Chapter 20
20
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“Sit……down?”
My father was greatly taken aback.
“Can’t I?”
I asked back, crestfallen, and my father’s eyes reddened.
Then, with a slight tremor in his fingertips, he reached out his arms to me.
“Of course you can, come here.”
His strong arms lifted my body as lightly as a small animal.
His stiff palms, tense with nervousness, awkwardly stroked my back.
It was an awkward moment, enough to make my limbs creak, but I bit my lip.
‘Endure it, even if it’s embarrassing. I have to save Yan.’
Then, I squeezed my eyes shut and demanded.
“Daddy, read me a book.”
“A book?”
This time, even my father asked, seemingly puzzled.
I pointed to the thick book that was neatly placed on the bedside table.
My father smiled softly as he spotted the book.
“‘The War of the Gods.’ That’s quite a difficult book. Where did you get it?”
“Silvia lent it to me. Yan is in here.”
“Yan……?”
Yan chirped nearby, as if cheering me on.
“Yes, that’s him. I renamed him.”
“Hmm…….”
My father probably hadn’t heard the story about the bird from my mother.
Without another word, he flipped through the pages, looking for Yan’s picture.
“Where could Yan be……?”
Then, my father’s hand stopped at a picture of a red bird.
He chuckled and stroked my hair.
“Ah, Shamash’s bird is red like this little one.”
“Yes, and look at this.”
I flipped through a few more pages and found a picture of the bird as a chick.
My father’s gaze shifted between the picture and Yan, as if he were amazed.
“The same? Silvia said they’re exactly the same.”
“……Yes, they do look a bit alike.”
Huh? A bit alike wasn’t good enough.
‘If I want to go against Mother’s orders, that level of assessment isn’t enough.’
In my desperation, I added on the spot.
“And he’s very smart. He understands what I say.”
―Chirp!
Yan cried out as if telling me to stop, but I couldn’t help it.
‘Even if he is a talking bird, it would be difficult for him to survive outdoors in his condition, unable to fly properly.’
And there was no one else who could persuade my mother other than my father.
“Yan, come here.”
I called out in a sorry voice, and Yan hesitated but flew over as if he couldn’t help it.
“This is my daddy. You’ve seen him before, right? Say hello.”
―Chirp! Chirp!
Yan seemed full of complaints, but I was doing my best.
“Do it quickly.”
Only after being urged did Yan spread his wings with a flutter.
Then, he theatrically bobbed his head.
My father’s brow furrowed slightly.
“Is that his way of greeting?”
“He did say hello, right, Yan?”
Yan nodded again, and my father’s face became even more confused.
Then, unexpectedly, my father tested Yan.
“Shamash is the sky god who protects Ruelle. Isn’t that right, Yan?”
―Chirp!
Yan cried out as if telling him not to talk nonsense and shook his head.
“……Or is he the god of water?”
―Chirp! Chirp!
Yan shook his head again, and my father asked with a slightly dazed expression.
“……Or is he the sun god?”
Then, Yan spread his wings wide as if he were the sun god himself and nodded solemnly.
My father quietly asked me.
“Rostel, where did you say you found Yan?”
“Um, in the greenhouse. A kitty was trying to bite Yan.”
“Oh dear…….”
My father looked back and forth between me and Yan with a troubled expression before finally opening his mouth again.
“Sweetheart, is there anyone else who knows that Yan is this smart?”
I quickly shook my head.
Even when I thought Yan was just an incredibly smart bird, I had kept his abilities a secret.
‘Just…… because it felt like I should.’
My father gently stroked my hair and confirmed once more.
“No one else? Not even Beatrice knows?”
I nodded and replied.
“Yes, no one knows. Tritz doesn’t know either.”
Touched, violet eyes looked down at me.
“My little one is so clever.”
After praising me like that, my father added.
“Rostel. Until I find out more about Yan…… please don’t tell anyone else about Yan. Can you do that?”
“Um, but…….”
I was finally able to tell my father about my mother’s orders.
“Mommy told me to put him back in the garden.”
My father’s violet eyes deepened, and then he shook his head at me.
“No, Yan will have to stay with us for the time being. I’ll talk to your mother again.”
After my father left the room, I quickly made excuses to Yan.
“I couldn’t help it. There’s no one else who can persuade Mommy except Daddy.”
Just then, Beatrice returned, so Yan couldn’t get angry at me.
―Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!
He flew around the room noisily, scattering some feathers, but he was only hurting himself.
* * *
“You should have dinner in your room today as well.”
Beatrice said as she rose to her feet.
‘She’s probably going to tell the kitchen.’
Outside the window, the red sunset was darkening.
As I watched Beatrice’s retreating figure as she left, a large shadow flickered briefly in the doorway.
‘Who is it?’
Then, an idea suddenly came to mind, and I called out softly, just in case.
“……Icarus?”
Then, the shadow that had been hiding in the shade soon took shape and appeared.
He came into the room and knelt on one knee under my bed.
“I am sorry, Your Highness. I was closest to you, yet I failed to protect you.”
I blinked at him.
‘Icarus guards the Main Palace from the time we go to sleep until the morning……?’
It shouldn’t be normal to see him at this sunset hour.
“Icarus, aren’t you going to sleep……?”
I asked in confusion, but he couldn’t lift his lowered head.
“It is clearly my responsibility that Your Highness lost consciousness and collapsed…….”
I was dumbfounded and asked again.
“Icarus Tenelli. I’m asking if you didn’t sleep.”
Icarus insisted.
“I have a duty to watch over Your Highness to ensure your complete recovery.”
“I’m fine. I’m more okay than Icarus.”
I retorted, dumbfounded, but he remained as steadfast as a stone statue, kneeling.
“If Icarus collapses too, who will protect me? Icarus isn’t like me…….”
I looked around and then snapped very quietly.
“There aren’t two of you.”
Icarus’s shoulders twitched.
“……Your Highness.”
“Go quickly. If you don’t go, I’ll say it loudly.”
“Your Highness, that is…….”
“Tritz……!”
Beatrice, who had been waiting outside the room, was startled and rushed in.
“Yes, Your Highness!”
Icarus rose to his feet, at a loss, and looked back and forth between Beatrice and me.
Of course, I had no intention of revealing the truth to Beatrice.
It was obvious what Icarus would do if I did, and there was no way I would do such a thing.
‘But Icarus doesn’t know that.’
Because I had called out quite loudly, Beatrice scanned us with a questioning look.
“Your Highness, you called for me, didn’t you?”
I explained with an indifferent face.
“Yes, Tritz. Icarus still hasn’t left the Royal Palace. Mommy told you to keep the departure time, right? Isn’t that right?”
It was not really relevant to Icarus, who knew the secret, but it was enough to gain Beatrice’s agreement.
She looked up at Icarus with surprised eyes.
“Come to think of it, that’s true? Sir Tenelli, how are you still in the Royal Palace? You will be in trouble if Your Highness finds out.”
“I was just worried about Your Highness…….”
Icarus made a blunt excuse, but Beatrice lowered her voice as much as possible while still insisting.
“Of course everyone is worried about Your Highness! But the more displeased Their Highnesses are, the more thoroughly the Royal Palace rules must be followed. That’s why Your Highness’s other maids also returned immediately after completing their investigations.”
“I’ll tell if you don’t go quickly.”
That we’re twins.
I continued to threaten Icarus with words that only he could understand.
‘Beatrice probably heard it as ‘I’m going to tell Mommy,’ though.’
She was also working hard to persuade Icarus in her own way.
“Your Highness will never praise you if he finds out. I was once scolded for staying behind for another matter.”
“The sun will be setting soon anyway. I have to start my shift again at night…….”
Icarus continued to make excuses, but Beatrice did not back down either.
“But the knights’ quarters aren’t far away, are they? If you go back now, you can sleep for a few hours. Please go now.”
Eventually, Icarus sighed and stepped back.
Then, he knelt under the bed again and looked up at me.
“If Your Highness collapses again, if you are in pain, I will never be able to forgive myself for leaving my post.”
