“…Do you like playing best?”
With an expression of incomprehension, Suradel tilted his head further.
“Has any penguin ever said that?”
“There is. The one who lives with dinosaurs. I will live like him.”
“What is a dinosaur?”
‘Ah. Dinosaurs don’t exist in this world.’
I thought about how to explain it, but ended up answering roughly.
“It’s like a dragon.”
“Hmm? Then I will approve of Lia living like him.”
Suradel continued with a smile that seemed to be in a very good mood.
“Well, that’s why I made a magic wand? To be honest, I knew Lia would come out like this.”
“Huh?”
At my dumbfounded expression, he explained,
“The original purpose of a magic wand is to help you use magic more reliably, but the wand I gifted you has a different purpose.”
“Then what is it for?”
Suradel waved in front of me as if he was showing off a magic wand of his own.
“A few permanent spells are engraved inside the wand, so you can use it right away just by infusing it with mana.”
“…Huh! really?”
“Mhm. Although there are only a handful of spells that can be used.”
My eyes lit up at once. I hugged the wand in my arms and smiled widely.
“It’s not difficult to deal with mana, so you should be able to do it right away. But you’re not used to it, so let’s practice tomorrow.”
‘Wow, the way to handle mana is not difficult…!’
My mouth was already watering at the thought of using magic and shooting around freely.
I answered with great anticipation of tomorrow.
“Yep!”
I was disappointed that there was no possessor buff and that my species trait was not as good as I hoped it would be.
But it seemed I would be able to compensate for my lack of ability with this wand.
‘As expected, compared to blood ties, school ties, and region ties, aren’t penguin ties the most outstanding?’
“Lia, by the way…”
Suradel brushed my hair once.
“Looks like you washed it. Your hair, which was tied up beautifully, is undone.”
“Mmm, because I couldn’t wash up because I turned into a penguin right after the banquet yesterday.”
“I will tie it up.”
“Didn’t Madam Bella ask to see you? You have to go soon.”
“It doesn’t take long, really.”
As he moved behind my back, I naturally let him do my hair.
Swiiik.
While he tied my hair, I asked what I was curious about when he discovered my identity.
It was easier to get the words out when I wasn’t making eye contact with him.
“Su. Don’t you mind that I pretended to be a killer whale? Why didn’t you keep talking about it?”
“Did I look angry?”
“…No.”
But certainly, Suradel didn’t show any displeasure even when Theodore cursed in his face…
Aside from not being angry, I wondered why he kept my secret.
As if hearing my thoughts, Suradel softly uttered.
“Lia. I liked it when you were a penguin, but I’m even happier at this moment when you’re humanized, talking with me and letting me tie your hair.”
Hearing that he liked me as a penguin, somehow, I was greatly relieved.
“I also knew that you did not act like a killer whale on purpose. Why didn’t I reveal it… because it’s fun?”
“…Just for fun?”
“Mhm. I wanted to see your reaction when I discovered you’re a penguin. Ahahaha, yesterday was the best.”
…I was stupid for forgetting that he was crazy for a moment.
“But yesterday, you were also flustered to see that I’m a penguin, weren’t you?”
“Because I didn’t expect to face you in your penguin form so suddenly.”
“Then why did you leave the room?”
“Hmm. I thought I should pretend I didn’t see your secret?”
Closing the door was to mean that he didn’t see it.
Suradel raised his eyebrows and let out a light sigh as if regretting it.
“When I think about it again, it’s very sad. Lia, can you redo that expression and pose from yesterday?”
My face turned hot as I remembered what had happened last night.
“You know that I can’t, right?”
“Well. I believe that someday, Lia will understand my feelings.”
Before I knew it, Suradel, who had all of his hair tied up, came in front of me to check if it was tied up well.
“Pretty, Lia.”
He looked at me with affectionately folded eyes.
Puzzled, I stared at him. Then suddenly, I felt an urge come up.
I thought about whether or not to do it for a while, but it didn’t last long.
“Su. Keep your head down.”
“Huh?”
Even though Suradel muttered in a questioning tone, he obediently bowed his head in front of me.
When the half-curly silver hair reached my eyes, I couldn’t hold it in any longer and moved my hand.
“Actually, I’ve been wanting to touch your hair for a long time.”
Swiiik, swiiik.
“Oh my God, it’s softer than I expected. How can you have hair like this even though it’s half curly?”
‘I’m probably the first penguin to pet a killer whale…!’
It was like petting a large dog that listened well, which made me feel even more excited.
Infatuated with his soft hair, I eventually put my nose in his hair and sniffed it.
“I often thought it smelled good, but I like it even more because you’ve just washed up.”
A clear and refreshing scent reminiscent of the cool sea.
I took in Suuradel’s scent one last time and walked away from him.
Then I smiled and thanked him for cooperating.
“I like it, Su.”
I meant that the scent was amazing.
In response, Suradel stared blankly at me, then abruptly raised his bent body.
At the sudden motion, I looked up at Suradel, and he immediately averted my gaze.
Looking closely, his earlobes were burning red.
“…Come to think of it, my mother has been waiting for a long time. I’m sorry Lia, but I’ll make a move.”
“Ah? Yes.”
Again, the vacancy of Suradel, who disappeared in an instant through teleportation, left some lingering feelings.
I closed and opened my hand a few times.
I could still feel the texture of his soft, fluffy hair.
“I should have stroked it a little more.”
⋆﹥━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━﹤⋆
Meanwhile…
Suradel hurriedly teleported to any of the empty rooms in the Weil Castle.
As his mind wasn’t in the right state to move anywhere else.
He sat down on the floor with his back leaning against the door.
His face was covered with one hand, but the skin exposed between his fingers was as red as an apple.
In response to the beating of his heart that was going so fast that it was embarrassing, Suradel raised his hand and placed it on his heart.
Actually, when Lia became a human after slamming her beak on his own lips…
From then on, his heart started beating abnormally in front of her.
But he pretended to be okay and talked to Lia…
As she stroked his hair, almost hugging him, he felt dazed, even thinking ‘Is this a dream?’
But the moment she confronted him with a broad smile and said she ‘liked it’…
She was so lovely that he was engulfed in a frantic feeling.
Filled with an overwhelming feeling that was difficult to handle, he no longer had the confidence to look at her, and he left the place as if he was running away.
Badump, badump.
The irregular and fast beating of his heart represented his emotional state.
Breathing like a person who had just finished a short-distance race, he eventually reached one conclusion.
“Oh my god. I… I like Lia as a member of the opposite sex?”
He knew he liked Lia, the penguin.
However, liking her as a penguin and having feelings of love as a member of the opposite sex were completely different.
No matter how much Adelia was a human now, it had been years since he chased the penguin Lia.
How long had he been in love with her?
When he admitted that he liked Lia as a woman, he began to understand, bit by bit.
“Ah. So, when I kissed the penguin Lia earlier, as a human…”
He didn’t know exactly when, but he was already in a state where he himself was in love with Lia.
His heart was beating so hard, but it was indescribably happy.
He never imagined that a moment like this would come to him.
As Suradel grinned as he lifted his bowed head; he did not hide his delight.
“Fortunately, Lia’s worries won’t happen. Instead, Mother will like her even more.”
Ame: oNE OF THE BEST EPISODES YET!!!!!!
