Chapter 09
Time passed quickly, and it had already been half a month since Mangdeok left.
Returning to my usual dull daily life, I spent my time reading various books about beasts and snakes.
As always, I ended up falling asleep while reading at night.
tok tok.
tok.
to-do-dok.
Some irregular sound echoed from somewhere.
Rousing my drowsy mind, I slowly looked around to find the source of the noise filling the quiet room.
It was just past dawn. The once-dark room was now faintly lit by sunlight seeping through the large window.
tok, do-dok.
The sound came again. Still half-asleep, I sharply turned my head toward it.
“…Huh?”
My head tilted downward without me realizing it.
Wait, what is that?
Something small and pure white seemed to be stuck in the corner of the window… No, not just stuck—!
tok-tok-tok! tok!
It was aggressively knocking on the window! What—what is that?!
“…Wait. Don’t tell me?”
Rubbing my still-drowsy eyes in panic, I looked again—and there was Mangdeok…! A tiny little head persistently demanding I open the window.
“…Am I dreaming?”
Had I become so anxious about not breaking the mark that I was hallucinating now? Had I read too many books and exhausted my mind?
Otherwise, there was no explanation…
While I stared blankly at the absurd sight, Mangdeok met my gaze through the glass.
His golden pupils sparkled brightly.
At the same time, Dean’s calm voice echoed clearly in my mind.
“The one who inscribed the mark must maintain contact with their partner regularly, or they will suffer unbearable pain and eventually die. So the white serpent will definitely come back to you.”
I hadn’t exactly doubted Dean, but seeing Mangdeok actually come all this way…
At once, I felt both amazement and disbelief.
‘What are the guards doing? How did an intruder get this far?!’
On the other hand, I was shocked.
After all, the Erbel Duke’s residence was the second most heavily guarded place in the entire empire after the imperial palace.
It wasn’t a place where a wild snake—let alone one that couldn’t even hide properly—could simply enter.
Mangdeok, a white serpent that stood out like snow, was a creature constantly driven away wherever it went.
So I had assumed that if Mangdeok couldn’t find me, it would simply be because of the mansion’s strict security.
To prepare for that, I had even designed walking routes for “accidental encounters,” thinking it would make it easier for Mangdeok to find me outside.
But now…
My careful plan had collapsed completely.
“How did such a tiny snake even get up here…?”
Even while seeing it with my own eyes, I still couldn’t believe it.
So shocked that I couldn’t even finish my sentence.
thump thump.
As my silence dragged on, the silent head-butting against the window resumed, urging me to open it.
It couldn’t speak, so this was its only way—but still… it looked kind of cute.
Creak.
I hurriedly opened the window. Through the gap, Mangdeok slipped inside, his forehead slightly reddened from all the head-butting.
Just how many times had he hit his head…
He looked much healthier than when I last saw him. The rough first aid I had done before had apparently healed well enough.
Only a faint scar remained on his side, but it was barely noticeable.
Once inside, Mangdeok naturally climbed up my arm and settled on my shoulder.
Though slightly faded due to time apart, the faint scent of roses still lingered on his body.
Thanks to the strong rose oil, I had no doubt that this white serpent was Mangdeok.
And…
‘Still no trace of a beastman pheromone today.’
As his smooth body wrapped around my neck, a pleasant warmth spread through me. But that was all—nothing else.
Ssshh.
Seemingly pleased by my touch, Mangdeok curled around my shoulder like a scarf, warming it.
This was not how a wild animal should behave.
Wild snakes don’t seek people out, nor do they enjoy being touched.
That was what I had learned after reading many books since our separation.
I had tried to find records of beasts acting like beastmen.
But nowhere was it written that a snake—or any wild animal—could understand human language and act so intelligently.
Snakes were supposed to be intelligent… but could that intelligence have evolved differently after their extinction-level decline?
“You ran off quite well last time. Without a word.”
I looked at Mangdeok, now clinging tightly around my neck as if refusing to leave, and spoke calmly.
Mangdeok tilted his head innocently and slowly licked his pink tongue, as if he didn’t understand at all.
“You understand what I’m saying. Even if I won’t get an answer… you’re going to disappear again, right?”
This was our first meeting after the mark, after his body had fully recovered.
There was only one reason Mangdeok would come back to me.
Because being separated from his marked partner caused unbearable pain.
Seeing him return after exactly half a month, the cycle of that pain might be about that long.
Ssshh.
At my words, Mangdeok licked his tongue again. It seemed like agreement.
So he really wasn’t even trying to hide that he would leave again.
Still, I couldn’t keep a snake in my room anyway… so it didn’t matter.
While the excited Mangdeok licked my cheek, I calmly scanned the room.
Under the pillow was the silver dagger Dean had given me.
On the table was a necklace containing the blood of a pure-blood wolf.
That necklace was supposed to suppress Mangdeok’s power.
Since snakes were their natural enemies, a weakened one should be manageable.
So first, I would wear the necklace, and when Mangdeok lost his strength, I would kill him with the dagger.
Then the mark on my wrist would disappear.
Ssssh!
At that moment, Mangdeok suddenly slipped away from me and dove into the blanket.
“Mangdeok?”
What? I hadn’t even touched the necklace yet…
Did he already sense my intention?
As I called his name in confusion, a small white head popped out from the blanket.
Blink. Blink.
Golden eyes like the moon stared at me.
Before I could be enchanted by them, a knock sounded at the door.
Knock knock.
“Miss, are you awake?”
It was Leti’s voice.
Only then did I realize why Mangdeok had hidden.
He must have sensed another presence.
“Yeah, I’m awake.”
After checking that Mangdeok was well hidden, I answered.
The door opened and Leti entered.
“I was told by a patrolling guard that your window was open. You didn’t leave it open all night, did you? The nights are getting cold.”
So that was why she came earlier than usual.
I had forgotten I left the window open while bringing Mangdeok in.
And yet the guards noticed something like that so quickly…
As expected, the Erbel family’s security was terrifyingly meticulous.
“Miss?”
“…Huh?”
Leti smiled gently at me.
“You still seem half asleep. Well… how about some herbal tea? It helps with fatigue.”
“Okay, please.”
Leti left after closing the window.
Once the door shut, Mangdeok peeked out from under the blanket.
He had sensed people and hidden immediately.
Smart for a snake—but more like instinct than intelligence.
Still, choosing the blanket instead of anywhere else… that was clever.
For now, I would postpone killing Mangdeok.
I wanted to finish it quickly because I felt uneasy, but it couldn’t be helped.
“Stay there for a moment. Leti will come back soon. Ah, did you eat breakfast?”
He shook his head vigorously.
“I’ll ask Leti to prepare something for you too.”
At my words, Mangdeok slipped back under the blanket.
See? He really understands.
And he’s quick on the uptake too.
“…Hah.”
Come to think of it, both Mangdeok and the blanket were so white that if he closed his yellow eyes, he wouldn’t even need to hide.
‘But he’s cute, so I won’t tell him.’
…Ah, seriously. I shouldn’t keep thinking he’s cute. I need to detach myself quickly…
“Ha… what am I going to do… I just want to keep petting him…”
I couldn’t forget that smooth, squishy feeling.
In the end, I sighed and buried my face into the blanket.
