I soared into the sky, trying to calm my fluttering heart. I was so surprised when I made eye contact with Theodore, who had regained consciousness. I thought he would be furious that I had dragged him here like a piece of luggage, thinking I was the villain who would destroy the world, but instead, he thanked me. Even though I was just a bird.
Of course, I deserved his thanks. With this body, I had dragged that large, heavy man all the way to the river, covered him with plants to hide the scent of blood, and crushed hemostatic herbs to apply to his wounds. Then, I'd given him detoxifying herbs and even gave him juicy berries to prevent dehydration.
You have no idea how much I suffered doing all that in the body of a bird, not a human. Of course, I failed to control myself a few times and scratched him with my beak or claws, but those were just minor details! Yes, yes. Especially when moving that huge body to the riverbank, I thought my beak would fall off.
Okay, I've done enough. So, let's just ignore him now. The only reason I went this far was because my conscience pricked me too much to leave an injured person alone. So, let's really ignore him!
...I felt like it hadn't been more than a few hours since I made that resolution, but I was still circling around him. Of course, I didn't get too close, but I was watching to see if any dangerous animals or monsters would approach again.
He had regained consciousness, so he wouldn't be easily defeated, but if he moved with that body, his wounds would definitely worsen, so I was worried.
Okay, I'll just watch him until he can move! That's very, very easy for me! Besides, I've been so bored lately! I knew it wasn't appropriate for me, who used to enjoy a leisurely life so much, to say that, but I felt more comfortable if I made even a little excuse.
Theodore was sitting in the same spot where I had dragged him, and when I, tired of circling in the sky, landed on a nearby tree, he smiled, crinkling his eyes.
"Did you come because you were worried about me?"
He must have known that I had been circling around him, but he was pretending not to know. I was embarrassed, so I turned my head away, and he laughed out loud as if I were cute. I became even more embarrassed and buried my face under my wing.
"Thank you for coming."
I was a little lonely. The added words were so small that they would have been missed if you hadn't been listening carefully. If you say that much, I'll worry even more!
I shook my head and looked up at the sky. The sun was setting. Even though the weather wasn't cold, it would be good to make a fire, given the forest's characteristic of having a sharp drop in temperature when the sun goes down.
If I made a fire, beasts or monsters might see the light and come, but there was no one nearby who could threaten me or Theodore right now, and even if there were, it was more important to prevent his body temperature from dropping in his current poor condition than that.
After thinking for a moment, I picked up a few dry twigs that had fallen on the ground with my beak and placed them near Theodore.
"Are you telling me to make a fire?"
As expected, he easily understood what I was saying. Instead of answering, I picked up more twigs.
"If you make a fire, dangerous things might see the light and come."
When I just stared at him, Theodore tilted his head for a moment and asked.
"Are there no dangerous things around here?"
"Screech-!"
Theodore's eyes widened, and then he smiled, crinkling his eyes. I had always felt he was handsome whenever I saw the illustrations, but seeing it in person was truly destructive. This is... a beauty that transcends gender....
"I really feel like I can communicate with you."
He picked out some of the twigs I had gathered and stacked them up, then lit them on fire. He must still be having trouble using magic because he hadn't completely detoxified, but this much seemed to be no problem. It was definitely a little warmer now that the fire was lit.
"Thank you for your consideration."
Instead of answering, I flew up again. I would need more twigs to keep the fire going all night.
While gathering twigs, I found a rabbit coming out of its burrow. I wouldn't have even glanced at it normally... but Theodore's face suddenly flashed through my mind. He's human, so he can't just live on berries... it would be good to catch some meat since I'm making a fire...? It would be even better for him to eat meat since he's hurt.... The rabbit hadn't noticed me yet and was leisurely eating grass.
No, why am I doing this much for a villain who I just met today and who will burn the world? I've been living on berries all this time because I hate hunting, haven't I?
'I was a little lonely.'
Damn it, he's acting pitiful...! Of course, he might not be acting.... I sighed deeply. Okay, I've done this much, so I believe he'll spare me even if he destroys the world, you villain!
Hunting was as easy as I had always expected. When I flew with determination, I was twice as fast as usual, even though it wasn't my top speed. In the blink of an eye, before the rabbit could even notice, I reached it and pierced its body with my claws. The rabbit struggled briefly and then died.
The feeling of piercing through its skin and flesh was unfamiliar, but thankfully, it wasn't as creepy as I had imagined. Anyway, since I had become an eagle, it was a sensation I had to get used to, so I comforted myself, grabbed the rabbit tightly with my claws, and headed to Theodore.
I placed the rabbit next to Theodore, who was quietly watching the campfire, washed my toes and claws in the river, and then returned to the branch where I had been.
"You must be very worried about me. You keep bringing me things."
"Screech-!"
What! You can't hunt in that body! It'll make it worse if you move!
"Yes, yes. Thank you."
I snorted at his gentle, soothing tone. I'm letting you off because you're a patient. Come to think of it, he wasn't that surprised that he could communicate with me now, and he was talking to me naturally. Humans are indeed animals of adaptation.
He skillfully butchered the rabbit and then skewered the meat on a twig and started grilling it over the fire. Wait, aren't you a prince...? Why are you so good at this?
"I went on a monster subjugation mission a while ago, and there wasn't a suitable place to sleep there, so I had to camp out. Later, I ran out of food and had to prepare meals with what I caught myself. I naturally became accustomed to it."
He explained willingly, as if he knew I was looking at him strangely. So, in the monster subjugation mission a while ago, the empress didn't properly support him with military supplies or food so that he couldn't return.
I wonder how Theodore felt when he saw the rusty, chipped weapons and the moldy, rotten food that the empress had sent, which were no different from garbage. I'll never know how harsh Theodore's environment was, but I'm sure it wasn't easy.
"Would you like to eat with me? Ah, do you eat raw meat?"
Throughout the novel, he just wanted to live. That was all he wanted. He only wanted to become emperor to survive, but he had never really wanted it.
Theodore, who was always kind, unlike a villain who would burn the world, became a little pitiful.
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I stayed up all night in case monsters or other animals appeared. Theodore fell asleep quite quickly and deeply, probably because he thought I was protecting him.
When I first realized I had become an eagle, I was so scared that I might be attacked by a beast that I didn't sleep and stayed up all night. Based on that memory, I could easily go without sleep for about a week in this body. So, staying up one night today was no problem. When I was human, I felt like I would die if I stayed up for just one night, but eagles were definitely different. Or, is it really because I'm an eagle...?
Theodore, who found me as soon as he opened his eyes, smiled at me again with a very kind face, knowing that I was protecting him. Don't smile with such a handsome face! Stop attacking me with your face...!
As soon as he got up, he went to the river and washed his face simply. I drank water a little away from him. Theodore, who was staring at me drinking water, reached out to me.
"Come here."
I snorted and flew into the sky. His face hardened with disappointment and regret. Sorry, but I'm not an easy eagle.
"Yeah, don't trust people too much. People will definitely betray you someday."
You're a person too. His face looked very lonely as he gave me advice even though he looked disappointed. Maybe he was thinking of the faces of the nanny and the guards who had betrayed him.
After that, he tried to approach me, but he failed every time. I was worried every time I saw disappointment on his face, but I still kept my distance from him. It's not that I think Theodore will harm me now.
But is it because I know the ending where he ends up turning into a villain? I kept being wary as if the further I got away from him, the further I would get away from the sad ending. It was closer to a rational judgment than an instinctive wariness. I wanted to continue this second life, no, bird life, that I had magically obtained, peacefully.
Anyway, since I came up to the sky, I wondered if I should pick up some berries that have detoxifying effects and herbs that help with wound regeneration, so I flapped my wings diligently. I knew I was being quite devoted considering I was wary of him, but my heart kept weakening when I looked at him. Was I such a humane person...?
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