Louis’s eyes widened in surprise, then filled with emotion.
A small Triton pearl, not even from a famous brand. Was Eloise missing her mother too?
“I heard Triton pearls come in many colors. But since it’s a protected area, I heard it’s not easy to harvest gems there. Would it be hard?”
“It’s your wish, so I’ll do my best. If I can get one, let’s go to Triton together and pick a color that suits you.”
At his words, Eloise smiled brightly and hugged him.
Louis gently stroked his daughter’s hair with affection and murmured,
“It would be nice to buy one just like it for your mother too.”
“For Mother?”
Eloise tilted her head in confusion.
Seeing her innocent face, Louis hesitated.
There were two reasons.
First, because her violet eyes suddenly seemed to flicker into a sharp blue.
Second, because it felt like his daughter hadn’t even thought of her mother, who rested in Triton.
Sharp blue eyes.
For a moment, he was reminded of his brother, Duke Cromwell Celeste, and it made him feel strange.
Louis blinked slowly.
Could she have forgotten that Amelia’s grave was in Triton?
But maybe he was mistaken, because Eloise suddenly exclaimed, “Ah!”
“Of course, Father. When we go to Triton, let’s visit Mother and give her a gift. I’m sure she’ll love it.”
“Let’s do that.”
Louis smiled gently. It really had been a misunderstanding.
Eloise was his one and only child. A thoughtful daughter who never brought up her mother, afraid it would make her father sad.
‘There’s no way Eloise would forget.’
Blue eyes like his brother’s? Forgetting her mother?
He must’ve been more tired than he realized from the trip to Triton.
To be thinking such pointless thoughts.
When he looked down at Eloise again, her eyes were, as expected, a clear violet—just like he had imagined.
A perfect mix of his and Amelia’s colors.
It had been three years since he lost his wife and finally moved past the sorrow.
Back then, he had held his three-year-old daughter in his arms and made a vow.
That all the love he had left would go to her.
That he would live the rest of his life for her.
“Let’s go inside, Eloise. You’ll catch a cold.”
“Yes, Father!”
Louis warmly chatted with Eloise as they headed into the house.
****
This is bad.
I was gasping for air, frantically scribbling in the red book.
Blah blah blah… Xian—that is, the guy whose soul is bound to mine! He suddenly started acting weird! What on earth is going on?
The master’s jewel has activated its power.
The red book blinked and displayed the message.
The jewel was protecting him, but due to a sudden change, it seems his condition triggered a reaction.
I groaned and held my forehead.
Of course—it must’ve been that weird medicine he suddenly held in his mouth, saying he’d feed it to me. It must’ve triggered his awakened state.
He probably sipped a bit while holding it in his mouth, and that caused all this.
Before his rampage ability could awaken from the activation, the jewel calmed him down. Once the effect of the medicine wears off, he will return to normal.
The red book explained calmly.
To put it in simple terms, Xian is like a computer going through a forced shutdown and reboot.
And if left alone, he’ll naturally return to normal. I was told not to provoke him and let him rest.
But the problem is—he sees me differently now! Isn’t this level of hallucination a bit extreme?
When Xian came at me with a birdcage, saying he’d lock me up and watch me, I nearly fainted.
Somehow, while Lindo was holding him back, I managed to escape with just the red book, but it was only a matter of time before I got caught again.
The jewel grants the master’s wish. Its power only protects him from the thing that shakes him the most to prevent a rampage.
So, I’m the thing that makes Xian the most sensitive?
So because of me, awakened Xian becomes more unstable, and the pearl changed how I look to him?
Tears welling up, I muttered:
“Give me back my human rights…”
At this point, even the Empress should cover this as a work accident. There’s just too much going on.
Take care of the Emperor’s health, manage his reputation, avoid offending him…
I swallowed my tears and carefully hid the red book back inside my pillow.
At least he didn’t actually go back in time. The pearl only changed things temporarily, so he’s not quite the same person he was when he was the Crown Prince.
Merton, who had served long in the Imperial Palace, told me. He’s still cold and arrogant, but he doesn’t react as sensitively to blood now, so he’s a bit more mellow.
Apparently, it’s like he’s in his early twenties—before he became fully ruthless—more human, in a way. So, it seems Xian now has the mindset of someone around my age.
Merton thought Xian had just taken some weird medicine and was out of it temporarily. He swore to keep it a secret even if a sword was at his throat.
In the end, only three of us knew Xian’s current condition—me, Lindo, and Merton.
“He should be back to normal in about three days.”
Well, nothing I can do. I’d just have to spend the next few days as a helpless little pet bird. But at least he’ll come back.
I let out a deep sigh and accepted my pitiful situation.
Clunk.
“Where did you go, my bird?”
Ack!
I nearly screamed when Xian burst in through the door and strode toward me.
“No, not the cage!”
Okay, fine! I’ll play with you! Just no locking me up, please!
Desperate, I quickly checked Xian’s hands.
Thank goodness, he was empty-handed. Lindo must’ve managed to take the cage away.
I let out a relieved sigh as Xian sat down next to the bed where I was sitting and muttered to himself in that oddly dull golden gaze of his.
“You’re calm now. Do you like the bed better than the cage?”
“Y-yes. I guess so.”
I mean, I’m still a person, right?
I nodded with an awkward expression. But Xian, who still didn’t understand my words, suddenly reached out.
“So soft.”
“…Ah, uh.”
“Can bird wings be this squishy?”
Xian toyed with my earlobe like he’d discovered a rare species, eyes filled with genuine curiosity.
“Messenger birds aren’t like this. Must be because you’re a pet.”
No, I’m not a bird—I’m your wife…
But even if I said that, all he’d hear was chirping.
In the end, I could only make a teary face and sit still, letting him poke and prod until he got bored.
****
Xian thought he was just taking a short vacation in the Imperial Palace after ending a long war.
Since he didn’t get along well with the Emperor even when he stayed in the palace, he rarely saw his face, so he didn’t notice anything strange.
Fortunately, there was nothing urgent going on, so Xian was able to take an official break for the time being.
“Your Majesty, is everything alright?”
“Y-you saw it, right? His Majesty’s been under a lot of stress lately, so he’s just a little…”
“What the—did everyone eat something bad?”
Xian tilted his head suspiciously at the ministers calling him “Your Majesty.”
The ministers, who had come to confirm the vacation form I submitted on Xian’s behalf, were left speechless.
Then, after glancing between Xian’s sharp gaze and me—casually sitting on his lap—they quickly ran off in a panic.
“Ah, it’s nothing! Please rest well!”
And just like that, his vacation was safely approved.
“Weird bunch. They all look like they’ve aged ten years in a few months.”
Xian muttered as he tousled my hair.
“It’s because it’s been a few years, not months.”
“Your feathers are soft. I guess you can’t make a blanket with bird feathers.”
As expected, Xian didn’t understand a word I said and simply made random comments, enjoying the texture.
Ugh. I give up. Just give up.
I sighed and leaned the back of my head against his chest.
No matter what I said, Xian was too busy playing with my silver hair like a toy.
“But seriously, why a bird? Do I even look like a bird? I’d rather be a bunny, or a puppy, or a cat…”
“What are you chirping about now?”
While I grumbled, a sudden warmth pressed against my shoulder.
Startled, I turned my head. Xian had rested his firm chin on my shoulder.
Since he was so big, it actually felt kind of cozy—but I was sitting on his lap, so now it felt like I was being hugged from behind.
“Ah, maybe it’s because I haven’t given you a name.”
“N-no, um, could you… please let me go?”
“Your feathers sparkle, so… Sparkly? Or Chirpy?”
Xian seriously considered names that were painfully childish, just saying them out loud.
Wha—Is that your taste? Seriously?
Goosebumps covered my body, and I shook my head hard.
“Leah! My name is Leah!”
“I think ‘Fluffy’ would be better. You’ll probably start chirping like that when you grow a bit more.”
Why did you even think about it, then?
I gave up trying to protect my dignity from a totally out-of-it Xian.
Regardless, Xian named me however he pleased, then picked me up and said we should go for a walk.
“Oh my, Your Majesty?”
“Yeah. Don’t mind us—just keep walking…”
Dangling in his arms like a princess, I waved my hand.
The maids, faces flushed, giggled and bowed politely as they passed, clueless about what was going on.
Xian frowned in confusion.
“They’re weird too. Did they all eat something spoiled? None of them seem disciplined.”
“They probably think you’re the weird one right now.”
I answered weakly, then bumped my forehead against his chest with a thud.
He saw me as a tiny pet bird, yet he held me like a person. The power of illusion was truly convenient.
Maybe I should just be glad he didn’t actually put me in a cage? I don’t know anymore. Raising a husband is hard.
“Hmph. Fluffy, even if you peck, it doesn’t hurt.”
Startled, I practically shouted.
“P-please don’t do that! I’m gonna be sick!”
“Is your whole body this soft? I kind of want to touch and find out.”
Xian leaned in with a blank but curious expression.
In the end, I couldn’t adjust to Xian’s bizarre, unintentional flirty behavior and ran off in a panic.
But Xian, clearly annoyed, ordered the royal guards:
“You dare fly out of my arms? Hey, go catch my Fluffy.”
I could see the guards trembling as they tried to hold back their laughter.
No! This is not a game of “catch me if you can”! That man is not in his right mind!
As I dashed off, face burning with embarrassment, I yelled:
“P-please! Stop already!”
“You think you can escape me with those tiny wings?”
Oh no. I’m going insane!
