Of All
Things, I Became a Crow: Side Story #4
Translators: Nyx and Ririi Rain
*Rainelle’s POV
When I landed on the training ground attached to the destination villa, I could see people who came up to
meet me and Karmeut.
"Your Majesty the Emperor, Your Majesty the
Empress."
The first to approach was Galenos. I was both surprised
and delighted to see the reliable figure.
"Lord Windster."
"I'm glad you arrived safely."
I smiled (inwardly of course, since I’m still a bird) at
his act of showing a relieved expression. Karmeut lowered himself from the
saddle.
"Good job, Lord Windster."
When the saddle was removed from my back, I felt the
coolness and so I shook my body at once.
The saddle was light, and I wasn't so frail that I wasn’t
able to handle the weight of Karmeut. However, when it was taken off of me, it
felt cool and light enough to give me the illusion that my body would float up.
"Your feathers are all pressed down."
Saying that, Karmeut gently stroked the area where I wore
the saddle. The touch was pleasant.
"Still, it's good because we can fly together. Let's
fly here often together."
"If you say so. I'm happy."
Hearing that, I brought my beak to Karmeut’s cheek and
rubbed it. Then his hand followed, gently caressing back my cheek.
"Rainelle, let's go inside and rest."
"Okay."
I quickly changed into a human form. I decided to expose
my wings. ---I thought it would be much better to let the wings rest rather
than to hide them, since they had been used to fly for a long time with Karmeut
on board. Honestly, it was a bit
stiff.
“Are you okay?"
Karmeut's hand touched my wing. I responded with a small
smile at his actions.
"Yeah, it's okay. Just letting them have a little
rest."
"Then let's hurry up and go in."
Seeing his attitude that seemed as if he would
immediately hug me if I said it was difficult, I snuggled Karmeut's arm which
blocked his hug. Then Karmeut smiled and willingly offered his arm.
***
"Ah, aww..."
"How are you?"
"Ugh---! Ugh... Go-, good."
"Then I'll do a little more."
"Ah! That's---!"
“Does it hurt a lot?”
"Ugh, haa... Just hurry, slowly..."
"Then I'll start over."
As he said that, I let out a languid breath without even
realizing it.
The
feeling of my whole body blatantly melting is awesome.
Thinking so, I slumped on the sofa.
The way Karmeut gently kneaded my wings was truly amazing
and exquisite. The part that felt a little stiff was picked on point and the
massage was awesome.
I
think he would have succeeded even if he worked as a masseuse.
He was so skilled to control how much power to use. It
felt like the knotted parts were released while
he gently pressed down on them…
"Haa... I really like it..."
"I'm glad you like it."
"Karmeut, where did you learn? Seriously, ugh...
Kneading in a cool way like this... Ah... I think it's difficult."
"When you hold a sword, you naturally learn how
muscles move and which parts are easy to get knotted."
He said “Probably all people who train their bodies are
good at it too,” as he pressed his fingers down my wings.
A sigh came out of me at his action of pressing the
muscle near the large bone part of the wing, then coming down all the way and
pressing the part where my wing and back were connected.
"It’s so good..."
A small, raspy voice rang in my ears, but it mellowed out
like ‘a cat by the fireplace’ which let out a pleasant breath,
"Are you feeling better now?"
"Yeah. It was really good."
At my words, Karmeut smiled and gently stroked my cheek
with his index finger.
"If it's really good, go back to your crow
form."
"Is that okay?"
"You came here to rest comfortably. So you should go
back to your crow form."
Saying that, Karmeut added with a look of regret,
"It's a pity that I haven't seen Rainelle's crow
form for a long time. So, try to turn into a crow form."
At that, I looked at Karmeut. Karmuet was a human being, and he knew well that
if I was a human being, I could communicate with him in more ways. ---I
knew very well that if I hadn't been able to change into a human form, I
wouldn't have had a relationship with Karmeut.
But his expression was
showing sincerity. My heart felt warm and ticklish from seeing his caring and
worried face.
"Yeah. Thank you."
Saying so, I kissed his cheek. Then watching Karmeut's
eyes grow bigger, I returned to the appearance of a crow.
As I became smaller, I flapped
my wings in the feeling of floating and rising. The crow's body, which I
changed into after a long time, was small and light.
The faint discomfort that
I felt no matter how comfortable a dress is or when wearing even low-heeled
shoes disappeared like it was washed away. No, I felt like I had thrown
away everything I had to do when I was a person and an empress. Even if I
stayed still, I felt like I would float like a balloon.
"Caaw!"
I just made a meaningless cry. It was a low, restless cry
of a crow, but I liked it nonetheless.
I circled the room,
flapping my wings excitedly.
Watching Karmeut chuckling quietly below, I turned around
and was about to land on Karmeut's arm.
Karmeut's sensible gesture of extending his arm made my
mood even better.
"You look like you’re in a good mood,
Rainelle?"
Karmeut gently caressed my beak and nape, so I let out a
small cry.
I bit his finger playfully, and he laughed lowly.
"It's like the first time we met."
"Caw! (Yeah!)"
Looking back on that time, now it's a memory. It was a
time when I couldn't turn into a human, so I was struggling to become a pet(?)
by sticking to Karmeut's side somehow.
Now,
well...
When I thought about doing this or that with Karmeut, I
felt like my face went red for no reason.
Huft,
thank God that I’m in the form of a crow now! At least Karmeut won't find
out...
"What are you thinking, looking so
embarrassed?"
"Caw! (Argh!)"
How
do you know?! I’m a crow now, so I thought it wouldn’t be obvious!
When I looked at Karmeut in amazement, Karmeut chuckled then replied, playfully grabbing my beak
slightly and shaking it.
"You’re not another crow, you’re Rainelle. I can
guess what Rainelle is thinking."
...You
can do that? Are you able to do that? Ah, what the, not fair!
When I protested by cawing, Karmeut replied with an
apologetic smile,
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, but I can see it clearly!”
“Caw caaw! (But pretend you don’t know!)
"Okay, I'll pretend I don't know."
---To a certain extent, you know nothing.
At that thought, I looked at Karmeut with a salty gaze,
but Karmeut openly expressed regret,
"I’m sorry for that, Rainelle. If you keep
looking at me that way..."
"Caw? (If I keep looking at you like
this?)"
"Should I bring bugs?"
"Kakk! (I hate bugs!)"
I opened my beak and glared at Karmeut.
Ugh,
how can you say such things! You know how much I hate bugs!
Brr---!
Even thinking about that time makes my feathers rise! The time when I was
locked in a cage together with them! The fleshy, white worms wriggling on the
plate that the attendant offered to me---!
I even thought ‘Should I close my eyes and eat it
thinking it's pasta?’
back then. Making me seriously worried about whether or not to give up
my human dignity while going through an internal conflict.
Karmeut,
are you crazy? You, out of all people, said that?!
I croaked in amazement at Karmeut's act of uttering the
thing I hated the most. Then, as I had done in the old days, I plopped down on
top of the closet, fluffed up my feathers, and glared at Karmeut.
"---Oh, my God. Were the bugs too much?"
"Kakk! (That was indeed too much!)"
“Sorry, sorry, you still don’t like bugs after all. I thought you'd change a little since
you became so big."
Saying so, Karmeut's face showed a sincere expression of
apology.
---hmph!
But I won't forgive you easily! What do you mean by bringing up bugs?! I can
still vividly see the worm wriggling on the bowl that the attendant brought!
I continued to glare at Karmeut, puffing up my feathers.
It was only then that he realized the severity(?) of the situation, and I could
see Karmeut panicking.
"Rai, Rainelle?"
It's
fun, huh?! I hadn't talked about bugs since I know I
would have lost my temper, but you had to bring up the topic of bugs!
As I turned my head away, I could see Karmeut dripping in
a cold sweat from the side of my eye.
Still, I had no intention of forgiving him easily, so I
pretend not to hear.
"Uh, sorry, Rainelle!"
"Caw! (Hmph!)
Do
you think you can easily say you're sorry?
Thinking so, I turned my head to the other side. Then I noticed that the amount of cold sweat
that Karmeut shed increased, but he should have expected this result if he had
mentioned bugs in the first place!
It's
annoying! To hear about bugs from Karmeut and not from anyone else! The feeling
of betrayal is great!
Filled with such feelings, I puffed up my feathers and
cawed in a loud voice.
"I'm sorry..."
...Maybe I wouldn't have been as surprised if I
used my human figure? It's because the emperor of a country is
lowering himself in front of a crow and saying that he made a mistake.
But I'm angry! Those worms! The white, plump worms! It felt like
they were tickling me even now!
"Caw! (I hate Karmeut!)"
I'm sure he couldn't understand it because I said it in a
crow's cry, but Karmuet's complexion turned pale all at once.
"Ah, sorry! I'm really sorry! So please don't hate
me, Rainelle!"
---Karmeut,
when did you start using mind reading? Or have you learned the crow language?
No, that seemed impossible.
Anyway!
Bugs! I hate them! I’m still angry with Karmeut!
"Kakk! Kaakk!"
After letting out a meaningless scream to my heart's
content because I was a crow now, I then make myself more comfortable on top of
the closet. Then, after puffing my feathers to the fullest once again, I stuck
out my beak and glared at Karmeut.
"Kuuu..."
Because I'm in a bad mood, a growl comes out by itself.
Karmeut fidgeted under the closet.
"Sorry, Rainelle. I was wrong. I shouldn't have said
that."
...It's kind of hard to say this, but Karmeut's
appearance going back and forth under the closet was like a puppy trying to make
his master feel better somehow.
Do you want me to forgive
you for looking a little cute in that way? However, I hardened my
heart.
No!
No! I have to be stern this time so that he won’t bring up bugs ever again!
***
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