The Little Baby Snake of the Vermilion Bird Family - Chapter 12

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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 12
“Oh, yes! Please come in!”
Baeksa scrambled to her feet. Although the child was a princess, she was not accustomed to greeting people while remaining seated.
When she lived in the Imperial Palace, she always had to stand up whenever anyone entered her room; otherwise, “something bad” would happen.
That was the only reason she had jumped up so hurriedly.
Click.
The door slid open, and Sirang’s eyes met Baeksa’s.
“……My lady!”
Sirang’s eyes went wide as saucers, and she rushed over to guide Baeksa back into her seat.
“Ah.”
“You do not have to stand up. You can just stay seated and tell them to enter.”
“Oh, I, but…….”
Baeksa swallowed hard.
She was a guest of this family, so staying seated felt a bit unmannerly.
Sirang seemed to understand Baeksa’s anxiety completely, soothing and comforting the child.
“It is quite all right, my lady. No one would ever scold you for that.”
“O-okay, thank you.”
“Our little lady is just so good-natured. Shall we tend to those wounds now?”
Sirang stepped aside with care, revealing the elderly Physician who had been hidden behind her.
She offered a bright smile as she introduced the doctor to Baeksa.
“This is Physician Son. He looks after every patient within the Vermilion Bird Family.”
“Hoho, hello there. What a remarkably small and lovely young lady we have here.”
Setting his leather bag down on the floor, Physician Son let out a warm chuckle.
He was a white-haired crane Beast-kin, possessing hair as white as Baeksa’s own.
However, it was impossible to tell whether it had always been white or if age had bleached it to its current shade.
‘I think he is a very kind person, too.’
Baeksa thought to herself.
Ever since entering the room, the elderly crane Physician had been looking at Baeksa with an incredibly warm gaze.
Before coming to Namto, the child had never experienced such a gentle, affectionate look, which made her highly perceptive to the warmth of others.
Because it was the one thing she desired more than anything else, she had become keenly sensitive to it.
Realizing that the old Physician was a good person, Baeksa secretly let her guard down just a fraction.
Meanwhile, Physician Son, whose long hair was pinned back neatly with a simple Wooden Hairpin, came over and sat before Baeksa.
“I brought along a prescription to nourish the young lady’s body, but it seems I can hold back on some of the stronger ingredients. She is far too small and frail…….”
A wrinkled hand gently clasped Baeksa’s scarred, battered hand.
Having been left in the cold for so long, Baeksa’s hands and feet were stiff and hardened.
The doctor clicked his tongue and released Baeksa’s hand.
“This does not look like an issue that can be resolved simply by applying ointment right away. Sirang, we must draw a Medicinal Bath for the young lady.”
“Oh, of course! When it comes to a Medicinal Bath, this Sirang is practically an expert! Leave it to me!”
“Yes, yes. I will write down the herbs, so go request them and prepare the bath. In the meantime, I shall prepare the medicine to nourish her body and the salve to apply afterward.”
“Yes! I will go right this instant!”
“Take your time, you scatterbrain, or you will trip and fall again!”
“Oh, honestly, Physician. You talk as if I were a child.”
Letting out an embarrassed laugh, Sirang turned back to Baeksa.
“My lady, I will have the Medicinal Bath ready for you in no time. Please wait just a moment until then.”
Then, as if realizing something, her mouth fell open into a small ‘O’.
“If you are afraid of being left alone, I can fetch another Servant Girl…….”
“Oh, no. It is okay! I can stay by myself.”
Baeksa shook her head vigorously.
She was still uncomfortable with the idea of meeting anyone other than Sirang.
This place was home to the wonderfully kind, warm Vermilion Bird Family Head, the gentle crane Physician, and the sweet Sirang, so the others would surely be nice as well, but—
‘I am still a little scared…….’
When she departed the Imperial Palace, the warriors guarding the Carriage had cursed and threatened her, and those memories still lingered heavy in her heart.
As Baeksa shook her head in a panic, Sirang nodded understandingly.
“Understood, my lady. Then I shall return shortly. Please enjoy your time with the Physician. Physician Son has six grandchildren, so he is exceptionally skilled at looking after little ones.”
“Any longer and you will be telling the young lady exactly how many spoons we own in our household.”
“Hehe, I don’t even know that much yet. I will be right back!”
Answering cheerfully, Sirang slipped out of the room. The old Physician watched her retreating figure with warm eyes before speaking.
“Though that girl seems a bit clumsy, she does her work wonderfully. She will take excellent care of you, little snake lady.”
“Sirang is…… already more than kind enough.”
Baeksa spoke up cautiously, checking the old Physician’s reaction.
“She is very sweet, and she is so considerate of my feelings. Sirang is a truly wonderful Beast-kin.”
“Hoho, I am deeply relieved to hear that the young lady takes a liking to Sirang.”
The old Physician laughed heartily.
Since it was Baeksa’s first time praising someone else, her heart fluttered with a touch of bashfulness.
Until now, even if she wanted to say such things, she had never been given the opportunity.
Seeing the child break into a soft smile, the old Physician smiled right along with her.
And just as the two were softening the tension by chatting amiably back and forth.
Sirang returned, announcing that the Medicinal Bath was ready, and gently gathered Baeksa into her arms.
***
“My lady, if it is too hot, you must tell me right away, okay?”
Submerged inside the large wooden tub, Baeksa gave a cautious nod.
Perhaps because a wealth of precious herbs had been steeped into it, the water was murky in color and gave off a sharp, medicinal scent.
Yet, the thought of complaining never even crossed her mind.
‘My lady, look at this! It is a Medicinal Bath steeped with a whole handful of precious herbs!’
‘This Sirang worked hard alongside the other Servant Girls to prepare this for you. The smell might be a bit pungent, but the medicinal effects are guaranteed! A Medicinal Bath is truly the best thing for soothing a weary body!’
She knew very well that Physician Son and Sirang had prepared this bath specifically for her.
‘It must have been so difficult to make…….’
Even to a casual glance, the sheer volume of herbs used looked immense.
Yet, Sirang had not uttered a single word of complaint about how grueling the preparations were. Instead, bubbling over with excitement, she had carefully ushered Baeksa into the tub, urging her to get in quickly.
Even putting aside Sirang’s warm sincerity, Baeksa genuinely loved this Medicinal Bath.
‘This is the first time I have ever bathed in warm water…….’
In the past, regardless of whether it was the dead of winter or the height of summer, Baeksa always had to wash with freezing water in her Residence.
After soaking her body in water cold as sheets of ice, she would have to shiver uncontrollably for a long time afterward.
Sometimes, they wouldn’t even dry the water off her properly, leaving her to return to her room alone and wipe herself down with a thin blanket.
Compared to those days, this Medicinal Bath was an incredibly luxurious, unmerited indulgence. Baeksa wiggled her fingers beneath the water.
‘Why are they being so good to me……?’
Was every single Beast-kin in the Vermilion Bird Family this kind and gentle?
While Baeksa remained submerged up to her chin, lost in deep thought, Sirang suddenly thrust something right before the child’s eyes.
“My lady, take this!”
“Yes……?”
“It is a sweet Candy. If you keep this in your mouth, the smell of the medicine won’t bother you as much. I begged the kitchen staff specially to get it.”
With those words, Sirang popped a round piece of Candy straight into Baeksa’s mouth.
The moment the treat—crafted from thoroughly boiled, sweet sugar—touched her tongue, it melted away smoothly, spreading a rich sweetness throughout her mouth.
Tasting such a sweet Candy for the very first time in her life, Baeksa’s eyes widened into perfect circles.
“Hehe, it is incredibly sweet, isn’t it? It is a truly rare Candy.”
“Um, but, something so precious…….”
“Oh, goodness! My lady, you have become an Honored Guest of our Vermilion Bird Family, so everything precious must be given to you now! The Family Head gave strict orders to serve you only the absolute best, so please do not worry yourself.”
Answering triumphantly, Sirang began to wash Baeksa’s hair with gentle strokes.
The tangled, matted strands softened and unraveled smoothly beneath Sirang’s fingertips.
“I have one more, so let me know when you finish that one!”
Sirang said, leaning her face down close to Baeksa as the child sat in the tub.
“And if your hair feels pulled too tight or if it hurts, you must tell me immediately!”
Meeting Sirang’s gaze, Baeksa let out a soft, shy giggle.
“Okay…….”
The corners of her round eyes curved into gentle arcs. The child flushed red, her face half-buried in the herbal bath that wafted its bitter scent.
Blub, blub.
Tiny air bubbles drifted up to the surface of the bathwater, popping one by one.
Baeksa’s fingers and toes, which had seemed frozen solid with no hope of thawing, wiggled in pure, blissful contentment.

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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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