A Snake’s Life Ch 49

Chapter 49

 

I heard Kir’s voice. He had been quietly curling up beside me, and now he spoke. He had said before that he felt calmer when Aiden was near—that must have been because he was drawn to the same energy. Speaking softly so Aiden, who was focused on the water pillar, wouldn’t hear, I talked to Kir.

“Is it true…?”

[Yes, it’s the children’s energy. That child must have consumed it…]

“The snakes?”

[Otherwise, there’s no reason for that energy to be flowing from him.]

“Isn’t that a serious problem?”

Kir responded in an irritated tone, as if my concern was naive.

[Do you think it wouldn’t be? I called it divine power earlier so you could understand more easily, but strictly speaking, divine power and our power are fundamentally different. Our power was never meant for human bodies. That’s why divine power is a derivative form that doesn’t harm humans.]

True, it would be stranger if divine power were naturally compatible with the human body. I spoke with a trembling voice.

“Then what about Aiden?”

[Human greed… he reached for power beyond his station. There are only two outcomes. Either he waits for death, or we extract the power. If we fail to remove it in time, all that awaits is death.]

“Then we need to remove it quickly!”

[Do you think it’s that easy?]

Even Kir sounded helpless now, his tone tinged with anxiety. I grew desperate and demanded an answer.

“Hey, do something. Aren’t you the forest’s guardian? Don’t you have any countermeasures for this kind of thing?”

[Did you think I’d have foreseen something like this?? This is the first time even for me!]

He shook his head, as if telling me to give up. My chest felt tight. That meant Aiden… Kir’s sigh echoed in my ears. The emotion swelling inside me was sorrow. Kir felt it too. He spoke an undeniable truth.

[…What matters most are the children’s emotions. Too much blood was spilled…]

By “children,” Kir must have meant the snakes.

“……”

I bit my lip.

If the reason Aiden’s body improved was due to the snakes’ blood? I recalled someone saying it could even heal wounds. Did they kill the snakes and turn them into medicine?

“Don’t tell me… Aiden got better because of the snakes?”

[…He must’ve been weak to begin with. If that’s the case, then removing the power would also be a problem.]

“Because his life is being sustained by it?”

Kir nodded slightly.

[You can probably feel the children’s rage. Whether sooner or later, that child will be consumed by the power… and the end will be death. To survive, the power must be removed. But if his life depends on that power, then the backlash will be unbearable. Even a healthy person wouldn’t endure it. Do you think a sick child could?]

“We have to find a way.”

Kir heard me and didn’t respond, just flicked his tongue, deep in thought. But I couldn’t give up so easily. I called out to Aiden, anxious.

“Aiden.”

“Yes?”

“Are you still taking medicine? You said you were weak.”

Aiden blinked slowly. Perhaps thinking I was just worried about him, he answered honestly.

“Yes. My mother sends it regularly, saying I should never let my guard down.”

“What kind of medicine is it?”

“Uh… I don’t know exactly, but I heard it’s really rare and hard to obtain.”

It seemed Aiden didn’t even know what kind of medicine he was taking. But I couldn’t exactly ask, “Hey, is it snake blood?”… What could I say to a child who was simply happy to be getting better… I could only sigh, unsure.

“Is something wrong?”

Aiden asked, perhaps noticing my face darken. I quickly wiped the gloom from my face and smiled.

“No, I’m just worried about you.”

I patted Aiden’s head. I had to stop him from taking the medicine, but I wasn’t in a position to just shout “Don’t take it.” I’d have to speak to his guardian. If that didn’t work, I’d go find Sushin. He couldn’t sleep forever, could he? If he wouldn’t wake up, I’d knock on his head until he did.

Aiden, misunderstanding my expression as concern over his illness, hopped around, saying he was fine.

“Don’t worry! I’m all better now. I only take medicine occasionally!”

“That’s good. We should head back soon, don’t you think? The palace attendants must be worried.”

I had to tell Zerpell this news right away.

“Yes! Uh…”

Aiden hesitated, as if he had something to say. He kept glancing at me nervously, struggling to speak.

“What is it?”

“Do you think I can meet you again if I come here?”

I blinked. That wasn’t difficult. Thanks to Kir, I’d been practicing indoors lately, but before that I used to train by the lake. I was already worried about Aiden’s condition… I should ask Zerpell if I can visit the lake more often. I made a promise to Aiden.

“If you come at the right time? I spend a lot of time here. If you show up around this time, I’ll probably be here.”

“I’ll come often!”

“Alright, see you next time.”

Just as Aiden smiled bashfully and turned to leave, a voice called to him from a distance. Both of us turned toward the sound.

“Huh? Mother?”

Aiden looked a bit startled and hesitated. At the mention of “Empress,” he quickly looked around. It was easy to tell who she was. She walked toward us with flawless posture and graceful, steady steps.

Though I’d heard she was frail, her appearance suggested otherwise. The large ornaments in her hair and the jewels on her dress looked heavy enough to topple her. I wouldn’t wear them—they seemed too heavy…

Behind her trailed a large entourage. More than five knights, and maids swarming around her. Even accounting for Aiden’s personal attendants, the number was excessive.

They seemed to have spotted Aiden and were approaching. Upon seeing him, the Empress sighed. Even though she’d found the missing child, she kept walking with refined elegance. Shouldn’t a parent run when their missing child is found? Or is that just how nobles are… Instead of words of concern, she immediately scolded Aiden.

“Aiden.”

“…Yes.”

“You still lack the awareness befitting a prince.”

She completely ignored my presence beside Aiden. I must not have pleased her. Though it was my first time seeing her, she seemed like a strict person. Aiden lowered his head deeply, fidgeting with his hands. Only then did the Empress acknowledge me with a slight nod.

“Divine Envoy , a pleasure to meet you. I am Neriah Eifelt, the Empress of this empire. I must apologize for such an unseemly display at our first meeting.”

Even without her saying it, I already knew. But she emphasized “Empress” anyway. She slightly raised her head to meet my eyes. I saw a gleam in them.

“Has Aiden been a burden to you? Of course, if it’s you, I believe you would graciously overlook it.”

“It’s fine.”

Her tone irked me slightly, but I smiled calmly, just as she expected. A maid beside her was about to speak up, but Neriah stopped her with a hand.

“He’s still unfamiliar with etiquette. Let us be understanding.”

My casual speech must have annoyed her. But what could I do? I spoke informally to everyone. I even spoke that way to the Pope. She probably already knew. They seemed close enough.

“Thank you for your graciousness, Divine Envoy .”

“……”

Her smile was serene, like one from a painting. To others, it might seem warm, but to me, it was insincere. Especially because I knew the full story. Her subtly provoking tone didn’t help either.

So this is noble etiquette—veiled sarcasm, always smiling. Exhausting. Aiden looked between us with anxious eyes.

“Mother, we should go now. Thank you for today, Divine Envoy .”

Perhaps trying to hide his familiarity with me, he changed how he addressed me. Aiden took her hand, but she didn’t return the gesture. Instead, she looked at him briefly and said,

“Aiden’s wound is healed. Did you perhaps heal him, Divine Envoy ?”

“Well, I’m not sure who did it, but the scratch on his cheek looked pitiful, so I healed it.”

Though her tone was doubtful, I had indeed healed Aiden’s wound. I replied awkwardly. She smiled brightly. That smile gave me chills.

“As expected of the Divine Envoy . You can even wield divine power—how remarkable.”

“……”

I suddenly felt a chill, wondering if I’d made a mistake. Then, like a noblewoman turned cheerful girl, she clapped as if she’d had a good idea.

“Since you healed Aiden’s wound, I can’t just let you go. How about a cup of tea as thanks? We’ve just received a lovely new batch.”

“Uh… I…”

“It won’t take long.”

The thought of sitting with her was overwhelming. I furrowed my brows and shook my head, but she kept insisting.

I looked back. The guards were bowing their heads. Even they couldn’t defy the Empress. I was flustered by the sudden situation. Zerpell would be mad, but I was too curious why she was so insistent on dragging me along.

We were bound to meet at the banquet anyway. A cup of tea wouldn’t kill me. Reluctantly, I nodded.

“Excellent. Fortunately, my palace isn’t far. You—watch over Aiden properly.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

She addressed a newly appointed nanny and took Aiden with her. Aiden glanced back at me with concern. I waved at him, then began walking after Neriah.

Her knights and maids naturally fell in step behind me. I could feel their eyes on my back. Why did she bring so many people? Sweat trickled down my nape. She walked ahead, completely unfazed.

“Divine Envoy , this is my palace.”

I had to bite my lip to stop my jaw from dropping. Zerpell’s palace was grand, but this one… It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say it was coated in gold. Red roses bloomed all over the garden. Their heavy fragrance made me dizzy.

Just as I tried to enter the palace behind her, a gatekeeper pointed directly at Kasa’s group.

“Outsiders may not bring weapons. And… is that a snake? Snakes can be dangerous. I’m sorry, but you can’t bring it inside.”

I wasn’t sure if that was how one treated invited guests. Whether he sensed my displeasure or not, the gatekeeper remained firm. Paul looked nervous, and Kasa and Wol glanced at me for direction. The Empress didn’t say anything.

The maids held out their hands to Kasa’s group, clearly demanding their swords. I glanced behind them at the Empress’s knights. They all still had their swords at their sides.

I frowned. This was getting annoying. Maybe I should’ve just thrown a fit and refused to come… The gatekeeper had his back to me. I spoke, slightly irritated.

“They’re my escort knights.”

At my words, the gatekeeper turned, but he didn’t meet my eyes. His gaze was slightly off. He was looking at someone else. I followed his line of sight and met Neriah’s eyes. She smiled faintly.

She crossed her arms and beckoned with a curled finger. These people… I couldn’t exactly flip the table either. The gatekeeper, perhaps having received her silent approval, didn’t back down.

“They could still pose a threat to Her Majesty. We’ll return their swords when you leave. Please understand, Divine Envoy .”