Chapter 1
Chapter 1
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: A Bird in a Serpent's Nest
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The peaceful Astrofel family was turned upside down overnight.
An unprecedented event had occurred.
It all began with a mysterious egg of unknown origin.
Just when they thought it looked absurdly small and somehow flawed, a baby bird, chirping “peep-peep,” broke out of the shell.
How it had gotten mixed in with the eggs of the heirs remained unknown.
Baon, the one responsible for managing the eggs this time, broke out in a cold sweat.
"Perhaps someone put it in as food for the newborn young masters?"
"It seems you want to be thrown in as food."
"It was a slip of the tongue."
Baon immediately corrected himself and stepped back. The man before him was more than capable of carrying out such a threat.
Kaide Astrofel.
He was the head of the Astrofel family, the one who led and commanded the entire clan.
The leader of the clan who had inherited the strongest power of his generation, along with a cruel and savage nature to match, more intensely than anyone else.
His uniquely dangerous aura, black hair, and red eyes were the symbols of the Astrofel family.
While he probably wouldn't actually be thrown in as food, Baon knew that if he wasn't compliant, there wouldn't be enough of him left to bury. With that thought, he cleared his throat.
"I checked for any pheromones received from a guardian, but there were no such traces."
"Abandoned?"
"That is a possibility. If not that, then…"
Perhaps the guardian could no longer care for the fledgling.
Either way, it was not welcome news for a newborn chick.
It was as good as having no place to return to.
"It appears its slow growth was due to its inability to properly absorb pheromones."
"I see."
"What are your orders?"
Baon asked what was to be done with the baby bird.
Kaide looked into the basket on his desk.
Even though they were talking about it, the baby bird was fast asleep, oblivious to the world, its body curled into a ball with its beak tucked under its wing.
It couldn't have been more carefree.
Unaware of what fate awaited it.
For a newborn fledgling, having no guardian meant death.
Had it been discovered by another family, it might have been protected until adulthood, but not here.
In the Astrofel family, which strictly adhered to the law of the jungle—the survival of the fittest—the weak were not welcome.
"Just take it and dump it somewhere outside the territory."
"Understood."
With an expression that said he'd expected as much, Baon picked up the basket to carry out the order.
At that moment, a small head popped up from inside the basket.
"Peep?"
The baby bird had woken up.
It tilted its head, as if trying to understand the situation after just waking.
Its small, chubby wings flapped clumsily, as if it couldn't yet control them properly.
Then it saw its own wings and startled, looking utterly bewildered.
At the sight, Kaide’s brow furrowed.
"The egg was small, and it seems its head is addled as well."
"...Still, it's quite cute."
"Nonsense."
"Should I really go and abandon it?"
At that moment, the baby bird's movements surprisingly stopped.
It was as if it understood their words.
If it had been born a snake, this wouldn't have been strange at all, but for a baby bird, it was remarkable.
It seemed it hadn't failed to absorb any pheromones while in the egg, after all.
Seeing as it could understand the clan's language to some extent.
Baon's eyes sparkled with interest.
"Well then, I'll be off to abandon it."
"Peep!"
"It's the Family Head's order."
"Peep! Peep!"
His gaze fixed on the baby bird, Baon recited the line like he was reading from a script.
Each time, the baby bird reacted passionately, flapping its wings.
Baon carefully examined the baby bird once more.
Just as I thought.
On the faint pheromones it emitted, there was, surprisingly, a trace of Kaide's.
"It carries your pheromones, Family Head."
"I know."
"...And you're still going to abandon it? If it's thrown outside the territory, it'll be torn apart and eaten immediately."
"You're not suggesting we raise it in my family, are you?"
His characteristic, sinister pheromones began to waft through the air.
The noxious, venomous scent made Baon take a step back with a troubled expression.
"Peep... Peeeeep..."
The baby bird was trembling in fear from Kaide's pheromones.
Seeing it burrow into the blanket, crying in terror, Kaide flinched and withdrew his pheromones.
"Peeeeep... Peeeeep."
As it whimpered sorrowfully, desperately searching for someone, Kaide pressed a hand to his forehead.
It was a well-known fact that a hatchling would imprint on the one who supplied it with pheromones the moment it entered the world.
His eyes met the baby bird's, which was crying out for him despite its fear. Kaide scowled and waved a dismissive hand.
"Do as you wish, Baon."
* * *
What in the world is going on?
I still couldn't believe what had happened to me.
Am I dreaming?
Unable to make sense of the situation no matter how hard I thought, I rubbed my eyes. But when nothing changed, I could only tilt my head in confusion.
How am I alive?
I was originally a young Su-in, living alone and hiding in a small territory in the east.
I didn't even know who I was. All I knew was that I walked on four legs and had a tail.
That was because no one had ever told me. A result of having no guardian.
It wasn't that unusual for a young Su-in to live alone in the east.
The powerful families were constantly fighting fiercely over territory, so the east was always steeped in bloodshed.
I was barely managing to survive when, in my last memory, I was being chased by a terrifying beast.
I thought for sure I wouldn't make it, but here I was, breathing and alive.
And on top of that, I'd woken up as a bird.
A bird.
Me, a bird.
Still reeling from the shock, I tried to cover my eyes, only to see a pair of small, chubby wings.
"Peeep!!"
This can't be happening!
I shook my head frantically. They were so small I'd been in denial at first, but they were unmistakably wings.
Trying to escape reality, I buried my face in the blanket and rubbed it back and forth.
The soft texture almost made me lose myself for a moment, but I quickly snapped back to my senses.
What is this situation all of a sudden?
I looked around anxiously. No one had explained to me what was going on.
Besides...
"You're not suggesting we raise it in my family, are you?"
I may be a bird, but calling me 'it'? That's just too harsh.
Hmph.
I sighed and flopped down.
I'd been through too much in such a short time. I had only just woken up, but I was already exhausted.
Sway, sway.
I let my body sway with the swinging basket and watched the man called Baon.
Where is he taking me?
Surely he's not really taking me outside the territory to abandon me, right?
In a body like this, I couldn't survive on my own.
To be alone again, right after being born. My mood soured.
It seems I'll be alone in this life, too.
Perhaps sensing my stare, his light blue eyes met mine.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Peep. Peep. Peeeeep."
"I have no idea what you're saying."
"Peep-peep. Peeeeep!"
"If word gets out that there's a bird here, someone might come to eat you. A snake, for instance..."
Gasp. I covered my beak with my short wings.
As I huddled down and scanned my surroundings, Baon leaned in close, his face right over the basket.
"No matter how I look at it, it's fascinating. The way you understand words."
The pupils of his blue eyes narrowed into vertical slits.
I squeezed my eyes shut. Oh, gods. He really is a snake.
I'm a bird, and Baon is a snake.
I knew that snakes were the natural enemy of birds, and every feather on my body stood on end.
"It was a joke."
"Peep. Peeeep...?"
"You wouldn't even be a mouthful."
Baon said cheerfully. I breathed a sigh of relief.
Having become a bird, it really felt like my entire being was adapting to my new form.
To think I now had to worry about being eaten by a snake right after being born. My situation was pathetic.
I was staring gloomily at the bottom of the basket when Baon's steps came to a halt.
"This is where you'll be staying from now on. The Family Head gave his permission, so it should be fine."