CHAPTER 321: CHAPTER-321

Kaya was in awe. She blinked a few times, still unable to believe what she had heard. "You really mean it can handle water?"

Mama chuckled, clearly enjoying Kaya’s astonishment. "Oh, dear, of course! This cloth is made from the skin of the snake tribe, and theirs is the finest among all. Not only that, it’s quite rare to find."

Kaya, still stunned, frowned slightly. "What? But... don’t snakes shed their skin all the time? Then why is it rare?"

At that, Mama looked at her like one would look at a five-year-old who had just asked why the sky was blue. She sighed softly, patted Kaya’s shoulder with a motherly air, and said, "Don’t worry, baby. Mama will tell you."

Kaya stared at the hand resting on her shoulder, then at Mama’s face, speechless. Still, she waited, because now she truly wanted to know.

Mama’s expression softened as she explained, "It’s true that snakes shed their skin many times in their lives. But most of those skins are either given to their mates or their children — as gifts, or for protection. They are not sold."

Kaya looked at Mama, her brows knitting together in confusion. "What do you mean by giving the skin to their mates? Don’t their mates also shed skin and everything?"

Mama blinked, then suddenly burst into laughter — a soft, full-bellied laugh that made the nearby fabrics tremble slightly. "Oh my, you really are innocent, huh? You look like you’ve never even had any mate yourself."

Kaya froze at the teasing, her expression blanking for a moment. Then she caught Mama’s sly glance toward Veer and Cutie, who were busy looking around the shop, pretending not to listen.

Realizing where Mama’s thoughts had gone, Kaya quickly smiled and said, "It’s not that. We just met not long ago, and... I’m still getting used to them. That’s all."

Mama chuckled, shaking her head as she folded her arms. "Ah, I see. You must be a sheltered child then."

Kaya gave a short laugh, not sure what else to say, so she simply nodded.

Then Mama leaned a little closer, lowering her voice as if she were sharing an old secret. "Well, you see, dear... snakes — and some other tribes like the Venu or fox tribe — they have a habit of marking their mates. It helps them find each other even from far away. So when a snake sheds its skin, that skin still carries its scent, its essence."

She picked up one of the shimmering fabrics and let it slip through her fingers, the light glinting on its surface.

"When they give that shed skin to their mate, it’s like saying, ’This is me. I’m yours, and you’re mine.’ The mate then wears it, sometimes as clothes, sometimes as adornment. It shows who they belong to — and also helps their partner find them, even in danger."

faint smile curved on Kaya’s lips. Her master’s voice echoed in her mind — "If you truly wish to know a place, talk to its people. They hold the stories that books never can."

And indeed, Mama had told her more in a few breaths than Kaya could have learned in weeks of wandering. It seemed that here, instead of wedding rings or markings, people offered masks or tokens — symbols stitched with deeper meaning.

Kaya looked back at Mama and asked softly, "Oh, is that so? Then why is there snakeskin here if they usually give it to their mates?"

Mama’s smile lingered, gentle yet knowing. "Ah, some do sell it, dear. You see, not everyone is blessed. Those without meat or trade... they sometimes part with what they have. And we, well—" she spread her hands over the fabrics, "—we buy it to make clothes. If you’d like, I can cut a few meters for you. It would look beautiful on you."

Kaya’s fingers brushed the fabric’s glossy surface, thoughtful, almost tempted—until she heard Veer’s low voice behind her.

"No."

The firmness in his tone startled her. She turned to look at him. "What?"

Veer met her gaze, his golden eyes steady. "You can take the cotton, the silk... anything else. But not this one."

Kaya’s expression turned sharp, her voice rising slightly. "And who are you to stop me?"

His tone softened, but his eyes didn’t. "Please, Kaya. Don’t take that cloth. It’s... not meant for you." He bit his lip, as if swallowing words he couldn’t say.

For a moment, Kaya wanted to argue — but then a cold realization slipped through her thoughts. She remembered what Mama had said earlier: the snakeskin carried the scent of its owner. A scent that could call them from anywhere.

Her jaw tightened. The last thing she needed was some snake—whatever form they took—tracking her because she was wearing their old skin.

Suppressing a shiver, Kaya exhaled and said flatly, "I’ll just take this one." She pointed to a bundle of navy-blue cotton folded neatly on the side.

Mama hesitated, her warm smile dimming with a hint of regret. But when her gaze flicked to Veer’s sharp eyes, she nodded quickly. "As you wish, dear."

As Mama wrapped the cloth, Kaya could almost hear her muttering under her breath — something about strange travelers and their moods.

Still, Kaya couldn’t blame her. After all, if she were in Mama’s place, she’d probably think the same.

At least something was sold today — and thankfully, not a piece of someone’s shed skin.

Kaya didn’t feel like shopping much; she preferred just wandering and watching. One thing she could say for sure—her ability to judge people was still sharp. Every vendor who looked too sly, too quick-tempered, or simply gave off a bad feeling—she avoided them with ease.

The marketplace was alive with noise and color. Vendors shouted over one another, children tugged at their mothers’ sleeves, and the air was thick with the smell of spices and dust. Kaya walked quietly through it all, her gaze occasionally drifting to the passing faces and their small, hurried lives.

Then, suddenly, she stopped.

A chill pricked the back of her neck. Slowly, Kaya turned, her eyes scanning the crowd. There were only people—laughing, bargaining, calling out—but she could feel it. That gaze. Cold, sharp, and heavy. Someone was watching her.

She couldn’t pinpoint who it was, yet the sensation was unmistakable—like a blade brushing against her skin. A silent warning.

But instead of reacting or searching, Kaya simply turned back and began walking again, her expression calm and unbothered.

Of course, Veer and cutie had sensed it too. Their faces hardened, the warmth in their eyes vanishing.

They walked forward without looking back.

Not long after their figures disappeared into the crowd, a faint movement stirred in the alley they had passed. From the darkness, a shadow slowly stepped forward — face completely covered in black. Only a pair of eyes, pitch-dark and unblinking, watched the direction where Kaya and the others had gone. Silent. Still. Like a predator marking its prey.

——

After leaving the market, Kaya and the others decided to find a place to stay for the night. Maybe it was because this was the capital — or maybe because the city was simply too mixed, too full of people from everywhere — but they actually managed to find a hotel.

Well... "hotel" might’ve been too fancy a word for it. Still, Kaya couldn’t help but blink in surprise when she saw the room.

It wasn’t like the modern ones she’d heard about — no lights, no polished floors — but it had everything one could ask for: a bed, a small stone table, a few bamboo-woven stools. The bed wasn’t soft by any means, but the wooden frame looked sturdy and clean. Even the door at the entrance made her pause; it looked as if someone had simply tied a few bamboo sticks together and decided it was enough to call it a door.

When Kaya entered, she actually smiled, half amused and half amazed. "Well, this is... something," she murmured.

And to her utter surprise, there was even something like room service. Except... instead of using a phone, you had to shout. Loudly. And within moments, someone would appear at your door, as if summoned by magic — or maybe just curiosity.

After putting everything in the room, Kaya decided to head out again. She wasn’t particularly worried about leaving her things behind — not because she trusted anyone, but because she wanted to test something.

Her suspicion.

Earlier, while inspecting the room, she’d noticed faint paw-like carvings on the floor and along the doorway — wolf tracks. From the texture and placement, it wasn’t hard to guess that the entire hotel was built and guarded through some kind of wolf craft. In other words, no one could enter a guest’s room without permission. A good system, she thought. Smart and loyal, just like wolves.

So, after a brief word at the front desk — where, unsurprisingly, an actual wolf stood on two feet, managing the counter with a calm and bored expression — Kaya simply nodded and left.