Chapter 2

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 2

Chapter Title: Crow Reincarnation

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A cabin perched atop an eerily massive tree.

A woman wearing a black pointed hat spoke irritably.

"Dorothy, you ready?"

Dorothy was staring ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠blankly at the desk.

Is she having one of her fits again? That was what her sister Melina thought.

"Not even answering? What are you doing?"

They needed to pack up and get out of here as soon as possible.

A book etched with runes, dried rat tails, a crystal orb, a flask swirling with purple potion.

The piled-up items hinted at the sisters' true nature.

"Shh, it's coming out now."

"What? What's coming out?"

Crack.

What Dorothy had been watching was none other than a single pure white egg.

The egg, which had been perfectly still, developed a crack and began to wobble slowly from side to side.

"What I've been waiting for all this time."

At her words, Melina also fixed her gaze on the white egg.

Dorothy didn't do meaningless things.

Staring at that egg now, when they were in such a rush, meant it wasn't an ordinary egg.

Maybe a familiar that could grant them great power.

Or perhaps a familiar to replace Dorothy's lost cat, Melina thought, watching as new life broke free from the egg.

Pop.

With a cute little sound, a black beak poked out into the world.

Crack, crackle.

The tiny beak wriggled cautiously, until finally, the shell that had imprisoned it shattered completely.

Fluffy black down feathers, jet-black eyes brimming with curiosity.

Though just born, it somehow looked extraordinary, unlike other birds.

The life form the witch had awaited so eagerly was none other than a crow.

"You made all this fuss over just a crow?"

"Just a crow? Do you know how smart crows are?"

Dorothy grinned from ear to ear as she scooped up the baby crow in one hand.

The baby crow seemed frightened but wriggled toward her body heat.

"Look how cute it is!"

No matter that they were witches—even they couldn't stay mad after seeing such a heartwarming sight.

"...You call that cute?"

But Melina didn't see it that way.

Sure, it looked like an adorable baby bird on the outside.

It still did.

Yet Melina the witch sensed an inexplicable ominousness from that crow.

Thump.

Her heart raced.

Down feathers, beak, eyes, talons.

All black, pitch black.

How could something so inky emerge from a pristine white egg?

It was just a common crow, so why did she feel this way about it?

Above all, Dorothy's fondness for it was suspicious.

Melina knew her sister's eccentricities better than anyone, so she instantly recognized this as a bad sign.

"Dorothy, put it down right now! We're already short on time, and you keep..."

Something felt off.

Putting Dorothy and that baby bird together seemed like it would lead to trouble.

Her instincts as a witch—and as a sister—told her so.

She had to separate them somehow.

Even if it meant using force.

Dorothy glanced at the baby bird in her hand, then turned to stare at Melina's face.

"Sis, seriously, I don't get why you're so mean to this poor little thing."

She tossed it away casually.

The baby bird—right out the window.

At that hollow expression, Melina felt an inexplicable chill.

For a brief moment, it felt like that wasn't her little sister at all.

Is this bitch crazy?

Why throw me out the window? She could've just left me behind.

Whoooosh.

I'm falling toward the ground.

It's obvious what happens if this keeps up.

They say the world slows down right before death—is that really true?

It feels like I'm falling slower than expected.

This is prime time for closing my eyes and reminiscing about my past life.

No, what the hell is going on?

Out of nowhere, a message saying I've become a crow.

Suddenly trapped in an eggshell.

I pecked my way out with all ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my might, only to get snatched by a giant.

She looked at me with what seemed like kindness, giving me hope—then immediately chucked me out like this.

This is bullshit.

Total bullshit in every way.

Am I really gonna die like this?

If it had to be a heart attack, fine, but after all that, splatting on the ground? No thanks.

I have to struggle somehow.

I hate to believe it, but I seem to be a crow now.

So, doesn't that mean I can fly?

Wishing against hope, I spread my arms—er, wings—wide.

Flap.

I'm a bird.

So I can fly.

Self-hypnosis engaged, I flapped my wings as hard as I could.

Whoooosh.

But a newborn fledgling can't fly.

"Cheep!"

Still, I can't give up.

Somehow, I need to slow my fall.

Flap flap!

Flapping with everything I had, I felt my descent slow a bit.

Then thud.

I bounced off an absurdly huge leaf.

Then thud again.

Into a patch of grass as tall as my body.

"Urk..."

A heavy impact hit, but luckily, I survived.

Not only that—no broken bones anywhere.

The giant leaf and grass must've cushioned me.

Or maybe my body was too light to take much damage.

Did that woman calculate this and throw me anyway?

As that thought crossed my mind, a massive lake came into view.

...No way around it—she must've aimed for that and missed.

If I hadn't lucked into that leaf, I'd be done for.

It pisses me off, but as a crow right now, there's nothing I can do to her.

Forget revenge—better to pray we never meet again.

So no point resenting her now.

Better to focus on the present than dwell on the past.

First, assess the situation.

A water source nearby? That's heaven-sent.

I toddled to the lake's edge.

As I went to quench my thirst and wash my face, I saw something bizarre for the first time in my life.

My reflection wasn't in the water—only a tiny baby bird.

A pretty cute one, at that.

Big feet, bright sparkling eyes.

Black down feathers, so definitely a crow.

...And that's me.

"Chirp..."

Even my voice had turned into an adorable baby bird squeak.

"Caw."

Okay, I can make other sounds too.

"Tweet."

Tweet? I'm not a chick.

Face it.

If I'm not hallucinating from a breakdown, I've become a crow.

And sadly, my mind was sharper than ever.

Crystal clear, like never before.

Seeing this makes me think I'm losing it after all...

It looked exactly like the message from my computer.

The difference? It's floating in mid-air.

I stared hard at my only clue: the status window.

It won't solve my questions, but at least it's giving me something.

Yeah, gotta have perks like this.

How's a baby bird supposed to survive alone?

Brimming with anticipation, I cried out forcefully.

"Caw!"

Right, status window.

"Caw."

Little Crow.

Even the name sounds lame.

What the hell is this?

Crow is crow— what's this "in the form of a crow" bit?

And that description below?

Why so negative?

I shook my head.

There was more info in the status, so I glanced lower.

I actually have skills and traits!

Why's the traits slot empty, though?

If you're gonna show it, fill it or don't bother.

No, don't obsess over what's missing.

Focus on what I have.

Crow's Eye!

No instant wow from the description, but seems decent.

Distinguish shiny things?

Like spotting where coins drop?

Collecting coins could sustain me for a bit.

...Not that crows need coins.

Next one.

Odd description.

So my freakish calm comes from having a bird brain?

Tons of rebuttals, but pointless now.

Time for productive thinking.

The perk must be these two skills.

Crow's Eye and Bird's Wisdom.

Hold on—this feels familiar.

Like ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the abilities I set during character creation.

Crow's Eye = Improved Insight.

Bird's Wisdom = Cold Mind? Or maybe Genius.

And getting tossed from the cabin... Shabby Start?

Too spot-on for coincidence.

So where are the other traits?

Where's my potential and fateful encounters?

No potential visible here, at least.

What potential does a puny bird even have?

If I'd been born a lizard or something, I could've hoped for "destined dragon."

But a bird, of all things.

"Caw..."

No, think positive.

If I didn't get all my set traits, maybe this crow isn't my character.

Character created separately, and I got swept into this crow body by some freak accident.

Yeah, that's way better.

...Why am I comforting myself? Because I remembered the drawbacks I picked.

[Dark Fantasy]

[Shabby Start]

[Material Desire]

[Twist]

[Eternal Night]

[Ominous Aura]

Genre choice was wrong from the start.

Dark Fantasy?

Should've picked Erotic like a normal person.

Shabby Start is obvious now, Material Desire makes some sense as a penalty.

But the bottom three? Unfathomable.

I picked them for max points, figuring they'd just up the game difficulty.

But this ain't a game.

If this crow really is my character, I gotta survive with 20-point drawbacks.

20 points could buy Sword Saint Talent three times over.

No combat traits either—just Crow's Eye and bird brain.

Can't accept that.

Hard-mode Dark Fantasy crow life vs. normal world crow life.

Obviously pick the latter.

...Not like I can choose, but hoping's free.

"Caaaaw..."

Hunger's setting in.

Normal for a newborn crow, I guess.

Lucky part: my body wasn't completely newborn-level.

Eyes open wide from birth, decent fluff coverage.

Mobile enough on my own.

Otherwise, I'd be chirping for food like a helpless chick.

No way that witch would've fed me.

Grateful I can hunt solo—let's find prey.

What do baby birds eat?

Seeds, maybe?

Or small bugs.

Bugs gross me out, but gotta eat to live.

While circling the lake (really just a big puddle) for food,

Something shiny caught my eye in the distance.

Looked like a caterpillar.

Grotesque, but perfect for seed-less me.

Protein, too.

I crept forward silently.

Its eyesight seemed poor.

Predator approaching, yet it crawled toward me instead of fleeing.

Thanks, caterpillar.

I'll remember you.

...

Why are you getting bigger?

"Grroooaaar!"

What kind of noise is that from a caterpillar?

Why's the name like that?

Thud thud!

And why's it drooling and charging!?

"Tweeeeeet!"

Squeaking like a chick, I prepared to run for my life.