The Little Baby Snake of the Vermilion Bird Family - Chapter 47

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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 47
In the next moment, contaminated energy slowly seeped into Baeksa’s body.
The child blinked as she felt the energy.
‘This is different from before.’
When she had absorbed energy in the Imperial Palace, it had felt unbearably heavy and terrifying.
After using her Abnormal Ability, her body would ache so badly she couldn’t move for two days.
But this time was different.
Rather, it felt as though some sort of creature crouched within her body wanted to absorb even more of this contamination.
What on earth was this?
‘What could be living inside me……?’
Too many inexplicable things were happening in too short a time.
All a seven-year-old girl could understand was that she could help Hwanya right now.
And that she was hungry enough to use her Abnormal Ability.
“What are you doing right now……!”
Hwanya tried urgently to pull Baeksa away, but the child still clung tightly to his hand.
Baeksa slowly absorbed the contamination seeping into her body.
The contaminated energy flowing in fragments felt like someone’s discarded cruel words and bitter feelings.
Fragments of the harsh words that Songra and Yeoryun had endlessly thrown at her.
It felt as though such things had accumulated deep within Hwanya’s heart and were now pressing into her.
“You can’t do this, let go……!”
Hwanya, who was seeing her use her Abnormal Ability for the first time, panicked and tried to shake her loose, but to no avail.
And not long after.
“……Oh.”
Baeksa released Hwanya’s hand, now cleansed. The blackened fingertips had returned to their natural color.
‘That’s it…….’
The child blinked.
She had consumed everything inside him.
The moment she realized this, an enormous fullness washed over her. Unlike before, when using her Abnormal Ability left her ravenous with hunger, this was different.
The tremendous satisfaction made it feel as though her belly had become round and swollen. The small serpent-girl patted her belly contentedly and gazed at the Bead.
Having absorbed what had been within Hwanya’s body, the Bead seemed to have grown a little larger.
“What…… did you just do?”
Only then did Hwanya set Baeksa down on the floor and ask. He stared at his own hands in bewilderment.
It wasn’t just that his hands had returned to their original state. The contaminated energy that had accumulated in Hwanya’s body had vanished completely.
He blinked in astonishment. Baeksa watched his expression carefully as she clasped the Bead protectively in both small hands.
“I…… I ate it…….”
“Ate what?”
“The contaminated energy that was inside you, sir. I can eat contaminated things, you see. Oh, don’t worry, really, it doesn’t hurt me at all.”
Baeksa added hastily, making excuses.
Only then did Hwanya recall words he’d heard on the day he first came home.
‘According to what those at Jeokryusan said, that serpent-girl’s Abnormal Ability is none other than “Absorption.” She can even absorb contamination! Everyone clearly witnessed the entire area becoming clean, didn’t they? Perhaps…….’
“……Absorption.”
Hwanya murmured absently.
So this was the little serpent-girl’s Abnormal Ability? To absorb contamination?
Contamination was something that no external force could remedy.
It was like a parasitic plant that took root with stubborn persistence.
Only Beast-kin with sufficiently strong Abnormal Abilities could, through time and effort, force contamination out with their own power, but other Beast-kin had to live their entire lives with contaminated bodies.
One could slow its progression by staying away from contaminated places, but complete recovery was impossible to achieve.
Yet she could absorb another’s contamination so easily?
“This is…… this isn’t right.”
“……Yes?”
“Are you all right? You can absorb something like that and be unharmed?”
Hwanya, his expression urgent, turned Baeksa around and inspected her body in several places.
Only then did Baeksa’s face come fully into his view.
Her cheeks were no longer flushed with fever. He slowly brought his hand to her forehead.
“…….”
“Sir Hwanya……?”
Her fever had broken. Hwanya murmured in a daze.
“The fever’s gone.”
He murmured again.
“How is this even possible?”
***
The Physician, Sirang, and all others—Ju Jeokseo, Hwaryeong, and Doeui—had gathered in Baeksa’s Residence.
As soon as dawn broke, Hwanya had come rushing in, carrying Baeksa in his arms.
“Father, she ate something strange……!”
In all his life, Ju Jeokseo had never seen his son so flustered.
After the Physician finished examining Baeksa, she chuckled and spoke.
“Young lady, you continue to surprise this old physician.”
“I’m sorry…….”
“There’s nothing to apologize for. You are in excellent health and perfectly fine.”
At those words, Hwanya’s face crumpled.
“You can absorb that much contamination and still be fine?”
Hwanya knew how much contamination had accumulated within his body.
It was contamination that had invaded and accumulated steadily in Hwanya’s exceptionally powerful body. The amount was far greater than what accumulated in ordinary Beast-kin.
Yet that child had absorbed it all with surprising ease.
How was such a thing possible?
“Yes, he is fine. Perfectly well. However…….”
“However?”
“The very tips of the young lady’s hair have darkened slightly…… but I believe that falls outside my expertise.”
The Physician spoke respectfully. Immediately, Ju Jeokseo and Hwanya, along with Hwaryeong and Doeui, rushed forward to examine the baby serpent-girl’s white hair.
Just as suspected, the ends of the white hair had taken on a slight dark tint. The one most alarmed by this was none other than Hwaryeong.
“Oh, why is this happening? Why has the little one’s hair become like this?”
Hwaryeong, startled, gently touched the tips of the baby serpent-girl’s hair. It was still an extremely subtle change, but because the hair was so pristinely white, even such a minor alteration was noticeable and obvious.
Ju Jeokseo, gently examining the hair, asked.
“Your body has undergone a change. Tell me, how do you feel? Is there anything unusual?”
“Oh, I…….”
Baeksa answered hesitantly.
“I feel a bit sleepy. Like I’ve eaten an enormous amount of food. I think I might fall asleep again soon…….”
Before, using her Abnormal Ability had left her whole body aching as though she’d been beaten, but now there was no pain—only drowsiness creeping over her.
In truth, even now with so many gathered around, she was only managing to stay awake by sheer force of will, constantly nodding off.
But the change in her hair color…… .
‘I know what caused it.’
It had changed because she had absorbed contamination.
Compared to how much she had absorbed so far, the change was actually somewhat overdue. There was no way she had absorbed less in the Imperial Palace than she had now.
The time had come.
From the moment she first arrived here, she had known that such a moment would come.
But facing it now, fear suddenly seized her.
‘What if they say the blackness is unsightly, like His Majesty did……?’
The Beast-kin of the Vermilion Bird Family were different from those of the Imperial Palace. They were kind, warm, and gentle beings.
Even knowing that they would never cast her aside as coldly as the Emperor had, she couldn’t help but feel her heart racing.
Baeksa spoke carefully.
“I…… I might someday become hideously transformed when I use my Abnormal Ability.”
“What are you saying?”
“My body might become very dark, deeply stained. And when that time comes…….”
They should abandon her, kill her, or leave it to his judgment what to do. That’s what she should say.
But the words wouldn’t come. The moments she had spent here were as precious as jewels, and she couldn’t bear to speak such words.
Baeksa’s hands trembled faintly. As the child hesitated, unable to finish her thought.
“If your body darkening is a sign that your health is deteriorating, then from now on, you are forbidden from using your Abnormal Ability.”
Ju Jeokseo spoke firmly.
“Your body and your well-being will always come first. Nothing is more important than that.”
Then Doeui spoke carefully.
“And it’s not unsightly.”
He continued quietly, looking at the baby serpent-girl.
“There are many people here who have been consumed by contamination. Their bodies all darken slowly, but no one has ever called them unsightly.”
Doeui’s voice was calm and grave.
“And even if that weren’t the case, no matter what form you take, we will never call you unsightly.”

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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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