Hmm.

Could he be an elf or a fairy? There was something different about his aura compared to humans. Still, his ears weren’t pointed… Was he from a new species unique to this novel? If he was a herbalist, he must know a lot about herbs. Maybe a new forest race?

“…Do I seem strange to you?”

“Yes?”

“You were staring intently.”

“Oh, I was just curious about your race…”

“Huh?”

The handsome man with a gentle face looked at me, seemingly unsure how to react. Or was it my question that was problematic?

Behind the handsome man, Enfrise was emitting an aura of extreme displeasure.

“….”

He was so cute just a moment ago, but why has he suddenly become fierce? He was the one who brought this man here.

“Aren’t you holding it… for too long already?”

Oh, really, this?

He was gently covering my wrist with his two fingers as if feeling my pulse. Nonetheless, he wasn’t pressing hard — could he really check the pulse this way?

Did they even practice pulse reading in the West?

“I was worried when you called me urgently yesterday because of a shocking incident… Luckily, she seems fine.”

“Then, it might be best to let go now.”

Swat.

Enfrise wedges his hand between my wrist and the man’s hand. Consequently, Enfrise ends up holding my wrist.

“….”

“…Ah, sorry.”

As I silently stared at Enfrise, he suddenly withdrew his hand as if it had been burnt. My wrist felt hot.

“The medicine…”

“Wait.”

Medicine?

I quickly turned my gaze to the man, but Enfrise was faster, stepping between me and him.

“Let’s step outside for a moment.”

“Huh? But I need an explanation…”

“I’ll listen to it. Please wait a moment, Cha—that, hmm.”

He hesitated as he remembered my name and then abruptly pushed the handsome man out, leaving the room.

In the end, I was left alone on the sofa.

“…Hmm.”

Was that man the one who prepared the medicine yesterday? No, he said he was called suddenly because of yesterday’s incident. That meant he was called yesterday and came today, so he couldn’t have prepared that medicine…

Ah, forget it.

Honestly, it wasn’t the medicine that was bothering me anymore. Something felt off. As much as I could see, Enfrise seemed to be hiding something from me, and that made me feel bad.

I too… have secrets myself… Right….

Me complaining about this might be like the pot calling the kettle black… But still!

‘It’s frustrating!’

“Uh, uuh.”

Why have I become so selfish?

I’ve never expected anything from anyone. People have always betrayed my expectations. No one has ever loved or understood me. My requests were always ignored, and my wishes were buried deep in the mud every day.

I couldn’t bear it otherwise.

To hope for something meant to face equal frustration.

‘…However, because of him, I’ve changed. Just over a month of living with him has changed me so much.’

“Ppiriri, ppi! Ppippi!”

A small bird fluttered around me and chirped earnestly. Its fluttering wings, working hard to stay in the air, were so cute that I extended my hand. The bird then perches on my finger and tilts its head.

“Haha, you are really cute. Are you really a bird of prey?”

“Ppippi— ppi—”

It sounded like a flute, no matter how many times I heard it. It was like the sound of a mountain bird.

Now that I think about it…

“Your owner asked me to name you.”

What should I name you?

“Fluffy?”

“Ppiriri, ppiyuuuu!”

Ah, it seemed to dislike that. Its fluffy feathers would have been perfect.

“Cotton Candy?”

“Ppippi?”

It tilted its head.

Maybe there was no cotton candy in this world. It would have been fitting, though.

“Softy?”

No reaction.

It didn’t seem to like it either. Were magical creatures in this world always so picky about their names? Frii was like that, and it was hard to please as well.

“She, Sherry?”

No, wasn’t that the name of a liquor? It just came to mind, so I said it…

“Ppi—! Ppippippippi—!”

…Huh?

The bird gently nibbled my finger with its beak and then nodded its head… or was it more like swinging? It was almost shaking its whole body.

“Sherry?”

“Ppi—! Ppippippi-! Ppi—!”

Oh, it was falling.

As the bird that was shaking too vigorously started to wobble, I cupped it in my palms. Even though it was small, it wasn’t tiny enough to fit entirely in my hand. Nevertheless, it still seemed too small to be a hawk.

This little one protected me.

“…Thank you, Sherry, for protecting me.”

‘Ah, I want to see Frii soon too.’

I wondered when it would wake up.

 

* * *

 

“….!”

…Huh, why was it angry?

“Frii?”

“….!”

…Was it happy? No, it looked angry since its nose moves with incredible vigor.

Sniffing intensely.

“Frii…?”

…Hey, Frii?

I was showing you so much joy, so why weren’t you paying attention to me? Couldn’t you look at me? Where were you looking…

Ah.

“Ppi—! Ppiyuuu! Ppi—!”

Sherry that was perched on my shoulder, suddenly cried out.

Then.

“Shhiihhh! Shhhieehh! Shh! Shh!”

Ah, it was threatening.

“Frii, you should pay attention to me, I haven’t seen you in two days! Why are you only interested in Sherry!”

“Shiiihhh!”

What a crazy party, really.

“Let’s calm down, both of you.”

Saying so, I opened the door and let Sherry out first. It would probably go to Enfrise on its own. Then, after closing the door, I approach Frii.

“Frii.”

“….”

Sniff, sniff.

It was extremely cautious. It still seemed wary of other animals around.

‘…Forget it. Let it sniff all it wants.’

As I thought so, I sat down in front of Frii and reached out my hand. After a while of sniffing, Frii cautiously climbed onto it.

What was this? Cute. Why was it climbing on?

Frii, having eagerly climbed up my arm, swiftly perched on my shoulder. However, with its long body, settling comfortably on my shoulder proved difficult. After much wriggling and squirming…

“Gasp.”

A ticklish sensation glided across my nape, something soft yet faintly scratchy.

“Frii, what are you doing?”

“Ppi!”

Apparently Frii was content coiling around my neck.

‘…I, I have to see this!’

Mirror, where was the mirror—!

“Ah!”

This was insane!

Such extreme cuteness! I needed a photo! Ahh, I didn’t have a camera! Why was it that when I never needed it, my phone was always in my hand, but now it was nowhere to be found!

Sigh.

The sight reflected in the mirror, with those adorable black eyes staring back, was too cute. The way it tilted its head while looking at the mirror is adorable. Frii’s fur was even whiter than Chaperil’s fair skin.

And Chaperil with Frii wrapped around her neck was just too cute!

“Frii.”

“Ppi?”

“…I need to learn to draw.”

Right now, at this moment. I felt a strong desire like never before.

I would learn to draw.

“What’s the matter! I heard a scream…!”

Bang bang.

As he hit the door, I rushed to the door and flung it open. Enfrise, who was standing at the door, stepped back in surprise and looked at me.

“Chaperil…?”

“Grand Duke! I want to learn to draw!”

“Huh? Ah, yes. You mentioned that before.”

“I need to start learning right away!”

“Right away…?”

First and foremost, I needed to capture Frii’s cuteness. Hoping to share my feelings, I subtly show Frii, wrapped around my neck, to Enfrise.

“Do you see why?”

“….”

Sadly, Enfrise turned his head slightly away, as his face reddened.

What was he thinking about now?!

“Look at Frii, not my neck!”

“Frii…?”

“What do you think?”

He glanced briefly at my neck, and then his gaze drifted away again. Enfrise, repeating this a few times, murmurs while covering his mouth.

“Cu…te…?”

“Exactly! Cute! Frii is incredibly cute! So, what should I do with this cuteness!”

“…You want to capture it in a drawing?”

“Yes!”

Finally, he understood!

Without realizing, I grabbed Enfrise’s arm and shook it vigorously.

“Please let me learn to draw!”

“Calm down a bit… um…”

As he muttered, his gaze shifts away again. Why did he keep looking away?!

With that thought, I too look in that direction.

“….”

“….”

“….”

Ah, right. There were guests in the mansion now.

“You two seem to get along… very well.”

The man said with a somewhat awkward smile.

…Uh, uwaaahh!

Could he have heard everything? The scream and all the things I said to Enfrise? Why did he bring this man along?!

“….”

I let go of Enfrise. Straightening out the shirt I had crumpled, I stood up properly and then turned towards the man.

“That, kuhm. About what you just saw…”

“What do you mean? I didn’t see anything.”

Still, you just mentioned how close we seemed. That seemed a bit of a stretch, didn’t it? Regardless, if he was pretending not to notice, there was no need for me to insist on clarifying it.

“…So, why are you both in my room…?”

“Sir Jaha will be monitoring your condition and preparing medicines for you going forward.”

“…Medicine?”

“Yes. You have a chronic condition, and if you don’t take medicine regularly, it could worsen.”

Was he finally opening up about my illness? Did he truly trust me now?

This must be the thrill of opening a closed heart…!

“What kind of medicine is it?”

“…Ah, that, I—”

“Lady Rivette. His Grace is not well-versed in herbs, so I will explain it to you separately.”

That couldn’t be right.

It had been nearly three weeks since I inhabited this body, and Chaperil had been shackled for at least a month after being confined. It was Enfrise who had been administering medicine to Chaperil during these nearly two months.

There was no way he didn’t know about the medicine…

“…Is that so?”

Feeling a lingering unease in my heart, I looked at Enfrise. Then…

His golden eyes avoided my gaze.

Suspiciously so.

 

__