Chapter 135
The snake, having found someone it could communicate with, no longer stuck to Dylan.
This meant it followed right behind Asil.
Wherever she went, it fluttered its tiny wings and followed her around, eventually ending up at the Count’s estate together.
‘So cute.’
Inside the carriage returning to the Count’s estate, Asil looked down pleasingly at the snake sitting on her lap.
The fact that it was a reptile was the same, the fact that it had scales all over its body was the same, and even its head being bald just like hers made it seem like a newborn baby sibling.
So, she even gave it a proper name.
“Your name from now on is Baembaem.”
“Kkuruk!”
As if it liked the name, Baembaem shook its head back and forth on Asil’s lap.
Then, it noticed the gazes staring fiercely from the opposite side and flinched.
Snowa, who was wary of every male in this world, was naturally incredibly wary of this newly appeared male.
And there was someone who was far more wary of Baembaem than Snowa.
“Kkyuu…….”
It was Todori.
Currently, Todori’s gaze was even more terrifying than when he looked at Bjorn.
It was because his spot on Asil’s lap, which was as good as his alone, had been snatched away by some snake that had just rolled in.
To make matters even worse, it had even received a name despite only just meeting her!
Baembaem, who had been buried deep in Asil’s dress to avoid Snowa’s gaze, peeked its head out.
Then, it stuck its tongue out flickingly as if to taunt him.
“Kkuruk.”
“Kkyut!”
Todori, whose blood pressure rose, tried to grab the back of his neck. Unfortunately, his front paws were too short to reach.
After trying to grab the back of his neck by twisting his body a few times, he eventually gave up and glared at Baembaem.
At this, Baembaem stuck its tongue out flickingly once again.
“Kkuruk!”
“Kkyuut!”
The enraged Todori puffed up the fur all over his body.
However, he couldn’t do anything because he was mindful of Asil, so he only glared fiercely at Baembaem.
Then, a while later.
As soon as he confirmed Asil had fallen asleep, he hopped down from the chair and approached Baembaem.
Then, standing tall on his hind legs, he made a motion of throwing a front-paw punch.
It was an invitation to decide who was number one through a duel.
“Kkururuk!”
Baembaem snorted.
Even if it was still young, the opponent was just a rabbit.
Moreover, it wasn’t one that lived in the wild, but a house rabbit that grew up being pampered and loved at home.
Baembaem thought it was a trivial opponent it could beat even with its eyes closed.
Until it was hit head-on by Todori’s punch.
“Kkururururuk!”
Baembaem went rolling over and over.
Regrettably, Todori was no mere house rabbit.
He was a house rabbit wearing the mask of the wild, having grown up rubbing shoulders with predators.
The shape of the fist was clearly a white cotton ball, but its reality was very fierce.
“Kkuruk……”
Only after rolling to the edge of the chair did Baembaem regain its senses.
And while facing a dangerous opponent, it reflexively curled its tail before pausing.
No matter what, that guy is a rabbit and I am a snake.
I even have wings so I can fly.
“Kkururururuk!”
The shrinking Baembaem experienced a narrow escape into a second life.
Soon, it seemed to spread its wings—which were even smaller than a sparrow’s—wide, then opened its mouth large and flew vehemently toward Todori.
“Kkyut.”
Todori let out a snort as if it were ridiculous.
Then, he stood bolt upright on two legs and, matching the timing of Baembaem’s flight, delivered a spinning back-kick with his hind leg. Thwack!
“Kkurururururuk!”
Baembaem, who had only been prepared for a front-paw punch, crashed straight onto the floor.
It was the moment the winner of the fierce battle was decided.
“Kkyuuuuuuut!”
Todori swung his front paws and performed a winner’s ceremony.
After that, he went in front of Baembaem and stood on two legs as if establishing military discipline, making “kkyu-kkyu” sounds.
“Kkyuuuuuuuu! Kkyuu? Kkyuu!”
“Kkuruk……”
The dejected Baembaem hung its head powerlessly.
It was sad to have lost to a rabbit, but it was more heartbreaking that it wouldn’t be able to sit on Asil’s lap in the future.
However, at Todori’s subsequent proposal, it jerked its head up with an expression of disbelief.
“Kkyuu! Kkyut kkyuuuuuu!” (Come here! Let’s share the lap from now on!)
“Kkuruk……!”
The moved Baembaem covered its mouth with its tail.
If it knew it would be like this, it wouldn’t have fought. If it was such a kind rabbit, it could serve him as a big brother as much as needed.
While Asil, who was lending her lap, was sleeping without knowing anything, Todori and Baembaem climbed onto Asil’s lap side by side.
And saying “big brother first, little brother next,” they fell asleep.
After that day, as the Divine Beast Thanksgiving Festival approached, Asil began to get quite busy.
Checking the order of the ceremony, checking the condition of the Divine Beasts who would participate in the festival, and preparing the dress to wear for the festival.
It wasn’t difficult because many people around her helped, but she spent the busiest days since coming to the capital.
And even in the midst of that, she did not forget Baembaem’s request to find its mommy.
“Baembaem, what does your mommy look like?”
“Kkuruk! Kkururururuk!”
Baembaem dipped the tip of its tail in ink and drew a picture.
It was a terrifying Basian with a crown-shaped crest on its head, giant wings, and even short limbs.
‘Baembaem’s mommy looks scary.’
Asil stared intently at the drawing.
With an appearance like this, it was obvious it would cause a huge stir even if it were only slightly noticed.
But the fact that it had been quiet until now meant someone had hidden it very well.
Difficulty was expected, but Asil knew a human perfectly suited for this kind of work.
Furthermore, even without being called, he would hover around and come find her on his own if she seemed to need help.
The only problem was that his appearance was always a bit unexpected.
“By any chance, do you need my help……”
“Kkurururururuk!”
At the sight of Jet suddenly falling from the ceiling, Baembaem frothed at the mouth and fainted.
Only its mommy looked scary; Baembaem was still a young Basian.
“Kkyuu!”
A horrified Todori hurriedly began to perform heart massage on Baembaem.
Meanwhile, Asil likewise pressed down on her thumping heart and scolded Jet sternly.
“Gosh, I told you not to come out like that!”
“I am sorry, it has become a habit, so I did it without thinking……. Are you perhaps looking for the Basian drawn here?”
“Yes. Can you find it?”
“Of course.”
Jet took Baembaem’s drawing, saying he would look for it immediately.
He was truly a brilliant talent.
Asil looked pleasingly at the receding figure of Jet.
“Even if that human appears a bit scary, his skills are the best, so he’ll be able to find mommy soon.”
“Kkuruk!”
Baembaem, who barely regained consciousness through Todori’s efforts, lifted its head and cried happily.
After entrusting Baembaem’s matter to Jet, Asil resumed preparations for the festival.
However, before long, she heard a strange rumor circulating in the world.
It was a rumor that a divine blessing had descended upon the Marquis of Skya’s house, and the disappeared Divine Beast would return.
“……What is this?”
Asil tilted her head.
The fact that Skya’s Divine Beast, Aether, would appear during this festival was a secret she hadn’t even told Eokaste or Selena, who were preparing the festival together.
She was just about to start talking about when it would be good to appear and how to make everyone surprised, yet such a rumor was spreading.
She wondered if Lilibet or Bjorn had spread the news, but both of them were equally unaware.
“Asil, it wasn’t you who did it?”
“We thought it was like that.”
It couldn’t be anyone else besides those two.
This was because the number of people who knew of Aether’s existence was very small, limited to people like Edenber or Dylan.
If so, it meant this rumor was not aimed at Aether.
‘Why on earth did such a rumor start?’
Asil tilted her head.
Could it be that they really received a divine blessing? But Selena hadn’t said anything.
If it were a divine blessing, the Saintess would know first, but Selena had a face that showed she had no idea at all.
At this, Eokaste shared her own guess.
“Surely the Marquis of Skya is making a move for his reinstatement. That side was always greedy for power.”
She meant that since the war with the beastmen, which he thought was a sure opportunity, had come to naught, he was using a fake Divine Beast as a trick.
“The Crown Prince will also be pushing it since it’s good for covering the rumor that he received divine punishment. There is no reason to invest any more time since what we prepared so hard is likely to be reduced to mere background for that lowly Marquis fellow.”
When Eokaste, clicking her tongue, showed her intention to overturn the preparations for the festival, the preparation committee members turned pale.
As this Divine Beast Thanksgiving Festival was being held after a long time, it was an event of great interest to the citizens of the Empire.
Otherwise, why would they have put forward an Imperial family member as the chairperson of the preparation committee, even if she were a despised Princess?
Eokaste might just get criticized a bit and be done with it if she acted like that, but they were different.
If this matter went wrong, they might lose their heads to the Emperor’s wrath.
But they couldn’t just blame Eokaste either, as it was obvious they would be reduced to bridesmaids for the Marquis of Skya no matter how hard they prepared.
In the midst of that atmosphere, which felt like walking on thin ice, continuing.
Jet brought some welcome news while listening.
“I have found the Basian.”
“Where?”
“It is the mansion of the Marquis of Skya.”
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