Chapter 42: 42

*3rd person POV

The old wizard swept down his white beard while smiling. Karmeut narrowed his eyes as he saw Myrdin's action, then he replied,

"Then you're saying it’s not like that?"

"I have said that I had met a crow that ate Crobanlock before, right? He was also a very curious crow. Well, that didn't mean that the crow show me his human figure easily --it did happen after a lot of things. --- But this is not the point. Anyway, after getting acquainted with that crow, I was able to hear a lot of stories."

The old wizard seemed to be lost in thought for a moment as he fiddled with his teacup. Perhaps he was recalling the distant past because the wizard's eyes looked to be staring at a faraway place somehow.

"My opinion is just a hypothesis because I can't confirm it by listening to him alone. That's why I need the help of the crow under Your Highness’ care. Well, the question about her affinity with spirits is not something to worry about."

Myrdin broke a cookie into pieces by hand and handed one of the cookie pieces to Rainelle. The crow, who was hesitating and looking around, finally took the cookie. Myrdin then added with a benevolent smile,

"Animal is essentially a creature that lives in nature. They live as they are, not like humans who refine their surroundings to be livable. It would be absurd that they have a low affinity for spirits. And mana, there is no need for me to say more about it. Think about it. Can an ordinary crow turn into a human?"

It was unknown who gasped, but that represented the feelings of all the listeners,

Yes. An ordinary crow cannot take a human form. Only crows that have eaten Crobanlock can transform into human form.

"This was confirmed through that one crow that I met... When he transforms into a human form, the mana in his body moves. Neither the surrounding mana changes, nor does it glow like an illusory or transformation magic, so it is easy to think of it like a form that was similar to that of the Hybrid people.”

"Mana in the body--- But Myrdin-nim, don’t animals only have a very insignificant level of mana? That's basically just the mana that all living beings have, right? Although there are differences in the bodies of ordinary humans like those who don't use magic or have no talent."

"Of course that’s true, Marquis. But isn't there the Crobanlock variable here?"

"Oh, then after eating Crobanlock, the mana inside my body is increased that it’s enough to transform me into a human? ---Is that it?"

Rainelle asked that as she sat next to Karmeut with her eyes twinkling after suddenly changing her form.

The old wizard responded with a chuckle to her actions,

"Yes, yes. So you should be able to make a contract with lower-level spirits. Oh, of course, it’s not like you would be able to attack using the spirits or do something similar to that... According to that one crow, he just controls and adjusts the wind to make it easier to fly. It's like that."

At those words, Rainelle seemed disappointed.

She said "Ah," softly and pursed her lips slowly as Myrdin said more words. But she soon opened her mouth with eyes that were twinkling again,

"Well then, can I ask you one more question? No, may I?"

"Heh heh, of course. Oh, and you don't have to be so hard on yourself to be so polite with me. That crow who I met also had a hard time using it."

"...Um, thanks for the consideration... But even among crows, there is a concept of seniority. Older and wiser crows teach young crows to temporarily lead flocks for the winter months when they fly far away or raise their young. So I have to be respectful. That's the manners."

Her dark hair fluttered as she shook her head gently. Her purple eyes that resembled violets gleamed even more in the light.

"Anyway, I have a question. The crow who ate the Crobanlock that Grandpa met. When did you meet him? And..."

She swallowed her saliva. After a moment's hesitation, Rainelle finished her words with a firm expression on her face as if she had made up her mind,

"...how long did that crow live?"

The prince's golden eyes shook. He turned his head to look at Rainelle, but she didn't seem to notice his gaze because she was looking at Myrdin with a desperate look. Quietly biting her lower lip and holding back something for a second, Rainelle then continued,

"---I know. Within a few months of being born, we learn to fly, to find food on our own, and to protect ourselves. Humans take decades to do that, right? And... I also know that we die sooner than humans."

The purple eyes did not waver even though she talked about death. Rather, they may have seemed to be determined, and Rainelle’s gaze on Myrdin was clear.

"So tell me. How long did that crow live?"

The old wizard narrowed his eyes at her gaze. Then he raised his hand and stroked his beard a few times before smiling.

"...Heh heh. Yes, what a bold and brave girl. Well, before I answer, can I ask you one thing, lady?"

"What’s that?"

"If you have the same lifespan as other crows, and you go on a long journey first... what are you going to do?"

At those words, Rainelle pondered for a moment. But her troubled expression did not last long because she soon answered with a bittersweet yet calm smile at the same time,

"Then, every moment is precious, so I think I'll try to live with no regrets while cherishing the time now."

"Ho, I see."

"I want to do my best for as long as I can. ...Isn't that the right thing?"

Hearing that, Myrdin chuckled. The old wizard, who nodded his head with a satisfied smile, replied in a laughing voice,

"Yes, you're right. But it's never easy. After all, our pretty little girl is a crow, not a human. Heh heh heh!"

A question mark floated over Rainelle’s head at what Myrdin said. But either way, the old wizard, who chuckled and laughed for a while, wiped tears from the corners of his eyes and opened his mouth again,

"In short, that crow is still alive. I met him for the first time when I was thirty-two, so I have known him for about sixty years. Besides, that crow said he was over five years old at the time, so he had lived for a long time."

The purple eyes widened.

"...that crow is alive?"

"Yes. By the way, he's probably taking a nap in my mansion by now."

As he said that, the eyes of the old wizard who stroked his beard were filled with a kind smile.

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"It's not that I don’t understand young lady’s heart. He was also very anxious. Because your kind’s time is different from humans, he was also worried about not knowing when he would die."

Myrdin nodded his head. He kept silent for a while, not stopping his hand that was stroking his white beard. Finally, he continued and said,

"Honestly, I was also anxious. That one didn't live in my mansion like how young lady did with the prince, but he would often come to my mansion to play and eat snacks, except for the period when he was leaving for winter."

The old wizard drank a sip of tea as if he was thirsty because of the long talk. He caught his breath for a moment, and then he continued again,

“One of the reasons I started research on Crobanlock and crows was because of that. To start with, the mana has increased enough to allow you and him to take on a human form, so it can be inferred that your lifespan has also increased. It's just a speculation, but the evidence is there."

"...it’s based on the crow that ate Crobanlock and who is friendly with Myrdin-nim, right?"

"Yes. If that speculation is wrong, that guy should have already died long ago. The lifespan of a crow is about twenty years or so after all."

Rainelle let out a long sigh, perhaps reassured by those words. Seeing that, Myrdin added,

"By the way, I was a little surprised. Actually it was the same question that I have I asked that crow. I didn't expect your answers to be so similar."

"...Huh? Really?"

"That’s right. He also said that if the time given to him was short, he would have no choice but to do his best. Well, maybe it’s a different way of thinking than humans’. Anyway, it was really interesting."

Myrdin, who was looking at Rainelle with a smile on his face, asked her another question,

"How are you feeling? Are you relieved now?"

Rainelle laughed softly at that. She then turned into a crow, landing on the old wizard's shoulder, and rubbed his cheek with her beak. Myrdin chuckled at the crow's actions, then he raised his hand and gently stroked the crow's wings.

"Aigoo, that guy never acted cute like this to me."

Myrdin, who laughed happily, tapped Rainelle's beak with his index finger. The old wizard spoke softly with a voice that was full of smiles to the crow who was blinking her purple eyes.

"Now that I’ve experienced it, I think it would be better for you to go to the prince's side right now. It hurts my heart when this old man received a burning gaze like this."

At those words, the crow's head turned to Karmeut. Rainelle puffed up her feathers and shook her head excitedly at the sight of the prince smiling, although he somehow seemed uncomfortable. With a swish, she flew and then landed on his lap.

Then the crow, who noticed with a side glance that his expression had softened slightly, snorted. Even so, she did not refuse the prince's touch. Of course, he bit his finger a little to let him know that she had been a little upset earlier.

Myrdin, who looked at them like the scene was funny, said with a smile after quite a while,

"Heh heh, anyway, I'll do what the prince wants. You may not like it, but I’d like the young lady to come this way for a while. Because you have to make the spirit contract yourself."

Hearing that, Rainelle, who was lightly tickling the prince's finger with her beak, flew back to Myrdin. Karmeut's complexion darkened slightly at the crow's actions, but the old wizard just continued to chatter,

"You might be surprised by the sudden wind and flashing lights, but it's not dangerous, so you can rest assured. All right, sweet girl?"

Myrdin then also nodded as Rainelle nodded her head while cawing. After that, Myrdin snapped his fingers.

With a rattle, the window opened. Then a gentle breeze blew, and a faint mass of light began to flutter on Myrdin's palm. Then the wind began to gather around the mass of light.

The change didn't take long. The wind clumped together to form a shape in an instant. The wind spirit, which looked like a little angel with an overall grayish color, was translucent, making it half visible.

The crow's purple eyes widened and sparkled. Strangely, the crow, who was looking at the wind spirit while tilting her head continuously, walked as if she was bouncing and narrowed her distance from the spirit.

The spirit's head turned to the crow. The spirit, who blinked its gray eyes and looked at the crow curiously, grinned. The spirit then hovered around the crow's head while smiling like an innocent child and sat down on her beak.

At the action of the spirit, the crow puffed up her feathers. Myrdin laughed at the crow who was frozen like she was a statue while still rolling her eyes around as if she was worried that the spirit might fall.

"Come on, come on. You don't have to be too nervous. I'll guide you, so you just have to act according to how you feel."

The old wizard's hand shone faintly as he said that. Then, something like powder of light was scattered between the crow and the spirit. The eyes of the crow and the spirit, who were looking at it curiously, met. The wind spirit flapped its small wings as it became brighter. After that, it circled the crow and went inside the sapphire.

"Caw?!"

Rainelle flapped her wings in place while crying out as if bewildered. Myrdin calmly said,

"Now, the contract is over. When you want to call the spirit, you just have to remember the feeling you felt earlier while calling the name that the spirit told you. Okay?"

"Caw."

Rainelle nodded her head. As if satisfied with that, the old wizard nodded and stood up.

"Okay then, I'll ask for your cooperation next time."

"...you’re leaving now?"

"Yes, wouldn't it be against the law to be here much longer? Besides, I was being ignorant and tactless. I hope you get a good rest, Your Highness. Heh heh, even if I’m old, my inquisitive mind doesn't know how to rest, so I often act out of context."

Namuel and Galenos also got up following Myrdin.

“Well, then, we’ll leave now.”

"May I have your permission?"

To that, Karmeut replied with a nod of his head.

"Yeah, well done. ...you can go back and rest."

After bowing to him, they left the room. As the noisy room quieted down, the prince let out a long sigh and touched his forehead.

It wasn't intentional, but it was because he was really exhausted after spending a noisy time right after regaining consciousness. While he was pressing his forehead, he felt a soft and smooth touch on his cheek.

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