Of All
Things, I Became a Crow: Side Story #2
Translators: Nyx and Ririi Rain
*Karmeut’s POV
Karmeut tapped
the table with his index finger meaninglessly and was lost in thought.
The Empire had stabilized, and the shaky foundation of
support had been solidified. In addition, a certain crow, who is not a daughter
of an aristocratic family, but a mere flying animal, was also in the spotlight
after that incident.
‘Descendant of the Black Bird. The Queen of all flying
beasts that protects the Empire.’
It was a term referring to Rainelle after the incident in
which Namuel ran out of control. She left a strong impression from what she
did.
If she hadn't stopped Namuel at that time, Namuel
wouldn’t only endanger Karmeut's life, but also the life of Princess Sepia.
Besides, she led things wonderfully after that, so it was
only natural that her evaluation would rise higher.
‘---There's
nothing wrong with things going well and Rainelle being recognized, but...’
"...I'm worried."
Karmeut was worried about Rainelle.
She was saying that it was okay, that it was something
she had to do as an empress, but he was worried because she didn't seem very
comfortable.
"Not mentioning how she doesn’t change into a crow,
she won't even take out her wings that often..."
Karmeut knew how uncomfortable that would be. Assuming he
always uses his wolf form for everyday life, it would be uncomfortable for him
too, since he will have a lot of inconveniences.
‘What
about Rainelle, who can fly?’
Thinking like that, he couldn't help but think how much
Rainelle was holding back.
"---If I told her to just be at ease in the Imperial
Palace, would she listen?"
Didn’t
I do that yesterday? And instead of returning to her original form, she asked
me to transform into a wolf.
Recalling that, Karmeut let out a long breath. Then he
began to think about how to make Rainelle relax comfortably.
***
*Rainelle’s POV
"---Let's go play?"
I tilted my head at the behavior of Karmeut who suddenly
came to me and said that.
Then he tilted his head and opened his mouth,
"Rainelle, aren't you a little tired lately?"
I was stung by those words.
---Did
I get caught? I had complained about how difficult it was to deal with noble
ladies, but how did he know that?
"Well, that’s..."
"You can be honest. I'm not too fond of dealing with
nobles either. No, I'm rather tired. They make a lot of noise for their own
gain."
As Karmeut let out a long sigh, I moved my gaze away.
"...A, a little bit?"
"Just a little bit?"
"...Well, it's a bit hard to listen to the noble
ladies talking about useless things.
"Yeah, you can’t help but have to hear that, so it
must be difficult."
Saying that, Karmeut lightly rubbed my cheek. I closed my
eyes and enjoyed his touch. A familiar and gentle touch. The touch made me
smile.
"So let's go play. It's a kind of vacation."
"...Is that okay? It can be said that things are
stable, but if the Emperor and his wife leave the Capital..."
This was what I’m worried about.
Karmeut…
well, he's been doing things well since he was the crown prince, so I’m not too
worried, but the problem is me.
I’m
in charge of coordination with the noble ladies. In a way, I’m not sure if it
would be okay to leave, as it is a position where I could get cooperation from
nobles with a different approach from Karmeut's, or get information to get rid
of unnecessary people.
As my eyes wander while thinking so, I felt a light pinch
hand on my cheek.
"Rainelle, don't worry."
"...still..."
"Rainelle has been doing well so far. I know you're
working hard."
Saying so, Karmeut stroked my head.
When I heard those words, I felt my heart melting away.
“So you can rest a little.”
"...really?"
"I'm saying this because it's really okay. Even if
it's not okay, I'll make it okay."
Karmeut's eyes gently curled up, and I felt my cheeks
heat up.
"That's petty."
"Why?"
"You’re handsome, but now you look even more
handsome."
Karmeut grinned. He then took my hand and kissed me
lightly on the back of my hand. He said,
"It's an honor that you see me like that, beautiful
Crow Lady."
Hearing that, I burst into laughter.
"What is that?"
"It's true that you’re beautiful, and it's true that
you’re a crow. Well, it might be more accurate to say that you’re the queen of
birds rather than a crow now."
At those words, I clamped my mouth.
"It's all because I’m lucky."
"That luck also came from Rainelle's hard work. If
you hadn't worked so hard, I wouldn't be here right now."
I smiled awkwardly at that.
Frankly,
after Karmeut fell unconscious, I was half out of my mind, and if Adriana
hadn't stopped me, I might have killed Namuel.
I
didn't even know I mobilized the birds like that. --After I found out later, I
collected all the fallen ones and buried them well.
I flinched in surprise when Karmeut suddenly pressed our
foreheads together.
"Don't look like that, Rainelle."
I slowly blinked my eyes at that. He then said in a low,
gentle voice,
"It's over now. It’s all in the past. I'm here.
…Sacrifices were made in the process, but some things couldn't be helped."
"…Yes."
“And even after that, Rainelle kept working hard. ...So
it's okay to take a little rest."
“I don’t know why, but I do indeed feel more at ease now.
“—Will you rest for a bit?”
"Sure. Okay."
I closed my eyes as his lips touched my eyelids. I felt
comfortable.
“…Then where are we going to play?”
"Where do you like? The sea? Mountains? Lakes? Tell
me where."
I laughed lightly at Karmeut's successive questions as he
gently curled the corners of his eyes.
"I don't even expect that before now."
"Does anywhere come to mind from the word
‘comfortable’?"
"Ummm..."
Comfortable,
huh…
When I pondered like that, my mouth opened involuntarily,
"---when we first met."
"…When we first met?"
“Yes, when I first met Karmeut.”
I couldn't understand why I was comfortable at that time
while saying this. It was when I was in the middle of a mental breakdown
because I possessed a crow, but I felt comfortable at that time.
However, when I think
about it now, I wondered if I had ever flown as freely as I did then. Ever
since I went with Karmeut where people live, I haven't been able to fly to my
heart’s content.
Because I always thought that I shouldn’t be far away
from Karmeut.
“When I think about it now, that was when I was able to
fly without any worries.”
"...really?"
"Yeah. I think it's a little like that even now. People
don't have a good perception of crows, right? That's why I tried not to stay
far from Karmeut's side."
After I said so, Karmeut silently stroked my head. I
smiled at the touch and quickly added:
"But I'm comfortable now! So don't worry!"
"Yes, I see."
When he said he knew, I kept staring at him. Then Karmeut
laugh and said,
"Let's go to a place where you can fly comfortably
without worrying about others."
"Huh? Really?"
"Of course. Don’t you need to be comfortable when
relaxing? That's why we're going out to play."
My anticipation was inflated.
“Then, can I fly around freely?”
"Yes, I'm going along after all."
"Is Karmeut going to run as a wolf?"
“I never thought of that, but it sounds like fun.”
“No nobles?”
"Well, there is. We will greet the lord of the land
first. ...But we won't meet as many nobles as we did when we are in the
Imperial Palace."
Hearing the answer, I unwittingly took out my wings and
fluttered them. Then I hugged Karmeut's neck.
"Really? That's great!"
Karmeut smiled and hugged me back, which made me laughed.
"Then when are we leaving?"
"Well, when would be a good time?"
"The sooner the better! ---Ah, but I don't want to
pressure Karmeut."
I was worried that it would hinder his work, so I quickly
added that. Then Karmeut smiled and said,
"Don't worry, Rainelle. You don't have to worry
about that."
"---Really? But ruling an empire is a difficult
task."
“That said, I'm not so incompetent that I can't spend
time alone with my wife."
Saying so, Karmeut kissed me on the cheek.
But I was already blushing as if my face would explode at
the word 'wife'.
"Wi, wife..."
"Are you still shy to be called a wife?"
"Well, I'm not used to it yet."
"Then shall I call you with that until you get used
to it?"
"Ah, no! No, no! I, I can't get used to it more if I
listen to it continuously!"
Karmeut laughed.
But
I’m nervous! That’s definitely a laugh to make fun of me!
"There's something else I want you to get used
to."
“What is that?”
"Husband, honey, and darling?"
"---!"
“I hope you get used to hearing those words often.”
As he said that, Karmeut's hands gently wrapped around my
waist and drew our faces together.
"No, wait...!"
"Won’t you call me with those terms?"
"Uh, that, that's---!"
"If you can't get used to the word ‘wife’, should I
say ‘honey’? Or ‘darling’?"
My body trembled at Karmeut's action of whispering that
with his lips pressed against my ear.
I flapped my wings, feeling goosebumps from the shame.
"Ear, if you do that right next to my ear---!!"
"Today, I won't let you go until you call me like
that."
Saying so, ignoring my fluttering wings, he lifted me
up and headed for the bed as my face went redder.
***
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