Chapter 15
“That sounds like a plan. Arthur, keep a close eye on Marcella until then. If she’s gone when I return, I’ll burn you to death.”
At the Phoenix’s threat, delivered as naturally as breathing, Marcella opened her eyes wide in surprise, but Arthur paid no mind and simply smiled at her.
“Lady Marcella, I had a feeling you weren’t well. You’re still perspiring quite a bit.”
“It’s just nerves.”
“That’s further proof you haven’t fully recovered.”
The heat from a Phoenix, once ignited, wasn’t so easily dispelled. Arthur, though also sweating on his back, feigned ignorance and cut off Marcella’s protest.
Arthur Digory had no intention of letting her go—not even a speck of dust’s worth.
* * *
“Lord Digory, thank you for everything during this time. Thanks to your kindness and care, that dreadful cold has passed, and I don’t know how to fully express my gratitude. I can’t impose any longer, so I shall take my leave now.”
After being confined to a detached palace somewhere in the imperial grounds for over a week, Marcella finally broached the subject.
The Phoenix, who had been stuck to her side like a leech, turned to look at Arthur.
“Oh, Lady Marcella! An imposition? Please, never say such a thing, especially not in front of His Majesty. He’d be upset with me for making you feel like you were a burden!”
Arthur clasped his hands together in a feigned shiver and earnestly insisted to Marcella that it was absolutely out of the question.
“Alright. I won’t mention it to His Majesty, so Lord Digory…”
“Besides, I heard you coughed during breakfast this morning. You’re still unwell; where could you possibly be thinking of going?”
And so, Arthur kept Marcella detained for another week.
“Lord Digory, this is enough. I don’t have a fever anymore, and I’m not coughing at all. Thank you for everything. I’ll be going back now.”
As Marcella fired off her words like rapid fire and tried to rise from her seat, Arthur smiled brightly and grabbed her arm.
“Please, put aside such disheartening words. Theon has already returned to Morris Territory; how could I possibly send Lady Marcella back alone?”
“I appreciate your concern, but I’m truly fine. I can return to Morris Territory by myself.”
“Absolutely not!”
Arthur cut Marcella off and declared firmly.
He acted as if he’d heard something horrifying, covering his mouth with one hand and shaking his head vigorously.
“It’s far too dangerous. I’ve heard that recently, after the Founding Festival, bandits targeting nobles returning home have become rampant. How could I possibly send Lady Marcella off like that!”
And so, he detained her for yet another week. Marcella couldn’t understand for the life of her why Arthur Digory was keeping her here.
He always said *he* would get in trouble if she did this, but in all this time, she had never once seen Nell scold him or get angry at him.
In fact, she had never seen Nell get angry even once.
He was so unflappable that even when Tamarin would idly chew on his head out of boredom, he wouldn’t get angry, and when the Phoenix would flap its wings and a feather would fall into Nell’s tea, he still wouldn’t get angry.
On the contrary, the one who always seemed angry was Arthur.
She had witnessed it multiple times now: he would call out “Your Majesty!” in a sharp voice, only to suddenly lower his tone and act dignified upon finding him having tea with Marcella.
“Does Lord Digory often get angry at Your Majesty?”
“I’m always the one getting scolded.”
Nell stated matter-of-factly.
Ever since Marcella had shaken off Nell’s hand after he caught her from falling, she had been too uncomfortable to even look up at him, but Nell seemed indifferent. Thanks to that, Marcella too could treat the incident that day as something unimportant.
“Do you ever scold Lord Digory?”
At Marcella’s question, Nell tilted his head, and Marcella became convinced. Arthur Digory, that swindler, had brazenly lied to her again.
“Is there nothing you’d like to see today?”
Perhaps it was similar to the feeling of wanting to show off your treasures to a friend, one by one. Nell had been showing her various imperial treasures, one after another.
“If it’s sapphires, there’s one I’d like to see.”
“Alright.”
He was quite accommodating to her requests.
“I want…”
“You want to go home again, is that it?”
However, he would not grant her request to be sent home.
Marcella tightly closed her mouth, then glanced at the Phoenix who was leaning against her.
“I wish the Phoenix would stay just a little further away.”
“Why!”
The Phoenix raised its voice, looking unfairly at Nell and shaking its head vehemently.
“No! I’m already trying my best to control not emitting heat!”
“Even if you’re not emitting heat, having you this close in summer is hot.”
“Well, I’m a living immortal firebird; I can’t be cold, can I? Are you telling me to die?”
“I’m not telling you to die, I’m asking you to move a little…”
Despite Marcella’s words, the Phoenix defiantly pressed itself right against her. She shook her head at Nell with a very firm expression.
“No.”
Nell fell into thought for a moment, then opened his palm. A blue light flickered, and his magical power surged for an instant.
In a flash, a magic stone the size of a handy pebble was created. When Nell held it out to Marcella, she hesitated before taking it.
“Is it still too hot?”
“Why go this far…”
“Now you can’t say you’re hot, right?”
The Phoenix draped its arm over Marcella’s shoulder and giggled.
Nell quietly observed the Phoenix and Marcella, then looked down at Tamarin, who was napping in lion form at his feet. He gently stroked Tamarin’s head, causing his ears to twitch.
“What’s up?”
Just when she thought the cold magic stone made the heat bearable, a sudden wave of intense heat washed over her. The Phoenix was getting furious.
“Nell, why are you petting that guy’s head?”
– *Well, I am the King of Divine Beasts, and you’re just a chicken-head. Who’d want to pet a chicken-head?*
Tamarin, who she thought was asleep, snickered and taunted the Phoenix. In response, her heat intensified even more.
“Since when did you become the King of Divine Beasts? At best, you’re just a creature that crawls on the ground!”
– *Ah, enduring the jealousy of the inferior is quite a bother. But what can I do? I’m just superior.*
“Tamarin.”
– *You think you’re something? Chicken-head?*
The two divine beasts suddenly began growling at each other. Marcella watched with wide, startled eyes.
“Shall I burn you until you’re unrecognizable and tear you apart?”
– *Try it if you can.*
“P-Phoenix!”
The heat in the room became unbearably intense. Marcella urgently called out to the Phoenix.
The Phoenix swiftly turned its blazing bird-like eyes toward Marcella.
Having spent so much time in human form, she often forgot, but its true form was that of a bird. Realizing this as she frowned from the heat, Marcella parted her lips.
“I’ll pet your head if you want, so please calm down!”
It seemed unlikely that would actually calm the Phoenix, but if petting was the cause of the fight…
Marcella blurted it out without thinking. However, the heat gradually began to subside.
As Marcella cautiously opened her eyes, which she had squeezed shut, the Phoenix thrust its head toward her.
Hesitating, Marcella gently stroked the Phoenix’s head. Then, with a soft *poof* sound, it transformed into its large bird form and laid its head on her lap.
– *What are you doing?*
After催促 (urging) the hesitant Marcella, the Phoenix closed its eyes.
Its head was warm and fluffy, like touching freshly baked bread.
* * *
The Phoenix, who had stubbornly stayed by Marcella’s side in human form all day but always returned to Nell’s side to sleep, did not come back that night no matter how long he waited.
“Tamarin.”
Nell, lying still in bed, pulled up Tamarin, who was sleeping beneath the bed.
Tamarin, who had been sleeping peacefully only to be shrunk to the size of a cat, annoyingly pawed at his face with his front paws.
Without a word, Nell placed him on his stomach and began petting him. Tamarin, who had been drowsily accepting the touch, opened his eyes slightly.
– *Just in case, I’m asking. Are you lonely?*
“It seems so.”
– *Bullshit.*
Tamarin lifted his head and placed his paws on Nell’s chest.
– *Are you a five-year-old child?*
“……”
– *If you’re that lonely, just tell her to come. She’ll come if you ask.*
“Then Marcella would be alone.”
– *Seriously, bullshit.*
Though his words were harsh, Tamarin wriggled up from Nell’s stomach to his chest and peered at his face.
– *The Phoenix isn’t here either. Let’s have an honest talk. Don’t try to hide it. As annoying as it is, since I made a contract with you as a divine beast, I can feel your emotions.*
“Are you talking about emotional synchronization? What you feel is just a mixture of your own emotions and a part of mine.”
– *Whether it’s a part or not, you can’t deny that it’s your emotion, can you?*
“……”
Nell closed his eyes, sensing what Tamarin was about to say.
– *To put it nicely, just let her go.*
“……”
– *The more uneasy you feel, the more uneasy we become in turn.*
“I know.”
– *If you know, then just let her go and ignore whatever Arthur says.*
“……”
– *If you don’t want to do that, then don’t use the Phoenix as an excuse. Say it with your own mouth.*
“Say what?”
– *That you want her to stay by your side.*
Nell blinked as he petted Tamarin on his chest.
“Marcella wants to go home.”
– *So, you can’t say it?*
“For now, Arthur is the one detaining her.”
– *Right, detaining her for petty reasons, a week at a time.*
“I can’t speak like Arthur does.”
At that, Tamarin rolled over on Nell’s chest, grabbed his stomach, and laughed.
When Nell turned his head, Tamarin transformed into his human form, turned his back, and laughed.
“Hey, no one said you have to talk like that smooth-talking guy.”
“Is that so.”
“Don’t get sulky and pissy. It brings my mood down too.”
“My apologies.”
“Hey.”
Tamarin, with his back turned, glared at Nell.
“Don’t apologize carelessly, you who bear the name of the Emperor.”
Nell opened his mouth to apologize again but closed it.
“Do something about it. In this unstable state, you might end up accidentally hurting someone.”
“……”
“I’ve said it clearly. I won’t say it twice.”
Tamarin smoothly slipped down from the bed. When Nell looked down, a large lion was settling down to sleep beneath it.
Nell interlaced his fingers and closed his eyes. Sleep didn’t come, but he couldn’t keep his eyes open either.
Tonight, the Phoenix’s unconsciously emitted heat didn’t fill the room, making the air feel cold.
