A Snake’s Life Ch 46

Chapter 46

 

Kir, seemingly flustered for a moment, demonstrated it for me. When Kir attempted it, a droplet of water truly formed in mid-air.

[……That just proves you’re not using your power properly!]

All I got in return was Kir’s nagging. After that, another round of exhausting lessons began. When I concentrated my energy in the air, the water began to bubble up like it was boiling before it finally took shape. Fascinated, I reached out to touch it. My finger got wet and cold—it was real water.

“Oh… this is awesome.”

Kir became unbearably smug, as if he were the very being who had bestowed this power upon me.

[Yes, that’s how you do it. This is the power of the Water Deity.]

Right then and there, I brought the water into my mouth. I had been feeling thirsty from using my power, so it was perfect timing. It had taken effort to create, and I felt it would be a shame to let it go to waste. I figured, why not make it a part of me?

[W-What do you think you’re doing!]

Kir erupted in a frenzy at my sudden action, but I was too refreshed by the coolness of the water to care.

“Now I won’t even need to get up when I’m thirsty, right?”

[That’s not what this power is meant to be used for!]

Now I could simply conjure up a puddle and send it right into my mouth to quench my thirst—problem solved. Kir was horrified, but I ignored him while picking at my ear. If it’s convenient, why not use it? I found it unexpectedly useful.

I then remembered that the Water Deity had mentioned it could also be used to heal wounds.

“How do I heal someone?”

[You mean for injuries? It’s simple. Just gather your energy and transfer it to the other person. You’ve gotten decent at handling water, so it should be easy. The technique is the same.]

Taking Kir’s word, I would rush over to anyone injured or wounded I saw while passing by to heal them. I really just wanted to test my powers, but the recipients would thank me sincerely. Though it felt like my chest was being pricked with needles, I felt proud.

And now, I was trying to compress my power as much as possible. Until now, the goal had been to project my internal energy outward to create water—but this time, it was the opposite. The reason? I was trying to transform into a snake. Honestly, I didn’t see any practical need for turning into a snake, but Kir, who seemed to take pride in being a serpent, kept pressuring me to do it.

He claimed that, as the emissary of a deity, I couldn’t possibly be unable to take on a form close to the deity’s own. He shouted incessantly beside me. Eventually, I gave in to his stubbornness and started practicing the transformation.

He explained that the amount of energy must match the vessel. Since human forms require energy to flow in a certain way, I had to compact that flow to fit the smaller body of a snake. But it wasn’t going well. My original snake form was just too small…

[Hang in there just a bit longer!]

I focused my mind and pressed the energy down with effort, but once again, the compressed energy dispersed in all directions. Kir clicked his tongue and said,

[So close. Just a bit more and you’ll get it. Let’s try once more.]

Contrary to his appearance, Kir’s teaching style was pure Sparta. He constantly urged me to try again and again.

“Ugh, I can’t! I’m exhausted. I’ll do it tomorrow!”

I flopped down on the bed and let the sweat cool on my skin. Kir smacked my back with his tail, but I resolutely ignored him. It stung a little, but it was still better than practicing more. If I ignored him long enough, he’d give up.

[You’ve barely started!]

Kir was fuming, but I had no intention of moving. When I glanced back, it looked like even he had given up. He just clicked his tongue and curled up beside me. I lifted my head to look at the clock. A significant amount of time had passed. Proof of how immersed I’d been. But… the time?

“I’m late!”

I jumped to my feet as I suddenly remembered Zerpell, who would be reviewing documents in his office. As I shot up, Kir glanced at the clock and casually offered a farewell.

[Off you go.]

“Right.”

Kir knew my daily schedule well and sent me off with no fuss. I didn’t want to interrupt Zerpell’s work, so I usually timed my visits carefully. But I’d gotten so absorbed in Kir’s lessons that time had slipped away.

Spending time with Kir had been cutting into the time I spent with Zerpell, and he wasn’t too happy about it. Whenever I was late to his office or didn’t show up, he didn’t express it directly, but I could tell he was disappointed. It was the same in the bedroom.

If I rejected his affection because I felt Kir’s eyes on me, he’d sulk and seal his lips shut. Sometimes I’d avoid him on purpose just to tease him when he made that kind of face.

When I opened the door and stepped out, my bodyguards, Wol and Paul, were already standing by. As I moved, they followed naturally. I strode quickly toward Zerpell’s office. As usual, I was about to throw the door open when Cedric stopped me.

“Perhaps you should wait a moment before going in.”

It was an odd response. I’d always gone in freely before—why the sudden change? It was suspicious, but maybe he had a visitor, or there was an important meeting in progress.

“In that case, I’ll wait outside.”

I leaned against the wall beside the door. Standing there awkwardly was uncomfortable, but Wol thoughtfully brought me a chair. I sat down and waited for Zerpell. I wondered why I’d been stopped from entering and perked my ears. The office handled important matters, so it was well soundproofed. I sat absentmindedly, waiting for Zerpell to emerge.

Then the door opened and Ian came out. I stood up at once. He was holding some documents in his arms. As he exited the office, he bowed to Zerpell and was about to close the door when Zerpell’s voice called out.

“How is Aiden doing?”

“Ah, His Highness is…”

“Aiden? Why?”

Just as Ian began to answer, I too asked about Aiden, curious as to why his name had come from Zerpell’s mouth. Startled by the sound of my voice, Ian quickly turned his head and spotted me standing by the door.

“Lord Shuiren?? What brings you here…? Never mind.”

He coughed awkwardly. It wasn’t as if he didn’t know my routine—his words had just slipped out from surprise. Tilting my head slightly, I asked again.

“Why Aiden?”

“Ah… that is…”

Ian hesitated, and I narrowed my eyes at him. Then I heard my name.

“Shuiren.”

Turning my head, I saw Zerpell gesturing for me to come in. Ian stepped aside to let me through, and I slipped into the office.

“So, how is Aiden these days?”

Ian glanced around a bit nervously before closing the door and continuing his report.

“The Empress’s faction has appointed a new nanny. Given His Highness’s age, she’s more like a personal attendant than a nanny.”

“Hm… What about the nanny’s family background?”

“They’ve been careful this time, probably to avoid giving us any grounds for complaint. There’s nothing questionable. She’s not affiliated with any families connected to the Empress’s faction. Just a strict, etiquette-obsessed woman with a strong passion for education.”

“I see. Report immediately if anything suspicious comes up.”

“Yes, sir.”

I sat on the sofa, munching on cookies as I listened. I remembered Aiden’s old nanny, the one who used to snap at me. She had been an unpleasant woman. It seemed she had been dismissed… I hoped the new one would be a better person.

After Ian left and closed the door, I asked Zerpell,

“Master. Did the last nanny get fired?”

“Yes. She was embezzling funds from Aiden’s palace to satisfy her own greed. She’s been exiled from the capital. She won’t be leaving her territory again.”

“What?! She was that awful? Good riddance!”

Considering the harsh things she’d said about Zerpell, I felt thoroughly vindicated. But his eyes seemed dimmer.

“What’s wrong?”

It was probably inevitable. Thinking about Aiden naturally brought on worry. Zerpell had begun his campaign for the throne in earnest, and as his position grew stronger, Aiden’s would weaken in contrast.

“To you, is Aiden… more like a brother or…”

“Shuiren.”

Zerpell, who had been leaning on his chin deep in thought, raised his head at my words. He gave a faint, bitter smile.

“Do you like Aiden?”

“I don’t dislike him.”

I hadn’t met Aiden many times. But he was a cheerful kid with no reason to be disliked. He sometimes reminded me of myself, another person who liked Zerpell.

“For me to ascend the throne, I must deal with the current emperor and empress. It’s inevitable. Whether I want it or not, I may come into conflict with Aiden. Someday, he might come to hate me…”

“…”

“This world is full of injustice. This is just another of those cases. If he resents me, I’ll bear it.”

“To them, he might be a good son…”

“……Perhaps. Who knows? If you want to grow closer to Aiden, you can. In fact, it might be a good idea. Aiden seems to be fond of you, and in a way, he’s a victim like me… He might be longing for someone he can trust in the palace. If you want to be friends with him, I won’t stop you. So don’t worry.”

Someone may be terrible to others but good to you—and you end up taking their side. I was no different… What Zerpell said sounded like, in his own youth, there was no one he could form attachments to. He stood up from his chair and approached me, placing a hand on my cheek. It felt like he was gently urging me for a response, or perhaps trying to comfort me.

“But you were just worrying…”

“I’m fine.”

“You always say you’re fine…”

I grumbled softly. Just moments ago, he’d seemed completely untroubled, but now he was rubbing his jaw and said,

“Just… if you could promise me one thing.”

“What is it?”

“That you’ll always be on my side.”

My eyes widened slightly. That was what I had once said to him.

“That’s all I need. Then I’ll be fine.”

I quietly said I understood.