The Daughter of the Snake Family

|| Prologue ||

A dark room.

There was a little white egg in the basket placed by itself.

The moonlight shone through the window.

The man, who loosely tied his long black hair together, squatted with a worried face and looked at the egg.

What a strange thing to do.

It’s already been a week since it was supposed to hatch, but nothing has happened.

“That’s strange.”

The Astrophels were very precious, but they never failed to hatch.

They’re a family famous for its powerful vitality…

“…Hm. Are your pheromones deficient?”

The man, who had narrowed his eyes and smoothed his chin, sighed.

It was right to say that there was no hope since it was well past it’s hatching date.

It was then.

A visit was held that would not be tolerated by anyone other than those permitted.

“Baon.”

“… My lord?”

A cold voice came from behind.

He had black hair like the man, but he had an atmosphere that seemed to be more dangerous.

It could be shown in the dark that the flashing red-eyed man was not human.

The cool-looking man stared indifferently at the basket.

“I guess not yet.”

“Yes, it is.”

Tsk.

The man flicked his tongue at Baon’s answer.

That’s it.

He drew his eyes without hesitation.

“The third one won’t hatch.”

It was a cold judgment.

Although his child had not been born, he did not seem to be very impressed.

There’s already two descendants who have hatched.

Baon looked bitterly at the last egg, which had not seen the light of the world.

It was only three months old, but it wasn’t until now when he became attached.

“You were born weak.”

“Good for you. You wouldn’t have been able to do my part even after you were born anyway.”

The man stood in front of the basket.

The feeble wriggling energy was worn out, but it was about to dissipate.

“Tell me that there are two descendants in the family.”

“Yes, sir.”

The man, who was indifferently staring at the egg, turned around as if he didn’t need to see any more.

Because he could no longer feel any energy from the egg.

It was that moment.

Crack.

A miracle happened.

Crack. Crack.

The egg started to move.

Baon opened his eyes wide with surprise.

The man who was about to leave the room also stopped walking and turned around.

Tik. Tik.

He could feel the movement from the inside to the outside in earnest.

A piece of eggshell fell to the floor.

“Really, now…!”

“Yes. It’s being born.”

The man’s eyes narrowed. He could feel a faint life.

Why was the black mamba’s energy so weak?

He didn’t see the moment when the first two descendants hatched, so the man went away for a while, Pii-! He heard a cry.

“Pii-!”

At the same time, there was silence in the room.

“What is that?”

“… It’s a bird.”

A pure white ball of cotton, not even the size of a palm, was flapping its dainty wings.

It was very trivial to peel off the skin on it’s head.

Still, they couldn’t take their eyes off it, so the two men watched it with their breathless eyes on it

The baby bird, finally freed from its shell, seemed to have lost all its strength.

It’s eyes seemed to close at any moment as it began to doze off.

Sure enough.

“Pii…”

It fell asleep with a tingling sound.

It looked amazing.

He couldn’t believe it fell asleep after hatching. For the first time in his life, the man looked at Baon.

Baon had his mouth open with a look of stupidity.

Soon, the man’s mouth twisted upwards.

“Explain, Baon.”

The birth of a baby bird from the Astrophel Family, which symbolizes the black mamba. He needed an explanation.

...The Youngest Daughter of the Snake Family...

...Chapter 1...

The peaceful Astrophel family turned upside down overnight.

This is because an unprecedented event occurred.

It began with an unknown source of mystery.

When I said it looked absurdly small and somewhat short, the little bird hatched and came out.

The cause of the incident had not yet been determined.

Baon, who was in charge of managing the eggs, broke out in a cold sweat.

“Isn’t someone going to feed it to the newborn masters?”

“You must want to be thrown out as their meal instead.”

“It slipped my tongue.”

Baon immediately corrected himself and stepped back. That’s because of his opponent standing in front of him.

Cade Astrophel.

He was the head of the Astrophel family, who led the tribe.

Cade, the head of a tribe who was born with the strongest power in the modern world and the cruel, violent nature in proportion to it.

The atmosphere, with its unique, dangerous energy and red eyes with black hair, were all symbols of the Astrophel family.

He wouldn’t be thrown out as food, but Baon coughed in vain because he knew that if wasn’t obedient, he wouldn’t be able to pick up his bones.

“We looked for pheromones from it’s guardian, but there was no sign of them.”

“Is it abandoned?”

“There’s a possibility. If not…”

Maybe the guardian can’t take care of the baby anymore.

Either way, it wasn’t good news for a newborn baby bird.

It’s as if it had nowhere to go.

“Its slow growth was attributed to poor absorption of pheromones.”

“I see.”

“What would you like to do?”

Baon asked for the disposal of the baby bird.

Cade looked in the basket on the desk.

Even though they were talking about it, a baby bird that hid its beak in its wings rolled its body in a circle and fell asleep without knowing three things.

There was no peace in the world.

It doesn’t even know what awaits it in the future.

The absence of a guardian for a newborn baby meant death.

At least if they were found in another family, they might protect it until adulthood, but it wasn’t protected here.

In the Astrophel family, the weak were not welcomed, which strictly adheres to the wild rules of the jungle.

“Leave it outside of my territory in due course and come back.”

“I understand.”

Baon lifted the basket to carry out his orders with an expression knowing he would.

At the same time, a small head popped up from the basket.

“Pii?”

The baby bird woke up.

It was just waking up and tilting its head as if it were trying to figure out what was going on.

The small plump wings fluttered loosely as if they had not yet properly moved.

Soon after, it was surprised to see its wings and didn’t know what to do.

The appearance narrowed Cade’s forehead.

“You’ve got a small egg, so you must have a slight problem with your head.”

“…. But you’re pretty cute.”

“Nonsense.”

“Do you really want to throw it out?”

At that moment, surprisingly, the baby bird stopped moving.

It seemed to understand what they were saying.

It wouldn’t have been strange if the baby bird was born as a snake, but it was amazing because it was a baby bird.

But it didn’t seem like it could absorb pheromones in its egg.

Given it could understand the language of the tribe to a certain extent.

Baon’s eyes sparkled interestingly.

“Then I’ll throw it out.”

“Pii!”

“Your orders, my lord.

“Pii! Pii!”

His eyes were fixed on the baby bird, and Baon spoke as if he were reading a Korean language book.

Each time the baby bird fluttered its wings in a passionate reaction.

Baon looked over the baby bird once again.

Expectedly.

The faintly felt pheromones were surprisingly smeared with Cade’s.

“I sense your pheromones.”

“I know.”

“… But do you really want to throw it out? It’ll be torn apart as soon as it’s thrown out of our territory.”

“You don’t mean to say you want to raise it in my family, do you?”

The unique shady pheromones were all aglow.

Baon took a step back with a troubled expression on his face at the terrible smell of poison.

“Pii… pii…”

The baby bird was shaking in fear at Cade’s pheromones.

As it entered the quilt and cried in fear, it hesitated and collected pheromones.

“Pii… pii.”

As it looked for someone with tears in it’s eyes, Cade touched his forehead.

It was a widely known fact that if a baby bird follows the person who supplied the pheromones, they would automatically be their guardian.

When his eyes met the baby bird who was scared and crying at him, Cade frowned and waved his hands.

“Do as you please, Baon.”

...*   *   *...

What is this about?

I still can’t believe this happened to me.

Am I dreaming right now?

No matter how hard I thought about it, I couldn’t remember anything. However, I tilted my head at the situation that remained the same.

How am I alive?

Originally, I was living alone in a small area in the east.

I didn’t know who I was. I only knew that I could walk on all fours and had a tail.

Because no one told me who I was. It was the result of the absence of a guardian.

It wasn’t unusual for a young lady to live alone in the east.

Because strong families fought each other fiercely, there were always bloodbaths in the east.

The last recollection I have of my life was barely surviving being chased down by a fierce beast.

I thought I wouldn’t survive, but I can’t believe I’m alive, breathing.

Moreover, when I opened my eyes, I found myself as a bird.

It’s a bird.

I’m a bird.

I was still in shock and tried to cover my eyes, but I saw a small, chubby wing.

“Pii!”

Not this one!

I shook my head round and round. It was so small that it was not possible at first, but I saw a wing anywhere I looked.

I rubbed my face in this fire to escape reality.

I almost lost my mind for a moment with the soft touch of my wing, but I came to my senses again.

What’s happening all of a sudden?

I looked around nervously. Nothing explained to me what had happened.

Besides…

“You’re not trying to raise it in my family, are you?”

No matter what, ‘I,’ am going to be ignored.

Puu.

I sighed and laid down.

I’ve gone through so many things in only a few moments. I just woke up and I’m already exhausted.

Dangle.

I felt myself in a swinging basket and saw a man named Baon.

Where is he taking me?

You’re not really going to throw me out of this territory, are you?

I couldn’t survive on my own with this body.

I have to be alone again as soon as I was born. I feel depressed.

I guess I’m alone again in this life. I must have felt the glare of Baon’s pale blue eyes because ours met.

“Why are you looking that way?”

“Pii. Pii. Pii.”

“I don’t know what you’re saying.”

“Pii pii. Pii pii!”

“If word gets out that there’s a bird here, someone may come to eat you. Like a snake or something…”

Hap. I covered my mouth with my short wings.

As he curled up and looked around, Baon pushed his face close to the basket.

“It’s fascinating. The way you can understand what I’m saying.”

The pupils of his blue eyes were squinted vertically.

I closed my eyes tightly. Oh, my God. It must be a real snake.

I’m a bird, but I guess Baon is a snake.

To a bird, a snake was known as it’s natural enemy, so my hair stood on end.

“It was a joke.”

“Pii. Pii…?”

“You wouldn’t even satisfy their hunger.”

Baon said refreshingly. I swept my chest with relief.

Being a bird really felt like everything was being assimilated.

Now I have to worry about being eaten by snakes as soon as I was born. How miserable.

I was looking down at the bottom of the basket, and Baon stopped walking.

“This is where we’re going to stay. I’m sure it’s fine because my lord gave me permission.”

...END OF CHAPTER 1...

...The Youngest Daughter of the Snake Family...

...Chapter 2...

… He gave permission?

Perhaps Baon was quite slow-witted?

It didn’t seem to matter as it turned out to be a good thing for me.

I lifted my heel and looked around the room, hanging from the knotty basket stem.

It was hard to see, but I could tell from the ceiling and walls that the room was quite spacious.

I just remembered the man Baon called ‘my lord.’

Such a title meant that he was leading a family and that this house belonged to him.

Wait a minute.

I belatedly awoke to the important facts and solidified myself.

… His landlord  hates me.

It was a fact that I could easily tell just by thinking about the conversation I had with Baon.

A man named ‘my lord’ was reluctant to let me stay here.

It was only a matter of time before being kicked out.

What should I do?

“… Pii.”

I covered my eyes. My wings seemed to moisten.

“You’re crying.”

When Baon saw me in tears, he asked strangely.

“Are you hungry?”

“… Pii.”

I tilted my head and nodded. It seemed that way.

I hatched out of my egg and hadn’t eaten anything.

My stomach growled when I realized it.

Then unexpectedly, Baon showed signs of embarrassment.

“Hmm. Come to think of it, what do birds eat?”

No, wait a second.

“Do you eat meat? No, I think that’s what reptiles eat.”

Baon looked at me and muttered as if he was in distress.

This isn’t right. Not with those kinds of eyes.

I squeezed my beak with anxiety rising slowly.

No. I’ll never open my beak.

It was a moment when my anxiety reached its peak and a scene I didn’t want to imagine played into my mind.

Baon opened his mouth again as if he had remembered something.

“Oh. Do you eat bugs? Insects?”

“Pii pii! Pii pii!”

No! No!

I shook my head strongly, refusing.

In my fierce reaction, Baon’s mouth swept up a smile that looked evil.

There seemed to be a lot of intention to make fun of me.

“I’ll get them right away.”

“Pii. Pii! Pii!”

No. Don’t go! Baon!

Looking at Baon’s back leaving the room, I called him anxiously.

What if he really went to get them?

He flung down on his knees and reached out his hand. My short wings were shaking pitifully.

It was like a mountain over a mountain.

I could only feel the distant future of my ancestors.

Fortunately, what Baon brought was a small fruit.

The red fruit was giving off a sweet aroma.

“There aren’t any creatures that can be found on this family estate.”

I don’t know how the land was created that it couldn’t produce any life forms, but it was a relief.

I was worried that he’d tell me I had to eat bugs.

“Let’s eat.”

“Pii!”

I began to eat the fruit one by one, filled with small holes.

At first, I thought it would be difficult, but when I used my beak, it wasn’t that difficult.

As I ate, I developed my skills and was able to eat ten fast.

“Pii pii pii.”

I’m full.

He patted his bulging stomach. I felt like I ate a huge meal, and the sun was shining by the window, so my eyes closed.

Naps were the best way to relax after eating.

How long has it been since I took a nap? It felt like a dream to be able to fall asleep like this without being wary of my surroundings.

“You must be sleepy.”

“Pii.”

I nodded and flopped down on the blanket.

A yawn came out of my mouth.

I was dozing off rubbing my body, and I could see that there was juice on my soft white feathers.

“Pii?”

When did this get on me?

I looked around and roughly wiped it with the blanket.

It got even messier.

“… Pii!”

It didn’t go away after a few wipes, so I kicked the blanket annoyingly.

“Oh, don’t do that.”

Baon severely reprimanded. Don’t tell me he’s trying to scold me for being rude.

At a glance, Baon leaned over. When our eyes met, he spoke very seriously.

“If you break your leg, I’ll be damned.”

“…”

“So don’t kick.”

I glanced at my legs in words that I couldn’t pass.

Wriggle.

“… Pii.”

Look at this, it’s fine.

I showed my legs. They were glued together very well.

I have to be careful from now on.

Baon had a queer look on his face as I flattened the blanket. It’s like he’s holding back his laughter…

Maybe it’s just my mood.

I looked down at the blanket.

Even blankets that contain nothing but cotton should be classified as dangerous.

I thought this blanket was the safest place in the world.

“From tomorrow, someone new will arrive.”

“…?”

“Rosaria will help you in many ways, so be nice and listen carefully.”

I nodded gently. There was no reason to dislike someone who would help me. Rather, it was good news.

My goal was to grow up safe and well in this house.

And if I could learn, I wanted to stay for a long time until I could be humanized.

Because I had to end my previous life without being humanized.

If I’m lucky, wouldn’t I be able to learn that from Rosaria?

...* * *...

“Hello, baby. You’re so much cuter than I heard! I’m Rosaria.”

Early in the morning, Rosaria came to visit much earlier than expected.

“Pii, pii.”

I said hello in a daze.

Because I didn’t expect such a kind approach.

She was obviously treating me favorably.

I looked at her awkwardly with a tingling sensation.

I didn’t get help from the elders of this tribe, but it was strange to see Rosaria, who was not in the same tribe, taking care of me.

I’ve decided to use this momentum to show the lethal moves I’ve been struggling with all night.

It was a skill that was trained to capture family members in their own way of survival.

“Pii. Pii!”

And was advantageable for a young child.

Also known as ‘Hug me.’

Rosaria touched her chest above her heart as I stretched out my arms and approached her while walking.

“Pii pii.”

“Oh? You’ve got something on your feathers. Shall we go wash up first?”

The sneering Rosaria said, covering up the traces of my food from yesterday.

I crept carefully up her palm.

It was time to get back my original soft feathers.

Rosaria, who held my body with one hand as if I would fall, shook her hand for no reason.

“How did he come up with the idea of sending a child out of his territory? Whoo, it’s been a long time, so I don’t think I can control my strength.”

… I think I heard that wrong.

Is it not?

Looking back nervously, Rosaria smiled.

“Don’t worry, baby. I’m good at controlling my strength. I’m not like the ones who go out with swords before horses.”

I guess that’s why Baon invited her.

Rosaria said proudly.

On the contrary, I was stiff. From head to tail, it felt like my hair was standing on end.

I think I’ve just heard a very life-threatening statement.

Rosaria, who brought me into the bathroom, turned on the warm water.

“Because you’re still young, you should take water slightly warmer than your body temperature.”

It was reminiscent of what I had seen in a book.

Anxiety came upon me.

Rosaria smiled at me with a beautiful face.

The distinct features of this family were that their appearances were so good that it made people forget about reality for a while.

After watching Rosaria for a moment, I was brought back to my senses by her words.

“Come on, let’s go in. Baby.”

Mother. I’m gonna be okay, right?

For a moment, I missed Baon madly.

...END OF CHAPTER 2...