Chapter 11: 11

*Karmeut’s POV

Karmeut was a little confused because he didn't know Rainelle's intentions, but reached out with his hand. He thought that it acted that way because it wanted something, but the next moment, his golden eyes widened at what Rainelle did.

With a tapping sound, Rainelle dropped the ruby on Karmeut's palm.

Rainelle, who made a small caw, tilted its head as if it was puzzled as to why Kamut didn't respond.

Then, she walked over to the other jewels and picked up an emerald this time. Rainelle cawed softly, came straight to Karmeut, and laid the emerald on his palm.

At that action, the prince's expression became strange. Slowly clutching the hand which had the ruby and emerald, Karmeut muttered in a slightly subdued voice.

"---are these gifts, Rainelle?"

Hearing that, Rainelle cawed and nodded. Then, when it tilted its head as if asking, 'You don't like it?', Karmeut tightened the grip of his hand that held the jewels.

Really, I'm going crazy. There was no other way to express it other than to say that I'm going crazy. Maybe, maybe because Rainelle's acting so lovely?

It was a crow's instinct to love shiny things, so Rainelle might just give me the jewels to let me play with them too--

How is this different from a child's behavior of not eating all the snacks that they really liked, and then giving away some of them because the taste is so good?

Thinking so, Karmeut stared at Rainelle's beautiful violet eyes.

As he laughed at Rainelle, who was still tilting its head and letting out a small caw, Karmeut embraced the crow in his arms.

"Dear Rainelle, you are so lovely."

If this is not lovely, what is lovely?

Now he had returned to a place where he shouldn't relax for even a moment because blood could be spilled over the right of succession, but Rainelle's behavior put a smile on his face while also eliminating all the tension, putting his mind at ease.

He enjoyed the time, stroking Rainelle's silky feathers. Rainelle cawed as if it were in a good mood. The prince held the lovely bird that brought good fortune to him in his arms.

When Rainelle was snuggling to find a comfortable spot as if it was sitting in a nest and even started to tidy its feathers, he flinched for a moment, but Karmeut couldn't help but to burst into laughter again at that.

Seriously, why's such a cute bird considered unlucky? If I had known that crows are this kind of bird, wouldn't my perception have been different? No, it's rather fortunate to know that Rainelle is an unlucky and ominous bird.

It means that I'm the only one who knows how cute and lovely you are.

With a slow-forming smile like a full-fledged beast, Karmeut's golden eyes glistened. In his mind, the idea of ​​designating crows as the national bird after he became the emperor was floating around.

 

*Rainelle's POV

Yes! I heard him saying lovely! As expected, 'I gave it to my kid to play with, but then I'm surprised when my kid gave it to me as a gift is so powerful! There's no one who wouldn't fall for this kind of behavior from their pet!

I was held in his warms arms and started to tidy my feathers with my beak.

If I don't tend my feathers like this, my feathers will get oily and it feels like it's clumped up. It feels bad. You didn't know? This is why birds clean up their feathers!

I knew the reason before, but it was a different feeling to feel it myself. Indeed, since becoming a crow, I feel like I have experienced a lot of different things.

No, it's not an illusion. Since I became a real crow, I had to start everything from the basics.

Um... but... It's nice to be loved, but... Is it just me, or is it that I started to become a real crow?

The situation was not bad right now. No, the situation was so good that I regretted directing my middle finger and swearing at God before, saying that my life was like a ditch.

I'm loved by the future emperor, and thanks to that, I'm living a life of luxury that ordinary people can't even imagine, right?

Who can treat jewels like they're just air? When I saw what he was going to eat, something that looked really expensive came out.

Of course, that's not to say that what I get is bad. But I want to enjoy it as a person! I've got him to like me and think I'm cute, but the difference and limitations between animals and humans are too great!

I also-- I also want a pretty dress! A gown! And, and--!

I glanced at Karmeut.

The world is not fair when you look at me and touch my feathers with a soft, sweet gaze like honey is even dripping!

He's so handsome, enough for me to start squealing.

In addition to his status as a prince who was born with a diamond spoon in his mouth -who is also a future emperor-, he has a friendly personality.

---Don't you feel that this man is perfect just from my explanation? He's the best! That's why he's an emperor in the novel. A prince is an indispensable candidate for a husband in such fiction! And I'm getting a lot of love from such a man!

Then, isn't it natural to want him to treat me as a lover, not as a pet?

Seeing his smile, I felt my face burning, so I skillfully buried my beak in my feathers. When I acted as if I was going to sleep, my heart was fluttering because a hand was stroking my back so slowly and so gently.

...But I think that he likes me because I'm a crow.

The thought made me depressed. Karmeut had a lot of work to do from now on. The Karmeut I knew had been an emperor, but now, he was a prince.

Besides that, there’s a fight between brothers for the right to succession. Obviously, there will be a bloody battle in the palace.

There would be a lot of work to do, such as bringing the nobles to his side, information warfare, and getting rid of spies, but what I'm doing is just as usual...

There was no risk of assassination or being targeted by the nobles, but I felt alienated for some reason.

Well, the only thing I can do right now is just to be cared for like this...

---At least I have to get rid of the image that crows are unlucky!!

I'll make sure that the saying that crows are the cutest animals in the world comes out of the mouth of not only Karmeut, but also passers-by!!

There's nothing I will get by being depressed! I may or may not be able to become a human, but what will I get by holding onto something I can't do and just crying?! Yeah!! I have to cheer up and be strong!!

"Rainelle, if you're not sleepy, shall we go for a walk in the garden?"

"Caaw! (Of course! It's good to go out!)"

 

*3rd person POV

The imperial palace of the Wolfric Empire was where the rulers of the empire lived, so it was not neglected or shabby. In the Imperial Palace garden alone, dozens of gardeners and wizards managed the temperature and care optimized for each plant, creating the best conditions for each leaf to shine, so it was always green, and the flowers were in full bloom. It would make the viewers exclaim in amazement.

"Caaaw caaw--"

In such a place, an out-of-place low and loud cry was heard. The gardener who was managing the rose bushes was startled when a black object that did not match the colorful and beautiful garden flew by.

A crow in the Imperial garden! How could a sinister bird come in?!

The Imperial Palace had a magic circle to ward off pests, so it was extremely unlikely that other insect-eating animals would come.

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So, how did it get here?

Anyway, it was clear that if it wasn't kicked out of here quickly, it could be sighted by the chief of staff or the nobles, then he would get in big trouble, so the gardener looked around to see if there were any brooms nearby.

He thought that he could not kill it because it was a flying animal and that at least he had to kick it out, so he would scare it away with a broom. It was then when,

"Rainelle, come here."

It was a human voice. And in response to the voice, without a moment to be surprised at the crow's action, the gardener bowed down.

To hear someone's voice here, it must belong the first prince, the owner of this garden. Especially since the gardener heard that he had come back not too long ago.

"-Who are you?"

It was a dignified voice. The gardener bowed even more and replied to the voice that didn't contain any curiosity for asking the question of who he was.

"Sorry, I'm sorry, Your Highness! I'm the gardener who manages this garden."

"I see. Thank you for letting me to enjoy such a beautiful garden. You did a great job."

As he said that and tapped the other party's shoulder, the gardener's body trembled. Anyone would feel elated when their superior acknowledge their work. All the more if it was from a prince.

The voice of the crow was heard again in the ear of the gardener, who was bowing his head while he was not sure what to do.

"Oh, and there's no need to drive away the crow flying in this garden. It's a crow that I cherish, so if it gets hurt, it won't stay still."

Hearing those words, the gardener's body shook and he bent down to the point that his face almost touched the ground.

What if I had found a broom a little earlier, stirred it in the air to drive the crow away, and the crow got hit?

The gardener could not easily raise his back because cold sweat ran down his back just from that thought alone.

 

*Rainelle’s POV

Whoa... I almost got hit by a broom!

Sitting on Karmeut's shoulder, I looked at the man who appeared to be a gardener and breathed a sigh of relief.

Well, he was just gonna kick me out without being able to catch me, right? Anyway, with Karmeut, I'm free from all kinds of threats! Isn't this a totally free pass?

"Well then, Rainelle. Fly around as much as you want. Don't go too far, all right?"

"There aren't many people here who know your charm," Karmeut added while tickling my chin. I made a pleasant cry.

Aah, that's cheating! I feel like I'm going to melt down! Anyway, okay! I don’t want to just sit around!

I nodded my head once to convey that I understood, then I spread my wings and flew. Karmeut's room was great, but perhaps because I became a crow, I liked the garden with the blue sky and trees much more than the room.

There were no helpful herbs, but the plants here were pretty. Even if I don't know much about it, I knew that the garden was well maintained and there were a lot of things that were difficult to find.

Anyway, I only flew within the range that Karmeut could see. I sat on a branch and rubbed my beak, sat near a rose bush and smelled the roses, or went under the bushes and showed my head when Karmeut came near.

I wanted to pluck the petals, but I should refrain from doing so because the gardener might get angry.

My goal is to be a crow loved by the people! Not an unlucky bird! I've done so much to be with Karmeut!!

Karmeut was also in a very good mood, walking leisurely and laughing. His smile was so dazzling. I was looking at his smile with my eyes narrowed on a branch of a tree, then I noticed that I could see someone approaching this way with several people.

Huh? Who is it? The people following him looked like servants.

"Elder Brother – so you are here?"

...Wow, what bad luck. That voice is so annoying. I shouldn't say this to someone I saw for the first time, but his voice is annoying! Just by listening to it, 'I'm a jerk, so avoid me on your own' is dripping! Whoa, how can a voice be so annoying?

My eyes widened with astonishment. Even more surprisingly, as soon as the voice was heard, Karmeut's face contorted and turned expressionless.

Wha-, what? I didn't know Karmeut could make such a face? No, I remember that Karmeut has good control, but to make him show such an expression, who the hell is that person?

Questions filled my mind. The annoying sounding voice and Karmeut's change in his expression made me very curious about the identity of the person who had appeared now.

I get a rough idea from what you said bro, but I still want to be sure! I want to hear who you are!

"-Luwellin."

Karmeut's golden eyes had a cold glint when he said that name in an apathetic voice.

His voice, which felt as if an emotionless doll was talking, gave me goosebumps. And at the same time, I saw the man named Luwellin smiled.

The smile felt like it belong to a sly scoundrel, and at the same time, it gave the most despicable feeling.

 

*Karmeut’s POV

Karmeut turned his eyes to check where Rainelle was.

-Fortunately, Lewellin did not see himself and Rainelle together. In the Imperial Palace, it was perfect to be taken advantage of if he showed affection more than necessary, even if it was towards an animal.

Of course, the current Karmeut could protect Rainelle, but still, there was nothing more foolish than showing weakness when dealing with an unknown enemy.

"So, what's going on? Are you here to show me another cute trick?"

"Oh, no. If I had known that you would like the cute trick I did a while ago, I would have prepared something else."

Karmeut wrinkled his eyebrows for a moment and snorted inwardly at the word 'cute', but he soon replied with a smile.

Well, to give an objective evaluation, that was the only attempt you had ever made. It wasn't too much for you to boast after beating me properly.

Of course, I don't intend to get hit ever again.

"Well, it was a lot of fun, but... Since you're already so old, why don't you stop acting cute? Even if you joke around, I don't think it'll be that cute."

"But you're still my brother. Don't you know? Maybe you won't be able to see my cuteness ever again."

"I don't know if this is another joke to compete with Sepia, but I'd like to decline your cuteness."

Karmeut shook his head, mentioning Sepia, the first princess and the only woman among the siblings.

A younger brother is a younger brother. If he was asked to watch his brother's act of cuteness twice, he might want to kill him because he's so cute.

Golden eyes and yellowish-brown eyes collided in the air. The two princes, who glared at each other so hard that sparks could almost be seen, didn't say anything for a while. The first person to make the next move was Luwellin. He opened his mouth after sending his escorts and servants away.

"I heard some interesting news."

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