Episode 12
― Scrrratch, scrrratch.
Lania frowned, pen stopping mid-sentence.
Something was scraping at her door, sharp and creepy.
“Ugh, did a rat get into the castle?”
“Caaawk!!”
Before she could wonder further, a loud crow’s cry boomed.
Lania pulled the cord for her maid.
The door opened—and in tumbled Isadora, dusted with frost.
[“Ugh, I almost froze to death out there!”]
She’d taken her chance to escape from the Duke while he was in the council chamber, only to find the annex shut tight.
If not for catching a servant going out with waste water, she’d have had to turn back.
― Flap flap!
Shaking off her wet feathers, Isadora spotted paper on the nightstand.
[“Ooh, what’s that letter?”]
It was a letter Lania had been writing to send to Black Bird Daily.
The crow hopped onto the bed.
The maid immediately scowled.
“Miss, that filthy bird shouldn’t be on your bed!”
[“Wait, just give me a second!”]
Lania lifted her hand to stop her.
“Leave it. Let her be.”
“But your bed will get dirty…”
“It’s fine. I can change the sheets later.”
Thanks to Lania’s mercy, Isadora got to peek at the letter.
[A noisy crow who never leaves the Duke’s side.]
Perfect. Edgar would definitely realize this was her.
She’d been worrying about losing contact with her twin, but now she could be sure he knew she was alive.
[“Lady Lania, I’ll repay this kindness—with an even juicier article!”]
“Coo-rook, coo-rook~”
Isadora even did her little dance again, head bobbing. But Lania wasn’t swayed.
“…So you can read letters, huh.”
Isadora just blinked innocently.
“Do you know a lot about the Black Bird Daily?”
Wow.
Lania’s intuition was sharp.
But to anyone else, it would just seem like nonsense.
Look at the maid—she was staring at her mistress like she’d lost it, talking to a bird.
“Miss, maybe it’s time we shoo the crow out?”
Hah, fat chance.
Isadora plopped down stubbornly.
Tonight, she’d stay with Lania instead of the Duke.
This girl was way more likable—an avid fan, and unlike Leonard, she didn’t harass her.
‘And she even said she wanted to keep me. So of course she’ll let me stay—’
“You should head back now.”
[“Huh? What?”]
Isadora jumped up.
[“Miss, can’t I stay just one night here?”]
“Brother would be upset. Go on.”
Lania’s tone was firm.
That earlier comment about keeping the crow? She’d only said it to tease her jealous brother.
She had no intention of taking away the first creature he’d ever opened his heart to.
She hated the idea of stealing from others—her mother had done that, and Lania had sworn she would never repeat such sins.
“Brother looks tough, but he’s actually soft inside.”
Unlike him, Lania was the strong one.
She’d survived this cursed castle and her cursed sickroom.
“Go on. Don’t leave feathers everywhere.”
To drive the point home, she snapped her blanket open.
Her thin legs flashed into view for a second.
[“Eek.”]
Defeated, Isadora hopped down from the bed.
She remembered suddenly—when Leonard had pushed her off before, there hadn’t been any real force in it.
Still, being thrown out stung.
[“You said you wanted to keep me! How can you kick me out like this?!”]
Lania didn’t even answer.
She just stared out the window as if a wall had gone up between them.
[“So it was all just empty talk?! Seriously?!”]
Betrayed, Isadora squawked furiously.
“Caaawk! Caaawk!!”
She stormed out of the annex.
[“You called yourself my fan, Lady!”]
― Tap tap tap
She skidded across the cold marble, which felt even icier tonight.
[“Brr, freezing!”]
The storm outside was brutal.
[“Great. Guess I have no choice but to head back to the main castle.”]
Deep down, she kind of missed the Duke’s warmth.
― Caaawk, caaawk.
At the frozen fountain, a much larger black crow was perched, snow piled on its head.
[“Whoa, that’s a big crow.”]
Seeing it endure the cold without flinching, Isadora forced herself to stop whining.
[“Yeah… if wild birds can handle it, so can I.”]
But then—
[“…Can’t handle it?”]
[“…Huh?”]
Isadora froze.
Did… did that crow just talk?
[“Wait. Did you just say something?!”]
[“Say… say? Sa—cawwk!”]
The words were mixed with normal cries, but she could understand enough.
Her eyes widened.
Other than her mother and brother, she’d never met another bird she could speak with.
[“Are you a beastkin?!”]
[“…Don’t know ‘beastkin.’”]
[“Then—wait, I need to ask you something!”]
She rushed closer.
[“Have you ever seen a crow like me? Smaller, female, with a white stripe on the neck? And a little mark on the side—”]
[“Never. No crow like you. None—cawwk!”]
[“Then what about Rubia Island? Down south, in the Empire! Do you know any birds who’ve been there? Can you introduce me?!”]
[“Cawwwk! Idiot! Stupid! Cawwwk!!”]
The big crow flapped, squawking insults.
Then it took off—
― Caaawwwk!!
Its departing cry stretched into a strange, eerie wail, like a scream.
[“…Hahh!”]
Isadora let out the breath she’d been holding.
By the time she trudged back, she was at the main castle.
[“What the hell was that all about…”]
Was that crow normal?
A beastkin?
Something else entirely?
She’d never understood an animal before.
[“Ugh, whatever!”]
She shook out her wet feathers.
Time to find the Duke—her only real heat source.
But when she reached his office, she hesitated at the slightly open door.
Inside, the room was dark, not a candle lit.
[“Duke? Are you in?”]
Weird. He should still be working.
Cautiously, she crept inside.
Then she saw him at his desk, sitting with his face buried in his hand.
[“What are you doing in the dark?”]
He didn’t even look up.
Panic surged in Isadora’s chest.
Had something happened while she was gone?
[“Duke! Did I miss some big breaking news?!”]
“Caaawk!!”
[“Tell me I didn’t!”]
She tugged at his pants with her beak, but still no reaction.
[“Come on! You’re supposed to pick me up when I cry like this!”]
Finally, he spoke.
His voice was so low and heavy that it made her feathers prickle.
“…Should’ve stayed in the annex.”
Isadora blinked.
‘Wait… is he sulking because I went to Lania?’
[“Weren’t you annoyed by me following you around?”]
At last, he lowered his hand and looked at her.
“…Are you afraid of me, too?”
He picked her up.
She was wet, freezing, even with frost clinging to her head.
His face darkened.
“You came back alone? Nobody helped you?”
[“Duke, please. I’m twenty-three years old. Old enough to be married already, if I were just some noble girl. I’ve even flown across the continent by myself.”]
“…I’m sorry.”
[“Huh? For what?”]
“For not going to bring you back myself.”
He pulled her into his arms, holding her tight.
Isadora sighed. The Duke could be so overdramatic sometimes.
But as his warmth seeped into her, she couldn’t deny it anymore—she really was being loved by the terrifying Black Duke.
‘Well, of course. I am adorable.’
She closed her eyes, content.
“Do as you like,” he murmured.
“If you’d rather stay with my sister, then go ahead.”
Isadora’s eyes snapped open.
Was he seriously about to dump her in Lania’s room?!
‘No way! That won’t do!’
Her ultimate scoop was still Leonard Caribou himself.
Watching him was the whole point.
She needed to stop him.
And then—it hit her.
‘Yes… that’ll work. That’ll definitely keep him from pushing me away!’
