“……!”
The question she had always harbored was finally answered. To think she would learn the full story of how she broke the Duke’s curse in such an unexpected way.
She had secretly thought that she might not have been the one to break the curse, but it turned out she was right.
While feeling relieved, she also felt dazed at the thought of receiving something that could no longer be simply called perfume, now infused with both divine water and divine power.
“Were you planning to go to the lakeside when we meet tomorrow?”
“Yes. But I probably won’t be able to go now.”
She didn’t like the idea of not being able to go because she had turned into a sparrow.
“…I want to go.”
“…Will you be alright?”
“Still, I want to clear up the misunderstanding with my siblings before we go. Is it okay if we stop by my house?”
“Let’s do that. I have something to return as well.”
The Duke pointed to the sword placed under the dress as he spoke.
The carriage turned towards Carol’s house.
“I guess it’s still quite difficult to turn back into a human?”
“For now, yes.”
Sometimes when she involuntarily transformed into a bird like this, she couldn’t immediately turn back into a human. This was one of those cases.
“It’s fortunate that Teacher Bianca is here. I should give her an apology gift later.”
Carol muttered, burying her face in the Duke’s hand once again.
“Yes. Let’s choose one together. It’s partly because of me, after all.”
Carol, perched on the Duke’s shoulder, instructed him on what to do.
“There are tea leaves in the top drawer.”
The Duke moved skillfully following Carol’s directions. Sitting on his shoulder, she could see his actions even better.
The stark difference in eye level, the shape of his arm muscles when he reached up, his… visible through the slightly open shirt with each movement.
“Ahem!”
Carol quickly shook her head to brush off the thoughts that were about to continue.
The Duke had come to her house several times before, but today felt different.
‘Is it because I know the Duke’s true feelings?’
Carol glanced at the Duke from the corner of her eye. His emotions towards her were so palpable that she wanted to hug him with all her might.
‘Maybe it’s fortunate that I’m in sparrow form.’
Carol cleared her throat as she imagined what she might have done to the Duke if she were human.
It was also fortunate that her expressions couldn’t be read in this form.
It took longer than usual to prepare the tea, but the Duke seemed somehow satisfied.
“I’m sorry for making a guest do this kind of work.”
“This isn’t bad at all. It feels like we’re living together, just the two of us.”
Once he started speaking, the Duke seemed to lose all hesitation and continued to say things that would fluster Carol without reserve.
At this rate, she felt like her heart wouldn’t survive.
Carol, who had been eagerly drinking tea with her beak due to a parched throat, shook off her wet beak and flew up to perch on the Duke’s shoulder.
“I’ll go to my room for a moment. Could you please open the door?”
“Shouldn’t I help you gather your clothes too?”
“What?”
She had intended to compose herself alone for a moment, but now he wanted to enter the room together. As Carol jumped in surprise, the Duke spoke nonchalantly.
“I’m curious too.”
Haven’t I shown you my room many times already?
“The room is too small, there’s nothing to see.”
“You’re not just being conscious of me, are you?”
“……”
He hit the nail on the head. As Carol remained silent like a mute who had swallowed honey, the Duke continued, acting as if it was no big deal.
“It’s no different from brewing tea together.”
“…Are you teasing me?”
“A little bit.”
“Duke, you seem to enjoy playing tricks subtly.”
“That’s the first time I’ve heard that.”
“Please don’t tease me too much.”
Because I’m not immune to such words, and I feel like my heart won’t survive.
Carol tried to move away from the Duke by sidestepping, but she was still on his shoulder after all. Before Carol could fly away, the Duke extended his hand in front of her.
After a moment’s hesitation, Carol grudgingly perched on his hand.
“But half of what I said was sincere.”
Carol turned her gaze back to the Duke. His face, which she couldn’t look at properly due to embarrassment, was unexpected.
“…Which part was teasing?”
“The part about it being no different from brewing tea.”
“……”
She thought he was just being glib, but the Duke was blushing.
If only she were human. Carol suddenly felt an irresistible urge.
Peck.
Carol’s beak touched the Duke’s lips.
It was something she wouldn’t have done if she were in human form. Only after Carol moved from his hand back to his shoulder did the Duke seem to come to his senses. He touched his lips with his finger and said,
“…I’ll ask you to do that again when you’re human.”
“…I can’t promise that.”
“Then, will you guide me to your room?”
The Duke probably didn’t realize how he was looking at her. Carol didn’t have the confidence to refuse after seeing his gaze.
“Yes. But please don’t be surprised that it’s nothing special.”
Carol repeatedly cautioned.
“I’m sure it won’t be, but I promise.”
‘It’s not like he can do anything even if I take him to my room.’
And her siblings would be arriving soon.
The Duke spoke as if nothing strange would happen, but also as if he would restrain himself nonetheless.
“Don’t worry. I won’t lock the door.”
She couldn’t remember the last time she had brought someone who wasn’t family into her room. In the North, Louis had come in a few times, but in the capital, this was the first time someone had entered.
“It’s smaller than you thought, right?”
On one wall of the room was a small desk and wardrobe, and on the opposite wall was a small bed fitting her size with a nightstand beside it.
Carol sat at the desk and pointed to the chair.
The Duke looked out of place in the room, like a giant entering a dwarf’s room.
“So, what should I pack first?”
“…I think I’ll have to ask my siblings to pack my clothes after all.”
“Haha.”
At Carol’s urging, the Duke stood up again quickly. But instead of leaving, he sat on the edge of Carol’s bed. Then he placed a new perfume bottle next to the old one on the nightstand.
“I didn’t ask right away because I was anxious. I know it in my head, but we never talked about the future, right?”
“Are you ready to accept it if I talk about it?”
Carol’s lips moved at the Duke’s question. If the Duke had talked about it earlier than now, Carol might have avoided the conversation.
The Duke probably knew this, so he had tried to exclude personal feelings as much as possible when talking about returning to the North.
“When I first found out, I had only received help, so after becoming human, I just wanted to look good in your eyes.”
“……”
The Duke spoke as if revealing his vulnerable side made him feel relieved, but also a bit embarrassed at the same time.
It was an unfortunate situation that arose from both of them being too considerate of each other.
“I felt like I was always moving ahead, so I tried to hold back the reins.”
The Duke then lay down diagonally on her bed. He pointed at himself and smiled brightly. As if enchanted, Carol approached and sat right in front of him.
The Duke stroked Carol with his finger.
“…Duke.”
“But if the teacher is even a little anxious because of that, I think I could interpret it as okay to loosen the reins a bit.”
His fingers, which at first only brushed the surface, now touched the soft feathers between her wings.
“…W-wait a moment.”
It felt strange. Carol took small steps backwards away from him.
“What’s wrong?”
“J-just a moment, please step out… Ah!”
Flustered by the Duke’s words, she was a bit slow to realize what this sensation meant. Carol tried to speak quickly, but before she could finish, the unexpected happened.
“Oh.”
The Duke was undoubtedly more surprised than he had ever been.
Carol transformed into a human in an instant, without time to stop it. As she had been right in front of the Duke, they ended up in an embrace.
Hugging had become commonplace for them, but it’s a different story when one party is not wearing a single thread.
Carol quickly covered the Duke’s eyes with her palm.
“……”
“……”
“Did you see?”
“…No.”
The long silence was a bit suspicious, but for the sake of her mental health, Carol didn’t probe further.
Without a word, Carol pulled the blanket from behind to cover herself.
‘Of all times, why now?’
Worried it might look like she had answered the Duke’s question about loosening the reins with actions instead of words, Carol hurriedly explained.
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t control it… It wasn’t on purpose.”
She felt like she would die of embarrassment. Why at a moment like this!
Carol removed her hand from the Duke’s eyes and covered her own face.
She thought he would tease her. But this time, the Duke didn’t say anything. He just held her chin and lifted it to make her face him.
“Kiss me like you did earlier.”
The Duke whispered in a sweet voice.
It was just as Carol’s lips slowly overlapped with the Duke’s that…
