Chapter 7: The Cherished Little Bird

“Tap, tap, tap”—something was making a sound.

Bathed in dazzling sunlight, Sharon vaguely realized that morning had come.

She slowly opened her eyes to see two large wild birds perched outside the window.

‘Hey, wake up, newbie!’

‘Wake up, wake up~!’

“Huh…?”

Whose voices were those? 

She looked around the room in confusion, but no one was there.

Zex was nowhere to be seen either.

‘Don’t you dare ignore me, just because you’re new!’

With a sulky air, the blackish-brown bird tapped its beak against the window.

Beside it, a brown bird nodded in agreement.

‘Wait, are the birds… talking to me!?’

It had already felt unreal enough to transform into a small bird, but now being able to understand birds’ words left Sharon even more stunned.

Come to think of it, she’d also understood the words of the white bird that had triggered her transformation.

Just what was that little bird?

‘Hey! Can’t you hear us!’

When Sharon still didn’t reply, the blackish-brown bird grew irritated.

“Ah, sorry! I was just surprised…”

‘That’s why you get caught, spacing out like that.’

‘What a dummy~!’

Even birds were looking down on her now. 

Well, Sharon was a small bird herself at the moment.

‘But since I’m so kind, I’ll let you in on something, newbie!’

Puffing out his fluffy chest with pride, the blackish-brown bird spoke boastfully.

‘Listen up. That man is cursed. You’d better stay away from him!’

‘Run away, run away~!’

“Wait, what do you mean, cursed—”

Without answering Sharon’s question, the two birds flew off.

“W-wait, come back~!”

They were the first ones she could talk to in this form.

She had so many questions, but couldn’t ask any. 

Sharon’s shoulders slumped in disappointment.

“What’s wrong?”

Suddenly hearing a voice behind her, Sharon fluffed up her feathers in shock.

She turned around hesitantly to find Zex, lightly dressed, standing there.

So that’s why the birds had flown off—they must have sensed Zex’s presence.

But what really lingered in her mind were the birds’ words: “That man is cursed.”

‘But… is it really true?’

Zex certainly had a fearsome face and an intimidating aura, but he didn’t seem cursed.

Maybe they’d said that because they were frightened by the overwhelming aura he exuded.

Even through his clothes, his well-trained physique and long, slender legs were evident.

His long sleeves and black gloves hid his bare skin, probably for warmth.

That powerful presence was seeping out of him again today.

But if he truly was cursed as they claimed, just what kind of curse would it be?

They’d said not to get close—did that mean simply being near him would spread the curse?

But the servants serving Zex went about their days as usual.

Could it be something only animals could sense?

Sharon gazed up at Zex from inside the birdcage.

Suddenly, Zex covered his face with one hand and began to struggle internally.

‘Huh? What’s wrong?’

Not knowing why Zex seemed troubled, Sharon tilted her head.

“Ugh, don’t look at me like that… This is for your own good… but even so…”

Apparently, Zex had misunderstood the meaning behind Sharon’s staring.

“C-cute… I… Oh, fine!”

He frowned in deep thought for a moment, but it seemed he couldn’t resist the little bird’s round, earnest eyes and gave in.

“Alright, I’ll let you out. Just for a bit.”

She never imagined she’d be let out of the birdcage. 

Sharon bounced with delight.

‘Yay!’

With a click, the door opened, and Zex’s hand, clad in black leather gloves, reached into the cage.

Seeing the outstretched hand, Sharon remembered the birds’ warning.

‘He touched me yesterday too, and nothing happened… I’m sure it’ll be fine.’

She quietly stepped onto Zex’s palm.

At that moment, Zex drew in a sharp breath.

“…Let’s go have breakfast, shall we?”

Was it her imagination, or did she see Zex’s mouth soften slightly as he said that?

Zex headed for the kitchen.

He’d said “breakfast,” so why were they going to the kitchen?

As if to answer Sharon’s question, the chef in the kitchen turned around and smiled.

In his hand, he held a knife—wait…

‘Is today’s breakfast… me!?’

She’d completely let her guard down.

She thought she’d dodged the fate of becoming fried chicken, but…

The color drained from Sharon’s face.

“Lord Zex, this is the little bird you mentioned, yes?”

“Yeah. I’ll leave it to you.”

‘W-what do you mean, “leave it to you”!? Am I about to be cooked!?’

Sharon felt faint just seeing the chef’s knife.

But what the chef actually handed her wasn’t the knife, but small, neatly cut pieces of apple.

“These are freshly harvested apples, just picked today.”

Unable to grasp the situation, Sharon froze.

“Snow likes fruit, right? Eat this and feel better.”

It was true—Sharon avoided bugs and preferred eating fruit.

Zex had remembered, and brought her to the kitchen just for that.

He could have fed her in her room, but he’d gone out of his way to grant the little bird’s wish to leave the cage.

Moved by Zex’s kindness, Sharon’s heart swelled with emotion.

Not once, but twice now, she’d mistakenly thought she was about to be eaten.

‘Say… Itadakimasu…’

Trying to cover her embarrassment, Sharon bit into the apple.

It was crisp and juicy, with a sweetness that outshone any tartness.

‘Delicious!’

She only meant to take a single bite, but ended up eating both slices.

But… did she just hear him call her “Snow”? 

Maybe she’d misheard.

“Oh, right. I’ve decided to name you Snow.”

She couldn’t believe it, but the name really was for the little bird—her.

Startled, a piece of apple tumbled from Sharon’s beak.

“I found you on a snowy day, and your feathers are white as snow. That’s why I’ll call you Snow.”

Zex gazed at Sharon with gentle eyes.

‘He… gave me a name…?’

A name is proof that one is acknowledged as an individual, and cherished.

Her family always denied her existence, calling her “you” or “that,” and at the academy she was only ever known as the ‘Outcast of the Sdulc Family.’

Leona was the only one who ever called her “Sharon,” but even then, there was no warmth or friendship in it.

But in Zex’s eyes, she could see pure affection.

“Snow, do you like it?”

‘Snow’ wasn’t her real name.

But even so, she was happy that Zex had thought of a name with care and called her by it.

Being called by name made her feel, for the first time, that she truly existed.

“Pii! (Yes!)”

Sharon nodded enthusiastically.

‘This is the first time anyone’s called me by a name like this.’

Even if it wasn’t her real name, the warmth in that affection brought tears to her eyes.

At the same time, guilt pricked her heart—she was hiding the truth that she was human, a fugitive who’d illegally entered here.

‘I’m not someone worthy of being given a name… I don’t deserve to be here…’

Trying to swallow her guilt, Sharon took another bite of apple.