Chapter 6
“Are you excited, little one?”
“Peep!”
“These are soap bubbles!”
“Peep-peep!”
Right now, I was in heaven. It felt like all the fatigue of a long day was completely melting away.
Floating in a bathtub full of foam while watching rainbow-colored soap bubbles drift through the air—what more could I possibly need?
“Piiiii….”
There was no other heaven like this. I stretched my wings wide and yawned.
When I returned from the forest, I experienced my first joy.
My room had been redecorated.
I had already thought the original room was extremely luxurious, but Rosaria said it was nowhere near enough.
At first, I didn’t understand what she meant—but the moment I saw the remodeled room, I immediately understood.
It was so beautiful it felt like the room itself had been reborn just like me.
White chiffon curtains fluttered gently by the window, and beside them stood a large, fluffy bed that looked soft at a glance.
The carpet on the floor had been replaced with a soft white one, and there was even a table with a vase and a sofa.
And that alone was already surprising…
“Once more, little one!”
“Peep!”
As Rosaria blew hard, rainbow-colored bubbles floated up into the air.
This time, I’m definitely catching one.
I held my breath like a swift predator eyeing its prey and focused on the bubbles.
In truth, this was my first time ever seeing soap bubbles.
At first, I was scared of the floating spheres I didn’t understand and tried to avoid them…
But before I knew it, I was giving everything I had just to catch them.
Float, float.
“Peep!”
I kept my distance, watching the bubbles in the air carefully.
Then I waited for the right moment and flapped my wings.
“Pii!”
How many times had I repeated this?
By the time I was starting to feel exhausted all over, Rosaria finally called an end to the game.
“That’s enough for today, little one. It’s getting too late.”
“No! Pii, pii! Pii!”
No! I hadn’t even caught one properly yet! Just one more time!
I stubbornly stayed in the bath and shook my head.
Then Rosaria brought out her secret weapon.
“Don’t you want to lie down on your new bed, little one?”
“…Peep?”
“It’ll be very cozy. You can even play on it.”
That was all it took.
My wings lost their strength in an instant.
A cozy bed…? Even my basket had been comfortable—how soft would a real bed be?
I finally gave up resisting and stepped out of the bath.
Rosaria wrapped me in a towel and carried me out.
And the moment my body touched the long-awaited bed—
“Peep!”
So soft.
“Pii…!”
As she gently dried my fur, my eyes began to slowly close.
I decided to surrender myself to the darkness creeping in.
“…Pii… pii….”
“Oh my, little one?”
“…Pii….”
Overwhelmed by a comfort far beyond my basket, I drifted into a deep sleep right there.
After the trip to the forest, peaceful days continued.
I kept growing steadily, and my body had become slightly bigger.
It was only a tiny difference, but lately one of my daily routines was checking myself in the mirror.
“Pii!”
“Oh my, your tail has grown a bit, little one!”
“Peep!”
I spun around in front of the mirror, trying to see my tail.
My once-short tail was starting to take on a proper shape.
At first, it had been annoying, always getting in the way when I sat down.
But after Rosaria brought me another mirror so I could see it properly, I changed my mind.
It’s cute, isn’t it?
I really liked my tail.
It looked a bit like a horn growing from my behind, but I was told that as I grew, it would become long and soft like an adult bird’s.
Then it’ll become even prettier, right?
“You’ve also become much steadier when walking lately!”
“Pii!”
I felt like my tail helped me keep balance.
My once-wobbly steps were becoming more stable each day.
I could even run a little now—though I still fell sometimes.
I spun around again just to see my tail.
“Pii-pii! Pii!”
“Cough!”
“Hm?”
And every time I did that, Rosaria increasingly clutched her chest.
I trotted over to check on her, who had crouched down.
“N-no… I need to calm down. The little one might get hurt if I get too excited.”
“Pipipipi.”
“Whew.”
“Pipipipi!”
I called out to Rosaria, who was muttering almost like a villain.
I still couldn’t speak, but she understood when I called like this.
“Yes, little one. Would you like a snack?”
“Peep.”
Just like that, Rosaria returned to her calm self.
She placed small treats into my mouth one by one.
Delicious!
My tail started wagging on its own.
Nothing expressed emotions better than my tail.
As I swayed my body side to side, Rosaria smiled warmly.
“You’re in your growth period, so you should eat well and grow big and strong.”
“Peep.”
“Taking care of you is the most rewarding thing lately. It makes me so happy.”
I swallowed another treat and opened my mouth again.
Rosaria quickly placed another one inside.
Every day felt so happy it almost felt like a dream.
“Pii!”
I wish every day could be like this.
I leaned back on the cushion and stretched out my legs.
But I couldn’t live like this forever, could I? Once I became an adult, I’d probably have to leave this place.
Or would I even be able to stay until adulthood?
The owner might change her mind and kick me out before then.
After all, she didn’t really seem to like me.
Thinking about an uncertain future made me feel suddenly down.
This place was peaceful, but I had no idea what the outside world was like.
“Pii….”
A sigh slipped out. Rosaria noticed and spoke.
“Is something wrong, little one?”
“Pipipipi.”
“Hmm?”
Rosaria, who had been cleaning up the empty snack bowl, looked at me with wide eyes.
I shook my head weakly.
No. When I become an adult bird, I’ll have to survive on my own.
But the world is too harsh for a baby bird!
And I was already getting used to Rosaria’s care.
What would I do when I was alone later?
I didn’t want to be alone again.
As my worries piled up, my tail drooped downward.
“Do you have something on your mind?”
“Pii.”
I shook my head as if to say it was nothing.
“But your tail is drooping.”
“Pipii.”
It’s really nothing.
Rosaria blinked, still confused.
After sitting there weakly for a while, I pushed myself up.
I couldn’t just stay like this!
“Peep!”
First, I should find something I can do.
As I gathered my energy, my tail slowly lifted again.
This is honestly amazing.
The mystery of the tail.
I had a tail in my past life too, but it had never reacted so honestly to my emotions.
Or maybe it had—but there just hadn’t been moments that made it react like this.
Slump.
My tail drooped again as thoughts of my past life made me feel worse.
I shook my head quickly to clear my mind.
“Peep!”
No. I’m not who I used to be anymore.
I tapped my cheeks with both wings.
Right. Before I become an adult, I’ll grow strong enough to live outside the mansion!
“Peep! Peep!”
Whoosh.
My tail shot straight up again.
I waddled over to the water bowl next to the snack container and dipped my beak in.
So refreshing!
After drinking, I wiped my wet beak with my wings.
At that moment, I didn’t know.
How worried Rosaria was as she watched me—my mood swinging wildly every minute, every second.
Nor did I know what misunderstanding this would eventually lead her to.
If I had known… I would have desperately tried to tell her it wasn’t like that.
