CH 34

RJR11-14 minutes 08.10.2023

The place Lasilia headed to was the North Tower.

“Shryden Hapha! Are you inside? I’m going in!”

Yvette, who was out of breath trying to keep up with Lasilia’s fast pace, finally announced her visit and opened the door.

“Oh, this can’t be right… I guess neither of you are here.”

But the room was empty. Yvette stamped her foot.

“At a time like this, when Her Majesty the Empress is urgently looking for her…”

She felt dizzy for a moment when she saw the empty room. Lasilia went to the window and opened it.

‘They said they would come when called.’

Before Pipi was born, the birds that were there said that. Miraculously, the birds appeared whenever Lasilia needed something from her. The reason the birds help him is probably because, like Pipi, they consider themselves the demon’s companion. But there was no time to discuss such things now.

“Anyone, please come. It’s urgent.”

Lasilia held her hands together and whispered in an earnest voice.

“Please.”

Yvette came to her side and opened her mouth anxiously.

“Your Majesty the Empress. Could you please tell me what’s going on? You might wonder if something like me can be of much help, but there might be something I can do.”

Lasilia shook her head.

“Your heart is grateful. But you’re better off not knowing.”

“Why… Why is that so? I want to do something…”

Yvette was crying. Just her facial expression conveyed her kind heart. She didn’t know who her real companion was, but she would get a lot of comfort here just by having someone like Yvette.

“There are many things a princess can do. So she doesn’t have to feel sad about this moment.”

“But… There’s something troubling you right now. Isn’t that right?”

“Okay. But I think that’s something that can’t be solved by human power.”

“Yes? Then…”

It was a moment when Yvette lost her words out of worry and embarrassment.

Caw! Caw!

Coo coo coo coo!

Peep! Beep, beep!

Birds began to fly in from somewhere and sit on the window sill one by one.

“Oh! Look, Her Majesty! Suddenly the birds are coming! What the hell is this…?”

Yvette was startled and hurriedly pointed out the window. At first there were just one or two birds, but before we knew it, so many birds flew in that the entire window was covered.

“Ah, you really came. Thank you. Maybe some of you…”

It was the moment when Lasilia spoke to the birds.

“Beep!”

Pipi, who was flying with Duke Shryden from afar, screamed. She was here, so you guys shouldn’t come forward.

“Your Majesty the Empress! What brought you here?”

Duke Schryden spoke in a deep voice again today, using the elegant language of an aristocrat.

“Beep!”

When Pipi shouted for everyone to get out of the way, the birds split on both sides to clear the way. Pipi was riding on Duke Shryden’s neck, and as soon as Duke Shryden landed on the window, she jumped down and was hugged by Lasilia.

“Beep?”

“I have a favor to ask you, Pipi.”

“Beep!”

He told her to just say anything.

“The Marchioness Parshad is said to be on her way to the temple now. I guess they’re trying to make a deal with the temple. Can you stop that?”

“Beep?”

“Please don’t ask me why. It will be revealed someday, but not yet. I just want to buy some time.”

“Beep… beep.”

Pipi nodded his head. When Pipi, who seemed to have grown a little more, opened his eyes fiercely, he even looked solemn. Duke Shryden stepped forward.

“Where should I go? I will take care of you!”

“Beep.”

Pipi shook his head. She needed something faster than a parrot, she said.

“Beep!”

Pipi cried sharply into the empty space. Then, a moment later, an eagle with huge wings flew in. The birds on both sides were startled and opened the road wider.

“Beep!”

Pipi hopped on the eagle’s back.

“Ah, the eagle… That’s right. A parrot can’t be faster than an eagle. Indeed…”

Duke Shryden drooped his wings and muttered gloomily. However, when Pipi turned his head and said something, his expression quickly changed.

“Huh? Are you saying I should ride too? Oh, glory to you!”

The Duke of Shryden was very large, but the eagle was nothing compared to the parrot. It was comfortable even with two birds on board.

“Beep!”

Pipi looked back at Lasilia and made a short, firm sound. She said she would be back soon so she should wait.

“Okay. I’ll be waiting in my room. Thank you.”

As a signal that Lasilia’s hand gestures that were rubbing Pipi’s head had stopped, the eagle took off.

Whiing!

The wind blew from the giant wings. The eagle soared into the sky in an instant. This was followed by numerous birds that had flocked to the window.

“And… It’s spectacular. It’s my first time seeing a scene like that. It’s really cool. All those birds are moving to help Her Majesty.”

Lasilia also agreed. It touched her heart to think that so many living beings were only there for her at this moment. On the other hand, it was also a little sad.

‘This is not for me. do not forget. I have to leave here someday. And that too as quickly as possible.’

Lasilia gently stroked her heart, which was beating faster than usual. The prophet’s heart must have been heavy. That way, no matter what situation she faces, she won’t be able to move from her spot. Lasilia hoped that her heart would become very heavy as she came down the North Tower. It was three hours later that Silver Shield sent her third secret letter. The secret letter contained the content that the Marquis’ carriage on the way to the temple suddenly had an unexpected accident and he was unable to arrive at the temple. Around the same time, a message arrived from the writer’s secretary that the Empress was looking for her Marchioness.

* * *

“Beep.”

Pipi looked like she was in a very good mood. Pipi, who had just finished her big day, was eating the walnuts that Lasilia had given him and rubbing his head against her shoulders and cheeks to her heart’s content.

“Beep beep.”

She was constantly saying that she was very proud of what she had done today, that it was a long way to the temple, and that she was a bit tired and tired right now.

“Yeah, I know. You did very well.”

Lasilia handed her the nuts with a smiling face and Pipi opened his mouth and ate them. 

Yvette, who was embroidering a handkerchief for Lasilia to use, tilted her head and asked:

“Aren’t you short on walnuts? Should I bring more in advance?”

“No. I think what I have now is enough.”

“Ren, you eat so well?”

“That’s right, but my stomach is already full. I don’t think I can eat any more.”

“Peeee…”

Pipi gently covered his stomach with his short wings. Yvette couldn’t bring herself to say that he was cute, so she covered her head and suppressed her laughter.

“Anyway, where have you been since early morning today? What did you do with Lord Shryden?”

“Beep.”

Pipi flapped his wings as Lasilia stroked his head and asked sweetly. He learned how to hunt his prey from the Duke of Shryden, he said. However, since the peacock had never actually caught and eaten prey with his own hands, he wandered around looking for a bird that could teach him how to hunt properly.

“Why is hunting suddenly happening? Aren’t you going to continue living in the imperial palace?”

“Beep!”

“Ah… Did Your Majesty say that?”

“Beep! Beep!”

The cause was an argument in the early morning. She said that while Pipi was sleeping soundly, she was suddenly grabbed by the back of her neck and her body was lifted. Her culprit was the Emperor. He told me to stop sleeping and go out and eat bugs like a bird. He was dumbfounded so I pecked the back of his hand, but surprisingly, not a single drop of blood came out. The Emperor sarcastically asked what he could do with an undergrown beak. He said that he could clearly see a future where he would just eat whatever food was given to him and gain weight.

“And… Such harsh words.”

“Beep!”

Pipi seemed to think it was time to curse at the emperor. The words were harsh, but to sum it up, it meant that he was a really bad-tempered person.

“Was there something like that?… It didn’t look that way.”

Lasilia tilted her head. She thought that the Emperor that Pipi was talking about was very different from the Emperor he knew. Although the Emperor was stubborn, he was not a mean person who deliberately said things that would cause people to get angry.

“Beep!”

Pipi lost his temper and said he couldn’t trust him. In fact, Pipi didn’t have a very good personality either. Even when he told the birds flocking to the window to get out of the way, he lost his temper.

“Beep beep! Beep beep!”

Anyway, the Emperor was a mean person, so he didn’t need to be treated too kindly. He said it was enough for me to sleep in the same bed.

“Hmm… I agree with that too. If the three of us sleep together, we might have another nightmare.”

“Beep?”

“A dream in which a bird that looks exactly like you and a demon that looks exactly like the emperor fight each other.”

“Beep beep?”

“I didn’t see who won.”

Lasilia smiled and stroked his skin.

“But I no longer have nightmares. The blue moon is over.”

Suddenly a thought crossed his mind that the Emperor didn’t seem to have changed much even though the Blue Moon had ended.

“Hmm? Your Majesty, why are you doing this?”

Yvette looked at me as if her expression had suddenly become strange.

“…no. Nothing’s going on… Did she perhaps leave a message saying that Your Majesty is returning to the Emperor’s Palace today?”

Yvette answered.

“No. I have never heard such a thing, Your Majesty.”

So what happens today?

* * *

Shss.

It was a very quiet sound. Lescal raised his head. A human shadow appeared in the empty office.

“You came in person today.”

“Yes, Your Majesty… long time no see.”

It was the third shadow knight, Decan, who silently placed one knee on the floor and placed a hand on his chest in greeting. Lescal looked at Decan and slightly moved the tip of his nose.

“Have you been far away?”

“…Yes, Your Majesty.”

Embarrassment quickly flashed across Decan’s face. Although he was determined, he couldn’t fool Lescal’s attention. There was always a case where the Silver Shield emptied the capital depending on its role. But of course, permission had to be obtained to stay in a foreign place long enough for Lescal to notice a change in smell. Decan went a long way without telling the other Shadow Knights. It meant there was a good reason, and Lescal knew it.

“I will postpone discussing the rules. First, report today’s work.”

Decan stood up.

“I thought we already told you that there was an accident. Parshad found his feathers at the scene of the writer’s carriage accident. There were minor injuries, but no deaths, and the Marquis and his wife returned to their estate.”

“Feather?”

“It appears that multiple birds appeared and caused the accident.”

“It’s a bird.”

Lescal’s expression softened and then became unpleasant again for a moment.

“It looks like the immature ones know how to grow. Upset.”

“yes…?”

He swore this was the first time she heard Lescal mention his feelings. The other Shadow Knights had adapted to some extent, but unfortunately Decan, who had been away from the capital for some time, had not yet. Lescal continued speaking, glancing at Decan, who was unusually embarrassed.

“And?”

“…?”

“I don’t think you would have come here in person to talk about that. Get out what you really want to say.”

“Ah… Of course, Your Majesty.”

Decan calmed his expression. Then his face became that of a knight holding a silver shield. Decan definitely had something to say to the Emperor today.

“The place I have been to is Trinidad, Your Majesty.”