Chapter 28
Once its condition had stabilized, Prina began feeding Happy a thin mash three times a day in tiny amounts. Before long, Happy regained some strength, began to move more actively, and soon even started preening its feathers.
A bird grooming itself was surely a sign of recovery.
Prina, who had been tending to Happy day and night with constant worry and offering prayers for its recovery, was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.
“Happy, see? I was right, wasn’t I? I told you you’d get better.”
Peep—
Happy chirped back as if in answer.
“Good. Clever thing.”
Today, when she placed it on her palm, it even fluttered its wings on its own. Even without a mother to teach it, it seemed to be practicing flying, perhaps out of instinct. Pleased, she gently brushed its cheek with her fingertip, and Happy closed its eyes softly, as if content.
It was still young, but given a little more time, it might be able to fly.
When that day came, she would gladly send it out through this window.
She might feel a pang of loss and longing, but for a bird, returning to the sky would be far happier than living in a cage or in this small, safe room.
Meanwhile, ever since she began caring for Happy, Hunter had started dropping by Prina’s room from time to time, even outside of mealtimes.
Without any trace of shyness, Prina would chatter endlessly to him. About how Happy had finally started preening its feathers, how it was eating more, how it would soon be able to fly. Most of it was trivial, meaningless talk.
He simply listened in silence.
He would quietly watch her care for the bird, but never reacted much to Happy’s remarkable recovery.
He was never the type to express emotions openly. Unlike her, whose every feeling showed plainly on her face, Hunter showed no real change in expression no matter what happened.
He always wore that same faintly languid, almost bored look.
Still… that didn’t matter.
The fact that he made time to come and see was already proof of his attention and care. That alone is enough, Prina thought.
* * *
Hunter left the house exactly once a week on Sunday mornings.
He would return when the light began to dim, around six in the evening. Later, after they began having dinner together, he started coming back a little earlier, around five. He never told her his schedule, but this was what Prina had gathered from her observations.
Hunter must be going to the market.
Though she didn’t know for sure, it seemed like he went to the Sunday Market held every week.
Sometimes, the nuns from the convent would go to the market to get urgently needed herbs, and they would always come back boasting about it.
They said the Sunday Market had everything, like groceries, sundries, and all kinds of goods.
It was only something she’d overheard, but it made her curious about what the market looked like.
‘If it weren’t for the knights everywhere, I’d want to go along too…’
It was the kind of idle thought she could afford to have now.
Life in the mansion, which had been nothing but frightening at first, had grown familiar and even cozy, but the same routine every day was starting to feel a little dull.
If she tried to follow him, she would surely be nothing but a burden. She didn’t know the area, so if they were separated, she would only cause trouble. And if she was caught by the knights… it would be a complete disaster.
Prina shook her head to dispel such pointless thoughts.
Instead of following him, she decided to muster the courage to ask for something she needed.
It had happened one weekend not long ago.
“Um… Hunter.”
“Mm?”
“When you go out… could I ask you for something?”
Another request. She felt shameless, but it wasn’t for herself. It was for Hunter and for the animals.
“Say it.”
“Lucky likes carrots. And other vegetables too. I also need herbs. If you could get some seeds from the herbalist while you’re there, I could grow them myself. If someone gets sick, they could be used as medicine…”
“……”
She spoke so quickly in her nervousness that she couldn’t even breathe properly. Out of breath, her vision swam, and she could feel her face heating up.
Hunter only looked at her in silence, as though he found the sight curious.
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