How about a bubble bath? It smells really good, doesnât it? My feathers will be soft.
I hummed a song, feeling the cool breeze.
âAre you that excited?â
âPii!â
âShall we go now?â
âPii!â
When I urged, Rosaria sped up her pace a bit with a small smile.
Looking into the distance, I could see a wide open forest that Iâve never seen on these grounds.
There was a rock in front of my nose.
As I turned my head and looked around, I realized one thing.
As Baon said, no life was felt here.
How is that possible in such a wide and deep forest?
âThis is your first time in the forest, isnât it?â
âPii.â
âThis is the private property of the Astrophel family. As you can see, there are no creatures. It is prohibited because there is a possibility that someone may enter under a disguise.â
So thatâs why itâs like this. Turns out it was a huge forest.
âSince this place is safe, the young masters train here. I understand you have a training schedule today as wellâŚâ
Rosaria slanted her head.
âHeâs not here today. Maybe heâs out hunting.â
âPii?â
For a moment, I thought I misheard.
From what I know, I didnât think the timing of my birth was much different from when they were born.
Theyâre already hunting?
Rosaria grinned as she opened her mouth in surprise.
âThe masters have already completed their humanization. You donât know what humanization is yet, do you? You can be human like me.â
â⌠Pii.â
âYouâll be able to do it soon, too.â
âPii.â
Iâm no good at hunting, so Iâm done with humanization.
The young masters must have had cheating abilities.
But if I work hard, I can do it!
I gathered my will and curled my wings tightly, butâŚ
âPii?â
Whatâs that?
âWhatâs wrong, baby?â
âPii.â
A huge tree had fallen miserably. Then the next tree, and the tree after that.
Large trees that looked at least decades old had fallen in groups.
Why are these healthy trees being uprooted?
Rosaria looked to where I was pointing and calmly said it was not a problem.
âAh. The trees must have fallen over after their training. â
Huh?
âThis was probably the first young masterâs doing.â
How could a young man who was just born smash a tree like that?
My mouth dropped out of amazement.
âWhen you grow up, youâll be able to do it, too. By the way, youâre a good girl.â
Rosaria clicked her tongue and walked to the center of the ruins. It was a much more disastrous sight to look at from up close.
Iâm sure his personality is very eccentric.
Otherwise, he wouldnât have been able to do this!
But why did they come all the way out here to the trees?
âIf youâve made a mess, you should know how to take care of it properly. Donât you care about that yet?â
Rosaria placed her foot on the tree.
Tuk.
The sound of Rosariaâs foot was as light as a tree branch.
However, the result was surprising.
Two to three adult men barely began to roll the thick tree away.
I swept my eyes with my wings as I saw the marvelous sight of trees piling up in the corner one by one.
âPii, pii?â
Whatâs going on here?
âItâs all clean now. Iâm sorry, baby. Youâve been waiting, right?â
â⌠Pii, pii, pii.â
Not at all. I havenât been waiting.
I calmly straightened my posture.
Mom, sheâs like a scary older sister.
* * *
There was a doll in Cadeâs hand that didnât suit him.
It was the snake doll that Rosaria prepared for the baby bird so it could practice hunting.
âItâs amusing.â
Cade grinned interestingly as he recalled what had just happened.
Such a gift was unimaginable in the Astrophel family, which never gave to their own.
Cade, having received his first unexpected hunt from a baby bird, was lost in thought.
âThatâs why everyoneâs talking about my daughter.â
It was a small murmur, but Baon, who had a keen hearing, caught on to it.
While talking about important matters, Baon appeared stunned at his off-topic words.
Not long after, Baon trembled when he saw Cade holding the doll.
It was a perfect combination that did not suit him.
âAhem.â
Cadeâs eyes landed on Baon who was on the brink of laughter.
âBaon.â
âHmm, yes?â
âI think it would be better for you to stop if you value your life.â
âIs that so?â
Life is precious to everyone. Baon collected his expression with a straight face.
âWhy are you suddenly talking about your daughter? You have two sons.â
âThey never gave me things like this.â
Cade held up the doll. It was colorful and very cute.
Baon immediately closed his eyes.
No, donât laugh. Sad thoughts. Sad thoughts.
âWell, huh, isnât that brave? Even though itâs a doll, sheâs thinking of hunting snakes.â
âIt was fantastic.â
Cade recalled a baby bird struggling with a snake doll that he wouldnât see anywhere else.
âSheâs just the same as the Lord.â
âHmm?â
âSheâs very vicious, isnât she? The same goes for her hunting methods.â
She was vicious in another sense.
Cadeâs eyes were wide open at Baonâs words. That hunting baby birdâŚ
âHer eyes were definitely red.â
Red eyes were the feature only by the blood of the Astrophel family on this land.
Influenced by the powerful pheromones of the first generation, the Astrophel family line looked very much alike.
Black hair and red eyes.
And the baby birdâs eyes, though temporary, were definitely the same color.
âMaybe itâs because the baby received your pheromones.â
âYes, thatâs the problem.â
Cade narrowed his eyes as he resumed the topic of conversation he was sharing.
It was hard to know who had dared invade the Astrophel family and left the egg.
How was that possible?
If itâs related to Estella, who died while giving birth to a successor, things would grow out of control.
Cadeâs expression hardened.
âProve it, see who was involved when Estella gave birth. Every single one of those men who stood guard at the mansion that day.â
âDo you think thereâs a mole in the family?â
âThereâs no law saying it canât be true.â
âThen the scope of the investigation will be quite large. It will take some time.â
Baonâs expression also seriously hardened.
If there was a spy in the family, it would require a close investigation to find out who it was.
âIt doesnât matter if it takes time, just catch all the hiding rats.â
âI understand.â
Baon looked bitterly around the office, seeing as Cade instructed him to take his time.
When Estella died, Cade did not blink an eye.
As a result, there were many rumors behind Estella and their relationship, but there were still traces of her in his office.
Cade was so mindful of her that he appeared weak enough to Estella.
Having knowledge of it, Baon was confused.
If there was any link between the death of Estella and the newborn baby bird⌠it would be bloody for quite a while.
Baon coughed and opened his mouth to change the gloomy atmosphere.
âBy the way, the baby has absorbed your pheromones. Iâm afraid now itâs too late to throw it out of the territory.â
âLetâs just watch for now.â
âRosaria seemed to be affectionate with the baby.â
â⌠Canât you make up your own name for it instead of calling it baby?â
âThatâs what Rosaria calls it, so I gave it a try. Isnât it a cute title?â
âItâs terrible. Why are you calling it that?â
âBecause the Lord didnât name it.â
As soon as she was born, he ordered me to throw her out of the land, so she didnât have a name.
Nevertheless, he didnât think anyone else would dare name it.
No one would do such a thing if they felt the pheromones of the family head, unless they were out of their minds.
âIf it were Rosaria, it might be possible.â
If she were the only one, Rosaria would have done so. In addition, she was quite pleased with taking care of the baby bird.
It seemed like he was still watching the situation, but he might move independently after judgment.
Baon twinkled his eyes.
âIf the Lord doesnât name it, someone else may steal the opportunity.â
âWhatâs that supposed to mean?â
âMaybe the baby will follow others and give them a gift.â
Cade blanched at the strangely disturbing remark. He didnât really want a daughter.
It was right to not be interested.
If only the right successor was born into the family with precious hands, that would be enough.
But he was upset at the thought of the baby bird following others and giving them a doll.
âName.â
âDo you have anything in mind?â
âI donât.â
That was an immediate answer. Baon was at a loss for words.