So much for the idea that Feirus fear humans and only live in dark, damp places.

I stared in disbelief at the creature sprawled lazily across the desk.

"Um… what is that supposed to be?" I asked, blinking.

Anna glanced up from her papers, her hand still gently stroking the small, round creature. "Oh, this? It's called a Feiru."

"…Right. But why is it here?"

She smiled faintly. "These little ones lost their home because of me, so I'm taking care of them for now. Isn't that right?"

"Piyu~!"

The Feiru chirped cheerfully, nuzzling into her palm like a spoiled cat.

I could only sigh. "What a cushy life…"

The creature seemed completely at ease, rolling around as Anna's fingers brushed over its soft, jelly-like body. With every stroke, its shape shifted slightly—rounder, then flatter, then round again.

'…I'll admit, it's cute,' I thought reluctantly.

Even for someone like me, who had little patience for "cute things," the Feiru's squishy body and innocent squeaks were… disarming.

"Piyu~!"

Anna's lips curved into a gentle smile as she patted the Feiru's head. It was a small, fleeting expression—but genuine.

She liked cute things.

Enough that she had her own private collection of them, tucked away from public eyes.

Normally, she kept that side of herself hidden, buried under layers of grace and authority. But right now, in this quiet moment, the mask slipped just a little—and that smile broke through.

Of course, it was a smile she couldn't afford to show often.

In the ruthless world of imperial politics, even something as harmless as a love for adorable creatures could be used as ammunition. Her enemies—those sharp-eyed nobles waiting for her to falter—would seize on anything to discredit her.

They'd call it unbecoming of an emperor.

Too soft. Too childish.

It sounded ridiculous—but in politics, childishness and pettiness often ruled the game.

And the more cowardly you fought, the closer you came to victory.

Still… seeing her like this—genuinely smiling over something so small—made it hard to imagine that calculating world she lived in.

For just a moment, Anna wasn't a princess or a political figure.

She was simply… a girl who liked cute things.

The Feiru lay on its back, belly up, purring softly as Anna gently rubbed its round little stomach.

It had been like that for a while—eyes half-closed, wings twitching in contentment—when suddenly, it froze.

"…What's it doing?" I murmured.

The small creature lifted its head, blinking rapidly, then fluttered its tiny wings with surprising vigor. Before I could react, it shot up from Anna's lap and zipped through the air—straight toward me.

"Huh?"

The Feiru stopped right in front of my face, hovering for a moment before landing neatly in my open palms, chirping softly.

Anna blinked in surprise. "My, how strange. It's usually so wary of strangers. Why would it approach you first? Have you two met before?"

"Ah, haha… that's impossible." I forced a laugh, doing my best to look casual. "This is my first time seeing it, isn't it?"

Inwardly, though, I was panicking.

It recognized me.

Even though, back then, I'd been completely covered from head to toe—helmet and all.

How could it possibly know?

Maybe Feiru didn't rely on sight alone. Perhaps they recognized people by magic, scent, or something else entirely.

Piyu~

The little creature tilted its head, chirping again as if to confirm its thoughts.

Anna's eyes sparkled in amusement. "It seems to be saying it knows you."

"…You can understand what it's saying?" I asked, trying not to sound too startled.

Anna smiled faintly.

But it was no use.

I was surprised.

I turned toward her, caught off guard by the sudden remark.

Anna tilted her head slightly, a teasing smile playing at her lips.

"Curious?"

I shook my head—maybe a little too quickly. "No. I think I'm better off not knowing."

She let out a soft laugh, clearly amused by my answer. That gentle, playful curve of her smile made it impossible to hold my ground. I sighed in defeat and looked away, silently admitting that, yes, maybe I was a little curious.

"Piyu…"

The small Feiru nestled in my palm chirped quietly, its round, feathery body shifting as it settled in. Its warmth seeped into my hand, comforting and strangely grounding. Watching it breathe so peacefully made the world feel calm again—if only for a moment.

Anna's gaze softened as she reached out, brushing her fingertips lightly over the creature's head. "It's so small… yet it feels so alive," she murmured, almost to herself.

For a while, we just sat there in that shared stillness, the faint rustle of the Feiru's feathers the only sound between us. Then, just as I was beginning to relax, her voice broke the quiet.

"By the way, you…"

"Hm?" I looked up.

"That mark on your hand—are you injured?"

"Oh, this?"

I lifted my left hand, turning it slightly so the light caught the faint scar etched across my skin. It was thin and pale, like an old burn that had healed too quickly.

The wound from yesterday had closed fast—unnaturally fast—but the mark it left behind didn't feel right. It wasn't painful, just… off. As if the skin didn't quite belong to me.

Professor Petania had said it might be connected to what happened in my dream, but even she hadn't seemed sure.

In the end, I stopped trying to make sense of it. If even a scholar like her didn't know, then what chance did I have?

Still… every now and then, I could feel something faintly pulsing beneath the scar.

A quiet warmth that wasn't entirely normal.

"It's nothing," I said finally. "It doesn't hurt."

Anna frowned slightly, her brow furrowing. "Still… shouldn't you get it treated? It looks like it could leave a mark."

"I already tried healing magic," I replied with a small shrug. "Didn't do anything. Guess it'll fade on its own eventually."

She studied the scar for a moment longer, her expression unreadable. Then, with a quiet sigh, she looked away.

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