REFDL 25

This is suffocating!

What the hell, am I some kind of pet bird?!

And even if you raise a real bird like this, you’d get cursed at, idiot! You should at least take it for walks!

When cleaning was needed, they’d move me to an identical cage and take the old one away to wash it.

Damn it…

My insides were boiling, but I stayed quiet for a few days to avoid upsetting Kaelus, who had barely started acting like a human. I didn’t even speak.

Because when I did speak, his reaction was…

‘……’

I’m a bird…Don’t think about it.

Anyway, the artifact Nitan had thoughtfully given me as a gift had become useless.

Five days passed like that.

My patience reached its limit.

* * *

Kyaaaah!!

Slowly, my rage began to overcome my fear.

Just imagine lying around doing nothing for days in a 6 pyeong studio apartment. Wouldn’t that be enough to drive anyone mad?

Of course, if I thought ‘I want to take it off’ and scratched the tattoo, I could turn this cage into a pile of scrap metal and escape.

“……”

But then I’d be the one crumpled up next.

Grrr…

I glared at Kaelus, who had been grumbling and checking documents like a machine in the same position for five days straight.

Crash!

Clang!

I tore up the velvet bedding and overturned the food and water bowls. I shredded the toys too. I made a complete mess inside the cage, but he acted like nothing happened, only looking at the documents. He didn’t even lift his head.

…Wait a minute.

Is he really not looking?

I stood up using only my hind legs. I balanced myself with my wings, thrust my front legs out to the sides, and shook my hips vigorously.

Wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle!

“…….”

His hand paused briefly.

I froze too, but his gaze remained fixed on the papers. The pause seemed to be because of the document’s contents.

Alright.

You’re not looking, right?

I walked up to the cage door and hooked the latch with my front claw. It looked like it should open easily, but no matter how hard I tried, it only rattled. It refused to budge.

Parrots I saw on YouTube. You guys were amazing…….

How long had I been struggling like that?

Swish.

“…….”

I felt a déjà vu.

A shadow completely covered the cage.

Kaelus, silhouetted against the light, was looking down at me.

“…….”

I felt that sensation again, the one I’d felt on the cliff, after so long.

From that moment, my legs started shaking, and my mind was filled with nothing but the thought that I was doomed.

His dark gaze was filled with such displeasure that it only made it worse. It felt like he was going to crush me to death, cage and all…….

“Haa.”

He sighed as he closed his eyes.

The eyes that reappeared were calmer than before, and the fire within them had also dimmed considerably.

Click.

The cage door opened. A large hand slowly reached inside.

It entered.

It grabbed me.

I came back to my senses.

Kyaak!

“……!”

Startled, I yelped and bit the man’s hand.

The taste of blood spreading in my mouth snapped me back to my senses. It felt like my blood was freezing.

My head was spinning.

No more thoughts came.

……It’s over.

This time, I’m really going to die.

I gave up and let my body go limp.

But Kaelus did nothing. He placed me on the sofa and gently touched my head and chest with his index finger.

Was I imagining things?

He seemed flustered.

His touch too, like he was checking what went wrong…

And this from the guy who constantly talked about killing me, about how he would kill me.

“Is he outside?”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Call Nitan.”

“Yes.”

Nitan, who visited the office holding both hands full of ‘items needed for a baby dragon’, turned me this way and that before stating clearly.

“He’s faking it!”

Kaelus immediately glared at me.

I couldn’t bear the injustice and finally opened my mouth.

[Fake. No!]

“Huh? Then why…….”

[Me. Five days. Locked up.]

“…Huh? …Captain! You didn’t take him out of the cage even once?!“

Kaelus looked at the vice captain with an expression that said, “Is that a problem?”

Nitan was horrified.

”How could you do something so heartless!”

Nitan realized the situation and jumped up. I withdrew my disappointment in him. He’d simply lacked information.

Kaelus asked back, looking confused.

“Why would that matter?”

“……?!”

“What’s the problem with being in the same space for five days? It’s actually pretty easy, just eat and sleep. Isn’t that comfortable? There are even toys inside.”

“…….”

Nitan smacked his forehead with an expression that screamed, ‘Where do I even begin to explain this?’

“Captain, don’t tell me you raised Ryumil like this too……”

At that moment.

The air changed.

Nitan turned pale and bowed with a suddenly grave expression.

”I’m sorry. I…… made a mistake.”

He looked dismayed. Nitan bit his lip and chastised himself.

“Enough. Finish what you were saying.”

Nitan bit his lip again, but seemed to decide it was better to follow Kaelus’s words.

“…Captain. Imagine staying in one space for five days. How do you think you’d feel?”

“No need to imagine.”

“Pardon?”

“I’m already doing that.”

Kaelus gestured toward the desk in his office.

…Come to think of it, he hadn’t just stayed in one space, but in one spot from dawn till night.

And when night fell, he went to sleep. In the bedroom right next door.

“My mood is the same as always.”

“…….”

His enlightened gaze lasted only a moment. Nitan, seemingly resigned, gave up on explaining. Instead, he actively advocated for improving my living conditions.

The result.

‘…….’

I was left lying alone on the office floor.

“For now, just be satisfied with the office. The Captain said he’ll get you out to the garden as soon as possible…”

[Nitan. What about taking me for walks?]

“Ah, that…”

He glanced at Kaelus. Already back at his original spot, flipping through documents, Kaelus didn’t even look this way as he answered.

“How do I know what he’ll do again when I’m not watching?”

“……”

Nitan, who had tried to placate me, left the office.

The awkward creaking was only momentary. I slowly wandered around, carefully exploring my surroundings.

It was a view I’d seen for five days straight.

…..Oh.

There was definitely a sense of liberation that came with such a wide-open space.

Ooooh…!

Everything was new and fascinating.

The heart of a long-time fantasy enthusiast began to race.

I wandered around excitedly for a while.

Huh.

Worried I’d been too loud, I glanced at Kaelus in alarm.

Scratch scratch.

Tap tap.

He remained focused solely on the thick stack of papers.

I grew bolder. Excited, I reveled in the space I’d only ever seen in print with my whole body.

The wood-toned office, like the embodiment of ‘antique elegance,’ was comfortable. Just being there soothed my heart.

After exploring, the last place I settled was by the window.

I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the aristocratic garden I’d only seen in webtoons, the lush greenery, the deep blue sky, and the butterflies flitting about leisurely.

I was lost in thought for quite a while.

Then I dozed off.

Shadows fell. Something lifted my body. The swaying felt good, so I clung to it.

I heard the sound of a cage door opening.

Ah. No.

I hate cages!

As I clung tightly to what had caught me, the suitably firm, warm mass hesitated for a few seconds.

I heard a small sigh.

My body was moved somewhere. It was the opposite direction. I was placed down on something soft.

And right beside me, I heard…

Scratch, scratch.

The sound of a pen nib.

It was soothing, like a lullaby.

* * *

I dozed off and woke up. It was already sunset.

‘……?’

I was lying down, using the paperweight on the desk as a pillow.

I took a few seconds to process the situation.

I was definitely by the window sill before I fell asleep.

It seemed the touch that had lifted me up wasn’t a dream after all.

And that someone was…

‘……’

I cautiously scanned my surroundings, but I was alone in the study.

Kaelus was nowhere to be seen.

Instead, I noticed the study door was slightly ajar.

My hesitation was brief.

I slipped through the narrow gap and explored the hallway.

I hadn’t planned on going far anyway. Just wandering around nearby would be the limit for leniency.

But.

Sniff.

‘……?’

There was a smell.

A smell I’d encountered somewhere before.

I sniffed like a dog, searching for the source. I suddenly remembered where I’d smelled this before.

Richmond.

So, that means.

The scent of another dragon!

I pulled my nose away from the door crack and stepped back. I tilted my head and saw an old door.

The doorknob was worn, its paint peeling, and dust had accumulated.

In the duke’s splendid palace, this corridor alone seemed out of place.

Even without that, it was strange enough.

If the handle was that worn, it meant this door had been opened and closed many times. Yet, the handle of a door used so frequently was covered in thick dust.

A chill ran down my spine as if a cold wind had brushed past.

Open it.

No. Don’t open it.

Two conflicting premonitions scratched at my mind.