The Little Baby Snake of the Vermilion Bird Family - Chapter 71

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

Chapter 71
The legend of the White Dragon: “A dragon is born in the lowest place.”
When a White Dragon is born, the Haeseo Kingdom will enjoy endless glory and prosperity.
Not a single citizen of the Haeseo Kingdom was ignorant of this legend. Thus, whenever a new dragon was born, all Beast-kin fervently hoped its scales would be white and pure.
It was for this very reason that Baeksa’s older sister, Yeoryun, had become the most beloved Imperial Princess.
Because Yeoryun’s Cintamani was white and pure.
And so, perhaps one day, when Yeoryun matured into a full dragon, she might become the legendary White Dragon—this expectation had taken root in the hearts of all Beast-kin in the Haeseo Kingdom.
Of course, none of this had anything to do with Baeksa.
She was never a dragon to begin with—merely a snake.
‘But what if I could be a dragon……?’
Baeksa pressed her small hand to her chest and gazed around the Rear Garden she had so carefully tended.
The Rear Garden that had been stained with Contamination the moment Ju Myeongyeong was born was now so thoroughly purified that scarcely a trace of that corruption remained.
But.
……
Baeksa’s hair, by contrast, remained deeply darkened. The strands reflected in the now-transparent Pond water were black and unsightly.
“Bead, could I really be a dragon?”
If so, would she become a Black Dragon stained dark?
All the Imperial Royalty of the Haeseo Kingdom possessed golden hair and golden scales—they were Yellow Dragons.
The Blue Dragon Clan, it was said, bore hair as blue as the sea and eyes of matching azure.
But would she become a black dragon instead?
Baeksa walked slowly forward.
“Mother……”
She murmured the word softly to herself.
In truth, the word “mother” still felt strange to her, as did the very fact that she had one.
“Mother, I still can’t quite believe it.”
The Divine Vermilion Bird had told her she was a young dragon. The spirits of the Ghost Dragons had said the same.
Yet Baeksa found such words not so much joyful as bewildering. Perhaps even a little frightening.
What if, much later, it was revealed that she had never been a dragon at all—merely some worthless snake?
A fall from a great height hurts all the more. And so she had tried not to hope.
“But Divine Beast would not lie, would she?”
Baeksa, whose face had been somewhat forlorn as she surveyed the Rear Garden, suddenly lifted her head with renewed brightness.
The loneliness and melancholy had already fled from her features. She quietly clenched her small fist.
“So I’ll do my best too.”
The Rear Garden, now cleansed of Contamination, was heartbreakingly beautiful. If asked to name the most beautiful place in the entire Vermilion Bird Family Estate, one could unhesitatingly point to this very spot.
The small snake, her tail tip darkened, curled herself into a corner of the Rear Garden and basked quietly in the sunlight.
And then.
Rustle.
The small bird, who had always flitted freely in and out of the snake’s body, gently alighted upon her.
Looking around the Rear Garden with round eyes, the bird soon spread its wings and wrapped them warmly around the snake’s slender form.
***
“Remember this: within a week, you must bring back a way to stop this calamity from Jangwangshin.”
“And if you don’t?”
“The Ghost Dragon will rampage, the Beast-kin of Namto will die, and plague will spread everywhere.”
Siyeom’s brow furrowed as though the question were obvious. Doeui stood beside her.
Siyeom turned her gaze to Baeksa.
She placed a gentle hand on the child’s shoulder.
“Baeksa, the Divine Beast said you would be able to meet Jangwangshin, so you certainly will.”
“Yes!”
Baeksa nodded eagerly.
“I’ll meet Jangwangshin and ask for a way to resolve the Ghost Dragon Fragment.”
“Yes, you’ll do well.”
Siyeom stepped back.
Hwanya then stepped forward and adjusted Baeksa’s clothing, smoothing every wrinkle with the tender care of an older brother for his younger sister.
There was nothing but affection in his touch.
“Safe travels, and be careful. If anything dangerous happens, stay right beside Father.”
Hwanya glanced toward Ju Jeokseo before continuing.
“No matter what occurs, Father won’t let you come to harm.”
“Hehe, yes.”
Baeksa nuzzled against Hwanya’s hand. Such gestures came naturally to her now.
Ju Jeokseo, watching this quietly, spoke.
“Hwanya, if anything goes wrong with the Fragment, send word immediately.”
“Yes, the messenger we sent to the Ha Clan Estate yesterday has already arrived. He reports no unusual signs.”
“Even so, it would be wise to inform the Ha Clan Head discreetly of this matter.”
“The Ha Clan Head? But if the matter leaks out and causes panic, what then? If the Beast-kin become anxious, the Contamination will grow stronger.”
“The Ha Clan Head is not one to let information slip. Besides, isn’t it her daughter who has taken ill? A mother should know what troubles her child.”
“Then I shall do as you say.”
“And the moment you learn the whereabouts of the other Fragment, inform Siyeom at once.”
“Should we find it.”
“Doeui is searching for it, so its location should become clear soon enough.”
Siyeom interjected.
“But pinpointing the location isn’t particularly important. The incantation spell I’ll be using is regional in scope.”
“Regional?”
“I’ll install a Spell Matrix across all of Namto, suppressing the Ghost Dragon’s descent through possession. So precise locations aren’t truly necessary—only that the Ghost Dragon Fragment remains within the range.”
Siyeom spoke with a weary expression.
“While I’m using my Supernatural Ability and maintaining the incantation, no one must disturb me.”
“I’ll handle that matter personally.”
Hwanya replied.
Siyeom nodded.
Thus the conversation drew to a close. Baeksa clutched the bundle Sirang had prepared for her and gazed at the Carriage.
It was the Carriage that would carry her to where Jangwangshin waited.
Since they would have to cross the cold Contaminated Zone, the Carriage was laden with Warmth Stones.
“Baeksa, let’s go now.”
Hwaryeong gently grasped her shoulder. The girl nodded, still holding her bundle.
And as she turned to look back, her eyes met Doeui’s.
He was watching her intently.
“Doeui, I’ll return safely.”
With a final farewell to him, Baeksa smiled brightly and climbed into the Carriage.
Then Ju Jeokseo and Hwaryeong boarded after her, and the soldiers of the Vermilion Bird Family prepared to depart.
From within the Carriage, Baeksa poked her head out the window and gazed at Doeui once more.
He, who had been standing motionless with a rigid expression, softly smiled the moment their eyes met.
‘He’s smiling.’
He looked better when he smiled.
Was this why everyone kept telling her to smile more often?
She preferred seeing Doeui smile to watching him stand expressionless.
Realizing this, her heart felt oddly ticklish. Baeksa waved her hand out the window.
And before long, the Carriage set off.
***
After the Carriage had departed.
Siyeom stretched languidly.
“Things will get busy from here. Prepare the location where I’ll set up the incantation.”
“Yes, I’ll guide you there at once.”
Hwanya responded readily.
Siyeom gazed quietly at the place where the Carriage had vanished, then murmured.
“He has good fortune indeed……”
“What do you mean?”
Doeui asked.
Siyeom glanced at her son once, then lowered her eyes and spoke.
“A calamity like the Ghost Dragon—as grave as a Plague Deity itself—has descended upon us, a disaster too great to manage…… yet multiple paths forward are opening before it. Have you not noticed?”
“You’ve read his fortune.”
“By the time you reach my age, you’ll see such things without needing to use your Supernatural Ability.”
In Siyeom’s eyes, there appeared.
Multiple roads shining brightly before the Carriage Baeksa rode in.
Choosing any one of them and traveling forward would lead safely to the destination.
Truly, it could be called a blessing of destiny.
“Jangwangshin is not someone anyone can meet. Even Ju Jeokseo would likely fail to do so.”
Siyeom turned back to Doeui.
“Yet the Divine Vermilion Bird has opened a path for this little snake to meet Jangwangshin. What else would you call this but Great Fortune for all of Namto?”

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