Subliminal Wayfarer

Selena ignored the calls shouting her name and ran straight to the glass greenhouse.

Her beautiful face was pale with fear.

She immediately tried to open the door to the greenhouse.

“Huk, huuk! W-Wait, Selena! It’s dangerous! Let’s wait for the attendants and go in together!”

Roxanne, who had hurriedly followed her, barely managed to grab her.

“Let go of me, Roxanne.”

Selena shook off Roxanne’s hand in an instant.

Roxanne was startled by how strong Selena was and took a step back.

She tried to grab her again, but Selena’s determined look and firm touch made her hesitate.

Selena opened the greenhouse door and went inside without any hesitation.

‘No, Grace. You mustn’t get hurt.’

Selena’s mind was filled with that one thought.

Someone getting hurt…

Just the thought of it was unbearable.

 

* * *

 

Her husband, Felix, had died not long after falling down the stairs.

The doctor had said his death had nothing to do with the fall, but Selena didn’t feel that way.

‘No, no.’

Accidents, big or small, were frightening.

Death comes when no one expects it.

“GRACE!”

The moment she stepped into the greenhouse, she felt the stifling heat.

The heat made her chest feel tight, and her anxiety grew.

Sweat, or perhaps cold sweat, ran down her back.

Sweat beads formed instantly on her neat forehead.

“Madam…!”

“Oh dear, what should we do!”

Countess Gestash and Roxanne, who had been fretting, couldn’t let Selena go alone.

They also rushed inside with the servants.

Just then, the sound of flapping wings echoed from afar.

Along with it came an eerie bird call they had never heard before.

Ki-ree-ree-ree.

Rii-rii-rii…

The two sounds blended into one, creating a beautiful call.

‘Over there.’

Selena hurried towards the source of the sound.

Fortunately, she heard a familiar voice not far away.

“Good heav…! Are y… kay?”

Alendia!

Roxanne and Anastasia, who had been following closely behind Selena, also heard the voice and called out in surprise.

“Alen? Are you there?”

“Shh! Don’t call out too loudly. You might scare the birds.”

At Countess Gestash’s worry, Roxanne lowered her voice.

“Alen? Alen…?”

Her voice was cautious, not wanting to startle the birds.

“Mother? Asha…?”

Amidst the sound of rustling exotic plants, Alendia appeared.

Seeing the ladies rushing in, she widened her eyes in surprise and covered her mouth.

“Oh my…! Did my voice scare you into running here? I’m sorry. Oh no. I tend to speak loudly. You must have been very startled.”

“Alen, what happened? What made you scream like that?”

Alendia blushed slightly at Roxanne’s pressing question.

Her face looked even redder, surrounded by her thick red hair.

“Sister, are you okay? You’re not hurt, are you?”

Asha quickly ran to her sister and asked worriedly.

Alendia smiled faintly and patted her sister’s shoulder as if to reassure her.

“And Grace? Alendia, where is my Grace?”

Worried that Grace might be hurt or worse, Selena asked urgently.

“Oh, well actually…”

Alendia, looking flustered, turned around.

Following her gaze, Asha also turned her head.

“I’m here, Elder Madam.”

At that moment, Grace’s voice came from beyond the bushes.

“Grace? Grace, are you safe?”

Selena rushed toward the direction of the voice. And then, she involuntarily gasped at the sight that unfolded beyond.

“G-Grace?”

It was an unbelievable scene.

The ladies who followed Selena gasped and covered their mouths in shock.

Their widened eyes took in the sight of Grace standing in the middle of the greenhouse like a painting.

“Madam…”

Grace looked back at Selena with an awkward, embarrassed smile.

“G-Grace… What are those birds… doing…?”

A white bird was perched comfortably on Grace’s slender shoulder.

Its body was pure white with sweet pink tips on its wings, and its cheeks were a charming red, making it look like an adorable baby.

The green crown-like feathers on its head were elegant, and its unique cry was distinct.

One thing was certain, Selena had never seen such a bird in her life.

Ree-ree!

The white bird rubbed its beak affectionately against Grace’s cheek and shoulder, making a purring sound like a cat showing affection to its owner.

“Oh my heavens!”

Countess Gestash, watching from a distance, covered her mouth in disbelief.

From her reaction, it was clear.

The beautiful but fierce and sensitive bird she had spoken of was indeed this one.

Just then, a louder, sharper cry sounded above Grace’s head.

Ki-ree-ree!

A bird similar to the one on Grace’s shoulder, but twice its size, circled around.

It looked similar, but its wing tips were orange instead of pink.

The crown feathers on its head were much more extravagant than those of the bird on Grace’s shoulder.

When Grace extended her hand, the larger bird cautiously landed on her arm.

With one bird on her shoulder and another on her arm, Grace smiled awkwardly.

“They flew over suddenly and won’t leave me alone.”

The supposedly fierce and sensitive birds were nuzzling Grace, unable to leave her.

Countess Gestash was speechless at the incredible sight.

The other ladies couldn’t take their eyes off Grace in amazement.

Alendia explained the situation on Grace’s behalf.

“When we fell, it seems we knocked open the cage door inside, and the birds flew out. Cassie was startled and ran over but tripped, and the birds were frightened and awere about to attack Cassie, but…”

Alendia still seemed bewildered by what had happened.

“Grace yelled at them to stop, and they did. And then…”

Alendia pointed to Grace and the birds, laughing incredulously.

“This happened. We have no idea how things led to this. It all happened so quickly…”

Grace nodded in agreement, looking at the bird on her shoulder with an awkward smile.

Ki-ree!

Rii-ree.

“…Are these two perhaps a pair?”

“What? Oh, yes… We brought them as a pair because we were told that they would die of loneliness if kept alone…”

This was the first time they had shown such a gentle and affectionate side.

Countess Gestash looked at Grace and the two birds in awe.

“I’ve heard that some people are especially liked by birds… It seems Miss Grace is one of those people. How fascinating…”

Could the intelligent birds have understood those words?

Ki-ree-ree-rii!

Rii-rii…

The two birds flew up above Grace and chirped beautifully in harmony, circling around her.

It was indeed a fascinating sight.

 

* * *

 

The commotion settled, and the tea party came to an end.

The heat inside the greenhouse was too much for the ladies, so they all eventually made their way outside.

Although there weren’t many guests, those who were present were excited to return home and share the extraordinary sight they had witnessed with their families.

“The O’Ellin Marquisate’s daughter, can you believe it, has the ability to command birds!”

The rumors would likely be exaggerated and embellished, and for a while, high society would be abuzz with stories about Grace.

Moreover, if it were announced that the protagonist of those rumors was the future madam of the Blacke Duchy…

‘Oh, no.’

Grace’s once peaceful life was about to become quite chaotic.

‘…Hmm.’

Grace imagined the future for a moment and sighed softly.

She would have to return to the mansion soon, and she worried about the commotion her father and Norman would cause.

‘Maybe I shouldn’t go back?’

What if she pretended that Lucas’s antics had left her with broken arms, broken legs, broken fingers… and kept postponing her return…

Grace chuckled at her own silly thoughts.

If she told Lucas she wanted to do that, he would probably create a situation to delay her return without hesitation.

It was amusing and surprising to realize that she had such confidence in him.

That man had a strange way of making her want to be a bit spoiled.

A clumsy kind of spoiling that she had never experienced before…

‘No, I mustn’t. I can’t afford to be weak.’

Grace shook her head briefly to clear away her idle thoughts.

“Grace? Are you feeling unwell?”

Selena, waiting for the carriage behind the departing ladies, looked at Grace with concern.

“No, I’m fine. I just feel dizzy thinking about being the center of rumors.”

At Grace’s words, Selena nodded understandingly.

“Don’t worry too much. Everyone here is discreet. But… what happened earlier was quite surprising.”

Even the birds had remained calm as Grace had put them back in the cage herself.

Those intelligent creatures had been perfectly docile as she opened the cage and placed them inside.

How could they possibly be aggressive?

Countess Gestash had been utterly astonished as she watched Grace.

“Those birds are supposed to be quite fierce, but how could they be so gentle with you, Grace? It’s amazing. Has this ever happened to you before?”

“This sort of thing?”

“Yes, like birds flocking to you.”

‘Hmm? Has that ever happened?’

At that moment, a fleeting memory crossed Grace’s mind.