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Chapter 47
The next moment, corrupted energy slowly began to flow into Yeon’s body.
The child blinked as she felt the energy.
‘This is different from before.’
When she had absorbed energy in the Imperial Palace, it had felt unbearably heavy and terrifying.
After using her ability, her body would hurt so much that she could not move for two whole days.
But this time was different.
Instead, it felt as though some monster curled up inside her wanted to absorb even more of this corruption.
What in the world was this?
‘Inside me… what is living there?’
Too many things she could not understand had been happening in such a short time.
The only thing a seven-year-old girl could understand was that she could help Hwanya right now.
And that she was hungry enough to want to use her ability.
“What are you doing right now…?!”
Hwanya hurriedly tried to pull Yeon away, but the child continued to hold his hand tightly.
Baek Yeon slowly absorbed the corruption flowing into her body.
The fragmented corrupted energy felt like discarded bad words and bad feelings someone had thrown away.
Like the pieces of cruel words Songra and Yeoryun had endlessly hurled at her.
It felt as though those things had piled up inside Hwanya’s heart and were now flowing into her.
“No, let go…!”
It was the first time Hwanya had ever seen Yeon use her ability. Panicked, he tried to pull her away, but there was nothing he could do.
And not long afterward—
“…Ah.”
Baek Yeon released Hwanya’s hand, now clean once more.
The fingertips that had been stained black had returned to their original color.
‘It worked…’
The child blinked.
I ate everything that was inside.
The moment she realized that, an overwhelming sense of fullness washed over her.
It was different from before, when using her ability only made her feel starving.
Now she felt so full it was almost frightening.
It felt as if her stomach had swollen outward.
The little snake patted her belly and looked toward the marble.
It seemed the marble had grown a little larger after absorbing what had been inside Hwanya.
“You… what did you do?”
Only then did Hwanya set her down on the floor and ask.
He stared at his hand with a bewildered expression.
It was not merely that his hand had returned to normal.
The corrupted energy inside his body had completely disappeared.
Blinking in disbelief, he looked down at himself.
Baek Yeon cautiously covered the marble with both hands and watched his reaction.
“I-I ate it…”
“Ate what?”
“The corrupted energy inside you, Lord Hwanya. I can eat corrupted things. Ah, you don’t have to worry. It really doesn’t hurt at all.”
Baek Yeon hurriedly added the explanation.
Only then did Hwanya remember what he had heard on the day she first came home.
‘The people from Jeokryusan said that the little snake lady’s ability is Absorption. They say she can even absorb corruption! Everyone witnessed the entire area becoming clean. Maybe…’
“…Absorption.”
Hwanya muttered blankly.
So this was the little snake’s ability?
Absorbing corruption?
Corruption was something that could not be dealt with by external force.
It was like a parasitic plant that rooted itself deeply and stubbornly.
At best, beastfolk with exceptionally strong abilities could slowly push it out over time using their own powers.
Everyone else had to live with corruption in their bodies for the rest of their lives.
Staying away from contaminated places could slow its progress, but completely restoring someone to normal was impossible.
And yet she could absorb another person’s corruption this easily?
“This… this can’t be right.”
“…Huh?”
“Are you okay? How can you absorb something like that and still be fine?”
With a worried expression, Hwanya turned Baek Yeon around and examined her from head to toe.
Only then did he properly notice her face.
Her cheeks were no longer flushed with fever.
Slowly, he placed a hand on her forehead.
“…”
“Lord Hwanya…?”
Her fever was gone.
Hwanya murmured blankly,
“The fever’s gone.”
Then he repeated himself.
“How can something like this even happen?”
All of them—including Physician Son and Sirang, as well as Ju Jeokseo, Hwayeong, and Doyi—had gathered in Yeon’s residence.
As soon as dawn broke, Hwanya had come running while carrying Yeon in his arms.
“Father, she ate something strange…!”
Ju Jeokseo had never seen his son so flustered in his life.
After finishing his examination of Baek Yeon, Physician Son chuckled softly.
“My lady continues to surprise this old physician again and again.”
“I’m sorry…”
“There is nothing to apologize for. My lady is perfectly healthy and completely fine.”
At those words, Hwanya immediately frowned.
“How can she be fine after absorbing that much corruption?”
Hwanya knew exactly how much corruption had accumulated inside his body.
It was corruption that had gradually invaded the body of someone whose ability was exceptionally powerful.
The amount was completely different from what ordinary beastfolk carried.
Yet that child had absorbed all of it astonishingly easily.
How could such a thing be possible?
“Yes, she is fine. Completely normal. However…”
“However?”
“The tips of my lady’s hair have become slightly black. I believe that matter lies beyond my field of expertise.”
As soon as Physician Son finished speaking, Ju Jeokseo, Hwanya, Hwayeong, and Doyi all rushed toward the little snake girl and looked at her hair.
Sure enough, the tips of her white hair had turned faintly black.
The person most shocked by this was undoubtedly Hwayeong.
“W-What? Why is this happening? Why did the little one’s hair become like this?”
Startled, Hwayeong gently touched the ends of Baek Yeon’s hair.
The change was still extremely slight.
But because her hair was as pure and white as fresh snow, even such a tiny difference was obvious.
Ju Jeokseo quietly examined the hair before asking,
“Your body has changed, Yeon. How do you feel? Is there anything unusual?”
“Ah, I…”
Baek Yeon hesitated.
“I’m a little sleepy. Like I’ve eaten an enormous meal. I think I might fall asleep again…”
Before, using her ability had left her entire body aching as though she had been beaten.
Now there was no pain.
Only overwhelming drowsiness.
In truth, the only reason she was still awake was because so many people were gathered here.
She was already struggling to keep her eyes open.
As for the change in her hair color—
‘I know why it happened.’
It was because she had absorbed corruption.
Compared to the amount she had absorbed so far, the change had actually come rather late.
There was no way she had absorbed more in the Imperial Palace than she had now.
The moment that was bound to come had simply arrived.
Ever since the day she first came here, she had known this day would eventually come.
But now that it stood before her, she was frightened.
‘What if they think black is ugly, like His Majesty did…?’
The beastfolk of the Vermilion Bird Clan were different from the people of the Imperial Palace.
They were kind, warm, and gentle.
So she knew they would never abandon her cruelly like the Emperor had.
Yet no matter how much she told herself that, she could not stop her heart from racing.
Carefully, Baek Yeon spoke.
“I-I might someday… become ugly while using my ability.”
“What are you talking about?”
“My whole body might become completely black. And when that happens…”
She wanted to say:
Throw me away, or kill me. I will leave that decision to Uncle.
But the words would not come out.
Every moment she had spent here was as precious as a jewel.
She did not want to say such things.
Her hands trembled.
Just as she hesitated, unable to continue—
“If your body turning black means your health is being harmed, then from now on, using your ability is forbidden.”
Ju Jeokseo spoke firmly.
“Your body and mind always come first. Nothing is more important than that.”
Then Doyi carefully spoke up.
“And it isn’t ugly.”
Looking quietly at the little snake girl, he continued.
“There are many people here who have been consumed by corruption. Their bodies gradually turn black as well. But no one calls them ugly.”
Doyi’s voice was calm and sincere.
“And even if that weren’t the reason, no matter what form you take, no one here will ever call you ugly.”
