Chapter 59

The day turned into a night of camping under the stars. The risk of being detected by an unseen enemy increased, but half-hearted vigilance would not allow for proper rest. After all, we were in disguise; there was no way we could be recognized as the Shield Hero and his party at first glance. Or so I thought.

"Ha ha ha, Filo-chan!"

"Ha ha ha!"

Filo, in her humanoid form, and the Second Princess were running around energetically despite the camping situation. It was fun to be with good friends, sharing meals and sleeping together. I had participated in school trips, study tours, and nature classes many times, so I could relate. Even as a college student, staying at a friend's house or having them stay at mine was not uncommon.

However... these two were really close.

Filo, who had never had a trustworthy peer since birth, I could understand. Though, in terms of status, it was more like a relationship between a pet and its owner. The Second Princess, on the other hand, was a bit surprising. I thought someone as purebred as her would be uncomfortable with animals. Maybe the long journey had something to do with it, making her less resistant.

"Don't make so much noise! We might be found!"

"Okay!"

Even as I said that, they continued playing together. Seriously, Filo gets so loud when she has a friend.

"Filo will show Mel her treasures!"

"Okay!"

Filo then showed the Second Princess the bag she always kept hidden in the carriage. I wondered what was inside. It was a bit intriguing. Probably just some junk, but if she had stolen anything from my belongings, I would confiscate it.

"Would Master like to see too?"

"Ah, sure."

Filo beckoned me over, and I approached to peek inside. There were broken sword fragments, scrap gems I had discarded from failed accessory-making, empty bottles, and glass shards that looked like marbles.

"They're shiny and beautiful, right?"

"Yes, they are beautiful."

The Second Princess had a slightly awkward expression. Well, it was just a bunch of trash. Maybe birds like shiny things. I had heard stories about crows stealing shiny objects and causing trouble. It might be something similar.

"Hmm?"

There was a strange object mixed in the bag. A brown... large ball of fur? It felt soft, but there were hard objects mixed inside. It had a faint, unpleasant odor. I had a bad feeling about it.

"That... came from Filo's mouth."

From her mouth... like a bird. For a cat, it would be a hairball. For a human, it would be vomit. For a bird, it's a pellet. So, this hard, fragmented object was the remains of a monster's bones or Filo's own feathers.

"Gross!"

What was she thinking? I had touched it! I threw the pellet away.

"Filo's treasure!"

"It's not a treasure! It's excrement! If you put that in the bag again, I'll throw all your treasures away!"

"Boo..."

The Second Princess watched our exchange with a slightly awkward expression.

"By the way, Second Princess."

"Hmm?"

"You didn't seem surprised when Filo turned into a human."

"Yeah, because I saw it yesterday."

"I see."

So, she already knew. Well, that's good.

Tonight's dinner was skewers of grilled monster meat.

"Master is good at cooking!"

"Just grilled on a skewer, but it's delicious! How is that possible!?"

The Second Princess, who ate everything without hesitation. I thought she would refuse such a barbaric meal, but it turned out to be a baseless worry. Maybe the long carriage journey had made her less hesitant. She constantly surprised me. What kind of queen would she be with Filo around?

"Every day with Naofumi-sama, we can eat well."

"Yay!"

"That's good to hear."

With some free time, I decided to read the beginner's magic book and study new spells. I had gotten used to camping.

After a while, Filo and the Second Princess quieted down. They must have fallen asleep from exhaustion. I had already let Raphatalia take a nap. I was a bit uneasy about Filo and the Second Princess taking the night watch. We needed to be prepared for a night attack.

"Hmm..."

Even at the beginner level, there were various types of magic. Fast Guard and Fast Heal in their area-of-effect versions were among them. I hadn't deciphered them yet, but they seemed to be the final spells to learn at the beginner level. I was currently reading about spells that increased attack power and speed. I wanted to learn them quickly, but the complex grammar and concepts made it difficult. As I added more wood to the fire, time passed. Not preparing any potions made me feel uneasy. I hadn't made much progress with poison, but I had read about poisonous plants and recipes.

"Hmm..."

Raphatalia woke up with sleepy eyes.

"Oh, did I wake you?"

"No... do you want to switch?"

"If you prefer, Raphatalia."

"Okay."

Since Raphatalia was awake, I decided to let her take over.

"Naofumi-sama?"

"What is it?"

"Filo and Princess Melty..."

Raphatalia pointed to Filo, who was now in her monster form, sitting alone and paddling while sleeping. The Second Princess's clothes were scattered around, and Filo was sitting there alone.

"Hmm..."

From the evidence, where was the Second Princess? Was she sleeping half-naked on Filo's back? I looked behind but didn't see her. Her shoes were also scattered... where was the main body?

"Surely not..."

No matter how much of a glutton she is...

"Naofumi-sama, did Filo try to eat a human as a threat?"

"No, no, no! Surely not!"

"But... it's Filo."

"Ugh..."

It was possible. Did she think of friends as food? Did she mean she didn't want anyone else to take her friend?

"We might have to go into full-on fugitive mode, Raphatalia."

"Yes, our crimes will be certain..."

This fat bird really does something outrageous.

"Fwah?"

Filo woke up, having lowered her head too much.

"What's wrong? Master, Raphatalia?"

"Where's Princess Melty, Filo?"

"Melty? She's sleeping in Filo's feathers."

"Huh? She's not here."

I had just confirmed it, so I was sure.

"Melty, wake up."

Filo raised the feathers on her back.

"Mmm~?"

The feathers stood up strangely, and the Second Princess's face appeared from Filo's back.

"What!?"

No way, Filo's body volume couldn't accommodate a whole person in her feathers. Yet, the Second Princess emerged from an odd spot.

"What's wrong, Filo-chan?"

"Master asked where Melty was, so I woke her up."

"Where? On Filo-chan's back... it's so warm."

"... Why did you take off your clothes?"

"It was hot."

Sigh... don't scare me like that.

"Anyway, how did you get so deep in there?"

"Filo's feathers are incredibly fluffy and thick. Want to try putting your hand in?"

"Ah, sure."

This was the time to check. I extended my hand as the princess beckoned. She grabbed my hand and pushed it into Filo's feathers.

"Wow... it's unnaturally deep."

My arm went in deep before hitting something that felt like skin. Filo's body temperature was indeed high. If the princess had snuggled up to her, she might not have noticed. Upon closer inspection, she was slightly swollen.

"What kind of structure does this bird have?"

"Indeed..."

Should we pluck all her feathers to examine her? We might make some money by selling them.

"Yah!"

"Don't be rough with Filo-chan!"

Hmm... I've seen another strange aspect of this bird's biology.