The Youngest Daughter of the Snake 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
Hm?
I’d run away to avoid Pheromone Class, and somehow that was considered skill?
Arban seemed startled by the sudden compliment, drawing in a sharp breath. He looked confused.
“How long do you think you can hide from Kasana?”
“……Not very long, honestly.”
“Though it seems you’ve gotten fairly adept at concealing your presence.”
“…….”
“If you keep skipping classes like this, Airen will catch up to you, Arban.”
“Who gets caught by a little thing like that.”
Arban twisted his mouth in protest.
Yet his expression subtly hardened, as if the words about being caught by me had gotten under his skin.
Moments later, apparently having imagined something, his scowled face refused to relax.
“You imagining Airen catching up to me?”
“Hardly. Don’t even dream of it, little thing.”
“Hmph. Airen’s not that little anymore. She’s grown this much taller.”
I held my hand above my head to demonstrate.
They say children grow by the day. I genuinely was growing taller day by day.
Though it didn’t show all that much.
Arban, who’d been listening quietly to my argument, let out a scoff.
“That’s not what you call growth.”
“But we bought Airen new shoes!”
“Is that so?”
Arban shrugged and finished eating the Grape Tart he’d been holding.
I puffed out my cheeks and made a sullen face.
“If I eat a lot, I’ll grow faster!”
“Don’t strain yourself when you can’t eat that much anyway.”
“What?”
“Even if you did, you probably wouldn’t grow much.”
Set said this with a grin. It was undeniably vexing.
I cut a large slice of Cake piled high with cream and stuffed it into my mouth.
Eating something sweet seemed to lift my spirits a little.
Kaid, who’d been watching us bicker somewhat noisily with interest, suddenly turned his gaze to me.
“How have you been, Airen?”
“Hm?”
“You haven’t said anything.”
This time, all eyes fell on me just as they had before. I began counting on my fingers. It would take forever to tell it all.
“Take your time. Go ahead and tell us.”
“Well. I’ve been swinging on swings and studying too……. And I also got to meet the people who guard Airen.”
“Guard? ……Ah. You mean that man who appeared at the banquet back then?”
Set asked. I nodded, confirming it.
“Right, Karuma. And there are more, but I haven’t seen them all yet.”
“I see. So they’ve already made their appearance. They must have been quite eager.”
Kaid chuckled knowingly.
“I also met Mesis and Feyman.”
“Oh? Those two?”
“Yes. They said I could only see them once I’d finished writing a reflection, so Airen wrote me a letter?”
It would be nice to meet all the rest soon.
Since they said they’d finished the reflection, I might be able to meet them all within days.
Kaid paused at my words, then asked back.
“A letter?”
“Yes. Rodaria helped, and Airen made the letter and sent it. Mesis delivered it.”
“So that’s why it was submitted properly right away.”
Kaid murmured as if his confusion had finally been cleared.
“Was meeting them enjoyable?”
“Yes. I want to meet the other people soon too.”
“It won’t be boring, then.”
That was exactly the fun of it. Since I couldn’t guess who would appear next, there was a thrill in the waiting.
Though I’d certainly be startled by how suddenly they appeared.
The flow of conversation was winding toward its end.
Outside the window, darkness had grown so thick that objects blurred into shadow.
A yawn stretched from my lips.
It was long and deep.
I opened my eyes drowsily. Dinner wasn’t over yet, but once sleepiness took hold, there was no stopping it.
I slapped my cheek hard to fight off the drowsiness, and Set—sitting across from me—gave me a bewildered look.
“If you’re tired, just go to sleep.”
“But we haven’t finished talking yet?”
“It’s not really the sort of conversation worth dragging out, is it?”
“It is! This is incredibly important!”
I had no way of knowing when we’d have another chance to talk like this.
I wanted to hear more, and it felt wrong to let it end this way.
An opportunity to grow closer had appeared, and I didn’t want to squander it.
Set regarded me with an unreadable expression.
“The way you’re going, you’re about to bury your head in the table, Airen.”
Right.
I lifted my sagging head with a start.
“I think you should head back.”
Kaid, who had been watching me the whole time, announced the end of dinner.
Rising from his seat, Kaid gathered me into his arms.
The moment I settled into his large, steady embrace, a deep sleep crashed over me at once.
* * *
I was heading out of my room alone now.
Today was my first day of Pheromone Class.
I hummed to myself, a light melody.
With quick, happy steps, I made my way toward the forest entrance.
We’d agreed to meet at the entrance and go in together, so Kasana was probably already waiting.
Sure enough, a familiar figure came into view.
“Kasana! Have you been waiting long?”
“No. Not very long at all.”
“Let’s go in, shall we?”
“Then shall we enter?”
“Yes. I did plenty of preparing before I came here.”
The preparation amounted to little more than mental readiness, but mindset was everything, after all!
I stepped inside, one pace at a time.
Once I crossed the line where a massive tree stood rooted in the sunlit Garden, something felt strange.
I’d experienced this hushed, eerie quiet before, but I sensed it would take quite a while before I grew accustomed to it.
I stayed close to Kasana’s heels.
“Kasana, how much deeper do we go?”
“A bit further, I’m afraid.”
“All right.”
The path that had been laid with footsteps gradually gave way to bare ground.
How deep into the forest had we come?
Kasana came to a stop.
“This should be a suitable place for our class.”
“Here?”
“Yes. Does it not suit you?”
I turned around, and the entrance was nowhere to be seen.
Trees surrounded us on all sides, and the path looked like nothing so much as a maze.
If I lost my way here, I’d never find the exit alone—the thought made me uneasy.
“For Pheromone Class, it’s best to be as isolated from the outside world as possible.”
“I see. But what if I get lost?”
“Don’t worry about that. I’ll be the first one to come looking for you, miss Airen.”
“All right.”
Kasana’s reassuring words put my mind at ease.
I’d decided to wear the Cardigan that Rodaria had prepared for me before I left my room.
She’d said the forest would be shaded and cold, and she was right.
I loosened the Cardigan from around my neck and fumbled into it, and Kasana waited patiently for me to finish dressing.
“All right, I’m dressed now.”
“Shall we begin the class, then?”
“Yes.”
“Let me begin with a brief explanation of Pheromones. All Beast-humans possess a vital energy called Pheromone from birth. You’re aware of that much, yes?”
“Mm.”
“Pheromones vary slightly in character from tribe to tribe. They’ve developed in diverse ways depending on survival methods. The Bird Tribe in particular…….”
The Bird Tribe? Why did she stop mid-sentence?
As I waited for her next words, I looked at Kasana with confusion.
She had furrowed her brow as if something displeased her.
It was a remarkably rare expression, and I found myself genuinely taken aback.
Kasana, whose face typically remained utterly unmoved, had actually frowned—what on earth was bothering her?
“……I must ask you to remember beforehand that Miss Airen holds Astropel Castle and is therefore a member of the Blackmamba Tribe.”
What was this sudden comment about? I stared blankly at Kasana.
She looked far more grave and earnest than usual—the atmosphere demanded that I acknowledge her words.
I nodded.
“Mm. I understand.”
“This explanation is merely meant to illustrate Miss Airen’s particular traits through examples.”
“Mm.”
It seemed Kasana was concerned that I might grow confused upon hearing about the Bird Tribe.
My appearance differed from the other Blackmamba around us, after all.
I had always wondered how I came to be born into House Astropel.
But I’d never been particularly curious about who my true guardian was.
The people of House Astropel here were the only ones who had raised and cared for me all this time.
“The Bird Tribe has long excelled at information warfare. They specialize in taking flight to scout enemy positions and relay intelligence to their allies.”
“I see. That’s actually quite magnificent!”
“……Indeed. By obtaining swift intelligence, they secured their tribe’s future. They tend to operate in groups more often than not, and those who travel alone are most usually Raptors.”
“Mm.”
But I was neither a Raptor nor suited to group living whatsoever.
Still, since she was explaining the basic traits of the Bird Tribe, I ought to understand them.
“However, that is merely how they have lived in accordance with their tribal character. From now on, Miss Airen will learn how to live within the Blackmamba Tribe.”

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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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