The Youngest Daughter of the Snake Family - Chapter 12

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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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Episode 12
My tail, now growing into proper shape, allowed me to find balance even on uneven ground.
Creak-creak.
“Chirp.”
“You’re walking quite well.”
“Cheep!”
The moment I climbed onto his palm, the house master reached over and tapped my beak lightly.
Every time I felt it, it seemed he rather liked my beak.
“I hear you’ll be able to undergo Humanization soon.”
“Chirp!”
“I don’t see where you’ve grown.”
He turned me this way and that in his hands, murmuring to himself.
That’s not true. I’m growing wonderfully. I can eat so much more than I used to.
When I shot him a look laden with silent protest, the house master chuckled. It was clearly mocking laughter.
“Or did all that food just turn to fat?”
“Cheep-cheep!”
“Master. Airin is progressing very well, truly.”
As I bristled, Rozaria stepped in as mediator and produced a white Wooden Board as evidence.
It was the board where I’d been measured each morning.
Red lines were drawn along its edge at short intervals.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a record of Airin’s growth.”
Rozaria smiled proudly and held it up for all to see, as if displaying treasure.
Everyone’s eyes in the room turned toward the board she was holding.
“You see? She is growing, isn’t she?”
Beside the height marks were footprints stamped by date in the remaining space.
Subtle as they were, I was unmistakably growing.
I fluttered my wings to show him, and the house master readily conceded the point.
“True enough.”
“Chirp!”
“You certainly are growing. But……”
How much longer until I’m fully grown?
Everyone looked at Hestia with curious eyes.
She, who possessed the most knowledge in this household, studied the board with sparkling eyes before clearing her throat.
“You mustn’t compare her growth to that of faster-developing specimens. Airin is different from us.”
“At this rate, it’ll take quite some time.”
“Unlike the young masters, who grow visibly by the day, Airin’s development will be slower. The Black Mamba reach independence quickly, you see. It will take her a bit longer.”
“Is that so?”
Upon hearing Hestia’s explanation, the house master seemed quite pleased with that answer and smiled with satisfaction.
* * *
The house master, whom I’d expected to leave after a brief look, lingered quite a while longer.
Thanks to him, all the cleverness I’d taken such care to hide was revealed in full before everyone.
It all began with the box Rozaria brought out.
“None of you realize just how intelligent Airin is, do you?”
With that single comment, the house master, whose interest had begun to wane, perked up again.
“What do you mean?”
“She’s been learning about other clans recently.”
“Bothering herself with such tedious nonsense.”
Even as he said it, the house master gestured for her to go ahead and show him.
Inside the box were various Animal Picture Cards.
They were among the educational materials Rozaria had purchased recently.
Rozaria drew out one of the wooden picture cards from the box, waved it, and asked me a question.
“Airin, what do you think this is?”
“Chirp-chirp!”
Roar!
I puffed up my body and raised my tail stiffly.
This is how very, very frightening it is.
I’d learned and remembered it after hearing “frightening” emphasized so many times.
“Wonderful work!”
Rozaria clapped her hands in applause. Hestia, who’d been eating pastries, stared at me with her mouth hanging open in astonishment.
Neither the landlord nor Baon made any obvious show of it, but I could sense them stopping what they were doing and concentrating.
Everyone didn’t expect me to be this clever, did they?
I was delighted, flapping my wings and clapping.
The landlord, who’d been watching me intently, nodded at Rozaria to show him something else.
“So Airin, what about this one?”
“Cheep-chirp.”
Moo.
When I mimicked a cow’s lowing with a “cheep-chirp,” Rozaria clapped a hand over her mouth.
Her reaction was so emphatic that I felt a little embarrassed.
In truth, Rozaria had been nothing but praise for every small thing, so even I was growing accustomed to this atmosphere of adoration.
It was easy work for a young bird like me to accomplish.
“How can you be so brilliant! You must be a genius!”
As expected, Rozaria began showering me with compliments.
“I’ve never seen another member of your species do anything like this—you’re truly remarkable, Miss Airin.”
Hestia chimed in from beside her, nodding along. My cheeks grew warm, so I glanced away awkwardly.
The moment Hestia pulled out a new set of Animal Picture Cards and waved them around, something caught my eye with striking intensity.
Hmm. I want a snack too.
The moment I plopped down and looked at the pastry sitting on the table, the landlord picked it up and showed it to me.
“You want it?”
“Cheep.”
“Should I give it to you?”
“Cheep.”
“Then what am I?”
“Cheep?”
The landlord pressed me gently to mimic him. But you’re the landlord, aren’t you?
Still, he gave me the name Airin and said he’d take me as his daughter……
I’d kept calling him the landlord because it felt awkward until now, but I knew perfectly well that wasn’t what I should be calling him.
But I’m too embarrassed and uncomfortable. What should I do?
As I clenched my beak and sank into serious thought, the room grew noisy.
“Could it be she doesn’t know who the master of the house is?”
“Well, we haven’t really explained it to her properly.”
“……But she recognizes the animal characters?”
Hestia, who’d been murmuring with Baon, pointed to one of the character cards.
As my silence stretched on, the atmosphere in the room grew quiet—more than quiet, it grew heavy.
Soon I found myself face-to-face with the landlord’s chilling expression.
The moment his brow furrowed ever so slightly, I quickly looked away.
“All show and no substance.”
The landlord pulled back the pastry he’d been about to give me.
“Ungrateful little bird. Say it after me—Kaide.”
“Cheep?”
“Kaide.”
“Cheep-cheep-cheep.”
As I repeated his name, the landlord sighed and gave me the snack.
Munch, munch.
A month had passed since I came to live in this house. For the first time, I’d learned the landlord’s name.
“Cheep-cheep-cheep.”
“Yes.”
“Cheep-cheep-cheep!”
“Yes.”
As the frozen atmosphere gradually thawed, Rozaria, who’d been flustered, hurried to smooth things over.
“Our Miss Airin didn’t know the master’s name! Isn’t that right?”
“That’s quite possible. At least she knows now, which is fortunate.”
At that, Kaide smiled with an unsettling languor. His crimson eyes bore down on me with piercing intensity.
“You do know that I’m your father, right?”
……I did know, it’s just that it felt unreal, so I hadn’t had the chance to truly feel it.
I drew in a deep breath.
If I delayed my response now, the landlord—who’d decided to take me as his daughter—might take it all back completely.
Grab.
I quickly seized his finger. Kaide’s eyebrows shot upward.
“What are you doing?”
“Chirp, chirp, chirp.”
“Yes.”
“Chirp.”
Tap.
I gently pecked at Kaide’s fingertip, which twitched at the contact.
“Oh my! The young lady is showing affection to the master.”
Hestia seized the moment and explained quickly.
At her explanation, Kaide’s rigid expression softened.
“I see.”
My anxious heart eased considerably.
“Chirp!”
Phew. That was a close call.
* * *
A brilliant afternoon. Once my body had recovered somewhat, I ventured out into the Garden.
“Shall we play a game of ball today?”
“Chirp!”
Rozaria rolled a large ball across the grass—one sized to match my body.
Though in truth, it only fit in the palm of her hand.
She said it had been specially made for me.
Bounce, bounce.
A cheerful sound rang out from the ball, so full of air.
As I looked around, Rozaria explained a few rules.
“You mustn’t go beyond this area, understand?”
“Chirp!”
“You absolutely cannot cross the Fountain. It’s dangerous for Airin to venture into the forest alone.”
“Chirp!”
I practically rolled myself along with the ball, darting forward in eager bounds.
The grass slowed its roll, and though my body hadn’t moved so freely in ages, it refused to obey my will as readily as I’d hoped.

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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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