I’m the Youngest Daughter of the Serpent Family
Chapter 2
# Chapter 2
……Was that permission?
Could Baon perhaps be completely oblivious?
Still, it worked out well for me in the end, so I supposed it didn't matter.
Standing on tiptoe, I clung to the woven rim of the basket and looked around the room.
I couldn't see much, but judging from just the ceiling and walls, it was clearly a lavish chamber.
I thought back to the man Baon had addressed as "Head of the family" a moment ago.
Bearing such a title meant he led an entire household, which meant this estate belonged to him.
Wait a minute.
A crucial realization struck me late, freezing me in place.
……The master of the house hated me.
It was painfully obvious just from recalling his conversation with Baon.
The man called the Head of the family was deeply displeased by my presence here.
Getting kicked out was only a matter of time.
What should I do?
“……Ppii.”
I covered my eyes. My wings felt damp.
“Are you crying?”
Seeing me like that, Baon asked in wonder,
“Are you hungry?”
“……Ppi.”
I tilted my head, then nodded. That seemed right.
I hadn't eaten a single thing since hatching from my egg.
The moment I realized it, my stomach let out a tiny growl.
Unexpectedly, a flicker of panic crossed Baon's face.
“Hmm. Come to think of it, what do birds eat?”
Wait, hold on.
“Do they eat raw meat? No, I believe that's birds of prey.”
Baon muttered thoughtfully, staring straight at me.
A look that clearly screamed, That won't do.
As unease crept up my spine, I clamped my beak shut.
No way. I'm never opening my beak for that.
Just as my anxiety reached its peak and scenes I didn't want to imagine began flashing before my eyes—
Baon spoke up again, as if struck by an idea.
“Ah. Do they eat bugs? Or insects.”
“Ppiii! Ppiiiii!”
No! Absolutely not!
I shook my head violently in fierce protest.
At my intense reaction, the corners of Baon's lips curled up in a distinctly wicked arc.
He was definitely teasing me.
“I'll go fetch some right away.”
“Ppii. Ppiii! Ppii!”
No! Don't go! Baon!
Watching Baon's retreating back as he walked out of the room, I called after him desperately.
What if he really brings some back?
I collapsed to my knees and reached out with my hands—no, wings. My stubby little wings trembled pitifully.
Out of the frying pan and into the fire.
The future of my avian life looked utterly bleak.
Fortunately, what Baon brought back was a handful of small berries.
The red berries gave off a sweet fragrance.
“There were no other living creatures to be found on the family estate.”
I had no idea what kind of barren land this was that not a single living creature could be found, but thank goodness.
I had genuinely worried he would force-feed me bugs.
“Here, eat.”
“Ppii!”
I began gobbling down the berries packed tightly inside the small container, one by one.
I thought it would be difficult at first, but using a beak turned out to be surprisingly easy.
As I kept eating, I even developed a bit of a technique, allowing me to devour the berries in no time.
“Ppipippi.”
I'm so full.
I patted my round, swollen belly. Having eaten my fill, with warm sunlight streaming through the window, a wave of drowsiness washed over me.
After all, nothing beats a nap after a good meal.
How long had it been since I last had a nap? Being able to fall asleep peacefully without constantly watching my surroundings felt like a dream.
“You look sleepy.”
“Ppii.”
I nodded and flopped down onto the blanket.
A massive yawn tore through my beak.
As I nestled down, dozing off, I suddenly noticed berry juice smeared across my fluffy white down.
“Ppii?”
When did that get on me?
I glanced around and hurriedly wiped myself against the blanket.
Only for the stain to smear into an even worse mess.
“……Ppii!”
When scrubbing several times changed nothing, I kicked the blanket in frustration.
“Oh my, you mustn't do that.”
Baon scolded me sternly. Was he going to lecture me for being ill-mannered?
When I peeked up at him nervously, Baon leaned down. Meeting my gaze, he said with utter seriousness,
“What if you break a leg?”
“…….”
“So you must not kick things.”
Unable to ignore such words, I sheepishly checked my legs.
Wiggle, wiggle.
“……Ppii.”
See? They're totally fine.
I showed him my legs. They were attached perfectly and firmly.
I should be careful from now on, though.
As I smoothed out the blanket, Baon made a strange face. Almost as if he were holding back laughter……
Must be my imagination.
I stared down at the blanket gloomily.
To think I now had to classify a blanket filled with nothing but cotton as a hazardous object.
And here I thought under the blanket was the safest place in the world.
“Starting tomorrow, someone new will be coming.”
“……?”
“Rosaria will assist you with various matters, so you must be good and listen to her.”
I nodded obediently. If someone was coming to help, I had no reason to complain. In fact, it was welcome news.
My goal was to grow up healthy and safe in this household.
And if possible, I wanted to stay here for a long, long time until I could learn how to shapeshift into a human.
In my past life, I had met my end before ever managing to transform.
With any luck, maybe Rosaria could teach me that as well.
* * *
“Hello, little baby. You're far cuter than I heard! My name is Rosaria.”
Early in the morning, Rosaria arrived much sooner than expected.
“Ppi, ppii.”
I greeted her in a daze.
I hadn't expected her to approach me so kindly.
Anyone could see she held immense goodwill toward me.
Feeling a bit flustered, I looked at her shyly.
I had never received help even from the elders of my own clan, so knowing that Rosaria—who wasn't even of my kind—would take care of me stirred up strange emotions.
“Oh my, how polite. You just greeted me, didn't you?”
With thick, wavy red hair and violet eyes, Rosaria clamped a hand over her mouth, overcome with emotion over a simple greeting.
Why was she so thrilled over something so small?
It was as if she had never received a greeting in her entire life.
I had no idea what kind of life she had lived, but this……
Winning her over was going to be a piece of cake.
Riding this momentum, I decided to unveil the ultimate move I had deliberated on all night.
A survival tactic I had honed specifically to win over the household members.
“Ppiii. Ppii!”
The one privilege permitted only to a child.
Namely: the "Hold me, please."
As I stretched out both wings and toddled toward her, Rosaria clutched at her chest.
“Little baby……. Heavens, to think such an angel is the daughter of the Head of the family. I can hardly believe it.”
“Ppip-pi.”
“Oh? You have something on you. Shall we get you washed first?”
Composing her expression, Rosaria pointed to the stains left from yesterday's feast.
I promptly and carefully hopped up onto her palm.
It was time to restore my fluffy down to its pristine state.
Cradling my body with one hand so I wouldn't fall, Rosaria's hand was trembling slightly for some reason.
“How could anyone think of sending such a precious darling outside the territory? Phew, it's been so long since I've handled something so delicate, I'm afraid I might misjudge my strength.”
……I think I just heard something very alarming.
Or did I?
When I looked back nervously, Rosaria beamed brightly.
“Don't worry, little baby. I'm quite good at controlling my strength. I'm nothing like those brutes whose blades fly before their words.”
Which is surely why Lord Baon called for me.
Rosaria declared proudly.
In contrast, my entire body stiffened like a board. I could feel my feathers standing on end from crest to tail.
I was pretty sure I had just heard a statement threatening my very life.
Carrying me into the bathroom, Rosaria began running warm water.
“Since the little baby is still very young, the water should be drawn just slightly warmer than body temperature.”
She seemed to be reciting something she had just read from a book a moment ago.
A deep sense of dread swept over me.
Looking at me, Rosaria offered a radiant, dazzling smile on her gorgeous face.
The defining trait of this family was that every single one of them was breathtakingly attractive, making you momentarily forget harsh reality.
After staring blankly at Rosaria for a second, her next words jolted me back to my senses.
“Now then, shall we hop in? Little baby.”
Mommy. Will I really be okay?
In that instant, I missed Baon like crazy.
