You! Don’t Press that Button! - Chap 16

As I cooed in response to Karhan’s touch, enjoying a peaceful moment together, there was a polite knock on the door. It seemed that an employee had brought the food. The duke, who had been lying on the bed with me, got up from his spot and opened the door. As the door opened, the delicious aroma of food wafted in.

“Cheep!”

Food! Food!

I abruptly got up from the bed and flew onto the table in the room. I wiggled my bottom and settled into a spot. Bring it over quickly! The employee who entered carrying a large tray filled with food smiled widely upon seeing me perched on the table. As he set down the dishes one by one, he greeted me.

“You’re incredibly cute. Hello?”

“Peep!”

Oh yeah!

I graciously accepted his greeting. As I bowed my head once, the employee burst into laughter. Once he started laughing, it didn’t easily subside and continued until all the food was placed on the table. As I stared at the steaming dishes in a daze, the employee cautiously extended his hand towards me.

I tilted my head and observed the hand slowly approaching me. Is he trying to touch me? However, his hand stopped moving before reaching my forehead. It was because Karhan had grabbed the employee’s wrist.

“Oh.”

The employee, who had been about to touch me, was startled and looked to the side. The smile he had been wearing just a moment ago had vanished, and Karhan had his usual expressionless face. Glaring at the employee with cold eyes, Karhan parted his tightly sealed lips.

“Don’t touch him without permission.”

The employee’s hand trembled under Karhan’s fierce gaze. When Karhan released his grip, the employee lowered his hand with an “Ah” sound. Realizing that he should apologize for his unintentional action, the employee bowed his head deeply.

“I apologize, sir. My behavior was extremely rude.”

As Karhan didn’t accept the apology, the employee couldn’t raise his head. Although it was indeed rude of him to try to touch an animal that belonged to someone else without permission, his immediate apology made it alright. I looked up at Karhan, who was standing still with a cold expression, and waddled over to the employee.

“Cheep.”

The employee, who had been bowing, slightly raised his head and looked at me. Standing confidently on the table, I gazed down at the employee and spoke.

“Cheep. Peep.”

I’ll allow it. Go ahead, touch me.

I slightly turned to the side, indicating that he could touch my back. The employee awkwardly straightened his body and glanced at Karhan. Judging by his flushed face, he clearly wanted to touch me, but his hesitant hand couldn’t easily approach me.Sigh. I let out a small sigh at his pitiful state.There’s no choice.

“Peep peep!”

Hurry up and touch me! I said touch me!

I flapped my wings and tapped my back. Touch me right here, like this! As I expressed myself vigorously, the hand that had nowhere to go gradually approached. He gently stroked me with his fingers extended. Yes, that’s right! I nodded my head. Since Karhan didn’t stop him, the employee finally seemed relieved and caressed my back with a bolder touch.

The employee stroked me for a while as if entranced, then suddenly stopped with a gasp. It seems he had fallen deeply for my charm. I nodded, understanding that it could happen. With his ears turned bright red and his head bowed, the employee hurriedly left the room, wishing us a pleasant rest. Only after the door closed did a quiet moment for just the two of us arrive.

Karhan sat down and sliced the meat, serving it to me. It was the plump meat I hadn’t seen in a long time. I opened my beak wide and gently tore off pieces of the meat. Unlike jerky, the flesh was tender, making it easy to tear off and enter my mouth. I could taste the sweetness of the sauce and the flavor of the meat. Although the quality was slightly different from the meat I had eaten at the ducal house, it was delicious compared to jerky.

“Cheep! Cheep!”

Delicious! Delicious!

Excited by the taste of the meat I had been craving, I wiggled my bottom from side to side. I could feel Karhan’s gaze on me, but I didn’t pay attention to such things. How can I help it if my bottom wiggles when I’m happy?

After finishing the delicious meat, I lay sprawled on the table, and a small burp escaped my beak. Then, I heard a suppressed “Pfft” sound beside me. It sounded like a slight snicker. Since I was in a good mood, I let it slide. When I was human, I was self-conscious about everything, including burping, but perhaps because I was in an animal’s body, I didn’t care how others looked at me.

Karhan pulled a small cord next to him. After a few minutes, the employee from earlier came up. He brought tea on a small tray and placed it on the table. As he cleaned up the empty dishes and turned to leave, he hesitated for a moment at the door and looked back at us.

“I… I’m truly sorry about earlier.”

“Cheep!”

Nah, it’s fine! I don’t mind such things!

I raised one wing and waved it from side to side, signaling that it was alright. Seeing my gesture, the employee relaxed his stiff expression and smiled slightly. Then, in a lighter tone than before, he said,

“I’m not sure if I can be of help, but… if there’s anything you need, I’ll assist you.”

With a neat closing remark, he turned around and left. Karhan stared at the closed door for a moment, then picked me up from where I was lying on the table and placed me on the pillow. The pillow seemed to be stuffed with a lot of cotton, as it was very fluffy, and I sank into it.

The sleeping arrangements are good, and I’m full. I’m starting to feel sleepy.

“Cheep… Peep.”

As if weights were attached to my eyelids, they closed quickly. The warm touch stroking my belly made sleep approach even faster, and before long, I drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, I woke up from my slumber as the sunlight squeezed through the window and shone on my face. Blinking my eyes, I looked up and saw a wooden ceiling. Sometimes, if you observe those closely, you can find animal-shaped faces. I stared at it blankly and then got up.

“Cheep.”

Satisfied with the refreshing start to the day, I stretched out my legs and yawned. To get out of the pillow that had sunk in the shape of my body, I wobbled and squirmed. In the process, I misstepped on the squishy pillow and ended up rolling out. The world was spinning round and round from the morning.

“Peep.”

I collected myself and looked around. Usually, by this time, Karhan would be looking at me, but I couldn’t feel his gaze.

“Cheep?”

That’s strange.

I quickly turned my head and surveyed my surroundings. Karhan wasn’t there. I was alone in this spacious single room. Left all by myself, I stood still for a moment, then flapped my wings and flew to the window. Even as I stood on the window sill and looked outside, I couldn’t see Karhan.

“Peep peep.”

Where did he go, leaving me behind?

As I stared blankly out the window, I spotted a familiar black head among the colorful crowd of people. Gasp! I hurriedly gnawed at the window latch. It clattered, teasing me as if it would open but not quite. Just a little more! I bit it with my beak and pulled upward. As I flapped my wings and put all my strength into it, it clicked open.Yes!

“Cheep!”

Fly!

I squeezed through the window and soared into the sky. Looking down, the black-haired figure was farther away than before I had opened the window, but it was alright. I could just fly over to him. I vigorously flew towards Doel, who was slowly walking through the bustling crowd. Doel grew closer and closer, and I called out loudly.

“Cheep!”

Look at me!

As if he had heard my voice, Doel turned around and looked up at the sky. He seemed quite surprised to see me, as his eyes widened. How about that! Happy to see me? Delighted to see Doel’s familiar face, I chirped “Peep peep” and flew towards him. But then, I suddenly had an ominous feeling.

“Cheep.”

Poop is coming out.

I was just a little bit away from reaching Doel, but I thought I shouldn’t poop on him, so I flapped my wings and tried to stop in place. However, the poop greeted me by poking out regardless of my intentions, and due to the momentum of my body that still had speed… it flew straight towards his face.

“Peep…”

Oh, oh no…

🐤

On an early morning when the sun was trapped behind the clouds, unable to peek out, the chilly air tapped on the window. Karhan’s heavy eyelids, as if weighed down by pebbles, fluttered open. His silver-gray eyes took in the old ceiling.

Waking up from his slumber, Karhan blinked blankly. He slowly awakened his sleeping cells and turned his head. On the pillow next to his head, a small white creature lay with its eyes closed, exhaling faint breaths. The steady breathing tickled his ears.

He shifted his body to lie facing the bird. Extending his hand quietly, he gently stroked it. He caressed it with a delicate touch, as if touching the air, to avoid waking it up. The soft feathers and warm body temperature delighted his fingers. A smile naturally formed on Karhan’s lips.

The bird seemed to be in such a deep sleep that he could carry it away without it noticing. The tightly closed eyes and the beak smaller than a fingernail were adorable. Perhaps because of its round body, its short legs were hovering in the air. Would it be uncomfortable? He lowered his hand that had been stroking the body and tickled the small soles of its feet, causing the tiny legs to flap. He suppressed the urge to laugh at the endearing movement.

Feeling a small pleasure, he sat up. The sun was slowly peeking out from behind the clouds. Before the sunlight covered the entire world, he had a place to visit quietly, so he swung his legs out of bed. Remembering the little bird that had rolled around yesterday, he got up quietly to avoid shaking the bed.

After washing with clean water, he changed into the clothes he had brought. He reached out and draped a dull-colored robe that had been hanging on a chair over his body. After glancing at Peep, who was still immersed in a pleasant dream, he pulled the hood attached to the back of the robe deep over his face to conceal it and left the room.

He walked slowly after leaving the inn. There weren’t many people out in the early morning. Only a few merchants starting their day were busily rolling up their canvases. A cool breeze carrying the morning air entered through the gaps in his robe.

He stopped walking on the quiet street. Turning his body, he looked at a two-story building. It appeared to be an ordinary restaurant offering dining and resting spaces. He approached it leisurely, grasped the door handle, and opened it. A creaking sound that needed oiling was heard.

As he passed through the squeaking door, he noticed people having meals despite the early hour. Disturbingly, everyone glanced at Karhan, then one by one, they returned their focus to their meals.