You! Don’t Press that Button! - Chap 6

I couldn’t hide my surprise at the magical phenomenon. I hopped up and down in place and looked up at the duke.Where did it go? Where did my poop go?

I was too curious to keep my body still. As I ran around in a frenzy, the duke picked me up and placed me on his cleaned hand. The look in his eyes as he gazed at me seemed more lively than when I first saw him. The duke slightly spread his fingers, caressed my chin, and spoke.

“You seem to understand human speech. You’re smart for a mere beast.”

Ooh, it feels good. Although his way of speaking wasn’t great, it wasn’t bad except for that. Judging from his gentle touch, he seemed to know how to handle animals. He might not be as ruthless as I thought. I shook my body vigorously. As I sat obediently, I heard the voice of the butler who had been attacked by me.

“Is your hand alright…?”

“Yes. Although I didn’t feel particularly good about it.”

Despite saying that, there was no displeasure evident in his voice. As I was peacefully receiving his pleasant touch, suddenly, a clock ticked in my stomach. It was a very small sound matching my body size.

Ah, I’m hungry.

“Cheep.”

I turned my head to look around, wondering if there was anything to eat. What caught my eye was none other than the food the duke had been eating. The thick meat that seemed full of texture and the soup that, although cooled down, still emitted a delicious aroma.

If it looks like that, it must be delicious, right? My bottom wiggled involuntarily. I want to eat it. I haven’t had a single tasty meal since coming to this world. After wandering in the forest, I was immediately captured by the trader and had been eating only hard, dry feed all along. That was truly the worst. If you haven’t tried it, you wouldn’t know. How much the bitter taste at the end makes you frown.

I sneakily raised my head and glanced at the duke. Unfortunately, he was still staring at me.How can I put that food in my mouth without anyone noticing?I looked up at him with an innocent face that wouldn’t arouse suspicion and thought.

Right, first, I’ll slowly approach it.

“Chirp chirp!”

With my heart pounding and my bottom wiggling in anticipation, I got off his hand. Then, to avoid others finding it strange, I approached the bowl with small steps. No one stopped me.

“Cheep!”

I’ve succeeded so far! My heart was thumping. Without losing the tension, I raised my foot and placed it on the bowl. Clink, the sound of my foot touching the bowl was heard. I slightly rolled my eyes upward and saw the duke looking down at me. It was for a very brief moment, but tension flashed between our gazes.

Alright. Before that guy catches me, let’s quickly tear off a piece of meat and eat it.

Faster and stronger than anyone else!

I opened my mouth wide, quickly lowered my head, and pecked at the meat. The meat was caught in my sharp beak. I won’t let go of it.

“Chirp.”

The meat juice that touched my tongue wasn’t the sweetness of this world.

Mwahaha.

I narrowed my eyes and smiled. No, the smile came out on its own. I wiggled my bottom and skillfully played with my tongue.

🐤

A very small growling sound was heard from the bird’s stomach. He had inherited the blood of a different race, albeit faintly, giving him more sensitive senses than ordinary people. If he concentrated and manipulated mana, he could even pick up on very faint heartbeats.

The bird whose belly clock had ticked raised its head to look around, then stopped moving. Then, wagging its small, round bottom, it got off his hand. Its eyes, the size of beans, glanced up at him sneakily. If it were a person, it would look like it was gauging his reaction.

For some reason, the bird spent quite a long time approaching the bowl while being distracted here and there.

The duke and the butler looked at the bird, thinking it couldn’t be, but the bird didn’t disappoint their doubts. It gently climbed onto the bowl, then suddenly opened its beak wide in a ravenous manner and took a mouthful of the steak. It didn’t move, holding the steak with its beak. Between its wide-open beak, a small pink tongue could be seen moving back and forth.

Seeing that, the duke couldn’t hold back a chuckle. On the other hand, the butler was startled to see the bird coveting the duke’s meal and hurriedly approached. He stretched out his hand, grabbed the bird’s body, and tried to forcefully pull it away from the steak, but it seemed the bird’s beak strength was stronger than expected. It didn’t let go of the steak, which was much larger than its body.

The sight of it ferociously opening its eyes and desperately holding onto the steak was truly amusing. Perhaps because it was absurd, a dry laugh escaped. He didn’t want to snatch it away when it was trying so desperately to eat.

Claude, seeing the duke like that, broke out in a cold sweat. This darn bird’s greed was so strong compared to its size that it wouldn’t let go of the steak. But if he pulled harder, it seemed like the bird might get hurt. Thinking this wouldn’t do, he carefully spoke.

“I apologize, Your Grace. I’ll bring out a new meal.”

As Claude hastily apologized, the duke raised his hand and shook his head. There was no need for new food to be brought out. Anyway, it didn’t seem like that small body needed a lot of meat. It seemed like he could just cut a little for it.

“Put it down.”

Claude let out a small sigh and released the bird he was holding. Despite the forceful grip disappearing, the bird didn’t let go of the meat, wary of its surroundings.

The duke, watching the bird like that, picked up a knife and fork. He carefully fixed the part slightly in front of where the bird was biting with the fork and cut it. Leaving the softly sliced steak, he put down the utensils, and the bird opened its beak wide. As if not believing its share had fallen, the bird raised its head towards him and tilted it.

“You’ve been wanting to eat since earlier.”

“Cheep!”

“Yes. Eat.”

“Chirp!”

Only then did the bird start tearing into the meat. It looked very excited, holding it with its feet and tearing it with its beak. After tearing it well, it glanced up again. When he nodded, it seemed relieved and sat down, diligently eating chop chop.

The more he thought about it, the more fascinating the bird was. Its thinking was no less than a human’s. Not an adult, but… it was like a greedy child. As the trader who sold the bird said, it was full of anger and had little tricks.

“If raised well, it will be useful. Good work. Call me again when you’re done with the meal. You may leave now.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

The butler bowed his head and left the room. As the door closed, only the duke himself and the bird remained in this space. He picked up the fork, took a bite of the meat, and observed the bird. It was tasting the steak with a happy expression.

Could birds eat steak? Was it okay for them to eat it? Various thoughts came to mind, but he had a feeling this bird could make it possible.

“How curious. Are all birds like this?”

Having never raised a beast before, he didn’t know the extent of intelligence that ordinary birds possessed.

He finished his meal while carefully examining the documents he had brought next to him. He wiped the traces of food from the corners of his mouth and looked down beside the bowl to see the bird lying down, making a huff sound, seemingly full. Its previously small chest had grown a little bigger.

Its chest had fluffy, soft down feathers, making it look plump. He reached out his hand and lightly pressed the bird’s round chest. His finger sank shallowly into the down feathers. As he pressed gently, the bird, who had been resting, suddenly opened its eyes and barked.

“Cheep! Chirp! Chirp!”

Even when full, its temper is foul. The duke removed his finger that had been applying a little force. Even though he had clearly pressed very lightly, the bird got furious.

It hadn’t been many hours since he met this bird, but he was already experiencing a wide range of emotions. When was the last time someone had gotten angry at him like this? It had been several hundred years since he had ascended to the position of duke. During that long time, no one had dared to say anything to him. Even if there were, there was no way he would tolerate such a temper.

Perhaps it was because it was a small beast not even worth getting angry at.

Looking down, he now saw the bird sleeping, making a snoring sound. The duke carefully reached out his hand and lifted the bird as if holding it. Should he put it back in the cage? He stood in front of the cage with the bird in his hand. Just as he was contemplating whether to put it in or not, the cushion next to him caught his eye. He alternately looked at the cage and the cushion, then approached the cushion.

“Yes. You’d like a soft place too.”

He placed the bird on the cushion. Even this small thing had weight, causing the cushion to sink in very slightly.

Feeling as if a storm had passed, the duke sat back at his desk and carefully examined the documents.

🐤

Blink.

Ah. I slept.I woke up from a very sweet sleep.What’s this refreshing feeling, as if I slept on a bed for the first time in a long while?I turned my head from side to side. Something soft was enveloping me. I flapped my wings and flew up, and I could see where I had been lying. It was a soft cushion.

“Cheep.”

I slept on a cushion. No wonder I had a feeling my body was leaning on somewhere. I looked at the duke sitting at the desk with a slight sense of being touched.He must have been busy, as he didn’t even spare a glance and was looking at the documents. He’s working hard.

It must have been that duke fellow who placed me on this soft cushion, right?I felt a bit apologetic for his warm actions of providing me with food and a soft place to sleep. I had misunderstood him as a bad guy.This won’t do. Should I do something for him too?

I flapped my wings and flew towards the duke. Landing on the duke’s desk, I gazed at him as he worked.He seems to be the most handsome person I’ve ever seen. I tilted my head back and closely examined his face. His neat appearance was truly splendid, as if someone had sculpted him.

To me, who had lived in a world filled with black eyes, silver-gray eyes were very unfamiliar. The color alone would have seemed creepy in imagination, but his elegantly stretching nose bridge and jawline pulled it off. Moreover, his deep navy-blue hair and chilly silver-gray eyes matched well together like a pair.

Handsome indeed. A feast for the eyes.

“Cheep.”