NOVEL WEB Ch28 - The Tree and the Black Bird
28: The Tree and the Black Bird
I carried Levi near Fenrir’s sleeping quarters. The fir-tree sled moved smoothly without any issues. It had a stable center of gravity, so the ride was comfortable. The prince is amazing, isn’t he?
“This will be my new home from now on!”
“Yes, Levi. Looking forward to it. I’d love to soak in the hot springs every morning. The combination of sunrise and a hot spring is the ultimate luxury. But, a nighttime open-air bath under the starry sky is also tempting…!”
I looked up at the sky, which was gradually darkening from the sunset. The Fenrir constellation was beginning to rise.
“You should experience both.”
“I will! I’m so excited! Starting tomorrow!”
“Why not today?”
The prince tilted his head and pinched his nose… If I remember that, I’ll be embarrassed! Waiting until tomorrow should be fine. I made an excuse to Levi, saying, “I’m too tired today.” Although she puffed out her cheeks a little, she waved her hand and said goodbye calmly, happy to stay close by.
We still needed to have dinner. Today, we settled for a light meal of tree fruits I had packed in my bag. Even though it was a small amount and didn’t fill us up much, my magical power was fully restored. My whimsical, fairy-tale tree is truly amazing.
“Please let me make the bed… I can’t read the instructions.”
The prince was staring at the manual, looking puzzled. Beside him was the box for an assembly-type portable bed. Unbelievably, we found more items from another world on our way back! We’ve had incredible luck, haven’t we? They kept popping up one after another, and the prince even mentioned that it was an abnormal situation, making me break out in a cold sweat! I have a strange feeling of unease… I really don’t like it. But I’ll gratefully put it to good use.
“Like this.”
I explained as I put the bed together. Although the prince worried, saying, “A delicate lady shouldn’t have to do this…!” the furniture was lightweight and easy for even women to assemble, so it was fine. It’s quicker if I just do it myself.
“There you go.”
The prince cautiously got into the bed.
“I can’t believe how comfortable this is!”
Even though it’s a simple product, he seemed really impressed. He mentioned wanting to study the compact frame that could unfold into such a spacious bed later. I see… I’ll help with that. I thought it was just a casual interest in crafting, but he actually wants to stock these portable beds for disasters in the kingdom. As expected of someone aspiring to be a king. Impressive, admirable.
Glare carelessly threw a disaster-use thermal sheet over the prince. Rough!
“Good night.”
I covered the prince with an igloo. This should keep him warm and comfortable through the night.
As for me…
“Fenrir!”
“Come here.”
I buried myself in the soft, fluffy, silvery-white fur—ahhh, this is pure bliss!!! The prince may be holed up in his igloo alone, but I’m sorry! I can’t give this up…!! I don’t think I could ever go back to a regular bed again.
“You did well today. I was watching you closely.”
“Fenrir…! Thank you.”
“I should be the one thanking you.”
Oh no, I’m really weak to words like “You did well”… Because it makes me feel acknowledged, and I get so emotional. Ahhh, the prince is right nearby…! I’m about to cry. This is bad.
“Glare, sing me a lullaby.”
“Me? A lullaby!? Ugh… fine! Just remember this later, alright!?”
I rubbed my head against Fenrir’s fur to hide my tears.
Glare’s beautiful singing voice filled the air. Wow, he’s really good! But it doesn’t feel like a lullaby. His voice isn’t gentle or soothing; it’s more like a crisp, refreshing winter breeze… a hymn to Fenrir. As expected of him.
“Hehe…! Thank you.”
“Are you satisfied? Well, there’s more where that came from! My original songs never end!”
“Amazing! Fenrir is so loved! But I’m going to sleep now. Goodnight.”
I decided to sleep immediately. If I kept listening, Glare would never let me sleep. My words of thanks were truly heartfelt. I was so exhausted from all the emotions today that I fell asleep quickly.
I didn’t notice that Fenrir had started to say something.
I was wrapped in warmth and slept soundly through the night! This is the best!
“Good morning, Fenrir.”
“Good morning, my dear El.”
Oh, come on, now I’m blushing… But I kind of want him to say it more. I love this appearance that Fenrir gifted me! I understand why the prince is so captivated. His reaction totally confirms he’s a kindred spirit.
The prince and Glare aren’t here. They must have gone hunting for breakfast… Hunting? If the prince brings back some weird mushrooms, I’ll definitely throw them away…
“We’re back!”
As soon as I woke up, the two of them returned—along with a snow fairy. Does that mean Fenrir let them know? Thanks!
“We hunted a rabbit.”
He flashed a dazzling, handsome smile while holding up a bloodstained rabbit. Isn’t that a bit much? The prince of this snowy land is way too wild!
“We got eggs.”
Glare’s offering wins, no contest. When I took Glare’s spoils first, the prince looked utterly devastated! It was like thunder and rainclouds appeared behind him. Sorry about that. But eggs and hot springs are just too perfect together!
I asked Levi to make some hot spring eggs. The gourmet prince seemed to love them, and Glare went on and on about the wonders of hot spring eggs with a smug expression… I could tell he was really proud! Even with that composed look on his face, his ears were twitching. I had to stifle my laughter!
“Thank you for the meal.”
We ended up making sautéed rabbit with butter… and I ate it after all. I think I’m getting used to this. Also, thanks to the Fel Snow Kingdom supplies! The butter-flavored meat was delicious! But seriously, Michela is incredible for leaving us that emergency survival kit. Her quick judgment, precision, and boldness are unmatched. The prince ended up being the victim of her decisiveness, though.
“Today, we’ll head to the mountain summit. There’s a blackbird we’ve captured.”
Fenrir’s sly smile is terrifying! I often forget because he’s so gentle with me and calm around others, but he’s still a wolf—when he gets angry, the intensity is overwhelming. His fangs glint menacingly! That blackbird is in for a serious scolding…
“We’ll have bird meat for lunch.”
It’s worse than just a scolding. The wild beast is in full force!!
“Just kidding.”
“Really!?”
“The meat doesn’t taste good, so I don’t feel like eating it.”
Oh, that makes sense… I somehow get it now. So no bird meat for lunch then.
We started our climb to the summit. The prince rode the pinewood sled we used to transport Levi yesterday. Since it would shake too much if Glare pulled it, I created an ice reindeer to draw the sled instead. I used a tear pearl as the core, so it’s super high-performance! Uh, about those tears from last night… haha…
“What a wonderful spell! I truly appreciate your thoughtfulness.”
“You’re welcome! Let’s go.”
I’m getting used to dealing with the prince too.
We reached the summit. In a cage-like barrier was a scrawny blackbird, staring at us intently.
“Now, what should we do with you…”
Fenrir let out a low growl and licked his lips. Eeeek! I didn’t expect him to be this angry, and the blackbird went into a panic, flapping around wildly.
I looked up at the fairytale tree. It was clear that the fruit had been eaten. I listened to the beasts’ ears.
“He was hungry…!”
Well, that makes sense.
“El, your ears are…”
“Ah…”
I gave a wry smile. My ears are drooping, aren’t they? Eating fruit because of hunger feels more like a natural reaction than mere mischief. So, this blackbird chose the wrong tree. I think there’s some sympathy to be had for it. I can think this way because I’m now living in a kind and gentle environment.
“Was it because he hadn’t grown his winter fur and couldn’t hunt?”
I asked Fenrir softly.
“That’s part of it. What do you want to do?”
Wow, I’m the one who has to decide. The fate of this blackbird, whether it lives or dies. If it’s to live in this world, it’s necessary. As a Winter Princess… I’m still unsure about that…
I took a deep breath.
“Turning it into bird meat as punishment rather than for sustenance seems a bit excessive. The real issue was that it was hungry because it couldn’t grow its winter fur. I think it should be given a chance.”
“Understood.”
When Fenrir stomped his feet, the overly sleek blackbird transformed into a fluffy winter version of itself. It looked like a big, puffed-up sparrow… so cute, despite its menacing eyes. The barrier around it hasn’t been lifted yet. Fenrir looked up at the tree and then glanced at me. Ah!
“Did you play a trick on it?”
“No? Not at all. It was just hungry and wanted food!”
The blackbird pleaded with me to believe it. However… it didn’t just eat the fruit; it also caused a bit of damage to the tree. I only just noticed that it was inside, hidden from view! Ugh! If it weren’t for Fenrir’s guidance, I might have never realized.
I still don’t know much about the creatures of this snowy land. I want to learn more. And… I want to help make Fenrir and the others’ lives better and make this land a better place. I have no doubts about this feeling. I wonder if one day I’ll be able to proudly accept being the Winter Princess.
“I’m glad you got your winter fur. It’s a gift because of our connection. Make sure to spend your time doing good things, okay?”
“Of course! I will never forget this kindness.”
When I made an ice necklace for the blackbird, it twitched its eyes in surprise. Looks like something is going on… Hehe.
“This holly necklace is like the ring of Son Goku,” I explained, holding up the ornament. It resembled a magical artifact with powerful properties.
“Let’s do good things, okay?” I added with a bright smile before using a flashy spell to rejuvenate the fairy tree. It was deliberate—I wanted the black bird to see it.
The black bird bowed several times before flying away. I hoped it would reflect on its actions.
Behind me, I could hear the prince and Glare singing praises of the Fenrir tribe. Fenrir’s soft laughter was also present.
“Ah, I see. So it’s important to prevent any unwanted creatures from consuming the tree’s fruit,” I said, nodding in understanding.
The Fairy Spring… It’s such a beautiful place, but I’ve heard scary stories about the high concentration of magical power there. I was a bit anxious, but overall, I was looking forward to it.
“Thank you, Fenrir. I’m really looking forward to this!”
With Fenrir by my side, I felt a sense of reassurance. The upcoming journey to the Fairy Spring was filled with promise and excitement.