"You idiot bird! Engy, look here!"
The large red-brown bird resembling a crow - Phoenix - I'd told to go chase after some angel or goddess or whatever he thought he saw, was now barreling towards us at full speed.
I was cringing, expecting him to plow right into us, when a bang sounded from right beside me.
"Engy, look here! Hey, Engy. Here!" The blindfolded girl created a fireball in her hand and launched it at Phoenix.
"Aaaaaahhhhhhh!!!"
Aside from being flightless, just like a phoenix from books. The direct hit from the fireball transformed Phoenix into a fireball as he tumbled down.
Good thing. One step closer to my dream. Still, I glanced at the fireball shooter.
That was magic just now. Fireball? More importantly, was she chanting just now...?
Phoenix didn't stay silent after crashing down. This time he came sprinting at full speed on his feet.
Flapping his wings pathetically, the desperate two-legged running was a bit comical.
For some reason, only the head he insisted was divine remained aflame.
While I was debating how to deal with him, I noticed the blindfolded girl preparing another spell.
I didn't really mind, but stopped her anyway.
"Sorry, that's my companion."
"Eh! It looked like some weird bird, so I thought it was a monster! Sorry!"
"Ah, no worries. It might've charged right into us otherwise."
The idiot bird should be fine from that much.
More importantly, where had he been until now?
"Hey you! Engy, look! What's with the girls front and back!? Are you trying to torment me after my heartbreak!?"
The bird came picking a fight. Hey, don't get any closer. Your head's still burning, looks hot.
But heartbreak, huh?
I guessed that might be it, but... Well, wasn't this one your longest relationship?
"They're not like that."
"Nice to meet you! I'm Engy's lover!"
"...I'm his lover too."
Unfamiliar self-proclaimed lovers lined up on either side of me.
When I tried distancing myself, the blindfolded girl wordlessly clung on, so I kicked her away.
Damn it. Thanks to this idiot bird, she learned my name.
"Engy, look! Hmm... Wait, humans can have two partners, right?"
The confused bird.
Meanwhile the blindfolded girl, rolling on the ground, cried How mean! before pouncing at me again. I desperately resisted, but her freakish strength pinned my legs in her hold, immobilizing me.
Claire valiantly tried removing the clingy arms.
"Shit! I'm jealous, resentful! Engy! Engy..."
The turmoil and indignation shifted to the bird bursting into tears.
Not squawking, really crying. Geez, what a mess.
"Engy... You don't know what I've been through!"
Because you randomly flew off yourself, right?
And I can't comprehend all the bird world stuff anyway.
"But wasn't this your longest relationship?"
"Wah. The only good part was the beginning..."
"Soo, what happened?"
I hadn't intended to indulge his silly story, but the blindfolded girl questioned Phoenix.
The affairs of birds must've piqued her interest.
In summary, this is what happened apparently:
Phoenix spotted a female bird at the forest entrance and began hitting on her as usual. Surprisingly, she took a liking to him and they cavorted for a while.
But then another bird who had his eyes on her appeared - the boss of that forest it seems. Without any hesitation, she dumped Phoenix for him.
Enraged at having the female stolen from him, Phoenix challenged and defeated the boss and hundreds of monsters over several days.
However, when he finally made it back to the female after the battles, she said this:
"How could you do that! Now all my plans are ruined... Don't come around me again!"
Stunned, he witnessed her eggs she'd laid...
Feeling empty, sad, and battered from the fights, Phoenix resolved to leave the forest.
"I guess the bird world isn't too different from here."
"Guh..."
From this account at least, sure seems that way.
Apparently Phoenix had been through some stuff these past two weeks I was pondering over. Though I couldn't care less really.
Claire was crying.
"You should have gone back! Engy is fawning over girls here, hehe. When I'm hurt inside and out, I wanted you to gently embrace me! But what welcomed me was flames!? How awful!"
Phoenix flopped over limply wallowing in misery.
Who's fawning over who? Take a good look. Some weirdo's still stuck to my leg.
"Be grateful I stopped it the second time."
"Oh! A divine miracle! Grant me a partner who cherishes me tenderly!"
That's not how divine miracles work.
"Damn! Anyone's fine now. Hey ladies flocking to Engy! Be my pet... No, make me your pet!"
As he babbled drivel, Phoenix approached.
But before I could react, the blindfolded girl punted him away.
The pitiful bird buried himself in the dirt.
"Sorry, you were grossing me out! Oh, but Engy's fine! Hehe!"
Is she imagining me as her pet too? The blindfolded girl laughed creepily.
Anyway, divine miracle huh. Come to think of it, had he been in the forest this whole time?
"You've been in the forest until now, right? Notice anything unusual, especially a few days after we split up?"
Anomalies in the forest. It had been bothering me since finding that thing at the lake bottom.
When I asked, Phoenix answered from the bird-shaped hole in the ground.
"Huh? Weird stuff? Nothing happened for a few days after you ditched me! I was busy fighting after!"
Nothing happened, I see... Hm?
Staring at the bird-shaped hole, a thought occurred to me.
No anomalies occurred in the forest on the day of divine miracle. Moreover, that thing at the lake bottom, and what I heard from this town's residents. The God Stone.
My thoughts accelerated in an instant. The scattered pieces - seemingly trivial matters - came together to form a single answer.
But could such a thing really happen?
"Engy? What's wrong?"
"Engy?"
"Claire, you're coming with me now."