CH 10

<…uuugh…>

“Rule one, pretend to be a bird when you are in the shape of a bird. Number two, even if you have a new form, you should never make a shape other than this one. Number three, you can’t escape from my clothes.”

<Rules… It’s not rules, it’s your request, uugh, it’s a requirement!>

The bird screamed with a groaning sound as if it was getting angry. Asha shrugged her shoulders.

“Tell me if you want anything, too.”

<Number one, this body… Don’t hold and shake it.>

“That’s up to you.” 

<Two. Make snacks every day! Make it every day and feed it to everyone!>

“Not every day.”

<Number three… No, what is it that you can do?>

“So you’re asking me, ‘what can you actually do’ for number 3? What can you actually do?”

<No… That’s not it! That’s not what I meant!>

Phoebe, who shouted out loud, barely lifted his beak.

<You said you like to bake snacks, but why not every day?>

“That’s because adults have adult circumstances. Why are you obsessed with my snacks? Are my snacks that good?”

Phoebe looked solemn at the remark.

<It has nothing to do with taste.>

“That means it’s delicious.”

<I’ve only tasted crumbles, how can I know if your snacks are delicious or not?>

“So why?”

<Because that is our great task.>

“You want me to bake snacks and feed them to people around me?”

<Well, yes, it doesn’t have to be a snack.>

“Why should I do that?”

The little yellow chick moved its beak strangely. Like it wanted to say something, but someone was holding its beak down to keep it from speaking.

<My… power, the power of senses… With this… we can make spirits and humans interact with each other.>

“You mean other people will be able to talk to their spirits too?”

<Yes!>

“… That’s why you want me to do my best to get along well with everyone… Is that so?”

Asha looked at Phoebe with a suspicious look on her face. Phoebe screeched with a look of injustice.

<More than that! The Great… great meaning… There… maybe…>

“Why can’t you speak properly?”

<Time will tell you the great meaning of this body! Damn it! I’m gonna do it for you.>

“For me?”

<You’ll know everything over time! Stop talking and get my bed!>

“Is that the third one? I’ll do that for you.”

The Emperor said he’d give me something. It’s given by the Emperor, but it won’t be worth it.

‘At least enough to buy a cage?’

The thought warmed my heart. Her spirit is known to people as a chick spirit, so there will be no reason to remain in the palace, and all you have to do is spend a few days until you receive the Emperor’s gift and then go home happy as if you were kicked out.

‘I’m going to pack some butter and sugar on the way. And a few bags of flour.’

However, Asha’s dream, which was full of expectations and hopes for her future days, was neatly arranged after a while. Just as spring comes when the winter snow melts without a trace.

━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━

As the morning sun rose leisurely, the door opened wide and Lise appeared. She had an almost tearful, joyous face.

“Ah…”

At the same time as she saw the face, Asha thought she had a superpower these days. A superpower that allows you to notice that what you were thinking is wrong just by looking at a person’s face.

“Your Highness! Your Highness Anastasia!”

‘No way, right?’

“His Majesty the Emperor…”

‘I don’t think so.’

“Now…”

Tell me he told me to go home! Go home! At home!

“From now on, he told you to stay at the Imperial Palace and study until you become an adult. Today, he will move to the next room of His Majesty the Crown Prince!”

A double note of frustration and despair enveloped Asha. Asha, who was hugged by Lise, made an expression as if her soul was escaping.

‘Fate… No, can’t you go against the original?’

“My..  moving my room? Why, why?”

“Of course, it’s because the Emperor cares about Your Highness.”

Bright light green and pink particles were popping up around Lise like fireworks. Her eyes were dizzy as she watched.

As soon as Lise put her down, she changed her clothes, groomed her hair, helped her with breakfast, and ran out quickly to tidy her new room.

Asha, who was left alone, had no choice but to make a puzzled expression.

“Really? Really?”

In addition, the room next to Alexei, the Crown Prince?

‘I don’t have to worry about the air conditioner even in the summer.’

The icy wind will blow from the next room! The coldness of Alexei looking at her.

As the room over there was almost ready, the servants took Asha’s little luggage and left. Lise, who came back to help her pack, smiled brightly like a freshly bloomed flower. They haven’t been together for a long time, but she had never seen Lise so happy.

“His Highness the Crown Prince personally prepared the room!”

The words did not touch Asha’s heart either. At the Imperial Palace, Alexei was a living saint and angel, so everyone seemed to believe that even if a rival to the throne appeared, he would be welcomed.

Asha looked at her empty room and couldn’t stand the frustration and went out. Lise left to take care of her new room, and the rest of the servants did not dissuade her.

‘Study at the Imperial Palace until adulthood? If I die before that… No, it can’t be. Isn’t something wrong right now, is it? Right? Now… Something… How… Isn’t that wrong? Nobody hates me at least now… now… ’

It was when Asha thought that far.

“Why? Why! Why is it me, but not the skinny one who signed the contract with the wild beast?”

Unconvinced that she was the only one allowed to remain in the palace, her cousins gathered right in front of her. As she walked aimlessly in confusion, it seemed that she came to the front of the palace where other cousins stayed.

The front yard, where several carriages stood, was a mess. The faces of the cousins ordered to leave were stained with injustice, spite, anger, frustration, and despair. I could feel the ripples of dark red emotions up to here. Among them, it was Dimitri, the son of Prince Maxim, who pointed out her and made a loud noise.

“Look again! Tell Grandpa again! My spirit, the spirit of rain, is on a different level from a flying spirit…”

Then the little chick-shaped button on her coat wriggled. A yellow bird appeared secretly and rubbed its head under Asha’s chin.

“No, Phoebe. I’m fine. I don’t care about that…”

<The human artery is here. The attack is here and they won’t be able to talk anymore.>

Phoebe squeaked.

Asha took a short breath, took Phoebe, who was still rubbing her neck and pressed it again on the button. Phoebe managed to get into the button.

“Hey, Phoebe. The average person is speaking. So don’t talk.”

<You’ve been talking nonsense forever. Wouldn’t it be better to end early?>

Asha couldn’t bear to reply and only opened her mouth. It was understandable that he didn’t have what he wanted the most, and it was the last heart that Dimitri’s father often helped Yuriev, although she only recently learned it at the Spirit Ceremony.

Moreover, since the core of oneself is an adult, one should be generous and not hit the artery of a child…

“Yes-! How long have I been preparing for this day? How—something… ! How could His Majesty’s eyes be blurred!”

With… the generosity…

It seemed that what Dimitri had been fussing about so far was not his strength. The words she didn’t quite understand were probably vulgar words she hadn’t learned.

Dimitri’s eyes finally turned dark red, shook off his servants, and rushed at her. Asha was pushed back halfway, and her cousin’s hand brushed her cheek. It was almost hit, but it was thanks to the servant who managed to catch up with Dimitri.

After that, it was a hell of a mess. Confused guards and servants turned upside down, and some cousins burst into tears, and while dust clouds were rising, screams were rampant. After such a physical fight, the cousins were all messed up. Those who didn’t roll around were just crying.

<I told you the location!>

Pretending not to hear the sound of Phoebe on the button, Asha rummaged through the pockets in her skirt.

“Even if you forgot the dignity of the imperial family and made a contract with something I have never heard of—how could you… ”

About half of the words from Dimitri’s mouth, which were captured by his servants, are words I’ve never heard before in my life. As soon as Dimitri took a breath as if he was about to spit, Asha pushed what she had in her hand into his mouth without hesitation anymore.

Dimitri, who was caught by his servants, was leaning a little, so it was possible just to step on his toes.

“Oup!”

“Your Highness?”

“Your Highness!”

Everyone made a confused sound whether it was a scream or a breathing sound. Asha didn’t let go until Dimitri swallowed what he had in his mouth.

“…”

“…”

“…”

After Dimitri gulped down, Asha hit both hands and shook off the crumbs left in her hands. Dark brown crumbs close to black, a piece of brownie she made.

“Is it good?”

“What, what did you feed me?”

Dimitri tried to spit out what was in his mouth, but nothing came out after swallowing it. Asha shrugged her shoulders as she looked at Dimitri, who was about to vomit.

“It’s a snack I made.”

“This… This trash…”

“His Majesty called me separately and complimented me that it was delicious. He said he’d give me a gift in a few days.”

To be exact, the gift was for a different snack.

“…”

And Dimitri suddenly became silent as if he had wax on his mouth. Asha was a little embarrassed when she had to rub the scratch on her cheek with her shoulder.