That evening, after eating salmon ice cream as a reward for eating my salad, I went to bed only after confirming that there were no unusual symptoms. Even though I'm a divine beast, I wouldn't get sick from just one ice cream, but I wanted to do as Theo wished.
And starting tomorrow, Orca would get me some fairy tale books, and I decided to practice reading with Theo. Theo said I was fine as I was, but my pride was hurt, so I asked first. I'll show him an eagle that speaks more fluently than a human…!
Theo turned off the magic stone lamp and returned to bed. I fell asleep first yesterday, so I didn't know, but lying side by side in bed sober felt strange. It felt so different from sleeping together as an eagle that it was hard to adjust. Just as I was about to say something to ease the awkwardness, Theo asked me a question first.
"Can all divine beasts turn into humans?"
"I don't really know."
"So you don't know how you became a human either."
"Yeah. But… I wanted to become a human because I had so much to say to Theo."
He'd be surprised if he knew how satisfied I was with my life as an eagle. You were always there the moment I thought I wanted to become a human.
"You must have been very frustrated."
His usual gentle voice made me feel strangely touched, and I rubbed my forehead against his neck. I unconsciously did what I used to do as an eagle, and then I looked at Theo, wondering if he would be uncomfortable with a man sticking to him, but he hugged me even tighter.
"Then won't you tell me your story? Anything is fine."
I was held in his warm embrace and hesitated for a moment before starting to speak incoherently. Theo, who understood my eagle gestures perfectly no matter how messy I spoke, would surely understand everything, so I decided to talk about this and that comfortably.
"I… I like the sky. The sky I see while flying is so pretty. That's why I like sky blue too."
"The flower you gave me back then was also sky blue."
"That's right. Theo can't fly, so it was a substitute for the sky."
"No wonder it was so pretty."
He remembered that flower. I thought Theo would throw it away right away and forget about it, given his personality. I was secretly touched.
"Um… oh, right. In the forest where Theo and I first met, you probably didn't see it, but there's my nest there. But actually, I didn't know how to build a nest, so I took the biggest crow's nest."
"What?"
Theo, who had been listening to my story quietly, widened his eyes and then burst out laughing.
"Heh, you took a crow's nest?"
"Yeah… I'm sorry, but I wanted to sleep in a nest too…. I apologized, but the crow came every day and watched with sad eyes. Maybe it was because he thought he would lose if he fought?"
"Oh, my goodness…. And then?"
"I just used it well. It was a bit tight, though."
Theo chuckled again. He laughed so much that tears welled up in his eyes. To see the final villain's precious tears like this….
"Um… and actually, there's one thing I want to apologize for."
It was a word I couldn't bring myself to say to that face, which looked almost innocent, but I was too conscientious to keep it a secret, so I had no choice but to close my eyes tightly and speak.
"When Theo was hurt in the forest, I healed you, right?"
"You did."
"The medicinal herbs and berries I put in your mouth, I actually did it with my toes. I, I didn't have hands, so I couldn't help it…. But I washed them clean…."
I was so intimidated that I glanced at him, and I saw Theo biting his lip. He seemed to be holding something back, but fortunately, it wasn't anger.
"Heh, it's okay."
Ah, it wasn't anger, it was laughter. You're still laughing even after laughing that much, you villain!
"It's a grateful thing that you healed me, so it's not a big deal. You don't have to worry about it."
It was clear that he couldn't laugh properly because I looked so sullen. I should have just not said anything if I knew he would laugh like that….
"But do you remember the day you came to the forest with injured wings?"
"Yeah."
"How did you get hurt?"
"Um…."
I felt my tongue curling up because it seemed like it would be a long explanation. Seeing my troubled expression, Theo gently patted my back as if to say he would wait as long as it took.
"The day Theo first came to the forest, the wild dogs living in the forest smelled the blood and came. I chased them away once, but I thought it would be dangerous if I left them alone…."
I couldn't bring myself to say that I killed them. I didn't even want to think about that day again. However, Theo noticed the unspoken words I swallowed and asked back in surprise.
"Wild dogs? Were there many of them?"
"Not many, three…."
"Goodness, Shuian. How could you do such a reckless thing…!"
"Um… that much was okay."
My physical strength was okay, but my weak heart was the problem…. Theo's expression didn't improve even with my excuse. He looked at me as if I were a troublemaker.
"I'll have to watch you carefully so you don't do anything dangerous again."
Ah, I told you it was okay…. I pouted my lips, and he flicked them with his finger, as if to say it was no use pouting.
After that, I told him about the trivial things that happened in the forest and how I spent my time after coming to the palace. It wasn't a very long time, and I hadn't really done anything when I wasn't with Theo, so all I did was roll around, rest, and sleep.
In the middle of talking, I was puzzled because I couldn't hear any more answers, so I glanced up. Theo, who had been answering diligently until just now, was asleep, breathing evenly. It was still before midnight, which made it seem absurd that he could barely fall asleep until dawn every day.
I watched him for a long time, wondering if he would wake up again, but fortunately, he didn't wake up again. It seemed like he would have a slightly longer sleep today. I smiled happily at that.
"Good night, Theo."
I whispered in a very small voice and snuggled into his arms.
ꕥ
Theodore, who woke up squinting in the sunlight, looked around as usual. Only after confirming that his lovely and beautiful one was fast asleep in his arms did he lie back down on the bed comfortably.
His eagle had suddenly become a human. His unusually intelligent and extraordinary appearance seemed to be proof of him being a divine beast, but what was most important to Theodore was something else. Whether Shuian was still his Shuian.
Everything is finite, and sometimes a very small change can turn everything upside down. That's why he was anxious. He believed that just changing one's appearance wouldn't change everything, but he couldn't be sure of anything until Shuian opened his eyes.
Finally, only after confirming that Shuian was still his lovely bird could he finally relax. How could he express that joy in words? That his mysterious silver eyes were always directed at him, that his eagle had given him a precious nickname that he had never had before, that he awkwardly spoke to him in his own way.
Whatever it was, he was completely filled with the fact that he was unique and special. As if all the sleepless nights he had spent worrying were a dream, he now knew exactly what expression Shuian would make the moment those eyelids lifted and his beautiful silver eyes reflected him.
Rustle-.
When his eyelids lifted and their eyes met, those seemingly indifferent eyes would curve into a round shape, and his cheeks would be flushed red as if they had been dabbed with flower petals. Then, with his beautifully curled lips, he would say this.
"Theo, did you sleep well?"
Unfortunately, it was the correct answer. You are always as lovely and adorable as I expected, so unfortunately, you have lost the chance to escape forever.
"I slept very well. Thanks to Shuian."
Even if the innocent and pitiful you regret it later, there will be nothing you can do. Because I will never let you go.
ꕥ
In a corner of Theo's office, I boldly picked up one of the fairy tale books that Orca had brought in piles. Fairy tale books were mainly used by young children of noble families, so they had magic engraved on them, so you could see realistic and splendid effects.
Orca explained that they were more fun than other books with letters, so he bought a lot of them. I was offended that I was being treated like a child, but on the other hand, I was quite curious, so I accepted them reluctantly.
I vowed not to say it was fun easily and looked at the cover first. The chick and the bird drawn on it were just to my liking. What's the content? They drew the bird as cool as an eagle, so I like it for now! But what is this? Is it some kind of pattern? As I was looking at the cover, Theo asked in a worried tone.
"...Shuian, are you really going to read that?"
"Why?"
"No, it's nothing. If you like it…."
What, why are you talking like a character in a drama who's giving out spoilers for the next season? Whether it's fun or not, it's a fairy tale book, so what difference does it make? I turned the cover and turned the next page. And I turned another page, and another page again.
Whether it was really because magic was engraved on it, a small wind blew every time I turned a page, or a hologram-like animal popped out and went back in, or lights twinkled, etc. The effects were very amazing and worth seeing, but that wasn't the problem. I closed the book again and went back to the cover.
This… could it be that the pattern was actually letters?
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