I’m the Youngest Daughter of the Serpent Family
Chapter 18
It was around the time the meal was drawing to a close.
Rosaria stepped into the dining room.
“Wosawia?”
“Irene-nim, I’ve come to fetch you. Did you enjoy your meal?”
“Mm-hmm! I saw Bahawn, too!”
Leaving Kaid’s lap without a single lingering regret, I ran over to Rosaria.
“You met Baharn-nim? Did you greet him as well?”
“Mm-hmm. I did it wike dis.”
When I showed her how I had bowed with my hands over my belly button, Rosaria smiled fondly.
“Since you’ve finished eating, shall we go brush your teeth?”
“Mm-hmm.”
I nodded and took Rosaria’s hand.
Just as I was about to head back to the room, I stopped in my tracks and looked back.
Since it seemed Arvan wasn’t coming back, I decided to make do and say goodbye to the remaining two.
“It was nice to meet you today. …Seth oppa, bye-bye.”
I wiggled my fingers and waved. I knew he wouldn’t wave back, but I tried anyway.
If I keep acting friendly like this, won’t he accept me at least once?
Receiving my greeting, Seth furrowed his brows.
Having made it abundantly clear how much he disliked me, he seemed somewhat taken aback that I kept trying to talk to him.
Next was Kaid.
“…D-Daddy bye-bye, too.”
I mumbled the unfamiliar word, one I had never uttered before.
Feeling my ears grow hot, I covered my face with both hands.
So embarrassing! He wouldn’t hate me just because I called him Daddy, would he?
A timid peek.
I stealthily parted my fingers to peer toward Kaid.
If he looked like he disliked it, I’d just call him by his name from now on.
As I thought that and took a deep breath to calm my thumping heart, a pleasant voice reached my ears.
“All right. See you next time, Irene.”
“…Mm-hmm.”
What a relief. He doesn’t hate it.
A broad grin broke out in relief. Somehow, a ticklish feeling bubbled up inside.
After Irene left.
The two Black Mamba father and son, who guarded their personal space so fiercely that being left alone together made them feel as though thorns might sprout from their skin, remained in their seats.
Following Irene’s surprise address attack, the two couldn’t regain their wits for quite some time.
Though it had been a very small voice, Kaid, with his monstrous physical senses, had heard it crystal clear.
“…D-Daddy bye-bye, too.”
Did Irene have any idea what kind of ripple effect that single phrase had caused?
It was simply astonishing that such a creature could exist.
“You look pleased, Father.”
“You, on the other hand, seemed flustered.”
“Me?”
Seth rubbed a hand over his face.
Seth, who had been staring at the door through which Irene had vanished, furrowed his brow and turned his gaze away.
Having warned her during their first encounter, he had assumed she would naturally be terrified of him, but she showed not the slightest hint of fear today.
Instead, she kept fearlessly crossing the line.
On top of that, she had even smiled, said goodbye, and made her exit today.
Seth did not like Irene’s attitude, which lacked any sense of crisis.
“…Could she be missing a few screws? She’s a strange kid.”
“That’s a harsh assessment. Didn’t you say you received a gift from her?”
“Call that a gift? It was just a piece of paper. I couldn’t even tell what she’d folded.”
Seth recalled the yellow origami paper he had received from Irene.
In the outside world, no one would even call such a crumpled piece of paper a gift.
He couldn’t even remember where he had tossed it.
…Where did I put it?
Did I leave it on the desk? Or… did I throw it onto the floor right then and there?
Probably the latter.
“I don’t even remember.”
“Is that so.”
“…Aren’t you angry?”
“About what?”
When Seth cautiously asked if he wasn’t angry, Kaid asked back.
“You saw how I treated Irene earlier.”
“I did.”
Kaid’s response was strangely nonchalant.
At such an incomprehensibly calm reaction, a flicker of doubt crossed Seth’s red eyes.
Having expected Kaid to reprimand him, Seth looked at him with a slightly bewildered expression.
Because Kaid wore a face that said there was nothing particularly wrong.
“Everything takes time to get used to.”
“…I’m not so sure. I don’t think I’ll ever get close to that child.”
Kaid let out a chuckle.
Silence fell. When it seemed there was no further conversation to be had, Seth rose from his seat.
“Since the meal is over, I will take my leave.”
“Go ahead.”
The moment permission was given, Seth swept out of the dining room.
Watching his retreating figure, Kaid chuckled under his breath.
“Not so sure, my foot.”
If he truly had no interest and disliked her, all he had to do was ignore her from the start.
Yet it seemed he had gone out of his way to warn Irene in person.
To care that much already and claim he wasn’t sure.
Irene’s presence was having a greater impact than anticipated.
To the point where it was almost worrisome whether it might be a bit dangerous.
Kaid recalled the banquet to be held in the near future. It was a banquet where beastfolk from every territory would gather.
He had planned to reveal Irene’s existence there, but…
“Should I show her off, or keep her hidden?”
Kaid fell into deep contemplation as two desires clashed within him.
The urge to boast about her coexisted with the desire to hide her away tightly.
I should have just told them to announce that there were three back then.
A bitter taste filled his mouth when he recalled that day. It felt as if he had shot himself in the foot.
In the end, he remained immersed in troubled thoughts until the moment Baon came looking for him in the dining room.
I was currently in Hestia’s examination room. It was to undergo a simple physical checkup.
They said it was something every child who successfully manifested a human form had to do.
Everyone does it, so I can do it too.
Although Rosaria had explained it thoroughly before I fell asleep last night, I couldn’t help feeling nervous.
While waiting for Hestia for a moment, I looked around the inside of the clinic with wonder.
I hadn’t realized it because she always came to my room, but Hestia truly looked like a real doctor.
“Irene-nim, you may walk around and look around if you’d like.”
“Nuh-uh.”
“You can make yourself comfortable.”
“Iwing is comf’y.”
Holding the baby snake plushie that I had been sleeping with every night recently, I gulped.
There were plenty of other plushies, but this was the one I had chosen in a heartbeat without hesitation.
As the appointed time with Hestia drew nearer, I hugged the snake plushie tighter.
It’s definitely not because I’m scared.
I stared intently at the brown door, which looked exceptionally massive today.
Before long, the door opened, and Hestia entered wearing a white coat.
“Lady Irene, have you been waiting long?”
Too fast!
Watching Hestia be so excessively punctual, I made a tearful face.
“Why do you look so teary-eyed?”
“I think she’s intimidated by the clinic’s atmosphere.”
“There’s no need to be scared, Lady Irene. We won’t be doing anything painful today.”
“Wosawia towd me. Dat dere’s no owies.”
Hestia paused mid-motion as she pulled out the chart. Then she mumbled softly under her breath.
“Owies… The absolute best.”
Tense and anxious about what Hestia, who was muttering to herself, might do, I darted my eyes around restlessly.
Because the clinic had a stiff atmosphere starkly different from outside, I couldn’t help worrying even though I knew I wouldn’t be getting any shots.
Noticing my state, Hestia beamed and leaned down.
I gazed up at her as she met me at eye level.
“Today, we’re going to test your vision, check for cavities, and measure your height and weight.”
“Den is dat all?”
“Yes! When it’s all over, I’ll give you some of my precious chocolates as a present.”
Chocolate!
Seeing my interest piqued, Hestia pointed toward the back.
“Then shall we go over there and stand up?”
“Yeah!”
I’ll finish quickly and get my chocolate!
Guided by Hestia, I stepped onto the stadiometer.
After pressing my heels firmly against the back and holding my breath with a sharp inhale, I heard the sound of the measuring head above shifting into motion.
Where is it coming down to?
I kept my gaze fixed forward, resisting the urge to keep looking up.
Tap.
The measuring head lightly tapped the top of my head and lifted away.
As Hestia jotted down the reading on the chart, a subtle expression fell across her face, followed by a faint tremor at the corners of her mouth.
“…Pfft, ahem. Shall we go over there this time and test your vision?”
“Yeah!”
