A Snake’s Life Ch 108

Chapter 108

I followed Casa’s guidance and headed to Aiden’s palace. Just as Zerpell had moved palaces, it seemed Aiden had done the same. What was surprising, though, was how close it was to Zerpell’s palace.

So Aiden moved his palace too… I turned to look at the palace that now belonged to Zerpell—the palace said to be inhabited by the emperor alone.

‘I didn’t ask because it felt awkward to bring up, but as I thought… did the empress die? The master became the emperor, and…’

I’d only heard that the emperor had voluntarily abdicated; I didn’t know what became of either the emperor or the empress.

The image of the emperor, who had a poor relationship with Zerpell, came to mind unbidden. Still, it seemed like he got along well with Aiden.

Because Aiden had always liked Zerpell.

According to Kir, Aiden had returned to his weaker, former body. When I arrived, a familiar-looking maid approached me. She said she had been waiting for me and bowed her head.

Then, she led me to Aiden’s room. When we arrived, I saw Kir leaning against the door.

“Huh? Old man?”

“You’re here? You’ve finally changed.”

“You looked human last time too, so I guess you’ve realized it’s more comfortable being in human form.”

The image of Kir, who always insisted on staying in his snake form, came to mind naturally. Kir ignored my words lightly.

“More importantly, didn’t you come to see Aiden?”

“That’s right.”

“Then come in.”

Kir opened the door for me. It seemed he had sensed me approaching and had come out to greet me.

Once inside, I saw Aiden lying on the bed. His complexion looked a little pale, but not as bad as I had worried. Aiden’s face lit up as soon as he saw me.

“Shuiren-hyung!”

“Aiden!”

I hugged Aiden tightly, whom I hadn’t seen in a long time. And I was surprised. As they say, children grow up quickly—he had gotten much taller. I placed my hand on his head.

“You’ve really grown tall.”

“You can tell?”

Aiden’s joy at being told he’d grown was written all over his face.

“I’m sorry. I came way too late, didn’t I?”

“It’s okay. I heard from Kir-hyung. I’m just glad you’re doing well with your older brother.”

“Hyung?? You’re calling that old man hyung?”

Kir furrowed his brow as if wondering what complaint I had, while Aiden looked at him with innocent eyes, then turned to me.

“Didn’t you hear his age?”

“Yes, I did, but it doesn’t feel real. And calling someone with that face grandpa is just…”

Ah, well, he does look young on the outside… I guess calling him grandpa would be a bit pitiful…

I sat down on the edge of Aiden’s bed. We talked about everything we hadn’t had the chance to talk about until now.

Eventually, the topic of the former emperor and empress came up. I skillfully tried to steer the conversation away from it because I had no intention of asking.

But Aiden brought it up himself.

“Did hyung hear from my father… and mother?”

“Hmm…? No… I didn’t really ask…”

“Then you probably don’t know. My mother… was also someone who was supposed to be punished by the Water deity. I really had no idea that the medicine I was taking was like that… So…”

I quietly listened to Aiden. When I glanced sideways at Kir, his expression didn’t look good. I wriggled my hands and gently covered Aiden’s mouth, who was hanging his head like a child who had done something wrong.

“Aiden, if you’re about to say sorry or that it’s your fault, then don’t. Okay?”

“…Mmph… mmph…”

Since I didn’t take my hand away, he just made muffled sounds. But his expression clearly showed he was disagreeing with me.

“It’s okay. Old man, tell Aiden not to worry about it.”

“I’ve told him many times. He’s just not listening.”

I gave Aiden a scolding look, like there was no hope for him, and lightly flicked my knuckle against his forehead. “Ouch…” he said, covering his forehead with his hand. But he quickly burst into laughter.

“I knew it… I knew hyung would say that.”

“Then you shouldn’t think it was your fault!”

Aiden giggled and said, as if finally relieved,

“I’m really glad you came back.”

I blinked slowly. Wait, did he think I wasn’t coming back?

“There’s no way I’d leave you guys behind.”

“Right? Really… I’m so relieved.”

Whatever it was that made him feel that relieved, Aiden looked like a weight had been lifted from him. Even Kir beside him nodded in agreement.

“If you’d come back any later, who knows what might’ve happened.”

“Huh?”

“I’m sorry…”

Why was Kir grumbling and Aiden apologizing?

I looked at them with confused eyes. Kir clicked his tongue. As always, he had a flair for it.

“There’s someone who would’ve thrown a fit if you didn’t come back. You slept for a whole year and now your brain’s gone dull?”

“You mean the master?”

“Hyung was… kind of like that, wasn’t he?”

“‘Kind of’?!”

Kir’s loud voice echoed thunderously. I flinched without even realizing it. Kir, who had been shouting with a raised voice, crossed his arms and sharply turned his head.

Aiden looked clearly uncomfortable. Even he couldn’t defend Zerpell.

“What? What on earth happened?”

“Well… hyung was a bit rough with Kir at first.”

Aiden awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. He looked reluctant to talk. What the heck did he do? Then Kir exposed everything.

“‘A bit rough’ is an understatement. That human bastard tried to imprison me… such shamelessness. And since you weren’t coming back, he started dragging in priests one by one and forcing them to pray. He even threatened the Water deity, saying he’d kill me if it meant bringing you back.”

“…”

He stomped his feet, saying he was still angry.

I naturally turned to look at Aiden, and he avoided my gaze. So what Kir said was true???

“…Ah… uh… sorry.”

“You have nothing to apologize for! You should be cursing that human bastard instead! Well, he did stop after you returned…”

Still, it had only been a few weeks ago…

The fact that it went on for a whole year was absurd, but it also made me feel good, knowing he’d waited that long for me. But I held back a smile, knowing I’d get scolded if I laughed.

“…Are you laughing?”

But there was no avoiding Kir’s gaze. His voice and expression were filled with disbelief. I could hear the words of a man lamenting how his life had turned out this way.

“Jeez… fine, do whatever you want.”

Kir threw up his hands and plopped down on the bed. Aiden glanced around, then said,

“Hyung might’ve been a bit much, but it was all out of love!”

Aiden stared at me with an exaggerated tone and gave a sly grin.

“There’s been a lot of talk about the wedding, but hyung firmly refused until now. That’s why the ceremony was finally decided this time, right? I’m really looking forward to it.”

“You’re looking forward to it?”

“Yes!”

Didn’t Aiden see the coronation? What’s there to look forward to? I looked puzzled. But Aiden’s eyes were sparkling with excitement.

“Tell the master. It has nothing to do with me.”

But then a strange silence fell. When I looked up, everyone was staring at me like, “What are you talking about?” Aiden’s eyes rolled around nervously.

“Uh… so… hyung is the groom, right? It’s not like hyung is marrying someone else… right?”

Aiden mumbled with a very serious expression. Then Kir let out a deep sigh and asked me,

“You’re not the one getting married?”

“Uh… I just said I wanted to see it. He said he’d do it for me… Why? Is something weird about that?”

I looked around, confused. Kir placed a hand on his head, exasperated, and Aiden, though trying to keep a straight face, looked completely dumbfounded.

“Your brain really has turned to mush… I don’t want to be caught in the middle of your relationship.”

Kir cut in firmly, drawing the line.

What is this…? This sense of déjà vu? I realized I had misunderstood something—something really important.

I pressed Aiden for answers, thinking he’d at least explain.

“What? Did I get something wrong??”

“The ceremony… is soon…”

“Well, it’s not like you don’t love each other. How can everyone else know and you don’t? Everyone’s been talking about your wedding like crazy.”

“Our wedding?”

I repeated, completely baffled. Then Kir nonchalantly spoke, as if wondering what I was even talking about.

“Yeah. Didn’t he say it would be held publicly?”

I nodded blankly. I had said that.

But was I wrong? I wracked my brain. Even Kir aside, Aiden was smiling awkwardly.

Then there was a sharp ringing in my ears. “Your wedding.” And then Camilla I’d just met, and the words Zerpell had said came to mind.

Camilla had called me a precious one, and Zerpell said I was now becoming a precious person to the empire. Officially.

“What, do you seriously not know? Or are you pretending? I’m talking about the wedding.”

“W-wedding?!”

“You really didn’t know?”

I was so flustered that I stammered. That ceremony?! I was so shocked, my jaw dropped and wouldn’t close.