-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: An Avian Catastrophe
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I fished out today's portion of snacks that Kivrin had packed for me.
“I'm giving this to you as a special thank you!”
Mera still hadn’t let me have any snacks, so this was practically my emergency stash.
Still, thanks to her, I’d gotten Rose’s feather without much trouble, so I didn’t mind sharing at all.
I smiled proudly, but Cesar shattered the heartwarming mood.
“That’s quite all right. The Little Madam should have my share as well.”
“...”
I’m eleven now. I don’t appreciate being spoken to like that.
I spread the snacks out in front of Cesar and unwrapped a lollipop, popping it into my mouth. It was a handmade candy from the chef, so it wasn't overly sweet.
“You know, this is just a guess, but I don't think you get along well with children, Sir Cesar.”
“...”
For the first time, Cesar was visibly flustered.
I feigned ignorance, keeping a straight face.
“In times like these, you're supposed to just accept it. You can always repay me later with more, sweeter snacks.”
Only then did Cesar seem to have an epiphany.
“I sense a hint of self-interest… but surely the Little Madam wouldn't do such a thing. I will repay you.”
Haha.
Cesar began to choose a snack with extreme care.
After several minutes, he picked up a squirrel-shaped cookie.
I, who had been watching with slightly glazed-over eyes, wondering if he'd take all day, quickly praised his choice.
“I was so careful carrying that one so it wouldn't break! You have to bite off the chocolate-coated ears first for it to be delicious.”
“Pardon…?”
Suddenly, Cesar’s pupils trembled, and he put the cookie down.
“D-Did I say something wrong?!”
I even told him the best way to eat it!
“No… Not at all.”
Cesar settled for a plain candy.
As I wondered if I should have told him to eat the tail instead of the ears, the hallway grew a little noisy.
Menelik was emerging from the direction of Winter's office.
Menelik dismissed the officials following him and acknowledged Cesar.
“The Knight Commander, all the way out here. What a surprise.”
“Knight Commander…?”
My eyes went wide.
Cesar quickly offered what was less an explanation and more a self-deprecation.
“It is a title I do not deserve. I am not a Sword Master… nor do I have experience participating in territorial wars. I can only hope I wasn't a hindrance during the recent monster subjugation.”
I-Is it a problem when your superior is just too exceptional?
Cesar suddenly grew somber.
Of course, Menelik paid him no mind and sat down next to me.
“Why are you digging a hole for yourself in front of a child? It's not like it'll make you a Sword Master.”
How mean!
Cesar simply lowered his head.
I suppose I have no choice.
I, Cheria, shall encourage you!
“But I'm very indebted to Sir Cesar, you know? He accompanied me on my outings in the capital twice, and just earlier…”
“I accompanied you all the way from the duchy to the capital. A round trip, at that. In case you'd forgotten.”
Menelik cut in.
I’m clearly trying to help the man’s image, did he have to ruin it!
…Wait a minute, I have a good idea.
I marveled at my own genius and spoke.
“Sir Cesar, if my nanny doesn't return tomorrow, may I ask you to escort the Young Lord and me? I'd like to take a walk around the castle grounds, and I think Mother would permit it if you were going.”
“In that case, I—”
This time, Cesar unintentionally cut Menelik off.
“I will do it. I will go and ask for the Duchess's permission right now.”
Agreeing without taking a breath, Cesar gave a deep bow and disappeared.
He’d said he had plenty of time, and it seemed he really was free.
“...”
I watched the direction Cesar had gone before glancing at Menelik.
His golden-green eyes held a look of displeasure.
“You were just thinking that no matter how free the Knight Commander is, he's not as free as me, weren't you?”
“Hah, of course not!”
“I pretended not to notice when my daughter-in-law was aiming for the family head's seat, but this is quite the unfair prejudice.”
Gah! He must have noticed!
I felt my face grow hot as I tried to explain.
“That was because there was nowhere else to sit! And calling it the family head's seat makes it sound much scarier—it's just an office chair…!”
“For just a chair, you had a look of extreme satisfaction on your face.”
Menelik said, picking up the squirrel-shaped cookie.
“Next time, why don't you try sitting in Winter's chair?”
I shrank back, mustering a weak protest.
“H-How could I do that? That's where my revered Mother sits!”
I should be polishing it until it shines, not sitting in it!
“...So why is Winter a revered Mother, while I'm, at best, the Duke, or just 'Mister'…”
W… Well.
I feigned ignorance.
***
In the end, Rose did not return the next day either.
When the morning of the second day dawned, I began to get genuinely worried about Rose.
Her vacation period had ended yesterday, after all.
“...The color has changed.”
The feather, which had been a beautiful rose color, was fading to white.
Could something have happened to Rose?
I barely touched my breakfast, pressing my nose against the terrace window.
I stayed there past noon and managed to overhear some of the maids' conversations.
Among them was some startling news.
“...It was a little scary when His Holiness visited in person. I heard he didn't just leave, but stayed a full day in a nearby territory.”
I blinked, my nose still pressed against the glass.
It was the Temple that had treated that strange red bird that flew to the ducal townhouse as a good omen.
What if Rose had been traveling in her true form this time, too?
And what if Nocturne had found her?
He must have been quite furious after Kivrin's provocation and his sister's disregard. Wouldn't he have been tempted to take out his anger on her?
*—We were family.*
Rose had cursed Del's personality, but she had still called him family without hesitation.
And Del was the name Kivrin used in his past life.
*—That snake, for what it's worth, looked after me like his own child for a short while, so I came all this way to repay the favor!*
Ugh, even though Rose was a terrible nanny, I was incredibly worried about her.
Is it because Rose's mental age is lower than my physical one?
I ran to Kivrin and told him my suspicions.
Kivrin, who had shown no interest in the outside world until now, readily prepared to go out.
“I-I'll find her.”
Our original plan to simply walk around the castle grounds was suddenly changed, but Cesar followed without a word.
About an hour after we began traveling by carriage, following a route similar to Nocturne's, Kivrin's ears perked up.
“T-Turn left, please.”
The coachman turned, and we traveled for another ten minutes.
Finally, Kivrin asked him to stop.
“From here, it's b-better to walk.”
The place where the carriage stopped was a long-abandoned ranch.
The fences were broken, and weeds grew wild everywhere.
Cesar said quietly.
“I smell something burning.”
Startled, I ran up the hill.
“Rose!”
I quickly ran out of breath. Still, I pushed on to the top of the hill and took a deep breath to call for Rose again.
That's when I saw a shower of faded white feathers scattered on the ground.
What is this…?
My mind was just starting to go blank.
“...Huh? Cheria?”
“...”
I looked up to see Rose walking out of a dilapidated barn.
Looking perfectly fine.
“How did you find me… A-Are you crying? Who made you cry?”
Rose, who had been greeting me cheerfully, saw my face and rushed over.
I was on the verge of tears, but I haven't cried yet!
“I was worried. What are you doing here?”
“Don't tell me I'm the one who made you cry?!”
Just answer me!
I glared at Rose, my eyes surely red-rimmed.
“Your vacation is over, so why didn't you come back? What are all these feathers? I thought you were seriously hurt.”
Rose looked down at her feet.
Piles of feathers lay in a heap of ashes, and I could vaguely see what looked like bloodstains.
It looked for all the world like the scene of an avian catastrophe.
Rose apologized sheepishly.
“Sorry.”
“...”
I'm not accepting that apology just yet.
Rose watched my expression cautiously as she explained.
“Well… in exchange for making me immortal, Del made it so I have to burn up and regenerate my body on a regular cycle, and it just happened to be that time? I figured I could take care of it all at once while I was out getting your birthday present… Ack! I'll never resurrect without telling you again! But I'm really okay! You've heard of phoenixes, right? Birds that don't die!”
“Never heard of them.”
I answered, sniffling.
Rose grew restless.
“...I guess it's possible you haven't. It's all my fault, so please don't cry, okay? I even got you an amazing birthday present.”
Rose comforted me awkwardly.
For a bit of petty revenge, I rubbed my face against Rose's clothes to wipe my tears.
“I'm glad you're okay. I almost killed them all.”
“Excuse me? What did you say?”
Rose asked out of the blue.
I tilted my head.
“What's wrong? I just said I'm glad you're okay. Why the sudden formality?”
Kivrin, who had followed me up, patted my back. Then he spoke to a bewildered-looking Rose.
“Rose, l-let's talk later.”
“But Cheria just said something terrifying without even realizing it…”
