The Little Baby Snake of the Vermilion Bird Family - Chapter 11

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 11
Ju Jeokseo looked at Baeksa.
The girl looked so fragile, as if she might burst into tears at any moment, but she never let them fall.
It was as if she instinctively knew that crying here was a bad idea.
Suppressing his immediate urge to comfort the child, he closed his eyes slowly.
‘I see. My suspicions were correct.’
Sending her in the Imperial Court’s carriage, and deliberately dressing her in the attire of Imperial Royalty.
It was a death sentence.
Only now did it make sense why the Emperor had eschewed secrecy, choosing instead to send such a conspicuously loud procession.
He had been worried that the child might somehow survive.
If that happened, he intended to use the hands of the Beast-kin of The South, who harbored a visceral hatred for the Imperial Court, to dispose of his own flesh and blood.
The man was worse than a beast.
‘How could a parent do that to their own child…?’
A parent was supposed to love their child unconditionally, no matter what they looked like.
Because that was a parent’s duty.
And yet.
‘I… I came here because I received an Imperial Order to die.’
What kind of man must he be to give such an order to his own daughter?
He could not comprehend the Emperor. No, he had no desire to understand him.
Because right now, the Emperor did not matter.
Brushing thoughts of the Emperor aside, he shifted his gaze back to the tiny baby snake before him.
“Princess, how old are you?”
“I-I’m seven years old…”
The child hurriedly held up her fingers. There were exactly seven.
“Seven?”
Ju Jeokseo raised his eyebrows in disbelief at the unexpected answer.
‘Seven years old and this small?’
The child looked five or six at the very most.
Even six was generous. Judging by her tiny frame and skeletal limbs, five seemed far more plausible.
Yet she was seven.
‘Just how badly was she neglected?’
As Ju Jeokseo absorbed the fact that the child was seven, a hypothesis flashed through his mind.
His missing younger sister.
A child with white hair that looked exactly like his sister’s…
‘Could it be…?’
But he quickly dismissed the thought.
There was no way his sister would have gone to the Imperial Palace.
The current Emperor despised Namto Beast-kin. The probability of him marrying his sister and fathering a child was abysmally low.
While Ju Jeokseo was lost in thought, the child looked up at him, her face painted with obvious anxiety.
She seemed worried that he wouldn’t believe her words. Thus, he decided to move on to the next question.
“What is your name?”
“Oh, my name…?”
The girl rolled her eyes nervously, looking troubled.
At that sight, Ju Jeokseo raised his eyebrows once more.
‘Don’t tell me…’
Sensing Ju Jeokseo’s mood, the baby snake hesitantly opened her small mouth.
“Um, actually, I don’t have a name. I was told that a snake doesn’t need a name, so I wasn’t given one…”
As if merely mentioning this brought her intense shame, the girl clenched her small fists.
“His Majesty called me Baeksa. You may call me whatever is convenient for you, Family Head.”
“Your own father didn’t even give you a name?”
“Y-Yes…”
Baeksa nodded. Sensing his reaction, the little child nervously continued.
“If, if you don’t want to call me that, you can just call me snake.”
Her frail voice trembled violently. He answered immediately before she could even finish her sentence.
“That will not happen.”
Ju Jeokseo’s voice sank coldly, repulsed by the Emperor’s atrocious behavior.
He cleared his throat and spoke as gently as possible.
“I will soon give you a new name. Until then, I will call you Baeksa so you won’t be confused. Please understand.”
“Yes.”
The child nodded vigorously.
Before Baeksa could say anything else, Ju Jeokseo quickly added.
“Furthermore, you may stay here for as long as you wish. The Vermilion Bird Clan does not cast out young children with nowhere else to go.”
“Really…?”
“If you require a guardian, I will find people to take you in and raise you. If you wish to continue living here, I will become your guardian myself. So there is no need to worry.”
At Ju Jeokseo’s words, the tension melted from the baby snake’s face. Her moist eyes sparkled like stars.
The child politely clasped her tiny hands together and looked up at Ju Jeokseo.
“Thank you, thank you so much, Family Head…! I, I will stay quiet and not cause any trouble…!”
“How much trouble could a little thing like you possibly cause? Don’t worry about such things and make yourself at home.”
“But still…”
“Instead, it would be best to keep your Supernatural Ability a secret for the time being. It is an incredible ability, but there may be people who would try to exploit it for wicked purposes.”
The ability the child had displayed moments ago.
An ability great enough to turn a dress ornament into dust in an instant was something Ju Jeokseo had never witnessed before in his life.
While he still considered it an extraordinary gift, it seemed wise to keep it hidden until they could ascertain exactly what kind of power it was.
After all, not every Beast-kin in Namto was inherently good.
Of course, he would do his absolute best to protect her so that nothing bad would happen, but it was always better to prevent any potential mishaps.
“I will find out what kind of power it is and how you can use it, so just wait until then.”
“Yes, Family Head…”
Baeksa, resting her hands on her knees, looked up at Ju Jeokseo and smiled brightly.
As if she had finally relaxed, her smile was soft and radiant, like a flower blooming after the snow melts.
Watching her, the face of his younger sister flashed through Ju Jeokseo’s mind yet again.
He had merely taken in a helpless child, so he couldn’t understand why thoughts of his sister kept surging within him.
Was it because they shared the same hair color? Or because that pitiful face resembled his sister’s?
Either way, it didn’t particularly matter right now.
Seeing that the child’s expression was much more relaxed than before, he rose from his seat.
He couldn’t keep a child who hadn’t even recovered yet sitting up indefinitely.
Standing up, Ju Jeokseo scooped up Baeksa, who had been kneeling all this time, lifting her effortlessly.
“Ah…!”
“That posture is bad for your knees. Rest comfortably here.”
The man laid the baby snake down on the soft, plush silk mattress and stroked her tiny head with his large hand.
“I must go now. Do not worry about being kicked out, and get some rest.”
“Yes…”
“If anything is uncomfortable or if you need anything, tell your maid. When the Physician comes later and gives you medicine, make sure to take it diligently.”
“Yes. I will, Family Head. Thank you so much.”
The child lowered her eyes and offered her heartfelt gratitude.
Ju Jeokseo gave Baeksa’s hair a playful ruffle before leaving the room. He knew that the longer he lingered in the Detached Villa, the less time the child would have to rest in peace.
Stepping out of the Detached Villa, Ju Jeokseo called over a servant who was busily passing by.
“Keep a close eye on the child. If anything happens, report it to me immediately.”
“Yes, understood!”
The servant answered promptly.
The man took one last look back at the Detached Villa before taking his leave.
***
‘Thank goodness…’
That was the very first thought that crossed Baeksa’s mind as she was left alone.
The child fiddled with her scarred palms, reminiscing about the encounter.
The touch of the Vermilion Bird Family Head had been as warm as a flame.
It felt as though that warmth still lingered on her small palms.
It was the first time in her life she had ever experienced such a gentle touch from an adult.
That touch felt like an umbrella shielding her from the rain, and like a fire warming her body.
‘He was a truly kind person.’
In truth, she hadn’t expected much.
This was Namto, a place inhabited by Beast-kin who harbored a terrible hatred for Imperial Royalty, and Ju Jeokseo was the leader of those very Beast-kin.
She had thought she would have no right to complain even if he threw her out immediately…
‘To think I can stay as long as I want.’
Moreover, he had promised to give her a new name.
Did that mean she could live a little longer?
Did it mean she wouldn’t have to die at the age of eight like before…?
A slender reed of hope bloomed softly in Baeksa’s heart, like a delicate lotus.
And not long after.
Knock, knock.
“Miss, it’s Sirang. I’ve brought the Physician. May we come in?”
Sirang’s voice echoed from outside the door.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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