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Chapter 34
Jeokryusan was located a little farther south from the Vermilion Bird Estate.
Unlike the harsh borderlands where snow fell all year round, the weather at Jeokryusan was warm and pleasant.
Moreover, perhaps because it was the place where the power of the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast flowed most strongly after the Vermilion Bird Estate itself, there were not many corrupted areas.
At the entrance of Jeokryusan,
Baeksa widened her eyes as she looked at the countless beastfolk who had already gathered there.
Among them, bird beastfolk were overwhelmingly numerous, but there were also many beastfolk of other races.
‘There really are so many different beastfolk living in the Southern Lands.’
According to Ju Jeokseo, the Southern Lands had long accepted beastfolk who had been driven out from the capital.
In other words, it was a place where those abandoned by the Emperor gathered to live.
Could someone like her—the Emperor’s daughter—really receive a name in such a place?
Baeksa’s palms became damp with sweat.
Ju Jeokseo had told her there was no need to be nervous, but she could not help feeling anxious.
Simply setting foot on Jeokryusan made her feel as though she had done something wrong.
Perhaps noticing her feelings, Ju Jeokseo gently took her hand in his warm grasp.
Not long afterward, the carriage came to a stop.
They had arrived at the site of the Divine Beast Festival.
“Come on, let’s get down.”
He carefully helped Baeksa out of the carriage.
Trying not to dirty her clothes, Baeksa cautiously climbed down.
The moment she did, the eyes of everyone gathered at the festival grounds turned toward her.
“That child is…”
“So the Divine Lord really did take in a child of the Imperial Family?”
“She’s still so young. Did the Emperor truly abandon such a little child?”
The whispered conversations reached even Baeksa’s ears.
Nervous, she tightly clutched Ju Jeokseo’s hand.
“It’s alright.”
Gently comforting her, Ju Jeokseo held her hand and slowly led her toward the seats that had been prepared.
Hwayeong, Doyi, and Ahee followed behind them.
A chair had been prepared beside Ju Jeokseo’s seat.
After helping Baeksa sit down first, he took his own seat.
Hwayeong, Doyi, and Ahee sat down in turn afterward.
Ahee’s seat was positioned slightly apart from the others, making it unclear whether she was truly part of Ju Jeokseo’s group or not.
“Has everyone arrived?”
Ju Jeokseo slowly surveyed the surroundings.
The nobles of the Southern Lands had already gathered in one place and stood with their heads bowed beneath the Divine Lord, awaiting his command.
Behind them, countless other beastfolk stretched their necks to look in this direction.
The entirety of Jeokryusan was packed with Southern Land beastfolk who had come to watch the Divine Beast Festival.
“If everyone is here, then let us begin.”
As soon as Ju Jeokseo gave the order, the priest who presided over the ceremony stepped forward.
Lighting the enormous incense burner, he signaled the beginning of the Divine Beast Festival.
The grand ritual had begun.
The Divine Beast Festival was, in truth, a festival banquet more than a religious ceremony.
Food was laid out on a large table as an offering to the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast, and the Vermilion Bird Divine Lord, Ju Jeokseo, stepped forward to offer wine.
Then, using the flames of the Vermilion Bird, black trees symbolizing evil and corruption were burned away.
Once that was done, the important parts of the ritual were essentially finished.
From then on, everyone simply ate, drank, and enjoyed themselves as if at a grand banquet.
The atmosphere was surprisingly relaxed, and Baeksa sat in her chair with wide eyes, watching everything.
“Is it interesting?”
Hwayeong asked softly.
Baeksa nodded.
“Yes. Everyone looks so happy.”
“The Divine Beast Festival is a gathering where we thank the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast for watching over us. At the same time, it’s a celebration where the beastfolk of the Southern Lands pray for five years of peace ahead.”
“To be precise, we pray that corruption won’t spread any further. The beastfolk of the Southern Lands believe that joyful human emotions can suppress negative energies like corruption.”
Doyi added to the explanation.
Then he continued.
“That’s why everyone eats, drinks, and enjoys themselves.”
“I see.”
Baeksa nodded.
Then she glanced toward Ahee.
At some point, countless people had gathered around Ahee, showing interest in her.
In truth, from the moment Baeksa and Ahee had appeared, most people’s attention had been focused on Ahee rather than Baeksa.
A child who looked exactly like the missing Lady Baek Jujak.
Though the Spirit Treasure had not yet acknowledged her, and she had not officially been recognized as a biological daughter.
“My goodness, you really do look exactly like Lady Myeongyeong…”
“How can you resemble her so much? You’re identical to how Lady Myeongyeong looked as a child!”
“Then where have you been living all this time?”
Ahee resembled Myeongyeong so much that anyone who saw her could not help but exclaim in amazement.
The girl seemed to enjoy the attention as she sat surrounded by beastfolk, swinging her legs.
Baeksa envied Ahee’s ability to get along so easily with everyone.
Standing beside her, Ahee shone like a beautifully polished jewel.
‘I hope the Spirit Treasure responds soon.’
Then the Family Head would be able to accept her as family, and everyone could celebrate without worry.
‘You are my family too.’
Suddenly, she remembered the warm words Ju Jeokseo had once said.
Baeksa gently pressed a fist against her rapidly beating heart.
Since arriving here, she had been tense the entire time, but recalling Ju Jeokseo’s words seemed to calm her a little.
Then, at that moment—
“So, the Emperor’s bloodline…”
“I wonder what the Divine Lord is thinking.”
She could hear people talking about her from all around.
Baeksa lowered her gaze and stared at her feet.
The reactions of the Southern Land beastfolk were only natural.
Feeling sad or hurt by this would almost be a wrongdoing in itself.
Just as Baeksa tried to maintain a composed expression and continue enjoying the festival—
Ju Jeokseo, who had been observing everyone’s reactions, rose from his seat.
“There is something I wish to say before everyone here.”
Ju Jeokseo, the Vermilion Bird Divine Lord and ruler of the Southern Lands.
At his dignified voice, everyone immediately stopped talking and turned toward him.
He waited until all eyes were focused on him before speaking again.
“Some time ago, I found a small baby snake at the border of the Southern Lands.”
Baeksa clasped both hands tightly together.
Ju Jeokseo continued.
“According to the rule of the Southern Lands that no child should ever be abandoned, I intend to protect this child within the Vermilion Bird Estate.”
The beastfolk began murmuring among themselves.
But only briefly.
“She’s still just a child. It’s better if the Divine Lord protects her.”
“That’s right. If she carries the Imperial bloodline, it’s more appropriate for the Divine Lord to protect her than any noble family.”
The Southern Land beastfolk were unexpectedly welcoming.
Perhaps it was because most of them had once been abandoned themselves.
This was a land where the abandoned gathered together.
They were generous toward anyone who had been cast aside.
Even if that person happened to be the daughter of an enemy.
“However, this child has no name. Therefore, according to the ancient tradition of the bird clans, I wish to give her a new name here today.”
At Ju Jeokseo’s gesture, attendants brought forward a large moon-white jar.
It was a jar that the Vermilion Bird Clan had used for generations when choosing names for their children.
Every current member of the Vermilion Bird Clan had selected their name through this very jar.
Which meant that Ju Jeokseo was, in effect, accepting Baeksa as a member of the Vermilion Bird Clan.
A few beastfolk seemed dissatisfied, but none possessed the courage to voice objections directly in front of Ju Jeokseo.
With another gesture from him, numerous slips of paper tied with red strings were poured into the jar.
Ju Jeokseo, Hwayeong, Doyi, Joyeong, Yonyeong, Sirang…
Everyone who knew Baeksa had carefully written down names and contributed them.
One of those names would become hers.
As the slips of paper cascaded into the jar, Baeksa’s heart seemed to tumble along with them, pounding wildly.
The thought that she was truly about to receive a name filled her with joy and nervous excitement.
‘What should I do? My hands won’t stop shaking.’
As Baeksa respectfully folded her trembling hands together, someone suddenly grasped one of them.
She looked up and saw Doyi’s face.
Having noticed how nervous she was, Doyi had taken her hand to reassure her and tell her not to be afraid.
