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Chapter 25
“This is the character Hwa (火). It means fire.”
“Hwa…”
Baeksa lightly bit her lip and carefully copied the character.
Seeing the crooked, uneven writing she had produced, the child smiled proudly.
Across from her, Ju Jeokseo, who had been teaching her to write, picked up the paper.
“You can follow along so well after being taught only once. Our Baeksa is a genius.”
“N-no. It’s because Gaju-nim teaches so well.”
“It only looks like I teach well because you learn so well.”
At Ju Jeokseo’s praise, Baeksa’s cheeks flushed red as she looked at the character she had written.
How fascinating.
The ink had not completely dried yet, but Baeksa carefully touched the character she had written with her fingertip.
Hwa.
It was the first character she had ever learned.
It was also the very first one she had wanted to learn.
Fire is such a wonderful character.
Because it was gentle and warm.
Ever since arriving at the Vermilion Bird estate, Baeksa had come to truly love fire.
For the past few days, the child had spent her time studying letters and practicing her ability.
On the day of the meeting, Ju Jeokseo had seemed somewhat upset, but afterward he appeared to recover and returned to his usual self.
However, he never once brought up what had happened during the meeting.
As a result, Baeksa could only assume that something unpleasant had occurred.
I wish only good things would happen to Gaju-nim.
As she thought that, Baeksa suddenly felt her throat tighten.
His Majesty the Emperor…
Why would he not bestow blessings upon the beastfolk of the Southlands?
With the power of a dragon’s ability, even if he could not completely purify the corruption of the Southlands, he should at least be able to slow its spread.
Of course, such a feat would require not the power of another imperial family member, but the immense strength of the Emperor himself.
Yet the Emperor had completely abandoned the Southlands.
It seemed as though he did not care in the slightest what happened within its borders or what suffering its beastfolk endured.
I wish my lotus were a little bigger and could absorb more.
After all, her ability had limits.
Baeksa knew that from her previous short life.
So perhaps it would be better if she could absorb more, even if she pushed herself all the way to those limits.
When she had first arrived at this estate, Baeksa simply wanted to live a little longer.
Not recklessly use her ability like before.
Not become a black snake.
Just live a little longer.
But while staying with the Vermilion Bird Clan, she found that her desire to help these people was growing stronger than her desire to live longer.
Besides, it feels much less burdensome than before.
Back when she had held the hand of that mysterious person and absorbed energy, using her ability had left her so exhausted that she could barely move.
But now that she could create divine objects, even when she absorbed other things, she did not become nearly as tired or drained as she had before.
So maybe…
Just as Baeksa was resolving to work even harder at creating divine objects—
“My child.”
“Yes, Gaju-nim.”
“As I promised before, I intend to give you a new name soon.”
Baeksa’s eyes widened.
Smiling gently, he continued.
“Giving you a name means that I will raise and care for you until you are fully grown. Would that be acceptable to you?”
Baeksa could hardly believe what she had just heard.
He said he would raise me.
And not just for a short while—
Until she was fully grown.
It was something the little snake had wanted to hear for her entire life.
Yet it was also something no one had ever said to her, in either her previous life or this one.
“I…”
Baeksa carefully opened her mouth.
“I would really love that. Thank you, Gaju-nim…”
Tears gathered in her large eyes.
Baeksa was incredibly happy.
Yet at the same time, she was a little afraid.
Is this really okay?
Was she truly allowed to receive such kindness?
How could the head of the Vermilion Bird Clan be so kind to her?
Even the father who had given birth to her and raised her had never once looked back at her.
She had only received the name Baeksa when she was finally cast out.
As Baeksa gently clenched her fists against the surge of emotions rising within her—
Rattle.
A small bead rolled out of the silk pouch beside her.
It was the bead that the lotus had produced the first time Baeksa used her ability.
“Ah, the bead…”
The bead rolled across the floor and stopped in front of Baeksa, glowing brightly.
Startled, she quickly picked it up with both hands.
As the child lifted the bead with her tiny hands, the light grew stronger and wrapped around them.
Fwaaa!
At that moment, the light that burst from the bead enveloped Baeksa’s hands in the shape of a tiny lotus.
The glow quickly faded back into the bead, but both Baeksa and Ju Jeokseo had seen it clearly.
That small light blooming like a lotus flower.
It was undoubtedly no ordinary sight.
An auspicious light blossoming like a flower bud opening.
It looked exactly like—
“This is…”
“G-Gaju-nim…”
Ju Jeokseo’s eyes met Baeksa’s.
The little snake held the bead in both hands and looked up at him.
“Can a snake grow up and become a dragon?”
At Ju Jeokseo’s question, Yoryeong, a scholar who worked for the Ju Clan, shook her head.
“If snakes could grow into dragons, then every snake in the world would be a baby dragon, wouldn’t they? Such things do not happen.”
“But that bead looked exactly like a Yeouiju.”
Ju Jeokseo spoke as he recalled the bead resting in Baeksa’s hands.
The Dragon Clan was born with a Yeouiju from the moment they came into the world.
Through it, they used their blessing abilities, controlled rain and wind, and summoned lightning.
However, Baeksa’s bead had not been something she was born with.
It was more accurate to say that it had been created by her ability after she used it.
Furthermore, considering that Baeksa was a snake beastfolk rather than a dragon beastfolk, the possibility that it was truly a Yeouiju was extremely small.
“The auspicious light was certainly no ordinary light.”
“Then perhaps she was simply born with an extraordinary ability?”
Yoryeong narrowed her eyes.
She had already heard about Baeksa’s ability from Ju Jeokseo.
Although he had repeatedly instructed everyone to keep the matter secret, Yoryeong was an exception.
She was a scholar who studied the beastfolk of the Southlands and Haeseoguk, and she knew more about beastfolk abilities than anyone else.
She was also the one currently investigating Baeksa’s powers.
As such, discussing the lotus and the bead’s identity with her was unavoidable.
“As far as I know, beastfolk do not grow into different kinds of beastfolk. That is likely the same reason the imperial family of Haeseoguk abandoned Miss Baeksa.”
She spoke firmly.
“As for the bead, I will ask Miss Baeksa for permission and examine it more closely.”
“Very well. Do that.”
“By the way, Gaju-nim, I heard you’re officially registering that little snake lady into the clan?”
“Yes.”
“Hehe, the noble lords won’t be happy about that.”
“You sound pleased.”
“Well, I have quite a few grudges against those noble lords. If it’s something they dislike, I naturally enjoy it.”
Yoryeong smiled brightly.
“You’ve made the right decision. Protecting a child with nowhere to go is one of a clan leader’s duties!”
“It sounds like you’re happy for an entirely different reason, but thank you nonetheless. I’ll be deciding on her name soon. Submit a name suggestion as well.”
“Yes. I’ll think of a good one.”
Yoryeong nodded.
Among the beastfolk of the Southlands, there was a special ceremony held when a child was given a name.
Everyone who knew the child would carefully write down a name they had thought of and place it into a large jar.
The child would then personally choose one.
According to tradition, the chosen name would possess a sacred power that brought good fortune throughout the person’s life.
“Still, that little snake lady’s ability… it truly is a blessing for the Southlands.”
Yoryeong murmured.
“Though fortune and misfortune always come together. I wish the little snake lady could keep all the blessings, while everyone else shared the misfortunes among themselves.”
At Yoryeong’s words, Ju Jeokseo nodded.
“Yes. That would be nice.”
Their gazes met.
Flap!
A tiny bird fluttered down and landed on Baeksa’s shoulder.
“Little Bird!”
A smile blossomed across Baeksa’s face as she recognized her friend.
