Chapter 8
“······.”
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
“You can’t even eat properly?”
Looking at the spat snack, the landlord clicked his tongue.
Suddenly, I became a baby bird that couldn’t eat properly.
That’s not it!
“Pii! Pii!”
When I shook my head in anger and stomped my feet with all my might, the landlord smiled coldly.
“Is that so? Then, maybe you spit it on me?”
“Pii, pp-······.”
“You have no table manners.”
The landlord grabbed and lifted me up. Feeling my body floating in the air, I shrugged my legs in surprise, but I couldn’t move.
“Little one.”
The landlord laughed arrogantly and before I knew it, my body stiffened as I got closer to his nose.
He had an incredibly beautiful face. His gaze looking down at me was terrifying, but even that was a look that could not be easily ignored. But, I shouldn’t be deceived by his beauty. Because the landlord’s personality was habitually awful!
When I proudly shot a fiery stare at the landlord, he snorted while looking at me.
“You know how to stare.”
“Pii!”
“But you can’t even beat a rabbit with that.”
Doom.
(TL: this is like a sfx sound.)
It was a shocking remark. I can’t beat a rabbit’s glare?
If you have ever seen another cute and pretty baby bird like myself, tell her to come out!
It was a very rude statement for me, who was still growing up.
“Pii!”
“I fed you, put you to sleep and raised you. You’re such an ungrateful baby bird.”
As If to make me listen, the landlord began to complain.
I flinched.
As much as I hate to admit it, I knew that all the good things I enjoy now are impossible without his permission.
I laid down my glaring eyes as I gathered my floating feet gently, the landlord looked at them with curious eyes.
He had intrigued eyes that showed his curiosity like it was the first time he was seeing a creature like me.
“You’re small.”
“······.”
“Are you really growing up?”
“…pii.”
I nodded timidly.
“I heard you haven’t even humanized yet. Is there something wrong with you?”
Snap.
It’s because I’m still a baby!
As I struggled with my legs, protesting his remarks, the landlord was relaxed as if he wanted to do more.
As he held me up in one arm, I turned my head sullenly.
Then I felt a finger poking my cheek.
“Pippet!”
“This little one has a temper.”
“Pet!”
I felt bad, so I tried to pull my body out of his embrace while putting strength on my two wings.
Hung.
Argh!!
Oh… I’m so tired.
“Pii!”
Let go of me!
Poking at the landlord’s arm with my beak, he put me down with a big smile. I quickly hid behind the cushions while poking my head out with great vigilance.
Why aren’t you going? Hurry up and go.
“This is my house.”
The landlord who read my eyes smiled with his chin up.
Yes, he was the landlord of this house. This room belonged to the landlord, too. So does this cushion and even those snacks.
Perceiving my reality once more, I dropped my shoulders, and he opened his mouth.
“Come to think of it, having a daughter wouldn’t be bad, for the time being.”
“…Pii?”
“So I thought of a name.”
What are you talking about?
My eyes widened with his unbelievable words. I was hearing things that I didn’t expect at all.
“Irene.”
“…Pii?”
“From now on, that’s your name. Irene Astrophel.”
At that moment, unknown emotions rushed in.
Are you really giving me a name?
I’ve never been called like this before, I didn’t even have a name.
Is that why?
I couldn’t believe I was called by someone, even more so by a name of my own. Irene Astrophel. From now on, this seems to be my name.
I forgot to breathe and looked blankly at the landlord.
“What, you don’t like the name?”
“Pii!”
I quickly shook my head, saying it wasn’t the case. I was just a little surprised.
“Pii Pii······.”
What should I do? I’m so happy! I called my name over and over again, but the man’s red eyes glanced towards the door.
At the same time, the door swung open.
“Baby! I’m late…… My lord?”
“You came, Rosaria.”
“Pii Pii Pii Pii!”
I spread out my wings, welcoming Rosaria.
Rosalia, who found me hiding behind a cushion, approached me with quick steps.
“Baby!”
I missed you!
I rubbed my cheeks in her arms as she hugged me, making Rosaria laugh a little. I felt a sense of security in her familiar arms.
“Were you surprised that I wasn’t here?”
“Pii!”
I hugged Rosaria tightly and nodded my head. After I calmed down a bit, I held my head over her shoulder and looked at the landlord.
He was watching Rosaria with a face radiating disapproval at something.
“My baby, aren’t you hungry?”
“Pii.”
I shook my head because I was full with the snack I had earlier.
“Have you been well with the Lord?”
Have I been well?
It was a bit agonizing, but the landlord gave me snacks, and….. gave me a name. Come to think of it, he seemed to have been very careful when he hugged me in the beginning.
“Pii.”
Rosaria looked surprised when I nodded that I had been well, but the landlord’s mouth went up as if satisfied.
“That’s what the little one says.”
The landlord got up from his seat.
He seemed to want to go back now that Rosaria’s here, but the landlord, who was trying to grab the doorknob, paused.
“Ah.”
“……?”
“It’s not baby anymore, it’s Irene.”
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
A warm afternoon.
I was on a picnic with Rosaria in the garden. Lying on a mat laid out beside the fountain while hugging the yellow cushion Rosaria prepared for me, I enjoyed the sunlight.
Oh, I love it.
“Dear Irene.”
“Pii.”
After the landlord gave me a name, Rosaria has changed the way she calls me, from baby to Irene.
It was a little awkward but I really liked it. I love my name!
If I could, I would call my name all day. Sadly, I couldn’t speak now.
I don’t know what kind of strange wind blew making the landlord suddenly give me a name, but good things are good.
Does that mean I can stay in this house for now?
He said he would recognize me as a daughter for the time being, so I think that’s probably right.
I had to work hard to lower the corners of my lips that were rising. After all, I got a name and a place to stay for a while!
Pet.
The tickling touch sweeping over my soft plumage made me drowsy. It felt so cozy that I turned my body asking for the other side to be petted as well, but I heard a strange voice laughing quietly nearby.
“Hehe, Rosaria, I think you’re out for a walk with Irene.”
“Pii?”
“Are you enjoying your walk?”
“……..Pii Pii Pii.”
I nodded awkwardly and looked at the strange grandfather. I don’t know why, but more people in the family seemed to know me. This time, I sprang up reflexively at the appearance of a grandfather, whom I’ve never seen before.
“You’re very polite.”
“Pii.”
“Ha ha. Where would a daughter like you come from?”
Surprisingly, the people here are very open-minded. Even though I was a bird, they seemed to naturally accept me as the daughter of the landlord. If it had been somewhere else, I might have been kicked out as soon as I arrived.
Even mixed breeds were easily abandoned by their clan.
“Lady Rosaria, aren’t you uncomfortable living with the family in the manor after a long time?”
“I am fine. Don’t worry about it, Geras.”
“I see.”
If there was one new thing I learned, it was that Rosaria’s status was much higher than what I expected. Most people talked to her formally.
Awesome, this is great!
“Looking at your expression, it seems that your worries have been resolved?” (Rosaria)
“Ah, are you talking about that? It was easily resolved thanks to the Lord’s direct intervention.” (Genas)
“The Lord?”
That can’t be true.
Rosaria had a look of incredulity showing that she couldn’t believe his words at all.
Then Geras laughed.
“It’s true. The Lord wiped them out, all the way across the Anead Plains to the Venea River.”
“Dear me! Then, we’re pretty close to a neutral zone now, right?”
“Yes, there’s a shelter in the South.”
“Oh my god.”
Rosaria covered her mouth, and the same was true for me.
END OF CHAPTER 8