“Chirp!!!”

Birdie nudged Faye when she noticed that Faye was about to lose her consciousness here, as it’d be fatal.

Being nudged real hard by the Small Pinkie Birdie made Faye realize that she couldn’t sleep right now, in this very place.

 

“Thank you, Birdie,” Faye said as she stood up, wobbling.

“Chirp!” Birdie flew and gestured to Faye to follow her. Understanding that, Faye went after Birdie.

Within no time, they found a cave and entered it to hide from the rain.

 

When rain no longer hit her body, Faye finally realized that her body was really cold. She was shivering as she curled up in the cave.

“Birdie?” Faye was confused when she saw no trace of Birdie inside the cave. It seemed that Birdie roamed deep into the cave.

After a little while, Birdie came out while carrying several stones.

Before Faye could ask, Birdie had already thrown the rocks all around her.

 

“This…!”

When the rocks touched her body, Faye felt a trace of warmth.

It was then that Faye realized those were fire magic stones that emitted heat.

 

“Chirp!”

Birdie only chirped once before going back to the depth of the cave, but Faye knew she was looking to bring more rocks.

 

Faye decided to take off her soaked wet clothes, squeezed the water out from them and put them near the magical rocks.

Faye then shook her body as she spread her wings, trying to dry them.

Then, she enveloped herself with her wings that had grown larger ever since she was taken in by Ann.

 

Birdie continued the process several times until she had gathered enough fire magic stones before she huddled to Faye.

Faye hugged the small ball of warmth as she closed her eyes.

The two of them waited for the rain to stop as well as for Faye’s clothes to dry.

 

After a while, Faye checked to see that the fire magic stones managed to make her clothes dry and warm, so she wore them again.

However, the rain never stopped.

Now facing towards the mouth of the cave, Faye and Birdie sat side by side.

 

“I wonder when will this rain stop…,” Faye muttered.

“Chhiiiirp…,” Birdie muttered back, as if she was saying that she felt the same way as Faye.

“…I wonder if I can fly now?” Faye suddenly muttered as she moved her wings. She had never paid attention to them before, but now she had noticed that their sizes were huge now, perhaps it was enough to carry her weight.

“Chirp!” Birdie answered with vigor as she swung her wings and floated lightly on the ground.

“You think I can?”

“Chirp!” Birdie nodded.

“…I will try later, then,” Faye said.

 

“Chirp chirp… Chirp chirp chirp!” Birdie tried to gesture with her body, towards the outside where it was raining, then she flapped her wings a bit before she flopped to the ground.

“Are you telling me that I shouldn’t try right now in the rain?” Faye asked.

“Chirp!” Birdie nodded, then she pointed at Faye’s wings that were odd.

“Yeah, I know. I think it’s injured and a bone around here is either broken or the muscle’s hurt, as I can’t really spread or move it well, but… Hey Birdie, I want to save my mistress as quickly as possible. If I can fly even in this weather, I can quickly come to her side…,” Faye muttered sadly.

“Chirp?!” Birdie then moved to point out her wounds, then she made a cross using her wings.

 

“…You’re right. In this condition, I won’t be able to help her, huh…,” Faye hung her head down.

“But then, what can I do…?”

“Chirp…”

 

The two then sat in silence. Only the sound of the rain could be heard.

Noticing that the sound of the rain grew smaller, Faye turned to look outside and said in realization, “That’s right. There’s road over there. I can try asking for the passerby to help!”

Then, before Birdie could even comment, Faye had already stood up and walked outside.

“Chiiiirpp!” Birdie quickly followed after the two of them.

 

“Chirp chirp chirp?” Birdie noisily chirped as she flew by Faye’s side.

“What is it, Birdie? If I wait, how long do I have to wait? We’re fighting against time here!” Faye said to Birdie.

“Chiiirpp!” Birdie voiced her disagreement, though Faye was unsure what Birdie disagreed with.

 

Faye mustered her strength to run across the forest area as quickly as possible, lest she encounter another frightening monster.

But perhaps due to the long rain, she fortunately didn’t encounter any other monster.

She traced the unfamiliar path until she finally found a wide enough ground that was cleared out of any obstacles, with some wheel marks on it.

 

“This is the road…,” Faye was grateful she managed to find the road.

“Chirp chirp…,” Birdie’s voice wavered as if she was tired from complaining, but the other party didn’t seem to understand what concern she was voicing…

In the end, the two of them stood in front of the road, waiting for any sign of people passing by, but there was none.

 

“Ah… It’s the rain, is it?” Faye finally noticed.

“Chirp!” Birdie’s tone was understandable, she was saying, ‘I told you so!’

“But, there might be a carriage passing by… The rain is subsiding after all…,” Faye said, her eyes showed a glint of hope.

“Chiirp…,” Birdie only looked at Faye’s determined face, and she understood that there was nothing she could do to change Faye’s mind.

Though Birdie thought that the possibility of finding help in this kind of weather, coupled with the time—it was the night—, was close to none, finding help as soon as possible would be nice.

 

Birdie took a look at Faye.

Although her forehead was bleeding and her body started to get soaked wet in the rain, and there were bruises all along her body, but it didn’t stop her from looking for help for Ann.

She didn’t even think about looking for help for herself, causing Birdie to sigh.

But when someone came, they’d surely want to help and treat Faye as well, so it was fine.

 

Then, Faye noticed a carriage was coming her way.

This is my chance!

Thinking so, Faye ran towards the road and spread her arms to stop the carriage.

“Chirp,” Birdie noticed this and followed Faye, but when she noticed the carriage wasn’t slowing down at all, Birdie quickly pushed Faye away.

“Aaah!” Faye noticed the carriage seemed to increase its speed, so she tumbled to the side of the road as Birdie also pushed her.

“Shoo, shoo, you’re in the way!” A man said curtly from inside the carriage as the carriage continued to move without giving any attention to Faye.

 

“Aah… Why…,” Faye bit her lips hard, trying to stop herself from crying.

She was used to this kind of treatment, when other people dismissed and ignored her, though she needed help and the other party could help just fine.

But right now, why is it that receiving this similar treatment breaks her heart so much?

 

“Chirp…,” Birdie nudged Faye’s cheek, seemingly understand how bitter Faye was feeling.

“…What should I do if nobody comes to help… It’s so frustrating, I wish I can do something…,” Faye couldn’t hold her tears back again as they started to fall from her eyes.

“Chiirp…,” Birdie could only gently nudge against her cheek to comfort Faye.

 

But then, Faye noticed that another carriage was coming her way.

Though she was still feeling bitter, she didn’t even hesitate when she tried to block the road again, hoping that the person riding the next carriage would be different. If that person had the slightest bit of decency, they’d be willing to listen to her.

 

This time, her prayer was answered as the carriage stopped in front of her.

“…Help!” Faye said with a hoarse voice towards the coachman, who stared at her with mixed feelings.

“What’s wrong?” The person inside the carriage asked the coachman, and Faye could only faintly hear them.

“This… Someone is blocking our way…”

“The bandit?!” Another person’s voice could be heard.

The coachman looked at Faye who desperately shook her head and voiced again, “Help!”

Looking at her sorry state, the coachman only surmised, “It’s not a bandit, but a beggar.”

 

A beggar…

It’s been so long since Faye was last called that, but she didn’t mind.

She was mulling over what words should she say to explain her situation well, but before she found the right words, she noticed that the carriage’s window was opened and a woman tried to look outside curiously as she asked to the coachman, “A beggar here, in this rain?”

Seeing the brunette-haired woman, Faye felt that this woman was familiar. And when the woman’s green eyes locked onto Faye’s eyes, she recognized her.

“Help, I was kidnapped!” Faye quickly shouted as she approached the carriage, desperate as she had finally found a glimpse of hope and she wasn’t going to let it slip by.

 

“Hey, what are you doing?!” The coachman was surprised at Faye’s sudden action and was about to block Faye when the woman stopped him.

“You’re…!” The woman widened her eyes looking at Faye.

“Please help me and my mistress…,” Faye pleaded as she looked into the familiar woman’s eyes and then said her name, “Viscountess Vanessa!”