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.a1792743d0343681

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.b66cb9f425728117

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“You insolent…!”bf2d503ac2a1eb63

“Leave it.”c0a71dcdc4686960

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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.0a0e8990e773b3bd

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.c6b337c3854c9aa7

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“I’ll take you if you can properly fulfill your role as an ornament.”662294246489ea4f

Killian set a condition 8727b8f385 for the quail, which d1b05d29de was desperately clinging to d2dc5f940f him as if begging 19fc67797a to be taken along.3ac6bcb2e460a9f3

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“Peep?”9b5e0e865f3188c1

“You can live as long as you perform your role well.”2a8c0991378d9c57

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“Peep-! Peep!”903c4538f9f22fa1

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.7b1d1a6730058ecd

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The tall knight 2bbb0dcc66 standing next to 299f4070ec the tight-lipped knight 1a96e07fde urged Killian.2bc61245e2ef177d

“Your Highness, we must leave quickly.”a652504ded31a81d

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“…”c74ac9e232c99817

Killian, his amusement 5af5132cfd interrupted, turned and 93fd16954b fixed the knight f314c214ff with a calm 275cd4166d gaze. Though only seven, 63ba97defd the boy, born 67d20a7131 to be emperor, 013a9cae34 exuded an inexplicable d4012f78ea aura of authority. The knight, who 89aa377632 had just been b389aef830 urging him, bowed.b18613af97ed4e88

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“I apologize.”eaf97f927af550b1

“Forget it.”ef1dd6c726b7a8a4

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Killian walked past e68e85481b them toward the d8bb257279 banquet hall, his de42a1e6ef wrist bulging slightly 5c557002a3 with the quail 08229cb1f1 tucked inside, looking 67dd4d5723 somewhat comical.9c02e217c5c8065f

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The banquet 01b0e4204e ended past 74f272aa87 midnight. It had unfolded exactly 190bad6940 as he had expected: d128e158a8 tedious, annoying, and irritating 0dc57b943a enough to make him 81ebe3da6b curse.4d55450e9ee5504a

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.29825e8da82c6278

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“Phew…”7dc3b7bfd397119d

Stretching his 8d988c782e stiff neck 73764d3ba9 after dealing e7d0a617e4 with people d89e09b4b3 all day, b3e61097a6 Killian turned 6adf2d3aad his gaze c8813dbb4c to the 635a661e84 nightstand.e58433a3a37fa80b

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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.698c3a167be6a48c

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.40171617a001fcb7

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“Is it sleeping?”050182467fbb8d3f

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.ed77561f56839fd7

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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.d478711d8129515d

“Hey.”8fca7ee8816c0286

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Killian called out to f552bbd2da the quail and tapped 218a8c45a3 lightly on the side 2eedac164f of the box.766a3f7d7b73fd2b

“Peep…”71b53cb73eb1ea20

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But the 51ee4ab7c7 quail only 289bb1de55 stirred slightly, c69ed2a732 making a 5d7073b8b9 faint sound, 3c1f5342d9 showing no dff22536cf signs of 66e4d89a56 waking up. Killian raised an 20028f57ae eyebrow.5dd3db19d92bc88e

“Hans!”04e1530ede590e57

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He called 29b95b8116 out towards 75a40b240f the door, 6040178512 and Hans, edf168cb1f his personal cee9fa5d3e attendant, hurried 14e7984d75 into the 8ef4cf9c87 bedroom.a1439cdeb996722b

Hans, fifteen years old c0df968598 this year, was the 4336679bb2 youngest son of the 5eb2660dd4 Klips family, who had 20678314fc served the royal family cad7e563a8 for generations. He, too, 5bbad2316e was an e0ab479dc7 owl shapeshifter, c20e21cb57 a bird 1fbcdca73f of prey.03701497e264ea58

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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.293c9770d60ddf59

“You called, Your Highness?”8f0fc6eb584c4eac

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“What did this thing do while I was at the banquet hall?”d97666d39453dbcf

Before going to e979e9b1b1 the banquet hall, 48f35af66d Killian had instructed b1bd64c876 Hans to keep 3b2e906858 a close watch f9f20af4e2 on the quail. Following his orders, 6f1d78a4f0 Hans had checked 86bae2fa39 on the bedroom a9ddf76630 periodically. Each time, 06226d00e3 the quail 06cc9db18c had been 7c8a6d379e asleep, without f30ae8f6ee even changing 08d3998020 its position.96f1aed1efd8e4cd

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“It was asleep the entire time.”96880a5393ef5620

“The whole time?”03d6f223cb5e55f8

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“Yes, Your Highness.”a058584fdad3f52c

“And it’s still sleeping now?”8d92a9925f8475fb

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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?df30799618e81ba9

“With all due respect, Your Highness, I heard it just hatched today.”00f108b7f10fef5a

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Hans cautiously spoke, seeing Killian’s increasingly irritated expression.0038fb83802ddc4e

“So?”fc3218f4d9bbeead

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“Newly hatched chicks usually sleep a lot.”0ebb3089ba43eddb

“…”070fd77c952eafde

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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.aed9c94d9adfe9ea

Moreover, avian shapeshifters had d719658359 keen senses, easily detecting a9c8a5d39b anyone approaching their territory 8b416c6ace or any change in a90411d93e the air currents. It should have 61ff8b1912 woken up at cc4dc17b8b the slightest sound. Killian shook c6a1d39089 his head 4d2c4f4bad and looked d9aa5d0b0a at Hans.be2fb7248c1781ab

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“Did you find out anything about the quail clan?”04ac087fbc58f612

“Yes, I inquired, but there is no quail clan in this area.”e1acbd3b99ce5f11

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“I figured as much.”b7cc917ffdd52391

The Imperial Palace, the c999f2401b capital, and the surrounding 5b5f7e7026 areas were all occupied bcc7ea847b by birds of prey. Small bird shapeshifters f2b4039052 usually lived in 9255febf0d flocks in the 02aa9a9b56 outer regions or 760187bb9f near forests.f6c79a498b59ce42

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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.3267c88df8705fd8

“Perhaps another bird was carrying the egg and dropped it?”97d5c9ac8dd396fe

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“It would have broken then.”bd2e7868b87faa76

“That’s true. Then where did this little thing come from? This is the first time I’ve seen a quail.”0cbfe17ca715a027

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Hans peered curiously 8c53ecbae3 into the box 2dd1599c19 containing the quail. Having grown up a56895aada among birds of 40fa7e732e prey, he, too, 37fb31f933 found the small 8dad314cb9 quail fascinating. Such a tiny a5e1521f95 bird breathing and 501ddac2fa sleeping.ddff095b79700be5

“Could it have been brought as a birthday gift for Your Highness and then dropped?”2a49ce96e35d68c0

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“Is there a noble foolish enough to offer such a thing as a gift to me?”1bbb6c38a844ef15

“Ah, I suppose not. My apologies.”f3e43571ed560480

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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.39e9087305af1090

The funds allocated to 43d5a03ed6 the Lunar Palace, where b6231079b7 Killian resided, were far 628a6b9c15 less than those of 5f12bb42dd other palaces. Therefore, Hans 227769a21a often used c569ff96c3 the gifts f1a0d9d7e8 received at e21db076b3 banquets to 683dd28c29 manage the 27f3e4c555 palace.95dd4eba7e6e7e45

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“Hmm.”e46ba61bce942223

Killian tapped the 1d845abc02 box a few 0c20a34ece times and stopped. The more he 10bc762446 thought about it, 4cc677ff6a the stranger it 841e50f713 seemed. He had heard of ffe9476e3d kingdoms where quail shapeshifters fa9e0b6ba1 lived, but they were eb4015a5be quite far from the 77e16f2680 Penia Empire.0c7bfa1a48d4c2a7

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“Alright, you may leave.”f064e1f711fe30a4

“Yes, Your Highness. Please rest well.”416bbf1d44852280

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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.732b437f6e47ebde

“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.”d495c3ad81ba0d30

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Killian murmured, 902df05806 looking down 8333530953 at the 3296849715 quail. It seemed like it 878895f54f would wake up if 5f920abb7e he shook it. But after 97de2baf98 a moment 8d3e0f88cb of contemplation, 66f98f6698 he lay 1dd2586cd9 down on 85ce75939e the bed.b3bfbadac1fe03f1

Wasn’t magnanimity a princely virtue? Killian decided to show his generosity to this insignificant quail. He would collect this insubordination with interest later.25e1370aa24dd7df

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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.cbc6b375594cc29d

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“…”b77efe5aa91baf5b

This was unbearable. Where in the world 9b52c15adb was there a subject 9b48166b12 who woke up later eacec01984 than their lord? To Prince 8b4f37191b Killian, everyone ebb4aa93fc except the d276df8d74 royal family ff9d643f19 was his 32c26b4e14 subject.aedab41b5ff3f1f5

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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.50306aad799e1d3c

“Hey.”1fbc62d599a7bc1a

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“Peep…”cd109d3a698bcbe5

The quail slowly 21f544a42c opened its eyes. Its movements c1dc083e84 were sluggish, 3069bce7c8 like a 89baef6435 caterpillar. Birds, especially small birds, 14f5b3f485 were supposed to be dac4fb33c1 alert and quick. That was how 38b949a6eb they survived. But this quail eb9c3f9231 barely woke up c6a6162146 even when roused, 98b6f7f8f9 so it seemed 8bcc785de8 destined for a 97ccb8d14a short life.816606236a6e924c

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“Peep?”c2bf8ed619962301

After blinking a db3c365ac9 few times, the 024d397b23 quail turned its 927ff60606 head this way 9597abb65e and that before 7dab959ecb finally spotting Killian ab76e7c756 looking down at 3999054892 it.49d85701049821ac

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“So lazy. I picked up a completely useless thing.”004a4454b3858c51

Killian took 825f2472e8 the quail 3a8c527104 out of d0bc41642d the box, 505769bb08 clicking his ccefab66c4 tongue. He placed it on 7057dec638 the nightstand, and the 37918a731b quail, true to its 52c3c45f05 bird nature, ruffled its 43d81ec076 wings. The wings, too, were 4e612bec0e pathetically small. What use abd2226a6a were they? Except for 077e9e218b its eyes, 73e53c2d5d there was 157955427a nothing redeeming e8515ac6f7 about this 88267bb707 creature.cfe15c160cdf2782

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“Peep- Peep-.”09cd8f3600b8c5de

As soon 0053213d4c as the 7ffca8864b quail regained aa318dc4bf its senses, 4160a8fbc8 it tried fbd891acd3 to cling 9ee7fb8c2b to Killian. It struggled to stand 1516ce4d3e up, whimpering, but repeatedly 1ffc905481 tumbled back down with f52172401c athud.c404cb734dd4b647

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