chapter 85…………………………..
: Popo’s Agitation
Dietrich entered the underground prison where Illeon was confined. Beside him was Celia, holding the cage with Popo inside.
Torches mounted on the wall gave off a faint glow.
As they went deeper into the prison, Anderson and the imprisoned Illeon behind the iron bars came into view.
“Your Grace, Duke Calypso.”
Anderson bowed deeply to Dietrich.
“Nothing happened while I was gone?”
“No, sir.”
Just as Anderson had watched Dietrich for many years, Dietrich too had observed Anderson for a long time and come to understand him.
“…”
Dietrich’s gaze lingered on the faint trembling of Anderson’s eyelids.
Anderson looked like he had many questions, but in the end, he asked nothing.
“You may leave now.”
At Dietrich’s command, Anderson replied:
“…Yes, sir.”
Anderson departed.
Beyond the space he left, Illeon sat in shackles, locked behind the bars.
Seeing Dietrich and Celia, Illeon curled his lips into a smile.
“How are things outside?”
At the audacious question, Dietrich answered flatly.
“You don’t need to know.”
“By now, today’s papers must already be reporting that you’ve imprisoned me. I doubt there’s a single soul who doesn’t know.”
Though cut off from the outside, Illeon acted as though he knew everything about it.
“Even if you burn down the Great Temple or kill me, you won’t be able to utterly destroy Avalon. Do you really think a kingdom and an empire are even comparable in scale?”
Illeon leaned back and added:
“You will never defeat me.”
Celia glared at him.
“You think this is about winning or losing? It isn’t. You destroyed our kingdom, so this is only what you deserve.”
Illeon’s gaze slid over to Celia.
“Princess.”
His voice clung to the air, sticky and unsettling.
“Do you resent me?”
“…”
“Do you resent me for taking everything from you?”
As though he longed to be hated, Illeon’s blue eyes gleamed with a strange light.
Dietrich stepped forward protectively, blocking Celia from his view.
With her hidden, Illeon’s eyes turned cold.
“You’re imprisoned here and can do nothing. Whether you had your maid send carrier pigeons ahead of time or tipped off the papers, none of that poses any threat to us.”
At Dietrich’s words, Illeon’s eyes narrowed.
“Are you so sure?”
Illeon slowly closed his eyes.
“From here, you’ll watch with your own eyes as Avalon crumbles.”
At that, Illeon laughed soundlessly.
After confirming that Illeon was locked away, the two returned to the mansion.
“Popo. I won’t ever leave you alone again.”
Celia hung Popo’s cage in her bedroom as she spoke.
Seeing him there made her feel reassured.
She even left the cage door wide open so Popo could fly freely.
Flap! Flap!
Popo seemed to like Celia’s room, fluttering about here and there.
“You like it that much?”
Dietrich narrowed his eyes at the silver cage hanging in Celia’s room.
“Does he really have to stay in your room?”
“He seems anxious if I’m not around.”
Celia shrugged as if it were no big deal.
Dietrich shook his head.
“I can’t tell if this is a bird’s house or a human’s.”
“He was captured by a madman—cut him some slack.”
Dietrich looked displeased.
“Besides, you’re the one who gave me Popo as a gift.”
“…”
Celia turned to Popo, who was happily flitting about.
“Popo, I was thinking of finding you a mate. What do you think?”
Popo slowly turned his eyes toward her.
“What do you say? Would you like that?”
He bobbed his head, beak moving up and down.
“Good. I’ll make sure to find you a beautiful female.”
Celia promised with a smile.
“Female! Female!”
Popo flapped his wings, repeating her words.
Celia cooed affectionately.
“You seem excited about getting a partner.”
“…Males.”
Dietrich shook his head.
Exhausted, Celia lay down and dozed off for a while.
But soon she felt someone staring at her.
The gaze was so intense she could feel it even with her eyes closed.
Uncomfortable, Celia slowly opened her eyes.
Popo was staring straight at her from the most visible perch.
“Popo?!”
She gasped in surprise.
“Female! Female!”
Crying the word, Popo suddenly beat his wings furiously and lunged at her.
He pecked and flustered her, then jabbed his beak hard into the swell of her chest.
“Female! Female!”
“Popo! What are you doing?!”
Startled, Celia tried to push him away, but he was relentless.
The door burst open and Dietrich quickly snatched Popo midair.
“Every time I look away for a moment, this happens.”
Flap! Flap!
Struggling in Dietrich’s grip, Popo beat his wings violently.
“This creature… it isn’t Popo.”
Dietrich frowned.
The bird in his grasp even tried to bite him, but it was futile.
Flap! Flap!
“Something else is inside Popo’s body.”
“What?”
Celia’s mouth fell open.
“Does this still look like Popo to you?”
The bird writhing in Dietrich’s grip was no longer Popo.
His black eyes had turned a gleaming gold, the pupils expanding and contracting like a serpent’s.
Celia recognized those golden eyes.
“That insane Arthur! What the hell did you do to Popo?!”
Furious, Celia cried out.
Flap! Flap!
Dietrich twisted Popo’s neck, trying to force out whatever had invaded his body.
He could feel something writhing inside.
“Damn it.”
Dietrich cursed, scowling.
“It’s Arthur’s soul.”
“?”
“His body is gone, so he used Popo to get to you.”
“…What?”
Celia stared in disbelief at Popo, whose neck was twisted in Dietrich’s grip.
“He must’ve prepared for this before he died. No wonder everything seemed too normal—it was all a ruse.”
Dietrich tightened his hold, trying to wrench Arthur’s soul free.
“Celi—aaaah!”
A deep man’s voice erupted from Popo’s beak.
“I… will never… die!”
The incongruous sound was grotesque coming from the tiny bird.
Seeing Popo speak in that voice with his neck bent was horrifying.
Celia’s face trembled.
“Kehehehe…”
Popo’s eyes glared at her, filled with Arthur’s eerie laughter.
To defile Popo’s body like this—
Celia could never forgive him.
“Stop it, you lunatic!”
“Kehehehehahaha!”
Arthur, through Popo, only laughed more hideously.
It was undeniable now—Arthur’s soul had taken hold of Popo.
Crack!
Dietrich squeezed tighter.
The bird flailed desperately, trying to break free, but in the end, it was only a bird.
Arthur’s soul, bound by the limits of a small body, struggled in vain.
“You’re mine. I’ll have you—tempting female—”
Dietrich brought his hand to Popo’s head and crushed down with force.
“Aaaargh!”
Arthur’s scream tore out of Popo’s throat.
The bird’s body shook violently, then went limp, head drooping lifelessly.
“It’s done. He’ll need rest.”
Celia looked in shock at Popo, dangling weakly.
“For now, let’s get rid of this cage.”
Dietrich yanked the silver cage from the ceiling in disgust.
“Popo… Is Popo dead?”
“…”
“Poor Popo…”
Kidnapped by a wretched master, violated by Arthur, and now ending like this.
Celia’s heart ached with guilt.
“He’s not dead.”
“?”
“He just needs rest. He’ll come back—don’t worry.”
Celia gazed down at the motionless bird, worried.
He wasn’t even breathing; to her, he looked dead.
“He’ll recover.”
Dietrich reassured her as she looked at Popo with such concern.
“There’s nothing to fear.”
