Chapter 43: 43

Zelle’s head blanked for a minute. 

“…Regret?”

Valhayle spoke, glaring into Zelle’s eyes.

“If you can’t explain how you know everything, I probably will.”

Zelle shut her eyes. 

There was only one truth she hid from him.

But would this logical and practical man believe that? 

No, He probably wouldn’t. 

Valhayle continued.

“If you were not unconscious a fortnight ago then the other captives have lied to me.”

“I trust them. And I never lied to you too.”

Valhayle clenched his fist.

“Do you truly wish for me to interrogate the captives then?”

‘Interrogate?!’

Zelle’s eyes widened.

“Are you serious?”

“To us, a royal heir carries that much weight. And their betrayal is to be handled even more seriously.”

Zelle grumbled.

‘Ah, I can’t just tell him?!’

But she couldn’t just watch the captives go through interrogations just for telling the truth.

Interrogation in the military would not only be verbal.

Her head felt like it was going to explode.

“You’re not going to believe me anyway!”

Valhayle’s voice grew impatient.

“Tell me. How do you know all that information.”

Zelle yelled internally.

‘You were betrothed to Demiera!’

You don’t understand how dangerous it is for me to reveal myself to you!!

She didn’t care about the mockery and scorn she would receive from other people when she tells them she was a bird.

She wasn’t afraid to be called the mad princess either. 

‘But… This is different.’

She never revealed herself to the public. She never even tried to prove her existence as a human. 

And most of all, she never showed her patriotism. Since becoming the ruler was the only role and task a royal heir is born to. 

So, if one doesn’t have the desire to become the ruler, the best way of survival as royal heir was to remain unnoticed.

‘But if I tell him that I was a bird.’

Then all the things she did as a bird will be acknowledged as her contribution to the country. Most importantly, acknowledged by someone who could be the 2nd princess’s husband.

That could potentially destroy everything Zelle lived up for. 

‘But I….’

“The messenger bid!! I must see it. Now!!!”

Zelle yelled shakily.

Valhayle raised his brows in the unexpected request.

“No.”

Zelle uttered bitterly. 

“Then you’ll never hear any sort of explanation from me.”

“…..”

Valhayle glared at Zelle breathing harsh breaths. 

“Fine.”

*･ﾟ:༻✦༺･ﾟ:*

Zelle took a deep breath in front of the familiar tent.

She wasn’t in her right mind when she yelled to see the bird earlier. The only thing in her mind was that she would be able to decide if she sees the bird that was her vessel once.

“Haa..”

But seeing the bird didn’t mean Zelle would have a different answer to Valhayle’s question. Since Zelle herself didn’t know why she was in the bird’s body after falling unconscious from the poison.

How could someone else understand if she herself couldn’t?

Zelle entered the tent hoping there could be something that relates to her and the bird. Valhayle, who confiscated the dagger that was her only weapon, followed her inside. 

Zelle looked at the spot where the bird cage usually was.

…But it wasn’t there.

Zelle turned back to Valhayle.

“Where’s the bird?”

Valhayle walked towards his bed. And held the bird carefully up from the clean box placed under his bed.

“This is the last surviving messenger bird of our camp.”

Zelle froze at the sight. She couldn’t breathe momentarily.

“….”

When she became a bird, she didn’t know since she didn’t look into mirrors. 

She didn’t know she looked like that. She didn’t know she was such a small, pitiful, weak being.

Zelle looked at the soullessly still bird in front of her and barely managed to suppress her rushing emotions.

She approached the bird.

It laid deadly still.

‘Was I really… Living in that small body?’

Eating, sleeping, flying in that weak vessel.

On top of that, she did everything a bird could do to aid Roymonde.

It was a short time compared to her 22 years of life but it was Zelle’s other life. 

Another life where she learned things she never could.

And that life was dying in front of her.

Tears filled up her eyes.

The bird’s body moved softly to its breathing.

‘How is it still alive?’

It’s been days since she became human again so it must have been difficult for the bird to be alive.

Zelle hid her sorrow and asked.

“Why isn’t it… Waking up?”

Valhayle replied coldly.

“It was poisoned. It’s lucky that it’s still alive but… It most likely won’t be conscious again.”

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His voice was cold but his voice trembled as he finished the sentence.

Zelle looked at Valhayle’s hand holding the bird as if it was some precious jewel and stared at his face. 

‘Yes, how could I forget. You… Were fond of this bird too.’

But Zelle isn’t someone who Valhayle trusted anymore. She was just a suspicious royal heir.

A powerless princess that’s even more incompetent than the dying bird.

The 8th princess Zelleine was held captive by Granoir, unlike the bird that flew all the way to Roheneim even after being poisoned. 

The gold ribbon on the bird’s leg caught her eye. It symbolized the trust between her and Valhayle.

Zelle reached out to the ribbon.

“Sir Valhayle. Can I… Touch this bird just once?”

Before she could even finish, Valhayle swiftly backed away.

“No.”

“You made sure I am disarmed.”

Valhayle stood his ground.

“Birds are weak. It could die even from our small movements.”

Zelle complained softly.

“You know that so well yet choked me…”

“Pardon?”

“Ah, nothing.”

She withdrew her hand in disappointment. 

It only confirmed how much Valhayle didn’t trust her.

Zelle pursed her lips and spoke.

“If this bird can’t wake… Why do you keep it here?”

Valhayle replied defensively.

“A messenger bird is Roheneim’s key tactic. Each one is precious.”

“…..”

Zelle remained silent.

Yeah, what more can he say. It would be difficult and odd to describe the trust and friendship he shared with a bird to someone.

She was thinking about her current state which lost all of Valhayle’s trust when Valhayle spoke up.

“And.”

Valhayle continued in a low voice.

“I owe this bird.”

“You… owe this bird?”

“Yes.”

“What do you owe?”

“I can’t tell you. But…”

Valhayle looked at the bird and spoke.

“It’s one of the reasons why I keep the bird here.”

“….”

Zelle was astonished to hear the chief commander of the whole Roymonde military say he owes a mere bird.

It wasn’t necessary for him to say that. Especially to the royal heir which was the only superior that could recognize his accomplishments. 

Zelle dropped her head.

‘I am appreciated by him.’

Tears blurred her sight.

She could guess that from the times when Valhayle came to her first to deliver news of victory, when he tied that gold ribbon, and when he talked about the medal of honor.

But on the other hand, she wasn’t sure. That she could be such a precious being to Roymonde.

She tried to forget the things she did as a bird and even tried to neglect and hide it.

But now she was affirmed.

That despite it being when she was a bird, her actions were appreciated dearly. 

Zelle abruptly turned to hold her tears.

“Are you alright.”

Valhayle came closer.

She wiped her tears and spoke.

“I’m alright.”

She felt a little relieved.

Valhayle placed the weak bird back into the box and stood in front of Zelle.

“Now explain it to me please.”

“….”

Zelle looked into Valhayle’s eyes.

He suspected a bird for Roymonde’s sake. He stopped her from doing messenger bird duties after contact with Lopecce to protect her.

He did everything for Roymonde. 

And he was suspecting her at this moment for Roymonde again.

He, Lumares Valhayle. 

My nation’s chief commander.

Valhayle pursed his lips.

“How did you gain all that information.”

Zelle shut her eyes.

‘If I hide it again, I will never be clear of suspicion.’

There was no other way for her to explain so she and Valhayle would be like parallel lines. 

He would suspect with evidence and Zelle would claim innocence with no evidence.

If so, nothing would change from now. 

Zelle would still be locked away just like a royal heir under suspicion of betrayal would be. 

‘I would have to remain powerless and incompetent.’

Above all, she wouldn’t be able to raise the soldiers’ morale with her survival. 

Just thinking of it made her upset. 

That can’t happen.

‘I am this country’s royal heir. I can’t stay like that, especially at crucial times like this.’

Zelle opened her eyes. 

If I am unable to help Roymonde because of this misunderstanding…

‘I will clear it.’

Zelle took a deep breath. 

“I was that bird. I am your messenger bird.”

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