The Little Baby Snake of the Vermilion Bird Family - Chapter 23

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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 23
“Doeui must have had such a difficult time.”
Returning to her room, Baeksa muttered as she fiddled with her hands.
When she heard that he had to suffer from headaches while constantly hearing unwanted sounds, the young snake was startled.
On the outside, he hadn’t shown any sign of it at all.
‘Still, I’m so glad my scale can help.’
Baeksa wiggled her fingers.
Never in her life had she thought she would be able to use her abnormal ability this way.
She had assumed her ability could only be used through direct contact, and that it was strictly something that caused harm to others.
And yet.
‘My ability can be helpful too…?’
At this rate, would she eventually be able to absorb the contamination in the pond water of the rear garden that the Family Head cherished so much?
‘I hope that happens…’
Throughout her life, the young snake had always desperately wished for the smallest things.
What the girl wanted was always just sharing a warm meal, or receiving a slightly warmer gaze…
Failing that, it was things like wishing Yeoryun and Songra would leave her alone for just a single day.
Lately, however, Baeksa had begun to wish for slightly bigger things.
Just like now.
Wanting to be of help to someone.
Though that fact felt somewhat awkward and a bit presumptuous, she didn’t dislike it.
Because of that, Baeksa felt for the first time that her ability might actually be a little good.
‘Please look after me until then.’
While the child was fiddling with her bead inside the warm blanket, Sirang entered, carrying a whole stack of interesting books.
“Young lady, look at this. The Family Head gave them to you!”
“The Family Head did?”
“Yes! He gave them as a gift, saying that the young snake lady might be bored, so I should read many interesting books to you.”
Sirang smiled brightly and opened a book in front of Baeksa.
Baeksa was instantly absorbed in the fascinating story she was encountering for the first time in her life, listening to Sirang’s words with her hand resting softly on the page.
Meanwhile, the young snake’s small bead was shining brightly inside the silk pouch.
But because it was tucked inside the pouch, no one saw the bead glowing.
***
Having finished their morning training, Hwaryeong and Doeui sought out Ju Jeokseo’s office.
“Father, come to think of it, today is…”
Hwaryeong paused, noticing his father dressed differently than usual.
“The meeting! Right! You have a council meeting today!”
Come to think of it, today was the day of the Namto beast-kin council meeting.
It was a council meeting where Ju Jeokseo, the leader of Namto, and the nobles who ruled various parts of Namto gathered together, and most important matters of Namto were decided here.
The Southern Lands were practically an independent territory from the Haeseo Kingdom.
In such a Namto, this council meeting played a highly crucial role.
Quickly catching on, Hwaryeong said,
“At today’s meeting, they’ll definitely bring up Baeksa, right?”
“Likely so.”
“Father, no matter what those old folks say, you can’t kick the young snake out! She was expelled from the Imperial Palace, so she’s not even Imperial Royalty anymore!”
“I’ll handle it. Now leave, son.”
“Besides, with that kind of supernatural ability, if she falls into the hands of a bad person…”
“Son?”
“Gasp, what if someone tries to take the young snake away on purpose?”
“Doeui, take him and get out.”
“Yes, Family Head.”
Doeui grabbed Hwaryeong and dragged him out.
Until the very moment he was forced out, Hwaryeong was dragged away while repeatedly pleading that they must absolutely never send the young snake away.
Watching the display, Ju Jeokseo let out a quiet chuckle.
‘It seems he grew fond of her after seeing her just for that short moment.’
He didn’t know that Hwaryeong had already met Baeksa in his bird form.
So it was only natural for him to look at his son and think of him as a rather peculiar fellow.
‘In any case, I have no intention of sending her away.’
Originally, he had thought there was no need to force her to stay at the Vermilion Bird Family.
For one thing, there was currently no mistress of the house at the Ju estate, and the only children he had were both boys.
Even the guest he was taking care of was a boy, so he had thought it would be inconvenient for him to look after a young girl.
Therefore, he believed it might be better to find a good guardian so she could grow up protected in another household.
But the moment he saw the child’s ability, his mind changed.
‘Someone could exploit that child.’
Just because they were all abandoned beast-kin, and just because they lived in a forsaken land, did that mean only good people resided here?
Even here, there was no shortage of those who disregarded or sought to exploit young children and the weak.
And yet, she possessed an ability that could absorb anything.
Furthermore, it didn’t stop there; she could even absorb the land’s contamination.
That meant, in other words, she could be exploited as much as anyone pleased if they chose to do so.
‘I won’t let that happen.’
The child was only seven years old.
She was a child who had been abandoned by her own father less than a month ago.
To ensure such a child wouldn’t suffer the same wound again, keeping her under his protection was the safest option.
Just then.
Knock, knock.
The sound of knocking on the door came from outside.
Ju Jeokseo straightened his posture and cast his gaze toward the door.
“Come in.”
The one who entered was Jo Yeong. After bowing deeply to Ju Jeokseo, he reported,
“Family Head, it is time for you to head to the council meeting. Everyone has arrived and is waiting.”
“Has it already been that long.”
Ju Jeokseo stood up. The end of his long belt trailed down, falling past his knees.
Reaching back to smooth his red hair once more, he spoke.
“Jo Yeong, I will head to the meeting now. Instead, there is something I need you to do.”
“Something for me to do?”
“Yes, go and find out about snake beastmen.”
“If you mean snake beastmen, what exactly should I…”
“Beads.”
Ju Jeokseo spoke directly to the point.
“Find out if snake beastmen can also produce beads. Any material is fine as long as it contains relevant information. Investigate and report back, along with the information regarding supernatural abilities I requested from you before.”
“That is a mountain of work… Understood!”
Though Jo Yeong grumbled, he bowed his head.
Ju Jeokseo passed past him and headed straight for the Conference Hall.
The Conference Hall was located inside the Inner Quarters of the Vermilion Bird Family Estate.
It was only natural, as the beast-kin of Namto virtually served and followed the Vermilion Bird, their leader, like a king without the Emperor’s rule.
The spacious Conference Hall was packed with nobles and officials who handled the affairs of Namto.
“The Family Head is entering.”
As the official guarding the outside announced in a soft, gentle voice, the doors from within swung open.
Simultaneously, all the nobles who had been seated stood up from their places.
Among them were bird beast-kin, and there were also other beast-kin who were not of the bird line.
As Ju Jeokseo strode into the Conference Hall, the nobles all bowed their heads and spoke.
“We greet the Vermilion Bird Divine Lord!”
The Vermilion Bird Divine Lord was a title the Ju family possessed long ago when Namto was still a territory of the Haeseo Kingdom.
That title was still being passed down to this day.
Once Ju Jeokseo took his seat, the meeting commenced. The council meeting proceeded smoothly.
Reports were brought up in succession, detailing how contamination had worsened in a certain part of Namto, how the beast-kin of a certain region were starving due to a lack of food,
and how a noble ruling another area was mistreating the beast-kin under his care, requesting his punishment.
As he always did, Ju Jeokseo calmly handled all the agenda items of the meeting.
He dispatched officials to the areas where contamination had worsened, and ordered separate food supplies to be distributed to the regions where beast-kin were starving.
After settling the matters one by one, only the final agenda item remained.
However, no one brought up the last topic, each merely gauging the room. A brief silence fell between Ju Jeokseo and his subordinates.
The one who spoke first was the Tae Clan Head.
“Divine Lord, there is something this humble servant has heard…”
He continued while testing the waters.
“I have heard that what the Imperial Palace’s carriage abandoned in the Southern Lands not long ago was none other than an Imperial princess.”
The Tae Clan Head continued his speech.
“However, rumors are circulating that the princess is currently inside the Vermilion Bird Estate, so I wish to ask the reason behind this matter.”
“Correct, she is inside this estate right now.”
At Ju Jeokseo’s answer, the nobles exchanged glances. They let out sighs, trading looks that indicated they had expected as much.
“But Divine Lord, taking an Imperial princess into the Divine Lord’s estate makes no sense! The princess carries the blood of the Imperial Royalty, whom the beast-kin of Namto curse to the very bone!”
At the Tae Clan Head’s words, another noble nodded in agreement.
“If that is true, I believe she should be driven back into the Contaminated Zone immediately. Divine Lord, why do you welcome the enemy’s daughter as a guest of the family?”
In an instant, the atmosphere in the room turned ice-cold. A heavy silence fell over the hall.

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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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