Chapter 656: Feathers, Flirts, and Finesse ( 656 )

Armand Region.

Armand Estate – Courtyard.

“Yeehaaa!!! Buddy!! JUMP!!”

CUQUAWKED!!

Buddy launched into the air with a sudden powerful leap, then landed mid-dash, his massive talons skimming over the stone pavement as he tore through the wide courtyard beside the Pekko pen.

“Ehehehehe!! This is fun!!! More, Buddy! Faster!”

“CUQUAWK!!”

They circled the courtyard, Javier riding low in the saddle like a knight pretending to joust air, wind slapping his hair wildly.

From across the yard—

“Young master!! That’s enough!”

Liana’s voice rang out, firm but laced with her usual calm.

She placed a hand on her hip, narrowing her eyes.

“Come back and sit down properly. You’ll get all dirty again.

Buddy slowed a little.

Javier and Buddy both turned their heads.

From the distance, they stared at Liana.

Still. Silent. Serious.

Javier leaned forward, cupping his hands beside Buddy’s head and whispered something with a grin.

Buddy twitched.

Buddy puffed up his chest proudly, flaring his feathers like a showoff.

“CUQUUUUAAAAAWK—!!”

The squawk was loud, long, exaggerated.

And then it shifted into a second one, a screeching laugh, like a seagull mocking royalty.

Then he kicked off the ground again, zooming away in loops like a deranged festival parade.

“Buddy!!” Liana’s voice sharpened.

Javier’s laughter echoed over the courtyard.

“Wooohooo!!! Let’s gooo!!”

“Young master!!!” Liana’s voice rang out again, louder and sharper now.

“Come down this instant!”

From the far side of the courtyard, Javier waved without a care.

“Don’t wanna!!”

Buddy dashed forward, kicking up dust and spinning in wide, playful loops, wings flared out just for show.

“CUQUAWK!!”

Liana narrowed her eyes. Her expression darkened.

“…Oh?” she said quietly, brushing her bangs aside.

“So you want to play, huh?”

She turned, calm as ever, and called out.

“Pikko~”

A short moment passed—then a sleek, silver-orange Pekko came strutting out from the side stable, tail feathers flicking, head held high.

“Good girl,” Liana whispered.

She grabbed a polished wooden plank leaning against the stable wall—used for balance training—and with graceful precision, swung herself onto Pikko’s back in one clean motion.

Her hair fluttered behind her as she sat perfectly upright, plank resting across her lap like a command baton.

She glanced ahead—at the chaos in the distance.

Then leaned forward, whispering softly.

“…Alright, Pikko. It’s been a while since we had to wrangle those two mischievous boys, huh?”

Pikko let out a proud squawked, its sleek feathers shimmering.

“Let’s go.”

Meanwhile…

At the far end of the courtyard, near a small table under the shade of a tree, Gloria stood with perfect posture, holding a delicate biscuit between two fingers.

She gently tossed it forward.

“Peanut~ Here.”

“Cuquawked.”

Her loyal Pekko, Peanut, caught the treat mid-air and nodded contentedly, feathers fluffed.

Gloria simply smiled, one hand resting on her hip as she sipped her coffee with the other.

Her eyes watched the chaos unfolding with quiet amusement.

Across the courtyard—

Javier was screaming.

“Eeeekkk!! Liana!! What’s with that wooden plank?!”

Buddy was zig-zagging wildly, wings flaring as he dodged low fences and training poles.

“Help!! This woman is dangerous!! Rude!! Fierce!! Eeeekkk!!”

Behind him, Liana chased without mercy, perfectly balanced on Pikko, holding the polished plank like a noble lancer.

Her expression was composed—but her eyes were locked on target.

Peanut let out a low amused squawk.

Gloria sipped again and smiled softly to herself.

“Ara~ He should’ve just come down when she asked.”

“I was just having fun with Buddyyyyy!!” Javier yelled as Buddy sprinted across the courtyard, narrowly avoiding a water trough.

“I wasn’t even flirting with Erisa—”

He froze mid-sentence.

“Ah… oops.”

A voice floated in from behind.

“Young maaaster~”

Liana’s tone was sweet—too sweet—as she closed in, the polished plank still firmly in hand.

She stood tall on Pikko, her eyes gleaming with dangerous curiosity.

“What’s this about flirting with Erisa~?”

“Eeeekkk!! NO I DIDN’T!!” Javier shrieked, clinging to Buddy’s reins.

Buddy turned sharply, wings kicking up dirt as he launched them over a small hedge.

“CUQUAWK!!”

Liana leaned forward, voice still elegant but colder now.

“Oh? But I heard ‘flirting’ just now. Clearly. With Erisa~”

“IT WAS A SLIP!! A SLIIIP!!”

From across the courtyard, Gloria covered her mouth, stifling a laugh behind her coffee cup.

“…Ara~ A slip? That’s quite the confession.”

“ERISAAAA!! HELP!!!”

Javier leapt off Buddy mid-gallop, landing in a roll, and bolted full-speed toward the manor like a fugitive on the run.

His voice echoed through the courtyard as he sprinted.

“OPEN THE DOOR! OPEN THE DOOO—”

BAM!!

A polished wooden plank spun through the air like a discus—and nailed him clean across the back of the head.

“Guh?!”

Javier’s eyes rolled once before his body hit the ground, face-first, arms spread like a starfish.

Silence.

“Cuquawked…” Buddy squawked, flapping his wings as he slowed down to watch.

From behind, Liana slid down gracefully from Pikko, dusting her hands off.

She walked up calmly, smiling with the serenity of a woman who had delivered justice.

She crouched, grabbed Javier’s leg, and began dragging him backward across the courtyard like a sack of flour.

“Eeekkk!! I’m sorry!! I’m soooorrryyy!!”

Javier flailed weakly, but her grip didn’t budge.

Gloria, still sipping her coffee, nodded once with a serene smile.

“…This is what happens when you flirt with other maids.”

“Just because you finished your last mission faster than expected…”

Liana’s voice was calm. Too calm.

“Doesn’t mean you can do as you please, young master~”

Javier, now sitting on the ground with dirt on his cheek and pride in pieces, raised both hands slowly.

“I-I’m sorry…”

Liana crouched in front of him. Still smiling.

Then—her hand slid into his hair.

A soft grip. Firm. No escape.

She leaned in slightly, eyes meeting his with a sweet yet terrifying glint.

“Now…” she whispered.

“Tell me what, and when, you flirted with Erisa~”

Javier’s eyes darted left. Then right. Then up.

“I didn’t! I… I just… err…”

He turned his head slightly, face scrunched in a forced innocent grin.

“I mean, she was just standing there, and I said she looked nice in the uniform and—”

He froze.

Liana’s smile widened.

“…Oh~?”

( End Of Chapter )

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