I’m the Youngest Daughter of the Serpent Family
Chapter 69
“Why didn’t you alert anyone outside when Madame’s condition became critical?”
The sharp question flew at her, but Ella only looked at Hestia with resentment.
“The head doctor said there were two… so I thought it was the last one… Madame was definitely fine until then!”
The room sank into silence.
Hestia’s face contorted with pain.
“…I’m sorry for blaming you.”
And a few days later, Estella’s funeral was held.
Claiming that living with the family had become too painful to bear, Ella fled the South as if running away.
Fortunately, her kin in the East took Ella in.
Though she failed to bring the heir, they judged her useful since she possessed some information on the Astrophel family.
“I can’t listen to any more of this.”
Kaid spoke coldly as he looked down at Ella, who was huddled on the floor, wailing.
“Ha… Who would have thought that child would still be alive?”
Ella’s crazed eyes filled with malice.
“When I told it every night not to be born.”
Durias flinched and hurriedly looked at Kaid.
Currently, Irene was a double-edged sword.
For she had grown up showered with love in the family, yet was deeply tied to Estella’s death.
Yet Kaid merely stared at Ella in silence.
Perhaps Kaid’s affection for Irene had cooled because of this incident.
“What should we do?”
Having watched the situation in silence, Durias asked carefully.
“Keep her alive for now.”
“You’re not feeding her to the beasts?”
“How could I let her die so easily?”
Kaid gave a brief smirk, as he always did.
At the sight, Durias took a step back without realizing it.
Though he had served him for years, he could not even begin to fathom what Kaid was thinking.
Looking down at Ella with an unreadable expression, Kaid seemed exceedingly dangerous.
His pheromones, which should have been raging with fury, were eerily calm.
How could he maintain such rationality?
Kaid turned away without lingering.
“It might be good to pull out the roots of what happened that day while we’re at it. This will turn into quite a big mess.”
“…….”
“So until then, keep her alive no matter what, even if she begs to be killed.”
Bang.
The basement door shut.
Durias let out a sigh and looked at Ella.
She was muttering endlessly.
“It’s not my fault. I didn’t do anything wrong.”
In the face of impending death, she seemed to be losing her mind.
Clicking his tongue, Durias approached her.
Sensing his presence, Ella flinched back and began to struggle wildly.
“Get away! Don’t touch me!”
“Go mad all you want, but doing so right now is rather inconvenient.”
“Let go! Let me go!”
An ear-splitting, desperate scream rang through the basement.
Frowning, Durias struck the back of Ella’s neck with force.
Struck on the nape, Ella’s eyes widened before losing focus.
Thud.
Gagging Ella’s mouth as she collapsed limply, Durias brushed off his clothes a few times and left the basement without looking back.
Today was a truly momentous day. Why, you ask?
“Peeep!”
“You did exceptionally well, Lady Irene.”
Because I had successfully shifted into my beast form to perfection.
Feeling as though I could fly to the moon, I flapped my wings vigorously.
Flap, flap.
Becoming a bird again after so long brought back a rush of memories.
“Peep, peep!”
“Yes.”
“Peep!”
To bask in the joy of success, I rolled around on the grass. Oh my goodness, I really did it. I actually succeeded!
Pop.
Naturally, the first person I wanted to share the news with was Kaid.
I wanted to show him this form as soon as possible. Wouldn’t he praise me and say I did well?
“Well then, since we have to head back, would you please shift back now?”
“Peeep. Peeep.”
Shaking my head, I told her I couldn’t do that just yet.
No way. After everything it took to become a bird again! What if I can’t do it next time?
At my firm refusal, Casana replied with amusement in her voice.
“Since you say so, My Lady, understood. We shall end the lesson here, then.”
“Peep.”
First, I’d show Kaid and secure his definite permission to go out.
I clenched my wings tightly.
I strutted down the dirt path with an air of majesty, stomping my little feet energetically.
A swelling sense of exhilaration filled my chest.
The already enormous trees looked even taller now that I was a bird. It might sound silly, but it felt like entering a world of giants.
“Lady Irene.”
“Peep?”
“Are you not uncomfortable?”
“Peep-peep. Peep-peep.”
Before I learned to shift into a human, it was terribly inconvenient, but knowing I could change back made it completely fine.
Still, at this pace, it felt like I wouldn’t reach the entrance even after ages.
My little legs might start aching, too.
I stopped in my tracks. Following behind, Casana looked at me inquisitively.
“Peep, peep.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
“Peeep.”
I stretched out my wings toward Casana, asking her to pick me up.
Looking bewildered for a moment, as if she didn’t grasp what I meant, she soon extended her hand down to the ground.
Just as Rosaria used to do for me.
“Peep.”
Having landed safely on her palm, I found a comfortable posture and plopped down.
Ah, so cozy.
A wave of drowsiness washed over me, and I gave a long stretch.
I hadn’t realized it before, but being in my beast form felt somehow more mentally soothing than being in human form.
Perhaps it was because my original, true form was that of a beast.
In fact, they said returning to one’s true form sped up the recovery of an injured body or depleted pheromones significantly.
“Are you comfortable?”
“Peep.”
Feeling the gentle breeze rustle by, I took a deep breath.
To Casana, she was simply walking, but to me, it was like the wind rushing past.
“Shall I take you straight to the Head of the family like this?”
“Peep!”
That would be wonderful for me. I nodded right away.
As we emerged from the forest, dazzling sunlight poured down.
In just a few days, summer would officially arrive.
Shielding my eyes from the blinding glare with a wing, I noticed Casana suddenly halt.
“Peep, peep?”
The moment I chirped at Casana, the heavy sound of massive iron gates opening reached my ears.
Could it be… the mansion’s main gates are opening right now?
Unable to believe it, I rubbed my eyes.
The gates, easily several meters tall, were slowly parting.
It was a sight I had never witnessed before.
Because the main gates only opened when guests arrived or when the Head of the family or direct bloodline went out.
All the retainers used other passages instead of the main gates.
Which meant whoever was entering through them now was an important guest invited by the family.
Just who could it be?
I looked up at Casana. Her eyes showed a hint of surprise.
Seeing that only made me more curious.
“Lady Irene.”
“Peep?”
“It seems you should greet them.”
Greet them? The people coming in through there?
As the gates opened completely, a man and a woman came into view.
A beautiful woman with long, straight dark-crimson hair, and beside her… stood a stalwart-looking man with black hair and red eyes.
I tilted my head at their appearances, which looked strangely familiar.
How strange.
I was certain this was my first time seeing them, so why did they feel so familiar?
“Nothing here has changed at all.”
“Doesn’t it bring back memories? I find it so comforting, like coming back home.”
Having gazed at the mansion before the gates for a moment, the woman took a step inside.
Unlike the man, who seemed rather unimpressed, the woman appeared thoroughly excited.
At the appearance of the two, Casana shifted direction and began walking.
Toward where the man and woman stood.
Flustered, I called out to Casana.
“Peep. Peep-peep?”
“There is no need to worry, Lady Irene. Those two are people I know very well.”
Just who are they?
As the distance closed between us, I clung tightly to Casana’s hand.
And then…
“Oh my?”
“…….”
Two pairs of eyes turned toward me.
At the same time, Casana respectfully greeted the two.
“Welcome. Ian Astrophel-nim, Helena Astrophel-nim.”