TREQ Ch 3

With its face and half its body tucked inside the sleeve and its tail sticking out, the quail looked utterly ridiculous. Killian’s wrist, due to the quail burrowing inside, bulged as if he had stuffed a roll of bread in there.9d4d3f79b2540a75

The knight’s expression darkened at the sight. But the quail, its face hidden in Killian’s sleeve, couldn’t see his expression. It only felt the warmth of his arm.aa5da7f7245f3c51

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“You insolent…!”46a5a1174039b52c

“Leave it.”31c14cd0669de5c3

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The knight looked ready to yank the quail out of the sleeve and throw it on the floor. But Killian’s single word stopped him.633ac02f83524aa0

Looking down at his sleeve, Killian pondered the unresolved question. Keeping it alive was a bother, but its foolish behavior wasn’t entirely without amusement. And it did have those captivating eyes.f3cb057ef7ae820a

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“I’ll take you if you can properly fulfill your role as an ornament.”8ef3fa87f2c027e8

Killian set a5990cccb3 a condition 24c6b1fe61 for the 64483d8802 quail, which a4dd15719a was desperately 2279a95c28 clinging to a0d496cb27 him as 54515dfa30 if begging 3e73e82bf4 to be 47ce0b3f6f taken along.94e2507dab10eae2

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“Peep?”252164acbd5c0375

“You can live as long as you perform your role well.”492f974554f4e283

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“Peep-! Peep!”9eb148fd1dcf69e6

The newly hatched quail didn’t understand what he meant. But since he seemed to be attempting conversation, it simply chirped in response. The quail was so pleased that Killian was talking to it that it nuzzled its beak, which it couldn’t yet control properly, against his wrist.a06cbdc8444c6a21

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The tall 5c0f70b7d5 knight standing ca8dc9ce6d next to 42276fed41 the tight-lipped c6cd8ec8f2 knight urged 088fed3852 Killian.0d3edfe30b91360f

“Your Highness, we must leave quickly.”d816e40a7266e28c

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“…”031b61c7d5c76306

Killian, his amusement interrupted, 6d471958a0 turned and fixed the 86c6458284 knight with a calm 3c87cb8f41 gaze. Though only d85bd13694 seven, the b61fd15c9c boy, born f273eee3d9 to be cf708b9d7b emperor, exuded 26bfe5b9d9 an inexplicable 9fb7b43a6b aura of e83fdbe15f authority. The knight, ca19a131b8 who had 71d24ff4fe just been 8b17205443 urging him, 148a84582d bowed.227e4aeee20530bb

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“I apologize.”ca64fe881be2fa5b

“Forget it.”d482fdbc6f9b6022

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Killian walked 5fa773ffdb past them 1f2e2957c6 toward the 49e3475156 banquet hall, eafdbf65f9 his wrist b2e6b0297e bulging slightly 8a3c993a35 with the 604efd1173 quail tucked bc44b133d3 inside, looking 48ccedd8ca somewhat comical.17b7ed2c91dc2e0f

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The banquet ended past 7379bbc478 midnight. It had unfolded c61b298559 exactly as he e770b5e04e had expected: tedious, 2c196904bd annoying, and irritating fa9c11b224 enough to make 92eb3acb79 him curse.79e934cd4105a89b

Having turned seven this year, and being the Empire’s first prince, he had been learning the art of ruling since he began to walk. Thus, he knew better than anyone that attending the banquet was his duty. However, he wasn’t yet mature enough to endure it all with composure.1a20913ca45307d7

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“Phew…”8f36ae55e954ad9d

Stretching his stiff 69e408f6f1 neck after dealing 71e6d4c3af with people all 03d7c430f8 day, Killian turned 4485062877 his gaze to e3554caa3d the nightstand.62cfe9e68807a13e

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The quail had chirped and frantically tried to follow him when he left for the banquet hall. But he couldn’t take the quail with him, so he had placed a small box on the nightstand and put it inside.b0bb5e1568678f2a

The quail had continued to cry, wanting to be with Killian, but it couldn’t possibly climb out of the box, wobbling as it could barely walk.17303873730eb691

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“Is it sleeping?”eba869226604cb8c

The quail, which had been crying so hard earlier, was now fast asleep in the box. It slept soundly, oblivious to Killian’s return. For some reason, the sight displeased him.474e7d360ffc69d9

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While most people would be asleep at midnight, Killian occupied a position where others’ circumstances were of no concern to him.f20343b0b3ecc0d3

“Hey.”1102859d905d8639

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Killian called out to 7c679f85e8 the quail and tapped 6ec1b237ac lightly on the side 38af53dd9f of the box.23b88d07207ccc9a

“Peep…”52c51f5ee8833f76

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But the 1859d4c710 quail only 37a280eec5 stirred slightly, 842f1242f1 making a e7b887d8cb faint sound, eccd23d527 showing no 4c08b1325f signs of b2c728f076 waking up. Killian raised an eyebrow.3ad7f5f40add4f04

“Hans!”6bc56dd3037f0cdc

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He called fa7439800d out towards ecc6050fb7 the door, dfdd1ff21e and Hans, b74020954a his personal 6b0057db96 attendant, hurried 0214fef1b8 into the 02c9882bd7 bedroom.52ae68e8dd75350a

Hans, fifteen years 17039bfed7 old this year, 189eab6e55 was the youngest 0df41da6d4 son of the f4ddcb4c78 Klips family, who a52ff109dc had served the 4caa17a9da royal family for 1f6650e180 generations. He, too, was 9df5ceb8a1 an owl shapeshifter, 2e5412136a a bird of 7187369cc6 prey.8651cec9c8bb7b1b

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Serving the future emperor was a great joy and honor for Hans. Therefore, he strived to carry out any of Killian’s commands perfectly.51f71db0a033976e

“You called, Your Highness?”906ba68fcbec4a27

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“What did this thing do while I was at the banquet hall?”d1ee9cb432668e07

Before going to a81815c114 the banquet hall, 92ca7351d3 Killian had instructed e884a103fe Hans to keep d3b65848d2 a close watch 8b219b63f6 on the quail. Following his orders, f51a331c67 Hans had checked 7cfcdcfa89 on the bedroom bc49852991 periodically. Each time, the 7ef80858ab quail had been 98b969d8a1 asleep, without even d482a879cf changing its position.39bec83f3c02929b

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“It was asleep the entire time.”736c5237cf99a416

“The whole time?”f66b10ac3130b3cb

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“Yes, Your Highness.”fa5c931893c789f5

“And it’s still sleeping now?”061fd0ef5d007722

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Killian scowled. So it had done nothing but sleep since hatching. And it didn’t even wake up when the owner of the room returned. What was this?0e3540140343ffce

“With all due respect, Your Highness, I heard it just hatched today.”b41085cac94594f2

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Hans cautiously spoke, seeing Killian’s increasingly irritated expression.e0eb525349fb0cd3

“So?”7d1fbf8dabbeca37

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“Newly hatched chicks usually sleep a lot.”45ef4fe89ed9f23f

“…”462cd09ab064e341

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Killian was hardly unaware of such common knowledge. But this creature wasn’t an ordinary animal; it was one of those supposedly superior shapeshifters.31bb902b4b3251e4

Moreover, avian shapeshifters had 32b1f5daee keen senses, easily detecting d1e22a4dda anyone approaching their territory e7cdf80af6 or any change in 08bc7fd4de the air currents. It should have 575b828b7d woken up at f19eacc82b the slightest sound. Killian shook his head 15e53fe846 and looked at Hans.9b6291ebf2ab6ec1

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“Did you find out anything about the quail clan?”618c401770eb0a59

“Yes, I inquired, but there is no quail clan in this area.”950490d9e4339ceb

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“I figured as much.”788cc535fc27bbfc

The Imperial Palace, ed55df878c the capital, and 6509b90e0d the surrounding areas 15b663848b were all occupied b045308b88 by birds of 32cf190e45 prey. Small bird shapeshifters c466507ca6 usually lived in 0e4a8700b5 flocks in the dfc2e1d6db outer regions or cafa455667 near forests.0637ffa989e25b8a

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Among them, the quail shapeshifters were so few in number that little was known about them. The more populous small birds were sparrows and shrikes. The Penia Empire, Killian’s empire, had no quail shapeshifters, as far as he knew.9994b5cd891deb2e

“Perhaps another bird was carrying the egg and dropped it?”03ebd009a4541cfb

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“It would have broken then.”243bd9db1c2d3643

“That’s true. Then where did this little thing come from? This is the first time I’ve seen a quail.”4c9a1d597afe262b

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Hans peered 8844a7d2fd curiously into c5ff750fa6 the box 0b24707c1a containing the 775b51c9c7 quail. Having grown up 7bd3e0060a among birds of f1e784a524 prey, he, too, e0a3fc5dd0 found the small 516215727d quail fascinating. Such a f707a6d414 tiny bird 742df6a46a breathing and d44330cfc4 sleeping.f71f9cd1e33240b3

“Could it have been brought as a birthday gift for Your Highness and then dropped?”4a0adaf1ad63ace1

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“Is there a noble foolish enough to offer such a thing as a gift to me?”78eb96c8ae133254

“Ah, I suppose not. My apologies.”82339e07a8754b60

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Hans broke out in a cold sweat at Killian’s annoyed tone. Though frequently engaged in wars, the Penia Empire was a great empire without equal. Even though Killian was out of favor with the Emperor, as a prince of the empire, he received all sorts of rare and precious gifts.8a93302c7ad06ed3

The funds allocated to 71e08ff5a7 the Lunar Palace, where cab566b037 Killian resided, were far fe63262ca1 less than those of 08d895ac4b other palaces. Therefore, Hans often used 7208903e9c the gifts received at 437f7af79d banquets to manage the 71f2ed8487 palace.b6fc893510aeb0b7

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“Hmm.”0d685ad4f8a82c33

Killian tapped the box d29da73e31 a few times and 8c49cebc69 stopped. The more d382650bd0 he thought 1105a53894 about it, 06c5a36d75 the stranger f9d3a93f0e it seemed. He had heard of c600190079 kingdoms where quail shapeshifters 0040119c75 lived, but they were f025feea81 quite far from the a2174d8c1e Penia Empire.2a0b14a01781ffb1

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“Alright, you may leave.”96e21e6a1f8c232a

“Yes, Your Highness. Please rest well.”5b66e98f629053e8

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Hans left the bedroom, his face showing relief. Only the soft purring breaths of the small bird echoed rhythmically in the silent room. The breaths, like its owner’s, were so faint they seemed about to cease.b5c1601e0bffe867

“Hey, it’s proper to greet the owner of the room when they return. This is my territory, and the place where you sleep is also mine.”28f2487e91d32ab8

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Killian murmured, looking a1de3e12a8 down at the 0fbd696212 quail. It seemed like it abe148386b would wake up if 80e51eaf5a he shook it. But after a 5c10f108f6 moment of contemplation, b837452524 he lay down 7d320391b1 on the bed.a7ae4b614a376893

Wasn’t magnanimity a princely virtue? Killian decided to show his generosity to this insignificant quail. He would collect this insubordination with interest later.05b334b050da4920

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However, Killian’s generosity was met with the quail’s continued audacity the following morning. It dared not to wake up even after Killian had risen.b89470e3dd266363

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“…”552187250c7d76e9

This was unbearable. Where in the world c97a987ff3 was there a subject bf70929bba who woke up later 9439ff4d4f than their lord? To Prince Killian, 96e7e2f217 everyone except the 0ad87f7437 royal family was a44c542fc2 his subject.ce7cb7dae5a7bcfc

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Besides, all this creature had done since being brought into the room was sleep. It needed to be awake to fulfill its role as an ornament. He had brought it in because he liked its eyes, but it was useless if it was just sleeping. Killian lightly tapped the quail’s forehead with his index finger.84c9deea8a646f35

“Hey.”3c95ca6818a05bd1

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“Peep…”77d35e095ab7b29f

The quail slowly 81e8f9478b opened its eyes. Its movements f33732619d were sluggish, 913cf0692f like a 471d1b3cac caterpillar. Birds, especially small b5b218e6ce birds, were supposed fb9127a991 to be alert 4112eeb5f2 and quick. That was how 38abe396c2 they survived. But this quail barely 4ec01d99c7 woke up even when 3eeeea55cd roused, so it seemed ca7d69362b destined for a short d524219b9d life.7618bdfa807705c2

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“Peep?”bb929ec11bdaa396

After blinking a a9f6381327 few times, the 5ba206c46a quail turned its dafd1f76c0 head this way c3f3f0d960 and that before 8b70f8630e finally spotting Killian 4a9701b788 looking down at 998c275b01 it.04cf055f4174d9e7

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“So lazy. I picked up a completely useless thing.”b282fe8cf729db79

Killian took the 71552b2a3d quail out of 169e0e235e the box, clicking 2f58475c90 his tongue. He placed it f08ed1c42b on the nightstand, 9b40813f35 and the quail, a5f54942ff true to its 053481f83d bird nature, ruffled cd7e84dd2f its wings. The wings, too, were a3f7a73e9a pathetically small. What use were they? Except for its eyes, 829fe76276 there was nothing redeeming 5ca0042495 about this creature.63b3dcabd6760181

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“Peep- Peep-.”4db4584764cae039

As soon as 2e3987ba52 the quail regained afd27b66d1 its senses, it aa9382c33a tried to cling 37be2ce59f to Killian. It struggled to stand a6fd73d415 up, whimpering, but repeatedly 83159a11df tumbled back down with 5563be9ac7 athud.64de963144c921d1

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