I’m the Youngest Daughter of the Serpent Family
Chapter 7
“You’re saying she wants to see her guardian?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
Inside the office, where a red banner bearing crossed swords entwined with a serpent hung.
Kaid’s hands paused in the middle of his work.
His crimson gaze, previously fixed on the document, shifted to Rosaria.
“The little baby has been dispirited lately.”
“And so you want me to go see the baby bird?”
“Yes.”
An incredulous expression crossed Kaid’s face.
Having recently been tasked with ‘caring for the baby bird,’ Rosaria had had no official business requiring her to face Kaid.
Yet out of nowhere, here she was, demanding he pay the baby bird a visit.
With that same astounded look, Kaid gestured with his chin for her to go on.
Rosaria continued.
“Her mood swings are severe. She might be playing happily one moment, only to fall into a sudden depression the next. It seems she is feeling anxious due to the absence of her guardian.”
“Anxious, you say. How can you tell? As far as I know, she cannot speak.”
“Ah. Her tail has grown recently.”
“……Her what grew?”
“Her tail.”
At the thought of the baby bird growing by leaps and bounds each day, Rosaria couldn’t contain the twitching smile at the corners of her lips.
“When she is in a good mood, her tail lifts up or wags from side to side.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Her body has gotten bigger, and she has gained weight. Lately, she can even run quite well. Isn’t that remarkable progress?”
It wasn’t actually anything extraordinary, but the way she put it made it sound truly impressive.
As Kaid showed a flicker of interest, Rosaria babbled on without pause, brimming with pride.
Her eyes sparkled as if she had never been worried about the baby bird in the first place.
“The way she calls me has changed too. She is definitely calling my name. She is incomparably gentler than the young masters who only ever call out, ‘Hey!’ And what’s more……”
Growing weary at the prospect of this going on endlessly unless someone stopped her, Kaid raised a hand.
“Enough.”
“……In any case, the point is that I would like the Head of the family to visit occasionally so the baby does not feel anxious.”
“I am busy.”
“I request that you do the bare minimum as her guardian.”
“I believe I recently approved the budget you requested as well.”
Rosaria had requested a considerable sum, and Kaid had authorized it.
He had been as accommodating as he could be.
Yet Rosaria shook her head firmly, insisting that was not enough.
A growing child is sensitive. And sharp-witted.
No matter how many caretakers were by her side, the absence of a guardian was entirely different.
Rosaria was certain that the root cause of the baby bird’s recent mood swings was the absence of her guardian.
“I request that you come see the baby, Head of the family.”
At her fervent appeal, Kaid seemed to deliberate for a moment before unexpectedly nodding.
“Very well. I shall go once.”
“Around when do you plan to visit?”
“Whenever my work is done. So get out, Rosaria.”
Kaid pointed toward the door with a crooked smirk.
It was a clear dismissal.
Frowning, Rosaria reluctantly exited the room.
His workflow interrupted, Kaid put down his pen and fell into thought.
Needing a guardian. Don’t children usually just grow up on their own?
Measuring growth standards entirely against his own childhood, Kaid let out a small chuckle.
“A tiny thing grew a tail, did she?”
That was quite an intriguing prospect.
Blink, blink.
I opened my eyes from beneath the blanket.
It seemed I had fallen asleep while brooding deeply over how on earth I was going to live from now on.
“Peep.”
Sitting blankly while rubbing my drowsy eyes, still groggy with sleep, I looked around.
The room was far too quiet.
What’s going on?
Normally, Rosaria would have greeted me warmly.
Puzzled, I looked around the room and tried calling for Rosaria.
“Peep, peep, peep, peep.”
Silence.
“Peep, peep, peep, peep?”
Rosaria must have stepped out to run an errand while I was asleep. She couldn’t stay by my side all day, after all.
I knew that, but being alone suddenly made me feel lonely.
To think I had to stay all alone in such a huge room. I wriggled all the way out from under the blanket.
When will Rosaria come back?
“Peep, peep, peep, peep……”
As I plopped down on the edge of the bed and dangled my legs, I felt a piercing gaze coming from somewhere.
Huh? What’s that?
Why does it keep feeling like someone is watching me when there’s nobody here?
“Peep?”
I whipped my head up. And gasped in pure terror.
“Pee-eep?!”
“Quite the reaction, as if you’ve seen something you shouldn’t have.”
The landlord was leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed, looking right at me.
Ah, what a fright!
I hurriedly pressed a wing over my heart. Thump, thump—my heart was pounding rapidly.
Of all times, to run into the landlord when I’m all alone!
Seeing my flustered expression, the landlord stepped closer and spoke.
“I was just about to leave out of boredom from waiting, but you woke up.”
“……Chirp!”
“I hear you grew a tail?”
Surprisingly, the landlord knew that my tail had grown.
Rosaria must have tipped him off.
I nodded slowly, backing away with every step he took forward.
As if mocking my retreat, the landlord advanced without hesitation.
Despite the distance, a few strides of his long legs closed the gap in an instant.
I pressed my back tight against the wall and froze.
Wh-what do I do……?
“P-Pee-eep!”
Stay away! You’re scary!
As I glared at him in utter vigilance, the landlord leaned back into the chair where Rosaria always sat.
His unblinking stare was overwhelming.
As I swallowed hard, he suddenly spoke up.
“Turn around.”
“Pee-eep, pee-eep!”
“Rosaria said you were growing, but it doesn’t really look like it. Where is this tail attached?”
The landlord genuinely seemed curious.
Don’t tell me he came all the way here in person just to check that?
He stared at me intently, like someone seeing a tail for the very first time.
I quickly hid my tail.
Why on earth is the landlord suddenly interested in my tail?
His face was so expressionless that it was impossible to read his thoughts.
“Chirp!”
Go away!
I puffed up my body and flapped my wings.
Watching me do that, the corners of the landlord’s mouth curved up faintly.
“Is that supposed to be a threat?”
“Chirp!”
“With just that?”
For a moment, a strange light flickered in his eyes. He was looking at my wings.
Fluffy with baby down and far too short, my little wings were jutting cutely toward the ceiling.
“Intriguing.”
“Pee-eep!”
What should I do?
No matter what I did, it posed not the slightest threat to the man before me.
If anything, it only seemed to pique his curiosity further.
After watching me for a long while, the landlord finally reached out with his terrifyingly large hand.
“Chirp!”
I squeezed my eyes shut tight.
I felt certain he was about to snatch me up completely, leaving me unable to budge.
But even as time passed, I felt nothing.
Huh?
When I peeked my eyes open, the landlord muttered in puzzlement.
“I thought this was how Rosaria did it.”
The landlord was holding his palm out just like Rosaria had done. Don’t tell me he wants me to hop on?
“Pee-eep?”
“Is this not it?”
As I hesitated, he thrust his hand even closer.
“I hear you’ve been lacking energy lately. Why is that?”
Because once I grow up, I’ll have to leave this house.
“I hear your tail droops all day, too.”
“……Pee-eep.”
I had forgotten for a moment. My mood sank on its own.
I could feel my tail, which I still couldn’t control at will, drooping down all by itself.
The landlord gazed down at me quietly, then picked up the snack Rosaria always prepared on the table.
Does he think I’ll just snap it right up if he offers it?
“Eat.”
My beak twitched, threatening to move on instinct. The sweet-looking treat was calling to me.
Still, snacks are delicious. Maybe just a tiny taste……?
Just a taste. The snack is innocent, after all.
I pecked and nibbled at the treat the landlord offered. As we repeated this several times, the landlord opened his mouth.
“You eat well.”
“Peep?”
“Like a dog.”
……Like a what?
I spat the snack right out. It seemed the landlord had made up his mind to start an all-out war with me.
