TLSVB 09

Chapter 9

“Come in.”

At Ju Jeokseo’s command, Sirang carefully stepped into the corridor.

Bowing her head, she gave her report in a gentle voice.

“My lady has awakened. She seemed a little startled by being in an unfamiliar place.”

“She woke up after only two days.”

“The physician said Baby Snake Lady woke up earlier than expected. However, since her body has not fully recovered, he said she should rest comfortably in a warm place for at least a week.”

“I see. Let her rest for the time being, and have nourishing meals prepared for her. She may be unsettled by the unfamiliar environment, so tell everyone except you to refrain from entering her room.”

“Yes. But… Clan Head, won’t you go see her?”

“There’s no need to unnecessarily agitate a child who is already unstable.”

Ju Jeokseo stopped speaking and raised an eyebrow.

Sirang was standing before him with an awkward smile, as though she had something she wanted to say.

“If there’s something you want to say, then say it.”

“Actually, Baby Snake Lady said she would like to meet you.”

“Me?”

“Yes. Since this is an unfamiliar place, I think she’s feeling a little anxious.”

At Sirang’s words, Ju Jeokseo fell into thought.

He had no intention of meeting Baby Snake for the time being.

It wasn’t because of any grand reason involving the Imperial Palace or anything of the sort.

He simply thought her condition would worsen if she met him.

Because he had been born with an exceptionally powerful flame, weak-hearted people and young children often feared him.

Some even fainted from time to time.

In her current condition, that little snake might not be able to endure even a fraction of it.

As he frowned in contemplation, Sirang looked at him with shining eyes.

It was as if she desperately wanted him to go meet Baby Snake.

In the end, he let out a deep sigh.

“What did the physician say? Does he think it would be alright for her to meet me?”

He couldn’t simply ignore the fact that the little snake wanted to see him.

A tiny child had been brought to a strange place. How frightened and lonely must she be?

And if even the person who had brought her here refused to see her, she might become even more afraid.

In any case, he had no intention of treating a young guest who had come to his home that way.

At Ju Jeokseo’s response, Sirang brightened.

“He said it should be fine if it’s only for a short while! He said it can’t be too long, though.”

“That’s enough. I’ll go see her.”

Ju Jeokseo set off without further hesitation.

Since the physician had approved, there should be no major problems.

And if the child’s condition worsened, he could simply leave the area immediately.

Besides.

I wanted to get a closer look at that face anyway…

That small, pale face that vaguely resembled his older sister.

Ever since bringing Baby Snake here, that thought had lingered in Ju Jeokseo’s mind.

Round eyes, rounded brows, delicate features, and hair as white as snow.

Whenever he thought of that hair, he felt as though his sister had somehow returned.

Of course, Baby Snake was a member of the Imperial Family, so she could not possibly have any connection to his sister.

The Imperial Family had long ostracized the Bird Clan.

Therefore, she was merely a child who happened to be born with white hair and could not possibly have any connection to the Vermilion Bird Clan or the White Vermilion Bird.

Yet whenever he thought of Baby Snake, he felt an inexplicable sense of unease.

So perhaps meeting her, listening to what she had to say, and asking a few questions would not be such a bad idea.

He had already ordered his subordinates to investigate the child, but hearing things directly from her would undoubtedly be the fastest and most accurate way.

Baeksa was staying in the southern annex.

It was the warmest room in the Vermilion Bird Clan estate and received the most sunlight.

Ordinarily, it was not a room given to guests, but Ju Jeokseo had impulsively offered it after hearing about Baby Snake’s poor condition.

As a result, he did not need anyone to guide him there.

Without hesitation, Ju Jeokseo headed toward the warmest and most comfortable room in the southern annex.

Behind him, Sirang hurried after him with a secretly delighted expression.

Baeksa carefully got out from under the blanket and neatly folded it.

Then she knelt demurely beside it.

She had chosen to sit on the floor because she was accustomed to cold ground, but perhaps because of the brazier burning nearby, even the floor was not cold.

It’s such a nice room.

Far nicer than anything she deserved.

The room itself was not particularly large, but it was obvious that it had been meticulously cared for.

It’s just like Sister Yeoryun’s residence.

As Baeksa looked around in admiration, she gently clenched the small fists she had been resting on her knees.

Sitting alone in the silent room, she finally began to fully grasp her situation.

What if… they throw me out?

If she were driven away from here as well, would she be sent back to the snowfield?

Now that she sat in a warm room, lying alone in the snowfield felt like a distant dream.

But it had not been a dream.

It had been reality.

The frostbitten soles of her feet, still throbbing painfully, proved it.

The child did not want to be cast back there ever again.

If I want to avoid that…

Baeksa carefully brought her hands together and attempted to use her ability.

The power of Baeksa, which could devour anything, flickered faintly above her palms.

The girl knew.

Though it appeared weak and insignificant, it was actually an extremely terrifying and greedy ability.

Over the past year, there had been nothing Baeksa had failed to absorb.

Even Songra’s blessing had been absorbed by her power until its radiance faded, and anything precious or valuable became useless after being swallowed by her ability.

No one could possibly welcome such a power.

Hadn’t even the Emperor, who had initially been delighted by it, eventually abandoned her?

Furthermore, Baeksa’s ability did not allow her to absorb others’ powers and use them herself.

Once something was absorbed, that was the end of it.

It was truly a monstrous ability—the worst kind imaginable.

I should tell them about it…

She could not ask for their help while deceiving them with lies.

At the very least, they deserved to know what kind of dreadful power the child they had brought here possessed.

Just as Baeksa came to that decision—

Rustle.

A breeze suddenly appeared from nowhere and softly brushed against her cheek.

Then, a small white feather floated gently into existence.

There had been no warning.

“Huh…?”

Startled by the feather’s sudden appearance, Baeksa’s eyes widened.

Whose feather could it be?

A white feather certainly did not belong to a Vermilion Bird.

As she was thinking that, the feather slowly drifted toward her.

When she held out her hands, it landed perfectly in her small palms.

The feather was large and soft.

Flustered, Baeksa stood up while holding it.

As far as she knew, the Bird Clan considered feathers extremely important.

The Vermilion Bird Clan’s feathers were used to create warming stones, while the feathers of other bird clans each possessed unique abilities.

Which meant this feather might also contain a valuable power.

I shouldn’t touch it…!

Her ability ruined everything it touched.

If it was something important, she absolutely must not handle it.

Just as that thought belatedly occurred to her and she moved to set the feather down—

Fwoosh.

Brilliant rainbow-colored light burst from the feather in her hands and wrapped itself around the little snake child.

At the same moment—

N-No!

Baeksa’s ability suddenly surged out of her hands on its own.

Dark energy spilled from her palms and coiled around the dazzling feather.

Before the panicked child could even react, she felt the feather’s power flowing into her.

The feather’s color slowly began to change.

The white feather was gradually darkening into black.

Baeksa’s face turned pale.

“S-Stop… even now!”

She had to stop it somehow.

But her greedy ability showed no sign of stopping.

As it voraciously devoured the feather’s power, the rainbow light disappeared and the feather was soon stained completely black.

Baeksa clutched the feather helplessly.

Only after the color had changed did her ability finally stop running wild.

But the damage had already been done.

Fear made the child’s pale fingertips tremble.

What if it was something important?

What if she had ruined it the moment she arrived?

Cold sweat poured down her body.

Just as the child desperately tried to restore the feather to its original state—

Knock, knock.

“Baby Snake Lady, it’s Sirang. The Clan Head has come to see you.”

At the voice from outside the door, Baeksa’s face became even paler.

She needed to tell them to wait a moment, but it felt as though someone were choking her. No sound would come out.

W-What do I do?

What was she supposed to do?

No thoughts came to mind.

Her throat tightened, and tears reflexively welled up in her eyes.

Meanwhile, finding the silence inside strange, Sirang opened the door.

Creak.

The door swung open, and Ju Jeokseo appeared behind Sirang.

Clutching the feather, Baeksa looked up at the head of the Vermilion Bird Clan with a terrified expression.

For a moment, silence filled the room.

Sirang’s and Ju Jeokseo’s gazes shifted from Baeksa’s face to the feather in her hands.

Then both of them stared at the feather in shock.

Ju Jeokseo’s eyes widened as though what he was seeing was impossible.

“This is…”