RBYL 05

Chapter 05

“Shasha, are you a male? Is that why you shook your head when I called you ‘big sister’?”

Nod, nod!

Shasha nodded vigorously. It almost felt like those sparkling eyes were telling me to cheer up, and I let out a small laugh.

“Alright, Shasha. Got it. I’ll cheer up after seeing your cuteness.”

At my words, Shasha happily rubbed his face against my cheek again. His eyes seemed to curve gently as if smiling.

Yeah. If my Shasha is telling me to stay strong like this, there’s no way I can stay down.

There was nothing for me to do in the mansion.

Well, if I had to name a few things—putting up with Carie’s temper, getting dragged around by the marquis couple to have my self-esteem crushed and be brainwashed, and serving as easy gossip material for the servants… maybe that was it.

There was a ball in two months, but the one receiving proper care already was Carie. As for me, I’d only get some half-hearted outfit selection and minimal grooming until about a month before, and only recently did they start paying any real attention.

If I really had to define what I do, it would be getting called in more often to be “conditioned.”

Locked in this tiny room, I couldn’t use the internet, read books, listen to music, watch TV, or even eat properly…

“Ha… what a zero-energy life.”

The fact that I was starting to wish I could at least solve math problems meant something had gone seriously wrong.

Muttering blankly, I flopped onto the bed. I was hungry, but I had already eaten a handful of nuts, so I had to endure it today.

Rolling my eyes lazily, I looked toward the window. Through the small opening, I could see a patch of blue sky.

As I stared blankly at the clouds drifting across that tiny slice of sky, I unknowingly began to hum a tune.

I didn’t even realize what song I was humming, but Shasha quietly approached me.

Perhaps feeling sorry for my listless state, Shasha rubbed his small cheek against mine as if telling me to cheer up.

Come to think of it, Shasha really liked rubbing his face against me. Especially when I was in a bad mood—maybe he believed it would make me feel better.

As if thinking, “It makes me feel good, so it must work for you too.”

‘Even that thought is so trivial… and so precious…’

I reached out and gently stroked Shasha, then slowly turned toward him.

“Shasha, want me to sing you a song?”

At my casual remark, Shasha’s eyes sparkled like stars and his tail wagged.

Oh, you like songs. I chuckled and moved my hand near his tail. The gently swaying tail lightly tapped my finger.

“…!”

Startled, Shasha froze stiff, blinking a couple of times before quickly curling up into a coil.

Then he tucked his head into the center.

Did he just get embarrassed because I touched his tail?

‘And yet he rubs his face all over me without a care.’

I giggled and pulled my hand back.

Ahem. Clearing my throat, I slowly opened my mouth.

By the riverside soaked in spring rain,
The blue hue is so lovely.
There, I, I
Sing a sorrowful song.

A melody both lively and somehow melancholic flowed softly.

Shasha, who had been hiding his face, slowly lifted his head. I lowered my eyes lazily and stroked his head.

Drop by drop, the spring rain
Greets beyond the rainbow,
And my beloved, my beloved
Greets me from across the blue river.

This was a song I had made for a school assignment. What was it again? Something about creating a crossover between traditional culture and a modern genre.

So I found Jeong Jisang’s “Songin” online and layered a ballad style over it to make this piece.

Goodbye, goodbye, my dear, goodbye.
My love, please stay well.

It unintentionally became my song of death.

Perhaps sensing the sadness in the melody, Shasha gently rubbed his small head against my finger.

I let out a soft laugh and leaned my face toward him.

“Are you comforting me right now?”

Shasha lowered his eyes and nodded slightly. Still smiling faintly, I whispered,

“It’s okay. It’s supposed to be this kind of song.”

If anything, I had toned down the sadness compared to the original poem.

At my words, Shasha let out a soft sigh and gently wrapped around my index finger. Snakes shouldn’t be warm, but the finger he coiled around seemed to gradually grow warm.

I slowly raised my other hand to pet him.

That’s when—

A loud, rough knocking echoed through the door.

My face instantly twisted into a frown. I swallowed the curse that rose to my throat and set Shasha down on the bed.

Thank goodness I was wearing a kirtle. If I had only been in a chemise, they would’ve surely spouted nonsense about how low-born blood couldn’t be hidden.

“Wh— ahem… Who is it?”

My irritated tone came out a bit too loud, so I cleared my throat and asked again. Thankfully, the second time came out more timid.

“The mistress is calling for you. Come out.”

The voice dripping with annoyance made their hostility clear.

Sensing it, Shasha looked up at me with worried eyes, as if telling me not to go. I smiled faintly and whispered,

“It’s okay, Shasha.”

It really was.

At least they wouldn’t hit me.

“Hey! Why are you taking so long?! Get out here now!”

Ugh, so loud. Shasha, unlike normal snakes, could hear well—this must be even worse for him.

To stop the servant from making more noise, I quickly stepped outside.

‘Erika, manage your expression. Your expression.’

I quickly changed my face into a timid, shrinking one. The servant glanced at me and muttered loudly, clearly intending for me to hear.

“Damn it, why do I have to be on duty today? So unlucky.”

‘You have no idea how lucky it is to just be unlucky. You’d understand if you had to repeat a year.’

While acting outwardly meek, in my mind I forced the servant to sit at a desk and solve trigonometry problems.

‘May you spend your entire life solving math problems.’

I cast what I considered the harshest curse.

Keeping my outer and inner selves completely different, I followed the servant until we reached the reception room used by the marquis couple.

“My lady, I’ve brought Miss Erika.”

Haha. That little grind on the word “Miss”—I wasn’t the only one who heard that, right?

‘Grind your teeth all you want. Hope they wear down nicely.’

Though if they actually did, I’d probably get blamed for it somehow.

I shook my head inwardly.

“Let her in.”

With the Marchioness’s command, the door opened.

The Marchioness, Delemia, was a beauty with soft brown hair and the same blue eyes as Carie.

After glancing briefly at her elaborate Baroque-style dress, I bowed deeply.

Since the marquis wasn’t here, it seemed today would be just the Marchioness crushing my self-esteem.

“I—I greet the mistress of the Seluria house…”

Before I could even finish, the door slammed shut behind me.

I trembled as if frightened and cautiously glanced at her. Sneaking a look at the table, I spotted a large glass filled with water.

Looks like today’s punishment would be a splash of water.

‘Where do you think Carie learned to throw tea from?’

They say children mirror their parents for a reason.

The Marchioness didn’t even tell me to sit.

She simply took a sip of tea, then slowly set the cup down.

“Erika Le Seluria.”

She called my name in what she probably thought was a gentle tone. I flinched and looked up at her carefully.

‘If I answer, she’ll say someone like me dares to bear the Seluria name.’

‘If I don’t, she’ll insult me for not knowing my place.’

Either way, she just wanted an excuse to belittle me.

‘Still, it’s better to seem foolish and lacking pride.’

Last time I answered “Yes,” so I should do the same.

“Y-Yes…”

I deliberately spoke slowly and timidly.

As expected, her lips twisted coldly.

“Ha. A girl who doesn’t even know her place.”

“……”

“Do you really think someone like you deserves to carry the noble Seluria name? Someone with filthy commoner blood?”

“N-No, Aunt— I mean… Mistress…”

I intentionally let “Aunt” slip.

At that word, she snapped and grabbed the glass of water.

Splash!

The water was thrown straight into my face.

Drip, drip—the water ran down my cheeks. I closed my eyes reflexively, then slowly opened them again.

“How dare someone of low blood call me aunt!”

“I—I’m sorry…”

“Ha! For filthy commoner blood to mix into the noble Seluria lineage of centuries—how disgraceful! I can’t even sleep at night from the shame!”

What a shame indeed.

Outwardly, I shrank in fear, but inwardly, I let her words slide right past me.