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Chapter 11
Letty helped me get ready, assisting me in putting on my dress and fixing my hair with practiced ease.
I wore a calm blue dress, and she placed a sapphire butterfly hairpin in my hair before neatly arranging my naturally wavy hair at the back.
Apparently, that still wasn’t enough for her, because Letty began braiding my hair strand by strand, saying it would look even prettier.
“By the way, Letty, why are you dressing me up so much today? There’s no party.”
In the mirror, I looked at least twice as dressed up as usual.
It honestly looked like I was going to a banquet… Was there an event I didn’t know about?
“Well, today is the day you’re going out after a long time, miss.”
“…What?”
“…Pardon?”
A heavy silence fell for a moment. Letty froze, startled by my stiff reaction, and I froze right back.
Going out? Me?!
“I’m going out…? Why…?”
“You have a meeting with Lady Hailey today. Don’t tell me you forgot… Miss, please don’t look at me like you’ve never heard of it before!”
“…Huh.”
My mind went blank at Letty’s words.
Oh no. I completely forgot. I was supposed to meet Hailey!
Hailey, the second daughter of the Satin Marquis family, was one of my few friends my age.
I clearly remembered it yesterday, but this morning I had been completely distracted by Mangdeok!
“When… was the appointment again?”
“About an hour from now. I already told the coachman to prepare the carriage.”
Unlike the attentive Letty, I had a serious dilemma. A problem I couldn’t possibly tell anyone.
“What do I do? I can’t leave Mangdeok in my room.”
What if a maid came in while I was gone and found him?
“…That would be disastrous.”
Just imagining it sent a chill down my spine.
But I couldn’t lock Mangdeok up somewhere either.
There wasn’t even a cage tight enough for a small, flexible snake, and the thought of confining a living creature made me uncomfortable.
Honestly, I knew this whole mess was because of my soft heart… but what could I do? That’s just how I am.
Looks like I had no choice but to take Mangdeok with me.
‘No, wait! Are you insane? If I take a snake out and get caught… I won’t be able to escape it!’
But I couldn’t leave him either…
“Letty, can I postpone the appointment?”
“Hmm… You made this appointment half a month ago, so it would be difficult to cancel on the day. Lady Hailey would also be very disappointed.”
Then there was no choice. I had to take Mangdeok.
But how?
Putting him in my sleeve was too cramped.
A handbag? No ventilation—he could suffocate.
‘…Wait. Wouldn’t it actually be better if he died?’
…No, that would look terrible. And he’d suffer.
Then there was only one option.
“Letty.”
If I couldn’t hide it well, I might as well make it openly suspicious. The more confident you act, the less suspicious you look!
“Miss?”
Letty turned to me as she finished braiding my hair.
“I need a sack.”
“A sack? What kind?”
“A loosely woven grain sack. Small enough… something like it could hold a small serpent…”
“…A serpent?”
“Ah, I mean something like a snake…”
“…A snake?”
Letty’s expression slowly stiffened.
Oops. I definitely messed that up.
“Well, I mean… just a small sack. That’s all.”
“Understood!”
Letty quickly left the room.
After she left, I went to my bed and lifted the blanket.
“Mangdeok, I think you’ll have to come with me. Is that okay?”
Beneath the blanket, the white snake—Mangdeok—looked up at me quietly.
“I promise it’ll be safe. If you stay in the sack, no one will know what you are. Just stay still in the carriage. It won’t take long.”
My reputation as House Erbelga’s princess was well known among nobles and even commoners.
If I walked through a crowded square carrying a suspicious sack, there was no telling what rumors would spread.
‘Duke’s daughter seen carrying a mysterious sack—what could be inside?!’
Because of that, I would leave Mangdeok in the carriage while I went out.
At least the coachman would stay, and the carriage bore the Erbelga crest.
Better than leaving him alone in the room.
After listening to me, Mangdeok slowly nodded.
“Phew… glad you understand.”
Outside
“Please be careful, Miss! And that sack… are you really taking it?”
Letty looked worried as she saw the mysterious sack in my hands.
To outsiders, it just looked like something heavy inside.
If people found out it was a white serpent… everyone in the city would faint.
“Yes, I’ll take it. I’ll be back soon.”
I boarded the carriage.
The door closed, and the carriage began moving.
Soon, Mangdeok peeked out from the sack.
“Stay here.”
He obediently climbed onto my shoulder.
He seemed almost… happy.
“So cute…”
I stopped myself.
I couldn’t get distracted.
Then I noticed something outside the window—a hawk flying overhead.
“…A hawk?”
It kept circling the carriage.
It didn’t leave.
And Mangdeok was staring at it coldly.
“…Is it prey?”
“No.”
I pushed Mangdeok back into the sack.
We were almost at the square.
“Mangdeok, stay in here no matter what. Got it? It’s dangerous outside.”
He didn’t answer, but I knew he understood.
I got off the carriage.
The hawk was gone.
“…Was I imagining it?”
Then—
“Ruceline! Over here!”
“Hailey.”
A girl with flowing purple hair waved at me.
“I thought you’d forgotten again! Good job, dummy rabbit!”
“…I never forget.”
I walked toward her, smiling awkwardly, while unconsciously glancing back at the carriage.
Mangdeok… will he be okay alone?
