Bluebird Lady and The White Lion Family Chapter 45

 

‘Do you think you could just throw me away first?’

 

Sophina only smirked, hiding her true colors beneath her lips.

 

Ririela followed her like a cicada to an old tree, Canus joined in because he thought it was interesting, and Ricardo glared at them disapprovingly.

 

The situation with the tails between them made it hard to think straight.

 

Besides…

 

‘I forgot they were the most powerful faction in the Ropan universe.’

 

After all, in Ropan, even tyrants are expected to work diligently.

 

‘Even if they are sincere, they are working too hard…’

 

I thought I just needed to improve my physical strength, but I ended up training in combat techniques.

 

The other day it was swordsmanship, yesterday it was spearmanship, today its archery.

 

And then there’s this cultivation I’ve been doing in my spare time.

 

In the morning, she ran a lap around the mansion to improve her basic stamina.

 

‘Is this a schedule that beasts can handle?’

 

It was a murderous schedule for Sophina, whose body wasn’t very strong.

 

— Sister, that little bastard is going to cut me!

 

“Shut up, little snake.”

 

“Sophina, do you want me to get you some water?”

 

Even as she muttered to herself, the others clung to her, feigning acquaintance.

 

She glanced over at them and gritted her teeth.

 

‘Usually in romance novels, the romance starts with the teammates.’

 

Well, there was a dramatic development. The title, Killing, was a trap,

 

‘Oh, it’s the original, I’m getting killed.’

 

Especially Canus and Ricardo.

 

At least Ririela has water, so that’s out of the question.

 

She sighed and grabbed the bowstring back from the ground.

 

Then she pulled the bowstring taut as she had been taught.

 

‘They won’t bother me while I’m aiming,’ she thought.

 

But Sophina’s wish was not fulfilled.

 

Ricardo, seeing this, spontaneously put his hand on her shoulder.

 

“Your posture is crooked again.”

 

With a grunt, he repositioned Sophina’s hand, which was slightly out of alignment.

 

Then he narrowed his eyes as if noticing something.

 

“Make sure you wear the bracers.”

 

Ricardo grabbed an armband from the bench next to him and carefully wrapped it around Sophina’s wrist.

 

The vaguely warm fabric slid over her skin.

 

‘Tsk, you’re being unnecessarily attentive.’

 

Ricardo pointed to the bull’s-eye.

 

“Now shoot.”

 

The sound of a bowstring being pulled echoed through the silence.

 

‘I’m going to rip my palm open with that bow.’

 

It was a dexterity she had gotten used to by now, but handling the heavy bow was difficult.

 

The arrow sliced through the air as it left Sophina’s hand.

 

It struck the bull’s-eye.

 

“Wow…”

 

It was the first time she’d ever hit the center of a bull’s-eye.

 

‘I must be talented.’

 

While Sophina was inwardly congratulating herself, Ririela covered her mouth with her hand.

 

It was like an aunt watching her nephew’s performance at a talent show.

 

“My baby must be a genius.”

 

— That’s kind of cool.

 

Even Canus, who was usually a stern man, was impressed when he saw the arrow in the center of the target.

 

Even Ricardo looked a little surprised, then ruffled Sophina’s disheveled hair and encouraged her.

 

“A little more practice and you’ll be better than me.”

 

It was an affectionate gesture, but she glanced away.

 

“Are you telling me to do more of that?”

 

“That’s clever.”

 

Ricardo smirked and handed her the arrow in his quiver.

 

Ririela, who had been eyeing the opportunity, snatched the arrow and hung it on her bowstring instead.

 

“Sophina, I’ll help you this time!”

 

‘I’ll let her call me by my nickname while I help her!’ thought the ambitious Ririela.

 

Anyway, Sophina went back to work on her sighting. Ririela assisted her, subtly showing her true colors.

 

“Sophina, if you call me by my nickname now—”

 

But…

 

‘I can’t take this anymore, I feel like snapping!’

 

Sophina was almost mad to fight with herself. Her butt tickled like it was about to sprout.

 

A strange sensation rose from her toes.

 

Poof!

 

A blue bird with a puffy cheek appeared, accompanied by a fluffy white cloud.

 

Eventually, the result was a breakdown in her humanization.

 

It’s in their nature to revert to animal form if they’re pushed too hard.

 

Besides, I’d practiced a bit before I took up archery, so it was inevitable.

 

‘Ah, you harsh creatures.’

 

Sophina, now a bluebird, let out a weak cry.

 

“Whoa…”

 

Ririela gaped at the animalized Sophina for the first time.

 

Then she carefully sized it up with her fingers and shuddered.

 

Ririela scurried away from Sophina with the speed of an ant.

 

‘It’s cute. But scary.’

 

She was worried that she’d hurt Sophina if she tightened her grip on the animal.

 

Ririela squeezed her eyes shut, trying not to look at the little blue bird.

 

She crouched down in the corner, trying not to step on it.

 

Meanwhile, Sophina, who had been looking all over the place in her diminished vision, let out a faint cry.

 

Then she breathes a stream of energy toward Ricardo, who was right next to her.

 

“Tweet!”

 

‘Hey, you beast!’

 

Using all the energy she could muster, Sophina flew straight up and pecked Ricardo on the head.

 

She resented Ricardo for making her continue training.

 

“Ah!”

 

Ricardo’s lips curled around the sharp beak.

 

“That hurt.”

 

“Tweet!”

 

‘Oh, for heaven’s sake.’

 

Sophina hopped aboard. Ricardo glanced at her, then held out his hand for her to climb aboard.

 

When she stepped into his palm, Ricardo batted his eyelashes ruefully and grimaced.

 

“It hurts, Sophina.”

 

There was a hint of mischief in the brilliant blue eyes beneath those white lashes.

 

“I think you’ve cracked my skull.”

 

Beasts are creatures of learning.

 

The trick she’d pulled on him at their first meeting wouldn’t work anymore.

 

She lifted her wings with a breeze and laid down some code through fine feather control.

 

‘Screw you!’

 

“Twi-tweet!”

 

The bluebird stomped on Ricardo’s hand with a firm claw.

 

Ricardo offered his other hand and muttered in frustration.

 

“It’s not working.”

 

Sophina, who’d been dispensing justice for a while, flinched.

 

Not on the ground, of course, but in Ricardo’s palm.

 

‘Ouch, my leg hurts.’

 

She looked up at Ricardo. Then she signaled.

 

“Twee-twit.”

 

She squeezed.

 

“Twi, tweet, twit!”

 

‘Take me to down!’

 

It’s your fault, you ruined the whole thing!

 

But there was no way the lion could understand the bluebird’s language.

 

— I’ve learned the distinctive calls of the various species, but I think she means to be fed.

 

Canus, who had been observing the situation from the other side with a sneer, was kind enough to translate.

 

Ricardo then gently petted the little blue bird.

 

‘There, butler.’

 

Sophina had gotten her fill of treatment.

 

But only for a moment…

 

“Twi-tweet…?”

 

The little fellow scurried away. The bluebird stretched out its wings, trying to maneuver its slender legs.

 

Prickling, the sensation of electricity coursing through her body, she rolled over and over in Ricardo’s palm.

 

Reflexively, Ricardo flinched.

 

Ricardo winced as he covered the corner of my mouth with the back of his hand.

 

The red gaping maw of its mouth drew a sharp curve.

 

‘It was inevitable, wasn’t it?’

 

A bluebird with a ratty mouth.

 

‘Are you laughing? Is this funny?’

 

Sophina winced, unable to do anything about the stabbing pain.

 

— The bird has a rat.

 

The reaction of the condescending Canus made her feel even worse.

 

“Sophina, are you hurt?”

 

Ririela knelt in the blind spot and approached the otherwise silent Sophina.

 

‘What can I do?’

 

Ririela picked up the hem of Sophina’s dress from the ground and blinked.

 

Then, as if she’d found something to do, she gently tugged at the bluebird’s leg with her index finger.

 

Gently, just in case it broke, ‘I’m scared. It’s too small.’

 

Despite her fears, Ririela worked hard to free the little bird.

 

When Sophina’s condition improved, Ricardo lowered the little blue bird to the ground.

 

He whispered to her, “I don’t know what to do when you’re this tired, madame.”

 

He ran the back of his hand gently over the bluebird’s head, showing concern.

 

“The fall schedule will be too busy for me to attend to you.”

 

Ricardo firmly held it down.

 

“Grow up strong.”

 

Are you my father?

 

Are you raising me?

 

Why are you doing this…

 

Sophina slumped sullenly. Her once-standing tail feathers drooped.

 

Ricardo, seeing this, offered her a honeyed proposal for rest.

 

“If you’re still too tired, you can rest until tomorrow.”

 

“Tweet?”

 

Sophina’s face lit up.

 

“You don’t want to?”

 

No way.

 

‘I’ll go to the informant tomorrow!’

 

By now, she was so tired she could hardly stand.

 

‘I hadn’t dared to leave the mansion.’

 

Happy to finally be enjoying her vacation, Sophina lifted her wings and formed a heart shape.

 

It was a gesture of gratitude and a sort of condescension.

 

However, the power came from someone other than Ricardo.

 

“Mmm.”

 

It was so cute. The bluebird flapped its wings.

 

Ririela absentmindedly crumpled up Sophina’s workout clothes and grabbed her heart.

 

Then she buried her nose in the ground and rolled over.

 

The death sentence was simple.

 

“Twit Twi-tweet!”

 

‘Sis, wake up!’

 

Sophina looked back and forth between the ripped-up clothes and Ririela in confusion.