Of All Things, I Became a Crow

*3rd person POV

"...!! That’s...!"

"I know, it will break my promise with Karmeut, and it’s dangerous. ...that's why I asked the birds. Even if I want to go... I'm scared I'll get caught again and my wings will break... I'm scared."

At the muttering that was almost a whisper, Karmeut got up and walked over to Rainelle. Then he said as he hugged her trembling body tightly in his arms,

"I'm sorry that I can’t be trusted. I’ve made you worried."

"It's not that I don’t trust you. It's just, I'm just... I can't be sure, I can't be sure... so, that's why I'm worried."

The black-wearing lady opened her mouth while clutching hard at her necklace.

"Promise me. Never, never die. If you feel like you’re going to lose, just surrender. Dying... I hate it. It’s the end. There's nothing that can be done, I can't see you again. So, so...!!"

"I won't die. I promise."

Karmeut responded with a low but powerful voice as he patted Rainelle, who was shaking as she told him not to die, on her back.

The trembling of her body gradually stopped at the gentle patting of his hand, but her purple eyes were still shaking with worry. ...but her eyes were hidden in his arms, so the prince did not notice.

***

*Rainelle’s POV

Oh, I'm bored. Karmeut is reading a book on the sofa over there...

Sitting on the perch and tidying my feathers, I sighed deeply.

Oh, really! When are those birds coming?! I can't go after all...

Feeling bored and stuffy, I landed on the table. There was a plate full of cookies that Karmeut had prepared for me. I held a dried-fruit cookie with my beak, played with it for a while, and then swallowed it.

The cookies that Karmeut prepared for me were specially made to be small enough that I can swallow them. It was when I was contemplating which one of the cookies I’m going to eat next among cookies in the shape of stars, moons, hearts, birds, and leaves,

“Piip, piiip, piip, piiip -“

Oh! They’re here!!

When I heard the chirping that I had heard a few days ago, I dropped the star cookie in my beak that I had picked up and lifted my head. At the window where I was looking at, there were the birds that I had asked to watch Luwellin after a very hard explaination. They were sitting on the balcony railing and chirping.

I could sense Karmeut's gaze, but I pretended not to realize it and flew to the balcony. The glass window was locked, but it was easily opened when I used my beak to lift the lock swiftly. Then I grabbed hold of the handle with my feet and flapped my wings vigorously.

Yes!! Open, open!!

...but did I take it too lightly? It was easy to unlock it...but the window was too heavy for a bird!

Agh!! I don't think I can change into my human form if I want to talk to the birds!What if they run away in surprise when I transform?!

A soft laugh tickled my ears. Then, as I felt someone approaching, I let go of the handle, flew up slightly, and hovered in the air. As I looked down, golden eyes that were full of laughter came into my view.

"Do you want me to open the window for you?"

Yes! Open it!!

When I nodded my head full of that meaning, Karmeut held the handle with a face that seemed to hold back laughter.

...I thought it was a little lacking, but still,

The stories from the birds are more important now, so let's leave the shame behind!

As soon as the window opened slightly, I flew through the gap and landed on the balcony railing. When they saw a person suddenly appear over the glass window, the little birds had flown to a nearby tree in worry. Now they were chirping and chattering when they saw me.

"Pip piip!! (A human!)"

"Pip piip! Piiip! (Dangerous! Come here!)"

"Pip piip! pip, piiip? (Dangerous! But, why you inside?)"

"Caaww caaw (It's okay, he’s a decent human. Come here.)"

I spread my wing and waved, saying that it was okay, but the birds did not approach me immediately. They trembled while looking in an obvious direction. At their behavior, I turned my head to look at Karmeut behind me.

I didn't say anything, but Karmeut seemed to understand what was going on. With a gentle smile and a slight nod, he walked over to the sofa as he said,

"Don't go far, Rainelle."

Feeling grateful to Karmeut for leaving the balcony door open, I called the birds once more, "It’s okay, the human is gone", so the birds put strength to their slender legs and stood up. After looking around and confirming that there were no people, they flew to my side and chattered like I was a captive,

"Piip, piiip? Piip! (Living with humans? Is it dangerous? Humans are dangerous!)"

“Caw, caaw. (It's not dangerous. He's a friendly human.)"

"Piip? (Friendly?)"

"Piip? (Human?)"

"Caw, caw caaw. (Yeah, he’s a human who gives a lot of cookies.)"

...Of course, this was a very fragmentary introduction, but it seemed to be enough for these small birds. And without seeing whether that was correct or not, the black and small eyes of the birds began to twinkle.

"Piip? (He’s a good person?)"

"Piip! (He’s a good person!)"

I spread one wing and waved it slightly at the behavior of the little birds that chattered and said he was a good human. Then their black eyes turned to me.

I asked them while gazing into their pretty, round eyes,

"Caw? Caaw. (Do you guys remember what I asked for? You are supposed to tell me what that human I’ve told you about is doing.)"

"Piip! Piip piiip! (Yeah! Then you said you will give cookies!)"

"Piip, piip! Piip! (Cookie, Cookie! I watched hard!)"

"Piip piip! (I'll tell you!)"

The birds, who had been chattering, sat down together and began to recite what they saw.

"Piip, piip, piip, piip! (The flashy human far away from here, he shout every day!)"

“Piip piip, piip, piip. (Stomping feet and making annoying noises.) "

"Piip, piip! (Same human come every day!)"

"Piip, piip! piip! (Right, right! An old man!)"

“Piip, piip, piip. (He not scream when old man comes.)"

"Piip! (Laugh happily!)"

I frowned at the words.

An old man comes every day? Same human?

"Caaw? (Does the same-looking old man come every day?) "

"Piip! (Yeah!)"

"Piip! (Come every day!)"

"Piip! (He’s an old man!)"

"Caaw? Caaw? (What does that old man look like? What does he say?)"

"Piip, piip. (Old man is old man.)"

"Piip, piip, piip! (I don't know what they talk!)"

"Piip! (Human words are difficult!)"

"Piip, piip! Piip! (Yeah, difficult! It's not beautiful!)"

"Piip! (Without singing!)"

...I had to give up early on the response of these birds. I think it was unreasonable to expect a more detailed explanation from them. No, I think I should say that they did well? Considering the time and effort I've spent trying to get these birds to understand the act of keeping their eye on Luwellin...

"Caw, caaw (Yeah, well done.)"

"Piip! (Cookies!)"

“Piiip (Delicious cookies!)”

“Piip piiip! (You say give us cookies!)”

"Caaw. (Okay, wait a minute.)"

I automatically smiled because it felt like baby birds were begging me for food with their mouth wide open. Although it fell short of my expectations, it was clear that they worked hard.

‘Old man’, I don't know who it is, but I’m thankful that they let me know that the same person comes every day.

I spread my wings and flew inside. As I landed near the plate, I could feel Karmeut's gaze. I had to bring cookies, so I thought for a moment, then took a three star-shaped cookie and went back to the place where the birds were waiting.

As soon as they saw the cookie, they chirped excitedly. I landed and spread one wing, beckoning the birds to approach. I couldn't make a sound because of the cookie in my beak, but the little birds kept their beaks shut as if they understood my intention.

I put cookies one by one in front of the birds, but the problem was... the cookies were too big.

It was a bite-size to me and was easy to eat, but for these birds, one cookie was a little bigger than their head.

I thought it would be too much for the birds to eat, so I began to peck at the cookies with my beak. I decided to help the birds break the cookies into very small parts.

When I pecked again at a cookie with my beak, it broke easily, and suddenly the birds flapped their wings! I did not stop breaking the cookies. I gave them pieces that were small enough for the birds to swallow at once, then took a step back.

"Caaw. (This makes it easier to eat.)"

The birds took turns looking at me and the pieces of cookies with their wide eyes. Then, they came over and took a piece of the cookies each and swallowed it in one fell swoop. Then it said with a chirp,

"Piip! (Friendly black bird!)"

"Piip! (Easy to eat!)"

"Piip! (Thank you!)"

The birds flapped their wings and swung their tail feathers around to express their gratitude. They happily pecked at the cookie pieces. The birds, who have eaten so hard and deliciously until they were full, puffed up their feathers to their fullest which made them look like balls and started jumping around me.

"Piip! Piip! (Thank you! Delicious!)"

"Piiip! Piip! (Cookies delicious! Thank you!)"

"Piiip! Piip! (Can help again! I love cookies!)"

"Piiip! (Black bird is kind!)"

"Piip! (The bird that eats the fruit is a friendly bird!)"

"Piip! (I like pretty black bird!)"

...how can birds that show their cuteness not look cute? They’re small in size, so it's a destructive visual that makes them look like baby birds!

So, I bowed my head, rubbed their beaks with mine one by one, and told them they can come and eat cookies as much as they wanted again, then I sent them off.

I followed the little birds that flew into the sky while chirping happily with my eyes until they disappeared, and then I returned to the room.

...I was thankful and sorry for Karmeut, who still spent his leisure time reading books, so I changed into my human form.

"Karmeut."

"Are you done talking with the birds? I think you were having a very intense conversation?"

The way he gently curved his eyes and smiled somehow dazzled my eyes, so I blinked. I deliberately spoke a bit lout because I worried that Karmeut would hear the pounding of my heart.

"The birds were watched Luwellin diligently, it’s just that..."

"Is something wrong?"

"Um, they told me that an old man came every day, but I couldn't figure out what he looked like or what they were talking about. They're birds, so people's looks and everything they say sounds the same."

I sighed and lowered my head.

---this was done because I’m worried about Karmeut's safety, but I could not find any noticeable or reassuring information. As expected, I should have gone myself...

I slumped my shoulders as my head was gently stroked by a hand. I couldn't raise my head at all because I was so used to the soft and gentle touch.

"You did your best in your own way. Thank you, Rainelle. For trying so hard for me."

"---I wish I had gone..."

"I would never have allowed it. It's enough by being endangered once. "

Before Karmeut even finished his words, I swallowed a sigh inwardly at Karmeut's resolute voice. At the same time, I was puzzled.

I knew that pets can be like a family to a person, and that they often show deep affection that was beyond understanding for others who saw them. It wasn't that I didn't know that feeling either.

...But here, of course although it was a fantasy, wasn't the basic background of the game based on the Middle Ages? Whether it was modern times or in the Middle Ages, no matter how much you care for animals, would it be worth more than your own life? Besides, Karmeut’s life was at risk now. In order to survive, it was right to use anything.

So, it would be correct for him to use me who can turn into a person, who was intelligent, and who can fly, to get information.

But why, why does he protect me so much and hide me from the public?

An assumption popped inside my mind. ...it was a sweet, hopeful, and heart-shaking delusion.

Shaking my head, I tried to erase that assumption from my mind.

...probably not. But why is Karmeut…?

However, my pounding heart showed no sign of calming down. My face flushed, and Karmeut’s stroking of my hair felt ticklish. So I hurriedly return to my crow form.

I sat down on the perch, trying to ignore his fingertips that were hovering in the air as if regretful. Then pretended to tidy my feathers, avoiding his gaze.

There are a lot of problems we are facing right now, but what is this?! To be delusional like this, I'm crazy. Crazy!! Hoo-haa! hoo-haa! Let's start with how to solve the Bozcourt problem and then proceed! That's it! Otherwise, I'm afraid I won't be able to see Karmeut right! Aghhh!!

***