The Youngest Daughter of the Snake Family - Chapter 53

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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 53
The two of them exchanged words while watching me.
Their conversation struck at the heart of things without warning, and I flinched. Faiman smiled wryly and introduced the man to me.
“This is Basad. He looks a bit rough, but he’s not really a bad sort.”
“…Basad, at your service.”
“Ah, I see!”
I had no idea why he had to show up at exactly this moment!
I pressed myself backward and began shuffling sideways one step at a time. A crab walk, essentially.
Two pairs of eyes tracked my movement across the garden.
Their expressions made it clear they couldn’t fathom why I was walking like that.
“Is something wrong? Why are you walking that way?”
“Just because!”
I laughed awkwardly and looked at Basad.
Since Faiman had already introduced him, I couldn’t skip the greeting—that would be rude to someone I’d only just met.
Alright. Quick raise, then lower. That’s the move.
I looked at Basad with grim determination. Then I quickly waved my hand and lowered it.
But both of them had noticed the white object between the bag’s folds, and their faces filled with astonishment.
Basad, who had been staring fixedly at the spot the bag was concealing, murmured softly.
“…A tail?”
“…I thought I’d seen things wrong. So you saw it too, Basad.”
Faiman answered blankly, then quickly covered his face. Unmistakable laughter escaped through his fingers.
“Don’t laugh.”
“…Heh. Huh… Yes.”
“You can’t tell anyone. Understood?”
“Of course. Whose order would it be? I absolutely won’t tell a soul.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“…And Basad too?”
Could I really trust these two? Well, Basad was my guard knight anyway—he wouldn’t go running his mouth to just anyone.
I opened my eyes wide and looked up at him with an intimidating expression, and Basad fell silent instead of answering at once.
“Why aren’t you answering?”
“…I won’t tell anyone.”
“Good. Understood?”
Now I needed to figure out how to get into the Mansion without being discovered.
While there weren’t many people in the Garden, the moment I stepped inside the Mansion, countless eyes would be upon me.
I walked quickly toward the mat where a Parasol had been set up.
My legs were hurting anyway, so I’d sit over there and think it through.
“Aren’t you going inside right away?”
“Hmm.”
“True, there are too many watchful eyes in the Mansion. We should be careful.”
Faiman seemed to be genuinely enjoying this situation.
I removed my Sneakers and sat down on my bag.
I was deeply absorbed in thinking of a way to get past everyone unnoticed when Faiman raised his hand and spoke.
“What if you let him carry you? Basad seems like he’d be able to hide you well.”
“Hmm? That would draw even more attention, I think.”
Basad looked almost as large as Dante. Being carried would only attract more eyes.
Already, people passing through the Garden were casting sidelong glances at him.
“What if we went through a window instead?”
Basad pointed at a window of the Mansion as he spoke. It was actually a rather appealing idea.
But Faiman immediately shook his head.
“That won’t work, Basad.”
“Why not?”
“Do you really think your body could fit through a window?”
“…”
Silence settled over us.
“Well, then you can just do it for us instead.”
If Basad couldn’t, then Faiman could handle it. As if he’d been waiting for this, Faiman spoke up.
“I can help you through the window if you’d let me touch your tail just a few times?”
“…No. I don’t need it.”
My tail isn’t something anyone gets to touch!
I whipped my head around. The plan to slip in through the window had fallen through.
“I really thought the window would be best. Well, have a snack while you think it over. A tail is fine for me.”
“No way. I’m not doing it.”
Faiman still wasn’t ready to let go of the tail idea and tried to distract me with snacks.
As if I’d fall for that. I turned my head away deliberately.
“Quite the pout, I see.”
Faiman muttered under his breath and gave Basad a nudge—as if to say, do something about this.
Basad, who’d been observing the situation quietly, heaved a sigh. He seemed half-resigned, as though this wasn’t the first time he’d dealt with something like this.
Just watching Faiman’s behavior made it clear that Basad was the cleanup crew.
…Basad must have had a rough time getting squeezed in the middle all this while.
I thought back on Karma, Messis, and Faiman—everyone I’d met so far.
Even without looking closely, it was easy to see that they all had wildly different temperaments.
Imagining Basad patiently enduring situations like this among such varied companions, I felt a pang of sympathy for him.
“Have you ever seen something like this?”
Basad pulled something from his pocket—a Wooden Necklace made of raw wood.
The circular wooden surface was smooth and finely polished.
Across it were densely carved colored relief figures that looked like some kind of pattern.
“It’s superstition, but they say if you make a wish on this, it comes true.”
“You’re giving this to me?”
“Yes. Since I haven’t made a wish yet, I’d like you to have it, Miss Aileen.”
I accepted it from him. The cord was twisted tightly in two strands and tied off short at the clasp.
I should wish right away for Human Transformation to succeed.
I started to put it around my neck, then hesitated.
…But if he has this, doesn’t that mean Basad has a wish too?
Even though I’d taken it gladly, that thought bothered me.
As I stood there worrying and turning the necklace over in my hands, Basad gave me a puzzled look.
“Basad. If you give this to me, what about your wish?”
“…Yes?”
“Didn’t you make this because you wanted to wish on it?”
“Oh.”
Basad shook his head, saying that wasn’t the case.
“I made this to give to you this time.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Then that was a relief.
I fastened the necklace easily around my neck. Watching the wooden pendant swing gently, I felt like the wish would come true any moment now.
Whoosh.
My mood lifted at once, and my tail shot upward.
Faiman noticed the subtle movement and spotted my tail, his eyes sparkling.
“Does your tail move based on your mood?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Would you like a snack then?”
“…I’m only eating it because Faiman insisted.”
When Faiman urged me to eat the snack again, I played reluctant and wolfed down the Jelly in one go.
…I need to recover my strength quickly so my Pheromone comes back.
But honestly, even if my Pheromone returned, there was nothing I could do about it immediately.
Kasana had absolutely forbidden any attempts at Human Transformation while she was away.
I’d just have to wait until the next lesson.
“I should head back to my room. If I stay here too long, Lotaria will worry.”
“Right. We’ve been here over an hour now. Have you figured out how to get back without being seen?”
“Yeah. But I need you two to help.”
“How’s that?”
“Hide me between you two.”
If I hid between them while walking, it seemed like it might just work.
If the change had been anywhere else, I wouldn’t have worried about it so much.
Just thinking about everyone seeing my tail—which moved willfully with my mood—made my ears burn.
I shouldered my bag the same way as before.
“Like this, they won’t see it, right?”
“…I think this actually makes it more noticeable.”
“I have to agree with that.”
There was no choice. This was the best I could do. Whether events would unfold as intended remained to be seen.
Soft and careful.
I moved my steps cautiously toward the Mansion.
The two of them had agreed to the plan, but their expressions betrayed uncertainty.
Faiman asked several times whether I really meant to use this method, and each time I nodded without hesitation.
Two tall Black Mambas padded along behind my much smaller frame.
They seemed even more tense than I was, watching their surroundings with decidedly suspicious caution.
Naturally, the attention of those nearby fixed entirely on Faiman and Basad.
Perfect! It worked!
I smiled with satisfaction.
I knew their presence would draw all eyes to them.
“So that’s what you were aiming for.”
“Right.”
“Surprisingly clever, miss.”
“Then speak up more often!”
“It’s rather fun, actually.”
Faiman seemed to be enjoying the situation.
I managed to pass through the Central Lobby without revealing my tail to anyone.
I exhaled deeply with relief. All that remained was to pass through the Corridor and climb the stairs.
The problem was that there were more people in the Corridor than in the Central Lobby.
“It’s fine. I can manage.”
Before turning the corner, I pressed myself against the wall and surveyed the Corridor ahead.
Behind me, Faiman and Basad kept their bodies hidden as they poked their heads forward to look.
It made for a rather ridiculous picture.
“There aren’t many people in the Corridor. I don’t sense much presence there either.”
“Now seems like the optimal moment to pass through, miss.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. But this is genuinely thrilling. It feels like the most difficult mission I’ve undertaken yet.”
Faiman murmured cheerfully. Basad nodded in agreement.
“Deceiving someone from the same Clan does raise the difficulty a notch.”
…They didn’t really need to be this serious about it. Did this require such keen attention to every breath and presence?
Still, having them support me this way brought comfort.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes.”

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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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