Chapter 4: The Cuddle Birds of the Bureau of Magic

 

 

 

Chapter 4: The Cuddle Birds of the Bureau of Magic

 

ONE by one, a series of furry friends appeared before us during my conversation with Director Bodorey.

“Peep peep!”

“Cheep! Peep-a peep?”

“Peep peep peep?!”

Each animal looked exactly like a baby chick. Only their size was significantly different. As they walked around upright on their two legs, their beaks reached higher than my head.

“Yellow, green-yellow, light blue, and pink…”

They differed in the colors of their feathers, too. Some were yellow, like a normal baby chick, while the rest were other pastel shades. The only shared color was the black of their beady eyes.

“Director, are they…?”

“These are Cuddle Birds. So you knew of them, Your Majesty?”

I nodded in response to Director Bodorey’s question and looked up at the faces of the Cuddle Birds.

“How adorable! …Although their eyes are somewhat intense.”

Their harsh gaze was a bit surprising given their plushie-like appearance. They kept their black eyes fixed on me from above. I loved the combination of those soft feathers and piercing gazes.

“Their eyes are practically the size of my fists.”

“Indeed. They have large bodies, certainly, but they’re quite comfortable with humans, so there’s no need to fear. Here, have a look for yourself…”

“Peep!”

Director Bodorey stuck out his right arm, and a lime-green Cuddle Bird trotted over in his direction, then pushed its soft feathers against him.

“…Director Bodorey, you’ve been buried.”

His large body was almost completely enveloped in the wall of lime-green feathers. With a series of small head movements, the Cuddle Bird nuzzled closer.

I can only see Director Bodorey’s legs. I sure hope he can breathe.

“Haha! Fear not. I’m perfectly fine, Your Majesty,” he called out from inside the ball of fuzz. His voice was somewhat muffled as he attempted to ease my concerns. “The bird is being careful not to hurt me either. Are you aware of the Cuddle Bird’s quirks, Queen Laetitia?”

“It’s my first time seeing them in person… But I’ve heard that Cuddle Birds are a kind of Mythical Beast that enjoy nuzzling against creatures and objects that hold magical energy.”

These Mythical Beasts were attracted to magic, so they would approach sources of magic and cuddle them. That was where the name Cuddle Bird was said to come from.

“As impressive as always, Your Majesty. It speaks to the depth of your studies.”

“Hehe! Thank you, Director. As a fellow sorcerer, I’ve read about the Cuddle Birds in books.”

Plus, I always loved a good fuzzy animal.

Even before regaining my past-life memories a few months ago, I was still a fan of cats, dogs, and anything fuzzy. Apparently, reincarnating hadn’t changed that, so it should be no surprise why I’d chosen to research Cuddle Birds.

“Their feathers can easily store magical energy as a catalyst for high-caliber spells, correct? I believe it’s trying to replenish its magic stores by wrapping around you right now, Director.”

“That’s exactly right. This one in particular has taken a liking to my magic.” One section of the Cuddle Bird’s feathers rustled as Director Bodorey spoke. I imagined his face was buried there. “Each Cuddle Bird has certain preferences for magical ener—”

“Achoo!!”

“Eeek!!”

A blast of wind sent my hair flying up. The Cuddle Bird had sneezed in my direction, probably because Director Bodorey’s voice and breath had tickled it. Since the creature was so huge, it had produced quite a fierce wind.

“Oh dear. If you’ll excuse me…” The director emerged from the mass of lime-green feathers. “All right, now that you’ve had your lunch, will you let me go free for a while?”

“Peep…”

“But I want some more…,” the Cuddle Bird seemed to say. It appeared to be well trained, however, and it separated its fluffy body from the director.

“There, there. Good girl. …Now then, where were we, Your Majesty?”

“The link between Cuddle Birds and magical energy.”

“Ah, of course. Perhaps you’re aware, Your Majesty, that just as their feathers differ in color, the Cuddle Birds each have a different taste for magic as well. As you can see, they enjoy engulfing anything that holds the magic they desire, and they’re reluctant to let go.”

The lime-green Cuddle Bird was still staring at Director Bodorey, watching for her next opportunity. Her eyes, both piercing and adorable, glinted from within her soft feathers.

There was no denying that Cuddle Birds were full-fledged Mythical Beasts, despite their giant chick-like appearances. They were nothing like baby birds in behavior.

Cuddle Birds were said to mainly consume magical energy for sustenance.  Magical energy is normally a substanceless, invisible force, yet its existence is indisputable in this world. Cuddle Birds, by all accounts, amass this energy in their feathers and slowly digest it through their skin. With the right amount of magical energy, they have no need to consume anything other than a bit of water through their actual mouths.

Just as Berry adored her strawberries, this Cuddle Bird seemed to have a particular preference for Director Bodorey’s energy. All humans carry magical energy within them to some extent, though very few are capable of casting spells. That ability belongs to less than 1 percent of the population—those with the strongest energy. The volume and quality of Director Bodorey’s energy, as head of the Bureau of Magic, appeared to be something of a treat for the Cuddle Birds.

“Peep peep…”

The bird who’d just been snuggled up to Director Bodorey was now sitting on the hallway floor. She lifted her head up and down, sending her feathers bobbing each time, as she soaked in the sensation of Director Bodorey’s energy. The other colorful Cuddle Birds surrounding her seemed to be watching over her enviously as she relished in her meal.

“Do you feed these birds your energy multiple times each day?”

“Haha, well, they’re a flock of gluttons, after all.”

The flavor of magic.

I could only attempt to imagine what it might taste like. But the Cuddle Birds certainly seemed to find it delicious. The pure indulgence on display made me feel like I could relate to these particular Mythical Beasts.

“Our Bureau of Magic has assembled folks throughout Wolfvarte who have the most powerful magical energy. These sorcerers keep the Cuddle Birds here to feed them with energy.”

“…I’d heard the rumors of Cuddle Birds before, but seeing so many of them together now is very impressive.”

Seemingly unable to wait any longer, each Cuddle Bird approached their favorite sorcerer. Liddeus, the sorcerer I’d butted heads with earlier, was buried up to his head underneath a heap of light-blue feathers.

“I’m most grateful to have the chance to see the Cuddle Birds up close…however, are you sure it’s all right for me to be here?” 

Like the majority of Mythical Beasts in the world, Cuddle Birds are a very rare and valuable creature. Their molted feathers can be used as catalysts for spells, meaning they fetched quite a price when sold.

The Bureau of Magic was the only place in all of Wolfvarte that had multiple Cuddle Birds. An outsider like myself wouldn’t usually have such easy access to these Mythical Beasts.

“There’s no problem in letting you see the Cuddle Birds, Your Majesty. As a token of my gratitude for your visit today, please feel free to return home with twenty feathers from whichever bird you prefer.”

“…You’re certain I can take something so valuable?”

Monetarily speaking, this was quite an expensive gift. Even putting that aside, the Cuddle Bird feathers were an extremely powerful magical catalyst. Between their value and the opportunity to pick ones that suited my magical energy in particular, this was turning out to be an incredible deal for me.

“Absolutely. You deserve even more than this, in fact.” Director Bodorey murmured more quietly than before. “…Liddeus here took things too far earlier. I don’t know how else to make things right if you won’t accept these feathers.”

He was asking me to forget my fight with Liddeus in exchange for the feathers.

Orth was staring at me from behind Director Bodorey. He appeared to be silently praying for my cooperation.

“Very well, then. Liddeus, what do you…?”

I trailed off at the sight of a gigantic light-blue creature.

 Liddeus, the culprit in question, was completely enveloped by a light-blue Cuddle Bird. Only the black hair at the very top of his head bobbed forward in what appeared to be a nod—there was no chance of getting a verbal answer out in that state.

…As much as that sight lightened the mood, this was still the man who’d just offered me an apology earlier. I never meant to make a fuss over it anyway, so I decided to take Director Bodorey up on his offer.

“…I’d be happy to accept the Cuddle Bird feathers.”

“Thank you very much, Your Majesty.”

“How should I decide which bird to take feathers from?”

There were about twenty Cuddle Birds in the area.

These birds mainly consumed magical energy, which constantly dwelled in the bodies of humans to a greater or lesser degree. Thanks to my brothers’ intense training and my memories from my past life, I was confident in my ability to control my magical energy. But I didn’t know how to measure my compatibility with a particular Cuddle Bird. I wondered if I needed to touch each one with my hand while I released my energy.

“Wait just a minute, please. I’ll gather the Cuddle Birds now.”

Director Bodorey retrieved a bell from his pocket and gave it a ring. It appeared he had multiple bells to give them different orders, just like the bell on the wall he used to call the birds over.

“There, there. Good birdies. Come gather around me!”

The sound of the bell drew the Cuddle Birds toward us.

Pink, light blue, light purple, cream yellow, and white.

The colorful, fluffy flock of birds was rushing toward us, when…

“Huh?! Too close! Too close, too close! Stop it!!”

“Your Majesty?!”

Lucian and Keith at my side both stiffened.

I had to stop Lucian, who had raised his hand to attack, but at that point, my entire vision went yellow.

“Whoa!!”

“Peep!!”

Whomp!

A cream-yellow Cuddle Bird crashed into me.

It wasn’t exactly moving at a slow pace, but its feathers were soft enough to alleviate most of the impact. I reached my hands out to keep my balance, but the feathers enveloped my hands all the way down to the wrist.

“Wh-What’s the matter?”

“Peeeep!!”

Its feathers tickled my cheek when I raised my head. I felt the creature’s large beak press down on the top of my head as it nuzzled against me.

The cream-yellow Cuddle Bird was living up to its name. It appeared to have taken a liking to me and my magical energy.

---

---

As nice as its fluffy, soft plumage felt, my vision was completely blocked.

“Oh dear. Are you all right in there, Your Majesty?

I could hear Director Bodorey’s voice coming through. He sounded a bit startled.

“It’s rather ticklish…”

What do I do?

I attempted to forcefully separate myself from the Cuddle Bird, but the farther away I got, the closer it pressed itself against my body.

“Um…would you mind releasing me?”

“Peep!!”

“No thank you!!”

It let out a shrill chirp that sounded like rejection to me.

The bird was nuzzling into me with impressive force, refusing to let go.

“Whoa!!”

“Pardon me, my lady.”

I felt Lucian’s hands against my hips. I was being propped up between him and the aggressive snuggling of the Cuddle Bird.

“Knock it off, you! That’s too much!!”

Ring ring ring!

Director Bodorey kept ringing the bell as if in scolding. The Cuddle Bird ignored the signal at first, but eventually, it released me reluctantly.

“Peep…”

“Why’d you have to stop me at the best part?”

The bird’s intense stare looked a lot like it was lodging a complaint with the director. The strange sense of déjà vu I felt was probably from seeing Berry when she’d had a strawberry treat taken away from her.

“That bird’s got some nerve, hugging Queen Laetitia without any warning… My lady, pardon me for a moment.” Lucian grumbled something under his breath, then quickly smoothed out my messed-up hair. The gesture was much appreciated.

I managed to hear him ask “Doesn’t chicken sound good for dinner tonight?” but decided to act like I hadn’t heard.

While Lucian was fixing my hair, I smoothed out my wrinkled dress.

“Are you all right, Your Majesty? I’m sorry if the Cuddle Bird surprised you.”

“It’s no trouble. I understand how they behave. This one must enjoy my energy in particular.”

I looked up at the cream-yellow Cuddle Bird who was still quite close to me. It was strangely moving its head from side to side as it watched me. It was as if its gaze and head movements were following along with Lucian’s hands on my hair.

“I was taken aback by the sudden embrace, certainly, but the creature is even cuter up close. Who does this bird favor among the sorcerers? It’s very active. I can imagine its feeding times are a bit of a hassle.”

“Actually…this bird hasn’t taken a liking to anyone yet.”

“What…?”

I looked around. Orth was nodding in agreement.

“He seems quite finicky when it comes to magical energy… None of our sorcerers have suited his palate for magic, it appears.”

“…So he’s a picky eater.”

I concluded that the Cuddle Bird must have had an unbalanced diet.

There are four types of magical energy typically found in this world—earth, air, fire, and water.

An exception would be someone like Sumia, the girl who stole my former fiancé from me, who possessed Light Magic. But there’s no need to go into all of that now.

Most humans harbor a mix of earth, air, fire, and water energies, but that ratio differs from person to person. I’d heard that most Cuddle Birds preferred certain combinations of these four energies. Dozens of sorcerers worked here at the Bureau of Magic, and each would naturally have strong magical energy in those categories, but it appeared this bird hadn’t taken to any of them.

“He’s a bit of an unusual Cuddle Bird, this one. Most of his kind have their own preferences, but by the time they’re grown, they’ve usually already found a few sorcerers who suit their tastes.”

Though he looked like a baby chick, round and feathery in appearance, he was still a full-grown bird. I’d read that Cuddle Birds were around the size of chickens as babies, then grew to human height by the time they were adults.

“Our sorcerers feed him energy every single day, but he never took to any of them. He seems to choose his feeder by snuggling up to whoever happens to be closest to him in that moment. But seeing how quickly he took to you… It’s my first time witnessing such behavior.”

Director Bodorey watched the yellow Cuddle Bird and me intently.

“You possess Fire Magic, correct, Your Majesty?”

“That’s right. I’ve inherited the strong Fire Magic of the Gramwell family line.”

Magical energy is said to be partially determined by genetics, much like physical appearances. Between my three older brothers and me, three of us possessed a much larger amount of fire energy than any other element. It was Claude alone who possessed energy of the earth element, inherited from our mother.

“I’m sure many of your sorcerers here at the bureau wield Fire Magic as well, yes?”

“Yes, of course. But if you were to ask me if any of them rivaled yours in strength—”

“Not one of them can do that.” It was Liddeus who cut Director Bodorey off midsentence. “After seeing that incredible fire spell earlier, it was obvious right away that a spell of such magnitude, not to mention one executed instantly and beautifully in a way that demonstrates such technical prowess, requires an incredibly rare and powerful magical energy to produce something so unique, and it was downright amazing of you, Your Majesty.”

“Th-Thank you…”

All I could do was mutter appreciation for Liddeus’s intense rant. There was no doubt in my mind that he was a magic nerd through and through. It was obvious from his sudden talkativeness on the topic of spells.

Liddeus shook himself free from the clutches of the light-blue Cuddle Bird and rushed over to me. “Your Majesty, how would you feel about displaying that spell one more time, or no, not just a fire spell, but an earth or wind spell that I might be able to watch as you— Urk!!”

“Calm yourself, Liddeus. Her Majesty is speaking with Director Bodorey right now.”

Orth covered up Liddeus’s chatty mouth with his cloak. That cloak, part of the bureau’s uniform, seemed to come in handy in unexpected ways.

“…Ahem. Please excuse Liddeus’s enthusiasm.” Director Bodorey cleared his throat and returned to the topic at hand. “Cuddle Birds generally bond with sorcerers whose magic suits their preferences. When they share that compatibility with a sorcerer, their feathers will make for an even greater catalyst for spells. I believe this Cuddle Bird would be of perfect compatibility with you, Your Majesty.”

“Then I can have this bird’s feathers?”

“Yes, that’s what I was thinking. However…”

Director Bodorey looked up at the cream-yellow Cuddle Bird.

The creature had kept his eyes on me during my entire conversation with the director. Whenever I met the Cuddle Bird’s gaze, the bird would give a little hop like he was skipping in the air. It was downright adorable.

This fluffy, big baby of a bird was a treat for the eyes.

“…Are you a lover of animals, Your Majesty?”

“Y-Yes! Absolutely!”

I was so surprised by his practically telepathic question, my response ended up coming out very forceful. I’d been trying not to let those feelings show on my face, but perhaps I was unsuccessful after all.

“That’s wonderful to hear. …If you don’t object, what would you say to the prospect of letting this Cuddle Bird live with you at your villa?”

“Really? This one?”

“…Peep?”

I looked at the cream-yellow Cuddle Bird when he let out a chirp.

A few loose feathers were expensive enough, but it’d probably cost more than building a mansion to acquire one of the birds themselves.

“He’s quite adorable, but I couldn’t possibly take one of the birds from you…”

“Please, there’s no need for restraint. You’ll be doing us quite the favor, in fact.”

A favor? What does he mean by that?

I cocked my head in confusion, so Director Bodorey began his explanation.

“This isn’t public knowledge, but…when a sorcerer feeds their energy to a Cuddle Bird they’re compatible with, the bird will shed more feathers than usual. Their feathers are like organs that hold on to that magical energy, so once they fulfill that role, the feathers are replaced with new ones.”

“I see… I wasn’t aware of that.”

I understood why they didn’t want that to become a well-known fact. The more people learned of this, the more Cuddle Birds would be hunted to procure an infinite supply of magical energy.

“Cuddle Birds don’t have as many feathers compared with other birds. Normal birds may lose ten to twenty feathers every single day…and yet Cuddle Birds might go days without molting at all. Losing too many feathers can be detrimental to the creatures; however, removing them from time to time can also be good for their health…”

“…And can also fetch a fair price?”

“Haha! You’re perceptive.” Director Bodorey’s large belly shook as he laughed.

The study of magic wasn’t exactly a cheap endeavor. I wondered if the director was struggling with how to raise the needed funds for the bureau.

“So am I to raise the Cuddle Bird at my villa and hand over any molted feathers to you and the bureau?”

“Yes, that would be the preferable situation. I won’t ask for all of them, of course. I feel that a ratio of sixty to forty would be acceptable.” 

“So I’ll receive forty percent of all feathers he sheds?” I asked to be certain.

“Oh, no, I meant to say that you may keep sixty percent for yourself, Your Majesty.”

“…Really? You’re quite certain?”

“It will be beneficial for the bird as well to live with you, after all.”

Director Bodorey looked fondly at the cream-yellow Cuddle Bird. I could tell he cared for the creature as more than just a source for magical catalysts.

The Cuddle Bird looked at the director with tranquil eyes. Maybe he understood that he was a recipient of the man’s affection.

“Very well. I’d be happy to keep this Cuddle Bird at my villa with me.”

Once I’d voiced my agreement to his proposal…

The Cuddle Bird let out a shrill cry, which also sounded like it was filled with glee.

◇ ◇ ◇

THERE was a certain process in place when it came to acquiring a Cuddle Bird, since he was a kind of Mythical Beast. But while the documents were being procured, Director Bodorey offered to give me a tour of the Bureau of Magic.

I learned that somewhere around two hundred sorcerers worked for the bureau. Many were located in different regions throughout Wolfvarte, so the building itself usually housed around a hundred residents or so.

“And here is the workshop where we manufacture magic stones.”

The room had shelves along one of the walls, where magic stones and catalysts sat separated by metal dividers.

One job among the sorcerers was to produce tools and crests that used magic stones as a source of energy.

“They’re arranged very orderly. I’m sure your work proceeds smoothly.”

“Haha, thank you for noticing. Liddeus will be happy to hear it, I’m sure.”

“Is Liddeus a Crestmaker?”

Sorcerers who specialize in the creation of crest-based tools are known as Crestmakers. It was work not unlike that of scientific researchers in my past life.

“Indeed, he is, and a fine Crestmaker at that. His skill with magic catalysts is twice that of any one man. …I only wish he showed that same thoughtfulness in other areas of his life as well…” Director Bodorey gave a strained smile.

I got the impression Liddeus was wholly devoted to his studies, and much less interested in everything else.

The director and I continued our chat as we left the magic stone workshop.

“Ah…”

Liddeus, the man we’d been speaking about, just happened to be standing there in the next room. He had multiple magic stones laid out on a desk for some experiment that was in progress

“Speak of the devil. Liddeus, our Crestmaker here, often uses this room, which has all the instruments in it.”

As long as one had a magic stone with their crest, anyone—not just sorcerers—would be capable of casting spells. As handy as crests were, they were very precious tools that wouldn’t allow a spell to activate without being precisely calibrated.

Liddeus glanced at us before returning his focus to some sort of cube-shaped instrument and the crest inside it. I remembered him saying earlier that he’d successfully constructed a new type of spell, and I wondered if that was what he’d inserted to measure in crest form.

I didn’t want to interfere with his work, so I turned to leave, but just as I was about to hurry out of the room…

“Your Majesty, would you like to use this opportunity to measure your magical energy?”

Director Bodorey pointed out a metal plate in the back of the room, which appeared to have a crystal sitting on top of it. With the use of a single crest, the device would produce a light equivalent to the amount of magical energy it encountered. The crystal reacted when coming into contact with blood. It was an expensive apparatus, and I hadn’t yet seen once since I arrived in this kingdom.

“You don’t mind if I use it?”

“It’s important for a sorcerer to understand the level of magical energy they possess. Of course, I promise not to peek at your results.”

The strength of a sorcerer was deeply linked to the amount of magical energy they possessed. This measurement was considered private information, and it was unusual to reveal the number to anyone outside of family.

“Thank you, I think I’ll take you up on the offer.”

Magical energy can also vary with age, to some extent. Just like the body itself, this magic grows until around the age of twenty or so, then gradually depletes as time goes on. At the age of seventeen, I was still in the growth phase of my own magic. Thanks to the past-life memories I regained, the efficiency of my existing magical energy had had a sharp uptick, but the amount of energy itself was still likely growing as well.

Lucian handed me a small blade he kept for self-defense, and I slid it out gently from the sheath. I let the blade prick the pinkie of my left hand—my nondominant one.

I felt the tiny sting of pain as blood formed at the wound, but it didn’t bother me, as I was looking forward to seeing the results of how my magical energy had grown since my last measurements.

The last time I measured my energy was a few months earlier, back in my homeland of Elltoria. The amount was slightly smaller than that of my oldest brother—a number of around 7,500.

I sure hope I’m a little closer to his numbers now…

As soon as I let my blood drip down to the crystal below…

“Eek!!”

“What the?!”

An absolutely blinding light shot out through the room.

I had to shut my eyes out of reflex. I’d never seen such a reaction before.

“Your Majesty?! What in heaven’s name…happened…?”

Director Bodorey’s face had frozen stiff. He was staring at the metal plate, and although the light had disappeared already, a clear crack had formed in the plate.

“……”

An awkward silence filled the room.

Between that and the light I just saw, all of this was a new experience to me, and I assumed I was the cause on both counts.

“What exactly did you do, Your Majesty?”

“I merely used it as normal, by placing a drop of my blood on the surface of the crys—”

“Give it to me. Let me see.”

Liddeus had appeared. He was staring intently at the instrument. He then picked it up and examined it from all angles to check for anomalies.

“The crystal was what lit up so bright, but it looks fine to me, or maybe it’s a problem with the base itself? The crack runs from the twenty-third to the twenty-seventh circuits, meaning these were the ones that overloaded, which seems to imply…”

Liddeus’s eyes were wide open as he mumbled his thoughts to himself. He gently set the device back down on the desk, and I awaited his conclusion on the matter… 

“I get it! You’re an incredible person, Your Majesty!!”

“Huh?!”

Liddeus squeezed my shoulders. He seemed to be overwhelmed with emotion, while he also didn’t want me to flee. He drew closer to me.

“Take a look at the crack in the base. This is from your magical energy, Your Majesty, which clearly surpassed the limits that the device can measure!”

“…Surpassed the limits of the device…”

I turned my face away from the encroaching Liddeus to look at the cracked device. I was fascinated with his statement, but first, I had to deal with how close he was.

“Excuse me, but could you step back a little bit?”

“I’ve researched crests for over ten years now, but I’ve never seen anything like this before, and now that I know of a potential defect in the energy scale, I bet I can come up with ways to improve the ports on the base so that…”

Liddeus appeared lost in his own thoughts. He wasn’t hearing me at all.

I watched as Director Bodorey’s face twitched, and from behind me, I felt a dangerous aura coming from Lucian.

“Liddeus, please calm down a bit first.”

“…Oh.”

I squeezed his wrists as they still held my shoulders, which was enough to snap Liddeus out of his daze. Though Liddeus was a Crestmaker and devoted himself to research, he was still a man, and his wrists were thicker than mine. I wrapped my fingers around the bony skin and gently lifted his hands from my shoulders.

“You don’t need to get so close for me to hear you. I’d also like to know more about that light I saw, so would you tell me more about— What?!”

Liddeus’s face swooped in close to mine while I was midsentence. I tried to dodge him at first, but then I saw that his eyes were closed. He’d lost consciousness and fallen into me.

“My lady!”

Lucian rushed to support me as I caught Liddeus midfall. Lucian had a friendly smile on his face, though the eyes that stayed fixed on the sorcerer in my arms were dead serious.

“…He’s asleep…?”

As if Lucian’s glare were nothing at all…

Liddeus was fast asleep. I could hear the gentle sound of his breathing.

Lucian moved in to tear him off me, and while he was gentle in his handling, having known Lucian for all these years, I could feel the chill in the air around him.

“First those Cuddle Birds, and now another scoundrel tries to wrap himself around my lady…”

He was muttering something to himself with that same smile on his face. I couldn’t make out his words exactly, but there was no doubt that it was some form of complaint.

Lucian set Liddeus down in a nearby chair, then turned to bow toward me.

“Forgive me for my slow reaction.”

“No, you were just fine. I appreciate it. You and Keith were watching instead of acting this whole time because you understood that he wasn’t a threat, right?”

Keith, as a knight, and Lucian, as my trained guard, were perceptive when it came to sensing aggression and threats to my life. Thankfully, they’d let him approach me without incident so as not to cause a commotion.

“I didn’t perceive any hostility in Liddeus, nor any ulterior motives… If he dared to lean into you with something else in mind, I’d tie him up and bury him in the ground.”

Lucian’s murmurs were only loud enough to be heard by me. He was exaggerating, but it was surely a joke…I was almost certain…

“Your Majesty, Lucian, I’m so sorry for what Liddeus has done…” Orth also bowed to me.

Just watching him apologize so intensely filled me with guilt. Even Keith, from behind me, who’d grown alert at Liddeus’s strange behavior, seemed uncomfortable with Orth’s response.

“Please, it’s no worry. Liddeus said he spent three days and nights studying spell types. He probably didn’t notice, in his pursuit of knowledge, that he was exhausted.”

“I appreciate your kind words. …Liddeus really didn’t seem to be aware of his own actions. He’s dedicated to his studies, but usually much more composed…well, not exactly ‘composed,’ but he generally has a bit more common sense than this…I think?”

His description ended up coming out as a question.

Though I didn’t know the specifics, I could definitely tell that Liddeus’s strange behavior was a normal occurrence.

Orth must have a lot of tough days here too.

That was what I took away from his words.

◇ ◇ ◇

ORTH carried the sleeping Liddeus back to a room where he could rest.

Meanwhile, Director Bodorey and I looked at the cracked measuring device together.

“As for how Liddeus explained it earlier…” I started.

“I believe he’s right. Liddeus is an expert at reading crests—among the finest of all the sorcerers I’ve ever met.”

“…He must be very bright.”

I was sure, by this point, that Liddeus must be the type of person whose genius intellect came at the expense of common sense. Perhaps his deep knowledge of spells and crests made his strange behavior more acceptable to others. 

“Just as Liddeus said, I believe the crack in this device is due to the sheer amount of magical energy you possess, Your Majesty.”

“…How much magical energy can this device measure?”

“Up to a value of ten thousand, though it should be able to handle as much as fifteen thousand…”

My magical energy appeared to have surpassed that number.

Crests were similar to precision measuring instruments. Once it came into contact with energy outside the standard range, the spell engraved in the metal board malfunctioned and burned up, or so it seemed.

“Fifteen thousand… Though I’ve seen it with my own eyes, I can hardly believe such an amount.” Director Bodorey was staring at me with both respect and shock in his eyes.

…I’m shocked too. I can’t believe it.

My oldest brother had as much energy as ten whole people, even within the kingdom of Elltoria, which was home to many sorcerers. But still, his only slightly surpassed 7,500. One could search the entire continent and find only a handful of sorcerers with an energy level over 10,000.

A high level was convenient for a sorcerer, of course, but over 15,000? That was much too high to fathom.

“…I apologize for the rude question, but is it possible the device was already broken?”

“No, I wouldn’t say so. Liddeus is in charge of keeping the device in order. I can’t imagine him ever being lax in his duties. In fact, when it comes to crests, I’d say he’s even more skilled than I am.”

The device must have been functioning properly, and my abnormal energy had broken this expensive instrument.

How exactly did this happen?

On the inside, I kind of wanted to scream.

“I apologize for damaging the device. I’ll be sure to compensate you properly, so I’d appreciate it if you don’t reveal what happened here to anyone on the outside.”

“I wouldn’t do such a thing. I promised not to peek at your results in the first place, after all. I’d also appreciate it if you kept Liddeus’s various misdeeds a secret as well.”

“Very well. I’ll be sure to do that.”

The two of us had found ourselves in similar situations.

That’s a big relief.

If my level of magical energy became widely known, I could probably say goodbye to my current life of leisure.

…Both Director Bodorey and Liddeus had found out, but there was nothing I could do about that now.

“There’s no need to pay for the instrument either. It did fulfill its purpose. But perhaps you’d be so kind as to offer us a bit more of those Cuddle Bird feathers than we previously arranged…”

“…Shall I take forty percent, and you take sixty?”

“It would be much appreciated.”

Director Bodorey was smiling to himself. His behavior was quite calculating, but really, I was glad he didn’t ask for money in repayment. I’d be able to pay the sum, but paying with Cuddle Bird feathers instead was easier on the wallet, thankfully.

“Would it be possible to ask you yet another favor, while we’re on the subject?” he asked.

“…What would that be?”

I decided to hear him out.

“Might you join the sorcerers here at the bureau for a training match?”

“You mean a competition using magic?” I asked.

“What do you say? I’ll be sure to take the necessary precautions to ensure you’re not injured, Your Majesty.”

“What format would it take?”

“Our sorcerers would be no match for you in a one-on-one match, and that defeats the purpose of training, which is why I’d like to submit two sorcerers from the bureau to compete against you in a game of ‘capture the flag.’”

This was a common type of training match. The two competitors stood about thirty yards apart, with one flag on each side of their territory. Both parties kept to their respective sides and cast spells at each other, and whoever first knocked over the opposing team’s flag was the victor.

…That takes me back.

My older brothers often used to torture…or rather, train me with that method.

I decided it wasn’t a bad idea to participate in the training match after all. I didn’t want my skills to get rusty.

“Very well. I’d like to take a look at the playing field, just to be safe, and then I’ll decide whether or not to participate myself.”

◇ ◇ ◇

DIRECTOR Bodorey explained the process to me as we exited the building together.

We’d arrived at a place near where I first met Liddeus outside. This flattened, empty lot was meant for training matches.

“This crest produces the barrier for the match.”

In one corner of the lot stood a three-foot-tall wooden box—the crest in question. It created a translucent light wall, much like a barrier, around the area of play.

Despite its convenience in both defense and visibility, Light Magic wasn’t yet well researched. A large crest was required to produce a border that shielded only a few people for a short period of time. However…

“This crest is rather small, isn’t it? It must be expensive and rare. Was it made here in the bureau?”

“This is Liddeus’s design, actually. He struggles with everything that isn’t magic, but when it comes to spells, he’s a top-notch craftsman.”

Wow, Liddeus made this too.

The crest would normally require the size of a small car to produce the same barrier. Such a small crest was indicative of significant technical skills.

“How is its strength?”

“It’s strong enough to withstand two direct blows from midtier spells.”

Directly hitting one’s opponent during a training match was a violation of the rules. But with spells, there was always the danger of being struck with shockwaves and stray bullets. As long as Liddeus’s crest was forming the barrier on the field, our protection was assured. 

“I appreciate the explanation. I’ll ready myself, then.”

I thanked Director Bodorey and headed for one side of the empty lot.

The field expanded about three yards in each direction from the crest that sat in the very center. Just inside the barrier’s border were two poles for flags, about equal to human height, to be hung for the match.

“The flags will stand here and here, while I play over here, and my opponents play over there…” I took in the field positioning, confirming each location of note.

It had been a long time since I last took part in a training match with safety measures to rely on. All the matches I played with my brothers were, at heart, very much real battles, with no rules whatsoever. Fire, lightning, whirlwinds… The memory of one violent spell after another was etched in my mind. A single misstep could result in a fatal wound, and I certainly had experienced my hair burning on more than one occasion…

“Focus, focus…” I shook my head and redirected my attention back to the training match before me.

Stop it, stop it. Now’s not the time to dwell on memories of my brothers.

Carelessly dredging up those past battles probably meant I’d see them in my dreams again that night.

…My two oldest brothers were truly teachers from hell.

But I didn’t want anyone finding out about those past disastrous training matches, so I focused entirely on the situation in front of me.

“Are you prepared, Your Majesty?”

The call came from the opposite side of the playing field.

Orth stood there as my opponent. Though the man often appeared uneasy, he was among the strongest of the younger sorcerers in the Bureau of Magic. This also made him one of the most powerful in the entire kingdom.

The other opponent was Belleas—a middle-aged man and diligent student of magic, whose strength I’d heard mentioned of before. I wondered if their status as coworkers at the bureau would result in perfect coordination between the two men.

“Yes, I’m ready. I’ll activate the barrier now.”

I set the round magic stone inside the crest’s open slot. The crest shook slightly before silently enveloping the four walls of the playing field in a bright light.

I took up my post in front of the back wall, with Lucian standing behind me. He was much closer to me than usual. There was only so much space within the barrier, after all.

“Ah yes. This takes me back.”

Servants wouldn’t normally stand so near their master, but this was how Lucian often positioned himself back when we would engage in training matches with my brothers. We were long past the point of embarrassment, being so close together like this, but it did bring back memories.

“…Those matches with my lady’s brothers were hell, but I certainly didn’t despise them,” Lucian was whispering to himself as well, seemingly lost in the same memories. “I enjoyed getting to work in such close proximity to you.”

I took in Lucian’s words from behind me and turned my gaze toward Orth and Belleas, my opponents. Once I’d looked them over, Director Bodorey, the game’s referee, raised his right arm in the air.

“Five, four, three, two one. Begin!!”

With that signal, the match was on.

My first attack would be a specialty of mine—a fire spell.

“Soaring arrow, burning redder and redder, fly high and split to pieces!!”

The spell was split into three distinct parts. This was a midtier spell of the sixth level—the “Scarlet Arrowhead.”

My flames morphed into the shape of an arrow. It was flying straight for the enemy flag.

…But just before it could connect, Orth blocked the arrow with a wall of water.

My aim had been perfect, but it appeared it was going to take more than one hit to knock over their flag.

“That spell was so quick! What was that?! How terrifying!”

Despite Orth’s cries, he was quickly chanting a spell of his own. I took in the words of the spell, hypothesized which type he was using, and prepared to counteract.

This was a fifth-level spell type, and its element was water.

A barrage of water shot toward our flag, but my flaming arrows knocked it out of the air.

I confirmed that our flag remained standing, then turned my eyes toward Belleas.

“A golem…!”

Belleas had been working on a spell of his own while I dealt with Orth.

It was an earth spell of the seventh level. He’d created a gigantic clay doll—a golem that could move freely for a short amount of time. Golems stood at around human height and possessed thick, bulky limbs. They were slow to move, but their sturdiness was their specialty.

Belleas, Orth, and the golem stood opposite me.

This was only a training match, and there was no penalty for losing…

But in any competition, there could be no other outcome than victory. It was my older brothers who’d drilled that into my mind.

I quickly racked my brain, trying to figure out how to counterattack.

This was a battle of magic. Excluding exceptions like my second and third oldest brothers, battles between sorcerers generally came down to magical energy levels.

I’d been so startled earlier when I learned that my magical energy was over 15,000. Not even Orth and Belleas combined could rival that number in strength, I was quite certain.

I was supreme in measure of magical energy, but I was outnumbered by opponents.

“Soaring arrow, burning redder and redder, fly high and split to pieces!!”

My arrow aimed to destroy the golem, but Orth stopped it once again with a water spell.

The speed of my chanted spells was quicker than theirs as well, but if I aimed for their flag, then there was no way to prevent the golem’s approach, and when I aimed for the golem, Orth simply blocked my attacks.

As soon as I hesitated for a single moment, Orth sent a spell flying straight for my flag.

“Those two are incredibly well synched.”

Lucian’s remark from behind me was correct. It was no easy task, taking on the two men simultaneously.

The higher level of spell that was cast, the easier it was to make a mistake in the chanting of the spell itself. During a training match, there was no way to buy time for the perfect chant, making higher-level spells difficult to use.

“But there’s still ways to get by, hmm?”

As far as the specifics of back-and-forth spell battles like this, my brothers had taught me more than I probably ever needed to know.

I decided it was time to put that knowledge to use.

“Radiant arms, spread forth your power!!”

“Urk!”

Magic flames erupted, enveloping the area in a blinding light.

This fifth-level fire spell functioned like a flash grenade. My opponents had noticed it in time and were keeping their eyes closed, but they’d still be blinded for a few seconds.

I quickly chanted a spell as I observed the golem. The usual strength of the golem—its ability to move without direct interference—was now its ultimate weakness. It was defenseless once Belleas lost his vision. It was desperately moving in all directions, trying to avoid my spells, and had no time left over to proceed toward my flag.

I cast two or three bursts of flames toward the golem to see what would happen, but as expected, its erratic movements made it impossible to hit.

“Burst forth, orb of water!!”

Orth shot more spells my way while I was busy with the golem. The promising young sorcerer had been quick to recover. He defended the golem and aimed for my flag simultaneously.

Belleas had regained his vision as well, and the golem’s movements became more focused. It drew closer and closer to my flag until it was only feet away.

“Arms of blue, cut down the target!!”

Orth cried out his chanted spell, completely assured of his victory. His water walls caught and disarmed the flaming arrows I shot at the golem.

The golem charged straight for my flag, with nothing in its path to stop it, until…

“What?!”

“Huh?!”

Orth and Belleas both let out screams.

Their eyes traveled to about half the height at which the golem usually stood.

That was because the creature was currently sinking into the swamp at its feet.

I jumped on the opportunity and quickly chanted my spell.

“Soaring arrow, burning redder and redder, fly high and split to pieces!!”

“Oh no!”

Fwoosh!

The opposing flag was pierced by my flaming arrow. It burned up and fell to the ground. My own flag was completely unharmed, meaning I was the game’s victor.

“Game over! Both teams, please quickly remove your magic stones!”

Director Bodorey’s shouts signaled the end of the game.

I followed his instructions and swiftly took the magic stone out of the crest. It wasn’t as significant as the crest itself, but the stone, as a source of power, would fetch a fair price. Conserving the energy of the bureau’s magic stone was important for them.

“…You’re incredibly strong, Your Majesty. We were completely defeated.”

It was Belleas, my opponent, who approached me with those words of praise. He stared at the golem sinking into the swamp in front of my flag.

“That swamp came from an earth spell, didn’t it? I’d heard your specialty was fire spells, but I was also informed of the earth spell you use for transmutation, which I know you displayed at His Majesty’s birthday party. Are you equally as skilled in earth spells?”

I nodded in response to Belleas’s question.

In truth, I was capable of producing midtier spells in all four elements—earth, water, fire, and air. However, I’d been intentionally trying to avoid drawing attention to anything other than my fire spells during the match.

“It was a delayed spell aimed at the feet of the golem, right? It’s a fundamental strategy, but your method of application was most clever.”

Delayed spells involved a chant that activated after a period of time instead of immediately, like with most spells. They were similar to the time bombs from my past life, but really, they were more like timed traps.

I’d quietly chanted that spell and laid my trap while they were blinded by my light.

“You’re still so young, but you’ve mastered delayed spells as well. It’s simply incredible. I’m impressed by how you lured the golem straight toward your delayed spell with perfect timing. We were applying a lot of pressure toward the end of the match, but you only acted as if you were overwhelmed so that we’d fall for the trap, didn’t you?”

“That’s right. I’m glad I was successful.”

I internally pumped my fist and cheered for my victory.

According to Big Brother Claude, my brother closest to me in age, “the man most assured in his victory is the easiest to lure into a trap.”

I’d been practicing laying the Swamp-Sinking Trap (the name I gave it as a child) in accordance with my brothers’ teachings. It had been a while since I last had the opportunity to use it back in my homeland, but my practice had paid off. 

“It was easier than usual to succeed against a golem in this match. They move much slower than humans do.”

“But I’m sure it wasn’t all easy, no? The timing of a delayed spell must be decided as it’s chanted. If its activation was even slightly mistimed, or if the golem’s position had been just a little off, it would have avoided the trap, and the victory would be ours, right? It was most impressive indeed.”

“Hehe, thank you for saying so. But I still have many areas where I can improve.”

I glanced at the swamp-sunken golem. The swamp itself was about ten feet in diameter, which was twice as large as needed for the creature who’d sunk all the way down to its torso.

…Hmm. It’s too bad my swamp was larger than it needed to be.

If Big Brother Claude, my teacher in this method, had been in my place, he surely would have created one that fit the golem’s body to a tee.

“Big Brother Claude is incredible at calculating the exact amount of space needed for the Swamp-Sinking Trap…”

“…I couldn’t agree more.”

Lucian, when he heard the words I murmured to myself, momentarily wore a bitter look on his face.

He and I were the two most common victims of my brother’s swamp trap. Big Brother Claude often played with me as a child, but when it came to training, he was dead serious. I’d been caught in his perfectly sized delayed swamp spell dozens of times throughout my life. Fortunately, my doting brother’s mud-filled swamp spell was sure to never leave me gravely injured, but still…

“I never want to end up in a swamp again.”

I agreed with Lucian from the very bottom of my heart.

That feeling of knowing your movements had been predicted perfectly, leading to you ending up covered in mud from head to toe, was more of an emotional attack than a physical one.

“Is something the matter, Your Majesty?”

“…No, nothing at all.”

I turned my focus from those mud-filled days with Big Brother Claude back to the present. I looked in Belleas’s direction and saw that the golem was already beginning to fall apart in the swamp.

The seventh-level earth spell that formed the golem was called the “Doll of Mud,” and though it was convenient, the creature would return to dust after a few more minutes. It was unusual for magical creations to keep their form for long periods of time, unlike the items I’d been making recently with my transmutation spells.

“Your control of the golem was quite impressive, Belleas. Is that a specialty spell of yours?”

“Yes, indeed. It’s nothing in comparison to your own brilliant spell work…but I’ve spent many years polishing my skills in war spells.”

“You’re too modest, Belleas. You’re the best in the whole bureau!”

Belleas, and now Orth, continued their discussion of spells.

“I can see how an Elltorian upbringing has affected your sorcery skills. The most powerful children of noblemen and noblewomen are all trained at the Royal Elltoria Academy, right?”

The Royal Elltoria Academy.

It was the place where I had attended school, had my engagement publicly ended, and had regained the memories of my past life.

“Yes, that’s right. I attended the academy before I came here, as did my three older brothers. Their time at the school was very informative, and ever since I was little, they always trained me in the spells they studied.

“Your Majesty’s older brothers…? I’ve heard the names of the oldest two. The second-born son of the Gramwell family, Lord Bernard, is well known as the ‘Hero of the Lightning Spear.’ I have a deep respect for him as a fellow sorcerer.”

I smiled at Belleas’s praise.

The specialty spell of my second oldest brother was a combination of fire and air spells that formed a lightning strike. Bernard was a skilled and famous member of the military, and despite his young age, he was seen as a hero by some…although his personality left a lot to be desired.

On the outside, he was like a glittering character from a shoujo manga, while on the inside, he was more like a driven, combat-loving shounen manga protagonist… He was a diligent man and was devoted to the duties of his work, despite his rough personality.

He always loved to train me, his little sister, so when I was growing up in Elltoria, Lucian, Big Brother Claude, and I were often on the receiving end of hellish training sessions…

“I’d love to receive coaching from Lord Bernard myself someday. Though I’m one of the more experienced sorcerers here at the bureau, Wolfvarte, compared with the kingdom of Elltoria, rarely ever resorts to the use of magic in military activities. I believe I could learn a lot from someone as famous as Lord Bernard.”

I sensed that Belleas wasn’t simply being polite. He truly meant every word he said. He was an ambitious man who yearned to improve his magic skills even further.

“Might I have a word, Your Majesty?” Director Bodorey called out to me from nearby.

“Yes, what is it?”

“Everything is ready for you to take the Cuddle Bird with you. I’m sure he’ll be here any moment, as he’s very eager to s—”

“Peep peep!!”

The cream-yellow fuzzball interrupted the director and charged straight for me.

“Peep!!”

“Whoa…!! Haha, that tickles.”

With a soft fwump, I felt my upper body be swallowed up by the Cuddle Bird’s feathers. His fluffy appearance and the warmth of his body made for the perfect embrace.

It seemed the creature couldn’t wait to be reunited with me.

The Cuddle Bird kept me wrapped in his feathers for some time, but once he was finally satisfied, he folded up his skinny legs and plopped down onto the floor.

◇ ◇ ◇

THE sorcerers at the bureau finished providing me with information and explanations on how to care for the Cuddle Bird, and I decided it was time to return to my villa for the day. In the future, I would be making periodic trips to the bureau for further discussions, as well as to deliver the bird’s feathers.

“…It’s cramped in here,” Lucian muttered from inside our carriage.

We were traveling with a brand-new passenger this time.

“Peep peep?”

“Why are you looking at me?” the Cuddle Bird seemed to say as he cocked his head toward Lucian. The Cuddle Bird was sitting on the floor, with his head resting against the bottom of the seat.

The queen’s carriage was a spacious one, so cramped didn’t feel quite like an accurate description.

“…I’m usually the one who sits by my lady’s side…”

“Tweety here just didn’t want to separate from me.”

I stroked the bird’s head as he leaned it against the seat next to mine.

I was the one who gave Tweety, or “Twee” for short, his name. Despite having reached adulthood long ago, he never had a real name until now. When a Cuddle Bird took a liking to a sorcerer at the bureau, that person usually named them like they were the bird’s parent. But Tweety, who never had a favorite sorcerer, was referred to with whatever name worked best in the moment, like “yellow bird,” “picky eater,” and “the furball over there.”

“Now that I’m like your mom, Tweety, I’ll be sure to take good care of you.”

Tweety tweeted in response.

It was a simple, obvious name, but it felt nice to say, and suited his appearance as well. He didn’t seem to mind it either…or rather, I wasn’t sure if he understood that it was supposed to be his name, but as of yet, there didn’t seem to be a problem with it.

“…But I still want to know why Tweety likes me so much…”

“I completely understand my lady’s appeal, but I agree that this is a bit strange.”

Lucian and I both cocked our heads.

Tweety’s love for me was adorable, but it remained a mystery. I understood that the amount of magical energy I possessed surpassed that of almost everyone, and as lovers of that energy, the Cuddle Birds took a liking to me more easily. But they also found other sorcerers at the bureau who suited their tastes as well.

From the sound of it, Tweety’s inability to find a favorite sorcerer, even once he grew into an adult bird, was unusual for his species.

Why did he grow so fond of me as soon as we happened to meet? Was it simply a coincidence? Or did it have to do with the past-life memories that had left me with an abundance of magical energy…?

“……”

I held out my right hand and began to gather the energy in my body. This was a familiar sensation for me, but when I really focused on it, it did feel like the amount had increased dramatically over the past few months.

…I’d been so busy lately with cooking and doting on my fluffy friends, I hardly had time to focus on magic at all.

The most I’d applied my magical energy since I came to this kingdom was when I helped Lady Kate by transmuting a chandelier made of salt, after a long process of trial and error. I’d been racing against time in a way that didn’t allow for much deep thought about the process, but I did remember feeling as if I was capable of transmuting more than I expected. The improvement in energy efficiency was a blessing, but at the same time, I wondered why the raw amount I possessed seemed to be increasing as well.

Two changes to my magical energy occurred when I regained my past-life memories.

First, once I had the memories of the life I lived without any magic at all, I became much more sensitive to the existence of that new, foreign energy that dwelled in my body. This allowed for a dramatic increase in my own energy efficiency.

Second, though I didn’t understand how or why, the raw amount of energy I possessed on its own had increased, and still continued to increase gradually now.

I’d never heard of either phenomenon in this world before.

Those were the only two changes I’d noticed for now…but if I looked into it further, I might discover more, or maybe even the reason for Tweety’s attachment.

“…It’s very strange…”

Now that the issue had arisen in my mind, I only found it more and more enigmatic.

I didn’t think I’d find the answers to such unexplainable phenomena in books either, for that matter. I imagined that answering these questions was something that would only come over time, as I gained more experience in various areas…

“Sometimes you don’t see the value in things until they’re out of reach…”

I thought back to the Gramwell family home where I was raised.

I came from a long line of dukes in a kingdom that had strong roots in magic. The Gramwell family had access to all sorts of magical instruments and devices for experiments at their disposal.

For the past few years, I’d been busying myself in the studies required to become the next queen, and though I wasn’t particularly interested in the research of magic, looking back, I was blessed to have the opportunities that I did.

Sure, there was a measuring device for magical energy at the bureau, but I was still an outsider there. Seeing as how I’d managed to destroy that device by accident earlier, I didn’t want to partake in many more experiments at the bureau. Who knew what strange results might come up next?

Fortunately, I wasn’t currently experiencing any real problems when it came to my magic. There was no need to rush into experiments or examinations. Only my own internal confusion remained to nag at me.

“Peep!”

“…There, there. You want to be pet?”

Tweety stuck his beak on my lap, unaware of my swirling thoughts.

I gave in to his demands, and the bird partially closed his eyes with an extremely relaxed expression on his face. The soft feel of his feathers caused me to relax as well. Just petting him made me feel like all my troubles were dissolving into thin air.

I’d heard that bedding made with Cuddle Bird feathers had the ability to help restore the magical energy of those who slept on it. It was said to be very comfortable too, making it something of a luxury item.

“I bet I can make a blanket in the near future if I keep gathering your feathers, Tweety.”

As I looked forward to the ultimate blanket, the carriage gradually slowed to a halt. I left the carriage at its usual stop outside my villa, with Tweety following right behind me. He took in the sights of his brand-new home and was wandering around the yard a bit when…

“Kwah?!”

A cry came from above us.

It was Fon, the griffin, flapping his wings up in the sky. He landed near my side, but seemed on edge at the sight of the unfamiliar Tweety.

“Peep!!”

“Krah?!”

Tweety suddenly charged forward. He nuzzled up against Fon, attempting to wrap the griffin in his special feathers. The Cuddle Bird’s instincts seemed to draw him toward even this source of magical energy.

“Kyuwah…?”

Fon was frozen in confusion at the snuggling sensation. He knew Tweety wasn’t a threat, so he made no attempt to attack with his talons, but he did look in my direction for help.

“Tweety, Fon doesn’t like that. Can you step away?”

I retrieved a bell from my pocket. This was something Director Bodorey had sent with me. The Cuddle Birds at the Bureau of Magic were trained to respond to certain sounds, and the bell in my hand was for the “stand still and don’t touch anyone” command.

“Peep…”

Tweety let go of Fon a bit more easily than I expected.

I was relieved, but just then, Tweety instead nuzzled up against me.

“It’s okay, because this magic is my favorite!” he seemed to say.

Maybe he was so quick to obey because his real goal was my own magical energy.

“…He’s such an ill-bred fuzzball, but it’s still incredible that he doesn’t fear Fon whatsoever.” Lucian’s tone sounded half bewildered, half impressed.

Tweety was a large bird, but his wings were tiny and round. He looked incredibly delicate in comparison to Fon, who had a gigantic wingspan and deadly talons.

“Cuddle Birds are probably naturally loveable.”

“…Naturally loveable?” Keith, who’d accompanied me as my guard, cocked his head. “…What do you mean by that? I think the Cuddle Bird is cute, but from the eyes of a wild animal, doesn’t he just look like a weak little snack?”

“Keith, do you know what defines a Mythical Beast?”

“Um, I think it was something like a creature with strong magical energy…?”

He was correct.

Mythical Beasts come in many shapes and sizes, and distinctly unlike all other animals, the use of magic plays a major role in their ways of life.

Some were creatures I’d never seen during my time on Earth, much like Hayruth’s scaled horse companion, but if they didn’t possess any magical energy, then they were simply normal animals to the people of this world.

Some were the opposite; they looked normal but weren’t, like Berry—her use of magical energy to help grow plants was why she was considered a Mythical Beast.

In Fon’s case, you could see a certain light coming off his wings while he was in flight, if you looked close enough. He used magic to control the wind around his wings, allowing even a creature with a body as large as his to achieve flight.

“Magical energy is absolutely vital in the life of a Mythical Beast, and Cuddle Birds carry that energy inside their feathers.”

“…Um, in other words…?”

I could still see the question mark over Keith’s head. As a knight and as beastfolk, he lacked knowledge of magical energy and spells.

“Humans and Mythical Beasts constantly leak a small amount of magical energy through the surface of their bodies. The energy is usually lost, but when it comes into contact with a Cuddle Bird’s feathers, the creature is able to store it in the feathers themselves. Much like how specks of dust can come together to form a mountain, those that befriend the Cuddle Birds can receive their stored energy all at once in times of crisis.”

“I see… That must be very helpful for them.”

Keith accepted my explanation.

“I’ve read that most wild Cuddle Birds live together with other Mythical Beasts. The Mythical Beasts know about the special function of those feathers, so they take care of the Cuddle Birds as well. It’s a symbiotic relationship.”

“They might look weak, but they’ve found a good way to get by in life.”

“Impressive, isn’t it? They resemble baby chicks that never grew into chickens, which makes them so adorable, and those feathers must be extra fluffy because it’s the easiest way to absorb magical energy.”

Cuddle Birds were fascinating creatures. Their cute appearance and unusual nature resulted in all kinds of interesting tales of their kind.

“There’s even a firsthand account of someone who found a Cuddle Bird in the nest of a dragon they’d come to slay.”

I imagined the sight of a puffy Cuddle Bird waddling out from behind the back of a giant dragon. It seemed silly and amusing, but the man who witnessed it certainly wasn’t laughing.

“He engaged in a deadly battle with the dragon, and just as he thought he’d finally exhausted its magical energy, the Cuddle Bird appeared to replenish it again…”

“I already defeated that dragon once! I’d rather die than fight it all over again!”

I was sure that’s how it must have ended.

“…That hunter must see the Cuddle Birds as angels of death… They’re much scarier than they look…” Keith trembled as he gave Tweety a good stare.

“Kwah…?”

Fon cocked his head and looked at Tweety too. The griffin was clever enough to know that the bird posed no threat to anyone, and he also seemed to understand the value of Tweety’s feathers as magical energy storage, which was why he allowed Tweety to cuddle right up to him.

I was tickled by the sight of the ferocious griffin enveloped in soft yellow feathers.

“Peep!”

“Kaaah? Kwee kwah!!”

The two birdlike Mythical Beasts were engaged in some kind of conversation. I wasn’t sure to what extent they understood each other, but they appeared to get along, at least.

Enjoying the sight of their chattering beaks, I watched as Tweety wandered away from Fon again.

“You’re done with Fon?”

“…Peep!!”

Tweety took a look around the yard before waddling off into the distance. He’d found something else that interested him, by the look of it.

“Mra-hah?!”

Tweety approached Berry, who happened to be passing by. Her green eyes went wide, and she raced up to the top of a nearby tree.

“Peepa peep!!”

“……”

Berry silently gazed at the Cuddle Bird as he hopped up and down under the tree.

Despite Berry’s disinterest in everything that wasn’t strawberries, she was still a very cautious creature. She didn’t want to approach Tweety, the newcomer, at all just yet.

“This way, Tweety. Let’s leave her alone for today.”

I rang the bell and called Tweety back to me.

When I glanced back at Berry, I saw her using the opportunity to leave the safety of her tree.

“Mraw!!”

“I’ll be leaving for the day, since that fuzzball’s hanging around.”

That was the conclusion I took from the swish of her tail as she turned and disappeared into the trees.

“I wonder where Berry’s going…?”

It was a mystery to me.

Just the other day, when we returned home from the rose garden, Berry had headed in the opposite direction of the villa too. It wasn’t where her strawberry patch was located either, which was why it stuck out in my mind a bit. But Berry was carefree, much like a normal cat, so maybe she was simply taking aimless walks from time to time.

Even though I found it strange, I returned to the villa without looking into it any further, but the question of where Berry was headed remained in the back of my mind.