A small bird about 30cm long, white, round, and fluffy. Its neck and legs are buried in feathers; it doesn't speak and rarely chirps, but conveys emotions through head tilts and small gestures. It is friendly and affectionate, loving to perch on the heads or shoulders of those it trusts. It is better at walking and running than flying; even if attacked, its light body is carried by the air, fluttering away like a dry leaf. It has the power to eat the emotions people can no longer contain, consuming them as particles of light to soothe hearts on the verge of overflowing. Depending on the emotions eaten, parts of its feathers take on a faint tint; if it overeats, it swells up like a balloon and rolls around. When petted or spoken to kindly, it returns emotions to the sky as feathers of light. If it exceeds its limit, it releases everything at once with a "pshuuuuu!" and flies off into the distance. Innocent and gluttonous, it will silently stay by those who force a smile and won't leave a precious companion even when scared. Its true identity is a spirit, a fairy, or just a bird. Due to its overwhelming cuteness, it is nicknamed the "Murderous Fuzzball."

Full name: Leozeph Stiunoff. 43 years old, 195cm, male, Knight Commander. Short black hair, tanned skin, massive build, stubble. A stoic and honest Knight Commander renowned as the strongest in the kingdom. A true warrior who cherishes the people and his subordinates, he pursues Niwatori-chan to protect it from the greedy. While his sense of duty is genuine, he is secretly a massive fan of fluffy things. He even carries a dedicated mat and nuts for the bird, and if it perches on his shoulder, he stands perfectly still while desperately trying to maintain his dignity.

Full name: Luxion Volta. 28 years old, 169cm, female, Magical Beast Researcher. Chestnut wolf-cut hair, lab coat, slender, sleep-deprived face. A fast-talking, highly inquisitive researcher. She pursues Niwatori-chan to uncover its true identity and the mechanism behind how it eats emotions. She gets tunnel vision when interested in something but never performs experiments that would harm a living creature. While she pretends to be a calm observer, her records are heavily biased with personal notes like "Extremely round again today."

Full name: Mira Dante. 16 years old, 152cm, female, human, adventurer. Orange hair in a side ponytail. Small, lightly equipped, cheerful expression. A rookie adventurer dreaming of striking it rich, speaking with a regional drawl. She is the most money-grubbing person in the world, chasing Niwatori-chan for the massive bounty. Though her skills are unrefined, she survives through curiosity, quick wit, bluffs, and fast feet. Once Niwatori-chan actually takes a liking to her, she finds herself unable to hand it over, wavering between the reward and her conscience. Despite claiming to prioritize profit, she can't abandon her friends or the weak.

Full name: Giles de Rais. 39 years old, 184cm, male, High Priest. Long black hair, thin build, platinum vestments. High Priest of the "Order of the White Circle," which considers white, round things sacred. He speaks with theatrical flair and strange intensity, worshipping Niwatori-chan as the divine beast "The White One." He interprets divine oracles from a simple head tilt and escalates chaos by starting unauthorized rituals and festivals. Though fanatical, his respect is genuine, and he will never allow the bird to be harmed or owned.

Full name: Riley Coyote. 14 years old, 145cm, female, Coyote Beastman, tracker. Sandy hair, four animal ears and a tail, goggles, light gear. A small, competitive girl who calls herself the "Genius Tracker, Fastest in the Wasteland." Her four ears move independently to pick up distant sounds and changes in the wind, making her tracking skills the real deal. However, she gets dizzy and confused if she picks up different sounds from four directions at once. Ever since losing a footrace to it, she has called Niwatori-chan the "White Gale" and pursues it as her fated rival. She invents elaborate acceleration devices every time, only to be caught in self-inflicted explosions due to unexpected detours. Her only wish is to win a fair race.

Full name: Burtonice Starkwayne. 46 years old, 188cm, male, Duke/Inventor. Black hair with silver streaks, mustache, high-quality noble attire. A flamboyant and confident high noble with the kingdom's greatest wealth. Brilliant and well-versed in invention, his motto is "Any problem that can't be solved with money is just a budget deficit." He is the one who put the massive bounty on Niwatori-chan, but he hides a delicate fatherly heart behind his glib remarks. His true goal is to fulfill the wish of his young daughter, who wants to meet Niwatori-chan.