Of All Things, I Became a Crow

*Rainelle’s POV

"...um, Rainelle-nim..."

"Caaw? (Why?)"

It wasn't that I didn't understand Miel's bewildered look, but this was the best for me.

When I sit on Miel's shoulder like this, I feel protected and safe! This is killing two birds with one stone! Of course, it's generally considered rude behavior, but to live is the most important thing!!

Thinking like that, I strengthened my hold on Miel's shoulder and urged him to go forward. Then, with a troubled look on his face, Miel started walking towards the place where we were supposed to meet with the heroine, Young Lady Gwynell.

"Rainelle-nim, you’ve arrived..."

I avoided the gaze from her blue eyes while my own pupils were shaking wildly. She then stopped speaking.

Uu. I’m trying to live, I’m trying to live… eh?

Not only Miel was silent, but the heroine was also like that, so it was very, very awkward. Because of that, I pulled the hem of Miel’s robe and made a loud noise.

"...Oh, I understand, Rainelle-nim."

Miel headed to the chair opposite the heroine in an awkward manner, and I jumped and sat down on the back of that chair.

"…um, I wanted to meet you because I wanted to apologize, Rainelle-nim."

Saying that, the Young Lady blinked slowly and bowed her back.

"I apologize for suddenly saying such rude words. I've had so many confusing things happen to me lately... No, this is also just an excuse. The biggest sin is that I didn't manage myself well. I'm sorry."

My heart, which had been pounding, slightly calmed at the woman's act of giving an apology really politely.

---Is she really here to apologize? Then maybe it'll be fine...

"Rainelle-nim, I have something I want to tell you. Can you spare me a little time?"

---or it’s just bullshit!! The apology is just an excuse after all!

Did Miel read my terrified mind? Or maybe he didn't like her attitude? Miel's furrowed his eyebrows.

"...what do you mean? Don't forget that you’ve been rude to Rainelle-nim before."

---I have never heard this before. Miel is speaking threateningly with such a loud voice!

"---Excuse me, Marquis Albion, but I’m speaking to Rainelle-nim, not to Marquis."

However, the heroine also replied in a sharp voice, perhaps because of her formidable personality.

Whoa, it looks like sparks are flying in the air! Scary!

I was the only one who felt like dying from the eyes of these two.

Why, why! I'm the problem, but what the hell is this feeling like I'm the one falling to the side?

I stole a glance at them and changed into a human form. Then I carefully opened my mouth,

"...what do you want to say, Young Lady Gwynell?"

"Don't you know what I really want to say? Rainelle-nim?"

She has a beautiful smile on her face while saying that, but it looks like a devilish smile to me! I'm scared!!

"I'm not sure if you say that. Please tell me clearly what you want to talk about."

"Would you mind if I did?"

Her gaze on Miel while she said that was so obvious: ‘There would be trouble in many ways when Miel hears about it, but should I really say it here?' ---I had to make up my mind.

"Marquis Albion, you can go for now."

"...but Rainelle-nim."

"I know you’re here on the Emperor's order. ---Why don't you do this?: Summon an intermediate-level spirit, attach it to me, and then you can go. That way you can protect me while not being here in person…"

Miel seemed troubled by the words.

As far as I know, only high-level spirits can communicate with humans. Intermediate-level spirits can't communicate, but that doesn't mean they are powerless... isn't it okay?

Miel looked worried. However, since this conversation was something that no one, let alone Miel, should be allowed to hear, I opened my mouth again,

"I beg you, please go for now."

"---I understand. I will summon wind and water intermediate-level spirits."

At the same time as he said that, two humanoid spirits made up of water and wind appeared beside me. After looking at the spirits for a moment, Miel bowed his head and then left his seat.

I couldn't take my eyes off him until he was completely out of sight.

---He’s really gone, right? Talking about this world will definitely make you go crazy, so you have to go!!

"-Now we can talk comfortably, Rainelle-nim. No, no, Rainelle."

My body stiffened at the words that flowed out of the heroine’s mouth. As I slowly turned my head to look at the woman, she was looking at me with a strange smile.

"Who the hell are you? It's a character that doesn't exist in the original game... Possession? Reincarnation? Which one?"

...scary! Your eyes are scary! It’s the eyes of: ‘If you don't tell me, I'll force you to find out!’ By the way, Why are you so straightforward?! No light talk first?!

"Uh, what is that..."

"You don’t have to pretend. This world used to be a game in some world, right? I, as you can see, am a lucky person who possessed the body of the original heroine. But what about you? I don't remember any supporting character as important as you. No, the original work changed because of you, so it's correct to say that this character didn't exist, right?"

Ugh, that is terrifying. She knows everything! Besides, I have no way of turning it around!!

Even if I kept pretending not to know, it would only get worse if the situation worsened, and it didn't seem like it would get better.

"...possession."

"I see. Then the object of possession is a crow? Or a human?"

"...Crow."

"Really?"

At my words, the woman's eyes twinkled even more. Her mouth slowly opened as I swallowed my saliva under the pressure of her eyes,

"...then..."

"...then?"

"...can you return to the form of a crow once?"

"...What?"

"I'm not going to do anything. You're wary of me because you're afraid I'll kill you or hurt you, right?"

...is it your interest? Why are you looking at me like this? What, did you think I’m simple...

A depressing thought popped into my head, but I shook my head in denial.

Nope! I'm still human! My head is just simple---!! Well, it became simpler!! Still, I’m human!!

"And this is the Imperial Palace, isn’t it? My neck could be blown off if I made a mistake. I won't do anything, I'll guarantee you."

Having her said that, there was no reason to refuse.

Well... I can change from afar, right? Besides, there are spirits summoned by Miel---!!

Believing in that part, I returned to my original form. As I felt my body become lighter and floating, I flapped my wings and flew slightly.

As I sat down on the back of my chair and looked at the heroine, her expression changed in an instant. I even felt fear at the sudden change, so I moved my body over to a branch.

It seemed that I wasn't the only one feeling the threat. It was because the spirits had moved and blocked the heroine from me.

Then, feeling frustrated, the heroine tapped her chest lightly with her hand. She then said while casting a sharp gaze at the spirits,

"I have no intention of harming her in the slightest. If I did, I would have already done it! Could you please stop overreacting?"

But the spirits did not move. Rather, they threateningly caused wind and water droplets, then they flew closer to me.

I was reassured by the spirits’ actions. Looking at myself like this, the heroine seemed to be frustrated. After taking a few deep breaths, she drank the half-cold tea at once.

"I won’t hurt you. I can guess that you’re worried about me possessing the original female lead, but trust me a little bit."

...don't you think that there is nothing to believe in?

Thinking so, I narrowed my eyes and looked at that woman. The heroine frowned more and breathed out a long sigh.

"Ha... I'm really frustrated..."

Her blue eyes while she muttered those words were terrifying, but I pretended not to notice and avoided her gaze.

To put it bluntly, there's no reason for me to believe in her. Besides, I'm a crow with less strength than a human being! It's to protect my body. What's wrong with this?

As I was thinking like that, I saw the heroine move her hand. The spirits became more alert, and I shrank back.

"How can you trust me? Isn't it true that we are both in this circumstance? We're in the same situation, shouldn't we talk about it?"

Hearing those words, I changed from a crow to a human form. --It meant that I was sitting on a branch, but it didn't matter because I chose a thick and strong branch to sit on in the first place.

"...there's no reason to believe you. Just because we have similarities in possessing characters, that shouldn't be a reason for me to trust you?"

"Did you give me a chance to build trust?"

The remark made me shut my mouth. Because it was true that I haven't talked to her properly.

...but she's just that dangerous!! Especially when I'm an extra!

With that in mind, I did not respond to the woman's words. I didn't say anything, but she also shut her mouth for a while.

Then she let out a long sigh as she licked her lips and looking me with a somewhat anxious expression. She slumped back into her chair and decided to open her mouth,

"Okay. If you feel even the slightest threat, let the spirits subdue me, kill me, or cook and boil me. All right?"

She raised her hands lightly as if in surrender as she said that. I thought for a moment:

Wouldn't it be counterproductive to refuse too much---? Besides, seeing the spirits move first before I ask for it, I think it's safe to say that I believe her...

I went back to being a crow again. I don't know what the heroine wanted and demanded, but it seemed better to change back for now.

After once again returning to the form of a crow, then I passed the spirits and landed on the back of the chair.

The spirits didn't seem very pleased with my actions. I saw them circling me and shaking their head.

"Caaw. (It's okay.)"

I don't know if my words made sense to them, but I waved one of my wings as I cawed to make them understand better. The spirits lingered around me for a while as if they were anxious, but then they backed away slightly.

After looking at those spirits for a while, I moved my gaze to the heroine. The heroine, with her blue eyes shining, was looking this way.

"...Excuse me, could you come a little closer this way?"

She swallowed her saliva as she asked me to come closer. I turned my head and looked at the spirits for a moment. I was encouraged by the spirits who were looking this way from behind without disappearing.

Yeah, Miel’s spirits are behind me, right? If something happens, they’ll run to me right away like before!

I approached the woman cautiously. As I got closer to her, I could see the spirits inching toward me as well. Without stopping those spirits, I moved forward nervously.

The size of the table was not small in its own way, but it could not feel smaller at this moment.

"A little closer."

The blue eyes of the person that demanded me to come a little closer were gleaming frighteningly. Feeling burdened by the gaze, I swallowed my saliva, but I remembered her words saying that I was free to kill herself or not.

Yeah, she said that, didn’t she? There are also the spirits. As far as I remember, the original female lead didn't have any special abilities...

Thinking like that, I moved closer to the heroine.

Yes! I am protected! So don't be scared!!

Thinking as such, I continued to approach with cautiousness. The heroine slowly reached out her hand as if she didn't want to startle me at all. I stood still as she did that. Her white, slender fingertips eventually touched my chest.

After her finger kept still there for a moment, the woman slowly began to stroke my feathers. I was a little nervous at her hand that touched my chest, but I didn't avoid it.

I'm afraid I don't know what she'd do if she went for my head or back, but she’s touching what I can see, right? So, if I feel a little weird, I can run away!

As I stood still with that thought, I could see a faint smile on the corner of the heroine's lips. ...Whew, it seems to be okay somehow...

"Kkak?!"

It was just a moment. Her hands stretched out like lightning, grabbing my torso!

Arghhh! I’ll die!! Save me!!

I screamed in fright and struggled with my body. But no matter how strong I was, the only parts I could move were my feet and her head.

Arghh! Help me!! Gonna die!!

The heroine caught me! She tricked me and caught me!! Now she’s going to pluck my feathers, cut my belly, take out the intestines, season me and grill me! I don't like it! I don’t like it! I’m not tasty!! Arghhh!!

I couldn't be more horrified by the lady's behavior that caught me with her blue eyes flashing!

Spirits! Where are the spirits?! Spirits, do something about her!

Save this human, no, this crow! I don't want to die like this!!

***