Chapter 12: 12

*Karmeut’s POV

"Oh? And what's that?"

"Are you serious when you said to the Emperor that you would secure the right to succession?"

The older brother replied to the younger brother without beating around the bush anymore, and his golden eyes were shining coldly.

"Yeah. Shouldn't it be decided soon? Who will be the next emperor, and who will die?"

Hearing those words, Luwellin's eyes narrowed and the corner of his lips turned up.

"Ha! I didn't expect to hear that from you. An idiot who didn't even awaken!"

"I don't think that's the right thing to say for a brainless child who hasn't been able to secure the right to succession despite his awakening."

The face of the prince, who was known to be the only awakened among the siblings, was distorted like a devil. But his brother's words weren't over. He looked up and down at Luwellin with a smirk in his golden eyes and said,

"Didn't you have a chance to appease the nobles while I was away? But seeing that opportunity wasted, you're not that formidable either. Ah, you are a fool, so you must have put muscles in your head instead of a brain. I'm sorry. You're my only younger brother that's left, but I didn't take into account the fact that your IQ dropped. From now on, would it be better if I speak more simply?"

"Graaahh!"

At that moment, Luwellin screamed. The next moment, a wolf was standing at the spot where Luwellin was. The wolf, which had murky gold fur that was the same as Luwellin's hair, was showing his teeth. It was only half as big as the average wolf at best.

Karmeut raised his eyebrows at the sight.

Was it always this small? Even when I recall his first awakening, it wasn’t this small.

It is said that the blood of wolves flowing in the Imperial Family is from the wolf that assisted the God who created this world in the distant past. I don't know if it's real or not - but objectively speaking, why would a wolf as great as that get together with a human to spread its offspring?

It was true that the awakened turned into a wolf.

But no matter how I thought about it, this isn't what I imagined.

"What is it, Luwellin? That size, I'm sure you weren't that small before?"

The growl grew louder. Karmeut snorted at the sight of him growling and showing his teeth as if he was saying that he didn't want to hear it.

I wish I had a sword, but it wouldn't be too hard to subdue a wolf of that size even without a sword.

Karmeut snorted, but he took a cautious step back.

-Being able to simply turn into a wolf isn't everything.

The awakened of the Wolfric Imperial Family were classified as separate beings from the beasts.

...but the records did not tell where and how they differ, so it's the right choice to act cautiously.

Was it a ridiculous reason like, 'I dare not record the characteristics of the noble royal family'?

There was no time to think about why there were no records. It was when Karmeut was alert of Luwellin, who was slowly approaching him, that the flapping of wings can be heard.

Then came the wolf's scream along with a high-pitched cry.

"Caaaww!"

"Woof woof woof!"

It happened so quickly that he realized it too late when a crow that looked like a lump of black mass had rushed onto the wolf's face.

The wolf closed his eyes and screamed at the crow, who was scratching the wolf's nose mercilessly with its claws.

Rainelle puffed up its feathers. It made the crow looked like a winged ball.

However, the atmosphere was very brutal. It was very fierce and rushed to the wolf again.

"Woof woof-woof!!"

Perhaps very angry, Luwellin's pupils contracted, looking like a devil with blood dripping from his nose. He was trying to bite Rainelle, who was flying above his head and seemed about to attack again. The wolf crouched slightly in place, then he jumped towards Rainelle.

"Woof---!"

"Stop it, Luwellin!"

 

*3rd person POV

Karmeut ran over and kicked the wolf in the side. Luwellin, who rolled over and had turned into a human figure, gasped and exhaled harshly, but Karmeut's golden eyes gleamed coldly.

"You lose your composure and growling without knowing what's important? It's not only that you've gotten smaller, but you've also become a dog? As far as I know, there is no dog blood in our imperial family."

"Shut up, shut up!! How dare that unlucky bird cut my face----!"

There was blood dripping from the red, swollen wounds from claw scrapes on the bridge of his nose. Luwellin was so angry that he lost his temper, but his body couldn't help but tremble from pain because Karmeut had kicked him a lot harder than he had expected.

It was strong enough that Luwellin had to stand up with one hand on his side.

"Luwellin."

"Shut your mouth! You half-blood who can't even awaken!!"

It was a vulgar way of talking for a member of the Imperial Family, but Karmeutsmiled. Luwellin paused at the look on Karmeut's face, which was smiling with great delight.

"You came into my garden without my permission, turned into a wolf, and you made a fuss because you were attacked by a crow?"

A bone-chilling atmosphere filled the surrounding area. Although not armed, Karmeut overwhelmed Luwellin with momentum, which made Luwellin swallow saliva from his dry mouth and took a step back.

"Yes, as you say, I'm a half-blood. A member of the Imperial Family who has not awakened. But my stupid brother, remember this one thing,"

Karmeut approached Luwellin at a faster pace than Luwellin's backward steps. Karmeut looked straight into his shaking yellowish-brown eyes and said,

"Just because I didn't awaken, don't think that I'll be weaker than you. I keep thinking that it's not that hard to beat you, who's gotten smaller and weaker than before."

Luwellin's face distorted with humiliation when he heard such a thing from his brother, who had not even awakened, but he did not retaliate.

Feeling how much his side was aching, the thought that there might be a problem with the bones kept stabbing Luwellin's mind. In this case, the thought that he wasn't so advantageous in fighting Karmeut also floated in Luwellin's head.

"You've been acting cute a while ago. Do you want to do it again, little brother? But what should I do? I don't think it's going to be easy. Or... is your life so boring that you want to be killed by a half-blood who hasn't awaken? If that's the case, I'd gladly cut your head off."

Seeing the golden eyes shining with intensity, the third prince was discouraged.

'Now that my ribs are hurt, it's impossible to attack him right now', thought Luwellin while muttering words like appeasement.

"...I won't do it next time."

"I hope so."

 

*Karmeut’s POV

Karmeut snorted at Luwellin's back, who had gnashed his teeth at his reply but turned away in the end.

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This is just a speculation-but Luwellin, maybe because he's the only one who has awakened, he's lazy to discipline himself and neglected his training, taking it for granted that he'll be one to become the emperor.

The second prince died when he was young due to his weak body, and he was unable to awaken himself, and the princess, Sepia, was still young and hadn't awakened, so she doesn't have the right to the throne.

---If it's that guy, considering his personality, he would be lazy.

As he thought so, Karmeut turned to look at Rainelle. The crow was sitting on a branch, puffing up its feathers, and stared in the direction where Luwellin had left to. Karmeut opened his mouth with his arms outstretched.

"Rainelle, come here."

While still puffing up its feathers, Rainelle made a screeching sound towards the direction in which Luwellin had disappeared, then it landed on Karmeut's arm.

Staring at Rainelle's violet eyes, who cawed on and on as it opened and closed its beak, the prince shouted,

"That was dangerous!"

Startled, Rainelle's body trembled. Karmeut held Rainelle's body and was checking for any wounds. After confirming that there were no wounds, he raised his voice even higher.

"What would you have done if you got bitten?! No matter how stupid he is, if you get bitten, you'll get hurt and die!"

Rainelle's neck shrank, its violet eyes shaking, and it let out a small caw.

Seeing Rainelle in his arms flattening its feathers and putting its feet close to its body, Karmeut breathed a long sigh and hugged it.

"...I'm sorry."

Rainelle, with its neck shrank and eyes going blank, looked as if it was about pass out, so Karmeut felt sorry again and stroked its head.

Rather than being thankful, I’m more afraid of Rainelle getting hurt. And also, if I revealed my fear, Rainelle will become Luwellin's target.

Blaming himself for not being able to react quickly as those thoughts intertwined in his mind, Karmeut went back to his room while holding Rainelle.

 

*Rainelle's POV

Oh, I got in trouble. Karmeut is pissed...

It's because I was seething with anger when I heard that guy named Luwellin talking bad about Karmeut. He suddenly turned into a wolf and was about to attack, so I went first and scratched his nose with my claws. I thought that it would be very painful to peck his eyes, so I didn't do it...

My eyes felt like they were about to burst into tears.

I understand that you're angry because you're worried about me, but when you suddenly shout and make an angry face, um... I, I was surprised and upset----

Karmeut placed me on the bed and examined my body carefully. Maybe he couldn't be satisfied with what he looked at earlier, so he grabbed my wings with his hands and spread them. Only after he checked between the feathers to see if there were any wounds did he let me go with a sigh of relief.

"Haah, fortunately, you're not hurt."

Yeah, I'm not hurt, but-- still, I did it for your sake---I might as well have stayed put, but I didn't want to see you hear those things. But you got so mad like this--

When Karmeut down, I flew straight to the cage. Then I grabbed the cage door with my beak and closed it. The cage door closed silently, probably because the Imperial Family bought a good quality one.

"...Rainelle?"

I could see his golden eyes tremble a little from bewilderment, but I didn't have any energy.

I did my best... you are so mean.

I drooped my wings, buried my beak in my feathers, and closed my eyes. I heard Karmeut's voice calling me, but I was a little upset and pretended not to hear it.

I'm more upset than when he left me alone and more than when I'm being given worms when I'm hungry.

I felt a hand grabbing my body, but I didn't raise my head. It was not so pleasant this time to be hugged in his warm embrace. I didn't want to look at Karmeut right now, so I just stayed quiet.

"...Are you angry?"

I'm angry, but I'm sadder. But I'm a crow, so even if I say it, what comes out will be cawing sounds, right? So I don't want to say it.

...with that in mind, I neither raised my head nor opened my eyes. Then I felt a gentle stroke on my head as if it was soothing me. But that didn't ease my mind, so I didn't react.

"Are you surprised by my shouting...?"

I'm surprised, but I'm sadder that you shouted at me for acting in my own way for you.

Still, he got it half right, so I opened one of my eyes slightly and then closed it again.

The gentle stroke on my back still felt good, but I didn't raise my head because the touch didn't even relieve my disappointment.

"Rainelle."

A soft and gentle voice. The warm hands that wrapped around my body and stroked my back gently were so warm that I looked up and opened my eyes, pretending that he won. The golden eyes, which shone beautifully as if they were made of pure gold, were filled with sadness.

"I'm sorry."

With a tap, his index finger touched the tip of my beak. Karmeut, still with his index finger at the tip of my beak as if asking for permission, moved his finger and slowly caressed my beak.

The touch felt like a lover's hand that caressed the back of my hand. Affectionate, careful. It was as if he didn't want me to be angry anymore. My sadness melted little by little.

"I’m afraid you'll get hurt. Luwellin, he's a guy who firmly believes that he'll become the next emperor. That's why he can't tolerate you leaving a scar on his face. You could have died. So I was scared."

Karmeut's action in telling me his thoughts was sweet. If another person was to see him explaining things to a crow while holding that said crow, they would think that it was ridiculous and funny, but not with me.

Even though it was obvious that I looked like a normal crow, he explained it like this to me which made my sadness completely gone. And I was happy at the same time.

How can I not be happy when I've heard for myself that I'm precious enough for him to worry?

"You are the one I can feel at ease with. Life in the Imperial Palace is splendid, but it's a place where you can't let your guard down. You are precious to me... so please don't do anything too reckless. I beg you... You're smart, can you understand what I'm saying?"

I nodded my head. It would have been incomprehensible to a real crow, but it was possible for me because my soul was that of a human.

If not for that, I wouldn't have been able to help Karmeut in the first place.

...and Karmeut said that I was reckless.

I knew Karmeut was capable of killing even a leopard as I saw it firsthand, but didn't he lose in thought until he stayed still?

But I came forward and attacked because I'm a little angry, and as he said, I was reckless.

It would have been terrifying if my dog rushed into a car running down the road because it thought that I was in danger. I would have grabbed the dog quickly and scolded it by shouting "No!". Thinking like that, I felt a little sorry because Karmeut deserved to shout at me. I lowered my head and put it in his palm. I let out a small caw as he slowly rubbed my head with his callused but warm hand.

"...Yes. Thank you for understanding."

As if in line with his words, his hand slowly stroked my head to my neck and finally to my back. After enjoying his touch for a while, I flew over to Karmeut's shoulder, sat down, and rubbed my cheek against his cheek. Unlike the palm, the warmth and softness of his skin could be felt through my feathers.

I could hear a laugh. A soft and gentle sound. Whenever he laughed, the light vibration I felt through my cheeks tickled me, so laughter also leaked out of me.

Although, it was nothing more than a crow's cry. When I laughed, I felt a bit sad.

"Shall we eat some fruits, Rainelle? You ate the cookies earlier, so I'll give some to you again at dinner."

Yes! Great!! Cookies are the best, but I like fruits too!

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