CHAPTER 41
“So this bird… belonged to the master of the Sai family.”
I lightly tapped the bird’s head with my finger. It looked up at me with wide, innocent golden eyes.
“Peep—”
Its innocent expression vanished immediately, and it turned its head away, clearly sulking. I gently stroked the back of its neck.
Despite its obvious sulkiness, the bird didn’t try to escape my arms.
“Wow, that’s unexpected. I never thought Lecto would act so sweet.”
“Really?”
“Yes. If it were me, I’d have been pecked five or six times by now. Hahaha.”
“Haha. He’s definitely not the docile type.”
As I spoke while glancing at the knights behind me, Sir Chester burst out laughing, as if remembering how Lecto had nearly pecked him the first time he tried to handle it.
Sai, who seemed to pick up on Lecto’s personality from our interactions, also laughed and led me further into the shop.
Even during my quick glance earlier, I had thought the interior was larger than it looked from the outside. Sure enough, after passing a row of glass cases glittering with jewels, we entered another room behind a large pillar. Inside were several tables and chairs.
As I sat down on the sofa, Sir Roim, Sir Chester, and Sir Kin lined up behind me. Sai took the seat across from me.
“Lecto, come here now. Don’t be rude to the Duchess any longer.”
Lecto, who had been nestled in my arms the entire time, ignored Sai’s call and looked elsewhere. I smiled and assured him it was fine.
“It’s okay.”
“Still…”
“As long as he stays calm like this, it’s no problem. But how did he injure his wing?”
“Lecto’s injured?”
Sai looked shocked and quickly turned to Lecto. I revealed the wing that had been hidden beneath my arm.
Though most of it was covered by feathers, I could see glimpses of a white bandage. Sai’s expression turned troubled.
“Would you mind setting him down for a moment?”
“Of course. Alright, Lecto, let’s go down just for a bit.”
“Peep—!”
Lecto flapped his wings, clearly displeased at being separated from me. When I nudged his beak gently and told him not to strain his injury, he squinted and gave a raspy breath through his open beak, tapping his feet on the table as if throwing a tantrum.
The sight made me chuckle. I slid my hand beneath his beak to lift his head, and he obligingly followed the motion.
I bent down and pressed a soft kiss to the spot I’d kissed earlier on his head. Lecto stopped flapping.
“Be good, Lecto. Alright?”
“…Peep.”
Sai watched with fascination. When Lecto finally calmed down, he reached out and pulled him into his own arms.
“I didn’t know you were picky about people, Lecto. You’ve always given us such a hard time.”
After checking over Lecto’s wing and other areas, Sai looked up at me and cautiously asked:
“Duchess… I’m sorry to ask, but when you first found Lecto, did you notice a string or cord around his neck?”
“Around his neck? No, I didn’t see anything.”
As Sai examined Lecto again, I turned to Sir Kin and asked,
“Sir Kin, did you notice anything unusual when you first caught him?”
“No, nothing.”
Sir Kin replied with a blank expression. Even Bella tilted her head in confusion and looked toward Sai.
“So Kin didn’t notice anything either… and I never saw anything on him either. Is it something important?”
“Oh, no. It’s just… Lecto had a favorite ornament, that’s all. Haha.”
Sai quickly brushed off the topic, but continued searching through Lecto’s feathers with a sigh before stopping and smoothing them down.
“I guess there’s nothing we can do. Let me take a look at the injury now, Lecto.”
“Peep.”
Lecto glanced upward toward the ceiling, then extended his injured wing toward Sai.
The gesture reminded me of something, and I asked Sai,
“Can Lecto understand human speech?”
“Yes, he understands most simple sentences. Though, if he thinks it’s inconvenient, he pretends not to.”
“I thought so. He’s really smart.”
“He’s a ‘Shat Valia,’ the most intelligent breed among Valia birds. But their intelligence comes with a sharp temper and sensitivity. Ow!”
Sai winced as Lecto, who had been staying still, suddenly turned and pecked his hand the moment he touched the wound.
Startled by the attack, Sai quickly pulled his hand back and gave me a sheepish smile.
I covered my mouth and smiled, too.
“At least the wound doesn’t seem too serious. I don’t know what happened, but thank you for taking care of him. He must be a handful.”
“It’s nothing. He was agitated at first, but calmed down once he saw me. Though I’m not sure wh—oh!”
As soon as Sai finished wrapping the bandage, Lecto hopped off his lap and flew straight into my arms.
Startled, I caught him just in time. He shifted around in my arms until he found a comfortable spot and settled down.
Then, he rubbed his beak against my brooch and glanced at Sai.
“Oh. I think he recognized the brooch I gave you and decided to trust you.”
“This brooch?”
“You said he calmed down when he saw you, right? I think he was reassured by seeing a jewel from our shop. Lecto can recognize our craftsmanship.”
“So that’s why he kept poking at it with his beak. You really are smart, Lecto.”
At my compliment, Lecto raised his head proudly, as if showing off his cleverness.
Watching this exchange, Sai stared at my brooch, then spoke.
“Just in case Lecto scratched it, may I take a closer look at your brooch?”
“Hmm… I suppose that’s a good idea.”
I carefully removed the brooch, which had endured quite a bit of Lecto’s attention today.
Oddly enough, Lecto’s eyes followed my every move as I handled the brooch. He didn’t take his eyes off it even as I set it down on the table.
As Sai reached for it, Lecto suddenly jumped from my lap onto the table.
“Ah! Lecto!”
And in a flash, he snatched the brooch away with his beak just before Sai could grab it.
Sai stared at his empty hand in disbelief and called after him, but Lecto spun around and hopped back onto my lap, placing the brooch into my hand.
“Oh my. Haha.”
“Lecto, you’re not stealing from the Duchess! I just wanted to check if you’d scratched it.”
“Peep—!”
I held Lecto in place with my left arm and handed the brooch to Sai with my right. Lecto glared at him sullenly.
Sai laughed helplessly at the look and said,
“I’m the one who always snuck you snacks behind your master’s back. And this is how you repay me… sigh.”
Shaking his head, Sai inspected the brooch carefully and then lifted it to eye level.
“At first glance, there’s no visible damage. I have equipment in the back that can give a more detailed look. May I step away for a moment?”
“Of course.”
“Please wait here. Someone will bring you tea shortly. Would you like to browse the shop in the meantime? We have many fine pieces on display. I’ll have someone assist you.”
“That sounds nice. I noticed some beautiful items on the way in.”
As I stood to follow Sai, the inner door opened and a sharply dressed staff member stepped out.
He asked what kind of accessories I was interested in, and after a moment’s thought, I said I’d like to look at hair ornaments.
Seeing all the accessories reminded me of the headband I used to wear before I was kidnapped—after my mother had passed.
It had been handmade by my mother.
Bella, lost in the vivid memory, unconsciously touched the top of her head where her mother used to place it.
But there was only her own hair now. Snapping back to the present, Bella lowered her hand and followed the staff member.
“This section holds our hair ornaments. Everything is behind glass, but if something catches your eye, please let me know.”
“Thank you.”
I slowly browsed the display cases.
Every piece sparkled with intricate craftsmanship.
I even spotted some hair ornaments I remembered admiring back in my debutante days.
“So they were from here.”
As I looked at the familiar designs from before my regression, I wondered if something like my mother’s headband might be here—but I didn’t find anything similar.
The staff member approached again and asked if I was looking for something specific.
“Is there a particular item you’re searching for?”
“Oh, well… actually, maybe something simple—”
I started to describe it, then stopped.
There was no way they would carry something so plain in a shop like this.
That headband was a treasured memory from the gray past that had once shone warm and bright.
‘Even if I buy something here, it won’t be the same as what Mother made.’
I waved off the staff member with a soft “No, thank you.”
As I wandered among the memories and the glimmering accessories, I found myself chasing the past.
With a faint smile, I turned toward the tea table—then heard a clear, delicate chime.
Ding—
As I turned, the door to the Parome Trading Company opened behind me. A gust of wind swept through, rustling my hair.
I tucked the flying strands behind my ear and turned around.
At the same moment, Sai stepped out from the inner door and looked in my direction with a smile.
“Ah, Master!”
I paused mid-turn, then slowly turned my head.
“Ah…”
The sunlight caught strands of brilliant golden hair, each glimmering like silk in the breeze.
Though his face was cast in shadow, his gaze shone clearly as he stared at me.
As our eyes met—dark, deep, like the abyss—I felt as if something grabbed me and froze me in place.
“…”
We stood there in silence, eyes locked, and then at last the man spoke.
“Are you a customer?”
At the sound of his voice, a memory I had buried deep within came rushing back. A warm memory.
A coat, warm from another’s body, wrapped around me as I stood shivering alone on the street.
[“Please put this on.”]
It was him.
