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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: First Steps Outside
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I’d only asked out of concern for his health, but I could feel his unwavering resolve to keep whatever secret he was hiding.
“All right. But you'll still eat the food we made together, won't you?”
“Ye-yes, of course. I'm... looking forward to it.”
...So he could definitely eat normal food. Was it really okay to just let this go?
The water soon came to a bubbling boil, cutting our conversation short.
The stew we'd haphazardly thrown together smelled decent enough, but I tasted it first just in case.
I mumbled to Kivrin, who was waiting for my verdict.
“...W-well, at least it doesn't taste like it'll make us sick.”
As I was trying to brainwash myself into thinking it was a "healthy" taste, Kivrin picked up his spoon.
He scooped up a spoonful of stew and popped it into his mouth, his little chewing motions quite adorable.
Unlike me, who had to fight to control my expression the moment it touched my tongue, Kivrin’s eyes lit up.
“I-it's delicious!”
“...”
Just what had he been eating all this time...?
Instead of feeling touched, I just felt a sense of unease.
“It's delicious... b-because I'm eating w-with you, Cheria.”
“...Is that so?”
He wasn't just saying it to be nice. Kivrin was completely sincere.
I watched absently as Kivrin chewed and swallowed his food.
Though his long bangs covered his eyes, his soft, squishy cheeks, like rice cakes, were on full display.
The scales on his small face shimmered with an unnatural light when they caught the sun.
Kivrin had constantly rubbed at the scales, even in his sleep.
Even though he must have known better than anyone that they wouldn't just disappear.
Kivrin must have felt my gaze, because he looked up.
“I-is my face... bothering you?”
“Because you're cute.”
“C-cute?”
Kivrin looked bewildered.
I gently stroked Kivrin's hair.
“Keep eating. You need to eat a lot to grow taller than me.”
“D-do I have to be taller than you, Cheria?”
“...”
What was I supposed to say to that?
“I-I... I l-like it when you're taller than me...”
“...I'll do my best to grow, too. Let's grow up together.”
Only then did Kivrin break into a shy smile.
After our late breakfast, we settled by the sunniest window.
Before I was transmigrated, I hadn't been the type to enjoy going outside, but being forcibly confined was incredibly suffocating.
Kivrin surely had it worse, yet he was enduring it remarkably well.
I had Kivrin sit beside me as a matter of course and opened a history book I'd brought from the study.
Befitting its thinness, it offered a very concise history of the Kalista Empire.
I read through it with ease.
The original Cheria's memories surfaced as vividly as my own.
Thanks to them, I could read and write, and I even knew about magic stones.
The problem was, I also remembered all too well how the count's family had treated her.
In the count's household, every item fitted with a magic stone belonged to the story's heroine.
And they weren't even that rare among the nobility.
My hand slowed as I turned the pages.
Just as described in , the Nectarian ducal family was still the true power in the empire.
But even a family of their stature had found that isolating Kivrin was the most peaceful solution.
In the empire, snakes were known as cursed creatures.
There was even a legend that the god of the state religion had hunted down a great serpent that had brought chaos to the world.
If Kivrin hadn't been the heir to the duchy, the Temple would have tried to kill him.
That was how seriously the church took anything related to snakes.
It was believed that snakes always traveled in pairs, so if one was spotted, the holy knights would scorch the earth searching for the other.
The emperor, having many ties to the ducal family, had tried to resolve the matter amicably, but the Temple's stance had been unyieldingly harsh.
Suddenly, I heard the strange sound of a bell from down the hall.
“Huh? What's that sound?”
I had practically mumbled it to myself, but Kivrin suddenly shot to his feet.
“P-people are coming soon.”
“Does that bell sound serve as a warning?”
“Yes. B-because I... have to h-hide.”
My brow furrowed.
I closed my book and stood up.
“Then let's go together.”
Not even ten minutes later, the main door opened.
Five maids stormed in, every one of them looking bored to death.
Kivrin and I hid in a corner and watched them.
“I-I'm supposed to be hiding...”
“Shh.”
I gave Kivrin a look and then covered his ears with my hands.
Since the Duchess wasn't with them, it was obvious they would speak thoughtlessly.
“Why do we have to clean this place?”
“I know, right? They should just let it die.”
“I feel so gross every time I come here. It gives me the creeps.”
I kept Kivrin's ears firmly covered as I glanced out the window.
A knight in uniform was waiting in front of the carriage.
He maintained a stiff, formal posture even under the scorching sun.
A stark contrast to the maids, who were laughing and chattering freely.
A new recruit? He looked like he'd only been on the job for a few days.
“The head maid said Her Grace sent a new dress over. She probably wouldn't notice if we took a jewel or two for our troubles, right?”
“What if we get caught?”
“Who cares? That kid's no better than a monster anyway.”
The sound of their laughter faded into the distance.
I lowered my hands from Kivrin's ears.
“Young Lord, let's go take a look outside.”
“Outside...?”
“Aren't you curious?”
“B-but...”
Kivrin hesitated.
The boy must have been told countless times not to go outside.
I held out my hand.
“If you're scared, I'll hold your hand. And if anyone tries to mess with you, I'll punch them!”
“...”
Hey, what's with that look of disbelief?
Still, I figured if Kivrin refused, I'd have to give up on the idea for now.
A small hand reached out toward mine.
He didn't dare to squeeze, merely resting it gently on top of mine, but his intention was clear.
I took the hand he offered and held it tight.
“Good choice. Just trust me!”
We took off our shoes, careful not to make a sound.
After stashing our shoes out of sight, we ran to the main door.
The door wasn't locked.
They must have never felt the need, since Kivrin had always hidden away obediently.
To them, Kivrin was nothing more and nothing less than an obedient monster.
I let Kivrin out first, then followed him.
There was no time to savor the scent of the cool breeze or the brilliant sunlight.
A large shadow fell over us.
“You are not permitted to come outside.”
It was the knight who had been waiting by the carriage.
I was grateful he was at least using polite language, but I could also sense an inflexible, by-the-book attitude.
His crisply ironed uniform, both tunic and trousers, screamed that it was brand new.
Yep, definitely a rookie.
Kivrin squeezed my hand.
*Ahem.* Don't you worry.
I handed a piece of paper to the knight.
“I need something. Please fetch it for me.”
“I believe there are five maids who went inside the mansion.”
The knight's voice was as stiff as his posture.
Since things couldn't get much worse, I spoke plainly.
“Those maids went inside to pick the jewels off my dress.”
“Her Grace selected those maids herself. That is impossible.”
“Then I suppose I must be lying just so I can show the young lord outside.”
I didn't even need to feign a pitiful expression.
Kivrin and I were barefoot and already covered in dirt.
“...I must confirm this. Will you please wait here for a moment?”
“Of course.”
“Do not stray too far.”
His expression said he could catch us easily if we tried to run. And he was probably right.
While the knight went inside, I took my time looking at the exterior of the Snake Pit for the first time.
“Oh.”
It was a beautiful, pearl-colored mansion, belying its nickname, the 'Snake Pit'.
None of the surrounding flowers or trees had withered in the slightest; it could have easily been called Rose Manor or Summer Manor.
As I narrowed my eyes to focus, Kivrin asked.
“W-what's up there?”
“I was scouting out which window would be best to break when we go back inside. That one, on the floor just above the terrace, looks promising.”
“...”
It wasn't very noticeable from down here, and it didn't seem to have a magic stone or anything on it.
With any luck, I might even be able to open the terrace door.
Kivrin stared at me blankly.
“We finally made it outside. Aren't you going to look around?”
It was the middle of a bright, beautiful day. The brilliant blue sky, the lush green grass, the flowers blooming in profusion. It would have been perfectly normal for his eyes to be drawn to any of it.
He should have at least suggested we take this chance to run away, but Kivrin's eyes remained fixed on me.
“I-I'm done.”
“Hmm? Already?”
