The next morning…
Lucian was awakened by a chorus of cheerful chirping.
Slowly opening his eyes, he found Snow standing right in front of him with her head adorably tilted to one side.
Beside her stood another gyrfalcon.
This one was slightly smaller than Snow.
Its feathers were almost entirely white.
Its hooked beak was darker and noticeably thicker, while its talons looked even stronger.
At this moment, the bird’s fierce golden eyes were filled with anger.
It glared at Lucian as though he were the man caught flirting with someone else’s wife.
The comparison might have been a little strange…
But somehow, Lucian could clearly sense that this was exactly what the bird was thinking.
“Snow…”
“Is this your husband?”
he asked with a smile.
“Chirp…
chirp…
chirp…”
Snow nodded.
Although he couldn’t literally understand her words…
After centuries of living alongside eagles, he could easily grasp her meaning.
“Heh.”
“Hello there, Mr.
Gyrfalcon.”
“My name is Lucian.”
“I’m your wife’s friend.”
He greeted the male bird politely.
“Grr…
chirp…”
The male gyrfalcon answered with two low calls.
Its eyes, however, remained filled with suspicion.
Lucian simply smiled back.
Then…
The same ancient language he had spoken the day before echoed softly through the air.
One minute later…
Both Snow and the male gyrfalcon stood affectionately beside him.
Each rubbed its head against his neck.
“Heh…”
“How about I call you…”
“Big White?”
Lucian suggested with a grin.
The male gyrfalcon immediately flapped one wing.
Smack!
It smacked Lucian squarely on the head.
Lucian only laughed.
He didn’t dodge.
Now that they had formed a bond…
Neither bird would ever intentionally hurt him.
Sometimes…
He honestly felt eagles were much easier to get along with than people.
“Haha…”
“I’m joking.”
“No need to get worked up.”
“How about…”
“Storm?”
“The Emperor among Eagles.”
“Now that’s a fitting name.”
This time…
The male gyrfalcon nodded proudly.
Clearly, he approved.
“Heh.”
“From now on…”
“You can both live here.”
“I’ll build you a proper home.”
The moment he finished speaking…
Snow began chirping excitedly.
“Oh?”
“You want to bring your chicks here too?”
Both Snow and Storm nodded at the same time.
“No problem.”
“I’ll finish building your nest first.”
“Then I’ll come with you to pick them up.”
The two birds exchanged a glance before happily agreeing.
After settling the matter with the pair…
Lucian immediately began constructing their new home.
Half an hour later…
The enormous nest was complete.
Lucian walked onto the rocky ledge behind the palace.
Looking up at Snow and Storm circling overhead…
He suddenly leapt from the cliff.
His arms spread wide.
The two gyrfalcons immediately cried out.
Screee!
They folded their wings and dove after him.
In their eyes…
Humans couldn’t fly.
Their new friend had just jumped from a cliff.
Surely he was about to die.
They had to save him.
Although both birds could dive at speeds exceeding 300 kilometres per hour…
Lucian was even faster.
In the blink of an eye—
He reached the ground.
Landing squarely on his back…
He disappeared into a massive snowdrift.
A second later…
He casually climbed back out.
Completely unharmed.
The two gyrfalcons slowed their descent and landed beside him.
They stared at him curiously.
“Heh.”
“I’m fine.”
“Come on.”
“Let’s go pick up your children.”
He smiled as he gently rubbed both birds on the head.
Hearing his words…
Snow and Storm immediately took flight.
Lucian broke into a sprint across the snowy mountains below.
A gyrfalcon could fly at speeds approaching 180 kilometres per hour.
At full speed, the two birds raced across the sky.
Yet…
Lucian remained directly beneath them.
His speed was astonishing.
The snow exploded beneath his feet, billowing into the air.
From a distance…
It looked as though a gigantic white dragon were racing through the Himalayas.
Ten minutes later…
The trio arrived at their destination.
Snow and Storm flew toward a tiny cave set into the side of a steep cliff.
Without hesitation…
Lucian leapt upward.
Using the nearly vertical cliff face as footholds, he climbed toward the cave with incredible agility.
The opening was small.
Barely large enough for one person to squeeze inside.
Clinging to the rock face…
He peered into the nest.
Inside…
Three fluffy white chicks looked back at him.
A warm smile appeared on his face.
The little birds immediately began chirping in alarm.
But after Lucian softly spoke the same ancient language once again…
Their panic quickly disappeared.
Instead…
They looked at him with innocent affection.
Carefully…
He tucked all three chicks inside his cloak.
Then began climbing back down.
He could have simply jumped.
But with three fragile chicks nestled against his chest…
He chose the safer route.
Above him…
Snow and Storm watched everything in silence.
Though they weren’t human…
They understood.
Lucian had treated their children with the same care and respect he would have shown his own family.
That alone earned their complete trust.
The two birds exchanged a satisfied look.
Screee!
With a joyful cry, they took flight.
This time…
They flew much more slowly.
After all…
Their friend was carrying their children.
An hour later…
They finally returned to the palace.
Lucian gently placed the three chicks into their new nest.
The enormous nest had been woven from sturdy branches.
A thick layer of dried leaves lined the interior.
It measured nearly five metres across.
The nest sat atop the palace’s third floor.
Although that level covered almost 10,000 square metres…
The five-metre nest looked surprisingly small within such an enormous space.
The three little gyrfalcons looked around at their new home.
Then…
They burst into excited chirps.
Their new home…
Was far bigger than the old one.