Chapter 14: 14

*Karmeut’s POV

If Karmeut hadn't already awakened, it was a very attractive proposition.

The reason why Karmeut, before his awakening, fought with Luwellin for the right of succession was because he hadn't awakened. Of course, despite the presence of an awakened person, it was Karmeut's efforts and capabilities that drew forces that were slightly more dominant compared to Luwellin’s.

If he was able to awaken, it was not even a problem to obtain the right to succession.

And even in the current situation, the offer to be given a Crobalock was tempting. Even if Karmeut doesn't eat it, he can attract loyalty by giving it to those with great achievements.

"Giving it to me... have you never thought about eating it yourself?"

"Of course, it's not that I didn't... But I have the blood of the Imperial Family running through my body. If I eat Crobanlock, there is a high probability that I will 'awaken' like Prince Luwellin. And that's not to my liking. I'm a wizard who decided to walk on the path of magic. I'm not one to seize power through the blood of the Imperial Family."

Karmeut smiled unconsciously at the innocent remark.

"-I see. Then I'll make a contract with you. If I become the emperor, the research expenses of Marquis Namuel will be borne by the Imperial Family. This is an oath in my name."

The wizard's green eyes opened wide. And then he answered in a gentle tone while bowing gracefully.

"From the moment You Highness ascend to the throne, my knowledge and magic will be yours."

Karmeut nodded with a satisfied look. It was heartening that a person who could be a 5th class mage at a young age, in other words: a genius, would offer Crobanlock and his loyalty to him.

All that was left was to snatch a chance and bring Luwellin down to the ground.

He becomes arrogant at the fact that he is the only one who is awakened and neglects his training. If I let my stupid little brother who acts like he's the most powerful slapped with reality--

What kind of expression will he make?

The smile that appeared on Karmeut's face when he imagined it was captivating, but at the same time it was as sharp as that of a prey-seeking beast.

Karmeut, who had finished his conversation with Namuel satisfactorily, adjusted his seating. There was also a great harvest of obtaining Crobanlock, so he began to get himself comfortable.

When he felt his shoulders lighten with a flapping sound, Karmeut sighed inwardly. Namuel's eyes were fixed on Rainelle, who tilted its head as it suddenly landed on the table.

The crow, who was flicking its tail feathers, blinked its pretty violet eyes and tapped its beak near the plate containing dried fruits. And it cawed a little.

Karmeut was about to pick up a fruit while smiling unconsciously at Rainelle's action of tapping the table instead of the plate, perhaps asking for a dried fruit, when,

"Here, you want this?"

Namuel's hand had moved to hold out a dried fruit to Rainelle before Karmeut could pick up one.

Seeing Rainelle, who took the offered fruit with its beak, swallowed it deliciously, and made a pleasant cry, Karmeut turned his gaze to Namuel.

"It's a smart and polite bird. It feels like the knowledge I had of crows is being shattered."

Namuel, who had his eyes narrowed with a thin smile, picked up another fruit and gave it to Rainelle. The crow tilted its head with a small cry and walked up to Namuel.

Then, after hesitating for a moment, it pecked slightly at the dried fruit. Rainelle, who alternately looked at Namuel and the dried fruit while blinking its violet eyes, finally ate the fruit again.

Rainelle's eyes twinkled and it slowly approached Namuel. As the crow made a small cry and flapped its wings slightly, Namuel tilted his head and asked,

"May I pet it?"

"...if Rainelle allows it."

Namuel's green eyes were tinged with wonder at Karmeut's half-beat late answer, but then he focused his attention on the crow.

The smooth and glossy feathers were not just black. The dark feathers, which appeared purple and green depending on the angle, were unexpectedly attractive.

Its jewel-like sparkling eyes were shining even more with curiosity, and the way it looked at Namuel's reaction while staring at it from above was unbelievable that it was just a bird.

The crow shook its head as it opened and closed its beak to the wizard's action, who carefully reached out its hand. Namuel waited patiently for Rainelle to approach first, and the wait did not last long.

Little by little, the crow approached his hand and tapped his beak on the tip of his fingers. With its violet eyes blinking and its posture still in place, Namuel plucked up his courage. He moved his hand and stroked its head.

I moved my hand and stroked my head.

The smooth sensation of its feathers clung to the wizard's palm. Rainelle gave a small cry and rubbed its head against the palm of Namuel's hand.

Then, due to Rainelle pushing its body under his palm like a cat digging through a blanket, Namuel suddenly became stroking the crow's torso.

Perhaps liking that, Rainelle squinted as it let out a contented cry. Then, as if acting cute, the crow rubbed its beak on Namuel's finger.

The action brought a smile to the wizard's lips.

"It's cute. Are crows originally such a charming bird?"

"...Well, this is my first time raising a crow, so I don't know."

It seems that Rainelle doesn't care much about their conversation. Rainelle jumped on Namuel's arm. Then, it bit the hem of his robe with its beak and let it go, as if begging to play.

The wizard, who had inadvertently thought that the sparkling purple eyes resembled violets (flowers), realized that the crow's gaze was fixed on one place.

"Aah... you must be interested. Well, crows like glittering things."

As Namuel said so, he touched the glasses with his hands, which caused the crow's eyes to shine even more brightly. Namuel smiled and shook his head slightly as he looked at the puppy-like ball of fluff.

"I'm sorry, but you can't play with it."

The crow drooped its wings as if understood his words. The wizard laughed again as Rainelle still stared at his glasses, as if it could not give up and don't want any regret. It even cawed quietly as if it was disappointed.

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Perhaps Rainelle's emotion was so strong that it was enough to understand what it was thinking just by looking. Obviously, it was an animal, not a human, but it felt strange that it could display emotions so much.

The wizard stroked its head gently as if to soothe it.

"I can't give you the glasses, but I can give you food...Would you like some more?"

With that said, Namuel picked up a dried fruit and brought it in front of Rainelle's beak, and Rainelle ate it without hesitation.

Then, when it began to move slowly on his arm as if to sit on his shoulder,

"Rainelle, come here."

The crow's head turned with a snap. Then, Rainelle, after cawing as if it understood, flew straight to Karmeut's shoulder. Stroking Rainelle's wings on his shoulder with one hand, Karmeut spoke in a strangely somber voice.

"That's amazing. It's the first time I've seen Rainelle being so open to other people."

"...is that so? That's weird. It has such a charming personality that it’s more likely for it to behave this way to other people as well."

While saying that, the wizard looked at the prince's pet crow with a strangely regretful feeling. The violet eyes looked at his green eyes. The crow, who raised its head and made a small caw as if it wanted to go to Namuel again, flinched when it felt that there was a hand on its back.

"It would bother you if it plays around any longer. I'm sorry."

" ---Oh, no. How can I be bothered by the prince's pet acting cute? Well then, excuse me, but it seems that I need to continue with an unfinished research."

"Is that so? I won't stop you."

The prince was then reminded of the strange smile on the wizard's face earlier. Karmeut frowned, and Namuel hurriedly said his farewell and left the room. As the door closed and his movement of walking away can be heard, Karmeut let out a long sigh and took back his hand that was placed on Rainelle's back.

"...Rainelle."

When he called with a low and somber voice, Rainelle got down from his shoulder to the table while being slightly wary. Seeing Rainelle's actions, Karmeut's eyes twitched strangely, then he grabbed its black and hard beak with his fingers. He shook it slightly.

"Do you like Namuel that much?"

Rainelle, who had been watching Karmeut's eyes, sat back on his shoulder again while cawing softly as soon as he let go of its beak. And a sigh escaped Karmeut's lips as Rainelle carefully rubbed its black beak on the prince's cheek.

"...I'm really weird. I can't believe I feel awful when I see you acting cute towards someone else. It's not that it’s a bad thing that you're loved, but.."

Karmeut's hand stroked Rainelle's back. The feathers were firm but smooth. The prince, who was enjoying the sensation, murmured while pouting his lips like a sulky child,

"I feel like I'm losing you."

Hearing those words, the crow stared at the golden eyes. Rainelle, who had been so still for a while, suddenly flapped its wings and went into Karmeut's arms. The prince was momentarily stunned when it did so. The crow was fluttering its tail.

When there was no response, Rainelle looked up, tilted its head, and puffed up its feathers. Then, it wiggled like it was in a warm nest, and it gently closed its eyes.

It was as if its action was saying that its place to rest was in Karmeut's arms, so the golden eyes bent satisfactorily.

When he reached out and stroked its head, Karmeut smiled at its cute act of biting his fingertips with its beak. He buried his face on its back and snuggled a little. Rainelle's wings fluttered slightly at the loving behavior.

Really, how can you be so lovely?

Karmeut stroked Rainelle's feathers, thinking that he should make Rainelle wear a necklace to prove Rainelle was his crow.

While enjoying the smooth texture of Rainelle's feathers, he tapped its beak playfully, then he continued to rub the beak with his finger.

He felt satisfaction that could not be expressed in words and his golden eyes were curved.

While savoring Rainelle's cuteness to the fullest, Karmeut turned his gaze to the Crobanlock lying on the table. The prince, who touched Rainelle's feathers with one hand, reached out his other hand to pick up the fruit. He brought the Crobanlock close to the tip of his nose and smelled it.

It was a scent that he had smelled only once: when he ate the Crobanlock that Rainelle brought to him in the forest.

It's the same scent that I smelled at that time. The scent is rather soothing. At least it means that Namuel gave me the real thing.

Holding the Crobanlock, the prince agonized.

Who should I give this to? Who can survive eating the fruit which brought the great burden of dying if they are not awakened?

And among those people, who will become the hands and feet of the empire and contribute to its development when I become the emperor?

Then, suddenly, his gaze turned to Rainelle. The appearance of the crow which enjoyed Karmeut's touch like a cat was simply cute in the prince's eyes.

What happens if a crow eats this fruit?

Karmeut's mind became complicated by the sudden question.

Will the crow awaken? I couldn't even imagine what the outcome would be.

The fruit was hard to obtain even for the Imperial Family. It was not enough for humans to eat, so who will give it to animals?

However, contrary to Namuel's belief, the prince had already awakened.

I wondered what would happen if I eat two, but it was too costly just to solve that question. Besides that... feeding it to Rainelle is also not worth considering.

It would be great if Rainelle awakened, but what if Rainelle died?

That assumption alone made him feel sick, so Karmeut shook his head without realizing it. The risk was too great. He doesn't know what will happen when Rainelle awakened, but he couldn’t risk Rainelle's life.

‘I'll have to think about who to give this to.'

Thinking rationally, Karmeut pushed the Crobanlock into his front pocket/arms. It was too precious to leave it unattended, so he thought of keeping it in a place that was known only to him.

Violet eyes were twinkling as they stared at the blue jewel-like fruit.

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