Of All Things, I Became a Crow

*Rainelle’s POV

That morning, it was different from usual. How was it different? For the first time, Karmeut was not in a hurry to go to work, it even seemed like he was unwilling to work.

"Um... Karmeut? Is it okay if you don't go to work?"

I willed myself to ask, but Karmeut shook his head and answered,

"It's okay. It's not an empire that will collapse just because I don't work for a day."

I sighed inwardly as he spoke calmly hugged my waist from behind.

Now I'm sitting on Karmeut's lap and getting a back hug. I wiggled my fingers at his act of feeding me food.

"...I can eat it myself."

"You don’t want me to feed you, Rainelle?"

I was struck by Karmeut's childishness. He was rubbing his cheek on my shoulders while muttering as if he was complaining.

Oh geez! If you come to me like this, I will get weak!!

"---I'm not a baby bird..."

I opened my mouth as I grumbled. Then the fruit slipped into my mouth. As I was chewing on the fresh and sweet fruit, a voice filled with joy entered my ears.

"Haa, really... this is happiness."

Karmeut's voice was filled with so much joy, enough to make me smile too.

"Me too..."

"Hm?"

"I, too, am happy because Karmeut is happy... I am happy."

I felt my face heat up, but I didn't regret saying that.

...I need to express myself a lot now.

"Oof!"

I screamed briefly at Karmeut’s sudden action of holding me tight. Then I felt his face resting on his shoulder as his arm relaxed slightly.

"Uuh... I’m in trouble, if you say things like that..."

I was startled by his hand which gently stroked my waist.

"Ka, Karmeut!"

"I told you I’m in trouble. You’re already attractive, but if you say things like that, I can't stand still."

As he said “So, it's all your fault,” Karmeut slightly bit my earlobe which made me shrunk myself.

"Umm... wa, wait..."

"...You don’t like it?"

Contrary to his droopy voice, his act of continuing licking my earlobe and slowly touching my thigh were very sly.

"I, I don't hate it, but..."

"Then, can I continue?"

While whispering in a subtle way, Karmeut pressed his lips to the nape of my neck, which made me shiver.

"Uh… just once---! If I told you to stop, you have to stop! Okay?"

"OK, got it."

I knew he said it in a voice full of smiles, but was it just me who felt uneasy?

***

..It was never my fault! When I try to stop him, he teased me a lot or stopped me from talking with the stimulation---!!

"...I'm sorry. Was it hard?"

I deliberately turned my head away at Karmeut’s act of saying that he was sorry.

---I wouldn't do this if you did it moderately. How can we start in the morning and finish at night?! I am so tired I could die. Seriously!

"...are you asking while already knowing?"

"Ugh... I'm sorry, Rainelle."

He dropped his shoulders while saying sorry, but when I looked at him, there was a deep satisfaction in his face.

"...you beast."

At the words, Karmeut grinned as he scratched his cheek. Then he muttered as if making excuses,

"---I have wolf blood, so it's true that I’m a beast---"

"No animal does it all day."

As soon as I cut him off, Karmeut shut his mouth. Then he started rubbing my back.

"When I eat, you don't leave me alone. When I wash up, you don't let me rest..."

"I'm sorry. ---You're so pretty that I couldn't leave you alone."

"You did things on purpose so that I wouldn't say ‘stop’, right?"

"---To be honest, I still want you, but..."

I was terrified of that.

Ahhhh! Noo!

"If you do more here, I'm going to die!"

"That’s why I’m holding it in. I know that."

I couldn't help but get tired by listening at that. ...You've been doing it all day and you're holding it in? Ugh, what kind of energy do you have? Crazy.

"---You endured? Did you go into a rut...?"

To that, Karmeut answered with a bitter smile,

"It's really hard not to do anything with a loved one by your side. At least I was able to endure it because you were in the form of a crow."

As he said that and kissed my forehead, I felt the blood drain from my face.

"...Then, what if I was in human form?"

"If you didn't like it, I wouldn't have done it."

As he said “Because I don't want to be hated by you,” and touched my hair, affection was apparent in the golden eyes.

"It's just... I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I couldn't stand it because I was so happy. I'll try not to make it strenuous on you from now on."

I was quiet as Karmeut stroked my back.

"... You're not saying you won't try at all, are you?"

"It's very difficult to leave you alone and be patient. There is no man who can stand still with their partner. So please let it slide."

My heart melted at Karmeut's sweet smile.

Ugh, can you not look at me when you smile like that?! That’s too much!

Most of all... Uh, um---! I, I felt good too. The tech, technique was just... Ahhh! Stop thinking like this!!

"---Don’t, don't do it like today anymore, okay? If you add up to last night, we've been doing that for one day. If you do it one more time, I might die."

That’s the truth. I might die from this! It's good, but I don't want to leave this world for such an absurd reason!

I looked at Karmeut with earnestness.

It feels great, but I can't do it again! You have to keep me alive... ---Ah! What am I thinking right now?!!

Karmeut chuckled and laughed. Then he answered while bending his eyes softly,

"Okay, Rainelle. You're tired, aren't you? Let's go to bed."

"...you promise, right?"

"Yeah, I promise, I won't do it again like today."

When he said “So, hurry up and sleep,” and patted me, my eyes slowly closed.

---The tiredness was piling up.

*Karmeut’s POV

As Rainelle was truly tired, she fell asleep quickly. A deep smile appeared on Karmeut's lips as he looked at her.

"But you're not saying don't do it, Rainelle."

The thought made him feel better. It seemed to say that Rainelle was enjoying it too. That gave him an accomplishment as a male.

I’m telling, you’re too lovely that I can't stand it. No, was it because we had confirmed our feelings? It felt like the strings of my patience were thinning.

But I can’t have that. I was too happy and that made her go through difficulty, so I guess I'll have to restrain myself a bit.

"...but it won't be easy."

The expression she made in response to every touch I make…

When he remembered that, his body temperature rose, and Karmeut burst into a big smile.

Really, I'm going crazy.

"...if I hear the words that you love me, wouldn't I die?"

Even now, I am already very happy, so how would I feel if I really heard those words?

His expectations far outweighed his fears, so he kissed Rainelle’s soft cheek and whispered,

"...someday, I want you to tell me that you love me."

When am I going to hear that?

Karmeut, who had been thinking such pleasant thought, flattened his lips suddenly.

"...I'll have to find the noble who run off their mouth. They dared to make a fuss about Rainelle, and in the Imperial Palace of all places?"

He was convinced that there was no idiot who went to Rainelle and told her to step down as the next Empress directly. Because, until now, the one who suppressed the dissatisfaction of the nobles with appropriate conciliation and intimidation was none other than him.

Still, what couldn't make them completely silent was the fact that she is a crow. It was inevitable since she has no background and no power.

Stupid. When did the Emperor of this Empire choose a companion based on family and background?

Wolves are never domesticated animals. Especially if it's the leader of the pack.

I don’t think they don't know this, but the nobles who couldn't let go of their regrets because of their greed are pathetic.

Haa, and I tried to close my eyes to some degree of complaint too…

Now it became impossible. If I keep it like this, I don't know when it will be a real problem, so it's better to deal with it quickly.

Hmm, if it’s a noble who’s unhappy enough to mumble those kinds of things in the Imperial Palace, it might be better to get rid of them.

Either they spoke like that in the Imperial Palace because they were impulsive or because they were so dissatisfied, he didn’t care.

Either way, there’s nothing good about leaving it alone. Because Rainelle could be in danger.

Taking a deep breath, he reached out and stroked Rainelle’s fine black hair. The smooth texture of her hair felt really good, so the cluttered feeling inside him eased a little.

Karmeut turned into a wolf. Then he lay down next to her and closed his eyes.

The time I have with Rainelle is precious and it’s a waste to think about something like that now.

So he put aside his thoughts and calmed his heart by inhaling her scent.

The noble who broke the peace is shameless, but because of that, Rainelle expressed her feelings, so maybe I should give some room for extenuating circumstances?

Contemplating on what to do with the nobles, the wolf began to fall asleep.

***

*Rainelle’s POV

I barely, really barely, managed to make Karmeut go. I let out a deep sigh.

...I can’t deny that it's good, but I'm tired until I think I’m dying. Even this morning too… What should I say? I hope it's my illusion that the clinginess is off the charts!!

My head was a bit confused from the mixed feelings of feeling good and almost dying out of exhaustion.

I admit! Getting that close with the person I like, there is no way I wouldn't like it! If I didn't like it, I would have rejected it in the first place!!

I sat down on the sofa and ate cookise. The sweet and crunchy snack made me feel better.

"...but I still have to do what I can."

The desire to gain power somehow grew stronger.

---Of course, I'm not sure that I'll gain power, but... I want to at least get a clue.

"---And should I ask Aria for help?"

She may not have any real influence because she’s just the daughter of a real noble, but... maybe she could help me in some way?

Well, the most important thing is to gain power, and... I have to meet the over 60 years old crow that’s with Myrdin-nim to get a lead. I'll have to wait a few more days before we can meet.

"I'm sure Miel can be helpful too, but..."

I feel bad for asking him for help. When I think of the moist pink eyes, I really feel sorry.

Demanding something from him who looks so eagerly at me, willing to give his all...

Let's not do that.

Let’s ask for his help when I really, really have no other choice. He’s simply one of the attacking characters who I happened to save. And I basically saved him because he is handsome, so it seems too much if he devoted himself to me. It's good, but it's burdensome.

And above all...

No, no.

Shaking my head softly, I shook away my thoughts.

...for now, let's wait. Until Myrdin-nim arrives.

"Oh, by the way, I haven't you seen that male crow?"

I had forgotten about that guy because of various things, but I haven't seen it since the last day I went to Aria’s place. I felt strange when I thought of the male crow who was always chasing me when I passed by.

"Maybe it moved territory? Aye, it couldn’t be."

It is autumn now. Winter is coming soon. Which animals move their territory at times like this? It is not suitable to prepare for winter.

"Maybe it’s simply not here...?"

That might be it. We didn't promise to meet every day, and there was no need to meet.

I ate another cookie. I was careful as much as possible so that the crumbs did not fall off. When cookie crumbs fall, the maids suffer! I'm not a little crow, I must be a grown up! As long as I know there are some nobles who don't like me, at least I shouldn't build a bad image among the maids and servants...

"...No, but do I have an image?"

Come to think of it, yes! I was more comfortable with a crow, so I was mostly in the form of a crow?! Then, the image of me that the maids and servants think is---!

"...not very good, probably."

Sob, sob. It's all because of the intellect! What’s with the crow's intelligence?! Of course, they are superior among animals, but they are inferior to humans! Uhuhuhu!

"Hmm, let's be human often now."

Then my image will get better... Wait. If I do that, Karmeut wouldn't be able to leave me alone!!

As I recalled what happened this morning, starting from the night before yesterday, I said this without realizing it:

"...I’m doomed."

Both my image and my future, that is.

***