Chapter 5 : The Tyrant’s Tranquilizer 

Translated by Tam

Edited by Kio

Ethan came back faster than she thought. He was holding a big basket. Filled with dried grains, fruit-like food to feed the birds, thick chocolate cakes, cow sizzles, and chicken soup, and no matter how hard you looked at it, it was not a bird’s food.

“Did I ask you to pack me a picnic bag?”

Ethan smiled vaguely.

“I asked the maid to give me what the birds usually ate, and suddenly the butler came up and took care of it like this.”

When she heard that, she peeked into the basket again, and it was all the food that Amelie liked. It wasn’t food for birds.

“Looks like all the people seem to care about you.”

This was food for more than one person. At Serwin’s brazenness, Amelie lost her words.

‘Renee, father…I’m touched, it’s impressive, but… I don’t think chicken soup is for birds…’

Amelie was disturbed.

Serwin took out a dagger. Look at that hideous thing! The blade of the dagger was so sleek that it was easy to cut a bird’s neck.

“Pyak!”

Amelie rolled down from Serwin’s palm. And quickly went into the cage.

“Is it comfortable there?”

Serwin took a red apple out of the basket. And cut the apple thinly with a small dagger. The sweet scent as the juice flowed down his thick fingers. The smell of apples, which became more sensitive for the birds, was an unbearable temptation.

‘I’m hungry..’

Come to think of it, she hasn’t eaten anything since breakfast. She lost all of her energy as she was shaken by the Emperor. It suddenly made her very sad to think how long its been since she last eaten.

She wants to eat everything, but she can’t even eat. She’s hungry. But she’s sad. She’s really sad.

“Pya….”

Amelie bowed her head with a pathetic cry. As soon as she became aware, she started to feel the hunger like crazy.

“Come here.”

Serwin said. He put a small piece of apple on the tip of his finger and slipped it through the bars. The pulp was crushed small and gave off a stronger scent.

‘No, that’s the Emperor’s hand. If I peck his fingers while I’m taking it, he’ll kill me. But the Emperor’s gonna kill me anyway, right? Wouldn’t it be pointless to hold out?’

On the other hand Amelie had an appetite. As she transformed into an animal, her instincts became stronger, so her appetite was already unbearable.

‘Yes, the ghost who died after eating said it looked good, too!’

Amelie ran and pecked the apple off Serwin’s finger with her beak.

Along with the small crushed pulp, the sweetness of the apple filled her mouth.

‘It’s delicious!’

Maybe they choose only the good ones for the Emperor so the taste was incomparable to the apples that she bought at the convenience store.

Amelie’s last reason collapsed. He doesn’t know she’s a human anyway. With self-rationalization, she fell into a trance and ate what Serwin gave her. Because of the stress, the sweet fruit went straight into her.

Serwin smiled and tickled Amelie’s little cheek with his fingertips. By the time he came to his senses, she had already eaten the grapes on his palm. Amelie walked backwards, burying her neck.

‘Scary…’

She ate her food, but she still felt afraid of him. Big hands, fishy smell, and human head. This is the worst first meeting a future murderer and a victim can ever face.

“You’re well fed, but why are you still scared?”

Serwin’s voice expressed frustration.

“It’s only been a little over an hour since we met. Small animals usually have to spend time and get closer slowly.”

Replied Ethan, standing next to him and quietly wiping fruit.

“I see. Take your time—”

“Your Majesty must like the bird very much.”

“Yeah. I can’t take my eyes off the little thing.”

Amelie was startled by the words.

‘Why do you like it? Scary—’

Knock knock.

Then, she heard a sound of knock. Amelie took the gap and went back into the cage. She raised her tail feathers and buried her neck in her fur, as if guarding all directions.

“Your Majesty, Chad is back.”

“Come in.”

The door opened, and a man named Chad came in. He was wearing old clothes that the herdsmen would wear. However, as he walked his posture was alike to Ethan standing next to him, it attracted and commanded attention.

‘What’s again this time?’

Amelie looked around with her head. Chad, a man in a shepherd’s robe, bowed deeply in front of the Emperor.

“While I was carrying out what you ordered, I heard the news that your Majesty had come and returned immediately.”, said Chad.

He’s a knight who was sent a few days ago to investigate the territory of Dellaheim. He returned after hearing that the Emperor had arrived.

“Did you find it?”

Serwin looked at Chad. Although he was looking up, his dignity did not die. But there was impatience in his voice. Ethan also looked at Chad with a nervous expression.

Amelie raised her ears up. What the hell are you looking for? Jewels? Ancient relics? Legendary herbs?

Serwin asked again.

“Did you find the witch?”

Boom- Amellie felt her heart sink for a moment.

Amelie doubted her ears. Serwin was looking for a witch? She couldn’t blink and waited for Chad’s answer. Nervousness had made her mouth go dry.

“I’m sorry. I failed —Ugh!”

Even before Chad was finished, Serwin threw a vase. The vase flew in the air and hit Chad’s head.

CRASSH!

The vase was shattered. Chad’s body shook greatly. Blood splashed to the floor.

‘He threw a vase at a person—’

But Amelie was the only one who was surprised. Chad, Ethan, and the Emperor who threw the vase remained calm as if something like this is normal.

Chad sat on one knee. He couldn’t open his eyes because of the blood, but his posture was not disturbed at all.

“Sorry, but I have not fulfilled my duties. Please punish me.”

“Pay for it.”

Serwin’s eyes turned to the sword on Ethan’s waist.

‘Are you going to kill him? No way? Just because you didn’t find me?’

“Pyaaak!”

Amelie screamed without even knowing. No matter how bad you did what you were told to do, you just threw a vase at a person’s head. He was too harsh on his subordinates. She recalled his nickname as a tyrant again.

Serwin’s eyes were on Amelie. When he saw a bird flapping on the cage, he frowned.

Then Ethan interrupted it.

“Sir Chad, please explain the situation first. The punishment could come down later. Didn’t you report that you found a witch in the castle?”

“On the first day I came here as I reported, I heard about a witch in the castle.”

Chad disguised himself as a shepherd and came to the Dellahaim territory. It was to find out where the witch lived by arriving at the territory before the Emperor. Until then, his goal was the Fidelia Forest. He stopped by the Castle to buy things he needed and listen to people’s stories.

The first day he arrived at Dellahaim. He heard about the witch in the restaurant. It wasn’t much of a story.

‘I saw a witch on the way.’

‘I want to get good medicine for arthritis. Will I be able to meet you if I go now?’

The next day, Chad heard from people that they saw a witch while passing by. Unlike the Capital, Dellaheim was very favorable to witches. Then there was a possibility that the witch lived in a village near the Castle, not in the Forest of Fidelia.

Chad reported to Serwin that while Serwin’s group turned their way to the Fidelian Forest and came to the Count’s Mansion, he was scouting the Castle to find out the Witch’s house.

‘Argh—! I didn’t know the Emperor’s knight was here! I never thought you’d try to find me. Why are you looking for a witch, huh?”

Amelie screamed inside. She was extremely shocked.

For the past two weeks, she has frequently been in and out of the Castle, getting ready to run away. Some people must recognize her from time to time. But she wasn’t worried. No one in Dellahaim has ever tried grandmother’s witch’s medicine. So the people here were friendly to the witch, and Amelie wasn’t too worried about showing her face.

‘I didn’t think it was a big deal—’

In Chad’s words, Amelie realized another fact.

‘That’s why in the original novel, Renee never met the Emperor until he went to the Palace. In the original, Amelie wouldn’t have been in and out of the Castle trying to escape.’

In the end, her efforts to run away safely caused anger.

If she prepared a little less thoroughly, then her identity as a witch would have stayed off the Emperor’s radar.

Even if it’s family or not, she should just run away and never look back.

And this means she will never become Serwin’s new pet.

‘As soon as I knew I was possessed, I should have run away—’

But then she got Renee and Count in her mind.

‘No, but it’s a good thing I came to see my father and Renee. I can’t regret that.’

Amelie whimpered and rubbed her eyes with her wings. While she was at fault for Chad’s current condition, Chad continued.

The people of Dellahaim did not open their mouths easily. Twenty years ago, many people still remembered the “witch hunt” that swept the entire continent. They could not trust outsiders.

“I was rejected because they couldn’t tell outsiders where the witch lives.”

“After all, you haven’t figured it out?”

Serwin’s voice sounded as horrible as a death sentence. Chad shook his head.

“I’ll accept any punishment.”

Punishment again? She didn’t know what to say when all the blood from his head covered his face. Amelie looked at Serwin uneasily.

Serwin looked at Chad with cold eyes.

“Go back to the village. If you look around like that, they’ll tell you the location of the witch.”

Oh, my God. She can’t believe he can speak so harshly.

It was a ferocious and cruel order to the extent that Amelie was also angry. However, Chad seemed to be grateful for such orders.

“This time, I’ll repay your expectations. Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Chad lowered his head deeply and raised himself. It was a disciplined move like a knight, but he couldn’t overcome his dizziness. Ethan secretly supported him on the back.

“Then I’ll excuse myself to help Sir Chad.”

After greeting, Ethan and Chad left the room.

Amelie looked back at them. Chad was seen falling through the door’s closing gap. On his red face, all kinds of evil deeds of Serwin came to mind.