Chapter 11
On a normal day, I would have stopped to exchange cheerful greetings with everyone I passed, but now every second counted. Once the sun rose, I wouldn’t be able to move around freely.
I kept muttering mechanically—“Did you find them? Oh, I’m so sorry.” and “I’m fine.”—while my feet didn’t stop heading toward the mansion.
It took effort to brush past the approaching servants, reminding them that it was time for work, until finally, I was alone.
By now, even the servants knew I had returned. Since Bella must have already read the note, she wouldn’t give out another order to search for me. At least I wouldn’t be bothering anyone anymore.
“Phew…”
The sky was already pale and heavy with blue light. I hurried inside through the servants’ entrance of the main house.
The Monahan estate was divided into the main building and the annex.
To explain the usage: the main building contained official, large-scale rooms like reception halls, banquet halls, and meeting rooms.
It also housed the kitchens, storerooms, and servants’ quarters so meals could be served piping hot and the staff could move efficiently.
The annex, on the other hand, had the comfortable bedrooms and studies used by the count’s family and distinguished guests. Count Monahan, Bella, Clements, and Cassis all had their rooms there.
Therefore…
“The annex is a no-go. I’ll hide in the main building!”
I needed to keep my distance for the romance to unfold, but since I couldn’t go home, staying physically far from the main characters was the best choice.
My original room had been right next to Bella’s in the annex. But if I stayed there, she would definitely discover me. Since she believed I was the crown prince’s chick, she’d either take me to Clements or bring me up in conversation with him. That would shatter my vow never to meddle in the protagonists’ story again.
Hadn’t I already ruined the atmosphere in the banquet hall? Who knew what catastrophe I might cause if I lingered again? The thought alone was terrifying.
Until the pink-tinted, romantic current between Bella and Clements settled securely, I would stay hidden in the main house.
The years I’d spent in this mansion weren’t for nothing; I quickly knew where to go.
In the vast main building, voices and footsteps echoed like rising dust clouds as everyone busied themselves with starting the day. I slipped through a small door in a secluded corridor.
Inside was a much larger space than it looked from outside. A small window let in just enough light to reveal the floor beneath my feet.
Wooden shelves were packed tightly with foodstuffs tied in linen sacks.
This was one of many storerooms, specifically for long-lasting provisions like biscuits and jerky.
Since the count’s household always dined lavishly on the freshest ingredients, no one ever had much reason to come into an emergency rations storeroom like this.
“Phew.”
I quietly shut the door and turned around, finally feeling like I had reached a safe place. The light from the window grew brighter, and before long, I turned back into a chick.
The process was the same as returning to human form: a rushing updraft lifted me, white light surrounded me, and in the next moment, I gently landed on the storeroom floor as a tiny yellow chick.
No matter how many times it happened, this jarring change never felt natural.
How had Bella endured the curse of turning into a black panther? Perhaps she really did love roaming the forest that much.
Even after she and Clements ended up together, she would still need that freedom preserved. Hm.
“Well, why not? I’ll be there anyway.”
I had protected her secret and her freedom for years in the count’s house; why wouldn’t I be able to do the same in the imperial palace?
Even though I was just a chick, hope swelled in me. Surely the curse could be broken somehow.
Surely I could remain beside the main characters, who would create a shining love and future together.
I fluttered up onto a pile of biscuit sacks, closed my eyes, and welcomed the drowsiness, telling myself I would research more ways to break the curse come nightfall.
That’s when I woke up to—
“Hhhnk, Chick-lord…!”
What?
“Chick-lord! Thank goodness. I can’t believe you were found before it was too late. Sob… hic!”
Even when I forced my sleepy eyes open, the sight didn’t change: a boy was holding me carefully in his palms, crying his eyes out.
‘Chick-lord…’
That ridiculous title had also been used last night by the count’s page, Alpin.
Which meant… I’d been caught.
“Chick-lord, how on earth did you end up in such a hidden place? Nobody ever comes to this storeroom!”
Exactly! But then why did you come here?
“If no one discovered you, no one would feed you or keep you warm. If such a fragile being like you were to die… the count’s family… and us servants… sniff!”
He stopped speaking and rubbed his tears away with his sleeve.
“Anyway, thank goodness.”
“….”
Then he raised his voice.
“I found the Chick-lord!!”
What?!
No, wait. Wrong chick. I’m just a normal village chick, okay? I lost my mom hen, wandered around, and happened to come in here because the food smelled nice.
Sure, the biscuits and jerky are too hard for me to peck, but still.
If I die in here, it’s just fate. I’m definitely not the special chick you’re thinking of…
“Is that true, Alpin?”
“Thank the heavens!”
A voice rang outside, followed by the sound of rushing footsteps. Oh no. I could already guess what was happening. I had to escape!
“Cheep, cheeep!”
While Alpin was distracted, I tried to fly away, but he quickly scooped me up again.
“Oh—! No, Chick-lord. You must come with us. Do you know how desperately His Highness the Crown Prince has been waiting?”
What—!!!
Soon, servants crowded into the storeroom. Probably the first time since its creation that so many people had ever been inside at once.
All of them, looking pitiful and exhausted, kept repeating “Alive! Thank goodness!” From their scattered comments, I pieced together the situation:
The crown prince, the most honored guest and the glory of Clatia itself, realized the chick had vanished the moment he coughed. The count was summoned, and the entire mansion was turned upside down.
The prince declared he would not eat until the chick was found, so everyone had been frantically searching instead of doing their jobs.
Locked doors were forced open, storerooms overturned—it had been pure chaos.
My heart sank. I wanted to rip out my downy feathers in frustration.
Seriously, Clements… why are you like this?! Don’t you realize how terrible this looks to Bella? Forget being the heroine—do you even want to be the male lead?
Ha… at this rate, what would happen next was obvious…
“Let’s bring the Chick-lord to His Highness at once!”
“Oh yes, of course.”
“Ahem, I shall do it.”
The old butler received me from Alpin, stroking me gently with his gloved hand.
“To think yesterday it was Ophelia, and today it’s the Chick-lord. Am I destined to always be searching for someone these days? Hoho.”
Somehow, I had ended up being the cause, accomplice, and culprit in both missing-person incidents. I could only feel deeply ashamed.
And so, despite all my efforts, I once again…
Clements’ violet eyes trembled greatly when they landed on me.
“It really is that little one.”
“My apologies, Your Highness.”
“Never mind. What matters is that it was found. The page who first discovered it shall be handsomely rewarded.”
“Oh, merciful Highness. That boy will consider it the greatest honor.”
The butler withdrew politely, and Clements placed me carefully on his large desk as though handling a sugar confection.
His warm gaze fell on me, but I deliberately looked away. The tender gaze of the icy male lead—shouldn’t it be reserved solely for the heroine, not wasted on any other creature, living or inanimate?
But damn it, what was I supposed to do in a situation like this?
“Chick.”
“…Sigh. Cheep.”
“Why did you vanish into such a dangerous place instead of sleeping peacefully? Must you truly watch me go mad?”
Even the reproach in his voice was as sweet and gentle as honey. Damn it, stop that! Save those lines for Bella. What’s so special about a chick, anyway?
But no matter how desperately I prayed, he didn’t stop—he only leaned closer, lowering himself so our eyes aligned.
“You’ve grown thinner overnight. Poor thing.”
No, excuse me, that’s impossible.
And yet, his worried words overflowed with sincerity.
“Since I was told His Highness is raising the chick, I’ve learned all the care methods from the boy Alpin. Now that we’ve found it, I can finally feed it this special meal.”
Right on cue, Clements’ brilliant AI-like creation, Marquis Cassis Dupré, appeared with a small bowl. A nutty fragrance of roasted grains wafted through the air.
Hmph. I’m not hungry. How could I calmly peck at food in such a miserable situation?
…
Gulp.
Now that I thought about it, I hadn’t eaten properly since last night. Just a simple mix of roasted grains, mashed peas, and toasted bran—but at this moment, it looked unbearably delicious.
“Go on.”
Cassis pushed the bowl closer to me.
Mm… new-season oats from Honwood, mashed peas, finely processed bran roasted to a golden brown. Not bad…
Wait—! How cowardly! Trying to tame me with food?!
“You eat well.”
Clements said, looking utterly pleased.
