I turned my gaze to Theo. His eyes, always so cold, held a gentle light when they met mine. Facing that tenderness, I suddenly felt afraid. Could I really change things? I had spoken so boldly about changing this story, destined as it seemed, but could I really do it?
"Is something the matter?"
"Screech-"
I quickly shook my head. Of the countless words that came to mind, I couldn't say a single one properly, so I suddenly felt grateful that I was in eagle form.
Just then, the Emperor and Empress rose from their seats. The Emperor left first, and the Empress approached Ariel, speaking to her in a friendly manner.
"Saintess, are you enjoying the banquet? Is there anything you need?"
"Ah, Your Majesty the Empress...! Not at all, the banquet hall is so beautiful, and everyone is so kind."
"I'm so glad to hear that. I made sure to tell everyone to treat our precious guest well. That way, our Saintess will have good memories during her stay at the Imperial Palace."
"I don't know how to repay such kindness..."
"Then, how about bestowing a small blessing on two of the dignitaries who attended today? If it's not too much for the Saintess, of course."
"Ah, then to Your Majesty first..."
"Oh, no, I am content with the Saintess accepting my invitation, so I will yield to someone else."
In the original story, Ariel first blessed Ricardo, who came as her partner.
"Then... I will bless the First Prince, who has become my partner."
The Empress's satisfied face and Ricardo's reddened ears. It was all the same. Next would be Raymond, and the kind-hearted Saintess would end by blessing everyone in the banquet hall, making a definite impact as the Saintess.
"Next..."
But instead of heading to Raymond, Ariel approached Theo and me. She glanced at me, her cheeks flushed, clearly wanting to touch me. She made an effort to avert her gaze from me and looked up at Theo.
"I will bestow a blessing on the Second Prince."
And a shower of light poured down on Theo's head. In terms of status, it was right to bless Theo after Ricardo, but in the original story, Ariel chose Raymond. She hadn't noticed Theo's presence, standing in the corner to avoid people's attention.
'Oh dear, there was also the Second Prince. Saintess, would you be willing to bless the Second Prince as well?'
Theo refused the Empress's mocking request, and that was the end of it. But today, Ariel blessed Theo instead of Raymond. In the end, the original story had changed.
"And thank you to everyone who has given me a good time today."
I quietly watched the shower of light that filled the banquet hall. Yes, the original story had changed enough because of my existence.
It was possible that it would return to its original state at any time, but I had finally confirmed that I could change it with my own power. The novel I had read could no longer be the absolute answer.
Glancing at the Empress, her face was a little stiff, as if she hadn't expected Ariel to bless Theo. I, who had been sitting quietly all along, got down from Theo's arm for the first time and flapped my wings.
Screams erupted here and there, but perhaps because they were watching Theo's reaction, no one dared to stop me easily.
Weaving through the bewildered people, I landed in front of a large vase. I don't know who put it there, but excuse me! After apologizing briefly, I plucked pink petals with my beak.
Then, I picked up a handful with my toes, flew up again, circled over Ariel's head, and scattered the petals I was holding.
It wasn't as much as the shower of light, but the rain of flowers suited Ariel very well. You blessed Theo, so I'm doing you a favor.
Ariel smiled brightly as she watched the falling petals, but on the contrary, Theo's face was becoming more and more fierce, so I hurriedly changed direction again and landed in front of another vase. This time, it was a vase full of my favorite blue flowers.
As before, I plucked a lot of petals, grabbed them with my toes, and flew up again, scattering the petals from Theo's front to the door. Until I returned to him, Theo just stared at me.
"Screech-!"
Our Theo, I'll make sure you only walk on flower paths!
"Ha, you really..."
He hugged me in his arms, stepped on the petals I had scattered, and headed for the door. Then, he glanced at the silent crowd, bowed his head briefly, and left the banquet hall.
It was time for the transmigrated villain from another world to return home.
ê•¥
As soon as I returned to the bedroom, I got out of Theo's arms and quickly transformed into human form. There were so many things I wanted to say.
"Theo! The Saintess blessed Theo!"
"Shuian, I'm asking just in case, but you don't like that woman, do you?"
I said no earlier, and you're saying that again!
"I told you, no!"
"Yes, there's no way Shuian would like someone other than me."
No... why wouldn't I? But it was not the atmosphere to say no, so I quickly nodded.
"Our Theo, I'll make you walk only on flower paths. Like I did earlier!"
"'Our Theo'... that has a very nice ring to it. But what do you mean by flower paths?"
"Um... I mean I'll make you happy. No, not that, but good... I mean..."
It wasn't wrong, but it sounded like a proposal, so I hurriedly changed my words. But I couldn't think of a suitable word other than that. Theo chuckled and hugged me tightly.
"Yes, I think I know what you mean. You always try to give me only precious things."
"Theo too."
"What?"
"Theo too, you always try to do good things for me, right?"
I know best how much he cares for me. He always acts as if I should have the best and cannot tolerate even the slightest inconvenience.
"If you really think so, I'm glad."
Theo smiled as if he was really relieved. Sometimes he seemed to suffer from an unknown anxiety. What is he doubting that makes him like that? There was nothing I could do as I didn't know the reason of the anxiety, so I pretended not to know and tugged at the end of his sleeve.
"Let's go to sleep now. I'm tired."
"Yes, let's do that."
I was tired from the day that started early in the morning, so I quickly washed up and lay down on the bed. While I was comfortably rolling around, Theo, who had finished bathing, took his usual place next to me and lay down.
Come to think of it, when is Theo's birthday? Could it have passed already? It would be a bit much to ask the person himself. I'll have to ask Orca when I wake up tomorrow, I thought, and picked up a fairy tale book placed on the bedside table.
I had been practicing speaking by reading fairy tales before going to bed for the past few days, and Theo would correct me if I made a mistake while reading. Seeing the snow and snowman drawn on the cover, this fairy tale seemed to be about winter.
"I'm going to read now."
"Okay."
I shouldn't make too many mistakes today. I made up my mind firmly and turned the cover. The picture on the first page was a scene of a child looking at the sky and getting snowed on.
Clouds popped out of the picture and snow fell on the child. The magical effects built into the fairy tale book were always very pretty. As I was watching it blankly, Theo smiled and poked my cheek with his finger. I came back to my senses and started reading aloud.
"The first snow fell. As the lightly fluttering snowflakes piled up, it was as if even the sounds floating in the air had fallen, and the world was white and quiet. The snow gradually... st, sto? Sto..."
"'Stopped'."
"Ah, stopped falling."
「The child deeply engraved the first snow they had ever seen in their eyes and built a snowman to remember it for longer. The child looked at the snowman and said,
'Stand here forever and let me remember today.'
The snowman smiled kindly and replied.
'I can't do that. After you leave, I will slowly melt and disappear with this snowfield.'
'Does it have to be that way?'
'I have to melt for spring to come.'
The child did not know what relationship there was between the snow melting and the spring coming. They just wanted this beautiful day to last forever.」
Turning to the next page, a snowman rose from the falling snow. I poked it slightly with my hand. I could feel the cold, but my finger passed right through the snowman.
「'Why can't everything be piled up like snow? Why does the snow have to melt for spring to come?'
Why does something have to disappear for the next thing to come? It is meaningless if the next thing only comes after something disappears. If I can't turn around and see the traces I left behind, what meaning is there in the footprints I left on the pure white snowfield?
The snowman smiled kindly and said.
'It's not disappearing.'
'Then?'
'Me and the snowfield will soon melt without a trace and soak this land. Do you know what happens then?'
'What happens?'」
I turned the page again. Before I knew it, the snow that had decorated the sky had stopped.
「'The sprouts break through the softened ground and rise above the ground. And they will grow by drinking the traces I left behind. That's what spring is.'
The snowman pointed to the ground he was standing on with his clumsy twig fingers. It was slowly melting from the warmest place.
Look, spring is coming.」
I closed the fairy tale book at the end of the snowman's last words. I turned my head slightly and saw that Theo was already asleep, breathing evenly.
When I read a fairy tale book before going to bed, Theo, who used to correct the parts I got wrong, always fell asleep first. It was an unexpected method, but he was slowly curing his insomnia.
After Theo fell asleep, I would carefully put the fairy tale book down on the bedside table and quietly look up at Theo, who was holding me in his arms.
And around dawn, I would fall asleep only after confirming that nothing had disturbed his sweet sleep all night. The dawn I spent awake alone was boring but familiar, so watching him change was a complete joy.
Theo, spring is coming for us. I believe it.