of kissing my cheek while saying “It's because you're so pretty.” When the person I love told me that, it felt great.

Well, it wasn't intentional, but I'm glad it went well(?). Anyway…

All that's left now is to tell the male crow how I feel and reject him. …How can I make this smooth and neat? Maybe asking him for a one-on-one match with Karmeut, following the logic of wild animals? —Uh, then the crow would die.

Of course, according to the instinct of wild animals, it's normal to run away when you feel outmatched… but for some reason, I'm worried that the male crow won't run.

I’m happy that he likes me, but I hope he doesn't risk his life. Risking one’s life for someone who has no intention of accepting them is a bit… it’s quite miserable.

Leaning my head on his cozy arms and thinking about this and that, I suddenly heard a knock.

"…? Come in."

When I hurriedly pulled away after that sound, Karmeut put on a regretful expression. Then he quickly straightened his expression and ordered the person to come in.

A man rushed in.

Uh… he's, um… he's an aide, isn't he?

"What's going on?"

However, the aide's expression was unusual. Karmeut stiffened as it appeared that something big was happening.

“Ah, Your Majesty, there’s an urgent report. But, the contents are…”

"We will head to the meeting room. Rainelle, you stay."

"Okay, I got it."

Seeing the aide looking for Karmeut in such a hurry, it seemed that something serious had happened, so I nodded my head and said yes. Karmeut went to the meeting room with his aide.

I was a little worried, but I let it pass my head, thinking that I could just ask Karmeut later.

…But it shattered the moment I stepped out into the corridor of the Imperial Palace.

*Tock-tock-tock-tock-*

I turned my head to the sound of something knocking on the windows rapidly. There, not one, but dozens of crows were banging on the windows.

Perhaps frightened by that huge number, one of the maids screamed briefly. But unfortunately, I couldn't afford to worry about that.

These crows are obviously the ones I sent earlier, but why are they already here? And why are there so many…?

It was ominous. It seemed that something out of the ordinary was going on. It may simply be my delusion, but the thought that it might have something to do with Karmeut's sudden departure was ringing an alarm in my head.

I hurriedly opened the window. Then the crows scrambled inside and landed in front of me. Then they started to cry out.

If I was a human being, I would not have understood the meaning even after hearing the cry, but now I can understand it inside my head.

"My Queen, I have news about the human you told us."

“Heard about the man with gray hair and green eyes.”

"Some of the crows that lived there ran away."

"They followed here. Have something to say."

"Very tired from flying far away."

It was raucous and a bit disorganized, but it was much easier to understand than the little birds. What was certain, though, was that something had happened.

I stretched out my hand toward two crows that looked particularly tired among them. Then the two landed on my arm.

The crows looked at each other a few times. What came next were cries that seemed to exert the remaining of their strength.

"Our Queen, something big has happened in the human village near our nest."

"Suddenly the human nests were broken, and fire and smoke arose."

"Humans screamed and ran away, and there are many bodies."

The crows who had said that far trembled. The fluffy feathers were bristly.

"I heard a cry. An ominous, terrifying cry."

"It was a wolf’s cry. It was not a signal that it had found food, nor was it a cry calling out to its colleagues."

Saying “It was a very scary cry,” the crows trembled. Their reaction made me realize that the worst I had feared had happened.

I commanded to the maids: "Feed the crows."

Leaving them behind in panic, I hurriedly changed into a crow and flew to Aria's manor.

I have to let her know quickly. If anything goes wrong, Karmeut could really die.

Namuel's awakening was the worst news ever.

*Karmeut’s POV

"…are you saying that we lost contact with Milburn Territory?"

"That's right, Your Majesty. We're not receiving any communication from their side."

At those words, Karmeut's expression hardened. The Milburn Territory was the closest to the Qubelian Mountains. As it was near a mountain range, medicinal herbs and by-products of monsters are specialties of that area. Crystal flowers were especially famous.

It was a beautiful flower in itself, but it was a useful item that became a catalyst for magic and alchemy, so it was even delivered to the Imperial Family.

Besides, since Namuel went to research Crobanlock there, it was a place that Karmeut had been paying attention to in his own way. Rainelle’s attitude which was strangely concerned about Namuel also bothered him.

However, it had been said that communication had been cut off with the Milburn Territory. The fact that there was no response even after Karmeut tried to make communication through the crystal ball was evidence that something had happened.

What nobleman could ignore a call from the Imperial Family?

Now it’s winter. It was a time when animals and monsters became sensitive because they were living in the middle of the cold.

“Is it possible that it was a monster attack?”

“There is a possibility. Monsters with some level of intelligence, such as orcs, gnolls, and goblins, attack in the fall. They know that humans store food for the winter. However, if not…”

“We cannot scratch the possibility that monsters came down with humans as their target of food right away since they must have been starving.”

"Yes. But even so, this is strange. The Milburn Territory is a place where monsters attack happens every year as if they were an annual event. Viscount Milburn is also a famous soldier."

Karmeut nodded silently at the words of his aide.

Yes, it’s a territory that experiences monster attacks every year as if it were an annual event. You can be attacked when you least expect it. Even so, it’s difficult to imagine that the monsters would have invaded the estate in the center of the territory.

After all, it’s a place where soldiers, under Viscount Milburn, have encountered monsters so many times to the point of getting sick of it.

"When was the last time we have contact?"

"Three days ago."

“If there was an urgent matter, they would have contacted first. Are you still trying to get in touch?”

"Yes, but we still haven’t received any response."

"…I see."

Karmeut was able to make a decision quickly. Namuel is also there. But I also still can't contact him…

"Send someone to Milburn estate. Make it a priority to grasp the situation."

"I understand, Your Majesty the Emperor."

"And if there’s more time, investigate the whereabouts of Marquis Namuel too."

The aide nodded.

Marquis Namuel was the cousin of the current Emperor, so it was good in many ways to find out his whereabouts.

He could have done something unsavory by taking advantage of the confusion in the territory, and even if it wasn't so, there was still value behind finding out.

Since the Emperor had just ascended the throne, it was best to be cautious of everything.

When the aide left the conference room to carry out his mission, Karmeut sighed and leaned back in his chair.

"What the… "

What the hell is going on… It was strange that Rainelle summoned the crows, and now communication with the Milburn Territory has been cut off.

"—Wait… crows?"

The crows that Rainelle called had flown westward. And Milburn Territory is also located in the west of the Capital City.

Is this simply a coincidence? If not…?

Karmeut hurriedly turned his head. Beyond the window, there were crying sounds of returning crows.

He didn't know what the cries were about, but it sounded like a funeral song. Ever since he met Rainelle, he hadn't felt uncomfortable with the crow's cries, but this time it was different.

The cries of the crows, as if they were telling that something had happened, just sounded ominous.