Chapter 10
10
―Peep, peep…….
I opened my eyes to the sound of a delicate bird chirping.
I must have fallen asleep while stroking the bird and praying last night, still lying face down.
'Did I cry in my sleep……?'
My sleeves were damp, as if I had a bad dream because I was so anxious about the bird dying.
―Peep.
Although it was still dark, so I couldn't see well, the baby bird's chirping seemed clearer than the night before.
"Thank you……."
I was grateful that it had survived even though I couldn't heal it.
Peep-peep, the bird chirped again.
"Are you hungry……?"
I asked, but of course, there was no reply.
Just then, I heard someone approaching, and Gabriella entered the room.
Confusion was evident in Gabriella's blue eyes when she discovered the bird, but the little thing chirped again, oblivious.
―Peep.
I pursed my lips and held the bird tightly.
Gabriella shook her head and protested silently, but I ignored her and hid the bird deep in my arms.
"Bird, be quiet for a moment."
I whispered quietly, but it probably wouldn't understand.
Gabriella put the sleeping Rosa down and, as if she couldn't help it, came over and picked me up.
Only after moving to the Separate Palace did she ask Icarus, who had followed,
"Sir, do you know about this bird?"
Normally, if something like this had happened, my mother would have told me, but unfortunately, she was also away.
Icarus replied with a blank face.
"Yes, Nanny. It was rescued from the greenhouse after being bitten by a cat and received treatment from the Royal physician. The Royal physician in question will not be entering the palace today, and there are no other people to be aware of."
I was newly impressed with Icarus.
'That crazy bastard, he's doing his job properly?'
But I need to keep an eye on him in case he does something else if things go wrong.
Gabriella sighed in relief, unaware of my thoughts.
"Oh, you startled me."
"I apologize. It seems Your Highness wanted to save the bird……."
Gabriella's eyes widened.
"No, cough! Are you saying that you personally rescued the bird, Sir?"
It certainly wasn't something that suited him.
"……I apologize."
After Icarus repeated himself, Gabriella nodded, albeit with a bewildered expression.
"Yes, well, I'll talk to Your Highness about the rest. Thank you."
After Icarus returned to the Main Palace, I stroked the bird, pretending not to notice Gabriella's piercing gaze.
―Peep!
The bird, which had been quiet until now, chirped loudly again.
"Do you want your name to be Peep-peep?"
―Peep! Peep-peep!
It seems to like it a lot.
I smiled and turned to Gabriella.
"Peep-peep. Bird fwiend."
Gabriella's sigh filled the spacious room.
"Are you happy, Your Highness?"
While I was sharing breakfast with Peep-peep, Gabriella asked with a sigh.
"Uh-huh, vewy happy."
Peep-peep didn't eat well, perhaps because it was still in pain or didn't like the food.
Still, when I mashed the boiled egg with my fingertip, it picked out only the yolk and pecked at it a few times.
―Peep.
Repeating the chirping, though I didn't know what it meant.
Gabriella continued to sigh deeply.
"Your Highness. Even if you only keep it until it gets better, you need to decide where the bird will live. The bird should be in the Main Palace or the Separate Palace. You can't bring it with you every time you go back and forth. You understand, right?"
I knew that much.
I nodded and replied.
"Tomorrow, I'll weave it hewe. But what if Rosa bothers it?"
Gabriella shrugged.
"Well, Princess Rosa likes animals anyway."
"But…… the kitty that Rosa wikes bit it."
"Oh my, is that so?"
Gabriella clicked her tongue, feeling sorry for Peep-peep, and nodded to me.
"I'll take good care of the bird, so don't worry, Your Highness. But when it's well enough to fly, you have to release it into the garden."
"Okay, Gabi."
I promised sincerely.
That was because I didn't know the power of egg yolk yet.
* * *
By the afternoon, Peep-peep had noticeably perked up.
'What's so great about pecking at egg yolk a few times?'
I looked at the little bird, which was only a little bigger than my palm, with wonder.
"Awe you feeling bettew……?"
―Peeeeep!
That was the only downside to it perking up.
'It's noisy…….'
I shook my head and tried to persuade Peep-peep.
"Peep-peep, you shouldn't cheep too loudly."
―Peep-peep! Peep-peep!
"If you keep doing that, I'll take you to the garden? What if the kitty bothers you again?"
―Peep…….
It probably didn't understand, but its chirping sounded a little pitiful.
'Well, it's bad to thweaten a little one.'
I was wrong.
"Just be quiet a little……. Gabi will scold you. You don't like it when the kitty bothers you, do you?"
―Peep…….
"Don't act pitiful."
I grabbed Peep-peep, which was tilting its head, and looked at the wound on its belly.
I couldn't tell if it was healing well or not.
"I think we should see the doctow again……"
―Peep! Peep!
It struggled to get away from me, as if shaking its head.
Gabriella smiled at us.
"Princess Rosa would be happy to see this."
―Peep! Peeeeeep!
I looked down at the fluttering Peep-peep and shook my head.
"Don't move so much, it huwts……."
―Peeeeep…….
That little thing is so noisy.
'What if Rosa hates it because it's noisy?'
I was worried it would die soon, but now I had a completely different worry.
But the next day at dawn, when Gabriella was about to leave for the Main Palace with me.
―Peeeeeeeeep!
Peep-peep flapped its wings and burrowed into my arms.
"Ummm……?"
―Peep! Peep! Peep!
"Oh my, this is a problem……."
Gabriella sighed so deeply that the ground seemed to sink.
"I think the baby bird thinks Your Highness is its mother. This is a big problem……."
We were at a loss for words at the unexpected situation.
Even if we tried to ignore it and leave it behind, the problem was that Peep-peep was a bird.
It was trying to follow us, flapping its wings despite its injured body.
'Wouldn't it be better to just hold it in my arms and take it with me without making a fuss……?'
After a moment of brief consideration, Gabriella muttered.
"We'll have to show it to the Royal physician one more time anyway……."
"Umm……."
When I agreed, watching her reaction, Gabriella's blue gaze turned to Peep-peep.
"You'll have to be quiet so you don't get noticed."
―Peep…….
It chirped softly and rested its head on my shoulder, pretending to be docile.
Oh, dear.
"Hmph, let's go for now."
Gabriella picked us up and wrapped a large cloth around us.
I thought Peep-peep would make a fuss again, but it was surprisingly quiet.
"Fwom now on, you weally have to be quiet. Ow I won't be able to take you again."
When I whispered, Peep-peep nodded obediently.
'No way, it's nodding…….'
What am I even thinking?
Anyway, Peep-peep was miraculously quiet on the way to the Main Palace.
'Isn't it secretly smart?'
When we get to the Main Palace, I should get some more egg yolk to feed it.
* * *
"Oh my!"
Beatrice, who was entering my room in the morning, cried out in surprise.
I was stroking Peep-peep on the palm of my hand.
"It's sitting up and has gotten much better, hasn't it?"
"Uh-huh, it's vewy nice."
When I replied proudly, Beatrice smiled and stroked my cheek.
"In my opinion, our Your Highness is very nice, though."
Then, she gently rubbed Peep-peep's head with the tip of her index finger.
"But I'm also grateful that it got up without worrying Your Highness."
Peep-peep twisted its head as if it didn't like it, but I smiled brightly and looked up at Beatrice.
"Its name is Peep-peep."
"Peep-peep?"
When Beatrice confirmed, Peep-peep chirped, as if keeping time.
"Wow, it seems to understand."
"I think it's smawt. When I scold it to be quiet, it gets quiet."
"Really?"
"Uh-huh. Weally."
I said excitedly and told her that I needed a boiled egg.
Beatrice ordered a maid to prepare an egg.
A little later, the maid brought a small plate with mashed egg yolk.
For some reason, Peep-peep didn't even glance at it.
"It must not be hungry yet."
Beatrice said, but the chirping little thing seemed dissatisfied.
"Give it to me……."
I put the yolk on the plate on my palm and mashed it like the day before.
When I held my palm close, Peep-peep finally pecked at it.
"Oh my goodness……."
Beatrice chuckled.
"To think it will only eat the food that the Princess gives it directly, it's the most pampered animal in Ruelle."
―Peep-peep!
Peep-peep chirped as if protesting, 'What's it to you!'
"I told you to be quiet."
It became quiet as if it had swallowed honey after I pointed it out.
Beatrice's eyes widened.
"It really listens?"
"Yeah, weally."
