A Snake’s Life Ch 72

Chapter 72

 

“What did you say?”

Until the very end, he didn’t let go of the itinerary. And at the same time, he never let me see it. Whenever I tried to sneak a peek, he would cover it up with his chin. Just how amazing is this place he’s trying to take me to? He answered my question a moment late.

“I asked who’s going. You said we’d go with as few people as possible, didn’t you?”

“A few guards, a couple of maids and attendants will suffice.”

“Then for guards, since Casa is busy… For me, Paul and Wall are enough, but isn’t Cedric the captain? Can he even come? Someone has to protect the master. I doubt the Pope invited us with good intentions.”

Casa, who never seemed willing to leave my side, had suddenly vanished one day. He only left a note saying he was carrying out Zerpell’s orders. When I asked Zerpell about it, he said he had assigned Casa another duty due to a shortage of manpower. I had other guards, so I was fine, but Cedric was his only knight. And he was the captain. Wouldn’t it be dangerous if the captain left his post?

“Are you suggesting someone would harm me?”

His tone showed absolute confidence in his own safety. I snapped back at him. That’s called being blind to danger!

“How would anyone know! There could be danger! Just like how the master protects me… I’ll protect you too.”

Zerpell let out a soft chuckle. Was that his way of saying he didn’t believe me? His eyebrows slightly furrowed as he brushed aside the fringe of my hair. He looked at me with eyes that said I was adorable. He may have been touched by my words, but he didn’t seem convinced. Though I gave him a sulky look, at least he gave a reply that made me happy.

“Thank you.”

What does he take my abilities for? Just because he hadn’t seen how much I’d improved! Well, I did mostly show him my abilities like it was child’s play…

“But don’t worry. Cedric is coming too.”

“That’s a relief.”

Only then did I feel a bit at ease.

That night, I was so excited I couldn’t sleep—as if I were a child going on a field trip. I only managed to fall asleep at dawn. When I woke up, the morning sun had just risen. Considering my usual waking time, this was unheard of. Unlike the past days when I would just blink blankly on the bed after waking, I was bustling with energy.

“Master! Let’s go already!”

“Alright, let’s get ready first.”

Once we finished preparing and stepped outside, the attendants were loading our luggage into the carriage. I heard one of them yawn as they worked. It was earlier than scheduled. I had probably hurried everyone along in my excitement. Feeling a bit embarrassed, I scratched my head.

As Zerpell had said, the people leaving the palace included him, me, his knight, and a few attendants. Ian, who had come to see us off, couldn’t seem to shake off his worries and nagged like a mother, specifically targeting me who was excitedly bouncing on my feet.

“Don’t go wandering around recklessly just because you’re excited to be out of the palace. Especially, don’t stray from Lord Shuiren’s side.”

“Yes, sir~”

My playful tone didn’t inspire much confidence in Ian, and he opened his mouth to say more—but Zerpell’s words stopped him.

“Ian, that’s enough nagging. We’re running late.”

“Your Highness, please also don’t forget the order of priority in your duties.”

“I won’t.”

Ian stood there, unmoving, watching us leave. I stuck my hand out the carriage window and waved. The journey was far from smooth. Not because of the weather or our destination—solely because of me. Zerpell was gently patting my back.

I was terribly carsick. The roads within the palace were neatly paved, but that was no longer the case. Once we left the capital, dense forests lined the road, and the uneven terrain made the carriage bounce and sway. Groaning in discomfort, I leaned against Zerpell.

Unable to endure it any longer, I shouted “Stop!” and threw up what little was left in my stomach. At that point, only bile came out. Even though I told him to move away because of the smell, Zerpell kept rubbing my back.

“There’s still some distance left to our destination…”

His murmured words made my vision spin and my face turn pale. The moment I got in the carriage, I knew what state I’d be in. Shaking my head in despair, I looked hopelessly toward him.

Zerpell seemed pained by my suffering as well. Inside the carriage, there were blankets and cushions prepared, and the windows were large to allow proper airflow. I could see the thoughtfulness in every detail. But no matter how thoughtful, it couldn’t beat my motion sickness. Just as despair was about to consume me, a great idea popped into my head.

“Master! Let’s go. I’m all better now!”

“…Are you sure? You don’t need to push yourself.”

“No, really. I’m fine.”

As I perked up all at once, Zerpell looked at me with suspicion, as if I was forcing myself. I grabbed his hand and led him back to the carriage. Humming a tune, I walked confidently. Even when he asked several times if I was okay, I nodded, telling him not to worry.

Cedric, who had been waiting, saw us. He too looked at me with concern. It made sense—after all, I had leapt out of the carriage the moment it stopped. Cedric checked my complexion and asked,

“Shall we depart now?”

I nodded vigorously. Then, whistling nonchalantly, I climbed back into the carriage. I patted the seat next to me, motioning for Zerpell to sit. As soon as he did, I leaned against him and placed both hands on my stomach.

“Are you really alright?”

Instead of answering, I showed him my hand. He looked flustered at first, but then seemed to understand my intention.

“Good idea, right? Nothing’s worse than being sick on a trip. If you ever feel unwell too, tell me. I’ll heal you right up.”

Just like before, I gathered divine power and placed it on my abdomen. Proud of my cleverness, I arrived at the village without any issues. We stayed at an inn and resumed our journey each morning in the carriage. We repeated this a few times, and by the time I grew tired not from nausea but from boredom, we had arrived.

Stretching out my stiff body, I took in the fresh air. The moment we reached our destination, I saw shabby houses before me. It was clearly different from the other villages we had seen.

“…Is this the place?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Tch. Who’s the lord of this region? I’m sure they received aid…”

Being far from the capital, traces of war damage were visible here and there. On closer inspection, it seemed the houses had been partially burned.

“Divine Envoy!”

A priest ran toward me, calling out. The hem of his robe was stained with blood. The stark red stood out clearly against his white clothing. He greeted us with a smile. He didn’t seem hostile. Given that I had rejected the temple, I expected a disgruntled or unfriendly face. Contrary to my expectations, he bowed politely to both me and Zerpell.

“It is an honor to meet you. I am Reute.”

As I glanced around, I saw priests in white robes briskly moving about. Though he had a pleasant expression, Zerpell remained cautious, stepping in front of me and speaking coldly.

“Where is the Pope?”

“Ah, His Holiness is with the patients. Please, follow me.”

We followed him deeper into the village. The people here were in a miserable state. Their clothes were torn or worn out, and they looked emaciated from lack of food. Seeing their gaunt faces filled me with concern. That wasn’t all. Some were missing body parts. While I flinched at the sight, Zerpell didn’t even blink. It seemed this was a familiar scene to him.

I composed myself, making sure not to overreact. I thought that if I looked shocked, it might hurt the people here.

“This way.”

From inside, we could hear coughing—it seemed to be the sick ward. When we stepped inside, people of all ages and genders were coughing incessantly. Some were even coughing up blood. Beneath a flimsy tent that barely kept out the elements, the sick lay haphazardly. Hygiene wasn’t even worth mentioning. Cleanliness was crucial in places like this… It was to the point where you might catch a disease just by being there.

The priests tended to the patients with utmost care. And it wasn’t for show—they were genuinely worried. I thought to myself, this is unexpected. Having seen the Pope and the priests before, I hadn’t expected them to involve themselves in such matters.

Then I saw the Pope—and the swelling emotion in my chest vanished in an instant. He and the priests near him had not a single stain or crease on their robes. It was a stark contrast to those caring for the sick. As expected, those at the top are the real problem.

The Pope approached with the same benevolent smile as before. His expression was like that of someone seeing a long-lost loved one, and my face twisted with revulsion. I quickly hid behind Zerpell. Yet the Pope did not lose his gentle smile. Truly, he was consistent.

“Thank you for setting foot in such a humble place. As you can see, the situation is dire.”

“I see. It must be difficult.”

“Not at all. It is my duty.”

“…Let’s move elsewhere for this conversation.”

Zerpell looked around as he spoke. This wasn’t the place to talk.

“Very well. Let us go to the church.”

Not long after we stepped out of the tent, we saw the church. While the other houses were broken or crumbling, the church stood firm, bearing only a few cracks.

“The church’s still standing, huh…”

“It must be due to the believers’ faith, don’t you think?”

Do they think everything that comes out of their mouths is truth? Wearing a sarcastic smile, I tried to enter—but stopped in my tracks. Zerpell turned back when he noticed.

“Shuiren?”

“Is something wrong?”

“Huh? Oh… no, nothing…”

I froze without realizing it. Why? Even I was startled by my reaction. Zerpell asked again if something was wrong, but I waved it off and followed inside, puzzled by my own behavior.

As soon as I passed through the door, the difference was stark.

Inside was spotless—not a speck of dust. The contrast with the outside was shocking. Even the wallpaper had been perfectly restored. It looked like a newly renovated building. I glanced sideways and saw the Pope walking with ease. I could roughly guess what they did the moment they arrived. In a separate room, refreshments and tea were already set out.

Zerpell, too, must have noticed. His gaze sharpened. The Pope ignored that piercing look and casually gestured for us to sit. As soon as he did, Zerpell slowly curled his lips into a cold smile and spoke with a chilling tone.