Several days had already passed since I started staying in Theo's room.
My wings had recovered to the point where I could move them somewhat.
After Ben removed the bandages to check their condition, I occasionally moved my wings, climbing up and down the table or bed as if doing rehabilitation, just as he had instructed.
Perhaps the changing of the guard that Orca mentioned was over, as maids and servants now entered the room to do their work.
Theo must have purged his nanny and guards as soon as he returned. That must be why the maids were so terrified.
"L-Lord Shuian, I'll replace your cushion…!"
Because Theo had threatened them several times to treat me, his precious bird, with the utmost care, they trembled whenever they saw me, even when Theo wasn't around.
Mostly because they knew I was smart enough to tattle on them to Theo.
Besides, they seemed to think their heads would roll if they damaged even one of my feathers, so they usually didn't even come near me.
When replacing the cushion, they would stretch their arms out as far as they could, trying to stay as far away as possible, and just barely snatch the cushion away.
On top of that, they had to use honorifics for a mere bird, making it a truly extreme job.
'If anything happens to Shuian, none of you will leave here alive.'
Hmm, considering what Theo said, that might be true. He definitely had a tendency to be overprotective of me. Still, he wouldn't kill them just for touching my feathers, would he?
Lost in thought, I didn't move from the cushion, and the maid in front of me looked like she was about to cry.
Oops, sorry. I'll move.
I quickly got off the cushion and stepped aside, and only then did she smile brightly, take the cushion away, and place a new one on the bed.
They probably don't need to wash it every day. You guys are suffering! But I didn't mind the fluffy, good-smelling cushion every day, so I quickly climbed back onto it. It's so soft today too.
"Thank you, Lord Shuian!"
Okay, okay, there's no need to thank me, but I appreciate the greeting.
The maid, having accomplished her mission, practically ran out of the room, and I was alone again.
It wasn't a bad life. Now that there was no chance of encountering predators, I could sleep peacefully, and Theo, knowing that I didn't eat raw meat, prepared meals of fruit or cooked meat for me.
I didn't have to do anything myself, so it was truly paradise. Life in the forest was leisurely, but I still had to put in some effort to find food or patrol the area, but here it was a paradise for laziness.
Whenever Theo asked if there was anything I was uncomfortable with, I was very troubled.
There was nothing here that could be called uncomfortable.
Maybe I was the luckiest, most pampered bird in the world…? Master, let's live together forever!
Just then, Theo entered the room. He was in his formal attire, probably after a meeting, and he looked several times more handsome than usual. And you have such a great body… you're guilty. Isn't this level of imbalance too much?
"Screech."
Theo, pleased with my greeting, kissed my forehead as always. It was like a greeting.
When I woke up in the morning, before going to bed, before leaving, when he came back.
The fact that I was starting to like that affectionate greeting was a big problem. Is this how a pet feels…!
"Were you well-behaved today?"
"Screech-!"
Of course! I was well-behaved and lazy!
"The physician said it's still too much for you to fly for long periods, so let's go for a walk together when a little more time has passed. So even if you're bored, please bear with it a little longer."
"Screech."
I don't need a walk! Even when I was human, I was an extreme homebody who didn't go out much! I rubbed my head against his arm to show that I was fine.
Theo, pleased that I had shown affection first, burst into laughter and pulled me into his arms.
"Are you comforting me now? How lovely."
Orca, who came in after him, frowned as if he had eaten poop when he saw the two of us. Haven't you gotten used to it yet?
"Your Highness, it seems it will take a little longer for what you asked for."
"Tsk, does it really take this long to make just one thing?"
"It's not 'just one thing.' Even simple artifacts take a long time to make, and you know that… Besides, aren't we short on manpower these days because of the hunting festival preparations?"
"Can you prepare it before the hunting festival?"
Orca, after estimating the date for a moment, nodded. Wait, so what are they making? Theo, noticing my question, answered gently.
"I'm preparing a gift for you."
"A gift? Are you serious?"
Theo glared at Orca's sarcasm for a moment.
"I'm making accessories to wear together. I'll wear one on my wrist, and you'll wear one on your ankle, and if you wear that anklet, you'll be able to tell when I call you, even if you're far away."
It will be very pretty. Theo quickly added, noticing that my expression was strange. Uh… so you're saying you're going to put a shackle on me….
"Just say it's a shackle. I don't think Lord Shuian looks convinced."
"What do you know?"
"It's obvious just by looking."
Well… he jokingly called it a shackle, but it's probably just a bracelet…. Since I wasn't planning on leaving Theo anytime soon anyway, I roughly accepted it.
Actually, whatever it was, if it made Theo even a little less anxious, I didn't mind.
Besides, it's not like it's a shackle with chains. It's just an anklet with a calling function, so what's the big deal?
"Screech."
"Does that mean you're okay with it?"
"Screech-!"
Theo smiled brightly at my affirmation, and Orca sarcastically said again.
"Lord Shuian is very generous. If it were me, I would have run away right now."
"Shut your mouth."
"Well, anyway…. It seems Lord Shuian's rumors have spread quite a bit. It seems they've reached the Empress's ears as well."
"I didn't order them to keep it a secret, so it's inevitable. What's the reaction?"
"The dominant reaction is that the Second Prince, cornered, is pulling off a ridiculous trick. There are also rumors that he developed delusions due to the betrayal of his nanny and guards, whom he had known since childhood."
Theo laughed as if it were amusing. As I said, there was a history of no one succeeding in raising an eagle, so it was a more reasonable judgment to think that Theo was using some bird and pretending it was an eagle rather than believing that Theo had actually succeeded in raising an eagle.
The veterinarian, who would have the most accurate information, was holed up in his bedroom, studying the books that the maids brought to him, trying to learn even a little more about eagles, so it was understandable that such rumors were circulating. But delusions, that's harsh! I really might scratch them all…!
"What should we do?"
"Let them gossip as much as they want. Let's see how far the rumors get blown out of proportion."
After all, we'll be the main characters of this hunting festival. Theo muttered with a sneer.
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It was three more days before Theo brought my shackle… no, anklet. Originally, he said it would take at least a week, right? But seeing that it was completed in just three days, it was obvious how much he had pushed Orca.
"Shuian, come here."
As I approached, Theo fastened a black ring he was holding to my ankle. The ring, which seemed to fit a grown man's wrist perfectly, shrank to fit my ankle thickness.
I moved around roughly, and the inside was soft, so it didn't seem like it would be too uncomfortable to move around.
While I was moving my feet around, Theo also put a matching ring on his wrist.
The black body was full of silver pearls, making it a design that seemed to blend our colors appropriately. This is totally a couple item!
"Screech-!"
"It seems you like it."
I like it, but I'm a little embarrassed!
"Wearing this will prove that you are my bird. No one will be able to treat you carelessly. And I've made it so that you can tell where you are when I call you. So you must come back when I call you."
Theo's words suddenly reminded me of a dream I often had when I was human. Me, far away, and a voice calling me.
'Come back to me.'
It was a vague voice that didn't reveal gender or age, but the call to me was clearly recognizable, and it was somehow similar to Theodore's.
No, it must be a delusion. Even if a person becomes an eagle, I'm really thinking all sorts of things.
"I don't think you, who said you would stay by my side, would leave without a word. Nevertheless, will you understand me for needing to do this to feel at ease?"
As before, if Theo was even a little less anxious with just this anklet, it didn't matter much.
Why did it feel like it wouldn't matter much even if it was a collar instead of an anklet? You become endlessly kind to me, and I become endlessly lenient to you.
It's only been less than a month. Rather than trying to find a reason for that strangeness, I decided to just give Theo the answer he wanted.
"Screech."
It would have been better if I could have said thank you, that the anklet was very pretty. I felt regret for the first time, but Theo smiled kindly at my usual cry.
"And actually, there's one more real gift."
"Screech-?"
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