TLSVB 15

Chapter 15

“Miss, may I come in?”

“J-just a moment!”

Startled, Baeksa panicked and fumbled around before quickly covering the little bird completely with the blanket.

Then, leaving a small opening so it could breathe comfortably, she said:

“Y-you can come in…!”

The bird’s tail feathers were sticking slightly out from under the blanket.

Before Sirang could notice them, Baeksa hurriedly tucked the feathers back inside the blanket as well.

Sirang entered carrying washing water and set down the lukewarm basin in front of Baeksa.

“Did you sleep comfortably last night? Was there anything inconvenient?”

“Y-yes! I was fine.”

“Oh my, then why are you sweating so much?”

Baeksa flinched at Sirang’s question.

“Was the room too warm? I made the brazier burn a bit hotter because I was worried you’d be cold, Miss…”

“N-no! It was warm and nice. Really…!”

Baeksa answered while sweating nervously.

She couldn’t exactly say that the reason she was sweating was because of the little bird hiding beneath her blanket.

That would be like betraying the little bird.

The problem was that Baeksa had never lied or deceived anyone in her entire life.

For the first time in her life, she had lied for the sake of the little bird.

Fortunately, Sirang didn’t seem to notice the little bird hidden beneath the blanket.

“Hehe, then that’s good. Please wait a little, Miss. I’ll bring breakfast right away!”

Sirang carefully washed Baeksa’s face with the lukewarm water.

Then she carried the used wash water and hurried outside.

‘She left…!’

Baeksa waited until the door closed, then immediately took the little bird out from under the blanket.

“Cheep!”

Perhaps the inside of the blanket had felt stuffy, because the little bird flapped its wings wildly as soon as it came out.

Its tiny feathers were all messy.

It looked incredibly cute.

‘So cute…’

After hesitating for a moment, Baeksa reached out and carefully smoothed down the baby bird’s feathers.

Then, lowering her voice in case anyone outside heard, she asked:

“Is there a reason you can’t let anyone know you came here?”

“Cheep-cheep!”

The little bird nodded enthusiastically.

Then it raised its wing to its beak and made a shh! gesture.

“So you want me to keep it a secret from now on too?”

“Cheep!”

“Okay, don’t worry. I’ll definitely keep it secret.”

Smiling brightly, Baeksa gently cupped the little bird in her hands.

Then she walked over near the window with quick little steps, stretched out her hands holding the bird outside, and said:

“I’ll definitely keep meeting you a secret. But Sirang will come back soon, so I think you should go now.”

“Cheep… peep…”

“When she comes back, she’ll straighten the blankets, so there won’t be anywhere for you to hide…”

The little bird looked very reluctant to leave Baeksa’s room.

It kept glancing around the room and burrowing into Baeksa’s hands.

The bird was very warm; every time it nestled into her hands, it felt as though she were holding a tiny heating stone.

Baeksa also felt reluctant to let the bird go.

Because this bird…

…was the first friend she had made since coming here.

Of course, the bird might not think that way.

But at least Baeksa did.

‘That’s probably why I’m sad.’

I’ve never been welcomed by spiritual creatures before, nor have I ever had friends…

Quietly staring at its soft feathers, Baeksa carefully asked:

“Um… could you come again sometime?”

“Cheep?”

“O-of course, if you’re busy then you don’t have to! If it’s okay with you…”

Embarrassed, Baeksa quickly added, her cheeks turning red.

Then the bird looked up at Baeksa with sparkling eyes and spread its wings wide.

It nodded like crazy, then waved a wing toward Baeksa before flying away.

Flap flap!

A tiny feather drifted down where the little bird had flown away.

Its tip was slightly red, and it looked just like a gift the baby bird had left for her.

‘Such a kind bird.’

Smiling softly, Baeksa picked up the little feather and tucked it beneath her pillow.

If she put it there, Sirang wouldn’t throw it away while cleaning, nor would she lose it.

Not long after, Sirang returned to Baeksa’s room carrying breakfast.

After Baeksa’s condition improved a little, the Crane Physician allowed her to move around and walk.

Moderate activity would help her recovery.

He also said that because she had barely walked, her muscles had become extremely weak, so she needed movement to build strength.

However, Baeksa hesitated to leave her residence.

It wasn’t simply because she was afraid of meeting other beastfolk.

‘Ah, this…’

After both the Crane Physician and Sirang had left—

Baeksa lowered her eyes while sitting alone in her room and tried using her ability.

A greedy black mist swirled within her small white palm.

Regardless of Baeksa’s will, it continued flowing out of her body.

Like a monster that would not rest until it devoured something.

‘It wasn’t like this before.’

But back then, as soon as her ability manifested, His Majesty had immediately given her work.

And afterward, there had not been a single day when she hadn’t used her ability.

She had endlessly absorbed corrupted energy.

They had never given Baeksa even a single day of rest.

‘Could that be why?’

Ever since awakening her ability, she had barely absorbed or consumed anything.

Was that why her ability was running wild?

Worry darkened the little child’s face.

“What if my ability starts acting on its own…?”

Baeksa’s ability was like a huge monster living deep underground.

Once released, even she could no longer control it.

Baeksa was afraid of the monster living inside her body.

Afraid it would escape on its own and ruin the Suzaku clan.

So even after receiving permission to move around freely, she wasn’t happy.

Rather, hiding quietly inside her room might be better.

‘If only this place were that corrupted land.’

Then perhaps Baeksa’s ability would have been useful.

Because her power could absorb corruption.

But this place was the center of the Southern Territory, a little removed from the corrupted zones.

The central estate of the Suzaku clan.

Perhaps because of that, almost no corrupted areas could be seen here.

So the only things Baeksa could absorb here would be the special abilities or powers possessed by others.

For example… the Suzaku clan’s flames.

‘No!’

The moment that thought crossed her mind, Baeksa widened her eyes and shook her head frantically.

That absolutely couldn’t happen.

If she absorbed the flames like she had absorbed Songra’s blessing, she might never be able to return them.

At that point, Baeksa remembered the tiny spiritual bird that had visited her room this morning.

‘Cheep-cheep!’

The tiny soft-feathered creature that had briefly become her friend.

That child didn’t seem to be an ordinary bird but a spiritual creature.

Which meant it surely possessed some special power too.

Then wouldn’t it be better not to meet her?

Her chest felt tight.

As if a heavy stone had been placed over her heart.

Staring silently at her palm, Baeksa remembered something the Emperor had once said:

“Your ability is rooted in greed. I have given such power to you for its proper purpose, so be grateful to me.”

He said it had a proper purpose.

Then am I really meant to devour something no matter what?

If that is my destiny…

The little snake thought deeply before slowly lifting her head.

‘Ah, maybe it would be good if I could use my ability in a way that helps the Suzaku Territory.’

The borders of the Southern Territory were so heavily corrupted that merely touching them meant death, so using her ability at the boundaries was impossible.

But what about elsewhere?

Even where the Suzaku clan lived, the corruption was much weaker than at the borders.

It seemed the beastfolk gathered to live in the least corrupted lands within the Southern Territory.

So perhaps absorbing small traces of corruption within the territory would be okay.

“Okay, I’ll go ask the Clan Head to give me a purpose…”

After making up her mind and nodding to herself, Baeksa rose with a determined expression—

Just then—

“Miss, are you here? It’s Sirang!”

Slide—

Sirang opened the door and smiled brightly at Baeksa.

Then she took the girl’s hand and helped her to her feet.

“Miss, the Clan Head has called for you. He said he’ll be waiting in the rear garden.”

“The Clan Head… for me?”

“Yes. It seems the Physician informed him that you’ve been permitted to move around freely.”

Baeksa blinked with a dazed expression as she took Sirang’s hand and stood up.

‘That worked out well…’

There was something she had wanted to tell him.

The little baby snake’s cheeks flushed pink as she smiled sweetly.