Of All Things, I Became a Crow: Chapter #15
Translators: Nyx and Ririi Rain
*Rainelle’s POV
I
honestly applaud it. I'm very impressed! I was wondering how Karmeut was able
to awaken before the timeline of the game, so it was because of Marquis Namuel!
While
enjoying being inside Karmeut's arms and his touches, I remembered Namuel. As I
recalled the green-eyed handsome man with long gray hair and glasses, a wizard
who is the eldest son of a duke, I screamed inside.
I
can't believe I'm meeting the protagonist of the original story of the game
like this! Namuel is the main character!
Although
far from getting the right of succession, Namuel is a member of the Imperial
Family. His long gray hair was impressive and memorable, but honestly, I
couldn't think of anything more than that.
By
the way, If I remember, his bloodline is a bit complicated, right? Besides the
blood of the Imperial Family, what else was there? from his mother? Agh!! I
can't remember!! All I can recall is about his bloodline without any details?!
I can only vaguely remember the time when I play!!
I
remember that he was the type who get fierce when attacked. He's not simple and
he doesn't trust others very well. I remember that he was very popular, but
because he had many routes, I can't remember the details. I'm going crazy.
Oh,
God! If You're going to send me somewhere, why not to a game which I played
just a while ago?! ...but then I'd be rolling in a post-apocalypse world. I
should say this is a relief. I shouldn't say this is a misfortune.
When I realized that the game I played just before I died
was an open-world game where the world ended once due to the spread of zombie
virus and then the survivors united, I gladly accepted my current situation.
Yeah,
if I thought like this, it's still okay. Well, in a way.
Now
I'm receiving a lot of affection from the next emperor, Karmeut, and my meeting
with Namuel, the main character in the original game, wasn't too bad, so it feels
like I'm getting farther away from the death flag.
Plus,
I can say goodbye to the situation where I have to eat bugs or worms! This
little thirst for knowledge is nothing!! By the way...
I turned my head to look at Karmeut. To be exact, I'm
looking at the Crobanlok in Karmeut's pocket. The brilliant blue light that I
could see through his clothes kept seducing me.
When
I was in the forest, I was full of the thought of, "Let's give it to
Karmeut and get him to see me favorably!" that I didn't even notice how
the jewel-like crystalline substance that covered the Crobanlock's surface
could stimulate the crow's instincts in me!
It's
so shiny!
My eyes were not moving from the fruit that sparkled like
a jewel. Furthermore... the smell of this fruit is very fragrant. It smells
sweet. An appetizing smell that is incomparable to the fruits that Karmeut had
given me.
Somehow, my instinct kept seducing me, like "This is
really delicious, c’mon, let's eat it!"
My instinct kept poking me in the head that it would taste
very delicious if I pecked it.
But logically, it wasn't a very good choice for me to eat
a Crobalock. It would be great to awaken after eating it, but the risk of dying
if I didn't awaken was too high.
In addition, this Crobanlock wasn't mine, but Karmeut's.
Crobanlok was precious enough that it can only be acquired only once per
segment. I wouldn't give it to a crow when I got it.
Even thinking about it, it was kind of depressing.
But...despite
knowing all that, I really, really, really wanted to eat it!
Even
though I knew I could die if I ate it, I wanted to eat it. I think it will be
delicious. I want to peck it!
The crow's instinct kept shouting like that, and I felt
like I was losing my mind.
I
want to eat it. I want to eat it. I want to eat it.
The sweet scent and the brilliant blue light engulfed my
reason. Is it because my body is not that of a human but a crow's? Gradually,
the feeling became unbearable. I gulped down his saliva and stared intently at
the Crobanlock in Karmeut's pocket.
Aah, I can't stand it anymore----!
*Karmeut’s POV
Karmeut's golden eyes blinked slowly at Rainelle's
action, who suddenly flapped its wings and moved violently. It was not uncommon
for a dog to flutter its feathers like it was fluttering its body.
Is
Rainelle itchy? Or did it just do it for no particular reason?
He looked at Rainelle while thinking about this and that,
then a brief exclamation leaked out from Karmeut's mouth.
"...huh?"
Rainelle's head, which was buried in his arms, was
raised. In its beak, there was a fruit that sparkled with a brilliant blue
light.
Leaving Karmeut, who had momentarily froze by the sudden
situation, Rainelle flew to the top of the closet with Crobanlock in its beak.
"Rainelle!"
His face looked surprised and troubled as he jumped from
his seat and shouted in alarm. Was it because the Crobanlock was going to be
wasted? No.
The
Crobanlock I received from Marquis Namuel is good to have, but there was
nothing to be desired about it.
Karmeut had succeeded in awakening with the Crobanlock
that Rainelle brought, so the problem wasn't how Rainelle took the fruit.
Rainelle gave it to him before, but it was none other
than Rainelle who found a Crobanlock first.
"Be good, don't eat that--!"
There was only one thing he was afraid of: Rainelle died
after eating Crobanlock because it can't overcome the power. Karmeut's face
contorted when the thought of it that terrible, thought came to his mind.
I
know because I've eaten Crobanlock before. I know how terrifying and powerful
that fruit is. I was afraid my body would explode if I didn't handle the power
properly.
There
is no way that an ordinary crow, who is neither a beast nor from any race, can
properly handle its power!!
Rainelle tilted its head as Karmeut spoke in a desperate
tone of voice. Karmeut reached out his hand as the Crobanlock seemed that it
can be swallowed right away.
"Rainelle, give that to me. Don't you want some
cookies? I'll give you as much as you want, so give it to me. Aren't you a good
kid?"
Rainelle let out a small caw. Then it turned away, opened
the closet door with its head, and went inside. Karmeut clenched his teeth as
he saw Rainelle's dark tail swaying. Then he rushed over to where his sword was
placed, pulled out the sword, and cut down the closet.
The neatly bisected wardrobe slid down with a squeaking
sound. A crow flew out in surprise almost at the same time as when thudding
sounds can be heard from outside.
The Crobanlock was still in Rainelle's beak, who flapped
its wings rapidly. A few dark feathers fell from Rainelle's flapping action as
it flew frantically towards the ceiling.
"Rainelle!!"
"Your Highness, is there something wrong?!!"
"It's nothing, don't come in!"
When the closet broke in half and fell, a loud sound rang
out, which alerted the guards.
Karmeut ordered them not to come in as he had no idea
what to do if the guards came in and saw this mess. His eyes followed Rainelle
who still had the Crobanlock.
Rainelle flapped its wings, spun around, and landed on
the chandelier. The crow looked at Karmeut while breathing heavily with its
beak open
"Rainelle! You're a good kid, so give me the fruit,
will you?"
Rainelle, whose pupils contracted slightly, remained firm
and still. Seeing Rainelle like that, Karmeut wondered whether to jump and
catch Rainelle, or to coax it gently so that it wouldn't be surprised.
...But, Karmeut's worries became meaningless. Because
after Rainelle had put down the Crobanlock, it grabbed the fruit with one foot
and began to peck it with its beak.
"Rainelle!!"
The outer part of the Crobanlock glistened like a jewel,
but it was unexpectedly soft. It may be contradictory, but that was why Karmeut
was able to eat it with its shell when he ate it before. If it had been hard,
he would not have been able to eat it before peeling it. But that benefit
turned into a drawback for Karmeut due to Rainelle's action. The crow could
pierce the fruit's shell with its beak so easily. Whether or not it knew
Karmeut's anxious mind, Rainelle began to eat the Crobanlock with great relish.
Normally, Rainelle would look cute biting a fruit with
its beak, breaking through the shell, pecking at the flesh with its beak, and
finally swallowing it. But what Rainelle ate right now was Crobanlock, a
dangerous fruit that could kill if something went wrong.
Though Rainelle had already eaten some, Karmeut lowered
his posture slightly and braced his legs, thinking that he had no choice but to
surprise Rainelle to make the crow eat even a little less. His golden eyes
flashed with the thought of leaping and cutting down the chandelier, but
Rainelle was a little faster.
Rainelle spread its wings and flew away while making a
satisfied cry. With a snap, a shiny thing fell down the chandelier. Seeing that
the flesh of the fruit was all gone and what was left was just an empty shell,
Karmeut's eyes froze.
Was
the flesh of the fruit really that little? Or do the awakening properties make
it absorbed quickly?
In this situation where his mind was filled with various
complicated things, one thing was clear.
Rainelle ate Crobanlock, and it was a fact that Rainelle
would die if it didn't overcome the moment of awakening that was about to
begin. Someone else couldn't intervene and help the one who was going through
the awakening. That individual had to overcome it by themselves. Karmeut chewed
his lips.
He looked around to find out where Rainelle had gone to.
Rainelle sat at the top of the backrest of his chair, tidying its feathers
leisurely. Maybe it found the Crobanlock delicious as Rainelle looked somehow
happy while fluffing its feathers and grinding its beak.
Karmeut hid his presence and approached Rainelle. In the
next moment, he reached out and grabbed Rainelle.
"Caaaw?!"
Surprised, Rainelle tried to flap its wings, but as the
crow was held tightly by Karmeut's hands, it could only squirm and dart its
violet eyes around. Karmeut's eyes showed seriousness.
"Don't you know that what you did is wrong?!"
Karmeut could feel his voice rising unintentionally, but
he couldn't hold it back this time. When Rainelle will start the awakening
soon, he would have to watch helplessly. It would be nice if Rainelle awakened,
but if not... he couldn't help but be furious at the thought that he had to
watch Rainelle die.
Soon...
"......?"
--something’s
strange.
When the expected situation did not occur, his golden
eyes trembled.
When
I ate a Crobanlock, something immediately happened. Inside my body, a great
power was flowing. And I felt that if I don't do my best to suppress it, it
would explode. Then, I will die.
So,
why hasn't anything changed so far?
"Caw?"
Rainelle tilted its head while cawing, but Karmeut's head
was filled with confusion, so he just stared blankly and stiffly at the violet
eyes for a while.
Perhaps because he was confused, Karmeut's hold loosened slightly.
Using the gap, Rainelle succeeded in struggling and
getting out of his hold. Rainelle flew and landed where the shell was. Then
Karmeut felt dizzy when Rainelle picked it up with its beak and swallowed it.
Rainelle, who flapped its wings as if happy, was unaware
of Karmeut's speed on closing in. He was worried that the awakening would start,
so he looked closely, but there was no change in the crow's body.
"I can be relieved...right?"
I'm
glad, at least Rainelle didn't die.
Thinking so, Karmeut secretly stroked his chest.
Sighing, the prince looked at Rainelle who was still
flapping its wings on the floor as if it was dancing and showing off its joy.
Why
is Rainelle like this all of a sudden?
The question suddenly came to his mind as there were a
couple of strange things.
Rainelle had never made trouble like this before. Of
course, when it was angry, it pecked or bit his hand while making cawing
sounds, but that was an expression of emotion.
On the contrary, Rainelle was clever enough to bring
Karmeut what he needed and even him its cuteness, but why did Rainelle do this?
He looked at Rainelle, but he didn't get an answer. Of
course. Rainelle was a crow who couldn't speak. That fact was so frustrating
that Karmeut let out a long sigh. He reached out his hand to the crow and said,
"Rainelle, come here."
While cawing as a response, Rainelle flew up lightly and
landed on Karmeut's arm. Seeing Rainelle like that, the prince let out a long
sigh once again.
How
can you be so carefree without knowing how others feel?
Thinking so, the prince hugged the lucky bird in his
arms. His fingertips that stroked the dark feathers were trembling slightly.
*Rainelle’s POV
Huh?!
What have I done?!
I
don't remember anything ever since I thought that the Crobanlock looked so
delicious that I couldn't stand it. Why am I in Karmeut's arms?
And
why is the closet cut into two? And, this sweet taste that's left in my
mouth...
...No
way!! Did I eat it?! Did you eat the Crobanlock?! Agh!!! Awakening! There's
going to be an awakening! But if I fail to awaken, I might die!!
I wanted to flap my wings and make a fuss, but strangely
enough, I couldn't get enough strength in my body. Rather than that, I just
wanted to be held in Karmeut's arms like this.
I've
always thought it was good, but his arms are warm and cozy, and he also smells
good.
I cuddled Karmeut and moved my beak slightly. Then, the
tail of my eyes naturally bent as his hand lightly scratched my chin as if
telling me that my behavior was cute.
Oh,
this feels good. I'm just going to stay here like this...
***
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