The sight of the approaching Limur Birds left me breathless.
Set against the red mountain slopes visible through the trees, the birds spread their translucent blue wings and circled the area, their vibrant green tails trailing behind them. I lacked the vocabulary to truly capture the elegance of their descent into the marsh.
There were slightly more of them now than there had been before, though it didn't look like they had returned for revenge. One by one, they touched down and began feasting on the Grel Frogs.
The situation seemed safe enough, but one bird in the flock refused to look away from me. Even a cursory glance confirmed it was the high-tier variant from earlier. It ignored the frogs entirely, its gaze fixed on me with unwavering intensity. Had I really made it that wary?
Behind me, Elia was preparing her instrument, which Sebas had just handed over.
"Reinhardt-san."
"Yes?"
"I’m going to step away for a moment. That high-tier bird has been staring me down ever since it arrived. If I stay here, I might interfere with the Young Lady’s performance."
"I don't mind one bit."
Elia herself cut me off.
"A contract is a private matter between a tamer and a monster. If I were to fail and blame it on Ryoma-san’s presence, that would be nothing more than a pathetic excuse. I have no intention of saying such a thing."
She spoke with a firm, dignified air that I hadn't seen from her before.
"Besides, I want you to see me succeed. Please, stay. Having you here gives me courage."
She finished with her usual bright smile.
After she went that far, I couldn't exactly leave.
"I understand. Good luck."
"I won't let you down!"
I stepped back, the encouragement coming naturally.
Elia took several deep breaths before she began to play.
It was the same slow, gentle piece she had practiced before. The melody started as a whisper and gradually swelled, the volume rising and falling like the tide. Whether the notes were soft or powerful, their clarity never faltered as they echoed across the wetlands.
Unlike their reaction to the men earlier, the flock began to sway their heads and bodies in time with the music.
Finally, the song drifted to a quiet close.
"..."
Elia watched the flock with a tense expression. Suddenly, the birds let out a collective cry. It wasn't the mocking screech they had used against the previous group, but a melodic sound reminiscent of a harp or piano. It wasn't just noise, either.
Their "song" continued for nearly a minute. Then, nine Limur Birds gathered at Elia's feet, led by the one that shone most brilliantly of all.
It was a success! I was about to celebrate when I realized...
"Young Lady, the contract! The taming contract!"
"Oh! Right!"
She had been so stunned by her own success that she’d frozen up. Snapping back to reality at my shout, she began frantically forming the contracts. Watching her work, it was clear the birds were accepting her. When she finally finished with the most beautiful bird of the group, she finally let out a jubilant cry.
"I did it!!"
"Well done!"
"You did marvelous, truly."
"I'm so happy for you, Elia."
"Congratulations."
"My deepest congratulations, Young Lady."
She had managed to tame nine birds in total. I had been told that even one was a feat, so seeing her secure so many was staggering.
"Look! They’re all so beautiful!"
Elia knelt down, stroking the birds as they crowded around her. Some were already comfortable enough to perch on her knees and shoulders.
It was a heartwarming scene, though a cynical part of my brain noted that it looked a bit like someone had accidentally spilled a massive bag of birdseed. Why did my mind have to ruin a touching moment with such a mundane comparison?
It was a sight worthy of a painting—The Maiden and the Flock—and yet...
Well, no sense dwelling on that. It was my turn to see if I could ride this wave of luck.
I pulled my guitar out of my Item Box. Elia’s eyes went wide the moment she saw it.
"Ryoma-san, is that an instrument? Are you going to try for a contract as well?"
"I’m not nearly as skilled as you, but I thought I’d try my hand at it, since the atmosphere is so good."
"I shall be cheering for you!"
"Good luck, Ryoma-kun."
"Show us what you've got."
I checked my tuning as I listened to their encouragement.
I took a deep breath, just as Elia had.
I had never actually studied the guitar. A neighbor in my old apartment building had given me a discarded guitar and an instruction manual when they moved out. I’d basically just killed time by reading the book, memorizing chords, and strumming along to things I heard.
I was nowhere near Elia’s level, but I was going to give it my all.
I chose a melody that used to drift from the television in my old life. I’d never seen the sheet music, but I’d played it so often by ear that it was ingrained in my muscle memory. It probably sounded quite different from the original by now.
But that didn't matter.
I wasn't a virtuoso, but I wasn't terrible, either. As long as I enjoyed the music, that was enough.
"!"
The Limur Birds began to sway.
They were actually into it. That was a pleasant surprise.
When the final chord rang out, the birds went silent, remaining perfectly still for several seconds.
The result was... a melodic chorus!
"Wait, what?"
I stared in shock as six birds landed at my feet. Even more surprising was the fact that the high-tier variant from before was among them. Weren't you supposed to be wary of me?
"Ryoma-san, the contracts!"
Right, I was spacing out.
I hurriedly performed the rituals one by one. Everything went smoothly, and soon I was the master of six Limur Birds.
"Phew... success."
The group erupted into applause.
"Congratulations, Ryoma-san!"
"I'm so glad it worked out for both of you."
"Congratulations, Ryoma-sama."
"You really pulled it off, Young Master."
"Taming a Limur Bird is notoriously difficult," the Madam added. "To see both of you contract several at once is truly extraordinary!"
Following the Madam’s gaze, everyone looked at our new companions. My high-tier bird and the most radiant one from Elia’s group were already frolicking together, taking turns hopping along the ground and taking short flights.
Elia’s bird really was stunning. My six were beautiful in their own right, but hers was a shade brighter, as if it were glowing from within.
"...Young Lady, would you mind calling the bird that’s playing with Ryoma-sama’s familiar? I’d like you to use Monster Appraisal on it."
Sebas had clearly spotted something. Elia looked confused, but she complied, calling the bird over and activating the skill.
When she called her bird, mine decided to follow, landing squarely on top of my head.
Why my head? I mean, it’s light enough, but still...
"Oh!"
Elia let out a startled cry, pulling my attention away from the bird on my head.
"Is something wrong?"
"This one... this one is a high-tier species too!"
What? I thought high-tier Limur Birds were a once-in-a-decade sight.
"Really? The colors are so different from mine."
"Yes. It’s not a Nightmare; it’s a Phantom Limur Bird. It seems it uses Light Magic instead of Dark Magic."
"I didn't realize there were other variants."
To me, it was just a rare find, but Sebas and the rest of the retainers were stunned into silence. Once they recovered, they were so overjoyed they looked ready to toss Elia into the air in celebration.
Once everyone calmed down, they explained that while the Phantom Limur Bird was indeed a high-tier species, it was even rarer than the Nightmare.
Seriously? I knew it looked different, but to think two such rare specimens were in the same flock was incredible.
The group’s excitement surpassed my own. We moved into the swamp to catch Grel Frogs as part of Elia’s training, but everyone’s minds were clearly still on the birds. They’d practically forgotten why we were there in the first place.
The frogs were easy enough to catch as long as you could stomach the smell of the muck. It turned into a bit of a grind—monotonous, repetitive labor. The fact that the other adventurers had fled made things even easier; if the crowd from earlier had still been here, we’d have been fighting over every catch.
Once we finished the harvest and hauled ourselves out of the muck, we used a Cleaner Slime Bath to strip away the filth before heading back to the city. I wondered if this really counted as training. Wasn't the goal to get used to being dirty? Then again, Elia’s slimes were going to become Cleaner Slimes eventually, so maybe it didn't matter.
No one seemed to have any objections, so I let it slide.
We took a short break before the trip back.
The Madam was currently huddled with Elia and the flock of birds. Reinhardt-san watched them from a distance with a look of pure envy. I’d heard he didn't get along with bird-type monsters, but I hadn't realized they would hiss and threaten him if he so much as leaned in their direction.
Reinbach-sama was busy giving orders for a celebratory feast, and Sebas had already Warped back to the city. He’d gone ahead to tell Arone and the others to start the preparations. Everyone was riding high on the day's success.
When we finally reached the inn, we were greeted by a lavish spread of spiced dishes and premium liquor. Naturally, the banquet began immediately. Elia and I were the guests of honor. I tucked into the meal while Reinhardt-san and the others showered us with praise.
Elia was soon full and became lost in the lively conversation, but my old habits died hard. I couldn't stop myself from overindulging in the food and drink set before me.
I mean, it would be a waste to leave it, right?
It had been a long time since I’d feasted like this. It felt different from my previous life. Even when I’d been around people back then, drinking had never been this enjoyable. The food in my old world technically might have been higher quality, but everything tasted better tonight. The wine, too.
I remembered Tekun mentioning that I’d never known the joy of a "pleasant drink" in my past life. I suppose this was what he meant. I felt a sudden urge to offer a prayer to him.
Once the party wound down, I asked for a bit of the leftover premium wine for an offering and headed back to my room. Realizing the stone statue I’d carved previously was back at the shop, I carved a fresh one and began to pray.
This was my second banquet since arriving in this world, and unlike my old life, I’d actually had a wonderful time. Thank you. It’s a bit of a hand-me-down, but please accept this fine wine.
I gave the statue a respectful bow and decided to call it a night.
I had a feeling I’d sleep well tonight.