The Little Baby Snake of the Vermilion Bird Family - Chapter 9

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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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“Enter.”
At Ju Jeokseo’s command, Sirang cautiously stepped into the hallway.
Bowing her head, she delivered her report in a soft, measured tone.
“The young lady has awakened. She seemed a bit disoriented, likely because it is an unfamiliar environment.”
“It took her two days to open her eyes.”
“The Physician mentioned that Baeksa woke up earlier than anticipated. However, her body is still far from recovered, so she will need to rest thoroughly in a warm place for at least a week.”
“Very well. Let her rest undisturbed for the time being, and instruct the kitchen to serve food that will nourish her health. Since a change in surroundings can be unsettling, tell the others to stay away, saving you, Sirang.”
“Understood. But… Family Head, do you not intend to visit the young lady?”
“There is no need to unnecessarily provoke a child who is already bound to be unstable.”
Ju Jeokseo trailed off, lifting an eyebrow.
Sirang stood before him with a troubled smile, looking as though she had something more to say.
“If you have something on your mind, speak.”
“To be honest, Baeksa said she wished to see you, Family Head.”
“Me?”
“Yes. Given that it is a strange place, she appears rather anxious.”
Sirang’s words plunged Ju Jeokseo into thought.
He had originally intended to avoid meeting the young snake for the time being.
It was not for some grand reason involving the Imperial Palace, but simply because he feared his presence might worsen her condition.
Born with an inherently powerful, roaring flame, Ju Jeokseo often terrified children or those with frail dispositions.
Fainting spells were not uncommon around him.
Thus, in her current state, that little snake might not be able to endure even a fraction of his presence.
As his brow furrowed in deliberation, Sirang peered at him with shining eyes.
Her expression practically begged him to go see the little snake immediately.
Ultimately, he let out a heavy sigh.
“What is the Physician’s opinion? Did he say it would be acceptable for me to meet her?”
He could not simply ignore the child when she expressed a desire to see him.
How frightened and lonely must such a tiny, young creature feel after arriving in a foreign place?
If the very person who brought her here refused to show his face, her terror would only grow.
Whatever the case, he had no intention of treating a young guest in his home so callously.
Sirang brightened instantly at his response.
“He said a brief meeting would be perfectly fine! Though it must not drag on for too long.”
“That is enough. I shall go see her.”
Ju Jeokseo moved without further hesitation.
Since the Physician had given his approval, no major issues should arise.
If the child’s condition took a turn for the worse, he could simply distance himself from her immediately.
Furthermore.
‘I happened to want a closer look at that face anyway…’
That pale, minuscule face that inexplicably resembled his sister.
Ever since bringing the young snake back, that singular thought had consumed his mind.
The round eyes, the soft curve of her eyebrows, her delicate features, and hair as white as fresh snow.
Whenever he recalled that hair, a sweeping sensation overcame him, making him feel as though his sister had truly returned.
Of course, the young snake belonged to the Imperial Family, meaning she could have no relation to his sister.
The Imperial Family and Imperial Royalty had ostracized the Bird Clan long ago.
Therefore, she was merely a child born white by mere coincidence, possessing no ties to the Vermilion Bird Clan or the White Vermilion Bird.
Yet, a strange, indefinable emotion stirred within him whenever the young snake crossed his mind.
Meeting her to listen to what she had to say and asking a few questions seemed like a reasonable course of action.
Though he had already ordered his subordinates to investigate her background, hearing it directly from her would be the swiftest and most accurate method.
Baeksa was staying in the Southern Detached Villa.
It was the sunniest, warmest room within the entire Vermilion Bird Family.
Though it was not a place normally reserved for guests, Ju Jeokseo had impulsively assigned it to her upon hearing of her dire condition.
Consequently, he required no guide to find her.
His steps unhesitatingly carried him toward the warmest, most comfortable room in the South.
Following half a step behind him, Sirang padded along with quick, hurried steps, her face glowing with quiet delight.
***
Baeksa carefully crawled out from beneath the blankets and folded them neatly.
She then sat down demurely on her knees right beside the bedding.
Being accustomed to cold floors, she had instinctively chosen the ground, but thanks to the blazing brazier, the floor felt remarkably warm.
‘It really is a wonderful room.’
It felt far too grand for someone like her to occupy.
The room was not exceptionally vast, but the meticulous care put into its maintenance was evident everywhere.
‘It feels just like Yeoryun’s residence.’
As she looked around the room in admiration, Baeksa softly clenched the fists resting quietly on her lap.
Sitting alone in the silent, echoing room, the reality of her situation finally began to sink in.
‘What if… what if I get kicked out…?’
If she was driven away from this place too, would she be cast back out into the snowfield?
Sitting in this cozy, warm room made her time lying alone in the freezing snow feel like a distant, hazy dream.
But it was no dream.
It was the harsh reality she had endured.
The stinging prickle of frostbite on the soles of her feet offered undeniable proof.
The child desperately wished never to be exiled to that place again.
‘To make sure that doesn’t happen…’
Baeksa carefully gathered her hands and attempted to channel her Abnormal Ability.
Her Supernatural Ability, which swallowed anything and everything, flickered faintly above her palms.
The girl knew.
Though this power appeared faint and insignificant on the surface, it was actually a horrific, insatiable monstrosity.
Over the past year, there was nothing Baeksa could not absorb.
Even Songra’s blessing had been drained by her ability, losing its brilliant luster, and any precious or sacred object she touched was sucked dry, leaving behind a useless husk.
No one could ever welcome such an ability.
Even the Emperor, who had initially rejoiced at her power, had ultimately abandoned her because of it.
Worse yet, Baeksa’s ability did not allow her to wield the power she stole from others.
Once it was absorbed, it simply vanished into nothingness.
It was truly a monstrous, abysmal curse of an ability.
‘I should probably confess this to them as well…’
She could not bring herself to beg for their shelter while deceiving them with lies.
They deserved to know what kind of dreadful power possessed the child they had taken in.
It was precisely at the moment Baeksa steeled her resolve.
Rustle.
A sudden breeze drifted from nowhere, brushing gently against the child’s cheek.
Immediately after, a tiny white feather manifested out of thin air, floating softly in the empty space.
There had been no warning, no sign at all.
“Huh…?”
Startled by the abrupt appearance of the feather, Baeksa’s eyes widened into perfect circles.
What kind of Beast-kin did this feather belong to?
If it was white, it certainly could not be a Vermilion Bird Feather.
While she was lost in thought, the feather drifted downward, steering toward her.
As the child extended her hands, the feather landed perfectly within her small, cupped palms.
The feather was large and incredibly soft.
Flustered, Baeksa stood up while cradling it carefully.
To her knowledge, the Bird Clan held feathers in absolute reverence.
Feathers from the Vermilion Bird Family were utilized to craft Warmth Stones, and every other type of feather possessed its own unique capability.
Thus, this feather might very well hold some precious, sacred power.
‘I shouldn’t touch it…!’
Her Supernatural Ability had a habit of ruining everything it grazed.
If it was an important object, she must absolutely avoid handling it.
The realization struck her a moment too late, and just as she attempted to set the feather down.
Flash!
A kaleidoscope of five-colored light erupted from the feather in her grasp, completely enveloping the small snake.
At that exact moment.
‘Ah, no!’
Baeksa’s ability surged out from her hands entirely against her will.
A pitch-black light erupted from her palms, coiling tightly around the brilliantly radiant feather.
Before long, Baeksa felt the raw essence of the feather streaming directly into her own body.
Before the panicked child could even express her dismay, the color of the feather began to shift.
The pristine white feather was slowly fading into a dark, murky hue. Baeksa’s face drained of all color, turning deathly pale.
“I—I have to stop now!”
She needed to halt it immediately.
Yet, her gluttonous ability refused to stop.
As Baeksa’s power greedily devoured the feather’s energy, the iridescent light vanished entirely, leaving the object stained a deep, solid black.
Clutching the ruined feather, Baeksa trembled in sheer panic.
Once the color had completely changed, the involuntary activation of her ability finally ceased.
But the damage had already been done.
The pale child’s fingertips grew stiff with a paralyzing terror.
‘What if this was something incredibly important?’
What if she had destroyed it the very moment she arrived?
Cold sweat poured down her skin like rain.
As the child frantically tried to figure out a way to restore the feather to its original state, a sound echoed.
Knock, knock.
“Young lady Baeksa, it is Sirang. The Family Head has come to see you.”
Hearing the voice outside the door, Baeksa’s face turned even whiter.
She wanted to ask them to wait a moment, but her throat clamped shut as if someone were choking her, and no sound would come out.
‘What do I do, what do I do?’
What on earth should she do?
Her mind went entirely blank. Sobbing from the sheer pressure, a few stray tears slipped from her eyes.
In the meantime, growing suspicious of the absolute silence inside, Sirang slid the door open.
Rattle.
The door parted, revealing Ju Jeokseo standing right behind Sirang.
With a face paralyzed by absolute terror, Baeksa clutched the blackened feather tightly and looked up at the head of the Vermilion Bird Family.
A heavy, suffocating silence descended upon the room.
Sirang and Ju Jeokseo’s gazes shifted from Baeksa’s tear-stained face down to the feather gripped in her small hands.
In the next instant, both of their expressions twisted into pure, unadulterated shock.
His eyes widening to their absolute limits as if witnessing something impossible, Ju Jeokseo stared down at Baeksa.
“This is…”

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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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