A Snake’s Life Ch 28

Chapter 28

 

“This is seriously ridiculous. They don’t have a single thing better than my master and still tried to tempt me? What a joke.”

Where did they even get the courage?

Grumbling, I headed toward Zerpell’s office. I was going to show him the latest results and tell him what had just happened. Make way! Standing in front of the office door, I flung it open and went inside. The knights standing guard at the door didn’t stop me. Casa stood beside the knight at the door. Ian turned his head in surprise at the sound of the door opening.

“Master! I’m here.”

Zerpell placed the documents he was holding onto the desk. I heard Ian let out a small sigh. Zerpell shoved the papers far aside as if he had no further intention of looking at them. Ian began gathering the scattered papers.

“Come here.”

He always says that—“Come here.” Every time he sees me. Not that I mind. I trotted over as he gestured. I perched myself on the edge of his desk.

“Your Highness, I’ll come back later.”

Ian tactfully collected the documents he brought and quietly left. I looked toward the door Ian exited through and then turned back to Zerpell. Though I’d boldly come to his office, there was no urgent need to speak immediately.

“Are you busy? Should I tell you later in your room?”

“It’s fine. What was I doing again?”

“Before I came here, I ran into the Pope.”

“What?”

One of Zerpell’s eyebrows shot up. He tapped the desk with his fingers, making no effort to hide his displeasure.

“That’s strange.”

He muttered in passing that he had taken measures to keep him from entering the palace. Zerpell clicked his tongue. A chilly atmosphere began to build. I spoke up to correct his assumption.

“I saw him on the road to the palace. He said he saw me passing by and wanted to say hello, but he just went on and on with nonsense…”

“Did Casa not stop him?”

If I said this wrong, Casa might get chewed out later. Getting scolded by your boss is always annoying—I’ve been there too. I was the one who stopped him. I told Zerpell what had happened truthfully and then poured out my frustration.

“He asked if I’d come to the temple. It’s obvious he has no plans to give up easily. But I’m staying with you! So I told him off, loud and clear!”

He smiled in satisfaction and gave me a light kiss on the forehead.

“Well done.”

“It’s… nothing, really.”

My face flushed from the kiss. I fanned myself with my hands. I should be used to this by now, but somehow I never get used to it. As I avoided his gaze and focused on cooling my face, Zerpell spoke.

“So what exactly did that man whisper to you?”

Zerpell asked with his usual smile, but his eyes were sharp, scanning every bit of my reaction. Still dazed, I recounted the Pope’s proposal.

“He said stuff like, isn’t it suffocating to stay in the palace all the time, and bragged about how much donation money they have. But what’s the point? You’re richer, right? And he said I should travel? It was so obvious he just wanted to use me—I rejected him right away!”

I puffed out my chest proudly as I spoke. Normally, this would be the moment for a pat on the head, but nothing came. When I didn’t feel his hand, I glanced over at Zerpell. He was resting his chin on his hand, lost in thought.

Did I say something wrong? I retraced my words. Was it too much talk about money? Or was it because I said I didn’t want to work? But Zerpell was the one who told me I didn’t have to work. Not knowing what was wrong, I tugged at his collar.

“Master?”

I looked up at his face. With a slightly troubled expression, he patted my head. It felt like his hand and mind were moving separately. I’d been patted by him enough to know—his touch was 2% off.

“Have you been feeling stifled? Perhaps I’ve only been thinking of myself.”

“N-No! I actually like it just the way it is!”

He must’ve been worried that I was feeling trapped. I got nervous for nothing.

Finally, Zerpell’s pat returned to the way I liked it. As I basked in his touch with a silly smile, I remembered the Pope’s attitude. When I said something about the wicked one, he definitely looked flustered. I clearly saw a strange glint in the Pope’s eyes.

“Master. Actually, I heard Su-shin’s voice the other day.”

“You mean during the rain ritual?”

“Yeah. He said the reason it wouldn’t rain was because wicked ones were stealing his power.”

If only he’d tell me who! Even for a god, he’s useless. Just gives me headaches. I heard a sigh in my head, but I ignored it. I tugged Zerpell’s arm and brought my mouth close to his ear. Like sharing a secret no one else should hear, I looked around and whispered quietly.

“When I probed the Pope today, it seemed like he was involved. His expression hardened for a moment.”

Contrary to my expectation that he’d be deep in thought, Zerpell covered his mouth and chuckled softly. I glared at him in irritation.

“Sorry, Shui Ren. Your breath tickled. Stop. But… that man, huh.”

I was trying to advise him! I mean, I did whisper, so maybe it tickled… I rubbed my ears vigorously, suddenly feeling itchy.

“I’m just glad nothing happened to you.”

“Don’t worry! I can hold my own when I need to!”

I thumped my chest proudly with a clenched fist. Zerpell gave a faint smile and gently brushed my bangs aside.

“I see.”

He looked at me with pride in his eyes. I swelled with satisfaction.

Now that I think of it—what the Pope said earlier… Zerpell didn’t seem to be in a bad mood right now. I should ask what I was going to earlier.

My resolve to learn more about the Pope’s business firmed. Who was he to tell me about my master’s circumstances? I was annoyed that I hadn’t strongly refuted his comment about Zerpell’s situation.

I glanced at Zerpell, gauging his mood.

“Do you have something to say?”

I looked straight into his golden eyes.

“Master. Why are you and the Emperor on bad terms? He’s your father, isn’t he?”

Zerpell’s eyes widened slightly in surprise at my sudden question. It felt awkward, like I was prying into his family matters, but it was something I had to know. His eyes darkened deeply.

I swallowed dryly from the tension. I had already asked, but I wasn’t sure if I should be hearing this. Zerpell smiled faintly and said,

“Well… I suppose you have the right to know. I’ll tell you.”

He pushed his chair back and pulled me onto his lap. The chair creaked under our combined weight. Resting his chin on top of my head, he began to speak. The weight above my head made my chest feel tight. I quietly waited for him to continue.

“Hmm… Where should I start…”

He paused in thought, then continued.

“You saw my mother last time, right?”

“She was beautiful.”

“Yes, she was a beautiful woman. My mother was brought in as a consort for the commonly spoken reason of producing an heir. You know Aiden has always been weak, right? The Empress was the same. She was too frail to conceive. The Emperor loved the Empress deeply, so he never took a concubine, but as time passed and no heir was born, the pressure from the conservatives and neutral nobles grew. That’s when my mother became a consort and gave birth to me. But then…”

“Aiden was born…”

“Exactly.”

He answered in a gloomy voice. Aiden was an exceptionally adorable child, but how must he have appeared to Zerpell? I wanted to see his expression, but I couldn’t look up because Zerpell’s chin was pressing firmly on the top of my head. It almost felt intentional, like he chose this position on purpose. All I could perceive were his steady, unhurried heartbeat and his flat, emotionless voice. Zerpell spoke in a calm tone.

“Aiden’s frailty allowed me to remain Crown Prince. But the Emperor didn’t want to pass the throne to an unwanted son—he wanted to give it to his beloved child. So, I became a hindrance. If I were to die, Aiden could take the position of Crown Prince without anyone raising objections. So, when war broke out, they pushed me to the frontlines. My mother, powerless as she was, complied. Unfortunately for them, I returned alive. That’s why my presence is inconvenient.”

“They’re so selfish…”

I grumbled to Zerpell. His chest moved slightly. I couldn’t tell what kind of smile it was since I couldn’t see his face.

“What about on the battlefield?”

Zerpell always seemed uncomfortable discussing that. Only then did he lift his chin from my head. With the weight gone, I looked up and met his eyes. Zerpell was looking straight at me.

“It’s not a pleasant story. I don’t want you to know the horrors of war.”

“…Really?”

After saying that, Zerpell avoided my gaze. Even though he once told me not to avert my eyes… Sometimes, when I look at my master, I think he holds too much inside. But if you keep bottling everything up, it eventually festers and bursts.

He’s younger than me, so why is he carrying so much? I turned my body and pulled his face toward me. We were close enough for our breaths to touch. Zerpell’s eyes widened slightly at my sudden action. His gaze, which had been avoiding mine, now focused squarely on me.

“Master, don’t keep everything to yourself or try to carry it all alone. I may not look like much, but I’m a messenger of the gods. I can be a lot of help to you. If you ever want to use me, just do it. I’m always on your side.”

He stared at me without the slightest movement. He sat so quietly I even doubted whether he was breathing.

Why isn’t he saying anything??

Holding his face like that was getting awkward. I let go of his face and awkwardly rolled my eyes.

“A-anyway, that’s what I mean. Don’t struggle alone… I just wanted to say I’m also trying hard to be helpful to you. Look at this. It’s different from before.”

I noticed the tea left in the teacup. I wanted to shift the mood and show today’s progress. Though I wasn’t sure if it counted as progress, I was half-expecting it to work. The tea in the cup began to float into the air. Only then did some life return to Zerpell’s eyes.

“This is my progress!”

They were just tiny droplets, but I even changed their shape a bit. I stretched the droplet out. It… broke in the middle a few times, but it managed to take the form of a snake to some extent. I made the water-formed snake slither its way toward Zerpell. When he poked it with a finger, it wobbled, but soon returned to its shape.

For a second, I thought it was going to burst.

“What do you think? I’m good at it now, right?”

It wasn’t quite enough to brag about, but it was much better than last time. I glanced at him with one eye, hoping for praise. Zerpell’s lips curved softly, and his eyes crinkled gently. Then he let out a refreshing laugh. I blinked at the sound of his laughter. I’d heard small chuckles from him before, but this was the first time I’d heard such a big laugh.

“Yes, I see that.”

The room filled with his laughter. Once he calmed down, he placed his hand on my head and gently patted me. I couldn’t understand his earlier behavior, but he laughed, so that was enough.

“You’ve really learned to control it now.”

“Ahem.”

I kept playing with the water droplets in Zerpell’s arms for a long time. When I looked up, the corners of his lips were still lifted. Seeing that, I smiled brightly too. After hearing his complicated story, my resolve became even firmer. Whether Emperor or Empress, I wouldn’t let them off. Just as I thought, they were people who crushed others with power when things didn’t go their way.

Outside the window, the sunset painted the sky beautifully.