A Snake’s Life Ch 14

Chapter 14

Today again, I was on my way to the dining hall alone.

Ever since that incident, Zerpell had been busy—constantly going off to meetings or to meet other people. At first, I thought it would only be for a short while, but it had already been several weeks. What the heck, is he neglecting me or what!!

At least we still had breakfast together. But even then, if Ian came while he was reviewing documents in the office, he would pack up and say, “I’ll be back,” and leave. Every time, I clung to him, begging to be taken along, but he would leave me behind. Judging by Ian saying that the carriage was ready, it seemed like he was meeting someone outside. Come yourself! Don’t make them call for the master! I was starting to get curious about who on earth this person was and where they lived.

In the end, the office was empty again today. Even lying down in the usual spot by the window where I always napped didn’t bring sleep. After tossing and turning, I ended up just staring at the door, willing it to open. But once again, he didn’t return. It felt like Zerpell was going to meet someone whom he had to actively seek out. Perhaps they lived quite a distance away—whenever he left, he didn’t return for a long time. That had been the situation up until today. Tired of waiting, I was now heading to the dining hall alone.

He’s been so busy with work that he even skips lunch. Honestly, if I don’t take care of him, he just doesn’t eat. I felt like I was sighing more and more each day.

Since that day, Zerpell had assigned someone to me, saying he was trustworthy. He called him a servant, but he turned out to be a knight. His name was Casa, and he was apparently one of the knights under Cedric.

His footsteps were so quiet that he didn’t disturb my thoughts, which was nice, but sometimes when I turned around, he’d be standing right there, and I’d be startled. On top of that, I’d never once heard his voice. Doesn’t he talk?? At first, I couldn’t believe someone this boring existed, so I tried hitting him, biting him, even threatening him—but the blank look in his eyes made me feel pathetic, and I ended up treating him like a transparent being.

I don’t even talk to snakes. Is that it? Rotten guy. When will the master be done with work? Casa was so dull that I missed Zerpell even more, and with the familiar face gone, I felt an odd emptiness inside. But I soon shook my head vigorously, trying to drive away the useless thoughts. He’s eating well and living fine, so it’s all good!

I threw my gloomy thoughts far away while looking at the steak in front of me. Casa was standing behind me, and the servant next to me was setting the table. Thank you for the meal! As I was aggressively devouring the steak, I sensed something strange.

Hm? What’s this? It didn’t taste like usual. Though I don’t have the most refined palate, something was definitely different. Maybe it was the seasoning—a subtle change, but not the taste I was used to. I pondered deeply over it. The servant must have misunderstood my reaction and ran off to report to the chef. Soon, the chef came rushing in. Zerpell tended to care more about my food than his own. If I didn’t eat or if something seemed off, he would often scold the chef, so this was a familiar scene.

Since there was nothing wrong with the food, I looked up to reassure him—only to be shocked by his appearance. He looked like he was carrying the weight of the world, his face deeply haggard.

“Is there… something wrong with the food…?”

His cautious tone made me feel like nodding would be a huge mistake, so I hurriedly took another bite of meat. Even as I ate, I couldn’t help but wonder about his condition. He’s the chef responsible for my delicious meals—he can’t be sick. Maybe sensing my concern, he spoke in a somewhat dejected voice.

“…It seems I won’t be here anymore. But I’ve passed down all the recipes to the next chef, so I assure you there won’t be much change in taste. I’m truly sorry I won’t be able to oversee your meals anymore, Master Shuiren.”

I was speechless at the bombshell. What?? Cooking is all about the personal touch! If you’ve refined my taste, then take responsibility!

Still, I couldn’t scold someone who looked so unwell. I pushed the plate of meat I’d been eating toward him, encouraging him. The chef was so touched he began to cry. Moved by my gesture, he shared his story.

“My daughter is very ill, so I’m leaving to take her to a place with clean air for recuperation. It’s hard to leave this place after working here so long, but what could be more important than my daughter?”

With a reason like that, I couldn’t blame him, but I couldn’t hide my disappointment. He stood beside me looking hesitant, then parted his lips as if to say something. I think his gaze briefly flicked upward.

“I heard Master Shuiren is a messenger of the gods. Perhaps… could you cure my daughter’s illness…? No, never mind. Forget I said anything.”

The chef rolled his eyes awkwardly and trailed off, but I heard him clearly. Messenger of the gods. Who said that? Come to think of it, I’d heard something like that when I first met Zerpell. They say white snakes have long been considered divine messengers. I couldn’t fully understand everything the chef said, but judging by the context, he seemed to want to ask me to heal his daughter. Maybe he confided in me because he’d heard that rumor and was hoping I could help.

While I was mulling over the phrase “messenger of the gods,” a realization hit me like a thunderbolt. It wasn’t impossible. No one else knew, but I did—I used to be human… Suddenly, I wondered if a real god was the one who brought me to this world. But at the moment, I was just a snake. A somewhat peculiar one, but a powerless snake nonetheless.

No way…

With that thought, I decided to pray to the gods. Better to try than not. If I’ve been reincarnated as a snake, then at least guarantee me the basics of life! Who’s going to take responsibility for my delicious meat if the chef leaves? Please, I beg of you.

I closed my eyes and bowed my head in prayer. After finishing, I looked up at the chef. To reassure him, I lightly tapped his hand with my tail and puffed up my body. He seemed to find my appearance cute and smiled, but then sighed with worry.

I waited, all puffed up. I opened one eye—but as expected, nothing had changed. I didn’t feel any strange energy either. Hmm… so it didn’t work? I had prayed with confidence, but it seemed to be a bust. I stared at the leftover steak. Thinking that I might not get to eat it anymore, I quickly ate as much as I could. My belly was full to bursting.

I was too full to move. I turned my head and glared at Casa. Now carry me! Casa, who’d been standing by, picked me up and placed me on my personal cushion.

Whether it was because I was so full or the cushion was too soft, an irresistible drowsiness washed over me.

……..Child….come find me…….

In the fading edges of my consciousness, I heard an unfamiliar voice, but when I woke up, I didn’t remember it at all.

A white snake was crawling along a long hallway bustling with people. The snake was holding his body high as he moved, flicking his tongue as if to demand the way be cleared and slithering straight down the center. A knight followed behind the snake. The difference in speed between the person and the snake was considerable, so the knight would take a step, pause, and repeat the pattern.

Servants and maids bowed their heads in greeting as the snake passed, and though all eyes were on the procession, the knight’s expression didn’t change as he simply followed behind.

“Good morning, Messenger of the Gods.”

That’s right. That snake was me. And how did I end up in this situation, being called by that title… Well, it’s a long story.

It all began just a month ago.

The cause was the rumor that the chef’s daughter’s illness had been completely cured. Apparently, the chef had tried everything to treat her. Physicians had all shaken their heads at her condition. He’d used all his saved wages to see a priest, which improved her condition temporarily, but she relapsed a month later.

But then—miraculously—after asking me for help, she was cured. Like, seriously, shouldn’t I be the one asking? Do I really have that kind of power?

Thus, without me knowing why, the rumors grew. Then one day, a servant came, saying they’d heard I was a divine messenger and begged for help. I didn’t know what to do, so I just stared blankly. The servant rambled on and thanked me for listening, handing me a cookie. Of course, the food had done nothing wrong, so I ate it happily. After enjoying the cookie, I went on my way. I had spaced out during the servant’s story, so I didn’t really hear what they’d said. But apparently, their wish had come true too.

I was shocked when I heard. Another illness cured. The servant’s mother had a terminal illness, but after speaking to me, it just vanished. Whoa… Was the chef’s daughter really cured because of me too? But this time, I hadn’t prayed or done anything! The servant bowed in gratitude. I wanted to ask, “Are you sure it wasn’t just a misdiagnosis? There are quacks out there!” but I couldn’t speak.

As the rumors spread, even trivial details like my eating habits or behavior were taken as proof that I was a divine messenger. The rumors snowballed. Hearing it so often made me wonder if maybe it was true. At the time, I didn’t have high hopes, but still, it sparked curiosity. Soon, whenever someone had a problem or an illness, they came to me. When those were resolved too, the rumors became exaggerated. As it continued, I began to wonder—could it really be true? But I still needed tangible proof… A few cases weren’t enough to be certain.

Eventually, the rumor spread like wildfire among the palace staff. Bowing heads as I passed became routine. People who barely acknowledged me before now greeted me politely. When someone was in trouble, they would quickly come to help. I had become something of a celebrity. Is this what being famous feels like? I started to enjoy it a little.

Even people from other departments would secretly approach me, say something, and leave. Every time they made a wish, they would offer food or jewels.

Score! Offerings obtained! The food was delicious, and having gems was better than not. That’s right—I was adjusting to this life. Getting offerings was fun. I got snacks and a secret stash—two birds with one stone.

Looking at the growing pile of offerings, I found myself wondering multiple times a day—am I really a divine messenger? They say you can’t trust rumors, but where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Whether I was or wasn’t—who cared? Everyone believed it. If I got offerings, that was great for me.

Besides, today I received a pretty decent accessory. A noble, upon seeing me pass, gave me an obsidian brooch. Since it was from a noble, the quality was far better than the jewels I’d received from servants and maids. The moment I saw it, I thought, “I have to give this to the master!” Probably what the noble was aiming for too.

Just then, I spotted Zerpell walking from the other side. I’d heard Ian muttering something about how Zerpell had finally dealt with a bunch of nobles and could now be free from work.

Master! I brought you a present!