My wingbeats grew slower and slower.

I staggered through the air like someone drunk.

‘Hah… hah…’

• Miss Rianne! What’s wrong? You can’t keep flying?

‘Ugh… it hurts too much.’

• Oh no. It must hurt so much that she’s having trouble flying. We should let her rest for a while.
• Not in the forest! If she runs into a wild animal, she won’t be able to escape! We’d be better off hiding in one of the houses nearby!
• Have you lost your damn mind…? After what we’ve just been through, that’s what you’re suggesting? At least if she runs into a wild animal, she won’t have to worry about being burned alive… Gnome, what is it?

Gnome pointed silently toward something.

It was the only place still brightly lit at this hour of the night.

• Huh? Gnome, you want us to go over there?
• (Nod.)
• The lights are on. There might be humans there. Gnome, is it really safe?
• (Nod.)
• Fuck it. Gnome would never lead our Pactmaker into danger. Let’s go!

Even Salamander, who had objected at first, followed Gnome’s judgment.

With the spirits’ help, I barely managed to make my way toward the light.

‘Ah… it’s the Grand Plaza.’

Construction crews were still hard at work compacting the ground.

The floodlights illuminated the entire site, making it visible even from far away.

The problem was that there were far too many people.

So many that I couldn’t understand why Gnome had led me here.

The spirits looked just as confused.

No matter how they looked at it, this was far too dangerous a place to stop and rest.

Just then, Leonhart’s tent suddenly came to mind.

If I hid inside and rested there, I’d be safe.

There shouldn’t be anyone there at this hour.

‘Ugh… I can’t do this anymore. I just need to rest.’

The pain was too intense to waste time thinking.

I simply crawled through a gap in the tent.

“You…”

That was my mistake.

Contrary to my expectations, its owner was still inside.

Tilting my head back as far as it would go, I looked up at the man towering above me.

‘Leon…’

Leonhart gazed at me for a long moment before lowering himself onto one knee in front of me.

“I thought it might be… but your eyes confirmed it. You’re that crow from before.”

Leonhart carefully cupped me in both hands and lifted me up.

“What are you doing here? I told you it was dangerous to come where humans are, and yet you came back anyway…”

Leonhart had been speaking gently…

…when his expression suddenly froze.

“You’re hurt.”

Narrowing his eyes, Leonhart carefully examined my left leg, caked in dirt and oozing from the burn.

“A burn on just one leg… Did someone do this to you on purpose?”

‘Bianca did. That little psychopath in the making!’

Just then, as if he’d somehow heard me, Leonhart gently stroked my head with a finger.

“That must’ve hurt.”

‘…Yeah. It really did.’

A lump rose in my throat.

It felt as though I’d finally stumbled into a safe haven after being consumed by fear and helplessness.

I rubbed my head against Leonhart’s finger.

After sitting quietly for a moment, he called to someone outside the tent.

“Ashir, where’s Owen?”

“He said he was making another round of the construction site. He should be back any minute now, Your Highness.”

‘Owen was here too?’

Unlike me, who was merely serving as an advisor, they were directly responsible for the project.

That was probably why they were personally overseeing even something as basic as the groundworks.

Leonhart gave a small nod before continuing.

“When he returns, send him to me immediately. And bring something a bird can eat.”

“…Pardon?”

“I said, bring some bird feed.”

“At this hour? Your Highness, this isn’t the Imperial Palace.”

Leonhart simply held Ashir’s gaze without saying a word.

Unable to withstand the silent pressure, Ashir let out a sigh and bowed his head.

“…Very well.”

After giving his subordinate such an unreasonable order, Leonhart carefully set me down on a folding chair.

Then he reached inside his suit and pulled out an old handkerchief.

‘Huh? That’s…’

It was the handkerchief I’d used back when I was Adella.

I’d given it to Leonhart to stop the bleeding after he’d been injured one day, then completely forgotten about it.

‘He still has it. I thought he’d have used it for a while and thrown it away.’

He was the Empire’s Crown Prince.

Why would he still be carrying something like that around?

It was ridiculously cheap.

‘If I’d known, I would’ve given him a nicer one…’

After dampening the handkerchief, Leonhart carefully wiped the dirt and seepage from my injured foot.

‘Aaagh!’

Agonizing pain shot through me.

I clamped my beak shut and forced myself not to cry out.

“You’re bearing it well. Good bird.”

After painstakingly cleaning my foot, Leonhart didn’t throw away the now filthy handkerchief.

Instead, he folded it neatly and slipped it back inside his jacket.

I stared silently at his suit before lowering my gaze.

For some reason, it felt as though my heart were being squeezed tight.

“Just bear with it a little longer. I’ll have you healed soon.”

He was probably planning to ask Owen to heal me.

‘Then… maybe I’ll stay until he gets here.’

Leonhart rested an arm on the chair where I was sitting and lowered his chin onto it.

His face was suddenly much closer.

“Don’t you have a nest?”

‘I do.’

“If you don’t have anywhere to go… would you like to live with me?”

‘…I told you, I have a nest.’

Looking at Leonhart’s gentle smile and listening to his warm voice filled me with a strange feeling.

It was as though I’d gone back to the days when we’d hunted the Demon King together as companions.

“Come live with me.”

‘…N-No thanks. Why would I leave my own home to live with you?’

Hmph!

I let out an indignant huff through my beak, making him laugh.

Then he gently stroked my head with a finger.

“You’re really adorable.”

‘As if that’ll make me like y—ah… that actually feels ni…’

N-No.

I’m not an animal.

You can’t tame me like this.

“Hm… I’ve never had a pet before, so I’m not really sure. I suppose I should start by giving you a name.”

Hey! Who said I was your pet? Besides, Fiache already gave me a name.

“Della.”

‘That’s… you just took one syllable off Adella.’

“It’s taken from the name of the person I love most. What do you think? Do you like it?”

‘…Honestly… giving a person’s name to an animal is incredibly… ru…This is driving me crazy. Why is my heart beating so fast?’

Unable to bring myself to look at him, I quickly turned my head away.

“I think it suits a brave little fellow like you.”

‘What did you just call me?’

I shot Leonhart a suspicious look.

‘Don’t tell me… he thinks I’m male?’

Leonhart’s long eyes curved into crescents as he smiled.

“Della.”

Just hearing him say the name once made my heart melt.

‘Well… it’s not like we’ll ever see each other again anyway.’

Call me whatever you want.

Della.

Adel.

Adella.

Sigh…

I let out a resigned breath, and the corners of his eyes curved even more brightly.

“I’ve never seen a bird sigh before. Haha… you’re adorable.”

‘…’

Save smiles like that for people…

…not animals.

‘Then again… maybe that’s a problem too. You’re far too dangerous.’

Just then…

Something soft brushed against the tip of my beak.

Peck.

‘…!’

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