/
Though it was suspicious, I gave up because I didn’t think it would tell me.
That wasn’t the point.
“Then you won’t hide anymore?”
“Yep-ing. I’ll say hello formally-ing. I’m Serpens-ing.”
After talking so far, it would stick its tail out at me and wag it like a rattlesnake to greet me.
I lightly grabbed the tip of the Serpens tail and shook it.
It’s the same with Lepus, it was also somehow strange.
“I’m Aika. Aika de Valliot. Your ability is to see the future, right?”
“Did you hear that from Lepus?”
“Yep. And I’ve seen the future myself.”
Serpens said yes and that it would help me in the future and help me build my abilities.
Come to think of it, I haven’t seen the future since Serpens woke up.
I wanted to check on the man who attacked Grandpa that day, but I was worried because I hadn’t seen anything since.
I wonder if I don’t see any dangerous things, and on the other hand, I wonder if I can’t see them because Grandpa is safe.
I was worried and relieved more than a dozen times a day.
“You knoooow, Serpens.”
“Yep-ing.”
“So, now that you are here, can I see the future whenever I want?”
“If you grow up diligently, you can see the future of the person you want in more detail and accurately-ing. But you know it’s a dangerous future, don’t you-ing?”
“Yeah, because it’s always been like that. Can you stop me from seeing it on my own?”
The future I see has always been anxious and scary scenes.
Dangerous things that can lead to someone close to me getting hurt, being attacked by someone, or escalate into bigger problems.
“You have to work a lot. This Serpens will help you.”
It was a relief. In fact, I thought it would be good to solve it alone.
I was surprised every time my eyes suddenly changed.
Serpens came up to me before I knew it and wrapped itself around my arm and rode up.
In an instant, Serpens wrapped its body around my shoulder, and its eyes met mine.
Strangely, although it was a snake, I wasn’t scared at all.
He felt rather friendly, which made me laugh.
“I have to inform Lepus as well. To do that, I have to go to the Imperial Palace
”
Thinking of that made me shudder at the thought of Uncle’s fearsome face.
I-I’ll go to the imperial palace later then.
“Before that, shouldn’t you go back to sleep-ing? Children need to sleep-ing.”
I already woke up from sleep.
Looking at the clock, now accustomed to the darkness, it was pointing to 1 o’clock at dawn.
“Tchㅡyou woke me up.”
Then Serpens turned its head away pretending not to know.
I closed my eyes thinly at the subject who got close to me and raised its head, then the red eyes disappeared and appeared over and over.
But Serpens was right.
Instead of going to visit Uncle with a pillow and doll, I lay back on the bed and covered myself with the blanket.
Serpens coiled up next to my head and settled down.
“Still, I was really curious about you, so thanks for coming out.”
I said to Serpens while holding the doll.
My eyes, which had been puffy until just now, were fading as soon as they touched the pillow.
I fell asleep while listening to Serpens’ voice telling me to sleep well, saying that this won’t happen anymore.
***
From the next day, Serpens no longer hid as promised.
Still, fortunately, it was invisible to anyone else.
If I suddenly bring a black snake around, Zenda and everyone else will be surprised.
“But can’t Uncle see you?”
“Why-ing?”
“My uncle has mixed blood with Mom, who has mixed blood with me. Because we’re family.”
“It doesn’t matter-ing.”
“Really? Then I’m glad.”
I was worried that as soon as Uncle saw Serpens, he would grab him by the neck and throw it out of the house, but it was a relief.
Perhaps, if it’s Uncle, he would really do that.
It was obvious that he would be angry at me for picking up something like this.
However, Serpens had something strange.
It was sure that it was invisible to others, yet whenever I greeted the servants, it hid behind my back and waited for them to pass by.
Despite its small size and terrifying face, it was really shy.
Ding, ding, ding, ding.
The clock chimed 1 o’clock.
“Serpens, if I have class later at 2 o’clock, you must not come out. Got it?”
Today, as Uncle told me, a teacher will come to teach me at 2 o’clock.
It was really my first time learning something from someone else, so I had no idea what to do.
When I was learning from Mom, she would lay down and hold me in her arms.
Had I known this, I would have asked Russphe a little yesterday.
Russphe had been learning this and that from the teachers for a long time before me.
Can I just sit quietly in a chair?
I heard that other friends get together and study.
It was the first time I had ever learned anything like this.
I know now that Mom did it to protect me.
At 2 o’clock,, I waited quietly in the drawing room where Zenda told me to wait.
I heard that the Imperial language teacher who was coming today kept time like a knife.
Zenda said that if I’m late, I should be prepared in advance because the teacher is strict enough not to give me an education that day.
I was very scared, but the teacher didn’t come even after 2 o’clock.
“Humm.”
This is a room where guests come, so it felt very calm.
It was all made of wood and leather with a peculiar smell.
Low tables, soft brown leather sofas, brown wooden furniture and dark wallpaper.
“Why isn’t the teacher coming?”
Hng. I practiced greetings a lot, though.
I waited and waited, drawing the subtle patterns on the wallpaper with my eyes.
I also wore a very pretty red dress today.
At 2.30 o’clock, Zenda came in.
“Zenda! What about the teacher?”
“Miss, it seems that the teacher in charge of education today had a small accident. The teacher sent someone saying that they might not be able to come today.”
“Then can’t I meet the teacher today?”
“Yes, Miss. I’m sorry for the long wait.”
“It’s nothing.”
Wouldn’t it be really difficult if the teacher who keeps the time like a knife didn’t come?
“Would you like to play origami with me today instead?”
The teacher who was supposed to come today even said they wouldn’t be here until next week.
It doesn’t matter if I don’t study, but

Could it be that the teacher is seriously injured?
If it was someone I knew, I could have seen it in advance and blocked it.
I asked Zenda again, but was told the teacher wasn’t hurt, only that it was some personal circumstances.
“Mm, I want to do origami.”
Reassuringly, I held Zenda’s hand.
***
Uncle didn’t show up until almost night again today.
“Uncleeee!”
Run, run, run.
I ran down the hallway and landed in Uncle’s arms.
“Ugh, Uncle thinks Uncle’s bone is broken.”
Uncle held me with one arm and sighed.
I didn’t even hit his chest, but he was holding me with one hand.
“Tch, it’s not, though.”
As I rolled my eyes proudly, Uncle smiled and tapped my cheek with his index finger.
“What did you do today.”
“Origami with Zenda.”
“What about the class.”
“I couldn’t attend it because the teacher couldn’t come today.”
Uncle, who was walking down the hallway, stopped.
“
They said they couldn’t come?”
“Mm, they said they’d come at 2 o’clock, but the teacher didn’t come. The teacher will come next week.”
The words, “I haven’t heard of that,” came out of Uncle’s mouth.
“Huh?”
“Well, I can find out.”
“Where did Uncle go?”
“A brat doesn’t have to know.”
I pulled Uncle’s ear all the way.
“Whyyyy! Even though I told you.”
“Indeed, your personality. To the Imperial Palace.”
Imperial Palace?
“Gasp. Uncle, then take me with you
!”
“Tchㅡ”
Geez

As soon as I told him to take me with him, Uncle widened his eyes.
“Imperial Palaaaceeee
”
“If you want to hang upside down from a window, talk about the Imperial Palace.”
“I really won’t get into any trouble!”
“You want me to hang you now?”
“Noooo.”
He’s really mean. While Uncle can go to the Imperial Palace as he pleases, he says I can’t every time I ask to.
I guess I’ll have to wait for the next opportunity.
Uncle threw me down on the bed in my room and I got up with a familiar roll.
Now, I have the ability to roll freely even if Uncle throws me in the air.
“Sleep, now.”
“It’s not bedtime yet, though?”
“Sleep anyway. Aren’t your legs short because you don’t sleep. Uncle has a hard time every time I need to search for you.”
“Nooooo! Zenda said that I will grow up very much later because I resemble Uncle. Mom is tall too!”
“Seria and I slept when the sun went down when we were your age. Uncle will find out about your teacher, so go to sleep.”
“I can’t sleep
”
Either way, Uncle made sure the windows were locked and even drew the curtains meticulously.
I slipped out of bed again and snuggled up next to him.
“Why again.”
He’s busy everyday.
He disappears in the morning and comes back at night.
Even when he’s at home, he’s stuck in his office.
Even though I was sad, I wasn’t usually sad.
I grabbed one of Uncle’s thighs as if hugging him and poked him in the face.
“Uncle, play with me.”
Suddenly, large hands came into my armpits and my body floated.
Heave-ho, Uncle sat down on the bed holding me.
“What do you want to play.”
“Are you going to play?”
“No. I will only listen.”
“Hmph”
I just hit my head on Uncle’s chest.
Regardless, he chuckled.
Still, Uncle really didn’t go and listened to me for a long time in my room.