Episode 13
“I… had a bad thought.”
At my words, Susan gave me a puzzled look.
So I added an explanation.
“When I had a bad thought, Pirori got hurt.”
What I’m saying right now is one hundred percent true. But I have no idea how it sounds to Susan.
Susan just stared at me a bit blankly before gently patting my head.
“I see. The young lady had bad thoughts?”
“…It’s true.”
“Alright. Then from now on, you must not have even a little bit of a bad thought. Pirori will get hurt every time you do.”
She clearly didn’t believe a word I was saying, but she was looking at me as if I were unbearably cute. I didn’t intend to convince or persuade her anyway. So I simply accepted her touch and stared quietly at Pirori.
If Pirori is really getting hurt because I had a bad thought… then what is he? Come to think of it, he definitely looks extraordinary—nothing like a normal bird.
His long, silver-white body and tail feathers that burned red like flames were both mysterious.
I should ask Celdron to request an investigation from the Yeriel General Goods Merchant Guild. To see if there are other birds like Pirori—and if so, what they are.
“Young lady, I’ll watch Pirori. Please have your meal now.”
Susan urged me gently. I gave Pirori a strange look, then headed to the table where breakfast was set.
—
“Oh my, it suits him so well!”
Susan clapped cheerfully. In front of her, Pirori—who had recovered his energy in barely half a day—was showing off proudly.
More precisely, he was showing off the necklace around his neck.
*Hurry! Hurry up and admire me more!*
That’s what his expression looked like.
I watched him with a flat expression and then turned to Celdron, who was smiling innocently and clapping along.
“Can I really accept this?”
The collar Pirori was wearing had been a gift from Celdron.
Earlier, after finishing breakfast, I had immediately contacted her. I wanted her to ask the Yeriel Merchant Guild if any birds similar to Pirori existed. But instead of simply agreeing, Celdron’s voice was filled with curiosity.
*A bird? Young lady, you’re raising a bird?*
*Huh? Oh, yes. It’s one I treated and released before, but somehow I ended up taking care of it again.*
*My goodness…!*
Celdron ended the call saying she would come see the bird right away. I was left blinking in confusion in the communication room. And shortly after, Celdron arrived—arms full of various supplies for raising birds.
“It’s such a beautiful bird. I think it might be the prettiest bird I’ve ever seen!”
As it turned out, Celdron was a passionate animal lover. Well, that wasn’t surprising. She was a descendant of a druid clan. Druids loved nature—they were close to plants and animals alike.
“Of all animals, I love birds the most. They eat pests.”
Celdron said candidly with a naïve smile.
When she moves to a nicer house someday, she plans to build a paradise for wild birds in the backyard.
“Pirik! Piriri!”
Pirori seemed to adore the collar Celdron had given him. His wings trembled proudly.
It was a simple design—a silver ribbon with a sparkling bead. But because Pirori was so flamboyantly beautiful, it fit him extraordinarily well.
“But what’s the pendant in the middle of that collar? It doesn’t look like just a bead.”
“Oh, that?”
Celdron started casually but then abruptly shut her mouth. She smiled mischievously, like someone hiding a surprise behind their back.
“It’s a secret. But once you grow close to Pirori, it’ll definitely help you someday.”
“What do you mean, ‘once I grow close to Pirori’?”
I looked up at her, puzzled, but she would not explain further.
Celdron continued.
“Oh, and I’ll definitely submit the request to check whether there are birds of the same species as Pirori.”
“Yes. Please charge the request fee to my salary.”
“With your salary, you’ll pay it off quickly.”
“I’ll work hard.”
I had taken a job as an advisor to Merchant Master Celdron. I would be handling planning, coordination, and administrative support.
Simply put, I would be coming up with ideas. Because of that, I was to receive 10% of the net profit.
Since I had practically paved the future of the Gruan Merchant Guild, I deserved at least this much.
But it was a double-edged sword. If I came up with good ideas that sold well, I’d earn a lot. If I failed… I’d earn nothing.
Seeing Celdron off, I prepared to go outside with Susan to deliver the Siren stationery to Carsian.
“Pirik! Piiik!”
Pirori chirped desperately, begging to come along, but unfortunately that wasn’t possible. As it was, Celdron’s frequent visits had made the servants suspicious. And Betty, my mother’s watchdog, was even worse.
If anyone found out about Pirori, they would certainly accuse me of “keeping an animal without permission.” That would only tighten the pressure on me—making it harder to win Carsian’s favor, and increasing the risk of exposing the secret bank account I was saving money in.
“You need to stay quiet. No noise, alright?”
I partially covered the basket Pirori sat in.
*You’re leaving me behind!*
Pirori puffed up angrily in protest. But he didn’t seem like he would actually cause trouble, so I felt relieved.
“I’ll give you something delicious when I come back.”
I smiled harmlessly at him and left the room with Susan.
—
It wasn’t long after Latia left the room.
Creeeeak…
Someone slowly opened the door.
*Hmm… mm… what’s going on…*
Pirori blinked sleepily. As soon as the people left and the room became quiet, drowsiness washed over him. Understandable—he had suffered quite a bit that morning when Latia suddenly had a bad thought.
Thankfully, she hadn’t stayed in that state long. Even so, the strain on his body had been real, and he was utterly exhausted. But now his drowsiness vanished completely as he sensed something suspicious.
Pirori poked his head out from the slightly open basket. A maid was muttering as she rummaged through Latia’s room.
“So the Gruan merchant master has been visiting often lately.”
Her dark red hair was one thing, but her venomous green eyes were downright chilling.
The maid searched through the room with practiced ease. She was careful not to disturb the placement of objects—almost like a professional.
She pocketed a few valuables and stole some expensive-looking ribbons. Then she clicked her tongue, displeased.
“Tch, nothing impressive. I thought she might’ve bought something from the Gruan Merchant Guild…”
She grumbled while opening drawers at random.
But then—
“Huh?”
In a drawer she opened without thinking, she found something unexpected. She pulled out a small vial with a puzzled look.
“This is definitely…”
An indescribably wicked aura spread across her face. Pirori’s tail feathers—those of a great archangel—trembled violently.
*This is bad, this is bad…*
The maid smiled in satisfaction, pocketed the vial, and slipped out of Latia’s room.
*Something terrible is going to happen…*
Pirori fluffed and smoothed his feathers anxiously.
And moments later—just as he feared—great commotion erupted in the Gladelis Marquisate estate.
—
“Take care on your way.”
We were heading toward the stables where Carsian would be, after seeing Celdron off and preparing to deliver the stationery.
“Latia!”
A sharp voice rang out from somewhere.
Startled, I looked up.
“Mother?”
The owner of that harsh voice was none other than my mother, Laysina. She was gripping the terrace railing on the second floor, glaring at me with a razor-sharp expression.
What is going on?
She rarely ever called for me—and never in such a heated tone.
I felt a sense of impending doom.
Mother stared at me for a long moment before speaking.
“Come to my room.”
Then she turned sharply and went inside. The terrace door slammed shut, and the curtains were drawn. At the same time, Susan and I stiffened completely.
“Ah.”
Behind the curtain, smirking at me, was none other than Betty. She had clearly pulled some trick.
“Young lady… w-what will you do?”
Susan’s hand trembled slightly. She instinctively sensed that something had gone very wrong. But I had no choice in the matter.
“What else can I do? Mother called for me.”
I clenched my fist to hide how my hands were shaking.
“I have to go.”
Susan swallowed hard.
“It’s fine. I’ll use this to find out exactly what Betty knows.”
What could it be? My work with the Gruan Merchant Guild? Becoming close to Carsian? Or… Pirori?
I steadied my pounding heart and walked toward Mother’s room.
Mother spoke.
“Latia, you know what this is.”
Tap. Roll, roll…
What rolled to a stop before me, as I knelt on the floor, was—
“…It—it’s the magic potion used to make Siren stationery.”
It was the Siren potion Celdron had obtained for me through the Yeriel Merchant Guild.
