Of All Things, I Became a Crow: Chapter #17
Translators: Nyx and Ririi Rain
*Karmeut’s POV
A necklace, a gold necklace with sapphire.
That shape was definitely a memorable one.
That was the necklace Karmeut put around Rainelle's neck.
"...Rai..nelle?"
He whispered quietly, but there was no reply. His golden
eyes, which witnessed the unbelievable reality, were shaking. He cautiously
reached out his hand and touched her forehead. It wasn't as hot as Rainelle's,
but she had a slight fever.
Her hair that flowed through his fingertips was as smooth
as Rainelle's feathers.
When the woman curled up and let out an
"Eum...", Karmeut quickly withdrew his hand. The woman who curled up
her body was breathing evenly like she was defenseless, but the vigilance
engraved in the prince's eyes showed no sign of abating.
She
might be Rainelle, but might also not. So that there won't be any regret---
"...Mmmm. Karmeut..."
Karmeut's hand, which was reaching towards his sword,
flinched when the woman muttered his name.
"Give me more cookies... I hate worms and
bugs..."
The woman frowned and curled her body more while talking
in her sleep, saying, "I don't like bugs". Seeing the woman's behavior,
Karmeut's body relaxed.
"...Rainelle, it's you."
It’s
unbelievable. A crow suddenly became a human. But...
"I brought you some fruits..."
Karmeut unconsciously smiled at the sight of her babbling
in her sleep.
"-Rainelle."
While whispering in a gentle and soft voice, he reached
out his hand and ran his hand through her black hair. Then, as if he was
familiar with her, his expression softened slightly. And as she rubbed her head
on Karmeut's hand, a deep smile appeared on his face.
Rainelle was still feverish, so the prince carefully rose
from his seat and covered the blanket up to her neck.
Whether it was because she liked the texture of the
blanket or whether she felt good because it was warm, Rainelle dug into the
blanket. After seeing such a scene, Karmeut headed to the sofa.
His bed was suddenly taken away, but the prince's face
was full of smiles.
***
The night seemed long, yet short. The eastern end of the dark
blue sky gradually brightened, turning into purple and then rosy. The sun,
which was shining so brightly that it was impossible to be looked at directly,
appeared little by little.
Karmeut woke up under the light of the gradually
brightening sun. He headed to bed while killing the sound of his footsteps,
then he sat next to Rainelle, who was still asleep. He reached out and put his
hand on her forehead. Feeling relieved at her normal body temperature, he
quietly waited for Rainelle to wake up.
Waiting may be boring, but it wasn't boring to him at
all. As the sky gradually got brighter, green and purple luster could be seen
on her glossy black hair, which looked like Rainelle's feathers. Her skin
looked inexplicably so white and soft. It was beyond description except for
'delicate'.
It looked enchanting under the light, but under the
sun... it was enough for words of compliments to come out. Enough to forget
that the woman was Rainelle that took on human form.
Come
on, open your eyes. Open your eyes and look at me with your eyes that are as
beautiful as violets (flowers).
While whispering that inwardly, the prince did not take
his golden eyes away from the girl who looked good in black.
How much time had passed? Rainelle, who had been
twitching and groaning softly, slowly lifted up her eyelids. Her eyes were as
pretty as violets, but they were a bit different from when she was a crow as
they were deeper and glistened more beautifully. Looking at such eyes, Karmeut
spoke with gently curved eyes,
"Hello, Rainelle."
His golden eyes shone warmly as he called Rainelle's name
in a soft and gentle voice.
*Rainelle's POV
It's
so cozy and fluffy, but it isn't the texture that I remembered. What I
remembered was a firm, warm, but cozy, wide bosom. The fluffy and soft texture
surrounding my whole body wasn't in my memory. No, I've never experienced it as
'Rainelle'.
I opened my eyes wondering what was going on. I blinked a
few times to clear my blurred vision.
"Good morning, Rainelle."
I was greeted by warm, shining golden eyes. The gentle
eyes seemed to make me feel good, so I nodded my head reflexively and murmured,
"...Yeah, good morning..."
Maybe it was because I just woke up, but I yawned. So, I
raised your hand and covered my open mouth.
"Ah......?"
I blinked at the white, thin hand that came into view. I
willed myself to move my wings, but the hand that had come into my view moved
instead.
I couldn't believe it, so my mind went blank. The thin
fingers moved when I wanted them to. Every time I turned my head slightly, dark
hair swayed gently. As I moved my feet, the legs under the dress made of black
feathers moved.
"Hu..man...?"
I-
am I a human? Really? Not a bird, but a human? But this is not my body. My body
and arms aren't this white. My skin isn't this smooth, without any scar. I
didn't have thin fingers like these, and I also didn't have this kind of pretty
dress.
I felt choked up in the inside. It wasn't my body, but it
was a human body, not a bird.
My arms were originally tanned, scarred by animal bites
and claw scratches. I had muscle-bound arms from carrying heavy feed, not thin
arms like this.
"...don't cry."
At the touch of my cheek, I finally realized that I was
crying. As a large and warm hand gently stroked my cheek, my throat choked and
my eyes blurred.
I felt unsightly to cry, so I clenched my teeth and held
back my tears, then I felt a hand wrapped around my back. In the next moment, I
was embraced in firm arms. Feeling such action, which seemed to say that it was
okay, tears streamed down my face uncontrollably.
*Pat, pat*
I don't know how much I cried at the pat on my back. When
I barely stopped crying, I looked up and golden eyes filled my vision.
"...are you okay now?"
As
soon as I became a human, I cried a lot...
I answered him by nodding in shame. I could see his
golden eyes bent gently.
...Oh
my gosh--!
Even when I was a crow, I was captivated by that smile,
but when I saw that smile as a human...
My
heart is bewitched--!!
My eyes flickered as heat rushed to my face.
I,
I'd rather go back to being a crow!! I'm so embarrassed that I'm going to die
from it!! Aa--
"--aahh--!!"
"--caaww! (Argh!)"
*Pop*
With that sound, my body became lighter. Surprised by the
sudden sensation, I moved my arms and flew up lightly...
Flew
up?
Surprised at the fact that I flew up, I looked at my
body, and before I knew it, I had returned to the crow, no longer a human.
Wha-,
what?! Why? Why?! Why?!!
"Caaw! Caaw, caaaw?! (Argh! Why? Why?!)"
"Rainelle, calm down!"
I
can't calm down! It was the first time I became a human after possessing a
crow!! Why?! Why?! Just why?!!
Am I
just given a human version teaser?! Oh, why why why?!
As unexpected situations unfolded in succession, my eyes
were spinning. I flapped my wings frantically until I bumped into something.
Then I was hugged in a warm and firm embrace.
"Come on, take it easy. You're a good girl,
right?"
Funny, as I was held in Kamut's arms, my heart, which had
been pounding like crazy, gradually calmed down.
Without knowing the slightest bit of what I was feeling,
he whispered while stroking my feathers softly,
"Take a deep breath. It's okay. You must have been
surprised by your sudden change of appearance. It's not surprising. So, calm
down... Inhale, exhale."
I took a slow, deep breath according to his instructions.
Whoo-haa..
Whoo-haa.. Yeah, it calmed me down a little. I've calmed down.
So,
I need to know why I turned into a human. And how can I change my appearance
freely? That way, I can change my appearance at will!
Both
the human form and the crow form are beautiful to me. Since I can change into a
human, I don't want to give Karmeut to another woman! That's important.
As
for the crow form... I don't want to give it up either, because I can fly. The
feeling of the wind around the tip of my feathers also felt so good, so it was
a waste to be thrown away.
"You can transform into a human being after eating
Crobanlock-- does the effect take longer if animals eat it?"
I tilted my head with the meaning: "I don't know
that either". Karmeut smiled and gently stroked my beak. I was not aware
of it, but the familiar and friendly touch relaxed my tired body.
Hearing a knock on the door, my body reflexively
stiffened.
Maybe it was because I've had been in human form, but the
feeling that something should not be discovered triggered my body.
I shrank my body and dug into Karmuet's arms, then after
there was the sound of an opening door, a dignified voice followed.
"Bring my meal and Rainelle's food. And make sure no
one comes in until allowed it."
"Understood, Your Highness."
It was not until I heard the door closing that I raise my
head.
He
already left, right?
As I poked my head out and looked around, what caught my
eyes was Karmeut's face which seemed to be holding back his laughter.
"Pfft, kkk..., it's okay, Rainelle. You must be
hungry, so let's think after eating first. Okay?
My feathers puffed up when he practically said 'let's eat
first'. I was hungry anyway, so I really welcome that suggestion.
Once
I’m full, I can take my time to think about the situation-- right?
Ugh,
I don't know. I think it's the truth that I ate Crobanlock and became a human,
but why is that? And why did I turn back into a crow?
Things got complicated in my head, but after a while, the
servant came in and placed down my food, so I stopped thinking about them.
Wow!
It's rice. Rice! Cookies! Fruits! Meat!
As I thought, I was hungry. I even wanted to run straight
to the plate to fill my aching stomach, but I couldn't because of the servant's
eyes on me.
...I feel like if I start to dig into my plate before
Karmeut does, I'll get the look of 'Where did the prince find this ominous
bird?', so I waited while gently soothing my hungry stomach to the point until
I felt strangely bitter.
"You're hungry, aren't you? Here, eat the meat
first."
For a moment, I saw Karmeut as an angel.
I'm
sure he's hungry too because it's morning, but how can he not be an angel when
he picks up the meat for me who can't hold a fork and knife?! Ahhhhh! Thank
you! I was so hungry!!
I quickly ate the meat and fruit he held out. Perhaps
pleased, Karmeut said with his golden eyes gently bent,
"Is it delicious? Well, you haven't eaten anything
since you ate Crobanrok yesterday, so I guess that you'll be very hungry."
Huh,
really? I ate the Crobanlock around lunch yesterday. So I haven't eaten
anything for so long?
My eyes widened in surprise. Then I heard a little laugh
and felt a pat on my back.
"There's a lot to eat here. Eat as much as you
want."
While saying so, Karmeut pushed me closer to the plate of
meat, fruits, and cookies. Well, he had to eat too.
With his persuasion, I began to eat my share of food with
my beak until I was full.
With clatters of tableware as music, I was finally
satisfied after eating a lot. I burped a little and started to tidy my feathers
with my beak, but then, I felt a hand holding my body up.
"Caw?"
When I cawed with the question: "What is it,
Karmeut?", his golden eyes gently curved.
I was staring blankly at him because his eyes which
strangely sparkled more than usual were pretty. A soft voice reached my ears.
"Rainelle, can you transform into a human again?"
That?
I don't know. I don't even know why I became a crow again...
As I shook my head, Karmeut''s expression became cloudy
for a moment. However, as if that never happened, the golden eyes bent gently.
"...then, shall we practice?"
...What?
I opened my eyes
wide in bewilderment and looked at Karmeut, who seemed to be serious. He
stroked my feathers gently and said,
"I've commanded not to let anyone in."
...that's
what you meant? No, but why?
Karmeut doesn't seem to have any reason to want me to
take human form.
Of
course, I'd like to be able to change into a human and a crow freely. But, uh,
um... why do Karmeut want me to be able to do that?
I was curious about the reason, but Karmeut didn't seem
to want to tell me.
He was smiling sweetly and stroking my back, but he
didn't say anything else.
Ummm...
well, it's not a bad thing for me at all, shall we practice then? I can ask him
the reason later!
I puffed my feathers and committed:
I
have to practice, for the sake of transforming into a human!
And
I'm really curious about the face of my human form! Earlier, I saw white and
thin arms, but does the face can be considered very pretty like in a novel?
Could I really have such a pretty face?!
My heart swelled with anticipation.
I
want to make my humble(?) dream come true! That's why I have to practice
transforming into a human!
But even if I wanted to, I didn't know what to do, so I
just tilted my head...
What
should I do? I can't figure it out...
Karmeut put me down on the bed. In the next moment,
Karmeut, who smiled affectionately with his eyes bent, turned into a wolf.
***
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