Moti and Potun, who had known nothing about Formo’s wing condition, rushed over in a fluster and looked down at the collapsed Formo. This was because Formo, who hadn’t wanted to add to his parents’ mental burden since they were already distressed about the barrier, had kept his wing condition a secret from everyone.
As a result, Moti and Potun became heartless parents who poured all their attention into repairing the barrier without even knowing their son’s wing condition.
Moti and Potun held Formo and urgently called for the royal physician. Since it had happened so suddenly that they were in shock, they didn’t even think to move Formo inside the castle and just stamped their small feet anxiously.
[First, let’s move him to the bedroom!]
Only after Armo, who had collected herself first, said that did Moti and Potun’s legs, which had only been spinning in place, start moving. They laid Formo’s limp body on the bed and looked at the royal physician who had followed them in with desperate eyes.
Moti wiped the moisture seeping into her eyes with her wing and asked the royal physician.
[How is Formo?]
Though the physician knew inside and out about the health conditions of long-tailed tits, Formo, who was born with the fate of a Guardian, was a completely different patient from existing long-tailed tits, whether in appearance or innate constitution. Therefore, the physician, who couldn’t easily make a diagnosis, hesitated while stammering.
That brief moment when the physician was choosing appropriate words felt as long as eons to Moti, Potun, and Armo.
[Well……]
The royal physician opened and closed his beak, unable to easily provide an answer. At the tantalizing attitude, Moti, who had become anxious, unconsciously raised her voice.
[Is there some problem with Formo?]
[Well, I also don’t really know……]
The royal physician trailed off hesitantly.
[Mother, please calm down.]
Armo, who had soothed Moti, looked down at Formo. Even in his unconscious state, Formo had his brow furrowed while his eyelashes trembled. His complexion seemed to have turned deathly pale. When she glanced at the physician, thinking something must be wrong, the physician trembled and examined Formo again.
At the very unsatisfactory appearance, Armo’s eyes narrowed as she looked at the physician. Even while examining Formo, the physician kept tilting his head as if uncertain and anxiously twitched his beak.
At that sight, Armo had no choice but to gradually lose trust in the physician.
[Since he was born with the fate of a Guardian, it’s difficult to make a diagnosis carelessly…… He’s different from ordinary long-tailed tits in many ways.]
At the physician’s words, Moti and Potun seemed to accept it to some degree, but Armo, who knew about Formo’s wing condition, was different.
[Even if we grant that about internal injuries, what about his wing?]
[Pardon?]
[Formo complained of wing pain. Did you examine his wing?]
[……Ah, I thought it was an internal injury problem, so I haven’t examined his wing yet.]
The physician answered with surprised eyes and hurriedly checked Formo’s wing.
[Ah…….]
The physician’s expression was not good. The physician, who had examined Formo’s wing for quite a while, opened his mouth with difficulty.
[His wing has been overworked several times without fully healing…… The condition is very poor. It’s possible it might not heal like this…….]
At those words, Moti’s eyes widened.
[Does that mean Formo might not be able to fly in the future?]
[Well…… Yes, that’s correct.]
When the physician answered with a heavy face, silence hung in the bedroom. To think that Formo, who loved riding the wind and flying through the sky more than anything, might never fly again. To think his wing might never heal.
Moti felt as if the sky was collapsing and squeezed her eyes shut. Armo also looked down at Formo with a stunned face and clenched her beak tightly. Even knowing Formo’s wing was not in good condition, she had placed a heavy burden on him.
[When…… will Formo wake up?]
At the sight of Formo groaning while breaking out in cold sweat, Moti became anxious along with great unease. Not only might he never fly again, but what if he couldn’t wake up?
[Well…… I’m sorry.]
The long-tailed tit physician apologized while fidgeting with his wings. Since individuals born with the fate of Guardian were usually several times sturdier and healthier compared to ordinary long-tailed tits, there was remarkably little information about when they got sick or injured. Therefore, the physician couldn’t make any particular diagnosis.
Not even when he would wake up.
[Formo…….]
Armo’s eyes, murmuring her younger brother’s name, were full of tears.
* * *
At that moment, Serdin, who had transformed into his animal form, had approached near Arancha Kingdom based on the location Kert had found out. However, there was no place that could be called a kingdom, nor were any long-tailed tits visible. He bared his fangs and growled lowly.
At the sight of the jaguar who had suddenly appeared in the middle of the peaceful forest and was swallowing his irritation, only the innocent small animals turned pale and were busy running away.
Serdin, who watched them flee as if their tails would fall off with an indifferent gaze, recalled Formo, who had pointed his small, sharp beak at him and acted quite threateningly. Thinking of the adorable but skittish long-tailed tit made his mouth water. If he got him back, he would swallow him in one bite so that no one could ever take him away again.
A chilling coldness swirled in Serdin’s eyes.
“Huff, gasp! Your Highness!”
Kert, who had hurriedly followed along with the physician Sara to prepare for any possible situation, panted heavily. Sara, who was disgusted by Kert’s pathetic stamina, shook his head and adjusted his disheveled bag.
Whether Kert panted in an unsightly manner or not, Serdin buried his nose to the ground and followed Formo’s scent. Though he could clearly feel Formo’s scent around here, its actual source wasn’t visible. Had they used magic?
Were long-tailed tits a race skilled in magic? A race that couldn’t become beastmen because they couldn’t drink from the spring water shouldn’t be able to use such tricks. Serdin looked around with cold eyes. Then, Kert, who had sufficiently moistened his throat with the water Sara handed him, opened his mouth.
“We-whew…… Not long ago, when I went to have an audience with His Majesty to make a report, I met a leopard who said that long-tailed tits use strange magic.”
When Serdin, who had sat down, gestured for him to continue speaking, Kert’s words flowed on.
“Long-tailed tits are clearly weak, extremely weak prey who can’t even transform into humans, aren’t they? Of course, the brave Pipi-nim is an exception. Anyway, strangely enough, it’s as difficult as picking stars from the sky to find a beast who has tasted those small, weak long-tailed tits.”
Kert, who had swallowed, continued speaking.
“The leopard, who found this strange, chased a long-tailed tit he’d happened to discover and set foot here. Then he witnessed the bizarre sight of the long-tailed tit disappearing inside a transparent curtain. Though he followed the long-tailed tit belatedly, he said that transparent curtain was never seen again. Such a thing wouldn’t be possible unless they used magic. Your Highness, this is only my speculation, but it seems the long-tailed tits used magic to……”
“It seems they created a barrier.”
When Serdin, who had already returned to human form, tossed out those words, Kert screamed in startled surprise.
“Hu-huaaa! Y-Your Highness! Please dress properly! What kind of disgraceful behavior is this outside?”
Kert trembled as he handed over the clothes he’d brought as if throwing them on the ground. Sara, who had turned his gaze away and had barely avoided seeing Serdin’s naked body, also turned around and sighed, lamenting that he’d chosen the wrong workplace.
Regardless of what reactions his subordinates showed, Serdin only dressed in a consistently bored manner throughout.
“If His Majesty learns of this, he will punish you. Is that all? He’ll interrogate innocent me. Ha, Your Highness…… I’m not gutsy enough to ignore that person’s interrogation like Your Highness, nor am I good at fighting! So please, for the sake of this poor, pitiful me, refrain from such actions as you just did. Please?”
His tone, which had seemed scolding, gradually transformed into pleading. Kert was a true aide prepared to even grab Serdin’s trouser leg if his actions could change Serdin. However, regrettably, there was no way Serdin would take Kert’s pleading to heart.
Kert let out a deep sigh and stood behind Serdin.
“In my opinion…… I think I’ll collapse from being interrogated by His Majesty faster than Your Highness retrieving Pipi-ni— Eek!”
Kert, who had been continuing his words, suddenly drew in a breath and covered his mouth. Serdin was glaring at him with fierce eyes. Feeling as if his head would fly off if he misspoke even one more word, Kert decided to swallow his remaining words as they were.
“I-I misspoke. As Your Highness well knows, I’m a bit stupid, aren’t I? Well…… they also say I lack learning ability…… This foolish aide’s thinking was short-sighted. If Your Highness truly sets your mind to it, retrieving Pipi-nim would be easier than eating raw meat…….”
Kert, who had muttered on with a gloomy face, let out a deep sigh. He felt so pitiful and miserable that he could die, having to clean up after speaking the truth. How did he end up with such a superior?
“Kert.”
“……Yes, Your Highness.”
“Shut up and stay quiet. You’re distracting me.”
“……Yes. I understand. Since I was once famous in my youth for being serious and taciturn, there’s nothing difficult about it. Just leave it to me.”
Kert spoke in a soulless voice and bowed his head. Beyond his tilted field of vision, Serdin’s long legs were moving. Toward somewhere Kert couldn’t know.
A vague premonition came that Formo was probably there.
