Chapter 2
“…A snake?”
My blue eyes, filled with shock, landed on a pure white snake.
The moment I realized what was lying at my feet, a faint gasp slipped out of me.
Snakes were harmful by nature. If you saw one, you killed it. If it hid, you hunted it down and executed it.
Suddenly, a sentence I once learned in Imperial History flashed through my mind.
If you encounter it, kill it. If it hides, track it down and eliminate it.
I had never imagined I would actually see the target of such a brutal rule with my own eyes.
In Rubidium, snakes were considered almost extinct.
Even I, who had met many different races since childhood, had only ever seen snakes as poorly drawn pictures in books. I never expected to meet a real one like this, right in the middle of the imperial palace…
“…Is it dead?”
I knew I should be cautious when facing an unfamiliar creature, but it was hard to suppress my curiosity.
After hearing countless times how evil and vile snakes were, I couldn’t help but be curious.
I tilted my head slightly and looked closer. But unfortunately, the snake lying at my feet didn’t move at all.
Hmm… what should I do? I feel like I shouldn’t get any closer…
…but maybe just for a moment would be okay? It doesn’t look strong enough to attack me. If anything happens, I can just jump back quickly like a rabbit.
In the end, I slowly bent down and lowered my body toward the ground.
The distance between me and the snake quickly closed.
“Wait… why is there so much blood…?”
It was a small and beautiful white snake with smooth, silk-like skin.
But it looked like it had been attacked. The wound on its abdomen was so severe it was hard to look at.
The snake, motionless like it was dead, was breathing faintly, gasping irregularly as dark red blood poured from its belly.
“…At this rate, it’s really going to die… Should I save it?”
But… it’s a snake.
The idea of “saving a snake” didn’t fit well with Rubidium’s values.
“But if I leave it like this, it’s basically the same as killing it myself.”
I had learned that neglect is also a form of harm.
If I turned away from this snake, I would definitely feel guilty.
But even though my mind told me to help, my body wouldn’t move. I was afraid of what might happen after saving it.
And there was another problem.
To a snake, I was just a rabbit—easy prey.
That meant saving it was like willingly walking into the mouth of my natural enemy.
As if urging me to decide quickly, the snake’s faint breathing grew weaker.
Its fragile life seemed like it could end at any moment.
“…Mm…”
After struggling for a moment, I cleared my thoughts and let out a small breath.
Then, I carefully picked up the snake by its tail.
It was so light that I barely had to use any strength.
It’s so light… I thought it would be heavier.
I had picked it up in a rush, afraid it might die… but now what?
A plan? Of course I didn’t have one.
I just couldn’t bear to watch a life fade away in front of me.
I bit my lower lip hard.
“…I might go a little crazy.”
But it wouldn’t ruin my life or anything.
“I never thought I’d be running because of a snake…!”
Soon, the quiet and mysterious palace garden echoed with the hurried breathing of a rabbit.
* * *
After rushing back to the duke’s residence, I secretly told my maid, Letty, to call a doctor.
No matter how this started, I couldn’t let the snake die after bringing it here.
I just hoped it would stay alive until the doctor arrived.
“Even if it’s hard to breathe, just endure a little longer.”
I hid the snake in my dress and carefully went up to my room.
When the doctor arrived, I took as many bandages and ointments as I could.
I didn’t know what I would need, so I grabbed everything.
“My lady… if the patient is in such critical condition, wouldn’t it be better if I examined them myself…?”
The doctor looked at me with concern.
But I couldn’t show him the snake.
“I know how to do basic treatment. Don’t you trust me?”
“I trust you, my lady. But I don’t trust your hands—you’ve never treated anyone before.”
…He had a point.
After getting simple instructions, I sent him away.
Then I did my best to treat the snake.
…The bandages were messy, and the ointment was uneven, but I really tried.
* * *
After washing up and checking again, the snake looked much better. Its breathing was more stable.
But blood was still soaking through the white bandages.
It would be best to take it to a hospital… but bringing a snake into a crowded place would be the same as asking for it to be killed.
Just imagining it was terrifying.
As I looked at the softly breathing snake, I suddenly heard someone outside.
Knock knock—
Startled, I quickly shoved the snake under the blanket and turned my head calmly.
“Miss Lucelin!”
For some reason, Letty’s voice sounded louder than usual.
“What is it?”
“Are you okay? You called a doctor… And nothing happened on your way back from the palace, right?”
“I’m fine.”
“Thank goodness…”
She sighed in relief.
“What happened?”
“Well… the Crown Prince has gone missing.”
“…What?”
“The Crown Prince… is missing?”
My breath caught.
“They said when a servant went to get him, his room was covered in blood.”
My body stiffened.
Blood…?
Could the snake I brought be connected to the imperial family?
The wound looked like it had been caused by a sharp weapon…
If the snake was related to an attack on the royal family, I could be accused of treason for hiding it.
That could never happen.
“…I don’t know anything about that.”
“Anyway, you’re lucky. Everyone who stayed at the party is being treated as a suspect and is still trapped in the palace.”
After Letty left, silence filled the room again.
Only then did the tension leave my shoulders.
The Crown Prince… missing.
Apparently, my fiancé—whom I had never even seen—actually existed.
Who in the world would attack the Crown Prince?
Whoever it was must be completely insane.
…Still, I hope he’s safe.
He is my only fiancé, after all.
Pushing aside my complicated thoughts, I lifted the blanket.
The white snake was looking at me with bright yellow eyes, full of life.
“You look better now.”
After cleaning its blood with a warm cloth, its white scales shone like fresh snow.
Like shining shells by the sea.
Like stars scattered across the night sky.
Mesmerized, I reached out my hand.
Stroke.
“…!”
Stroke, stroke—
Stroke stroke stroke!
The moment I touched its head, I felt an unbelievably soft and smooth texture.
W-wait… what is this?!
It’s soft, smooth, and even squeaky clean?!
I can’t stop touching it…!
It felt like—
Boom!
Like I had just stepped into a forbidden world I was never meant to discover.
