I’m the Youngest Daughter of the Serpent Family
Chapter 33
“I’ve met those two before, but you weren’t born back then.”
He said, pointing toward Seth and Arvan.
Hearing him say that made it seem like he really was Kaid’s friend.
When I leaned forward with eager curiosity and drew closer, Dante, who had been resting his chin in his hand, sat bolt upright in surprise.
It was as if he hadn’t expected me to approach him first.
Seeing him flustered and pulling back, I puffed out my cheeks.
“Airing was gonna ask for a hug.”
“……Huh?”
“You’re avoiding Airing right now.”
“Ah, no, it’s not like that.”
Dante shook his head, denying it.
When I looked up at him glumly, he let out a long sigh. I noticed his hands fidgeting nervously.
“Kaid. I can’t handle this right now. Help me out.”
“Why should I?”
Kaid coldly rejected his plea for help. He seemed amused by Dante’s flustered state.
I was being completely serious—why was everyone finding this so entertaining?
I put my hands on my hips and looked around, prompting Baon to stifle a laugh behind his hand.
Seth and Arvan were watching Dante with faintly unimpressed looks.
The two of them seemed to understand why Dante was reacting that way.
“Haa. I’m not avoiding you.”
“Den what is it? Airing saw everything earlier. You even sighed!”
“That’s……”
Averting his gaze, Dante looked visibly troubled.
“It’s just that…… I’ve never held a child from another clan before.”
“Huh?”
“Children from other clans are fragile when they’re born…… If I touch you wrong, it might cause physical harm.”
Just how strong was he that a simple touch could injure someone?
Seeing his extreme caution, my curiosity was piqued.
As if reading my mind, Baon provided an explanation just in time.
“Lord Dante is the head of the Icelord family. For your reference, the Icelords are of the Bear clan.”
“Bears?”
“They are renowned for having the greatest physical strength among beastmen. There is even a rumor that a mere brush against them is enough to crush bones.”
Good heavens.
Startled, I clapped both hands over my mouth. When I blinked up at him, Dante quietly looked away.
Just how immense was his strength for rumors like that to arise?
For now, I nodded to Dante, who was keeping his distance, letting him know it was alright.
“Airing knows now, so it’s okay. Unca was just being careful.”
Yet the moment I finished speaking, an awkward silence settled over the room.
The first to break it was Kaid.
“……Uncle. I don’t recall sharing any blood with you.”
“The feeling is entirely mutual.”
Dante frowned, looking like he didn’t even want to imagine such a thing. Then, he suddenly called out to Kaid.
“By the way, Kaid.”
“What.”
“I’ve been wondering ever since I first saw her, but her pheromones feel a bit foreign for a Black Mamba. The egg was unusually small when I saw it before, too—is that related?”
Narrowing his eyes as he examined me, Dante looked over at Seth and Arvan in puzzlement.
Then his gaze returned to me.
“It’s definitely different. I can sense your pheromones, but they’re far too faint. Did she fail to absorb enough pheromones while in the egg? It almost feels like looking at a child from another clan……”
As Dante spoke, his golden eyes widened in shock.
A look of disbelief snapped toward Kaid.
“Don’t tell me…… this child isn’t a Black Mamba?”
“Took you long enough to notice,” Kaid replied with a sneer.
Stunned into silence for a moment, Dante scanned his surroundings before lowering his voice to a whisper.
“Where did you kidnap this child from? I never thought you were that kind of person.”
“You always jump to conclusions like that. She was properly born into my family.”
“That makes even less sense. Given your personality, there’s no way you would’ve left another beastman’s child alone……”
Dante caught himself with a start and clamped his mouth shut.
Knowing full well what he was about to say, I nodded nonchalantly.
“Dat’s right. Airing is a bird.”
“Ah……”
“Does Unca hate Airing because I’m a bird?”
Airing was so happy that Uncle came all the way here to see me, too.
Deep down, I grew terribly anxious that he might say yes.
As I waited anxiously for his answer, Dante suddenly pressed a hand to his forehead and dropped his head.
He sounded even more drained than I felt, muttering in a weak voice:
“This little brat really knows how to mess with a man’s heart.”
“Do you regret coming to see Airing?”
“No. I don’t regret it. You can keep calling me Uncle.”
“Weally?”
“Yes.”
“……Den Airing will keep calling you Unca.”
To wet my throat, which had gone dry from nerves, I picked up the juice sitting in front of me and slurped it down.
Watching me, Dante let out a disbelieving laugh.
“To think the child of another beastman was born safely here…… It’s shocking enough to make someone faint.”
“Ah, I’m marveling at it every time I see her, too.”
“You should know better than anyone that this isn’t just something to marvel at.”
“I know.”
At Kaid’s nonchalant reply, Dante’s mouth fell open in disbelief.
“Many families around us will target her. Especially from the East.”
I held my breath. Target me from the East? Why? As I burrowed into his embrace with worry, Kaid chuckled dismissively.
“Perhaps they will.”
“That’s all you have to say?”
“What else would you have me say?”
“That place is complete lawlessness right now. You know exactly what I mean.”
“And?”
Kaid cut him off with an unwavering expression. His flat, even voice was somehow chilling.
“Who would dare?”
“…….”
“It sounds as though you’re implying someone would actually dare to target Irene.”
I clung tightly to Kaid’s arm, sensing the ominous tension in the air.
In the midst of that atmosphere, Seth, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, raised his hand.
As everyone’s eyes turned toward him, Seth smiled brightly and spoke.
“I understand what you are worried about, Lord Dante. However, we are the type to strike first; we’ve never been on the receiving end of a blow.”
Seth was uttering horrifying words with utter nonchalance.
What was even more shocking was that Arvan, sitting right beside him, nodded in agreement.
What if they grow up and start laying waste to everything around them just because they’re displeased?
As worries began to bubble up, Arvan looked at me and said,
“There’s even a saying: always throw the first punch, no matter what.”
“……Airing never heard of dat saying.”
“What? I thought you were taking lessons from Casana. That was taught on the very first day.”
I couldn’t believe my ears.
Casana taught something like that in class?
Just a while ago, she was putting cute little caterpillar praise stickers on sweet grape drawings!
As I stood there bewildered, Kaid clicked his tongue.
Soon, my hand was lifted up for everyone to see.
“That method won’t do. What if this hand gets even a single scratch?”
At Kaid’s words, every gaze shifted to my tiny hand.
Feeling somewhat shy, I wiggled my fingers, and everyone wore an understanding expression.
“That’s why when you two grow up, you must take the lead in protecting your younger sister. Ah, of course……”
Kaid wiped the faint smile from his face.
“I’ll handle it myself before it ever comes to that, but we can’t rule out any possibility.”
I slid my raised hand out of his grip and hid it behind my back.
Dante, who had been staring at my hand as if spellbound, looked down at his own palm and muttered blankly,
“……In all my life, I’ve never seen a fist that small. They’re usually bigger than that.”
“She has actually grown a great deal. When she first underwent humanization, she was even smaller.”
Baon spoke in a tone that questioned why anyone would be surprised by that. At that moment, Dante subtly backed away, widening the distance between us.
It was a reaction similar to when I had approached him earlier.
Kaid waved his hand dismissively, looking pleased.
“Yes. Back away further, Dante. Better yet, disappear as far away as possible.”