Of All Things, I Became a Crow

*Rainelle’s POV

The voice calling me was as sweet as usual. ...That made it even more difficult to raise my head, but I mustered up my courage and looked at him.

---Were my eyes wrong? The golden eyes were no different from usual. No, rather, there seemed to be a little smile in them.

His hand stretched out. The soft caress of his hand was definitely the same as usual. Kind and gentle.

Karmeut, who caressed my cheek slowly as if he was touching it for the first time, brought his forehead closer to mine.

I felt a rush of heat on my face as he got closer in an instant, so I twisted my body slightly.

"Thank you for answering honestly. ...I actually thought that might be the case."

---I blinked at his predictive remarks. The golden eyes were somehow twinkling with a glimmer of dazzling light.

"Aren’t we of different species? You're a crow and I'm a human. ...I thought you'd be more attracted to your kind."

It was nice to have him understand, but it was still not a very good feeling. As he said those bitter words, Karmeut's trembling fingertips were transmitted to my cheeks.

"I'm glad to hear that I’m precious... But, can I be a little more greedy?"

"...more greedy?"

“I want you to look at me with the same feelings as me.”

Saying so, Karmeut lightly kissed my lips. It come and go in an instant, but the soft touch vividly remained on my lips, and I shuddered involuntarily.

His golden eyes fluttered softly. I could feel his breath hitting my face.

"I cherish you, but the meaning of that preciousness is different from what you think."

My head fell slowly. I wrapped my hands around him and hugged his waist. I hugged him, but I wasn't embarrassed. Rather, it was warm and reliable---. I just thought it would be nice to hold him in my arms.

"At the beginning, obviously, I didn't feel the same way I am now. You were a crow back then. But... Even so, you meant a lot to me. It’s just that my feelings in a slightly different direction when you become able to take on a human form. To the extent that I could casually lay down my life for you. "

...His last words were said in a calm tone, but they weighed more than anything else. If I had been a real crow, I wouldn't have known the meaning of that word. ...but being a human in my previous life, I could understand what his words meant.

My heart started pounding. It was pounding loudly. Heat rushed to my face as my mouth felt dry. It was a change that surprised even me, and my lips twitched without me realizing it.

"I don't know how to express this feeling. I feel like even a few words aren't enough."

His head lowered slowly. As he buried his head in my shoulder, Karmeut whispered,

"You look pretty just by looking at me, and you look lovely no matter what you do. I don't want you to get hurt or cry, and I don't want to show you to anyone. Still, I can't stand boasting that you're mine."

He used the same tone as usual, but it wasn't the same at all. It was sweet and soft, so it felt like it was melting in my ears and flowing down to my chest. It felt like my heart was tingling and my tongue could taste the sweetness.

"I don't know when I started to feel like this... I cherish you. But I can't express how precious you are."

Because I don't want to burden you.

Karmeut’s behavior of slowly rubbing his face on my shoulder as I said that was like a cat.

He would be the perfect cat if he purred.

Thinking like that, I raised my hand and stroked his head.

It was something I did unconsciously, but Karmeut's hair was softer than I had imagined, and I couldn't stop touching it.

As if he was in a good mood, he made a soft humming sound and hugged me back like a fool.

How long had we stayed like that? Karmeut then asked me without raising his head,

"...do you feel bad that His Majesty the Emperor said something like that?"

"No, it isn't like that. ---Although I was flustered."

"What do you think about the kind of relationship His Majesty was talking about between you and me?"

"That's... I don't know right now."

"Okay..."

Speaking that word like a sigh, Karmut slowly pulled himself away. His expression was very difficult to express in words.

He was smiling, but it didn't seem like he was smiling because he was happy. He didn't seem sad either. Rather, it seemed that he had made up his mind...

"Then Rainelle, can you grant me one thing?"

"...what is it?"

It was, of course, a question I was expected to ask. ...But Karmeut was more than happy to be asked such a question, as he answered with a smile on his face,

“Can I try to make your heart be like mine?”

I blinked my eyes at that. It was a show of astonishment, but Karmeut seemed to think that I did not understand because he then whispered to me in a low, sweet voice while making an expression that didn't suit anything other than the word ‘enchanting’,

"I mean, I'm going to seduce you to see me as the opposite sex."

As he said that, Karmeut's eyes bent softly.

…to be honest, I didn't feel that he was as alluring and soft enough like a woman. I mean, he was more masculine, cool, and sexy...

I blankly stared at him with my eyes. Feeling my chest pounding loudly, I then shut my eyes tightly.

If I said that I will allow him, then... I felt like I wouldn't be able to resist. I wanted to confess that I like him and that I have already felt the same way as him in my heart. -If it wasn't for the existence of the original heroine.

"If you allow it, I'd give more than anything. Lovely Raynell."

Karmeut said that and kissed my forehead. At his action, I nodded without realizing it

Sh, should I tell him that I really like him?

Just thinking about it made my face heat up. I looked at him, wondering if he had noticed my feelings.

But Karmeut only hugged me with smiles in his eyes. Breathing a sigh of relief inwardly, I secretly tried to calm my pounding chest.

But my heart was beating so wildly without even caring about my thought. It was loud enough to make me worry that Karmeut might hear it.

***

It had been less than two weeks before I heard of the Emperor's death.

He died peacefully as if he was only sleeping, and Karmeut calmly announced his father's death. It would be a lie if I said that his appearance didn't feel foreign.

The situation was way different from a common family, wasn't it? One would usually grieve over their father’s death.

"Are you sad?"

But... I quickly realized that Karmeut's mood was different from usual. Well, no matter how different it was from a normal family, he was still a father, so there was no reason not to be sad.

When I asked him cautiously, he answered while shaking his head,

"His Majesty has just gone to Mother’s side."

His expression and tone were both calm. -But it was hard to believe that straight up. So, suppressing the awkwardness, I approached Karmeut and hugged him.

His body froze for a moment, then he hugged me back tightly. After a while, words that were close to a mumble flowed from between his lips,

"I feel a little strange."

After saying that, Karmeut didn't say any more, ending it in a strange mood. But for some reason...I could somehow feel what was not said, so I patted his back without saying a word. Karmeut hugged me and we stayed like that for a long time. For a long time…

***

After that, Karmeut was very busy. Since the Emperor died, it was natural for Karmeut, the next Emperor, to have more work to do. And that meant only one thing.

The beginning of the original storyline.

Whoa... I'm glad... Huhu, I arrived at the original storyline somehow...

At the thought that I had finally entered the original storyline, my whole body was relieved. There was nothing to worry about anymore, so I laid down on the bed with peace of mind. Maybe it was strange because I was lying face down in the form of a crow, but my heart was light.

Of course, if Karmeut knows how I feel right now, he might be angry. ...I know I’m shameless. How can I be happy when his father just died? ...with that said, my personality is a mess. Hahh.

I grunted and clapped my beak.

I know that Karmeut is having a hard time because he just lost his father yet he still has to be busy by being the Emperor ---

Even though I was here and did some things, it gave me joy that things were able to proceed according to the original storyline. And...

‘Can I try to make your heart be like mine? I mean, I'm going to seduce you to see me as the opposite sex.’

Those words suddenly came to my mind. When I remembered Karmeut saying that he will seduce me so that I will see him as the opposite sex along with his charming smile, my feathers puffed up involuntarily.

Aghh! Aghhh!! Of course it's good to be openly told that I would be seduced by such a handsome man! But!!

The original storyline may be distorted just by me being there, and I have barely managed to enter the original storyline...! Wouldn't it be dangerous to create more variables here? Eh, uh, so...? Although I also want to...

Embarrassed, I picked a feather with my beak. I cleaned my feathers several times a day, so it was smooth without a speck of single dust, but I couldn't stand still.

Certainly, Karmeut is important to me. ---Of course, at first, rather than living in a dangerous wild and eating bugs, I would rather live by acting cute to humans ...If it was someone other than Karmeut, would I have had the courage to distract the gnolls?

I don't know for sure... there’s a possibility that I wouldn’t.

One thing for sure was that he was kind to me, a crow. I didn't know if I could just pass it off as luck. … Of course, it was the behavior I had hoped for, but the feeling you get when you actually experience it is different, right?

Slowly, I thought about the time I had spent with Karmeut. From his behavior before I was able to transform, to the things after I was able to change into a human form. When I think of each one, I can feel that he was a very kind man. No, it doesn’t end with just being kind.

He was kind, considerate, and caring, right? Even when I was kidnapped by Luwellin, he showed up like a prince on a white horse -although he was clearly a prince.

Is it possible to do such a thing without love?

It was a question that naturally came to my mind. But as I came to the answer, I felt a rush of heat on my face.

Maybe, maybe not.

It was not surprising, but Karmeut was the prince. The man who became emperor in the original story. ...and the background of the game world was the medieval West, so even if you don't see the treatment of animals, it was clear.

No matter how precious an animal was, no matter how much you feed it, it couldn’t be more important than human life.

Nevertheless, Karmeut valued me and saved me by storming into a dangerous place.

Not everyone can do such a thing like that. And even if you can, there's no reason to do it unless it's special.

'Can I try to make your heart be like mine?'

Those words lingered in my mind. I now understand the meaning of those words. How, how sweet and heartfelt those words were. And, and...

how much I like him. No, can I explain it with the word ‘like’? No no, it's a deeper emotion than saying ‘I like you’. But, but if I admit it...

I also have to admit how sorry I am to Karmeut...!!

I shook my head violently to erase my thoughts.

Haa, I think that's why we should be honest. The worst of being not truthful or deceit is that it burns even if you don't say anything.

*knock, knock-*

I was startled by the sound of a light knock on the door, and I gasped.

Who is it?! It’s not the time for Karmeut to come back!!

I panicked and hid myself above the closet.

The door opened and then came in...

Eh? A child?

It was a girl who looked about ten years old. The eyes of the child, who had wavy blonde hair that was shining brightly, were pretty green as if they contained fresh greens.

Her pink dress full of frills, her dark pink ribbon tying her hair up, and her shoes that stood out along with her every move were all adorable.

Wow, she will make a lot of men cry later on.

The child was so pretty that it made me think like that.

Of course, her cuteness is still stronger now, but when she grows up, I think she will be pretty enough to be treated as a celebrity, right? ---But who the hell is this? Why is this kid in Karmeut's room?

The child was looking around like she was looking for something. Then she immediately puffed up her cheeks and shouted as she pounded the floor with her cute feet.

"Elder brother, you liar! You said you'd meet me today!"

***