Bluebird Lady and The White Lion Family

 “Twi—tweet?” 

Hair?

 

Long, wheat-colored hair, slightly curly. It was the same as the hair of the original heroine I had just seen in my vision.

 

‘I can’t believe this is here…’

 

So the original heroine had visited this place?

 

It couldn’t be. The original heroine was living well in the Deer Estate.

 

‘Well, it’s a fairly common hair color.’

 

What does it have to do with anything, anyway?

 

Sophina was faced with a dilemma.

 

Suddenly, she heard a dull, grinding noise. Splinters of wood fell like dust from above.

 “Twit…?” 

‘Is it collapsing?’

 

Bluebird lifted her head and stared at the ceiling. The wooden ceiling was cracking slowly but precariously, as if it would collapse in another half hour.

 

‘Wow, this is bad.’

 

It was fine when the original heroine found it, so why now?

 

Sophina looked around. Her eyes caught sight of the jewelry scattered everywhere.

 

‘What a waste.’

 

Sophina was torn. 

 

At this rate, all those expensive babies would end up in the rubble and never see the light of day.

 

To be honest, she was tempted.

 

‘If I do this, won’t the original heroine never get them in the first place?’

 

Finally, she made a decision. She’d better get them all.

 

‘Well, it’ll be neat if I can return them to the original heroine when the time comes!’

 

Sophina summoned all the strength she could muster from her body. Then she carefully controlled her telekinesis to avoid scratching the precious bundles.

 

The objects glowed with different colors as they were sucked into the bag.

 

Time passed as she labored unexpectedly,

 

‘Phew, we’re done, right?’

 

Peeking her head into the bag she’d managed to get a grip on, Sophina swiped at her chest with her wings.

 

She brushed her sweaty forehead with her wings.

 

I’ve been using this ability too much, and it’s made my butt tickle.

 

Still, the hard work of practicing this ability in Chadwick House kept me standing.

 

The clock tower was trembling now, threatening to collapse at any moment. The falling debris was getting bigger and bigger.

 

‘We really have to go now!’

 

Clutching the purse around her neck, Sophina glanced back and hurried out of the clock tower.

 

At the same time, the outer walls of the building crackled and crumbled.

 

‘This is in the center of the city, after all…’

 

She was worried that innocent people would get hurt. The bluebird flapped its wings up and down nervously.

 

Then, with the last of its powers, it wrapped itself around the clock tower. With a thud, the building collapsed in on itself.

 

A blind shard flew out, unable to harm anyone else.

 

‘So this is it?’

 

Sophina staggered away from the scene, feeling like some kind of hero for justice.

 

She arrived back at the inn. With a sigh of relief, she patted her tired legs with her wings.

 

She set her bag down on the ground.

 

And then…

 “You look like you’ve been somewhere.” 

‘Why did you have to come out here?’

 

Ricardo was sitting in a rocking chair in the center of the room.

 

He slowly closed the distance between him and Sophina.

 “You’re being a sneaky little girl.” 

Sophina hesitated, and backed away. It didn’t help that she was in bird form.

 

Ricardo picked up the purse on the floor and spoke in a low voice.

 

The depths of his emotion were immeasurable, and his voice was inscrutable.

 “You got a new purse I haven’t seen before?” 

Crap. The bluebird’s eyes fluttered open. Its blue feathers ruffled like a privet tree.

 

Just then, she heard the door to the living room open.

 

‘Who’s that again? Surely it’s a mess, right?’

 

Sophina’s face grew impatient. While she was fumbling around, someone walked through the open door.

 Tap, tap, tap— 

The owner of those steps was Ririela.

 

As if sensing something, she entered the room where Ricardo and Sophina were, and looked at them curiously.

 “What are you doing in that room, and where’s Sophina?” 

Ricardo asked, stepping backward with his back to her, and answered calmly.

 “Oh, she went to the bathroom because her stomach hurt.” 

Ricardo had been hiding Sophina in the palm of his hand from the moment the door opened.

 

Thankfully, Ririela, who hadn’t noticed anything, was innocently concerned for Sophina.

 

It was an awkward direction to take.

 “Really? Then go get her some medicine.” “I already gave it to her, so don’t worry about her.” 

‘Good job, Ricardo!’

 

Sophina cheered, patting Ricardo’s hand with her wing.

 

Unlike Sophina, however, Ririela grimly affirmed.

 “Uh, okay.” 

The sharpness of her sister’s response made her feel a little wistful.

 

Ririela’s eyebrows furrowed, giving off a sinister vibe.

 

‘She’s scariest when she looks like that.’

 

I wish I could soothe her somehow. By now, Sophina had gotten to the point where she could read Ririela’s facial language.

 

She pressed her slender claws firmly against Ricardo’s skin.

 

Gesturing for him to do something. He squinted once, then spoke in a softer tone, reassuring Ririela.

 

It must have been through Sophina’s telepathy.

 “She seems better than she was earlier, though, so I’ll ask her if she’d like to make a lotus flower with us, but you can go downstairs first, sister.” “Yes, tell her not to push herself too hard,”

Ririela replied, the corners of her mouth tugging upward.

 

It was a sign that she was feeling better. And with that, she swept away.

 

Ricardo lowered Sophina to the bed and whispered,

“She’s gone.” “Tweet?” 

She can’t talk in her bird form. Sophina took a moment to use her body language.

 “Twiit, tweet!” 

Lifting the covers, she used her telekinesis to retrieve the clothes she’d hidden earlier, then pointed with her wings to the closet.

 

‘Don’t tell anyone, I’ll be back in a flash to change!’

 

Sophina swooped down and disappeared into the closet. Left alone, Ricardo flopped down on the bed, looking dazed.

 

Soon, Sophina, back in her comfortable everyday clothes, poked her head through the crack in the door.

 

She paused for a moment, then looked up at Ricardo.

 “…Ricardo.” 

The words came out of Sophina’s hesitant mouth with a flourish.

 “We’re friends!” “So?” “What do you think friends like us need?” 

Undaunted by Ricardo’s seemingly cold response, Sophina naturally asked the question.

 “A secret, don’t you think?” 

She didn’t think it would be a bad idea, given the way Ricardo had hidden her from Ririela when she had just arrived, but she wanted to be sure.

 “It’s a secret between the two of us.” 

Lest anyone else hear about today’s walk? 

 

Sophina asked, her voice trembling slightly as she tried to keep a smile on her face.

 “…You’ll keep it a secret, won’t you?” “I don’t think so.” “Hey, why?” 

The answer came back in the negative. Sophina lunged forward and grabbed Ricardo’s arm. She shook him back and forth as if he were a child.

 “You just let it slide, didn’t you?” “Yeah, I don’t know why I ever allowed it.” 

In response, Ricardo muttered something faint that he couldn’t quite make out, either to himself or in response.

 

Ricardo didn’t understand why he’d helped her earlier, even himself.

 

‘Maybe it’s the habit of helping.’

 

I’ve paid her back, she doesn’t remember the day, and she considers me a friend, so she shouldn’t be in any danger.

 

‘All I had to do was dig into this strange contract and be careful.’

 

He could have pretended he didn’t know what had just happened and left it alone.

 

Why he hid Sophina?

 

Ricardo felt a little odd, but he put on his best nonchalant face and questioned Sophina.

 

It was urgent that he find out what she was up to.

 “What the hell are you doing out there?” “Playing superhero.” “Huh?” 

Sophina stammered out a vague answer and moved on.

 “I’ll do anything, really, if you keep it a secret.” 

It was a tempting enough bait to sway Ricardo, but he gave her a grim look and pressed on.

 

Ricardo’s face was grim, and he closed the distance, step by step.

 “You know what I’m going to do.” “What, what do you want me to do…?” 

She shuddered, instinctively snapping her paw back. Ricardo’s blue eyes had long since sunk into the depths of his own at the sight of her.

 

In response to the chill on his face, Sophina spoke in gibberish,

“I’ve been working out lately, so I’m stronger. If you want me to carry you, I’ll carry you.” 

It was a rambling statement.

 

Ricardo shook his head in disbelief.

 “…Was that meant to be funny?” 

Sophina tilted her head in the same way, her hazel eyes narrowing.

 “Was it funny?” “Not at all.” “No, that’s why you were so prepared.” 

Sophina apologized eagerly. Ricardo shrugged his shoulders, hiding the fact that he was actually quite pleased with the idea.

 “…That’s very believable. I’ll think about it. What wishes to make.” 

He didn’t particularly want her to do anything right now, but it might come in handy someday.

 

‘I wondered what Sophina was doing out here, but decided not to ask.’

 

What else was there to do in a remote city?

 

Or maybe she just wanted to wander around on her own, given her new purse,

 

‘But my wife is so fearless. What if she gets hurt?’

 

I need her to rely on me a little more.

 

Ricardo’s face stiffened at the sincerity that almost slipped out of his mouth.