“Wow…”
I couldn’t help but open my beak wide as I looked around the room.
It was far too luxurious to be called a guest room.
Elegant furniture that screamed wealth, blankets that looked so fluffy and soft you could sink into them, and even pretty toys.
It was obvious this room had been prepared for someone.
“Ah!”
This must be the bride’s room.
The Wolf Clan must have been preparing a room for their future daughter-in-law ever since they first proposed the political marriage with the Bird Clan.
“You will be staying here from now on.”
Ethan smiled kindly as he set me down on the bed.
The mattress dipped where my tiny body touched it.
But the problem was—
“This bed is way too big.”
The furniture was enormous, while I was nothing more than a tiny bird.
In this huge, spacious room, there was only one small bird left behind.
It looked utterly ridiculous.
This must have been what the old butler had been worried about, for even he looked troubled.
I can’t even open a door handle in this form.
The blanket was so thick and fluffy that if I crawled inside, I’d probably be smothered.
The maids exchanged uneasy glances.
“We’ll have to make proper arrangements as soon as possible. For now… I’ll instruct someone to go down to the village and purchase suitable things.”
“Pii!”
“And please, don’t crawl into the blankets, young lady. It could be dangerous.”
The butler glanced between the thick bedding and my tiny frame.
I lifted one wing to signal I understood.
“Piiiit!”
“If you need anything, please ring this bell… though, will you be able to ring it?”
I turned to look at the bell Ethan was pointing at.
It was a small golden bell with delicate engravings. The issue was—
The bell is bigger than me… sigh.
I fluttered over and landed in front of it on the nightstand.
Taking a deep breath, I stepped back two paces.
Then, I ran forward and slammed into the bell with all my strength.
…Ding…
A faint chime rang out.
The butler and maids gasped at the sight.
“Oh, heavens. Please don’t try to ring the bell again, young lady. You might hurt yourself.”
“…Pii.”
I answered gloomily.
“I’ll have a bell prepared that you can ring more safely.”
“Piii.”
“Is there anything that makes you uncomfortable?”
Uncomfortable?
Growl—
That’s when I realized I’d barely eaten anything all day.
I’m hungry.
Adel had promised me cookies, but I’d escaped before I got any.
So here I was, holding my empty belly, glancing up at the butler.
He adjusted his monocle and observed me carefully.
Grrrowl!
My stomach growled loudly again.
But apparently, only I heard it. The butler seemed oblivious.
Should I just tell them?
They had told me to say if something was wrong…
At last, I rubbed my belly with one wing and plopped down weakly.
Drooping my wings, I let out a pitiful cry.
“Piiiiii…”
I’m hungry…
Ethan clapped his hands, suddenly understanding.
“You’re hungry, young lady?”
Yes, yes!
I flapped my wings eagerly in agreement.
“Piiiit!”
“Then I’ll have food prepared. Would you prefer to eat here rather than in the dining hall?”
“Pii!”
“Lena, go fetch something to eat for her.”
Ethan ordered one of the maids.
He then set me carefully in the middle of the soft bed.
I folded my wings politely and waited for food.
Growl—
My stomach kept making noise.
What kind of food will they bring?
If it was like Laniero—simple salads or maybe a bit of fish—I’d be perfectly happy.
Or even just some hard bread…
I could always soak bread in water to eat it. In my previous life, even bread had often been a luxury I couldn’t touch.
But since I’m a guest, maybe they’ll give me something nicer?
Maybe even fresh fruit.
My eyes shone with excitement.
Before long, the maids entered, carrying a tray.
The moment I saw the food laid out, my eyes went wide.
What in the world…?
Fruit pudding, chocolate muffins, fresh berries and fruit, and even all sorts of fish dishes were stacked high on the tray.
The maids began setting the food on a low table.
There was so much that they even had to bring in an extra table.
Isn’t this too much?
All I’d wanted was a couple slices of bread and maybe a cookie.
But this was enough to stuff even a grown wolf.
“Piiiiii!”
“Not knowing what you would prefer, we brought a variety. I heard that Bird Clan folk particularly enjoy fish. Is that true?”
“Piiiit!”
I spread my wings wide in delight. Ethan smiled warmly.
He carefully served small portions onto a plate and set it in front of me.
“If you want something, just point to it with your wing.”
Without hesitation, I dug in.
Biting into a small cherry, sweet juice burst across my tongue.
The lemon-seasoned fish had barely any bones and was easy to eat, and the juice they served was wonderfully sweet.
Is this heaven?
“Piiiii…”
“Try this pudding too.”
Ethan placed a pale pink pudding topped with strawberries before me.
I pecked it with my beak.
“Piiiit…”
Wow. Perfect.
I’d never tasted anything like this in Laniero.
There, children’s meals were strictly controlled under the name of “management.”
The head of the household would pile mountains of food for show, but most of it went to waste.
We never got to taste a thing—only swallow our envy.
As I stuffed myself, Ethan placed a small napkin before me.
I wiped my beak on it.
“…?”
Why was it suddenly so quiet?
I slowly raised my head.
Ethan and four or five maids were staring at me with sparkling eyes, holding their breath.
“P… Pii…”
Why are they staring at me like this…?
They were watching me eat as if it were the most precious thing.
Did I eat too much?
I was supposed to be cautious. After all, I was suddenly living in wolf territory without warning.
This was definitely a mistake.
I shuffled back nervously.
The maids looked disappointed.
…Huh?
Then one hurriedly pushed a plate toward me.
“Please try this too, young lady!”
It was a small cake dotted with nuts.
…So they’re not mad at me for eating?
Glancing nervously at the wolves, I trotted over to the cake.
It would be rude to refuse when they’re offering…
And I was a polite little bird.
So I cautiously took a bite.
“Piiiit!?”
The cake was so delicious my eyes flew open. I looked up at the maid in awe.
She smiled proudly.
And so, forgetting my earlier resolve to eat sparingly, I gobbled the cake down.
Pink steam rose from the bathwater.
Pale petals floated on the surface, filling the air with fragrance.
This feels amazing.
The wolves really did bathe in luxury.
I dipped even my beak into the warm water, closing my eyes in bliss.
“Pipipii…”
The wolves had faithfully carried out Kendrick’s order to wash her and feed her.
Thanks to that, I could soak in warmth and quietly review my plans.
Getting to the Wolf estate was step one, accomplished.
But if I wanted to avoid being sent back to Laniero, I needed to be married to Arsen.
Only then could I stay here until I came of age.
The wolves only ever took one mate for life.
So once married, there would be no backing out.
Unless…
There was one exception.
If you were forced into a child marriage, then upon reaching adulthood, you had the legal right to divorce.
Which meant, until then, I’d be protected as Arsen’s mate.
So marriage was necessary.
And he probably wants this too.
It was the only way he could escape his illness.
Once married, I’d become part of the Wolf Clan.
That would give them full authority over me. Which meant they’d be much more likely to treat me sincerely, so long as I behaved.
Well… in my last life, Shubil did make a mess of things, but…
I wasn’t her.
If we married, I was determined to heal Arsen with all my heart.
But to do that, I first had to win the wolves’ favor.
I let out a deep sigh.
The truth was… they didn’t really need me.
Any Bird Clan daughter-in-law could serve the same role.
So if I displeased them, they might just send me back to Laniero and bring in another bride.
And that bride would be Shubil. No doubt about it.
So I had to behave.
I had to come across as a well-mannered, low-maintenance child. Preferably one who didn’t eat much either.
That had been my plan.
…But I’d already ruined it.
