You! Don’t Press that Button! - Chap 81

“Thank you.”

As I bowed my head while cradled in Karhan’s arms, a gentle curve appeared on the Elder’s lips. However, even after carefully tucking the fruit away, the gazes directed at me didn’t subside. What’s going on? Do I need to do a hundred somersaults while expressing my gratitude?

As I rolled my eyes around, a voice of salvation came from above my head.

“Try eating it here.”

“Now? Uh… alright.”

Afraid of the elves’ stares, I nodded, not daring to refuse. I took a big bite of the brightly glowing fruit.

Though it looked hard, it had a soft, peach-like texture that enveloped my lips and tongue. The taste should have followed, but… strangely, despite the delicious texture, there was no flavor. It was completely tasteless.

“There’s no taste?”

As I looked up, I noticed Karhan’s slightly stiffened expression. His brow furrowed deeply, casting a shadow. His silvery-gray eyes moved slowly before focusing on me.

“Our business is done, so we should return now.”

Though his voice was naturally low, it now lacked energy. Did something go wrong? Worried, I fidgeted with the hand holding the fruit and quietly asked.

“Did something happen?”

“No. Nothing happened.”

For someone saying that, his expression was rigidly set. I thought about pressing further, but the atmosphere didn’t seem right, so I quietly closed my mouth.

Karhan headed towards the village entrance without looking back. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Silion covering his mouth with a handkerchief. His physique was fine, but being a pervert was a flaw.Tsk tsk. What a pity for a young man.

Passing through the opaque membrane in the same way we had entered the village, we found two horses and the guide waiting for us. Perhaps due to Karhan’s somber mood, he quietly led the way to Beani Village without asking anything.

We arrived at the inn in the late hours of the night. As soon as we reached the room, I jumped onto the bed with my heavy body. The undulating mattress and fluffy blanket welcomed my tired body. I lifted my head from where it was buried in the blanket to look at Karhan. Seemingly untired, he sat in a chair, lost in thought.

Worried about Karhan’s sudden mood change, though I didn’t know the reason, I raised my upper body and called out carefully.

“Karhan. Are you okay?”

“You must be tired. Go to sleep first.”

How could I sleep comfortably when my friend wore such a serious expression? Especially since we’re not just ordinary friends. I obediently sat up, leaning against the headboard. The atmosphere had been fine until we ate the fruit. As I gazed at Karhan’s profile, deep in thought, someone knocked on the door.

Not wanting to disturb Karhan in his troubled state, I jumped up and approached the door. Quickly opening it, I saw familiar red eyes. I tried to close the door immediately, but somehow, a foot wedged itself in the doorway.

As I narrowed my eyes and silently wrestled with the door, Karhan approached from behind me.

“Move your foot.”

He must really be in a bad mood. His chilling voice fell on my head. As I tried to retreat while cautiously observing the two intimidating people, Asmil’s words stopped me.

“Judging by your bad mood, I guess the fruit was useless.”

How does Asmil know the cause of Karhan’s bad mood? I looked up at Asmil from my awkward position between them. His face was still full of amusement. Feeling this wasn’t a situation for me to intervene, I waited quietly, only to hear mockery from the front.

“It seems Lailas was quite eager to help you, but unfortunately, there’s no solution.”

As I listened silently, I began to understand bit by bit. I see. It wasn’t just a trip; he brought me here for my sake. Karhan’s mood had hit rock bottom because there was no reaction even after eating the fruit Lailas had recommended.

As the taunting voice continued, I nodded slightly and looked down at the floor. I could still see the sturdy shoe blocking the door from closing. Blinking slowly, I took a deep breath. I raised my right foot high and stomped down on Asmil’s foot without hesitation.

“Stop tormenting him!”

You jerk!I felt the hard toe of the shoe, but I didn’t care and ground my foot down viciously. How dare you add fuel to the fire! I glared at those red eyes, fiercely wrinkling my nose. Asmil, uncharacteristically, opened his eyes wide, apparently not expecting me to step on his foot.

Looking into those eyes filled with surprise, I warned him fiercely.

“We’ll handle this ourselves.”

I raised my hand aggressively, forming my index and middle fingers into a hook shape, mimicking the action of poking eyes.

“Mind your own business.”

Asmil, who had been standing there blankly with his foot still being stepped on, suddenly burst into laughter. He bent over, his body shaking finely, maintaining that posture for a moment before suddenly clearing his throat and speaking.

“I wonder if it’ll be fun to keep for a while.”

After muttering this incomprehensible soliloquy, he met my gaze. His red eyes, full of amusement and interest, creased beautifully.

“See you again soon.”

Only then did he withdraw his foot and step back behind the door. Fearing he might return, I quickly closed the door. Then, I turned around slowly to look at Karhan. Deep shadows fell across Karhan’s face as he slightly lowered his head. His tightly closed lips slowly parted.

“Another method—”

“Was that why you were feeling down?”

I asked in a deliberately cheerful voice. I don’t understand why he should feel down when he’s done nothing wrong. Just as he always stroked me, I slowly raised my hand to caress his cheek. His tightly set lips gradually relaxed.

Karhan really worries a lot. Of course, this is reality for him, so it can’t be helped.

Anyone would be afraid of the warning that as time passes, the body will ache and eventually die in pain. When I first learned of this fact, fear lingered at my feet, but now it had long since disappeared. Thanks to Karhan’s blood, I had gained the courage to endure until the end of the story.

I carefully stroked Karhan’s disheartened face, drawing a gentle curve on my lips. As I looked closely at his face, his firmly closed, stubborn lips slowly parted, and a somewhat dejected voice was heard.

“…I’ve never been this helpless before.”

I carefully looked him up and down. This guy, barely in his early 30s at most, feeling such a sense of loss. Well, Karhan was the duke who feared nothing in the empire. This might be the first time he’s felt such powerlessness, so I nodded slowly.

Unable to comfort him by revealing everything, I pondered for a moment before speaking.

“Lailas will tell us about other methods. And maybe, as time passes, it might resolve itself.”

I patted his shoulder gently. Just the fact that he came all this way for me was enough to make me feel like I’d received a gift. I didn’t want to see shadows on my friend’s face because of me. As I shook my head with a bright smile, his downturned lips finally began to change shape.

Although we couldn’t achieve any results in the elven forest, we were able to return to the mansion in good spirits.

🐤

After my first trip in a human body ended, the physical fatigue was more severe than I had expected. For several days, I couldn’t even exercise and spent all my time in bed.

Today, too, as I was quietly trying to sleep with the blanket pulled up to my head, I heard noisy chatter from the garden outside the window. My eyebrows twitched at the familiar voices I couldn’t forget. With the sun high in the sky, my mind, which had somewhat surfaced from sleep, slowly began to wake up.

I pushed aside the blankets and raised my upper body. I yawned leisurely and stretched my arms high. Swinging my weak legs out of bed, I slowly stood up and approached the window. Poking my head out, I saw, as expected, the children of the bird country gathered together.

‘That nasty Geld isn’t here.’

Perhaps Karhan had scolded him severely, as Geld was absent from the familiar group. Perhaps because of this, a relatively harmonious atmosphere prevailed. Even Arthur wore a faint smile.

They still each had an animal with them, but there was no atmosphere of betting or such things going on. As I blinked slowly, getting some fresh air to wake up fully, the children began to show off their animals one by one. Among them, only Arthur stood there blankly without an animal. It was a somewhat bitter sight.

Having learned something after the fight at the last gathering, Arthur didn’t ask for an animal. As a result, he seemed to be the only one attending the gathering without an animal. Though he wore a smile, it was an unsettling one.

Seeing him standing alone, I couldn’t help but sigh. At an age when friends are everything, seeing him like that made me uneasy. What should I do… Though not too gloomy, it reminded me of my own intense school days, making me frown.

With Karhan not in the mansion, maybe I could help a little. After deep contemplation, I took a breath and transformed into my chick form.

“Peep.”

Standing on the window sill and looking down, I could see the top of Arthur’s head, still standing still. Let’s help just this once. I spread my large wings wide and flapped them vigorously, causing a breeze. The curtains attached to the window began to flutter.

Here I go, Arthur!

Grab.

“Peeep?”

The moment I jumped from the window to fly towards Arthur, something hook-like firmly wrapped around my body. Before I could notice, my body flew higher, contrary to my will, and I couldn’t spread my wings.

“Pee, peeep!”

What’s going on!