Chapter 31
Chapter 31
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: Snake!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A snake!
"No way..."
She really followed me?
I thought I'd be able to move freely through the market today, but my plans were ruined.
I could sense Daddy stealthily trailing behind me as I walked along the path.
"Ever since I collapsed at the Heavenly Demon Cult, I've been able to pick up on a lot more just from faint presences."
Was this the power of the flower seed too?
Well, thanks to it, I could read Daddy's movements, so it worked out great for me!
"I was going to slip away while Daddy wasn't watching and buy the stuff the Heavenly Demon Cult needs, but now that's a problem."
But with Daddy following me, a more important mission had come up.
Codenamed: Operation "Our Star Has Changed!"
"Daddy's chasing after me because he sees me as someone he needs to protect. That ties back to Mom's death and just stirs up his anxiety."
So today, I had to show him a brave and spirited side of me in any situation—something totally different from usual—to put his mind at ease!
Then naturally, his anxiety and obsession with me would fade.
It was a plan I'd come up with myself, but it was perfect enough to impress even me.
"Buying flower shoes on my own is easier than lounging around peeling tangerines for someone on their second life like me."
Alright, time to head out and nail that first errand Daddy gave me.
But as I strode forward confidently, I suddenly stopped in my tracks.
"Make way! Make way!"
"Hey, let people through!"
It was market day, so the crowds had packed the narrow streets tight.
"With this tiny body... if I go in there, am I gonna get trampled like Daddy said?"
Watching the people shoving each other made Daddy's warning about getting stepped on hit home.
But retreat wasn't an option!
"Is there a way to get through that crowd without getting stepped on?"
As I pondered, a memory from my past life flashed up, and I broke into a sly grin.
"That's it!"
A little later, I was pushing through the bustling crowd.
Safely, too.
Before getting swept into the throng, I'd raised my stubby little arms as high as I could toward the sky and shouted in a bold voice.
"Coming through!"
The trick to safely crossing a crowded path was to raise your hand and let everyone know you were there.
"It's that 'raise your hand and walk' technique every kid who started walking upright knew from my past life!"
"Hold on, a kid's coming through."
"Hey, move aside! Don't wanna hurt the little one!"
"Aw, looks like the kid's out doing errands alone. So cute!"
The people who heard me noticed the child and parted ways, giving me plenty of room to pass.
Not wanting to embarrass my past life's homeland of courtesy, I didn't forget to thank them.
"Thank you! Kind big sis, big bro!"
"Oh my, she called me big sis! What a polite girl from a good family."
"Heh, cheeky little thing."
They seemed impressed by my thanks and even watched to make sure I made it through safely.
"Take care! Don't trip!"
"Good luck with your errands!"
"Bye-bye!"
Once I reached a less crowded spot, I lowered my hand, waved goodbye, and turned away.
"Perfect, Seol Cheon-seong."
All that practice at kindergarten in my past life learning how to "raise your hand and cross the crosswalk" had paid off.
As I encouraged myself for a job well done and kept walking, I spotted a street vendor with shoes laid out for sale.
"That's where I'll buy the flower shoes!"
I marched right up without hesitation.
"Hello! I'm here to buy flower shoes!"
"A little customer, huh? You here alone?"
"Yes! I brought money."
Just in case they thought I was broke.
I pulled out the heavy money pouch Daddy had given me.
"What a smart little customer. So, see any shoes you like?"
"Just the cheapest one here..."
About to habitually go for the bargain bin flower shoes, I paused.
"No, in my past life I was too busy scraping by to care about anything but cheap and durable stuff, but not now."
I had Daddy's heavy money pouch!
Okay, this time I'd buy what I liked.
"Do you have any new arrivals... I mean, the newest flower shoes in stock?"
"These here are the finest silk flower shoes, and they're the latest batch."
"Wow, so pretty."
Counting both my past life at twenty and this one at six, this was the first new pair I'd picked out myself, and it sparkled gorgeously.
Especially the jade-green ones lined with flower-pink silk—they were right up my alley.
"I'll take these flower shoes!"
"Aw, you really like them, huh? Try them on first."
"Yes!"
As I slipped my foot in to check the fit and stood up...
Thud.
The money pouch slipped from my hand and hit the ground.
"Hiss!"
"Eek! A black snake! Get away!"
"Whoa!"
Stunned for a second, I saw a small black snake dart out of nowhere and snatch my money pouch.
"...Huh? My money pouch!"
The nearby vendors spotted the black snake and freaked, hurling stones at it.
"Hiss!"
Blood seeped from the snake's body where the stone hit.
"Stop! Black snakes bring bad luck. You wanna curse yourself by killing it?"
"Then what, let it live?"
"A black snake that brings misfortune?"
Nothing like that in the original story.
"Maybe it wasn't worth mentioning, but what if this snake is..."
"Heard the whole cart got smashed, how'd a kid like that survive alone?"
"Tch, kid ate its parents."
"Stay away. Gives me the creeps."
Suddenly, I remembered the whispers from relatives at my parents' funeral in my past life.
"Is this snake living misunderstood by people, just like me in my past life?"
That thought made the black snake seem less scary and more pitiful.
"Plus, it's just taking the hit without striking back—maybe it doesn't want to hurt anyone."
If it planned to attack, there'd have been chaos the moment the stone hit.
Decision made, I approached the snake cautiously with a resolute expression.
"Sorry for throwing stones at you. People must have some misunderstanding about you. I'll apologize on their behalf."
I mustered my courage and spoke to it like it was just me talking to myself.
"No way it'll understand words, but I'll soothe it and get my pouch back!"
To do that, I needed to ease its guard.
"But... it feels like this snake actually understands me."
As I apologized, the snake stopped hissing harshly and just stared at me.
Might be my imagination, but those diamond eyes didn't seem as fierce anymore.
"Um, could I have that money pouch back? It's really important to me. If you give it back, I'll treat you to something."
"No way this offer works on a snake."
Snakes wouldn't even know what "treat" means...
"Hiss."
Thud.
"Did that actually work?"
As if it understood, the snake dropped the pouch at my feet.
"Do animals in martial arts novels cultivate too? Otherwise, how do Pippi and this snake understand human speech?"
"Th-thank you."
"Hiss."
"Can't understand it, but it feels like it's responding to my thanks."
Maybe this snake was gentle, contrary to what people thought.
"Here's the payment for the flower shoes."
Shaking off the bewilderment, I picked up the pouch and paid for the shoes.
"And I'll take this snake away safely, so please don't throw stones at it anymore."
"Kid, black snakes are venomous. One bite and you might not wake up!"
The vendor who'd thrown the stone tried to stop me, thinking my age meant I didn't know the danger.
"It's okay. This snake is nice. It even picked up my dropped pouch for me."
Murmurs rippled through the surrounding vendors at my words.
Things like "Shouldn't we stop her?" and "What if it bites?"
"Truth be told, it'd be a lie to say I'm not scared, but right now, I have a reason not to run from this."
Living in the Heavenly Demon Cult ahead, I'd face dangers way worse than a little snake.
I wanted to give Daddy faith that he wouldn't worry even when he learned his daughter was part of the cult.
So, time to be brave!
"Let's get out of here first."
I cupped my hands in front of the black snake. It eyed them for a moment before calmly slithering onto my palms.
"Gotcha!"
Ignoring the chattering vendors, I slipped away to a secluded spot.
Luckily, the black snake was incredibly docile.
"Lying there on my palm like it's its own comfy bed."
"First things first, let's treat that wound. Then I'll let you go."
I set the snake down on the grass and pulled a handkerchief from my satchel to wrap its injury.
"There! That'll stop the bleeding—no more blood now."
The snake twisted its head to look at the handkerchief wrapped around it, as if the texture felt weird.
"Now head back to where you live."
But the snake, which had seemed to understand and obey me so far, shook its head no.
"Is it... refusing me right now?"
"Why?"
It was more like mumbling to myself in frustration, but the snake nudged the money pouch at my waist with its head.
"Ah... no way."
"Um, could I have that money pouch back? It's really important to me. If you give it back, I'll treat you to something."
I suddenly recalled what I'd said before getting the pouch back.
"Oh yeah, I did say I'd treat you. What do you want to eat?"
At my question, the black snake perked up like it had been waiting, its golden eyes flashing as it stared at one spot.
[Drunken Whale Tavern]