The Timid Harpy's Song
The bright room. Watching the pierrot gesture carelessly for me to enter the open cage door stirs all sorts of unpleasant impulses in my head.
"..."
Still, with no idea what might happen inside, I can't afford to get on the bad side of the only person who can help me. In the end, I step into the cage and pause, momentarily taken aback by the interior. Unlike any ordinary cage, it has been decorated like a botanical garden, lush with all kinds of greenery.
"- Just keep walking straight and you'll meet Miss Harpy. -"
His unpleasant voice comes through the earpiece I received before entering, delivered in an oddly cheerful tone. The mismatch makes me frown slightly. Even so, the fact that he left me alone in here right after I witnessed that shocking mermaid princess means this subject probably won't eat people... right?
".. Hoo."
Yeah. They called her a counseling subject, so she must have the kind of personality that can form friendly relationships with people. Even as I think that rationally, my legs are still trembling. One step, then another, I carefully make my way through the well-tended flowerbeds, tall trees, and undergrowth, trying not to make any noise, when I hear someone humming a song and stop.
"Mm-hmm.. hm-hmm... hm~"
"..."
If I'm not mistaken, it's right ahead. Thankfully, the tall plants block the view, but since I can't see her, she can't see me either. That uncertainty makes my hand slow noticeably as I try to push through the foliage.
Rustle... rustle..
The earpiece is silent. No breathing sounds at all. That damned pierrot must be keeping his mouth shut on purpose just to enjoy my reaction. The subject is definitely there. I have the safety rope connected, but this feels exactly like standing at the edge of a bungee platform, unable to jump. No, I should add one more assumption: the pierrot is standing right beside me with a pair of scissors.
"Hm-hm-hmm~ mm-hmm~"
Yet listening to that gentle, beautiful voice gradually melts away the tension. What if the person ahead really isn't dangerous at all? By now the pierrot is probably struggling not to laugh at the sight of me frozen in that awkward, terrified posture. Of course, just like with the mermaid, I shouldn't let my guard down until I see what's inside... but still.
"Time to work, time to work."
Rustle..!
Unable to stand there forever, I finally decide to move forward. The moment I push my face out of the tall grass, our eyes meet.
She's wearing earphones with the volume turned up so high the sound leaks out. Humming along to the music, she sways her hips while watering the flowerbed. A woman with large, round eyes that immediately catch my attention.
.. She has a rather cute face.
My gaze naturally drops lower. A loose, oversized top with sleeves long enough to cover the entire handle of the watering can, paired with dolphin shorts that boldly expose her bare legs. And... leather boots? Nothing about the outfit matches, but the defenseless way her pale thighs are completely exposed still makes my heart skip a beat, as if I've wandered into a single woman's apartment. That feeling lasts only a moment.
"..!!"
Following the inevitable male instinct, my eyes quickly scan her body before returning to her face. The moment our gazes meet again, I finally notice the color of her eyes.
Pretty amber irises. Her already large eyes have widened even further, and the pitifully trembling, startled pupils are staring straight at me.
"Ah, aah.. ah."
Thud! Roll roll roll...
The watering can slips from her hand, spilling the remaining water across the floor.
".. Hey?"
Thump..!
The moment I speak, she faints and collapses backward.
"Hey, you okay?"
A few feathers drift down where she fell.
Feathers..?
I catch one of the falling feathers by chance and examine it, but no matter how I look at it, it doesn't match the woman lying in front of me. More importantly—
"Hey! Are you alright?"
"- How is she? Pretty cute, right? -"
Just as I'm about to rush over, the pierrot speaks up as if he'd been expecting this exact situation, snapping me back to my senses. Only then do I remember why I came in here in the first place.
".. Don't tell me this person is—"
"- Correct. -"
Ordinary clothes, earphones still playing music, even watering the plants herself. Yet the pierrot confirms once more that the woman before me is the entity confined in this room. My feet, which had been about to run toward her out of concern, stop dead.
"..."
"- Hehe, you can come out now. She falls on her own so often that we replaced the floor in her living area with a soft material so she wouldn't get hurt. -"
His voice, which I find genuinely welcome for the first time today, makes me turn away from the fallen woman and step back out through the bars with an uneasy feeling.
"I'm looking forward to the counseling sessions starting tomorrow. I'll send you Harpy's profile, so make sure you read it before you come in."
On the way home, I leave the museum in a daze, as if I'd been dreaming. Even after boarding the subway, I remain blank until I check the time and notice the file notification. Only then does it feel real. The eerie sound of countless teeth tapping against thick glass echoes in my ears again, sending a chill down my spine. I rub the goosebumps on my arms and open the file on Harpy—the record of the woman I met today.
The train is fairly empty, so it should be fine.
Risk Level <2> : Harpy
Captured in Everglades National Park, southern Florida, USA. A photograph taken by photographer Porcini Wilson showed a winged naked woman, prompting our museum to dispatch a field team to verify its authenticity. Under the command of Field Team Leader [CODE NAME: NINE TAIL], the team tracked her to her hiding place and secured the subject with relative ease using a tranquilizer gun. Along with three women's magazines and one old music player found at the site, she was transported to the museum.
Drug Resistance: Vulnerable
Physical Strength: Average
Intelligence: Average
Physical Ability: Average
* Special Notes: None
Her physical structure is nearly identical to that of a human woman of the same build, aside from sharply developed talons resembling those of kingfishers and hawks, and flexible wings in place of arms. While she shows strong wariness toward humans, *it has been confirmed that she does not engage in cannibalism. Based on the above, she has been classified as Risk Level 2. This classification may change, and re-evaluation may be conducted through additional investigation and experimentation.
———
* Information obtained through counseling has been added below.
She shows notable interest in pop songs, beauty, and gardening. She likes ice cream (positive reaction to most flavors except mint chocolate).
When approached within a 2m radius inside her line of sight, she has a high probability of fleeing or hiding. Experiments were conducted approaching her covertly while wearing protective gear. (The experiment ended when the subject noticed the approach and fainted.)
At the subject's request, she was provided with an oversized top that completely hides her wings and leather boots that cover up to below the knees. (Caution is advised during approach, as it is difficult to check for concealed weapons such as blades.)
No significant progress has been made despite continued counseling. Even when friendly responses are elicited through preferred foods or topics of interest, she never allows physical distance to close. An experiment was conducted under [CODE NAME: JOKER]'s orders to forcibly reduce physical distance. (The subject never displayed aggression and, when she had nowhere left to run, curled up and wrapped her wings around herself, trembling in fear. Even after the experiment ended, she maintained this state for 9 days without eating, causing significant setbacks in subsequent counseling.)
Her compulsion to maintain physical distance is believed to stem from reasons other than mere wariness. Her language ability is sufficient for everyday conversation, but she rarely initiates speech herself. She has not yet made any voluntary requests to go outside, but her first outing evaluation was reviewed positively and approved even without her consent.
———
Recorded by [CODE NAME: COUNSELOR]
"..."
After watching the experiment footage samples that show her being even more timid than the word "shy" can describe, I feel pathetic for having trembled inside the cage earlier. That pierrot was definitely holding back laughter. By the way...
I zoom in slightly on the photo of her being transported after being hit by the tranquilizer dart while naked at the time of capture, letting a bit of personal interest slip in, and mutter quietly.
".. They're pretty big."
That cute face... I hadn't noticed at all because of that baggy top earlier. Sorry for not realizing sooner. No, no, I need to get a grip. Feeling this way toward someone who isn't even human. Still... when I first saw her, she looked completely human.
"Haa, I don't know."
Thinking I've been accumulating stress lately, I open the door to my studio apartment. A black cat greets me. Her fur is as glossy as ebony, the kind a witch in a fairy tale might keep—clearly the type to boss her owner around. She wasn't nearly this cute when I first picked her up.
'What kept you so late? The master who always says home is best... how unusual.'
A small, coquettish meow accompanies the sweet female voice in my head. I can't actually hear it, but I take pride in the fact that my cat has an incredibly nice voice. It's a shame only I can hear this voice that tickles the ears and melts you with its charm.
.. If only the content were better, though.
"I went for a job interview today."
'In those clothes?'
".. What was I supposed to do? I don't have money to borrow any. You think I bought these just to treat you to Churu?"
I wore the cleanest clothes I had at home, but even I have to admit they look more like date outfits than interview clothes.
'.. How shameless, blaming the cat you keep.'
Those words hit a nerve, so I dodge the topic.
"I'm starting work tomorrow, so just stay home and behave."
'Nothing worth stealing anyway.'
After a quick shower, I flop onto the bed. Nero casually climbs onto my stomach.
"What is it?"
'If you really got the job... does that mean I can have expectations too?'
"..."
She usually nags me so much, and it annoys me a little, but remembering my actual take-home pay makes me feel generous enough to give even when I have nothing. Churu, huh? I can't help but laugh when I recall the past, when my fingers trembled as I hit the purchase button and stared blankly at the "shipping" message.
'Can I look forward to it, meow~?'
She only talks cute at times like this..
"..."
Still, she's cute, so I'll let it slide. If she weren't cute, that animal would've gone extinct long ago.
"Yeah, just trust me."
'As expected of my master, meow.'
I pet Nero's head thoroughly for the first time in a while as she nuzzles against my stomach. With the happy dilemma of what to do with my first paycheck, I drift off to sleep.
.. Completely unaware of the future that awaits.