After getting dressed for the day, Lionel left his room. Unlike yesterday’s busy atmosphere, the estate was so much quieter now.
Lionel was carrying a wooden box as he walked through the corridors before eventually heading toward the greenhouse where his pet was located. No one goes here except for the maids who are tasked to clean the greenhouse and feed the birds three tis a day.
It was nice to walk around since the air was cool and refreshing.
Soon, the glass structure ca into view. The mont Lionel opened the greenhouse door and stepped inside, the scent of flowers imdiately greeted him. Sunlight shone through the glass ceiling, illuminating the countless plants and trees growing inside.
Lionel simply looked around then—
"Tweet Tweet!"
A familiar chirp echoed. A blur of feathers imdiately shot toward him. Lionel barely had ti to react before the small bird landed directly on his shoulder.
"Tweet! Tweet!"
’Hello Master!’ The little creature happily rubbed its head against his cheek.
Lionel smiled at it.
"Good morning."
"Tweet!"
’Good morning.’
The bird sounded extrely happy to see him.
Honestly, after spending the last few days attending evaluations and preparing for the ball, Lionel hadn’t visited the bird very often. And seeing it now, he knew that the bird missed him.
"Tweet! Tweet!"
’I missed you, master!’
"I missed you, too."
The bird puffed its chest proudly at that. Lionel reached up and gently patted its head. When Lionel did that, the little creature imdiately closed its eyes in satisfaction.
"Right." Lionel walked toward a nearby table. The bird montarily left his shoulder to fly onto the table.
When Lionel reached the table, he raised the wooden box and placed it on top.
’What is that, master?’ The bird tilted its head curiously.
Lionel didn’t say anything yet. He just opened the lid, and what greeted his eyes were dozens of mana balls.
The bird froze and its eyes widened.
"Tweet?!"
’What is that for, master?’
"These are for you."
The bird imdiately hopped onto the edge of the box.
"Tweet! Tweet!"
’Really?! This much for ?!’
Its excited chirping echoed throughout the greenhouse.
"Calm down." Lionel laughed at it.
However, the bird clearly had no intention of calming down. It was already hopping up and down from excitent.
"Listen first."
The bird reluctantly stopped moving when he said that.
"Tweet."
Lionel picked up one mana ball and showed it to the bird. "I’ve prepared enough mana balls for a while."
The bird stared at the mana ball with shining eyes.
"Nope. you can only eat one per day."
"Tweet..." The bird imdiately looked disappointed.
Lionel stared at the bird, his eyes squinting.
"One."
"Tweet..." the bird stared back at him.
"No negotiations."
The bird lowered its head dramatically as if its entire life had been ruined. Lionel almost laughed at it.
"You’ll get sick if you consu too many at once."
"Tweet."
’Alright, master.’ That explanation seed to convince it slightly.
"Good."
The bird then looked back toward the box.
"Tweet!"
"Yes. They’re all yours."
The mont those words left his mouth, the bird beca excited again. It imdiately hopped around the box.
"Tweet! Tweet! Tweet!"
’Thank you, Master!’
Lionel smiled faintly. Seeing the bird happy wasn’t a bad feeling. However, after a few monts, his expression beca slightly more serious.
"Also, there is sothing else I need to tell you."
"Tweet?" The bird paused.
"I won’t be able to visit for a while." Lionel looked toward it.
The bird blinked.
"Tweet?"
’Why, master?’
"I’m entering the Imperial Army training grounds by tomorrow."
The bird tilted its head as Lionel continued.
"I’ll be staying there for about three months."
"..."
The greenhouse suddenly beca quiet as the bird only stared at him as if trying to process what it had just heard.
A few seconds later—
"Tweet...?"
’Huh?’
The bird slowly hopped closer.
"Tweet..."
’Master...’ Another hop.
"Tweet... tweet?"
’Are you leaving ?’ The little creature’s wings drooped at that. Its feathers seed to beco dull and his eyes looked pitiful.
"I’m not abandoning you." Lionel imdiately felt a strange sense of guilt.
"Tweet..." The bird looked unconvinced.
"I’ll co back."
"Tweet?"
’Really?’
"After three months."
But didn’t make it better for the bird.
"Tweet..."
’Three months is a long ti, master.’
Lionel sighed. Why did it sound like he was explaining himself to a child?
"That’s exactly why I ca here today."
"Tweet?"
’What do you an, master?’
Lionel reached over and lightly tapped the bird’s head bef0re he pointed toward the box filled with mana balls.
"I want you to eat one mana ball every day. That’s only enough for 3 weeks"
The bird imdiately nodded.
"Tweet!"
’I can do that!’
"Good." Lionel smiled faintly. "Eat properly then train properly so you can beco stronger."
The bird puffed out its chest.
"Tweet!"
’I will beco the strongest bird!’
Lionel chuckled.
"And after you’ve gotten stronger..."
"Tweet?"
"Co find at the Imperial Army training grounds." Lionel looked directly at it.
"Tweet?!"
Its entire body lit up with excitent.
"Tweet! Tweet! Tweet!"
’Really?!’
"Really."
"Tweet!"
’Then I’ll co find you, master!’
The pitiful expression from earlier disappeared completely. Now he looked more excited.
Lionel smiled.
That is more like it. He reached over and rubbed the bird’s head again.
The bird happily leaned into his hand.
"Actually..." Lionel’s eyes narrowed slightly. "I also have a task for you."
"Tweet?"
’A task?’
The mont Lionel ntioned work, the bird beca noticeably more energetic. After all, it loved helping him.
Lionel carefully reached into one of his pockets, then he pulled out several folded sheets of paper. Lionel unfolded them and placed them carefully on the table.
There were two sheets of paper that included a na and a sketch of the person. They were the people that Lionel was eyeing to partner up in his sugar business.
"Tweet?"
’Who are they?’
"They’re important people" Lionel’s gaze lowered toward the papers. "And I want you to find sothing that can help win them."
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