Of All Things, I Became a Crow

*Rainelle’s POV

It was nice to hear that, but it was embarrassing.

No, wait!

"Ka- Karmeut! You’re not fully recovered yet--!! So, don't overdo..."

"...It isn’t okay?"

I was speechless at the sight of Karmeut looking at me with pitiful eyes like a puppy in the rain. If I really said no here, it seemed that I would even see the illusion of the invisible ears and tail drooping.

“Rainelle, allow me.”

Whispering, Karmeut's hand moved. I was startled by the slow caress of my legs which was suddenly exposed by the dragging of Karmeut's hand.

"Please, Rainelle? Um?"

His voice sounded childish, but his behavior was nothing like that. He was careful as if he was dealing with something that would break at any moment, but on the other hand, his hand, which contained impatience, touched my calf slowly, as if he would not be able to endure without touching it.

Before I could stop him again, I gasped when he buried his face in the nape of my neck.

As if on purpose to make me let out a sound, his tongue moved as if licking milk. I unwittingly squeezed my breath through my lips.

"Ha..."

As if the inadvertent sigh had become a fuse, he acted a little more persistently. As if to taste it, his mouth which bit slightly on the back of my neck and exhaled from time to time, slowly came up toward my ears.

"Now, wait..."

As if he couldn't hear anything, his actions didn't stop. It felt like my body temperature was rising was rising due to his slow groping of the earlobe after slightly biting it.

"Uh, um..."

Tickled, I bit my lower lip lightly with a feeling of longing. The breath in my ear gave me a chill.

"...Really, are you going to refuse---?"

The low-pitched voice that had sunk so low, full of desire, was scratching my eardrums

...You’re so mean. If you act like this... there's nothing I can do about it…

I reached out and wrapped my arms around his neck. At that action, the golden wolf bent the corner of his eyes as if he was happy, and began to devour me mercilessly yet affectionately.

***

In the end, Karmeut and I spent a few days together under the excuse of recuperation. It wasn't that he hadn't done that until now, but I usually went to do things during the day to do work, so we weren't together all day.

But now it was different.

All day, not apart even for a moment. Sometimes as an animal, sometimes as a human. I had a warm and languid time enjoying his warmth and scent. Like being a cat.

...But it wasn't all just playing around.

"...Hmm. I should come out now."

"Is it because you're trying to sort things out?"

Karmeut put on a small smile and kissed me on the forehead. Shrinking at the action, I wrapped myself in a blanket.

"Get some rest, Rainelle."

"...Uh-uh, no, I want to go too."

"...You too?"

"I'm sure the nobles will run wild as much as they want, but don't we have to take this opportunity to show them the dignity of the prospective empress?"

Karmeut chuckled at the words. Then he said, rubbing my cheek playfully.

"It looks like you've already been recognized by the Imperial Knights and the people working in the Imperial Palace?"

"I still have to be acknowledged by the proud nobles, don't I? To become an empress."

"It's sad that I can't deny it."

“But I’ve prepared well, so I will try my best. Will you help me, Karmeut?”

He replied with a smile,

"Of course, my dear mate."

Then he grumbled a little,

"It’s a shame that the leisure time is over."

"---If you want to recuperate more, you can."

“Of course, I want to do that.”

He said so and kissed me abruptly.

...But it was always been like this these days, so I responded naturally.

"If it's just a little while longer, I think I'll not care about the situation around me and be like this for the rest of my life, so I shouldn't do that, right?"

When he said it like a complaint, I finally laughed.

Oh really. You being cute like this make me weak.

I got up from my seat while giggling, revealing my wings. After creating a dress with just one flap of my wings, I lightly hooked Karmeut's arm and said,

"I'll do what Karmeut wants once you finish this job."

"---You mean that?"

I answered with a smile as he narrowed his eyes and asked me back,

"Sure, I'll do whatever you want for a day."

"...Don't regret it later, okay? Rainelle?"

"---I thought it would be like that, so I said it was only for one day, Karmeut."

At that, Karmeut laughed out loud. Then, after lightly rubbing his lips on my forehead, he held my hand tightly and we began to walk out.

***

*3^rd person POV

The nobles gathered in the meeting room.

Marquis Namuel's had rampaged and attempted murder of the Emperor.

As a result, it was expected that the cost of restoring the destroyed territory, water supply, and the Imperial Palace would be enormous.

In addition, for nearly two weeks, the Emperor had withdrawn from state affairs for medical care.

There were no nobles who would miss that opportunity. At least, the members of the aristocratic faction didn’t.

That's why they didn't take their eyes off the Emperor who came in with Rainelle, who had been announced as the next empress.

"...I think you already guessed the reason why I called you all like this."

The Emperor overwhelmed the crowd with his low, but dignified voice. The voice was so powerful that in their silence, some nobles inwardly doubted whether he had really wandered between life and death.

"Due to Marquis Namuel's rampage, the Milburn territory was razed to the ground, and there was great damage to several areas, the Capital, and even the Imperial Palace. I was also caught up in that incident."

The Emperor, who had been scrutinizing the nobles while calmly reciting the facts, continued.

“You guys had worked hard while I was away.”

“That is not true, Your Majesty the Emperor.”

Marquis Wilhelm humbly replied. Then, one of the Imperial nobles cautiously opened his mouth,

"Your Majesty, may I say something here?"

"Speak."

“The one who put the most effort is none other than Rainelle-nim.”

At those words, everyone's eyes turned to Rainelle.

Black wings rustled behind her as she sat beside Karmeut while receiving their gaze.

“If it wasn’t for Rainelle-nim coming forward to solve the situation, I don’t think we would have reached this point. The impression of Rainelle-nim, who gathered all the birds in the Capital and commanded them, was spreading fast like a rumor in the Empire."

The nobleman, who took a deep breath, said again,

"So, why not hurry up with the wedding as soon as possible? I don’t think there’s a woman more suitable for the position of empress than Rainelle-nim."

At those words, Karmeut smiled quietly. ...But as if to break the atmosphere, a voice came out from the other side.

“I think that may be premature.”

It was Duke Howard. He looked at Rainelle for a moment, then bowed to the Emperor and opened his mouth,

“Right now, the most urgent thing is not the marriage, but what to do with Marquis Namuel. Isn’t he the person who attempted to kill the Emperor?

Karmeut nodded his head. It was natural. The priority in the current situation was to make decision about Namuel.

"I would like to hear your opinion."

Hearing such words, Duke Howard cleared his throat.

He was intimidated by the flashing wolf's eyes and showed a weak appearance, but he was bound to be bitten.

‘Well, that’s not what will happen’

Promising so inwardly, Duke Howard said,

"Your Majesty's attempted murder is serious. No matter how much Imperial blood flows in him, I think he should set an example and be beheaded."

The Emperor listened to him without speaking. When the silence continued, Duke Howard slightly raised his voice,

"There were often those who ate Crobanlock and couldn't stand the power. Of course, there were also rampaging mages like Marquis Namuel. But this one is very different from the past cases."

His eyes swept through the crowd. The nobles belonging to the aristocratic faction were nodding their heads slightly as if agreeing.

"That's not how a typical mage's rampage works. It normally starts and ends in the same area. ---They didn’t cause destruction on the move and didn’t aim for Your Majesty the Emperor’s life like Marquis Namuel."

Since what he said so far was true, some of the Imperial nobles nodded their heads.

"However, when the wolf blood was mixed in, the situation changed. He moved toward the Capital as if he had only one goal, and tried to kill Your Majesty."

Duke Howard's eyes lit up.

"Isn’t he violent and dangerous? The instinct of a predator is also added. It is natural that the damage increases exponentially when magic is wielded with such instinct."

He concluded his speech with his arms lightly outstretched, like an actor on stage.

"We don't know when the beast's instinct will wake up and reveal its fangs again. So I think it's the right thing to behead Marquis Namuel."

At those words, the surroundings stirred a little. ---But that atmosphere did not last long.

“---Hoo-oh, so, Duke Howard, do you mean to say that His Majesty the Emperor is a violent wolf with bestial instincts?”

The Duke's head jerked.

It was none other than Rainelle who said that. With purple eyes flashing, she curved the corners of her mouth.

“A weak human who has lived on the wolf’s side is so good at talking. Why, do you want to curl up your tail and bark like a scared doggie because you think it's a little dangerous?"

“---This is the meeting room, Rainelle-nim. Please keep the minimum courtesy.”

"Ah, of course, if you're polite, I have to be polite too. After all, etiquette was also taught in the empress class. But..."

The eyes of the Queen of all birds flashed.

“There is no need for courtesy for a treasonous criminal who is plotting treason.”

Hearing that, some members of the aristocratic faction jumped up from their seats.

"Rainelle-nim! What are you talking about! What do you mean by treason?!"

“Do you know what kind of repercussions those words will have?!”

A cold gaze scanned them.

"...I know what you guys think of me. Thank you for letting me know how you've been judging me as stupid all this time."

The shoulders of the two nobles, who responded loudly, shrank. Seeing them like that, Rainelle slowly rose from her seat.

"Of course, I know very well. His Majesty the Emperor praised you for your hard work during his recuperation, but there were some who were just sitting around doing nothing..."

The gazes of several nobles turned to the floor.

“Despite this incident which has caused so much trouble…”

Rainelle's black wings swayed slightly.

"Also, there are some who have plotted treason because wolf blood is dangerous, and have shown ambition to create an empire of humans by rebelling against His Majesty the Emperor."

Rainelle's eyes were on Duke Howard. Then Duke Howard straightened his shoulders.

"You're speculating too much. Rainelle-nim. You don’t seem to be fond of me that much."

"Not fond of you?"

"Yes. Of course you can make that argument. But as this is important, evidence is needed."

Saying that, the duke tilted his head.

"I wonder what made you say there is a traitor. Can you convince us?"

At those words, Rainelle’s shoulders seemed trembling. Soon after, she started giggling and laughing.

Most of the nobles were puzzled by the laughter that did not fit the situation, and Duke narrowed his eyes.

Laughing, Rainelle spread one of her wings.

"Duke Howard, you don't seem to know, so let me tell you. I am the Queen of all crows and birds. Did you think that your conversation would not reach my ears?"

Saying that, Rainelle continued to laugh.

“Even if it’s a rare bird that is confined in a cage which was gifted by your son, they are all my people.”

At the words, Duke Howard's body stiffened. Seeing that, Rainelle said with a smile,

"Of course, you can't understand the birds' conversation, so you can say I made it up. Well, you even doubt, deceive, and betray your own kind, so of course you will say so."

Rainelle's gaze scanned the nobles. Some of the nobles flinched and averted their gaze, or glared at her fiercely.

Leisurely accepting all such gazes, Rainelle continued her words,

"So, since I've gathered the evidence, I hope you guys enjoy watching it. Oh, maybe it's boring. It will be boring to see what you already know."

With a charming smile (but witch-like smile for Duke Howard), Rainelle clapped lightly twice.

*Clap clap-*

Then the door opened and a wizard entered. He had several crystal balls in his hand.

The moment the people in the room realized that those were memory spheres, the recordings inside began to play in front of them.

***