Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: A Playground for the Young Lady
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I was stunned. It was a region coveted by all Su-in.
Especially in the desolate East, it was rumored to be a paradise.
It was renowned for its beauty and tranquility.
But I had heard it was one of those territories that no one dared touch, as too many powerful families vied for it.
Could he really have claimed it just now?
Recalling the lord’s visit to my room not long ago, it had been less than a week.
I blinked my eyes in disbelief.
"Ho ho, with the Lord taking the lead, it was quite reassuring."
“…Why the sudden interest in that land? You weren’t interested in it before.”
"That’s what I was wondering."
Though he claimed not to know, Jeras looked at me as if he knew something.
Why is he suddenly looking at me?
As I tilted my head, my stomach suddenly rumbled.
I was starting to get hungry.
As I glanced around and sidled closer to the lunchbox, Rosaria came to my side with a start.
"Shall we have lunch now, Lady Aileen?"
"Peep."
"I’ll feed you."
"It seems you’re about to have your meal. In that case, I have other matters to attend to, so I shall take my leave. Enjoy your time."
"Peep, peep."
As Jeras bowed and prepared to leave, I waved my wing to bid him farewell.
Now that I'd seen him off, I could finally eat in peace.
With a tiny, triangular handkerchief tied around my neck, I was ready to eat, and Rosaria placed the food in my mouth.
As I ate, a question popped into my head. When would I be able to take human form?
"Open wide?"
"Peep."
I wish I could grow up faster.
Then Rosaria wouldn't have to go through the trouble of feeding me and taking care of my every little need.
Feeling a little guilty, I looked at Rosaria.
"What is it, Lady Aileen?"
"Peep peep peep peep. Peeep."
I wanted to say thank you, but I had no way to convey it.
This gave me one more reason to master my human form as quickly as possible.
Rosaria smiled gently and blew on the baby food to cool it.
Just as I was happily eating, I heard the rustle of grass being stepped on.
"I wondered where you’d gone. So here you are."
"Peep?"
"Welcome back, my Lord."
Rosaria shifted her posture and bowed.
Following her lead, I gathered my wings and tried to bow, but my body tipped forward.
Ah, I can’t even bow properly yet.
As I stared in panic at the approaching ground, my body was lifted into the air.
"Peep?"
"It seems you still don’t know how to use your own body."
"She’s still young."
"I thought it’s been quite some time since she was born."
"She’s only three weeks old."
That's right. I'm only three weeks old!
As I nodded my head in agreement, the lord chuckled.
"I see. It’ll be a long while before you’re grown."
"…Peeep."
"It’ll be much longer before we can go boating."
Boating?
I snapped my head up to make sure I’d heard him correctly.
Did he really just suggest we go boating?
"Ah, summer is just around the corner, isn’t it?"
"Yes."
"So that’s why you took over the whole Benea River area! The scenery there is certainly famous for its beauty. But didn’t you say expanding your territory was a bother?"
"There’s no harm in having another territory or two."
It seemed I hadn’t misheard him after all.
Putting it all together, the lord had just conquered the area and returned to the manor, and now he was suggesting we go there for an outing later.
Was it always that easy?
As I stared blankly at the lord, he tapped my beak.
"It’s yours."
"...Peep?"
What’s mine? I think I just heard something incredible.
I was dumbfounded.
Rosaria clapped her hands, her face beaming with joy.
"How wonderful! Lady Aileen loves playing in the water."
"Good."
"Aren’t you happy, Lady Aileen?"
Hold on, Rosaria. I need a moment to process this.
If I'm understanding this correctly...
"Now that you have a new playground, we can go visit soon."
Having finally grasped the situation, my beak fell open.
Did he just give me that enormous place as a gift, just to use as a playground?
"Peep, peeeep…"
Faced with such an unimaginably extravagant gift for the first time in my life, I couldn’t wrap my head around it.
* * *
News that the Astrofel family had a new young lady spread like wildfire.
It was news that came nearly a month after rumors began to circulate that there was a problem with the third egg.
Since it was already public knowledge that the third egg was not a Black Mamba, the vassals gathered in small groups after the meeting, whispering amongst themselves.
"I thought they said she was a baby bird?"
"I hear her eyes are red, just like the Lord’s."
"Is that true?"
The vassals gathered in a circle fell silent.
None of them had seen the baby bird either.
Where could one go to see the subject of all these rumors?
When no one offered an answer, a look of disappointment crossed the vassals’ faces.
"Hasn’t anyone actually seen her?"
"Ho ho. I saw her playing in the garden the other day. I must say, she was utterly adorable."
As the old man appeared in the meeting room, all eyes turned to him.
Jeras smiled benevolently, recalling the baby bird who had bowed to him so politely.
"…Are her eyes really red, Lord Jeras?"
"They are."
Everyone couldn't help but marvel as the old man, who usually cast a chilling air over the meeting room with his stern demeanor, wore a gentle expression.
To think the young lady could soften even the likes of Jeras.
As everyone chattered curiously, someone raised a hand and asked a question.
"But… the young lady isn’t from one of the clan’s eggs. How was she able to join the family?"
All eyes turned to the man.
The question still lingered, unanswered.
Everyone was curious as to how Aileen had been officially accepted into the family.
Since Kaide had made no official statement, the situation was all the more frustrating.
"The Lord acknowledged her as his daughter, so that makes her the youngest lady of the Astrofel family, does it not?"
"That may be, but… won’t it cause problems if it becomes known that we are raising a young Su-in from another clan?"
Everyone’s expression hardened.
This was because raising a young, unaccompanied Su-in was forbidden by Su-in law.
It was known to have a detrimental effect on a young Su-in’s development, so it was customary for a member of the same clan to raise them.
Furthermore, since it was extremely rare for a young Su-in to leave their territory on their own, the problem could become even more serious.
It was such a grave matter that if the clan in question raised an objection, she would have to be returned without any argument.
Therefore, Kaide’s decision to accept Aileen, a baby bird, as his daughter was highly unusual and risky.
Their excitement over the news of a new young lady was short-lived; the Black Mambas now wore grim expressions.
"Does that mean the young lady won’t be able to stay with the family?"
"If things go south, that’s a possibility. …The truth is, no one knows how the young lady came to be here, do they?"
That was true.
In fact, Aileen’s very existence was highly suspect.
After all, a species that could not possibly have been born into the family had appeared.
Perhaps Aileen had been caught up in the affairs of adults before she was even born.
Whatever the circumstances of her arrival, the reason was unlikely to be a pleasant one.
"This is… The young lady’s position is quite precarious."
"And yet the Lord still gave her a name. What on earth is he thinking?"
"How are we to know his intentions?"
How startled had they all been when they first heard the news?
They had assumed the baby bird’s presence in the family would be short-lived…
But now, she had even been given the name Aileen Astrofel.
What's more, she was now said to be toddling all around the manor.
The rumors about Aileen had become so widespread that she was the center of everyone’s attention.
"At this point, I wonder if it even matters who the young lady is."
Someone muttered softly.
As if on cue, all eyes turned in one direction.
The Black Mamba who had spoken shrugged.
"I mean, come on. He’s already given her everything from Anead to Benea."
It was a tale that everyone knew.