Working Life

I wait on a chair as miss Mocca prepares me to do delivery job.

*Step step step*
“Are you ready? Here, I repurposed your basket and did a little tweak to it.”

“whooaa~”

Miss Mocca gives me my basket, which is now visibly sturdier, but the weight feels lighter than before.

“Waah~ this is awesome!” I happily look around the basket with stars in my eyes. Miss Mocca then puts in the items I’m supposed to deliver, and write a note containing the address and a mini map to where I'm supposed to go so I don’t get lost.

“Make sure you read the map carefully, okay? And be sure to handle the items with care. And don’t forget to─” *Yap yap* *yap yap*

Miss Mocca seems to be really worried about me, but it sounds more like she's worried about the delivery not going to the right place.

(Having her worry this much gives me a heavy sense of responsibility. But I promise to try my best to not mess it up!)

“Don’t worry miss Mocca, I’ll do my best!”

I turn around, and close my eyes. A bulge starts pulsing from my back, then─ *Fwoosh!*

A pair of wings grow on my back. I manage to learn how to do a partial transformation from reading the many books miss Mocca has, and now I’m similar to miss Mia with her legs behind her back.

I grab the basket and hold it on my hand. I plan to carry it by dangling it down with my arms as I fly. Before I could go to the front door, miss Mocca stops me, grabbing me from the shoulder.

“Wait wait wait! Don’t fly around the kingdom!”

“Awawa~!” I stagger from being held back by the soft hand on my shoulders.

“The city is a no-fly zone. You’ll get shot by the kingdom’s anti-air cannon if you weren’t arrested already.”

“Ah, oh…” I look down in disappointment as I undo my wings, making them disappear.

Miss Mocca then looks at me, who's displeased because I'm unable to flap my wings, then pats my head to cheer me up.

“You’ll be fine, walking isn’t all that bad. You’ll get used to it.”

“Hnn~ Okay…”
I walk out the door, with the basket strapped to my back instead. 

“I’ll be going now!”

“Be careful out there!”

I run towards the delivery destination, making sure to not be too bumpy as I go. This is an opportunity for me to familiarize myself with the kingdom’s cities and layout.

*step step step*
I arrive at my first delivery destination. I read the note miss Mocca gave me with instructions on what to do, telling me I should try to shout “Dexter atelier delivery”, a combination of the name of the store and the service I’m doing.

*knock knock knock* 
“Dexter atelier delivery!!” I shout at the top of my lungs.

*Thud!* *clutter clutter* Sounds of things falling after I shout loudly.

*Slam!* 
“Who the heck’s shouting so loud in front of my door!” A furry-eared old man comes out of the door, displeased by my loud noise.

“Awawa~ D─dexter atelier delivery!” I shout with a significantly lower tone.

“Hm? A child? Oh, miss Mocca’s done making the thing I ordered a week ago. Alright kiddo, just drop the stuff on the porch there.”

I quickly and carefully put down the item I was carrying on to the porch as the man suggest.

The man then goes inside the house. Sounds of cabinets being open can be heard, then the man comes back out.

“here’s a little tip for startlin’ ya’, don’t shout so loud next time, m'kay?” he gives me a few coins.

I quickly nod and bow, before hurrying back to the shop.

*Step Step Step!*

After a while…

*Knock Knock* 
“Miss Mocca, I’m back!”

*Creak* 
“Oh, that was fast. You didn’t get the wrong address, right? I knew I could rely on you!”

I stand on the streets with my hands on my waist and my chest held high, proud of my first delivery.

“… Alright, on to the next delivery.”
I crouch down, putting the basket on the ground while still attached to me, like a puppy wearing a backpack.

“… Hahaha~ you really are cute.” *rustle rustle*

“There’s the next item, and here’s the address.”

I quickly stand up and turn towards miss Mocca.

“I’ll be going again now!” My eyes sparkle even more as I’ve earned miss Mocca’s trust to do her delivery.

I did a couple more delivery after that, until evening comes with my seventh delivery of the day.

*Step step step step* 
*huff huff* "… This should be the place.”

*knock knock* “Dexter atelier delivery!”

*creak* 
“Ara? A child?” A human old lady holding a cane came out of the door.

“Dexter atelier delivery!”

“Hoho~ she’s hired quite the cute employee. You can place the box besides the door.”

*rattle* 
“Alright, done!” *Smug~*

“Ara ara~, what a cute little child, wait here.”

“…?” I waited on the front door as the old lady ask.

She then comes back, holding a purple rectangular cube on a stick.

“I just made these popsicles for my grandchildren, I’ve made a few extra, you can have some as a tip.”

“Can I really?! Thank you very much!”

The old lady smiles as I left her porch happily licking the cold treat. I walk away to the main road.

As I walk back towards miss Mocca’s shop, guards suddenly begin clearing the street.

“Make way! Clear the road! Keep to the sides! Don’t block the road!”

I watch as guards steer clear of the road. Then, they stand on the side, making a barrier of guards.

“Everyone! Get ready to welcome the coming of age of young nobles of this generation!”

After a while, a carriage passes through the clear road.

“All cheer for Princess Carmine and her fiancé!” The guard shouts loudly, then the crowd starts cheering as the royal princess waves at them from within an open carriage.

Princess Rosa Carmine, the 16th generation princess and the only daughter of the royal family. She has two brothers, prince Aster Carmine and prince Oroban Carmine. She has crimson red hair, with twin curls spiraling behind her. She also wears a tiny crown that she seems to wear with pride.

Next to her is… “─!!”

It's the boy that pushed me away when I was at the academy days ago. His name is Lord Chrys of the Santhe family.

I expected him to be quite the high-ranking human, considering he could control the crowd like yesterday. I didn’t realize he was engaged to the royal family.

*sigh* 
"this is all useless performative gesture.” Lord Chrys grumbles as Princess Rosa keeps waving at the crowd.

“Tell me when we’re there, I'll just doze off in the meantime.” He then looks away at the crowd, ignoring the cheers. Then, in corner of his eyes, he sees someone familiar.

“…─!!! That guy!” He sees me, licking the popsicle while staring at the carriage carrying them as they pass through where I stand.

He keeps glaring at me until the carriage goes too far for our eyes to meet.

Seems like my species really hurt his pride, as he didn’t think anyone would have a higher standing than him, the fiancé of the royal princess.

(Too bad you hatched from the wrong egg, maybe don’t be born a human next time.)

I scurry off back towards the shop, as the crowd keep on cheering for more royal carriages carrying different noble families that are attending the academy on the same term.

I walk through an alley as the main road is too crowded. The alley is quiet, as all noises are masked by the cheering crowd looking at the parade.

The alley turns darker and narrower, as this path is discreet even when there’s no parade. I keep walking as the area starts becoming earie, then suddenly─

... *GRAB!*

“─!! AH!” a hand grabs me by the back collar, dropping my popsicle to the ground and dragging me into a side area near the dumpster. Before I could tell what’s going on a punch land straight into my nose.

*Thud!* *Wham!* *Bam!* “Ack! ─Gah! Ugh…” 
Many more punches fly towards my face and my stomach.

“We got him!”

“Get the rope, quickly!”

(W─who are these people? Are these goons hired by that lord? Is he really that mad that he would hire someone to kill me? That shouldn’t be the case, that would risk his entire life and title if this ever gets found out. Then why...?)

“Kehehe, during a parade like this, it's the perfect time to kidnap a kid wondering dark alleys.” One of the thugs exclaims.

“Gyahaha! This one’s still young too, many would buy this merch for a high price!”

*punch punch* 
"Gehh, can you guys help me tie this kid already!? I don’t want to actually kill the boy.”

…Ah I see.

Phoenixes are known to be quite the understanding creature. They'd understand the motive of criminals even as heinous as child kidnapping. They'll still find reason to forgive them, even if the victim is the phoenix themselves.

Few feathers fall off my jacket yet again as the thug keeps roughing me. Then, one of the thugs notices the fallen feathers.

“hmm? These feathers… Yo, I think this kid’s a bird humanoid.”

“Euh? You! Grab one of the feathers and check its mana content!”

One of the thugs grabs a couple feathers and pulls out a transparent gem, then looks at the feather through it.

“…!! Dude! This kid’s a phoenix!”

“W─what?! Oh shit, we can’t take this child!”

The thug that was holding my collar threw me straight into the cold steel dumpster.

*THUMP!*

“Ow!” My head crashes into the dumpster. Blood trails down my bruised face and stomach. My nose is red from the blood flowing out of it.

“We can’t risk having the church on our ass, leave him!”

“Sorry kid, no hard feelings, right? Don’t you go around reporting us! Gotta run now!” The thugs run off through the alley, nowhere to be seen again.

I lean against the dumpster, limp and weak as my little body’s completely battered.

Tears slowly come out of my eyes and trickle down my battered face, a reaction a child should normally make when they get hurt, even bawling their eyes out screaming as they cry in pain if they ever so bumped into a wall too hard.

Yet, I sat there, silently crying without screaming in pain. I've accepted that this is a normal occurrence. The thugs simply did such thing for profits, as they need a way to earn a living. And before I pass out from the pain, I've already forgiven the thugs who'd beaten me.

…

…

*knock knock*
“..! Coming!” 
*cluttering* A muffled voice came from behind the door.

“…”

*muffled* “Geez, you’re so late. I heard there was a parade for the royal family and nobles that’s going to enroll the academy, but we have a tight schedule, you know.”

*creak* The door opens.

“you should learn not to get distra─, !!!!”

… *Smiles* "I’m back!”

Miss Mocca sees a completely injured and battered child in front of her. She immediately run up to the boy and hugs him. A green glowing mist starts forming around her arms.

“Are you okay?! Are you feeling dizzy? Tell me where it hurts, I can heal you!” she rushes her words in a panic, and rub me everywhere where I was bleeding.

“… I’m fine. You don’t need to be so worried.” I say with a gleaming smile on my bloody face.

“!!... Y─you’re not sad? Were you robbed? Who did this to you?”

“Ehehe~ thank you for worrying about me, but I’m truly okay. It hurts a lot but, I’m still alive and standing, so it’s all fine.”

“Wha─” Miss Mocca's face says that she's extremely shocked, hearing me say that with bruises all over my body. She is now convinced that the child in front of her isn’t normal.

“… Ah! I wasn’t robbed, I managed to deliver the item safe and sound! The old lady even gave me a popsicle!” I hold up an empty stick. “… There was one before it all melted, haha…”

“you weren’t robbed? Then who…?”

“From what I heard from one of the thugs, seems like they’re child kidnappers. They threw me away after knowing that I’m a phoenix. But because of that, I’m alive and able to come home!” I chirp, still with a sweet smile.

“!!!” she's taken aback as she look at the smile behind my bloodied face, then hugs me tighter. Bright green glow begin shining across the front door.

“Ehehe! Miss Mocca is really good at healing magic! I can already feel all my pain stop hurting, and…” My eyes start fading away.

“It feels… nice, and… makes me sleepy~…” I Close my eyes shut, then sleep soundly in the arms of miss Mocca’s healing embrace.

“… Understanding creature? Icarus be damned, now that I’ve seen the behavior in front of my eyes, it looks more of a curse than a blessing.”