Chapter 7
English Translation
Clements had, in the end, dragged me all the way into his room.
With a face full of worry, Clements lifted me onto the desk and cradled me gently. His eyes, heavy with concern, were a sight to behold… but I didn’t have the heart to look closely right then.
Tap. When I flicked his finger away with the tip of my wing, Clements asked,
“Hey, chick. What’s wrong?”
“…Bii-ik.”
“Why are you like this?”
I had been feeling unwell ever since coming into the room. It was probably from stress — the worry that if Bella and Clements didn’t reconnect, everything would fall apart.
In the original story, Bella would have felt disgust just from looking at Clements, so by now she’d probably be even angrier with him.
So Clements shouldn’t be worrying about me now. He should be worrying about how to repair things with Bella. He ought to be rushing off to her this instant!
Or at least, he could have been replaying their meeting in his head in a very handsome way and murmured, “Interesting….” Or frowned with his graceful brows and used a spare moment to check state affairs… Isn’t that what he should be doing? But right now…!
‘Clements, don’t worry about the chick.’
‘What’s that?’
‘Don’t worry about the chick.’
‘How do I do that?’
If we could have talked, that’s exactly the kind of exchange that would have happened. Is this who he is? I shook my head and turned over. Ugh — my stomach twisted.
“Are you sick? Endure it. If you belong to me, you must be strong.”
Ordering a mere chick to be strong — such was Clements Resta Dusingen.
“Biiit. (Don’t fuss over me; do what you have to do…)”
If only I could have said something to Bella who must be confused and upset. Or at least, if I hadn’t been the chick stuck in the middle of it all. That important banquet wouldn’t have been ruined like that.
And what on earth did Clements get angry at Bella over? I couldn’t understand it, but it had already slipped out of my hands.
If they drift apart with no contact, if that happens… then what would I even do with my life? In a world that was no longer sweet and fantastical, what joy would be left?
“Bii-huh-huh….”
“…Chick.”
Oh no, he’s still here.
Well, of course he wouldn’t just leave because I peeped and thought “get out.” I sat on the edge of the desk with effort and glared at Clements.
“You don’t look well.”
Well, yeah. You’re looking right at me.
…Ugh.
Anyway, my resolve hardened further. When night fell I would slip away quietly as soon as possible. Judging by the state of the male lead, leaving him alone like this would lead to disaster.
He’d been at the count’s manor for less than a day — if I disappeared now, his behavior should return to normal soon: the male lead who would, as in the original, lavish Bella with love.
“Your Highness, Cassis. May I enter?”
Just as I finished that thought, Marquis Dupre entered. Only then did Clements briefly take his mind off of me.
“Report.”
True to the loyal retainer of the crown prince, Cassis Dupre reported calmly.
“The inside of the estate is in order. Sufficient guards are standing watch, and on a quick inspection the servants are treated not poorly. However, the management of the domain outside the manor differs somewhat from the reports that came to the capital. I’m no expert in civil engineering or construction, but in terms of taxation it appears there may be some embezzlement that barely skirts the law. What’s certain is that further investigation is needed.”
I nearly hiccuped. Hadn’t Marquis Dupre only just arrived today? For him to have such a quick grasp of Honwood and the Monahan estate — the position of the crown prince’s right hand is not for just anyone.
“What about Count Monahan?”
“He spends this time of day in his study reading every day.”
Real-time intel on people’s habits! Is he an AI?
But there was something Dupre didn’t know. The count didn’t actually read those respectable-looking books at this hour.
He likely poured his complaints about the day’s annoyances into the ear of some attending butler… Poor old butler. He’s probably listening to me being insulted right now.
“Near the study there have been murmurings of discontent regarding the count’s ward, who has failed to attract His Highness’s attention.”
A chill ran down my spine. Cassis Dupre — how far does his information reach?!
And the count had been saying unpleasant things not only about me but about Bella as well. My anger made my stomach feel worse.
Who does he think he is…! A brother trying to profit off selling his sister! If he wants the crown prince’s favor so badly, he could at least put on a dress and try to seduce him himself!
“Hah.”
Clements let out a light sneer.
“The count’s ward?”
“They’ve released people to look for her servants.”
“The maid who said she’d gone to gather herbs? He really treasures her, doesn’t he.”
Ah! Bella had come up!
That alone made me a little happy. It meant he wasn’t entirely unconcerned. And hearing they were looking for her suggested he had a somewhat positive impression of Bella. Yes!
Hmm… they were looking for me.
Sorry for worrying you. I’ll return quickly, Bella.
“Won’t she be coming back?”
“What do you mean?”
“The maid said her young lady went into the forest.”
Perhaps Marquis Dupre had mistaken Clements’ concern for the maid — i.e., me — as personal worry.
In the original, Dupre often misunderstood Clements in this way. Even though he knew his lord’s nature was cold and that he showed little warmth to many except a few, he kept assuming there was kindness in him. Maybe it was the infatuation that sees his lord as the model ruler. In a way it was loyal devotion.
Clements answered, “I hope so.”
A detached, objective attitude: a girl who wandered into the forest and didn’t return until late — one would hope she came back. That was the kind of reserved stance Clements Resta Dusingen took toward others.
So, toward me.
It was an accurate sense of distance that hit home anew. Ideally, according to my plan, I should have laboriously remained within that same comfortable distance, working for Clements’ smooth love and uneventful life.
But…
Clearly that girl and I are the same person, yet what accounts for this temperature gap?
“That chick, hmm.”
Only then did Cassis notice me and show interest. His sharp red eyes brightened and then quickly turned serious.
“…Are you ill? You don’t look well.”
“You’ve been like this since returning from the banquet. I tried to examine you more closely but you pushed my hand away. I was going to call the manor doctor.”
Such excessive concern. Clements looked about one and a half times more serious now than when he was listening to the report on Honwood and the Monahan manor. Please let it be my imagination. Please.
Even Cassis regarded me with comparable earnestness.
‘Hmm….’
Still, since Cassis had worried that I might return, I didn’t want to coldly shove his hand away. He was only loyal to his lord; he worked diligently. Hmm.
“…By the way, Cassis.”
“Yes?”
“Why doesn’t the chick hit your hand away?”
……
That sounded like something the male lead from Beauty and the Beast would say? My ears refused to hear it.
“Hmm.”
Fortunately, this time Cassis pretended not to have heard and examined me as I perched on his palm.
“Could be indigestion.”
“Does a chick get indigestion?”
“Probably. You were watching from the banquet hall, weren’t you? When something small gets attention from me it stays still, uncomfortable; when the atmosphere loosens it pecks at its food. A clever bird.”
“Of course, it’s mine.”
…I’m honored? Though soon I won’t be yours — but, well, thank you for now.
“She practically inhaled her food when people weren’t watching. It was like… a twenty-year-old girl possessed.”
“Peh-hik!”
What is that sharp analogy? Is there really a robust twenty-year-old girl in the household?
The capable Cassis mixed sugar into a diluted digestive medicine and gave it to me. After drinking it, I felt better. In the end, I wasn’t ill from stress — I was just… indigested.
Well, that could be it!
Who wouldn’t overeat when suddenly turned into a chick while hungry? Even if your favorite couple’s crisis is unfolding right before your eyes — damn it. The stomach rules; even mountains wait until after a meal. A ghost that died while eating still looks good…
Mmm.
…Good! Huh. Feeling better in my stomach, I seemed to have dozed off.
Cassis left, and after checking a few letters and straightening his things, Clements fortunately went to bed. I waited until he fell more deeply asleep and dozed briefly. I had meant to keep my eyes wide open the whole time.
Darkness settled quietly over the courtyard. As the last light in the sky went out, a soft whoosh lifted me up.
White light gently wrapped around me, and a small popping sound — audible only to me — came. The next moment I alighted lightly inside the room in the form of a human woman. Everything about the transformation felt the same as when Bella changed, except the clouds surrounding me were white light rather than black.
‘I’m back!’
My fingers still faintly glowed, my hair shimmered gold in my sight! Having a human body was such an emotional thing.
