Of All Things, I Became a Crow

*Rainelle’s POV

Seeing Aria blushing at Namuel's smile, I grinned inside.

I'm so glad it worked out as planned.

I remembered Aria's negative thoughts about whether Namuel would talk to her. So I couldn't help but think like this inside:

Look! Isn’t it like I said? Namuel unexpectedly likes crows!

Not to mention about Aria, I had noticed that Namuel doesn’t dislike animals.

Then the solution is simple! Wouldn’t it become surprisingly easy for a man and woman to have a conversation if you give them something in common? Besides, Aria knows how to attack Namuel, so if we let go of his cold reaction in the beginning...

The rest is a breeze! As expected, I'm a smart crow!!

---It seems that I’m gradually losing my human identity... Should I give it up? After all, my body is that of a crow.

…If I give up my human identity, won’t I mate with a crow---?!

What!! That's not allowed!! I hate that!! Argh! I have to suppress the crow instincts from now on!!

I shook my head and looked at the two people. It seemed that their conversation slowly came to an end.

"Well then, I have a lot of work to do, so I'll excuse myself."

"I'm sorry. I might have held you back."

"No, no. Then---"

Perhaps busy with work, Namuel went away quickly. As I stared at him, I felt a hand grabbing my torso.

"Rainelle-!"

...well, it's burdensome. That expression, that gaze is burdensome!Don't make a face that like you're touched with your eyes twinkling like that! It's burdensome! It's burdensome!

"Rainelle is really an angel---!! The most difficult thing about attacking Namuel is to get him to talk, and just now, it's so easy to get through that---!! Hehehe, an angel, an angel---!! The black angel is here It's---!!"

I had to struggle with my feet, groaning at Aria's act of rubbing her face against my torso.

Ahhh! Feathers! My feathers!! My feathers are going to get messy!!

Fortunately, Aria soon released me. I started tidying my feathers then.

Hmph! I know how you feel, but if you rush in and rub me like this, you will ruin my feathers! Seriously---!!

"Thank you so much! Haa, as I said, the most difficult part of attacking Namuel is talking to him... Besides, I think we can talk with Rainelle as the topic."

"...Huh? Really?"

"Yeah! I felt it when I was talking to Namuel earlier, but it seems he really cares about Rainelle."

"Well... that's probably because I’m a crow that ate a Crobanlock."

"...Eh?! What do you mean?"

"Ah, I forgot to tell you about it, but I was able to transform into a human after eating a Crobanlock,"

"OMG."

Aria, who looked at me with a shocked gaze, then nodded her head slightly and muttered,

"Well, if you don't die after eating Crobanlock, you'll get powers..."

"...but I didn't mean to eat it."

"Wow, but how did you take the gamble with 50:50 odds?"

"Hmm... it kinda just happened."

It's a bit more complicated to explain in detail, but let's not talk about it because it doesn't matter.

When she nodded her head with force, Aria gave me a look of admiration.

"It shouldn't have been easy to gamble with your life... You’re amazing."

"It wasn't my will."

"Anyway, that’s cool---!! As expected, crows are great---!!"

"It has nothing to do with that, does it?"

"There is no limit to being a fanatic, right?"

"...let's not talk about that."

What should I do with that fandom(?) ? I’ll just let it be.

Thinking so, I shook my head and asked a question that came to my mind,

"By the way, do you think things will work out just by being able to talk? I mean, with Namuel."

"Oh, that? Ummm... I'm honestly not sure if it's going to work out or not."

"Why?"

"That's... When you played the game, you were given a choice, right? There was a system in which the favorability was differentiated depending on which option you chose... Because this is reality, I have to say things that are appropriate for each situation. At least the same part as the game is that I can't check the favorability with my eyes."

Aria's complexion darkened as she said that. I nodded my head.

Yes, how much did the difficulty of a game increase just by not being able to check the favorability? Oh, now it's not a game, it's reality.

“But, now it’s a reality.”

"That’s why I'm worried... But there’s something different from the game, right?"

I was appalled by Aria who stared at me with a bright smile.

"...Me?"

"Of course! The crow that ate a Crobanlock!

You say that Namuel is interested because of that, right? But that somehow become a common interest between us, isn’t it? Hum, hum. With Rainelle, it's easier to get a topic for the conversation."

As she said that, her smile seemed somewhat dark, so I felt a chill running down my spine. Whoa, I'm scared! It's like a beast looking for food!!

"I know very well what Namuel likes. I’ve got Rainelle and crow's habits and--- heh heh heh heh... It's good with Rainelle here, heh heh heh..."

---I don't know what it is, but it looked like a switch had been flicked, so I slid back.

If something looks dangerous, get ready...

"Oh, Rainelle!"

"Yes?!"

"Can you help me more often in the future? I think it would be smoother to talk to Namuel if I have Rainelle..."

Hearing that, I nodded vigorously.

Rather, that's what I was hoping for!

"Okay! I'll help you as much as I can."

"Really?! Uhuhu---!! Rainelle is a real angel---!!"

"...But don't hug me too much! I've to rearrange my feathers whenever you do that!"

"...Che. But it’s so wonderful to have the silky soft feathers rubbing with my cheeks."

"You are selfish!!"

"It's a lie if I say I'm not selfish! I'm a blessed person who can be faithfully rewarded for my virtues, so I will express my self-interest to my heart's content!"

"How can you say that so confidently?!"

"There's no reason not to be confident! It's a problem because Rainelle doesn't know her charms!

"Then why are you slowly approaching me?!"

"Fufufu, I won’t hurt you. So, you’re going back to your crow form, right? Hahahaha---!! Let me enjoy the softness, no, the feathers, the feathers---!!"

"Mr. Police! There's a pervert here!!"

"This is a world without police!"

"Ahhhhh! How can there be no handcuffs on you?!! Anyone, there’s a bird molester here!!"

"Crow is love!"

"I don't need that love!!"

"I deny that denial!!"

Tired of her tenacity, which was even disgusting, I turned into a crow and flew away.

--- Even so, I felt like cold sweat was flowing behind my back as I looked at Aria who was blinking and kept looking at me.

Whoa, is this how celebrities are treated by their big fans? No, is that analogy correct? Rather than that, why do I have to worry about something like this---!!

After a moment of useless thought, I got Aria to surrender by pretending to fly farther from her.

"Oh, come on! Don't let that sting your heart!"

"I will go away again!"

"I'm sorry. I won't do it again!"

Arya's attitude of apologizing immediately made me feel strange, but I tried to ignore it.

"Oh, that's right. Actually, I have a suggestion."

"Huh? What is it?"

"It's the most convenient for me to invite Aria to the Imperial Palace... But in a way, this is also something that could bring trouble, right? What would other noble ladies think?"

At those words, Aria exclaimed, “Ah, that’s true.”

I summoned Aria to share some of the world's secrets(?) with me, but it was obvious that it didn’t seem like that to others.

I think there's going to be rumors that I took a liking to Aria or something like that.

Maybe Arya also thought of it, because she muttered as her face wrinkled,

"Oh, damn powerful people."

"...it's going to be complicated, very."

"The worldview of the game itself is made in the Middle Ages, we have to be careful."

"So... that's why I’m the one who will come to you..."

“Is Rainelle visiting my house?!”

"Uh, huh. But not formally. That's not good in many ways too..."

Before I finish my words. Aria had clenched her fists and gave a silent cheer as if she had acquired the world.

As I gazed silently at her glowing figure for a moment --the only expression that comes to my mind is: Joyful.

"-Hmm, are you going to sneak out or are you going to tell Karmeut?"

Aria, who was delighted, asked a question that made me blink my eyes.

"Um, well. I haven't thought about that. Going out secretly seems like it's going to be exciting and thrilling."

"I'm going with Rainelle’s decision."

‘So Rainelle decides!’. She didn’t say that, but I feel like I could hear it.

Let's think about it for a second. Of course, it doesn't matter if I go out without Karmeut's permission. Because I have the right to do as I please. I'm not trapped in a cage, and I’m flying with my wings. Then with a ‘swish-‘ I can come back. He won't know what I've been doing…?

...but if he came to know, then Karmeut will be worried... Like when that damn bastard Luwellin kidnapped me, Karmeut came to rescue me. But Karmeut now has so many things that he has to do as an emperor...

After thinking for a while, the conclusion was simple.

"I’ll talk to him first before going. Otherwise, I'll make him worried."

"Because you don’t know when you’ll be attacked or something? Like by Luwellin?"

"Yeah. Of course Luwellin is dead, but Karmeut is the emperor. Wouldn't there be any possibility that a secret force is aiming for me?"

"Um- Was there one? I don't think it appeared in the game... Well, this is not a game anymore, so it's not bad to be careful."

"Right? So, I think it's good in many ways to tell Karmeut."

"That's right. Would you like to come to the Count’s manor later?"

"Um- I need to get permission first. I'll let you know by letter later."

"Okay. Then I'll go back today. I think you'll have a lot to talk about with Karmeut."

Aria winked playfully while saying that, and I smiled and nodded my head.

Since she’s going home, I’m going to be kind and bid her farewell in the form of a crow.

...Of course, I was grabbed and hugged by Aria...

Aish, really! I have to tidy my feathers again!!

I grumbled at the fact that I had to rearrange my feathers again, but I didn't feel too bad. Despite this and that, Aria's touch was caring.

It was like the touch of a woman who knows how to make one feels better.

Did she have experience raising birds before she possessed the original Adriana?

She hugged me tightly and I struggled, but when I thought of her exquisite power control so that it never puts too much strain on my body... that possibility seemed high.

Anyway, I'll have to convince Karmeut!

Going out of the Imperial Palace and fly outside! I've never been outside other than going to the market with Namuel, so I'm excited! I wish he will permit me---

***

"You want to go to Count Gwynell’s residence?”

"Yeah. I want to go in the form of a crow… Can I?"

Karmeut kept quiet as he couldn't decide easily. When he stretched out his hand and stroked my head, I swallowed my saliva as I waited for his answer.

"Isn't it a little... dangerous? The Imperial Palace is guaranteed to be safe, but it's hard to guarantee safety if you leave the palace. Besides, you said you're going to go in the form of a crow? Cats might attack you."

Ugh, that’s true... But I still can't give up! I need to connect Aria and Namuel!

"I can protect myself with spirit. If I fly high, the cats won't be able to attack me. Besides, if I protect myself with the spirit, I can easily defeat wild animals."

"..."

"I might get stones thrown at me or something... But even a low-level spirit can easily block that sort of thing. I mean, isn’t that right?"

Karmeut gave me a complex look.

...Okay! In terms of safety, it's safer to be in the Imperial Palace, but I have two wings! I have the right to go anywhere freely! Besides, people can't fly, right?If they want to catch a flying bird, they have to shoot a bow or cast a spell.If they can do it easily and accurately, won’t it be easy to hunt a dragon? It is just a metaphor? Anyway!

"Karmeut... I'm begging you, hm?"

I hugged his arm with the most pitiful expression on my face.

So, what’s your answer?

When I looked up with my heart full of that, Karmeut let out a long sigh.

"...you want to go so much?"

"Yeah! I want to go!! And if I call Young Lady Gwynell to the Imperial Palace too much, other ladies will not like it."

"...Ah, yeah, that might be so."

“So, it’s also a little secret from them, okay?”

"Do you like Young Lady Gwynell that much?"

When he said that, Karmeut's expression was different from usual. Was it an illusion that he looked nervous for some reason?

***