HSDOE 34

Chapter 34. The Third Knight (1) 

Rasilia headed to the northern tower.

“Duke Shurayden! Are you inside? I’m coming in!”

Yvette, panting from trying to keep pace with Rasilia’s quick steps, somehow managed to announce their presence and open the door.

Click!

“Oh no… Looks like neither of them is here.”

But the room was empty.

Yvette stomped her feet in frustration.

“Of all times, when Her Majesty the Empress is urgently looking for him…”

Rasilia was momentarily dismayed at the empty room, then walked over to the window and opened it.

‘They said they’d come when I called.’

Before Pipi was born, the birds who had been there first had told her that. Strangely enough, they would always appear whenever Rasilia needed something.

The reason the birds helped her was probably because, like Pipi, they believed her to be the mate of the Demon King. But this wasn’t the time to question such things.

“Someone, anyone—please come. It’s urgent.”

With her hands clasped together, Rasilia whispered earnestly.

“Please.”

Yvette approached her, speaking with concern.

“Your Majesty… could you please tell me what’s going on? I may not be much help, but there might be something I can do.”

Rasilia shook her head.

“Thank you for your concern, but it’s better that you don’t know.”

“But… why? I just want to help you.”

Yvette’s tearful expression conveyed her sincere heart. Whether or not she was the true mate didn’t matter. Just having someone like Yvette here was a great comfort.

“There are many things you can do, my lady. So you don’t need to feel disheartened now.”

“But… something troubling is going on, isn’t it?”

“Yes. But I don’t think it’s something that can be solved by human hands.”

“What? Then…”

Just as Yvette trailed off in shock and confusion—

Caw! Caw!
Coo coo coo!
Chirp! Chirp!

Birds began flying in from somewhere, one by one, landing on the windowsill.

“Look, Your Majesty! Birds—so many of them all of a sudden! What’s going on…?”

Yvette pointed out the window in shock.

What started as just a couple soon became a flock so large they completely covered the window.

“Oh, you really came. Thank you. Is there anyone among you…”

Just as Rasilia started speaking to the birds—

Chirp!

Pipi came flying in from afar alongside Duke Shurayden, screeching loudly as if to say, “I’m here, so the rest of you stay out of it.”

“Your Majesty! What brings you here!”

Duke Shurayden, as always, spoke in his stately voice with refined noble diction.

Chirp!

Pipi squawked again, telling the birds to move aside. They quickly parted, clearing a path.

Riding on the duke’s shoulder, Pipi hopped off as soon as he landed at the window and leapt into Rasilia’s arms.

Chirp?

“I need a favor, Pipi.”

Chirp!

Pipi told her to just say the word.

“Marchioness Pashard is heading to the temple right now. I think she’s trying to make a deal with them. Can you stop her?”

Chirp?

“Please don’t ask why. The reason will come to light someday, but not yet. I just… want to buy some time.”

Chirp… chirp.

Pipi nodded solemnly. The slightly more grown-up Pipi now looked serious and determined.

Duke Shurayden stepped forward.

“Where do you need to go? I shall escort you!”

Chirp.

Pipi shook his head. He said they needed something faster than a parrot.

Chirp!

Pipi gave a sharp cry into the sky. Soon after, a giant eagle appeared.

The birds quickly made way in surprise.

Chirp!

Pipi leapt onto the eagle’s back.

“Oh, an eagle… Yes, of course. A parrot can’t be faster than an eagle. That’s certainly true…”

Duke Shurayden mumbled gloomily, wings drooping. But when Pipi turned and said something, his face brightened immediately.

“Oh? You want me to ride too? It is an honor!”

Though the duke was quite large, the eagle—vastly bigger than a parrot—had no trouble carrying them both.

Chirp!

Pipi turned to Rasilia and let out a sharp, decisive chirp. He meant to say: “Wait for me. I’ll be back soon.”

“Okay. I’ll wait in my room. Thank you.”

As Rasilia stopped petting Pipi’s head, the eagle took flight.

Whoosh!

A huge gust of wind followed the powerful wingbeats.

The eagle soared into the sky, and the flock of birds that had crowded the window flew after them.

“Wow… That’s an amazing sight. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s beautiful. All those birds are moving to help Your Majesty.”

Rasilia felt the same.

Knowing that so many living creatures were acting solely for her in this moment made her heart swell. And at the same time, she felt a bit sad.

‘This isn’t for me. Don’t forget. I have to leave here one day. As soon as possible, too.’

Rasilia placed her hand on her chest, which was beating faster than usual.

A prophet’s heart must be heavy. Only then could she remain steady no matter what she faced.

Wishing for her heart to grow even heavier, Rasilia descended the northern tower.

Three hours later, the Silver Shield sent its third secret letter.

It stated that an unexpected accident had occurred with the marchioness’s carriage en route to the temple, preventing her from reaching her destination.

Around the same time, a message arrived at the marquess’s estate from the Empress’s secretary, saying Her Majesty was looking for the marchioness.

Chirp chirp!

Pipi looked quite pleased.

After completing his grand task, Pipi now rubbed his head affectionately against Rasilia’s shoulder and cheek while being fed walnuts.

Chirp chirp.

He chirped tirelessly, boasting about what he’d accomplished, how far away the temple was, and how tired he was now.

“Yes, I know. You did so well.”

Rasilia smiled as she handed him another walnut, which Pipi eagerly accepted.

Yvette, embroidering a handkerchief nearby, tilted her head and asked,

“Do we have enough walnuts? Should I bring more?”

“No, the ones we have should be enough.”

“But Lord Ren is eating them so well.”

“That’s true, but his belly is already round. I don’t think he can eat anymore.”

Chirp…

Pipi shyly covered his belly with his tiny wings. Yvette stifled her laughter, hiding her mouth instead of blurting out how cute he looked.

“By the way, where were you this morning? What were you and the duke up to?”

Chirp.

Pipi flapped his wings in response to Rasilia’s affectionate question.

He said he was learning how to hunt for food from Duke Shurayden. But since the duke had never actually hunted for his own food before, they had to search for a bird who could properly teach it.

“Hunting? Why? Aren’t you going to stay in the palace forever?”

Chirp!

“Oh… His Majesty said that?”

Chirp! Chirp chirp chirp!

It all started with an argument at dawn.

While Pipi was fast asleep, he was suddenly grabbed by the scruff of his neck and lifted. The culprit was the emperor. He told Pipi to stop sleeping and go catch bugs like a proper bird.

Outraged, Pipi pecked his hand, but the emperor didn’t even bleed. He mocked Pipi, saying he was too weak and undeveloped to do anything.

He told Pipi that he was doomed to get fat just being fed like this forever.

“Wow… that’s harsh.”

Chirp!

Pipi took the chance to curse the emperor. His language was crude, but the gist was that the man had a nasty personality.

“Is he really like that…? He didn’t seem that way.”

Rasilia tilted her head.

The emperor Pipi described seemed very different from the one she knew. He had quirky stubbornness, yes, but he didn’t seem like someone who’d go out of his way to provoke others.

Chirp!

Pipi flared up in frustration, demanding if she didn’t believe him.

Truth be told, Pipi wasn’t exactly the most even-tempered either. Earlier, he’d barked at the birds to move aside with little patience.

Chirp chirp!

Anyway, he said, the emperor was a nasty man, and Rasilia shouldn’t be too kind to him. One of them in the bed was more than enough.

“Hmm… I agree. If the three of us sleep together again, I might have another nightmare.”

Chirp?

“A bird just like you and a demon who looked just like the emperor were fighting.”

Chirp chirp?

“I didn’t see who won.”

Rasilia chuckled, petting Pipi.

“But there’s no need for nightmares anymore. The Blue Moon is over.”

Then suddenly, a thought crossed her mind: The emperor hadn’t really changed, even after the Blue Moon ended.

“Hm? Your Majesty, is something wrong?”

Yvette had noticed her expression had changed.

“…No, nothing. But did His Majesty mention returning to the emperor’s palace today?”

Yvette replied.

“No, Your Majesty. I’ve heard no such thing.”

Then what exactly was happening today?

Swish.

It was a very faint sound.

Lescal raised his head.

A shadow appeared in the office where no one had been.

“So you’ve come in person today.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. It’s been a while.”

The man silently knelt on one knee and placed a hand over his chest in salute—it was the Third Shadow Knight, Dekan.

Lescal sniffed lightly as he stared at Dekan.

“You’ve been somewhere far.”

“…Yes, Your Majesty.”

A flicker of unease passed quickly over Dekan’s face. He’d expected this, but he hadn’t managed to deceive Lescal’s sharp senses.

It wasn’t uncommon for members of the Silver Shield to leave the capital depending on their duties. However, if one stayed away so long that even their scent changed, they needed permission.

Dekan had left for a faraway place without even informing the other Shadow Knights.

Which meant there had to be a good reason. And Lescal understood that too.

“I’ll delay judgment on your breach of protocol. First, report today’s events.”

Dekan rose.

“I assume word has already reached you that an accident occurred. At the site of the Pashard marquess’s carriage crash, we found feathers. There were only minor injuries, no deaths. The marquess couple returned to their estate.”

“Feathers?”

“It seems a large number of birds caused the accident.”

“Birds, huh.”

Lescal’s expression softened—then turned unpleasant.

“That little runt can fly, it seems. How annoying.”

“…Pardon?”

Dekan couldn’t hide his surprise. This was the first time he’d heard Lescal comment on his feelings. Other knights had gotten used to it, but Dekan—having been away—hadn’t.

Lescal glanced at the flustered Dekan, then continued.

“And?”

“…?”

“You didn’t come all this way just to say that. Say what you really came for.”

“…Of course, Your Majesty.”

Dekan composed himself, returning to the face of a knight bearing the Silver Shield.

He had something he had to tell the Emperor today.

“I went to Trinidad, Your Majesty.”