The Mute Villainess and Her Snake Prince​ - Chapter 9

“Weren’t you just talking? Why did you stop?”

“Oh, I get it. You just started talking, so you probably don’t know what to say.” My brother pulled a book from the shelf, opened it, and held it in front of me. “Here, read this passage.

“I’ll read it once, and you can repeat after me.

“The flying clouds transform into dragons and snakes before one’s eyes…”

Is my brother really withdrawn?

I feel like he talks a lot.

He’s so noisy it’s giving me a headache.

I turned my back to him and covered my ears, ignoring him.

My brother came around to face me and pointed to a word in the book. “Say it. What’s this word? If you get it right, I’ll buy you ice cream.”

I looked at him speechlessly.

I’m already in the second grade.

It’s not like I don’t know the word for “snake.”

“This word is pronounced-snake,” he explained seriously. “Remember that handsome little snake that saved you just now? Throughout history, snakes have been a mysterious and powerful creature, not only for their graceful form…”

My brother went on and on, and finally asked me, “You already knew I was a snake, didn’t you?”

I swallowed and nodded.

My body instinctively scooted back.

“Are you afraid of me?”

I hesitated for a moment, then slowly shook my head.

“Then…” my brother looked into my eyes, “can you give me a hug?”

My heart stopped, and the hair on my back stood on end.

H-hug a snake?

I…

I shook my head in a panic, wanting to refuse.

My brother was silent for a few seconds, then lowered his eyes, his voice tinged with disappointment. “I understand… Well, I suppose no one could like me after seeing what I really am…”

I remembered what the bullet comments said before.

My brother must be very lonely…

If even I reject him, he’ll be even more hurt…

Thinking of this,

I closed my eyes, fought my trembling instincts, and slowly leaned in, shakily hugging him. “N-no, that’s not true. I… I like brother the most.”

My brother froze.

He was stiff for a couple of seconds before he reached out and pulled me into his arms.

“…Yeah.”

The bullet comments that witnessed this were ecstatic.

[Hahahaha, brother is trying so hard not to smile right now.]

[Brother is the real schemer here. He’s pretending to be pitiful just to get a hug from his little sister!]

[The little sister is so scared she can’t even open her eyes, but she’s still trying to comfort her brother. She’s such a sweet soul, aww.]

[Brother is good! Sister is good! Fat Tiger is bad!]

[Does anyone get me? I’m dying of laughter. Brother is now talking more than he has in his entire life, just to coax a few more words out of his sister.]

[A mute and a withdrawn kid, this is truly a story of two-way redemption, everyone.]