Lyzia’s glare fixed on Buddy, her voice dropping to a low, threatening hiss. "You better take that back."
"Cuquawked?" (Or what?) Buddy’s beak curled into an even smugger smirk.
"Or I’ll tell Liana about it."
"Cuquawkedddd~" (Ooo~ scary~)
"Ugh!" Lyzia puffed her cheeks and stomped her foot, her frustration mounting. "I’m going to report you to brother-in-law!"
"Cuquawked~ Cuquawked~" (Go ahead~ My master will scold , and then he’ll give food. That’s why he nad Buddy, because I’m his buddy~)
Celine tilted her head in confusion, watching Lyzia puff her cheeks and glare at the orange pekko. Curious, she turned and mimicked Lyzia’s stance, puffing her own cheeks and glaring at the other pekko.
"Cuquawked?"
The three wild pekko glanced down at Celine, then at each other, before bursting into loud, squawking laughter, their heads bobbing up and down like seagulls.
"Cuquawked! Cuquawked!" (Look at this one~ Does she think puffing her cheeks is how you talk to a pekko?)
"Cuquawked! Cuquawked~" (Right!? Hahaha~)
Lyzia puffed her cheeks even more, her voice dropping to a low, threatening hiss. "Stop laughing at my friend!"
"Cuquawked! Cuquawked!" (Alright, alright, that’s enough. Stop teasing them.) Buddy squawked at the three wild pekko, who imdiately stopped laughing, though smirks remained on their beaks. One of them glanced down at Celine, who was still puffing her cheeks in confusion.
Lyzia crossed her arms, looking up at Buddy with a sharp, knowing expression. "So... where is brother-in-law? I don’t see him anywhere."
"Cuquawked!" (Don’t know!) Buddy shrugged his wings lazily, his expression smug.
Lyzia’s eyes narrowed, her tone carrying a hint of frustration. "You are his pekko, are you not? Surely you know where he is. Besides, you never stray far from him. Liana always says you are like his shadow. Everywhere he goes, you are always near, never wanting to leave his side."
"Cuquawked~" (That’s more reason I won’t tell you where.) Buddy’s beak curled into a smug smirk as he remained seated, looking down at her. (He’s my master. If he says don’t tell, I don’t tell.)
"Lyzia?"
Celine glanced at Lyzia, who turned her gaze toward her and smiled. "Hmm? Yes, Celine?"
"You know how to talk to them?"
Lyzia shook her head, her expression innocent. "No... I don’t."
"Oh..." Celine nodded, looking back up at the pekko, who tilted its head curiously. "This huge bird is cute."
"Cute? Where?" Lyzia narrowed her eyes, glancing around as if searching for sothing adorable before turning back to Celine. "This huge bird is a pekko. They’re originally from Armand. Annoying, gluttonous monster birds used for pulling carriages or as mounts. There’s nothing cute about them."
"Cuquawked~" (Soone’s jealous~) Buddy squawked, smirking as he glanced to the side, his eyes flickering down at Lyzia with a smug glint.
"Mount?" Celine’s eyes glead as she glanced at one of the wild pekko. "So this monster bird can be used as a mount?"
"Y... yes?" Lyzia tilted her head, her expression turning wary. "Celine... don’t tell you’re thinking about riding one."
"C-Can I?" Celine’s voice was already brimming with excitent.
Lyzia exhaled, glancing up at Buddy. "Pekko are indeed mount birds, but they are very choosy. They only allow soone to ride them if they accept that person. Once they choose, they are fiercely loyal. But not everyone can mount them unless the pekko themselves allow it."
"B-But..." Celine pointed toward the elven children who were climbing and playing around the pekko, laughing as they chased each other, so hiding under their wings and peeking out at their friends. "They seem fine with the children."
Lyzia smiled softly.
"Pekko don’t mind children playing around them, but they will leave if the children pluck their feathers or act too naughty. Most of the ti, they let kids play. That’s why, even though they’re categorized as monster birds, they’re not dangerous to the innocent. But to their enemies..."
"Huh?" Celine tilted her head, glancing at Lyzia with confusion. "What do you an ’to their enemies’?"
Lyzia glanced up at Buddy, who was letting one of the children climb onto his head and sit there, still wearing his smug expression. "They might be known as mount birds, but all pekko can fight, use magic, and have skills that make them formidable opponents in battle."
"E... Eh!!?" Celine’s eyes widened in surprise.
Lyzia turned her gaze toward Celine, smiling softly.
"Soon, when the Armand Delegation arrives, you’ll learn much more about pekko. Even if I tried to explain everything now, there’s still so much more to know."
"Oh..." Celine nodded, her eyes lingering on one of the wild pekko. Its feathers were a rich brown with dark brown stripes, and its beak was clean and sharp. "I really want to try riding one..."
Lyzia smiled, stepping closer to Celine. "Let’s continue our sightseeing! You said you wanted to et more races, like dwarves, right? I’m sure old man Guraji is opening his blacksmith shop right now..."
"Mhm!" Celine smiled, still holding the paper bag full of food they had bought earlier. She glanced at Lyzia, her expression thoughtful. "Umm... can I ask sothing before we go?"
"Yes?"
"This monster bird... what do they eat?"
Lyzia’s smile widened as she glanced up at Buddy, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "They eat almost anything. I’m sure all four of these could even eat stones~"
"Cuquawked!? Cuquawked!" (What? Duh. We’re not slis who eat rocks, you little witch. Ugh... so annoying. If these kids weren’t around, I’d flap my wings and send you flying~)
Buddy huffed and shrugged, turning his head away in exaggerated annoyance.
Lyzia placed both hands on her hips, glaring up at Buddy before hissing in a low voice. "Try . You know what will happen to you if you blow away all these kids~" She smirked at him, her expression daring.
"Cuquawked!" (Ugh... annoying little witch.)
Lyzia smiled, turning to Celine with excitent. "Let’s go!"
"Okay~" Celine bead, glancing up at the brown pekko before reaching into her paper bag and pulling out a chocolate doughnut. She extended it toward the pekko, her eyes hopeful.
"Cuquawked?"
"You eat this, right?"
"Cuquawked..." The brown pekko turned its head away with a dismissive shrug, completely unbothered, while a few children continued playing on its back, laughing and climbing over its feathers.
Celine pulled her hand back, her face falling into a disappointed pout as she placed the doughnut back into the bag.
Lyzia chuckled softly, her voice warm. "Don’t be too disappointed. It’s not that he rejected your food. He’s probably just full, or maybe he doesn’t like sweets. So pekko can be quite picky about what they eat. But most of them won’t turn down fruits or plain bread."
"R-really?" Celine’s eyes lit up again as she rummaged through her paper bag, searching for sothing the pekko might accept. But after a mont, her shoulders slumped in disappointnt when she realized everything she had bought was sweets.
She let out a soft sigh, pursing her lips. "I really wanted to feed one... There’s nothing like them in my country."
( End Of Chapter )
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