Chapter 38
“Chuut…”
I reached deep into the cupboard drawer and pulled something out.
It was a locket-shaped pocket watch, finely crafted with the image of a roaring tiger.
To be exact—
‘The real medium must be on this side.’
On the back of the watch was a small hand mirror.
Click.
I pressed the button on top, and the watch opened like a clam.
The moment my reflection appeared in the mirror—
“Chut…”
A strange ringing filled my ears, followed by a wave of dizziness and a splitting headache.
It felt like I was being dragged into a bottomless swamp.
No doubt, this mirror was the medium for brainwashing.
‘Bishop! Smash this, now!’
As soon as I gave the signal, Bishop stopped preening his feathers at the window and swooped down.
With his hooked talons, he snatched up the watch.
And then—
Whoosh!
He shot out the window, soaring high into the sky.
I watched him shrink into the distance until he was just a dot. Then something shiny slipped from his claws.
It was too far to see clearly, but it had to be Erjin’s pocket watch.
“Chuu… chuutt?!”
Wait—that wasn’t what I meant! I told him to break the mirror, not destroy the whole watch!
It looked expensive too… It even had the tiger family’s crest on it.
‘Don’t tell me that was another Astrahan heirloom… maybe his late mother’s keepsake or something.’
Ugh, I already have trauma from breaking heirlooms like that!
I sweated nervously at the thought, when Bishop finally returned, looking smug.
Perched on the window ledge, he proudly held the shattered pocket watch in his claws like a trophy.
‘Wow… he really made sure it was dead.’
Typical of a so-called king of the skies.
[Did you see that? This is the power of me!]
He lifted his head high, showing off.
‘A-amazing.’
[That’s it? Say more!]
‘A-amazing! Incredible!’
I clapped my hands so hard they almost burned.
That was when—
[Ah, they’ve noticed me.]
Bishop calmly looked down from the window.
‘…Who?’
Before I could finish, the answer came from outside.
“There! The white hawk! West wing, third floor!”
“Cherry might be with it—don’t attack directly! Capture them alive at all costs!”
“Yes, sir!”
“Archers, fire!”
With a sharp command, dozens of arrows shot into the air at once.
The knights were trying to trap Bishop mid-flight.
The arrowheads had been removed—probably to avoid hurting me—but the rain of arrows was still terrifying.
Arrows poured into the room by the dozens, whistling through the air.
“Chuuut…!”
I peeked outside and saw about twenty knights aiming their bows.
What the heck?!
This was not in my plan!
I froze, my tail twitching nervously, while Bishop looked completely unbothered.
Actually, he looked… pleased.
[They were all staring at me with admiration earlier.]
He fluffed his tail feathers proudly.
This idiot probably thought the knights were his fans.
‘Well… not totally wrong,’ I thought. They were definitely focused on him, at least.
But the real problem was that it wasn’t just archers outside.
Thud, thud, thud.
The floor shook. Heavy boots approached in formation. At least a dozen knights were storming the halls.
“Chuut…”
Oh no.
They were using a pincer attack—pin us down with arrows from outside, and storm in to capture us from the inside.
I looked at Bishop nervously.
‘This is bad. Really bad.’
[Bad? Why?]
‘Because tonight’s dinner might end up being a roasted bird.’
[Ooh, music to my ears. I’m drooling already.]
‘Don’t drool… you’re the one who’ll end up on the plate!’
I chewed my nails.
Honestly, I had expected trouble.
After all, Gerard had seen me “kidnapped” right in front of him. Of course Kainig would hear about it.
But this—
‘Sending the entire knight order after one bird and one squirrel?!’
This was way bigger than I thought.
Which meant there was only one option left.
‘Bishop!’
[What?]
‘Do exactly what I say. If you do, we might survive this without ending up roasted.’
***
Meanwhile, outside—
“H-hold on… Sir Gerard, isn’t that fluffy tail at the window Cherry’s tail?”
“Let me see!”
Gerard quickly snatched the telescope from the knight captain.
Sure enough—on the west wing’s third floor, a round, fluffy tail swayed from the window like a signal.
“That plump tail… it has to be Cherry’s.”
It looked like Cherry was trying to send them some kind of message.
“Cease fire! Stop shooting!”
Gerard raised his hand quickly.
The storm of arrows came to a halt.
A few moments later, behind the fluttering curtain, a tiny figure peeked out.
A round face like a soft bread bun, and bright, shining cherry-colored eyes.
The face everyone had prayed for was safe.
“Cherry!”
Gerard, overwhelmed, stretched his hand out as if he could reach.
But just then—
A huge shadow fell over Cherry’s head.
The drooling white hawk.
“Sir Gerard!”
“Damn it…”
Gerard yanked the bow straight from the captain’s hand and aimed at the hawk.
He pulled the string back tight.
But before he could release—
Kreeeh!
The hawk shrieked in pain.
Cherry had headbutted its neck with all their strength.
“Oh my…”
“Is Cherry trying to fight the hawk…?”
Gasps spread among the knights.
It was unbelievable—
A giant bird of prey against a small young squirrel.
Normally, there would be no contest.
Yet somehow, the fight had everyone holding their breath.
It didn’t feel like Cherry would lose.
“That hawk… isn’t it the one Cherry recently took in as a pet?”
All eyes went to the colorful collar glinting on Bishop’s neck in the sunlight.
It looked flashy, but it was actually a binding charm.
Normally, such restraints made animals obedient.
But once in a while, there were stubborn ones who refused to yield.
Clearly, this hawk was one of those.
“Lia caught it, right? So it must not fully recognize Cherry as its master yet.”
“No wonder it’s been eyeing Cherry like prey. And now it finally snapped.”
“Then there’s only one way—settle it by dominance.”
The knights nodded grimly.
It was primal, but also the surest way for the hawk to recognize its master.
And from the look in Cherry’s eyes, they seemed determined not to let anyone interfere.
“At times like this, you only get one chance. If it fails, it’s over.”
“We’ll just have to watch.”
The knights held their bows at the ready but didn’t fire.
“Chuut!”
Kreeeeh!
And so, the fierce battle began.
And the laughter begins. (≧▽≦)~