Bluebird Lady and The White Lion Family

This was the first time I’d heard the original prophecy.

 

I’ve been so busy with other things, that I’ve pretty much forgotten all about the prophecy.

 

Sophina asked,

“What?” “Well, the birth of something that shouldn’t have been in existence since the beginning of time is an ominous and ugly sign, isn’t it?” 

The second brother was adamant that Sophina’s existence was a bad omen.

 

So, just to be on the safe side, they handed her over to the lions.

 

Emboldened by the eagle head’s affirmation, the second brother ranted arrogantly, as if he had forgotten his predicament.

 

Worse than the bullying at the mansion.

 “You might as well die now, you fool!” 

To say that in front of the beast’s face…

 

Sophina’s brow furrowed at his harsh words. Still, she had lived in the same house for years, and she had already gotten her revenge, so she was willing to forgive them.

 

‘I was going to ask Mother if she’d consider sending him to the coal mines instead of killing him.’ 

 

Sophina clenched her fists tightly.

 

Just as she was about to give her brother a good beating, she summoned all the power of her entire being to give him a reverent lesson.

 

A chilling aura came from behind her, as if from a bitter cold.

 

A low, almost ghastly bass note echoed across the cold prison floor.

 “I think you’re the one who should die.” “Ricardo?” 

It was Ricardo, looking even more upset than Sophina.

 

Ricardo stared at Sophina with his slightly glassy eyes, then pressed the eagles with the fierce ferocity typical of the next Lord of Lions.

 “If, as you say, something was born that shouldn’t have existed from the beginning of time, isn’t that a miracle?” 

He concluded, his tone unwavering and firm.

 “So Sophina is a miracle, at least to me.” “…” 

Sophina thought, staring blankly at Ricardo’s shimmering side.

 

‘A miracle.’

 

Who else would call my existence a miracle?

 

Maybe Ricardo would be my miracle.

 

If so, could I ever let go of him?

 

Sophina’s eyes took on a strange emotion that became slightly recognizable.

 

Ricardo, too busy warning the eagles to see her face, grunted and drew his sword from its sheath at his side.

 “If you run your mouth anymore, I’ll know you’re mad as hell and want to die.” 

He placed his palm over Sophina’s eyes.

 

So that only darkness fell.

 “What are you doing?” 

Sophina pursed her lips, startled by the sudden physical contact.

 

But Ricardo made no answer. Then, with a motion so swift that she couldn’t have guessed what was happening, he made a long slash across the grate.

 “My head, my head, my head!” 

The second brother, the one who had spoken so bitterly to Sophina, clutched his head and fell back in a pitiful heap.

 “What is it, murder…!” 

Sophina quickly pushed Ricardo’s hand away. She stared in horror at the sight before her.

 “Crazy.” 

The center of her annoying brother’s bountiful head of hair was gaping open.

 

The eagle had evolved into a bald eagle. 

 

There was even a strand or two of brown hair clinging faintly to the blade of Ricardo’s sword.

 

What’s that?

 

The prison quickly became somber.

 

Sophina looked up at Ricardo and muttered to herself.

 “Cruel…” 

I’d rather be in a coal mine. I hear they’re hiring people to mine ore for alloys these days.

 

Even she didn’t think she was cruel enough. She stood on her tiptoes and whispered in Ricardo’s ear.

 “When did you get here?” “The servants said you were headed here.” 

He answered in a slow whisper in time with Sophina.

 

Aha, her gaze gradually shifted downward in affirmation.

 

To Ricardo’s sword, to his second brother’s hair, to be exact.

 “Ah, wait.” 

Sophina leaned down slightly and took the hair. The next thing she knew, Ricardo was hugging her.

 

He stared down at her with a rigid expression, his eyes glazed over.

 

Unperturbed, he gestured to the knight behind him.

 “Will you ask my maid to bring me some Thenedor?” “Yes, my Lady!” 

The knight obeyed, bowed to Ricardo, and galloped off.

 

Ricardo, who had been watching the scene languidly, crossed his arms and asked impatiently to Sophina.

 “What are you going to do, my lady?” 

She grabbed Ricardo’s wrist and pulled him away from the eagles. Her whispered words landed on Ricardo.

 “I’ve spoken to them, and they’re acting a little strange, like they’re going to escape.” 

A bit odd, wasn’t it?

 

The way the eldest sister’s demeanor was domineering even though the roles were reversed, and the way the eagle head was trying to stop him.

 

But then I had an idea. The eagles’ specialty was tracking.

 

The ability to know the location of an opponent by the mere sight of a hair.

 

I was going to use it to my advantage.

 “Let’s see if you can outwit me.” 

Sophina’s eyes gleamed with brilliance.

 

The kind of mischievous gleam that appears when she’s planning a cunning scheme.

 

Ricardo, seeing this, gave her a scolding.

 “I picked you first because there’s something suspicious happening.” “What? What, is something wrong?” 

Sophina’s eyes narrowed. 

 

Ricardo’s voice, already mesmerizing, turned even more husky.

 “Apparently, there is an ally, or at least a force behind this war. We have discovered a flow of supplies that the Alliance cannot handle.” 

Her ears perked up at this new information. She’d been asking the informant for updates on the war, but nothing like this.

 

Surely this must have happened after the informant left for a while.

 

Or maybe she’d seen all she could, and when she heard the war was about to end, she hadn’t heard from the informant since.

 

Or perhaps she just didn’t know.

 

Anyway, the covert talk continued.

 “It’s a good thing we cut off the supply lines and intercepted them before that happened.” 

Ricardo concluded, nodding toward the far end of the prison, where the eagles were.

 “They were the ones who caught them.” 

I wonder what the Eagles could have done.

 

They had already robbed the family of most of their possessions.

 

‘Come to think of it, the oldest sister was wearing a very expensive-looking sapphire necklace.’

 

Ricardo had a hunch that he was right.

 

Sophina couldn’t help but agree with Ricardo.

 “Thank goodness. How clever of you.” 

Normally, Ropan male lead’s hearts fluttered like erratic pulses when they met their female lead.

 

She gazed at him nervously. Ricardo raised an eyebrow in response, as if he didn’t understand.

 

It was a silly question, she thought, even for him.

 

After all, it wasn’t as if he was about to inquire into the couple’s history to see if they had any pre-existing conditions.

 “…What?” “Nothing. It’s not like I’m going to give you the luxury of…” 

Sophina shook her head dejectedly. Then her eyes shone with determination.

 “Ricardo, what do you think would happen if you fell in love with another girl?” 

Sophina chuckled to herself.

 “No, that’s not a question.” 

‘What’s the point of asking him how he would feel about cheating?’ 

 “Oh, my… I can’t even speak properly anymore!”  

Stomping her foot in frustration, she slowly resumed her slow, languid pace to make her point.

 “I mean, we’re married, but you know, you’re going to have feelings for other people in your life.” 

We weren’t married because we liked each other in the first place.

 

Of course, it would be very rude to see someone else.

 

Sophina stared at Ricardo with moist eyes.

 “Do you think we can still be friends?” 

She knew it was ridiculous, but her mouth moved of its own accord.

 

‘I didn’t want to lose Ricardo that badly.’

 “My lady.” 

Ricardo called to Sophina, his voice sounding a little angry, like scratching his throat.

 

Then, step by step, he closed the distance between them, like a beast on the hunt.

 

Sophina couldn’t help but take a step backward. Ricardo’s eyes were darker and fiercer than she’d ever seen them before.

 

Having backed her into a corner, Ricardo’s lips curled up into a smirk.

 “What kind of nonsense are you talking about so carefully?” 

He leaned down and scanned Sophina’s face, mocking.

 “Are you trying to cheat on me?” 

Ricardo fidgeted with the small note he’d tucked into his arms. He’d found it when he’d gone to the bedroom to look for Sophina and had absentmindedly taken it with him.

 

‘I told you it was a good island to settle on. I thought you were going to go far away.’

 

 

While her husband was crawling home from the war, did she find someone else?

 

Or had she grown tired of this place, and her husband?

 

Did she think of him as just a passing friend?

 

Strangely, it didn’t feel good. Weren’t he and Sophina each other’s only existence?

 

Whether they were friends or a couple, he couldn’t quite define their relationship right now, but there shouldn’t be any interference.

 

And he doesn’t want her heart to wander away from him.

 

‘I won’t let that happen.’

 

Ricardo’s cold smile deepened as he stared down at her.

 “Try it.” “Huh?” 

Sophina stirred at the suddenness of the attack.

 

Ricardo slowly reached his hand into the pocket of his pants and turned his head as if to kiss her.

 

His breath touched her lips, refined but ragged, like a beast at the nape of its prey’s neck.

 

All of his earlier demeanor was gone, replaced by a low, unhurried growl.

 “Well, that’s going to be fun.” 

Ricardo’s retina flashed with the image of Sophina cowering like a small animal in a trap.

 

‘I pushed her too hard.’

 

Ricardo smirked, his tone softening slightly as realization dawned.

 “So stop being weird and focus on me, my lady.” 

In truth, she wasn’t intimidated by his demeanor, but she was thinking hard.

 

‘I don’t suppose Ricardo’s still in love with the original heroine, is he?’

 

The corners of Sophina’s lips tilted upward.