Tamed the Monster Prince - Chapter 15.2

“What are the criteria for being considered a person?”

“… ”

Irena was unable to provide an immediate response to the query concerning the qualifications of a person. At that moment, the parrot perched on Cornelya ‘s shoulder emitted a loud cry of “Person!”

Cornelya gave a knowing smile at the sight.

“Indeed, one must conduct themselves in a manner befitting a person to be considered as such. Have you ever observed a prince behaving as a person would?”

“… ”

Corneria tapped her long fingernails on the table as she stated,

“Humans should move bipedally and utilize tools.”

A parrot flew down and ran between her fingers at that precise instant. It descended to the spot where a bag of food was balanced on her fingertips.

The parrot gave itself a few heads shakes before using its beak to open the food bag and eat the dried fruit. After that, it tilted its head a few more times.

“Do you have the ability to communicate using a human language?”

She beamed as she ran her fingers along the extended talons of the parrot, which answered with a pleasant vocalization, “Your hat is beautiful,” and “Have a pleasant afternoon.”

“Ah…”

“Is it possible to distinguish between you and this avian?”

“…?”

Irena was speechless as she continued to look around. At the same time, her eyes swept the surrounding area because it was clear what the Queen intended to do. At that precise moment, Cornelya reached out with both hands and grabbed the parrot searching through the food pocket. Such caused the bird to become alarmed and flail its wings.

The bird shrieked, and a loud thumping sound could be heard in the background.

“It appears that this bird has certain advantages over you.”

Witnessing the Queen holding the parrot and it squirming in distress, Irena experienced a sensation of being unable to breathe.

“This can be manipulated using this hand.”

Her gaze was icy, causing Irena to take a deep breath in response.

Her Majesty released her grasp.

The parrot flew up to the Queen’s shoulder, appearing relieved, and groomed its feathers with its beak.

“But what about you?”

“W-well…”

“It is evident that a whip is necessary to maintain order and rein in something unruly and out of control, correct?”

Irena could not contain herself, so she rose to her feet with a resounding voice. The table trembled slightly, and a gentle breeze wafted across the teacup.

“What?”

Cornelya experienced a moment of embarrassment after hearing this and asked, “Irena, I was not aware that you were asking the Empress any questions. I was taken aback by the sudden shiver that ran down my back.”

She coughed and then laughed awkwardly, even though her politeness had not been mentioned. After a brief pause, she offered her observation.

“You can make others laugh more than yourself. That was the funniest joke I’ve heard this year.”

“…..”

Irena lowered her head and paused to take a deep breath.

“….As Her Majesty said.”

“Huh?”

“Your Excellency stands out from the rest.”

Before interacting with him, she had a healthy amount of skepticism about the concept of a curse. She regarded it as nothing more than an old wives’ tale or a superstition. On the other hand, when we finally met him in person, we found that his demeanor was in line with the description of the curse. He had lost his ability to maintain mental stability and responded violently when he saw human blood. His left hand had morphed into an appendage resembling a reptilian limb, and his eyes had looked like a predatory glint. She pondered the possibility that he would never be able to attain a level of normalcy again.

She managed to keep her composure. Nevertheless, she recalled Cesar’s smile and how his eyes had a tender expression.

“But he’s a human…”

Cornelya admired Irena, remarking that one should cherish their spouse without hesitation.

“What?”

Irena was taken aback by her frank remark, which caused her to give a surprised expression and cock her head to the side. Cornelya showed no reaction other than a smile and a slight chin elevation.

After that, a protracted period of silence was so profound that it appeared to engulf her. The chirping of exotic birds could be heard faintly in the background of the sound of the fountain. The lush vegetation concealed several beasts that peered out at her from their hiding places.

The Empress was enjoying a moment of tranquility in her charming and picture-perfect garden. She appeared as innocent and unblemished as a young girl, oblivious to the world’s evil.

Irena’s eyes widened in surprise as a result of the surreal atmosphere, which caused her to feel shocked. It should not be surprising that Cornelya’s words were filled with hatred.