'Where... where is it...!'

Unable to contain his anger, Luca, with a desperate desire to quickly resolve the problem and return to Pasmo, hurriedly searched for the source of the pull.

By following the pull, he was able to arrive at the source soon enough.

"Pii... pii......."

"......."

The moment he reached the source, Luca's anger instantly subsided.

Whistle was gripping the devil stone with both feet, trembling on the floor, and letting out small whimpering cries.

What shocked Luca the most was that Whistle's blue wings, which once shone as beautifully as the sky, had rotted halfway and had turned black.

"What on earth... happened...."

Momentarily frozen at the unexpected tragic situation, Luca soon regained his senses and took out his phone.

[Skybird Growth Diary]

[Whistle]Species: SkybirdGrowth Stage: Stage 2 (Evolution Failed)Available Power of the Sky: Lightning, Cloud

General Comment: While digesting the power of a devil, life force ran out and corrosion has set in. You need to help.

"Whistle, what happened?"

"Pii......"

He tried speaking to Whistle, but instead of his usual grand proclamations, he only let out pitiful cries.

'Looks pretty serious. What should I do?'

As he racked his brains, he recalled something he had just seen in the growth diary—the words 'life force is lacking.'

'Wait. Didn't this guy also borrow life force from me back in the Pia Forest?'

Back then, although she didn't mention it, she somehow managed to borrow life force from him and absorbed the heart of some automaton giant.

'To absorb something, she needs life force. She has to borrow it from me?'

Come to think of it, Whistle needed his life force when she first hatched, and again during the first evolution.

'If that's the case.'

After sorting out his thoughts, Luca glanced toward the party area and sighed.

Then, he opened his student notebook and contacted someone.

—Luca? What's up? Weren't you at the party?

It was Ottbo. Luca spoke flatly.

"Ottbo. Sorry to bother you while you're on your date, but can you go to my dorm room right now and tell Bella to find me?"—Da-date? What... huh? Wait. What did you say?

Ottbo, flustered, soon realized something was off in Luca's words. It sounded as if something had happened to him.

—Luca? Are you okay?"Then I'll leave it to you."—W-wait! Luca!

Tsk.

Luca hung up and let out a deep sigh. Looking down at Whistle, he whispered.

"Use my life force, Whistle."

"... Pii."

Thump!

With a small cry from Whistle, Luca collapsed.

About ten minutes later. Bella, having received Ottbo's message, rushed to find him.

"Young master! Young master! Where are—Y-young master!"

"Pii!"

What she saw was Luca collapsed as if asleep, and Whistle holding him with wings made of clouds, crying while embracing him.

* * *

Luca was inside a faint, blurry scenery.

The only thing vivid there was a massive bird whose beautiful wings shone like the sky itself. Just looking at it moved his heart.

It was a feeling as if being overwhelmed by something, but not fear. Rather, it was the awe a small human feels before the majesty of nature.

The giant bird possessed such grandeur.

Standing before it was a woman.

Her attire differed from the current era—reminiscent of traditional East Asian clothing.

What was astonishing was that even before a bird hundreds of times larger than herself, she stood her ground, completely unshaken.

In fact, it seemed as if she was the one overwhelming the giant bird. This woman, reminiscent of a fairy from legends, whispered to the great bird.

—So you're the Skybird. I am called XXX.—A human?—The great I had heard your power is fatally poisonous to devils. Lend me your power.― The great I?—That's right. It's a title used by great beings to refer to themselves.—Title?—... Ha, I guess even the divine Skybird is, at heart, still a birdbrain.

The woman let out a deep sigh and offered her sword to the Skybird.

—I do not wish to rule a fragment of nature, but it would also be remiss in my duty to leave beings who defy the natural order. This is not only my responsibility. As a being who preserves the order of nature, shouldn't you also do your part to eradicate them?—If I leave this place, the natural order itself collapses.—Let even just a part of you help me. Isn't that possible?

At the woman's words, the Skybird was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.

—Very well. If it's only part of me. And if you give life to that one.—In that case, xXX—XXXXX

The conversation continued, but an odd noise made it impossible to hear. Soon, the background blurred and Luca's consciousness faded.

* * *

Pii!

"!"

What woke him was a sharp bird cry. Luca's eyes sprang open, and the first thing he saw was Bella.

"Young master! Are you all right?!"

"Bella... How... Ugh!"

"Y-young master!"

Luca retched. Of course, there was only one reason for it.

"You... gave me the potion properly, huh..."

Bern Doyner's potion—aka mop water. Thanks to this life-restoring potion, he seemed to have woken up earlier.

"Phew... Thank goodness. Young master, what on earth happened at the party? Don't tell me something weird happened to you at the hands of the wrong crowd?"

"It's an academy party—like that'd happen. It's just..."

"Pii!"

Only after hearing the cry did he realize that something was on his stomach. Luca looked down. Whistle, looking a bit bigger than before, was looking up at him.

Thankfully, her wings had returned to their original blue color and she looked healthy. Luca pouted.

"Bella. I'm hungry. Would you prepare something to eat?"

"Yes! Young master! Please wait a moment!"

As soon as Bella left, Luca grabbed Whistle.

"Now, care to explain? What on earth happened?"

"W-wait! At least let the great I apologize first!"

Whistle shouted in a thoroughly apologetic tone, but Luca was more curious about something else than her attitude.

'"The great I"...?'

He couldn't clearly remember the dream. But he was sure that in the dream he had heard the word 'I', used as a title.

"In any case... all of this is my fault. I'm sorry."

"Geez, what happened exactly? Didn't you properly absorb the devil's power?"

"... Urgh."

Whistle twisted her head side to side before bowing it deeply, as if giving up.

"There's one thing you need to know. The great I don't normally die so easily. Even if I'm corroded by a devil's power, as long as the great I have enough time I can digest it all."

"......"

"Your sacrifice wasn't meaningless. Since the great I never know how long that recovery might take, by using your life force to replenish my power, the great I was able to absorb the devil's power and evolve like this. So... don't look so down..."

Whistle's tone was bitter.

"This time, the great I was too impatient. It was a mistake to try absorbing the devil's power when the great I had already drained myself by syncing with you. I should at least have asked you to restore my sky power and sought some time to absorb the devil's energy."

"Well... it's not a huge problem lending a bit of my life force, is it?"

"... No, it's a problem."

Luca, puzzled by his overly humble attitude, tried to comfort him, but Whistle was adamant.

"I took a piece of your life."

"If you took my life...."

"In human terms, it's called lifespan, innate energy, or vital force."

Luca's eyes trembled.

'So the Skybird's power has this kind of risk?'

He hadn't even considered it. If he had known, he'd never have used it so casually.

"So, am I going to die soon?"

"No. If your lifespan was 100 years, now it's probably around 95."

Whistle said this very sadly, but Luca was more nonchalant.

'Well... that's not really... that bad?'

Somehow, it didn't really sink in. It didn't feel like such a big risk.

"Argh. If only the great I had acted more cautiously..."

"Don't worry about it too much. I'm not really bothered."

"Y-you're really magnanimous...!"

Though Luca truly didn't care, Whistle seemed to think he was just being considerate.

"There's one way to overcome this risk!"

"Oh?"

"You just have to transcend being human!"

A solution on the level of 'If you want to be good at studying, just study harder.' Luca replied with a flat tone.

"I planned to do that anyway."

"The great I will help! Then, right away—"

Clatter!

"Young master! Here's some warm soup and bread!"

Right then, Bella came in with perfect timing, and Whistle closed his beak.

Luca smiled faintly and started eating the food she'd brought. Maybe it was because he'd skipped dinner, but it was more delicious than usual.

"Phew, that hit the spot."

"I'm just grateful you enjoyed it. Then, why don't you wash up and get some sleep?"

"All right. I'll go wash up."

Saying this, Luca left Whistle behind and went into the bathroom. Whistle, watching him go with teary eyes, let out a half-sigh, half-cry.

'He says that, but he must be in shock. Humans are sensitive about lifespan.'

Many contractors who had worked with her despaired upon learning their lifespan was shortened.

Some, upon hearing this, even tried to abandon her. That's why she'd wanted to keep this fact hidden.

'The first time was instinctive—I couldn't help borrowing his life force, but I never wanted to again.'

This had all happened because of Whistle's greed. The impatience to regain her memories quickly.

Whistle had gained masters before, but most died before she recovered all of her memories.

'But Luca is different. That guy has a fate that stands out, for better or worse.'

He had already encountered beings with devil power twice. Whistle instinctively understood. To regain her memories, she needed to absorb devil power.

'In fact, I did regain a memory. My very first memory.'

Though faint and many parts were missing, she remembered clearly. The memory of her very first master.

'The other masters' memories aren't important—the first is. That's the one I want to reclaim.'

She wanted to know why she, a Skybird, had to serve a human as a master through a blood contract. And surely the secret lay hidden in the memories of her first master.

'So, Luca Traverse.'

Clatter.

"Hmmm. That was refreshing."

Whistle's eyes sparkled as she watched Luca come back into the room with a towel around his head.

'Don't you dare die until then.'

Ring!

—The Skybird's state has changed.

[Skybird Growth Diary]

[Whistle]Species: SkybirdGrowth Stage: Stage 2Available Power of the Sky: Lightning, Cloud

General Comment: Whistle has successfully fully digested the devil's power! And for some unknown reason, she is now absolutely determined to protect you at all costs.Please deepen your bond with Whistle, so that you can fulfill her wish—and yours!

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】

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