Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Pip's Usefulness
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"Are your lips okay?"
"No, they're not."
Gwangyu touched his swollen lips and glared at Pip, who was hiding between strands of my hair, with triangular eyes.
'He's really pissed off. If I leave them like this and they meet when I'm not around, Gwangyu might pluck out all of Pip's feathers.'
"Pip, even so, biting my lips with your beak was too much."
"Pip-ik piiik. (But snakes are scary bastards who'll twist your neck if you give them even a moment's opening! I was just saving you!)"
'Snakes do hunt with ambushes, that's true.'
I could understand Pip's feelings.
But the black snake turning into a human was unusual enough, and being from the Heavenly Demon Cult was suspicious too. Even without words, I could tell he was no ordinary expert.
I didn't want Pip picking a fight with someone dangerous because of me.
"Pip."
"Pip-it! (I don't wanna hear it!)"
Maybe feeling hurt by my stern tone, Pip turned its back on me in a huff, sulking.
'This is tricky.'
"Forget the apology. It's just your pride that's hurt from getting bit by a bird. It'll heal in no time."
'Huh? For real?'
Just as Gwangyu said, his lips, which had been puffy moments ago, had already gone down.
'They looked swollen enough to last at least two days... Do snakes heal that fast?'
Seeing his recovery speed differ from a normal person's confirmed my hunch that he wasn't ordinary.
"You said you're from the Heavenly Demon Cult, right?"
"Yeah."
"Then you knew who I was when we met at the market?"
"Of course. I went to the market specifically to see you."
'Came to the market to see me?'
"Pip-bik pip! (Lewd snake!)"
Pip let out a sharp cry, eyeing Gwangyu warily as he boldly claimed he'd come looking for me.
'Yeah, definitely need to be cautious.'
"Why did you come looking for me?"
"No need to be so guarded. I just heard there was an interesting new aide in the Heavenly Demon Cult and got curious about you."
Sensing I was keeping my distance, Gwangyu explained reassuringly why he'd sought me out.
"How did you know where I was?"
'Even Secret King only knows I went off to pray for prophecies about the future—he doesn't know where I'm staying...'
What if he's someone from the Heavenly Demon Cult who knows Daddy's face?
He might see me with Daddy and tell him I'm in the Cult.
"I threatened to bite Secret King, but even he didn't know where you were. Then I caught a unfamiliar scent around the Young Cult Leader's office building. I followed it since you'd been staying there. Lucky for me, we ran into each other right away."
'Tracked me by scent, huh. Snakes do have a good sense of smell.'
But threatening the Three Secret Squad Leader Secret King and still being alive? Just how high up is this snake in the Cult?
And high status means a higher chance he knows Heavenly Demon's face?
Pip said he'd been lurking around our front yard.
Did he figure out I'm Heavenly Demon's daughter?
"Why tell me the Tang Clan of Sichuan is looking for me? Honestly, one missing new aide wouldn't cause a big fuss in the Cult."
"I don't care about the Cult. I only get involved in things that interest me. So I took a liking to you, little bean, and wanted to help. Plus, you helped me before."
Gwangyu tapped the handkerchief tied around his neck with his fingertip.
'I figured as much, but he's totally capricious.'
Still, he did pass on info about the Tang Clan, so he meant to help.
"But what's this 'little bean'?"
Gwangyu answered my question as if it were obvious.
"You're about the size of a bean."
"Where am I small? I'm average height for six!"
"I didn't say small. I said bean-sized."
'Same difference!'
This won't do.
Talking more just feels like I'm getting tangled up with this snake.
Send him back without dragging it out.
But first, one thing to check.
"Did you see anything at our house?"
"It was too dark; I didn't see a thing. Even if I did, it's not my business, so no plans to blab. Relax, little bean."
"Not little bean!"
Gwangyu laughed out loud, amused by my indignation.
His bright smile looked innocently childlike, not matching his sly first impression.
'Whatever else, he doesn't seem like the type of bad snake who'd break his word.'
"Fine, now you go back. I have somewhere urgent to be."
'This snake held me up too long.'
To reach the Cult on time, I couldn't delay departure anymore.
I waved Gwangyu off, telling him to hurry back, but for some reason, he didn't budge from the spot.
Fine, whatever.
I'll go my way.
"Pip, let's go."
"Pip-ik! (Bye, snake! I'm going with Cheon-seong.)"
Pip flew up to my head, not forgetting to taunt Gwangyu one last time.
'Finally, I can head to the Cult worry-free...'
Why the hell is he following?
I told him to go back, but glancing sideways, Gwangyu was strolling leisurely beside me.
"I said go back."
When I scolded him, Gwangyu shrugged helplessly.
"Can't go alone. The Young Cult Leader ordered me to bring you back safely."
"Young Cult Leader?"
"Yeah, didn't I mention?"
'No, you didn't.'
Gwangyu scratched the back of his head with a carefree grin, as if he'd truly forgotten.
"Young Cult Leader said the Tang Clan of Sichuan is looking for you, so escort you safely back to the Cult."
'Young Cult Leader's protecting me?'
Suddenly, I recalled what the Young Cult Leader had said.
That I wouldn't die if I stayed by his side.
'Thought it was bluffing then, but assigning an escort like this means I really won't die.'
The Young Cult Leader seemed to have more uses beyond just tormenting me.
He looked a tiny bit better now.
"Planning to walk every step of the way? Void Step would get you to the Cult in no time."
'Void Step—the technique where experts at a certain realm walk or run on air?'
"Can't do that stuff."
"Why not? You're an expert who can summon phoenixes!"
"Me, summon a phoenix? Who said that?"
"At the memorial in the Cult, you summoned a phoenix and drove off the spies, right?"
"That rumor sounds off."
"Off? Your story's spreading through the whole Cult like a hero's tale."
'How did the rumor even start...'
I explained the situation back then step by step to Gwangyu.
"I did sniff out the spies, but I never summoned a phoenix. I was in a rush to catch them, so I grabbed a nearby statue and hurled it. Must've gained momentum mid-air, 'cause it burst into flames."
"Even without summoning, igniting a statue like that is impressive."
Gwangyu nodded in acknowledgment, then asked me.
"But why can't you do Void Step?"
'Is he picking a fight now?'
I bristled for a second, but Gwangyu genuinely looked baffled that I couldn't do Void Step.
"I've never properly trained internal energy. Never learned any martial arts."
"A total beginner who's never even started, and you pulled off that kind of power?"
Gwangyu marveled again.
"Pip-ik pip! Pip-ikpip-pip! Pip! Pip-pip-pip-ik! (Don't strut around just 'cause you can walk on air, you snake! Without wings, no less! Listen up! Seol Cheon-seong doesn't need Void Step!)"
Maybe thinking Gwangyu was mocking me for not knowing Void Step, Pip furiously worked its beak non-stop, face flushed with anger.
'Why doesn't she need Void Step? I want to learn it... If I could do Void Step, I wouldn't have to struggle like this to get to the Cult.'
But seeing Pip defend me so fiercely, its transparent head red with rage, I couldn't voice that.
"Why doesn't she need it? Void Step would make things way easier right now."
To Gwangyu's question, Pip proudly flapped its wings.
"Pip-ik pip-pip! Pip! (Doesn't matter! If Seol Cheon-seong rides on my back, we can reach the Cult in a flash without Void Step!)"
'Earlier you whined your back would break just from carrying me...'
Clearly a transparent bird, but its heart was impossible to read.
'At least I have a bird on my side; won't feel lonely.'
I was subtly touched by Pip stepping up for me when Gwangyu clapped his palms together as if finally getting it.
"Ah, I see. So that's your usefulness to little bean?"
"Pip? (What's my usefulness?)"
Gwangyu pointed at Pip with his finger and answered refreshingly.
"Mount."