YDPTB Chapter 12

On the way from the Barthes ducal house to the Sabon region, a mountain range stretched in between, so it took some time even on horseback. The duke had no particular worries, knowing that the mansion would run smoothly under Claude’s care, but there was one thing. His thoughts turned to Peep. He wondered if the bird would forget him during his long absence, but he quickly shook his head. Wasn’t Peep more intelligent than other creatures? Even if the bird forgot him, he could just tame it again.

“Just make sure to feed Peep well.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Claude secretly smiled at the duke’s sincere request. It was a small favor, unlike the duke’s usual demeanor before embarking on a secret trip, so a smile naturally escaped. As he chuckled inwardly, something occurred to him, and he hesitantly opened his mouth.

“But, Your Grace, when do you plan to inform Young Master Arthur?”

At the mention of Arthur, the duke twitched his eyebrows. Come to think of it, the original purpose of purchasing the bird was to give it to his younger brother. However, his heart had changed. His heart had flown and settled on the round, white bird. No, he had remained still, but this tiny bird had flown over and built a nest on top of his head.

The ill-tempered and small bird had impudently stolen his heart in a short period. A single bird had filled his exceptionally dull daily life.

“I suppose I’ll have to bring in another animal.”

“What kind of animal should I look into?”

“A rare species. Contact the trader we met before.”

“Yes, I understand.”

While walking and pondering various things, they reached the main gate. At the gate, a coachman and a well-groomed horse were waiting. Although it was an ordinary-looking horse that commoners would ride, upon closer inspection, its coat had a glossy sheen. The duke hung the bag he had been carrying on his shoulder on the hook behind the saddle.

“I’m thinking a maximum of ten days. Take good care of things.”

“Yes, please go with peace of mind.”

The duke thought Claude, who had managed the castle for a long time, would handle things well. He would also remember to take care of Peep, who would be sleeping in some corner.

Reaching out his hand, the duke took the reins handed by the coachman and mounted the horse with familiarity. As he adjusted his balance and gently tugged on the reins, the horse bent its long legs and gradually began to run.

Shortly after departing, the duke suddenly twisted his upper body slightly to look at the castle-like mansion. For some reason, he seemed to hear a faint “peep” sound, causing a wry smile to escape. He found it amusing that he was so captivated by a mere animal that he was even hearing things.

The presence of the bird was immense in his mundane daily life. Over the course of more than 400 years living as a duke, his emotions had gradually dulled, becoming as tranquil as a waveless sea. Although he had a body that could live for a long time, his mental strength was no more than that of a weak human.

Once his adopted younger brother grew up and took over the Barthes ducal house, he planned to leave everything behind and depart alone. He didn’t care if the end led to loneliness or death. Death was also a path. However, since meeting the small bird, a gentle breeze had begun to blow in the once-calm sea. Currently, it was only rippling, but he didn’t know how much the surface would move in the future. Perhaps it would become large enough to create waves.

A slight anger arose in him, who had never been interested in animals before. If he had raised something beforehand, could he have endured this boredom? He gazed at the distant sky with a faint smile. That was uncertain. If he had raised a different animal, he might not have met Peep.

He had to finish his work quickly and return to where Peep was waiting. Hopefully, the problems that had arisen in the Sabon region wouldn’t be too serious.

The duke continued riding without paying attention to the big incident unfolding in his bag.

🐤

I held onto the bag with all my might, enduring the constant shaking of my body. I didn’t know how long I had been enduring in that state, but a considerable amount of time had definitely passed. Fortunately, the shaking gradually slowed down and came to a complete stop not long after.

“Cheep…”

Finally… is it over?

Thud. I released the strength in my toes and beak and collapsed onto the bottom of the bag. I could feel slight tremors, but I didn’t experience the tremendous impact from before. I shed a single tear. You’ve endured well, me. As I lay there weakly, I felt a floating sensation as if someone was moving the bag. Although I flinched for a moment, I regained my composure. Now, this level of shaking was nothing.

I slightly raised my wing to wipe my face. My face, whether it was my mouth or eyes, was completely damp where my wing touched. Why is the area around my mouth so damp? Did I throw up? Did I drool? Ah, I don’t know. I just want to get out of here and sleep on a fluffy cushion.

“Peep…”

I made a weak sound. Suddenly, the movement of the bag stopped, and I felt it being placed on a hard surface somewhere.

“Cheep.”

Hurry up and take me out.

As I stretched out my legs and lay sprawled, the bag opened. Although the inside of the bag was still dark, the light of the setting sun gently entered, illuminating the interior.

“Peep.”

A familiar hand entered from the opening of the bag, groping around. The approaching fingertips lightly brushed against my belly. As if sensing something unusual, the owner of the hand hesitated for a moment before spreading their fingers and gently grasping me, pulling me out.

The sudden influx of red sunlight dizzied my eyes. Having been in a dark place and abruptly exposed to light, my eyes couldn’t adapt. I blinked repeatedly, gradually accepting the light. Only then did the duke’s startled face slowly come into view.

Hello.

“Peep!”

So you can make that kind of face too. I looked up at the duke while lying on his hand. He, who usually had a stoic expression with occasional smiles, seemed at a loss for what to do as he looked at me. Come to think of it, where is this? The bag I had entered was definitely in the office. I struggled to turn my head and survey my surroundings. The duke and I were surrounded by lush trees and grass.

“Cheep?”

A forest?

The fresh scent of nature filled the air around us. The invigorating fragrance slowly settled my dizzy stomach. However, apart from that, I didn’t have much strength left in my body. I lay sprawled on the duke’s hand like a dehydrated piece of laundry.

The duke observed me for a moment before finding a large leaf and placing me on top of it. Then, he opened the bag and began rummaging through it, searching for something. Wondering what he was doing, I watched as he pulled out a soft-looking white cloth. He brought the cloth to me and gently wiped my face.

“Cheep.”

I had a rough time.

“Shh… I’m sorry. I realized it too late.”

“Cheep!”

I almost died. Recognizing my protest, the duke wiped away the tear stains that covered my face and spoke.

“I have no excuses. Rest here for a bit. I’ll bring you something to eat soon.”

“Peep.”

I don’t think I can take it.

Judging by the gradually darkening sky, it seemed that a considerable amount of time had passed since I had entered the bag. However, perhaps due to the chaotic situation, I didn’t feel hungry.

Although I wasn’t in the mood to have anything in my stomach right now, it wasn’t easy to refuse when I saw the duke’s slightly furrowed eyebrows. When he makes that pitiful expression with his handsome face, it unsettles my heart. I simply lay on the leaf, staring at him blankly, and sighed.

“Cheep. Peep.”

Just bring it for now.

As the duke got up from his spot, the shade that had covered my face disappeared. It seemed he was going to get something to eat. With his departure, I could finally close my eyes with peace of mind.

🐤

As the sun began to set, the duke gradually slowed down. Having ridden almost non-stop since their departure, the horse’s breathing was rough, indicating its fatigue. Although it wasn’t completely dark yet, he had to stop here. If he continued further, the chances of finding a proper camping site were slim.

“Whoa, whoa.”

He gently tugged on the reins, bringing the horse to a halt. Fortunately, there was a decent-sized flat area. The sound of water nearby made it a suitable place for camping. The duke released the reins, grasped the saddle, and dismounted from the horse in one swift motion. Only then could he hear it.

“Peep.”

Peep? Is he having an auditory hallucination? It was too distinct to be dismissed as a hallucination. When he had departed, there had been a lot of ambient noise, and he had felt disappointed that he couldn’t even say goodbye, so he had thought it was an auditory hallucination. But now, it was different. In this quiet place where only the occasional chirping of insects could be heard, the “peep” sound resonated. There was no way Peep could be here.

The duke focused his hearing and listened intently. Then, he heard soft, steady breathing. The source of the sound was the bag.

‘Why from there…?’

With a growing suspicion, he untied the knot and picked up the bag. He carefully placed it on the ground, worried that the bird might get hurt, and opened the bag. As he reached inside and fumbled, his fingertips brushed against something fluffy. It was the familiar feeling of feathers.

“Peep.”

It was Peep.

For the first time in a long while, the duke felt himself caught off guard. Peep’s appearance was in a terrible state. In just a few hours, the bird’s cheeks seemed to have sunken in, and its face was drenched in either saliva or tears, or both.

From what he could gather, it seemed that the bird had been sleeping inside the bag, and he had unknowingly carried it along without realizing it. If only he had paid a little more attention, this unfortunate incident wouldn’t have happened… If only he hadn’t dismissed the sound he had heard when departing as an auditory hallucination.

Peep’s current appearance was like melted ice under the hot sun. The tiny creature looked around, its body devoid of strength. Seeing Peep weakly turning its head, a part of the duke’s heart ached. He quickly placed the bird on a soft-looking leaf and gently wiped its face with a towel.

“Cheep.”

The small, crying voice sounded as if it was saying it had a tough time, making the duke’s heart ache.

“Shh… I’m sorry. I realized it too late.”

“Cheep!”

Peep cried pitifully as if blaming itself. The bird, who was usually so full of anger, was now so lacking in energy. Its fragile appearance sharply pierced the duke’s heart. It had been so long since he had experienced this feeling that he didn’t know what to do.

What did Peep like? What could he do to help the bird regain its energy and even express anger? After pondering for a moment, something that Peep definitely enjoyed came to mind, and the duke hesitantly opened his mouth.

“I have no excuses. Rest here for a bit. I’ll bring you something to eat soon.”

As if understanding the mention of food, Peep looked at him.