The Little Baby Snake of the Vermilion Bird Family - Chapter 44

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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 44
“Brother Hwaryeong……!”
The child set down her brush and darted out of the room.
Hwaryeong, who had been waiting, spread both arms wide toward Baeksa.
“Come here!”
Baeksa hesitated for only a moment before falling into Hwaryeong’s embrace. His soft cheek pressed against hers.
“Hehe…… you’ve come.”
“Ah, you’re adorable. What were you doing, little one?”
“I was studying characters. I wanted to try reading books on my own…….”
Baeksa answered shyly, fidgeting with her fingers. Doeui, who had been watching her, threw out a remark casually.
“You’ll be able to do it soon enough.”
“Really?”
“Anyone with half a mind can read and write. Just look at Hwaryeong. That head of his somehow manages it just fine.”
“Hey! Are you finished talking?”
“Not yet.”
“Say any more and you’re dead!”
Hwaryeong and Doeui growled at each other. Baeksa beaded with sweat as she tried to separate the two boys.
“P-please, don’t fight…….”
Though she understood they weren’t truly fighting, when Hwaryeong and Doeui glared at each other like this, she didn’t know what to do.
It was probably because Baeksa was unaccustomed to other people’s emotions.
As the little serpent wiped away her sweat and pulled the two boys apart, Doeui gently brushed back her bangs.
“Your bangs have grown a bit. We should trim them.”
“Hehe, Sirang said she’d cut them for me soon.”
“Ask her to cut them short—nice and tidy.”
“Yes!”
Baeksa answered spiritedly, and Doeui let out a soft laugh.
Now Baeksa had learned to speak her mind a little and to answer with proper volume.
It was different from before, when she had constantly watched others’ expressions and endlessly gauged whether it was all right for her to stay.
The child was growing at her own pace now, changing gradually. Everyone in the Vermilion Bird Family felt that transformation little by little.
“Ah, today I should practice my Abnormal Ability while you’re practicing too. I need to see my brother afterward.”
Hwaryeong began walking toward the Detached Villa, following Baeksa. Yeon gently took his hand.
“Um, is it all right if I watch?”
“Of course! Though there’s not much to see!”
While the three children chatted, they arrived at the Rear Garden.
The Detached Villa, once covered in Contamination, was gradually reclaiming its true appearance thanks to Baeksa’s slow absorption of the Contamination.
After stepping lightly over the threshold, Baeksa turned her head sharply to look at Hwaryeong and Doeui.
……
Hmm, well……
And so Hwaryeong and Doeui, who had been naturally following Baeksa inside, came to a halt.
Baeksa shook her head firmly.
“You can’t.”
“Can’t we go just as far as it’s been cleaned?”
“No, not that either…….”
When it came to matters affecting Hwaryeong and Doeui’s health, Baeksa became infinitely resolute.
As the little serpent shook her head once more with determination, Hwaryeong and Doeui gave up trying to enter and simply plopped down outside the boundary.
Baeksa settled herself on the grass inside the boundary, where traces of Contamination still lingered sparsely.
Then Hwaryeong, sitting as he was, snapped his fingers sharply.
“All right, watch closely—I’ll try again.”
Whoosh!
A great wave of flame engulfed Hwaryeong’s body in an instant.
It was starkly different from before, when smoke would billow up as he transformed into animal form.
Baeksa’s eyes grew wide as she stared through the flames.
Pop.
“Chirp-chirp!”
A small bird burst out from within the flames.
Just like before, it was a tiny bird covered in soft, fluffy feathers—not a spark of flame in sight.
“Chirp…….”(I failed again.)
The small bird slumped onto the grass. Disappointment was plain across his tiny face.
“No, no, Brother Hwaryeong! You’ll definitely succeed next time!”
“Chirp…….”(Really?)
“Of course! I saw it—that flame just now was so impressive. So next time, you’ll absolutely do it!”
As Baeksa’s eyes sparkled, the small bird popped up excitedly and chirped in a delighted tone.
And then, with a flutter, just as he was about to hop over toward Baeksa—
“No you don’t.”
Just before crossing the boundary, Doeui snatched up the small bird.
Hwaryeong, who had tried to slip over to Baeksa and failed, wheeled his head around.
“Hmph.”
“Didn’t you just make that sound?”
“Chirp?”
Doeui shook his head and set Hwaryeong down on the ground.
“There’s no need to push so hard. What you’re doing now is already remarkable.”
He gave Hwaryeong a gentle shove.
“Just because your father and brother are both geniuses doesn’t mean you have to be. It’s about balance.”
“D-Doeui is right. And Brother Hwaryeong is already plenty strong as you are, so it’s fine.”
“Chirp…….”(But……)
Hwaryeong exhaled a deep sigh, his small wings rustling.
“Chirp-chirp.”(Why is big brother always in such a hurry?)
At Hwaryeong’s question, Doeui and Baeksa exchanged glances.
And both shook their heads.
Baeksa had only recently seen Hwanya, so she could hardly understand his heart; nor could Doeui easily guess what weighed on Hwanya’s mind.
After all, the position of Family Head would fall to Hwanya himself.
And Hwanya was an impeccable Heir. So it seemed Hwaryeong, as the second son, ought to be allowed some slack—yet Hwanya would not permit it.
“When you watch big brother, it’s like he’s taking some kind of lesson to be Heir.”
“Chirp-chirp!”(That’s exactly what I don’t understand!)
Hwaryeong hopped about.
“Chirp-chirp-chirp!”(Big brother is the Heir, so why does he teach me like this?)
“He must have his reasons.”
Since he could not even guess at Hwanya’s intentions, Doeui simply let it pass without much concern.
Boom!
As Hwaryeong flapped his wings several times, the small bird vanished in an instant, and the red-haired boy reappeared.
Hwaryeong slumped down in place and shook his head.
“That’s enough. I’m stopping practice. Does all this really make flames? I’ll just go get scolded later.”
“I wish you wouldn’t be scolded too harshly…….”
“You’ve never seen big brother angry, have you? He’s an absolute monster—a monster.”
Hwaryeong stuck out his tongue and shook his head. Then, his eyes suddenly brightening, he spoke.
“Come to think of it, I’ve never seen you transform into Beast-kin form. Won’t you show me?”
“Yeah, that would be cute.”
Doeui nodded in agreement.
Baeksa looked at the two of them in alarm, turning her gaze back and forth before hesitantly opening her mouth.
“I, I’m…… well, the snake form is a bit, um, creepy to me…….”
“Who says creepy! It’ll be adorable. Won’t you show us just once?”
Hwaryeong’s plea made Baeksa’s heart waver a little.
It was the first time someone had asked her to show her snake form without malice.
Before, she had been urged to transform whenever she was bullied.
“W-well then, just once……!”
After a brief moment of hesitation, Baeksa nodded firmly, closed her eyes, and attempted the transformation.
Pop!
Very faint white smoke billowed up, and a tiny white snake appeared.
It was small enough that her entire body could fit in Hwaryeong and Doeui’s palms.
The little serpent cautiously watched their expressions. Baeksa kept her eyes clenched shut.
‘If they say it’s creepy, I’ll change back right away!’
After all, one’s feelings before and after seeing something could be different. She had no intention of blaming anyone for that.
Dragons are auspicious creatures, but snakes are not. Lowly, worthless, and creepy—that was all they were.
So whatever reaction she received, she told herself she would understand. At that very moment—
“Wow!”
Hwaryeong’s eyes sparkled as he drew closer to the little serpent.
The boy’s eyes glowed bright, without crossing the boundary between the Detached Villa and the outside.
“You’re so tiny and adorable! Your scales are shimmering and gleaming—like some incredibly precious jewel.”
“Why did you think it would be creepy? You’re just small and cute.”
Doeui and Hwaryeong each offered their own words of praise for the tiny serpent.
Yeon blinked with embarrassment and smiled softly.
‘Hehe…….’
These two were the first people to say such things when they saw her snake form.
Feeling that these two genuinely liked her just as she was, Yeon thought she could spin in circles right where she sat, she was so happy.
The little serpent, beaming with joy, was about to slither toward them—
Glimmer!
‘Huh?’
Behind the small snake’s back, something tiny gleamed. Baeksa carefully peered into the Detached Villa.
Looking closer, something inside was shimmering and glowing.
‘What is that?’

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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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