Chapter 35
“Yes, I’ll just stay a bit longer.”
“Don’t wander too far. Beasts could appear at any time.”
After giving a firm warning, Anafi hurried away.
“It’s strange. When I lived in the monastery, I never saw any beasts.”
Even if the beast’s habitats were nearby, they usually didn’t stray far from their territory.
But yesterday.
A beast had appeared near the monastery.
It was fortunate that it showed up in front of the Emperor’s party and not attacked the monastery. If it had been the latter, a disaster would have unfolded. Monks, accustomed only to prayer, would have struggled to confront a beast.
“There must be a reason. How could I know the minds of beasts.”
Claire shook off her complicated thoughts and moved on.
She walked familiarly around the monastery.
Entering a trail that led from the pond into the forest, she walked towards the vineyard. At the end of the vineyard was a small, modest building.
It was accommodation for laypeople, not monks.
Like her foster father Samuel, who had renounced worldly life, laypeople who came to the monastery stayed there.
The trail, walked on after so long, felt as familiar as if she had strolled it recently.
The dense bushes on either side of the path, the tall and thick trees…
“Wait. This seems like it was in my dream.”
Claire narrowed her eyes and looked around.
The dream she had during a brief nap in the carriage while leaving Grizmen and heading to the empire.
A forest filled with fog.
She had walked on dew-soaked grass just like now.
“Yes, it was exactly like this. Towards here…”
Squeak. A bird cried out in the distance.
Just like in the dream, a bird fluttered in and perched on the opposite branch.
“…The bird flew in.”
Claire looked up at the bird spreading its wings.
The silver hawk from her dream.
Its silver wings shimmered brilliantly in the morning sunlight filtering through the mist.
It was undoubtedly the same silver hawk that had spoken to her in the dream.
Mystified by the encounter, Claire spoke without realizing it.
“Hello.”
“…”
“Are you… the hawk from my dream?”
“…”
“You spoke to me, remember? You even said you would come to find me again. I didn’t expect to see you in reality, though.”
The silver hawk seemed too busy to respond. It was preoccupied with preening its feathers, lifting one wing high.
“It’s strange. It’s definitely that hawk.”
Still, the hawk showed no reaction.
It didn’t even look at her, busy plucking at its chest feathers.
“You are the one.”
Now she was determined.
“Pretending it’s not you won’t work. Hawks with such feathers aren’t common.”
The feather pulled by the hawk stuck to its beak. It shook its head vigorously to spit out the chest feather and then smacked its beak.
Then, it fixed its red eyes on her, as if it had just realized she was there.
“My pride is hurt. It intruded into my dream first, and now this.”
Claire grumbled and got up. She felt silly for attaching too much importance to a mere dream. Of course, a talking bird was peculiar, but it was just a dream after all.
“That’s right, Amon.”
She stopped mid-step and turned around.
“Amon.”
Claire repeated the name that suddenly popped into her mind, looking back at the hawk.
Chirp. As if responding, the silver hawk let out a long cry.
“Your name is Amon.”
Like the first time she named Toss, the name just came to her.
Amon tilted its head quizzically, as if understanding that it was its name.
“You understand, don’t you?”
Chirp. Amon cried again.
“So, you really are the silver hawk from my dream!”
The event from her dream had come true. It was a strange and astonishing experience.
Amon spread its wings and soared up. Chirping long, it circled above her head.
“Come here! Tell me more about what you said back then!”
Claire walked, looking up at the sky.
In the past dream, Amon had warned her to be cautious. She wanted to know what to be cautious about.
Seeming to understand her wish, Amon swiftly descended.
“…What?”
Following where Amon flew, Claire’s eyes widened in surprise.
Amon had landed in an unexpected place…
“Your Majesty?”
Around the bend in the trail, Eiden was mounted on a horse.
Behind him was Toss, sticking out its tongue and panting heavily.
“…Toss?”
At her call, Toss perked up its ears and immediately ran towards her.
Claire petted the approaching Toss while staring blankly at Eden.
When Eden extended his arm, Amon perched on his forearm. Amon cooed contentedly as it was stroked on the neck.
She felt a bit stunned. She had been so sure that it was the hawk from her dream.
But this silver hawk wasn’t that bird. Even if she rubbed her eyes and looked again, this hawk was just a regular bird trained by the Emperor. No, being the Emperor’s hawk, it must possess exceptional skills.
“Of course. Talking birds don’t exist.”
Claire turned around quietly, feeling relieved that no one had seen her seriously conversing with a bird.
“Lady?”
“…”
Couldn’t he just pretend he hadn’t seen her?
Reluctantly, Claire turned around.
Eiden was watching her with a slightly raised corner of his lips.
“Good morning, Your Majesty. Did you sleep well?” Claire said, slightly gripping her dress and curtsying.
“What brings the Lady here alone? Without a maid… and without the nagging Sir Richard.”
Eden glanced behind her before dismounting from his horse with ease.
Amon flapped its wings and climbed from his arm to his shoulder.
“Is that… a hawk you’re training, Your Majesty?” she asked, pointing at Amon.
Eiden followed her gesture to Amon, then fixed his gaze back on her. “It’s a hawk under my command.”
“…I see.”
Of all things, the hawk in her dream resembled the one the Emperor commanded. Claire grumbled inwardly.
“So, it only obeys my commands. That’s why you should avoid getting too close…”
Eden extended his hand to keep Claire from approaching further.
Just then, Amon took off and fluttered towards Claire’s shoulder.
“Ah!” Claire exclaimed in surprise.
Quickly, Eden reached out and caught Amon, placing it back on his wrist.
But Amon seemed to mean no harm, as it playfully nibbled at her hair.
Overcoming her initial shock, Claire burst into laughter at the absurd situation.
“That bird… seems to like the Lady,” Eden muttered, observing Amon and Claire.
“It’s quite… cute.”
“You’re the first to call Amon cute,” Eden said.
“Did you just say…?” Claire looked up in surprise.
“You’re the first to say that.”
“No, the part before that.”
“That Amon is cute?”
“Yes!”
“Why?”
“His name is Amon?”
“Yes, and?”
“Wow.”
What a coincidence!
The name she had casually given matched the name the Emperor used!
Although it wasn’t the hawk from her dream, the coincidence was still astounding.
“Why are you surprised?”
Eiden’s eyes narrowed.
“I just thought that Amon would be a suitable name for him too.”
Whine. Toss circled around them, seemingly seeking attention.
Claire soothed Toss by stroking its bushy fur, then suddenly looked up.
“But why are you with our Toss?”
Eden disliked Toss, and Toss disliked him as well.
“I met him on the way here.”
“Grrr.”
Toss bared its teeth towards Eiden.
“Oh right, Toss. Did you enjoy that meal?” Claire whispered, holding Toss’s ear.
After encountering the beast yesterday, Claire had left Toss behind, encouraging him to eat the beast to his heart’s content.
Toss fluttered its ears, seemingly tickled.
“He must have eaten well. There wasn’t a single bone left of the carcass.”
Eiden spoke on behalf of Toss.
“I see.”
Not sure why he kept butting in, Claire stroked Toss’s head while looking quizzically at Eiden.
Eiden extended his hand. Claire looked at his hand, then back at him, confused by his silent gesture.
“We should head back.”
Eiden wiggled his hand, indicating she should grab it.
“I can walk back on my own.”
“Ride Andre. I’d like to escort you back to the main building.”
Andre, hearing his name, nudged Claire’s arm with his nose as if waiting for this moment.
“Hello, Andre.”
Claire stroked Andre’s forehead. But her gesture was short-lived.
Eiden pulled the reins sharply, causing Andre’s neck to whip around.
Wondering why he was acting like this, she watched until Eiden spoke abruptly.
“He’s a dangerous one.”
“He’s only gentle with me.”
Andre liked her.
While he couldn’t express it in words, anyone could tell by the way Andre behaved around her.
Eden had acknowledged this before. So why was he now claiming Andre was dangerous?
“He’s dangerous.”
Eiden emphasized again and looked at Andre.
“One more move towards her and remember what I’ll do?”
Shiver. Andre flicked his lips, showing his displeasure. He even scratched the ground with his front hoof.
“He’s fine, only sweet.”
Despite his muscular and imposing exterior, Andre was quite cute when sulky.
Claire chuckled unwittingly.
While she was amused by Andre, a voice, as if grinding teeth and forcibly extracted, came through.
“I’m boiling with anger.”
“What?”
Claire turned her head to look at Eiden.