Chapter 140

*Rainelle’s POV

When asked that, Namuel almost jumped up in place.

“Uh, uh, what…”

Seeing his faintly flushed cheeks and the way he turned his head around with nowhere to look, it was as if he was saying ‘I like her’.

After letting out a short sigh, I opened my mouth again.

I said, “Miss Adriana begged me countless times to let her meet you even just once. —Of course, I didn’t grant that request since the decision on your fate hadn’t been made…”

At those words, Namuel’s eyes landed on me. Seeing his green eyes trembling, I continued,

“So let me ask you. Do you have feelings for Miss Adriana?”

Namuel didn’t answer.

—Well, I didn’t think that he would answer it easily in the first place.

—Of course, he is under no obligation to answer. I have no right to must hear an answer. But, I have to resolve this.

Green eyes met mine.

“Miss Adriana will enter the Imperial Palace tomorrow. If you have feelings for her, I’ll show you a little consideration so that you can meet.

If not, why would I have to set up a meeting?”

“…haha.”

Namuel let out a weak laugh.

“It’s nothing short of telling me to answer, Rainelle-nim.”

“…”

Yes. It was an unspoken pressure to make him answer. Of course, I didn’t have the adequacy to ask him to give up his feelings.

However, it was Karmeut who was harmed by the problem between the two, and honestly, I couldn’t get rid of all my anger.

That’s why I made such nonsense. I didn’t think I could bear it if I don’t at least do this.

“—I didn’t expect to be forgiven. The attempted murder of His Majesty is such a big deal. And…”

He closed his eyes, then he met my gaze again.

“…No matter who it is, anyone would be angered when their partner almost died.”

I didn’t answer. But, apparently understanding the silence as a positive answer, Namuel looked down and said,

“—I apologize. I can’t say enough of that. But…”

He raised his head and looked me in the eyes. The resolute green eyes were very impressive.

“If I could turn back time… I would still have eaten the Krobanlock that Miss Adriana gave me.”

“—You know I can’t take that answer pleasantly, Marquis Namuel.”

“Yes, but… you can’t fool my heart, can you?”

“Are you saying that eating Krobanlock is the answer?”

“…Yes.”

Seeing him respond so firmly, I could tell that he was answering with sincerity.

That’s why I deliberately asked the next question,

“Then, what would you do if, as a punishment for what you did, you would never be able to see Miss Adriana for the rest of your life?”

At those words, his gaze wavered.

“When it comes to punishment, isn’t it something that person doesn’t want to receive? —So answer me. If that happens, what will you do?”

He didn’t avert his gaze.

There was a desire to make fun of him, and I also want to gauge the extent of his feelings for her.

Now that Karmeut lives, the original storyline is now gone.

—Well, maybe I just wanted to bully him.

He didn’t answer right away. I really liked the way he thought about it seriously.

“…If that’s the case, there’s nothing I can do about it. Whoever commits a crime deserves to be punished. Besides, if the crime is the attempted murder of the emperor, then I know very well that I should be grateful just to be alive.”

Slowly, Namuel’s green eyes shook for a moment as if he sighed.

“—But, if that happens… I don’t think I’ll be able to accept another woman.”

“Is that so?”

“Because I didn’t eat Krobanlock with an irresolute heart.”

“Things may change when you actually experience it yourself.”

“Of course that could happen. People’s hearts are something you don’t know unless you encounter things, yes? But…”

He raised one hand and placed it on his chest.

“—At least, from the feelings I have now, I think that is what will happen.”

I looked deeper into his eyes. The look in his eyes showed that he was unwavering.

I let out a short sigh.

—I don’t even feel like getting angry anymore. Well, Karmeut told me to calm down, saying it was already in the past.

“…It was going to happen anyway. Should I consider it lucky that His Majesty the Emperor did not die?”

“—I apologize.”

Since I thought it was meant to happen anyway, I wasn’t angry anymore. No, I thought it was rather fortunate.

I’m glad I prepared early and the worst didn’t happen.

“There’s no need to apologize. Rather, I think it’s fortunate. His Majesty didn’t die, and things were settled relatively smoothly. As a bonus, the rotten flesh that was eating away at the country was also removed, so I should say I feel good. “

Namuel furrowed his brows slightly as if he didn’t understand.

—Well, it would be strange if he understand. How could someone who had been locked up and treated in the Imperial Palace until now know how all the rebel conspirators are caught and imprisoned?

I got up from my seat. The conversation with Namuel was impulsive, but it was a good opportunity to clean up the sore remnants left in my heart.

…Yes, I like someone, and I have to face the difficulty. Adriana suffered a lot in her own way.

I was both relieved and slightly happy, so the words that came out of my mouth became softer without my knowledge,

“Tomorrow, I will have a chat with Miss Adriana and arrange her meeting with you.”

“—!! Tha-, thank you, Rainelle-nim!”

I answered with a mischievous smile on purpose after seeing his act of bowing his head to express his sincere gratitude,

“Since your feelings were enough for you to disrupt the Empire, I believe you will use the given time preciously.”

I burst into laughter as I watched his cheeks grow red.

Ah, I’m really done with all my work this time! Should I go see Karmeut?

***

*3rd person POV

A crow was sitting on a roof near the Imperial Palace. It was bigger than other crows, and its glossy feathers were quite nice.

However, the crow was sighing deeply as if it was worried about something.

“Caaw, caw? (Do you have any worries, lad?)”

The crow looked up in surprise. An old crow, whose feathers grayed with age, sat beside him.

“Caw? (Who?)”

“Caaw? Caw, caaw. (You mean my name? It’s Hempel, a precious name given to me by a friend of mine.)”

At those words, the crow blinked for a moment, but soon relaxed his body and slightly stretched the tips of his wings.

“—Caaw? (—Your friend is a human, right?)”

“Caaw. Caw caaw? (That’s right, he’s a precious friend. By the way, what are you worried about, lad?)”

The crow didn’t answer. However, the crow’s gaze was still fixed on the Imperial Palace.

Hempel tilted his head at the crow’s behavior. Then, as if he didn’t know anything, he opened his beak,

“Caaw, caaw? (Our Queen is over there, do you want to meet her?)”

Hearing the words, the crow looked to be in dismay. Seeing that, Hempel shrugged his wings and said,

“Caaw. Caaw… (The Queen is merciful. Of course, she was very angry before…)”

“…Caaw. (…It’s not because of that.)”

The male crow shook his head while letting out a deep sigh.

“—Caaw. (–I really like her.)”

Mumbling sullenly, the male crow wiggled its toes.

Yes. He was really interested in her. He liked Rainelle so much that he didn’t even want to mate with another female.

In order to win her heart, he even got the power to transform into a human after eating Crobanlock…

The male crow saw. When their Queen, Rainelle, was angry. When resonating with that emotion, gathering there, he saw:

Rainelle was enraged at the gray wolf that had harmed the golden wolf, and cried out of concern.

Recalling it, the male crow let out a long sigh.

Hempel, who had been quietly watching him from the side, said quietly,

“Caaw, caaw. (You will want your feelings to be reciprocated, but they often don’t.)”

At that, the male crow turned his head away. Hempel puffed out her feathers slightly as he looked at him. His eyes shined with age.

“Caw caaw. (It’s normal for males to be rejected by females.)”

What he said made the male crow jump up in his place. Then he puffed out the collar of his neck and glared his eyes.

“Ca, caw-?!! (W, who got rejected—?!!)”

“Caw. Caw? Caaw. (Um. Aren’t you? If not, I apologize.)”

The male crow huffed and then hung his head. His feathers, which had been standing upright before he knew it, quietly fell flat to his body.

“…Caaw. Caaw.

(…I tried, but was rejected. I tried it several times.)”

Hempel silently nodded his head.

“Caaw. Caaw. (Don’t be so downhearted. Everyone gets dumped by a female.)”

“—Caw? (—Really?)”

“Caw, caw. Caw caaw. Caaw caaw, caaw caaw.

(Yes, of course. It is very rare for a male to be involved with a single female all their life. Just because you like that one crow, is there any guarantee that the said crow likes you too?)”

The male crow let out a groan at the sharp piercing words. Hempel shook his head at the sight of the male crow drooping in complete frustration, his wings drooping and his beak almost touching the floor.

“Caw, caw. Caaw, caaw, caaw. (The world is wide, there are many crows. Of course there are no crows like our Queen, but there are plenty of attractive female crows, so don’t be discouraged.)”

“…Caw? Caaw— (…Is that so? But there is no crow like our Queen—)”

The male crow paused while talking. Then he jumped up in place and cawed,

“Caw, caw!! Caw caaw—!! (Now, wait!! How did you know that the female I was talking about was the Queen—!!)”

“Cack-cack. Caaw, caw caaw. (Heh heh. My age is over 60, and the only crow living in the Imperial Palace is our Queen.)”

“—!!”

The male crow gnashed his beak. Seeing the attitude of the young crow, Hempel croaked cheerfully and flapped his wings,

“Caw, caw. Caw caaw. (Come, follow me. I’ll provide some tasty food for the broken-hearted lad.)”

“Ca, caw—?!! (Bro, broken-hearted—?!!)”

“Caaw. Caaw, caaw. Caaw? (Hmm. If you don’t like the broken heart thing as the reason, let’s say it’s for the sake of the future. Will you follow me?)”

The male crow hesitated as Hempel soared lightly into the air. But then he spread his wings and flew after him.

***