Chapter 28

"Daruu, go to Mother's room."

"Wafu!"

Riding on Daruu, with Caro on my shoulder and the chicken in my arms, I headed towards Mother's room.

"Kyuukyuu"

Caro was looking at the chicken with concern.

She was looking around more than usual.

Probably because the chicken was injured, she was keeping a lookout to quickly notice any enemies.

"Still... how did you get to the courtyard?"

"Kou?"

The chicken looked puzzled.

I know from reading the encyclopedia that chickens can fly a little.

But it would be difficult for it to fly over the mansion and into the courtyard.

"Did the owls bring you here?"

"Kokkou?"

The chicken looked away.

Maybe it thought the owls would get in trouble if it was found out.

"I won't be mad."

Saying that, I stroked the chicken.

"Ko~"

The chicken chirped happily.

"Oh, Miss! What are you going to do with that chicken?"

A maid walking down the corridor was surprised to see the chicken.

"It's fine. I'm going to Mother's room now."

"Oh, I see."

The maid seemed relieved.

She might have thought I was trying to keep the chicken without permission.

I would never do such a thing without Mother's permission.

When we arrived at Mother's room, I knocked firmly.

My older sister had taught me to knock before entering a room.

"Mother!"

"What is it? ...Eh? Luria? M-maybe?"

Mother had the same expression as the maid earlier.

"Mother, what's wrong? You look just like when I asked if I could eat a stag beetle."

Was it a year ago or two years ago?

After discussing with Daruu and Caro, we concluded that stag beetles might be delicious, so we went to ask Mother.

She had a strained look on her face just from seeing the stag beetle I held.

By the way, the stag beetle was released into the courtyard and eaten by an owl.

"Um, no, what's wrong, Luria?"

"This one is injured and I want you to heal it."

"Injured? Show me?"

I handed the chicken to Mother.

"I thought you were going to say you wanted to eat it for dinner."

"Kokkou?"

The chicken flinched when Mother mentioned dinner.

"I wouldn't do that. Mother, you said the same thing when you built the chicken coop."

"Did I?"

Mother always talks about eating.

Maybe she has a big appetite.

Next time, I'll share some snacks with Mother.

Mother examined the chicken for a while.

Daruu and Caro watched the chicken, which Mother was holding, with concern.

"Hmm... This one doesn't seem to be injured."

"That can't be. Its leg and wing bones are broken."

"But look, see?"

Mother stroked the chicken.

"Kokokokoko"

The chicken seemed happy.

"Can I touch it? Even if it hurts, try to bear it, okay?"

I stroked the supposedly injured wing and leg.

"Kokokokokoko"

It seemed happy.

"Hmm? It was in pain just a moment ago... That's strange."

"Kokkou?"

"Was it just in Luria's imagination?"

"Hmm. But the bones were broken. They didn't pierce the skin... but..."

"Were they clearly broken?"

"They were broken, right?"

"Kokkou"

The chicken also said they were broken.

Mother thought silently for a while.

"...... But if the bones aren't broken, that's the best."

"Indeed." "Kokokokoko"

"You. I'm glad."

Saying that, Mother stroked the chicken.

"Wafu wafu" "Kyuukyuukyuu"

Daruu wagged its tail and sniffed the chicken, while Caro happily moved between my right and left shoulders.

"So, Luria. You want to keep it, right?"

"Eh? Hmm"

I was only thinking about healing it.

But it would be cruel to release it outside if it's not injured.

Even if it lives in the chicken coop, it can't fly to the courtyard to play.

And because it can't fly, it would be easily caught by weasels or foxes if it went outside.

"The bones weren't broken... Since Luria found it..."

"Yes, it's too late to make it dinner now."

"Kokkou?"

The chicken reacted again to the word "dinner."

It flapped its wings, trying to escape from Mother's arms.

"Oh. It escaped."

The chicken flew to me from Mother's arms.

"Hmm? Do you want to stay with Luria?"

"Kokokokoko"

"Then, let's live together. Mother, is it okay?"

"I guess so."

"Yay!" "Kokokokokoko!"

The chicken was also happy.

"What name do you like?"

"How about Leonardo?"

"No way. Kokokokoko... Pii-chan..."

As I thought, the chicken looked up at me with hopeful eyes.

I tried out names to see which one felt right.

"Hmm! It's definitely Koruko! You are Koruko, okay?"

"Kokokokoko!"

Koruko chirped happily.

Daruu and Caro were also happily playing.