Chapter 71

#071 As Long as It's Not Me (1)

"......Princess, I think we should first find this little one's nest."

I answered calmly.

Although Demi isn't the type to do such a thing, she might have broken into someone's house and caught the chimney swift.

If it wasn't injured, it should be returned home.

Our protagonist, who is tone-deaf, clumsy, and has a terrible sense of naming, finally nodded once, saying, "Ah."

"Well, that should come first. I got excited because it was so cute."

You think it's cute and suggest naming it 'Dukdak'?

"I agree it's cute."

As I said this, I carefully extended my hand toward the chimney swift.

Despite blinking its black eyes rapidly and opening and closing its yellow beak, it didn't seem to be wary of people.

There are no vassals in Evelyn, so it couldn't have been someone's pet from nearby.

"I'll take you home."

- *Chirp, chirp! *

Surprisingly, the chimney swift hopped onto my palm.

At this point, I wondered if Demi hadn't caught it but had simply become friends with it.

I sought the Cardinal's permission and slowly got up from the mat.

Kriselle also rose.

Her cyan eyes sparkled like stars, showing no sign of fatigue.

- *Chirp*

"Demi, where did you get the chimney swift? Let's go back."

- *Squeak*

Demi, who seemed to understand me perfectly, slipped out of my arms like a noodle.

Kriselle and I followed Demi as she walked ahead.

Prince Sedric's figure, checking our movements, was visible.

The warmth on my palm was so small and soft that my body stiffened involuntarily.

It felt like it would die if I squeezed it even a little. But the chimney swift didn't seem worried at all.

After observing me for a while, it turned around, perhaps finding the backward journey burdensome, and sat facing forward.

Smart.

- *Chirp, chirp*

"......Here?"

At the edge of the green meadow on the white cliff.

We arrived at the bell tower, today's hot topic, after a short walk.

Demi approached the bell tower assertively, as if to ensure I didn't misunderstand.

She then stood up on her hind legs and touched the outer wall of the bell tower with her front paws.

It seemed to mean, "This is definitely the place, so don't misunderstand."

"Is it really a divine bird?"

I muttered, looking down at the chimney swift. Of course, it could just be an ordinary bird living in the bell tower.

It wouldn't be strange if it had built its nest under the pointed roof.

The problem was how Demi had managed to get up there......

"Let's check it out."

A handsome baritone voice echoed in my ear.

Kriselle didn't seem surprised, as if she knew he was coming.

Only I, a mere human, flinched. At least make some noise when you come.

"Is there a way to confirm if it's a divine bird?"

I asked the prince calmly.

He tilted his head slightly and his orange eyes glinted strangely.

I wondered what he was thinking, but then he took off his glove without hesitation and extended his left hand toward the chimney swift.

He was about to ignite a flame!

- *Chirp?*

"Hey! You'll kill the bird!"

I hid the chimney swift in my arms at lightning speed. The prince spoke sternly.

"If it were a divine bird, it would have defended itself."

"Why think of attacking first? If it's just a chimney swift, it could get seriously hurt."

At my words, he raised one eyebrow and then lowered it, putting his glove back on.

Is this guy really crazy?

Indeed, there must have been a good reason for Jin Seo to cut ties with this man.

He looked like a statue but his character was shattered. Kriselle also seemed shocked.

My lord, please repent......

"But the bell tower is closed. No one can enter until the repairs are complete."

He warned. That was true.

Right after we came down from the bell tower, the prince, using the authority of the Duke of Evelyn, ordered its closure.

According to the Cardinal, the bell tower had only undergone minor repairs since its construction and had never undergone major renovations.

Since the divine bird had shown problematic behavior and many parts were broken, it seemed they were taking this opportunity to renovate it.

"What about Sir Haines?"

I asked.

Kriselle looked up at me, and the prince looked down, silently demanding an explanation.

This setup is really hard to get used to.

"It's a bit embarrassing to ask again, but he can check the inside or the top of the bell tower without touching it."

If he can make a pirate ship float, he can surely make himself float.

If Sir Haines, their teacher, could help, we might find out where the chimney swift came from.

If its nest was inside, we could help it move.

"......"

The two protagonists stared intently at Sir Haines, who was lying asleep on the grass.

Their silence seemed to indicate agreement with my suggestion, but their faces showed dissatisfaction.

*

Dinner time arrived.

"Having dinner at the summer palace is a once-in-a-lifetime honor."

Sir Elisabeth, who had changed into clean clothes, said with a slightly excited expression.

Not only her, but everyone had washed up and put on new clothes.

I looked around the round dining table with a renewed sense of appreciation.

The emperor's seat at the head of the table was empty, and from there, in a clockwise direction, the prince, Kriselle, Sir Elisabeth, and I were seated.

The Cardinal was supposed to sit between the emperor and me.

It seemed everyone except me was in for a scolding.

Sir Elisabeth's tense expression was due to this.

Although we were allowed to stay at the summer palace by the grace of Emperor Frederick and Duke Evelyn, bringing a pirate ship and docking it in the royal territory was clearly a serious crime.

Even if the duke himself had been on board, it would still have been a problem.

'Sedric should have actively stopped it.'

The Cardinal said this on our way back to the palace.

Even if they were friends and acquaintances, allowing a ship of unknown purpose to enter the territory was a rash decision.

It was a fair criticism, so I nodded.

Yes, the protagonist and his companions caused trouble, so they deserve a scolding.

"Prince, what about Dukdak?"

While sipping buckwheat tea and organizing my thoughts, Kriselle said in a sweet voice.

"Dukdak?"

"The chimney swift's name."

"......"

I couldn't find an appropriate response and remained silent.

We had managed to wake Sir Haines earlier and asked him to check the bell tower, but we couldn't find the chimney swift's nest anywhere.

I was worried it might have been unable to fly due to shock from Demi's mouth, but that wasn't the case.

On the way back to the palace through the forest, the little bird flew to the prince's shoulder and pecked at his fur cloak.

Now, it was playing hide-and-seek with the three pandas in my room.

Just a runaway bird...... Is it a flying teenager?

"Dukdak seems a bit lacking in cuteness. How about Leticia or Emrick?"

Sir Elisabeth suggested.

They were good candidates, but they seemed too long to call.

Our gazes naturally turned to the prince.

"......What?"

He frowned slightly. At that moment,

*Click*

"His Majesty the Emperor and His Eminence the Cardinal are here."

We quickly stood up.

The sound of chairs being pushed back was followed by the dignified footsteps of the emperor and the cardinal.

I bowed deeply to the two elders.

Soon, the cardinal sat to my left, and the emperor took his seat at the head of the table.

"Sit."

The imperial command was given. Everyone found their seats without a word.

The servants began to serve the meal busily.

The emperor disliked long courses that interrupted conversation, so all the dishes except for the main course and dessert were brought to the table at once.

An oppressive silence continued.

Everyone was awkwardly looking at some part of the tablecloth.

"Please enjoy your time. If you need anything, ring the bell."

The head servant of the palace said this and retreated, though no one looked particularly happy.

At the emperor's gesture, his servant Laura and the cardinal's servant Natalie also left.

Soon, only the six of us remained in the dining room.

"Eat."

The emperor picked up her spoon.

Following her and the cardinal, everyone slowly began to use their cutlery.

I picked up a canapé first.

Biting into the cracker, the mascarpone and sprout vegetables stacked neatly on it mixed softly on my tongue.

It was the epitome of freshness.

The roasted sesame and pickled onions decorating the top added a nutty and tangy flavor.

Curious about the aromatic and salty taste, I checked another canapé and found it was wine salt.

My appetite was naturally whetted.

"Delicious."

"Eat more."

The cardinal said kindly. I smiled and put the second canapé in my mouth.

"Sedric, your judgment today was reckless."

*Crunch, crunch*

"Yes, Your Majesty."

I stopped mid-chew. The sound of me eating the canapé was too loud.

"Even if there were vassals on the coast, would you have made the same decision? Elisabeth and the Sarnes kid are trustworthy, but as a future emperor, you should have considered all possibilities."

"......"

It was hard to eat with just my tongue.

I stopped moving and waited for the conversation to end.

"Riding a pirate ship as a prince was also imprudent. Your body is not yours but the empire's."

"I will keep that in mind."

The prince answered quietly. The cardinal, who glanced at me, whispered, "You can eat freely."

I nodded.

"And the Sarnes kid."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

*Crunch*

"I said I would sponsor you to become a Holy Knight, not a pirate. Do you remember?"

"Yes, I remember."

*Crunch, crunch*

I stopped eating again. This really didn't seem right.

Even though the scolding was directed at someone else, I felt like I was sitting on a bed of thorns.

No matter how much it was a form of punishment, I couldn't accept scolding at the dinner table.

I had already fed the kids with snacks for lunch; shouldn't you let them eat first before scolding them?

"Elisabeth."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"As I told you earlier, I will reiterate. As the heir to the Margrave......"

Looking around the table, I saw that none of the three had eaten anything yet.

Feeling deeply sorry for them, I took some of my portion of the duck breast.

This looked like a quiet dish, so it should be safe.

The meat was so tender that the knife barely touched the plate.

"I didn't want to say this, but you three are overflowing with energy. Is it because you're about to get married?"

The emperor clicked her tongue. Wow, we're even getting a holiday atmosphere.

I expressed deep regret to the three troublemakers in my heart and took a big bite of the duck.

Usually, you'd respond to such a conversation with, "So are you going to give us a dowry?" or "Are you going to help us buy a house?" but the problem was that the emperor could handle both.

"Mother."

"Yes?"

"Your Majesty, please just kill me."

The prince and Kriselle's faces hardened.

Sir Elisabeth turned pale as if the bisque in front of her was poison.

The situation looked serious.

*Chew*

Well, it's not my business, but......