"You won't get off that easy," she said with a wink. Her voice was slightly mocking, yet still friendly. "We'll find the answer eventually. It's not that hard."
This riddle had to be personal, I thought to myself.
As we stepped onto the village's dirt paths, Lia turned to me and gave one last look.
"Don't forget to think about the riddle," she said, heading toward her house without breaking her stride. As she disappeared from view, the only thing she left behind was the crow. That black-feathered creature was still with me. Silent and watchful.
We stared at each other for a while. Its eyes were dark as night, yet equally observant. It felt like it was reading me.
"So, little crow?" I said. I wasn't sure if it flinched at my words or actually understood them, but it turned its head toward me. That moment, I suddenly remembered… the crazy crow from the other day, the one that kept banging its head against the wooden post.
I stood up.
"Crow, follow me."
I had no idea if it understood me, but seeing it glide behind me as I walked filled me with a strange sense of comfort. The sky hadn't fully darkened yet. It was painted with soft hues of orange and purple left behind by the setting sun.
I reached the village entrance. Though calling it an "entrance" was a stretch. Two old planks holding up a third, with the village's name carved faintly into it. –Dağelti– No fences, no border.
I returned to the same spot. Where I first saw that cracked crow. Leeb flew with me and landed at the same place as before.
I looked at the crow I brought with me.
At Edric's house—well, my house now—I felt like I had fallen into one of those horror novels I randomly pulled off the bookshelf. Everything was eerily quiet. And that silence was loud.
Leeb still wouldn't take its eyes off me.
Things definitely felt more grim when Lia wasn't around.
"Don't look at me like that," I said, squinting my eyes. "That disturbing crow was one of your kind."
The wind started to blow gently. As the cool air brushed against my skin, Leeb's feathers lightly rippled. My eyes were on him. He looked like he was about to speak. Or maybe I just wanted him to.
"No answer?" I asked, crouching down. I was waiting for a sign from him. A strange kind of hope welled up inside me.
"All squawk when it suits you, now silent as a stone, huh…" I said. But he just kept staring.
For a moment, I tried to recall the riddle. What was it again? It had completely slipped my mind. Luckily, it was written on the paper.
What if I asked someone to help me solve it…? Eh, Lia will figure it out anyway. Worst case, I stay stuck—what can I do?
Time felt like it slowed. Leeb and I sat there for a long while. The sky had darkened completely now. The blue had deepened into a thick navy. Villagers returning from the fields turned their heads when they noticed me, some with curiosity, some like I'd lost my mind. Still, they didn't forget to greet me.
A guy sitting alone with a crow... they must've thought I'd gone mad. I'd think the same, honestly.
I just waited. Maybe for a sound, a sign, or an answer… Maybe this crow knew much more than I thought.
Or maybe I'd spent too much time buried in Edric's books.
Leeb suddenly flapped his wings, arched into a small circle, and landed back on the wooden post. It was like he was trying to show me something.
"What is it?" I whispered, but instead of an answer, he tilted his head.
That's when I noticed… new marks on the post. They weren't there before. Three short ones, and one long… the long one splitting the others down the middle. Like a symbol…
"Man... Leeb…"
I muttered while staring at the mark. Had villagers done this? Maybe some kids, or someone just bored… But why Leeb? Why had only Leeb landed there? Why did he show it to me? It felt intentional, like he wanted me to see it.
Something stirred inside me, though I couldn't quite tell what. A mixture—unease and curiosity. Both painful, both uncertain.
I'm just a simple guy… I hunt, cook, and eat. What the hell am I doing caught up in crow mysteries?
But Leeb… Leeb was trying to tell me something. That much was clear.
He must've sensed my unease, because he slowly landed on the ground. I didn't take another step. It was like he was saying "Calm down."
That moment, all the sounds around me sharpened. The rustling bushes, the branches swaying in the wind… all of them, like a coordinated effort to scare me.
"Are you some kind of spiritual creature or something?" I asked, lowering my voice.
These types are hard to distinguish. They look like ordinary animals, but they're not. They can't reproduce biologically, their numbers are almost nonexistent. Leeb… could he really be one of them?
"Cawwwk!"
The answer came quickly. He shook his head firmly. Like he was denying it.
I frowned. I was suspicious.
"Leeb… look at me. Tell me the truth." I reached out and grabbed him. He didn't flee. "You… are you or are you not a spiritual creature?"
"Caw!"
Same reaction again. This time, we locked eyes. For several seconds, we just stared at each other in silence.
"Man, come on, don't mess with me. How else am I supposed to know? I talk to other animals too, but none of them respond."
Leeb averted his gaze. At that moment, it felt like he was struggling not to give himself away. I paused.
Maybe I was pushing too hard. He got nervous, flapped his wings slightly. I pulled my hand back.
He didn't run away. That was a good sign.
"Alright alright, I'm done," I said, unable to hide what I was feeling. But deep down, I knew… Leeb wasn't an ordinary crow.
Leeb came closer and pulled out the riddle paper I had put in my pocket with his beak.
"What, you want me to go to the mountain…?"
My head was getting more and more confused. Leeb—this crow—seemed to want me to go up the mountain. If he wanted me to focus on the riddle, that would be a logical guess.
Leeb started walking toward the forest, still holding the riddle in his beak.
"Leeb… hey, where are you going?"
His walk was so ridiculous that even with everything going on, I couldn't stop myself from laughing.
When he started to disappear from view, I quickly stood up and ran after him.
I plunged into the forest. Even though Leeb wasn't exactly my beloved companion, it was best to be careful.
"Leeeeb, where'd you go?" "Damn crow, where are you?"
I hadn't gone far from the village yet, so there were no Kurvaal or sonic creatures around. Just bushes and trees. Nothing else in sight. Maybe Leeb had disappeared. A guy—well, a crow—should at least wait for me.