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Chapter 41
“What kind of person was Mother?”
Ju Jeokseo had said that her mother was a very warm and gentle person.
He had also added that if she were here, she would undoubtedly cherish and love Baekyeon very much.
After hearing stories like that, it was only natural for Baekyeon to become curious about her mother.
Was her mother still alive? Or had she already passed away, just as the rumors in the Imperial Palace claimed?
Perhaps her mother had already died, and that was why the spiritual treasure had responded to her.
At that moment, a certain person suddenly came to mind.
“The person with the beautiful hands…”
The very person who, in her previous life, had found her after she had been abandoned because she could no longer absorb all the contamination.
Whenever the child held those warm hands, she felt comforted even as her ability was worn away and her life force slowly drained.
Back then, she had nowhere else to find warmth.
And sometimes, on days when she felt especially sad and lonely, the little snake would deliberately seek out the owner of those hands.
Then she would gently hold them and wonder:
If I had a mother too, would her hands be like these…?
“I wonder if they’re doing well.”
Had things perhaps become worse after she disappeared?
The Emperor would surely be protecting them well, so that probably wasn’t the case.
It was strange that thinking about her mother had led her to remember the owner of those hands.
The girl carefully floated the orb into the air.
By now, it had become quite similar to the dragon pearls she had seen her brothers using.
However, unlike theirs, it still seemed far from being able to summon rain or call forth winds.
She was a snake beastkin, not a dragon, so that was only natural.
Still, she couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed.
“No, I shouldn’t think like that.”
This orb was her good friend.
She didn’t want to belittle it or compare its power to someone else’s.
“I’m sorry for thinking that.”
The orb sparkled as if to say it was fine.
The girl lightly poked it.
“Will my body turn black again like before?”
Perhaps because of the orb’s power, her body still hadn’t darkened despite absorbing contamination.
But maybe that was simply because she had only recently started absorbing it again.
Previously, she had done so continuously for an entire year.
Yet somehow, the little snake felt that even if she turned black this time, it would be alright.
Even if she became hideous again, the kind birds of the Jujak family would never abandon her.
Baekyeon found it surprising that she could even think such things.
The idea that others would not abandon her.
It was all thanks to the beastkin of the Jujak family, who had cared for her so lovingly and tenderly.
Standing before a mirror, Baekyeon gently placed her hand against its surface.
For some reason, her reflection seemed a little more grown-up than before.
After the incident at Jeokryusan.
The entirety of the Southern Lands was buzzing with stories about Baekyeon.
Everyone who had been present had witnessed her tiny dragon pearl absorb the contamination across the region.
Some claimed she was the reincarnation of a dragon sent to save the Southern Lands.
Others believed she was a legendary beastkin from ancient tales.
Either way, that kind of attention was far too much for a seven-year-old child to bear.
“I wanted to keep Yeon’s ability hidden.”
It would have been better if they could conceal it.
But what had happened had already happened, and there was no way to pretend it never occurred.
Just as Ju Jeokseo was wondering how to deal with the situation—
“Family Head! Young Master Hwanya is returning!”
Jo Yeong came tumbling in with a tremendous racket.
Ju Jeokseo immediately jumped to his feet.
“Hwanya? Why is he back already?”
“They say his work finished early! He’s practically at the front gate already. If you count to three, he’ll be walking through it!”
At Jo Yeong’s words, Ju Jeokseo let out a hollow laugh.
Of course, there was nothing particularly problematic about Hwanya returning now.
The reason Ju Jeokseo had previously hoped Hwanya would not return early was because Hwanya spent most of his time patrolling the borders and therefore harbored strong hostility toward the imperial family.
But now they knew that the little snake was Myeongyeong’s daughter.
Hwanya would not be particularly hostile toward her.
“Hwanya was very fond of Myeongyeong.”
When Hwanya had first been born, Myeongyeong had adored her first nephew beyond measure.
She had loved Hwanya as though he were her own son.
So when Myeongyeong disappeared, Hwanya had cried endlessly while searching for her.
That had already been ten years ago.
“Still, isn’t it a good thing that he’s returning early? With Young Master Hwanya’s ability, obtaining Song Family Head’s confession should be easy.”
“Probably. How far away is he?”
At that moment—
A commotion suddenly arose outside.
Ju Jeokseo instinctively knew that his son had returned.
Hwanya rarely came home.
Because of that, the servants always welcomed him enthusiastically whenever he did.
Which meant…
“It seems he’s here. I should go.”
Casually passing by Jo Yeong, Ju Jeokseo stepped out of his office.
He headed toward Hwanya’s residence.
But on the way there, he witnessed an absurd sight.
In the distance stood his fully grown son.
His red hair was tied high behind his head, and he was still wearing his armor.
Yet that wasn’t the strange part.
“You… look like Auntie…”
Hwanya was holding the little snake up with one hand and examining her from every angle.
Hwanya, who was twice the size of his peers, had effortlessly lifted Baekyeon, who was half the size of children her age.
Baekyeon was sweating profusely as she stared at him.
“Uh, um…”
“Did Auntie have a child? Then where is she? Where’s your mother? Has Auntie come back?”
Unable to answer the barrage of questions, the little snake simply stared at him helplessly.
Ju Jeokseo rushed over and snatched Baekyeon out of Hwanya’s grasp.
“You brat, what are you doing? You’re frightening the child.”
“Oh, Father. Have you been well? There was just a baby wandering around the house whom I didn’t recognize.”
Hwanya spoke casually.
“Is that child Auntie’s daughter? She looks exactly like Auntie Myeongyeong.”
“She is.”
“What?”
“She is Myeongyeong’s daughter. How did you know? Who told you?”
Ju Jeokseo looked toward the maids nearby.
The maids immediately shook their heads, indicating they had not told him anything.
Hwanya looked baffled.
“What do you mean, how did I know? She looks exactly like Auntie. I thought young Auntie was walking around.”
For a moment, Ju Jeokseo felt like an idiot.
He had spent over two months merely suspecting while keeping the little snake right before his eyes, never immediately realizing she was Myeongyeong’s daughter.
Meanwhile, Hwanya was looking at him as though asking such a question was ridiculous.
“Your aunt isn’t here. It’s a long story. For now, stop bullying your cousin and go change your clothes.”
“Alright. See you later.”
Hwanya lightly tapped the back of Baekyeon’s hand.
Baekyeon nodded blankly.
After Hwanya disappeared toward his residence, Ju Jeokseo carried Baekyeon in his arms and asked:
“How did you end up getting caught by him out here?”
“I was looking for Brother Hwayeong. He said he would teach me how to make flower rings.”
So she had been searching for Hwayeong and had accidentally run into Hwayeong’s older brother instead.
Ju Jeokseo shook his head.
“You may have noticed already, but that’s my son. My eldest son, Hwanya.”
“Yes. He looks exactly like Brother Hwayeong, so I recognized him immediately.”
Baekyeon nodded vigorously.
“Um… I’m happy to meet another family member.”
“He’s probably happy too. Come, I’ll make you a flower ring.”
Carrying Baekyeon, Ju Jeokseo headed toward the rear garden.
There were plenty of flowers there suitable for making rings.
After carefully weaving flower stems into rings, bracelets, and even necklaces for her, news of Hwanya’s arrival reached Hwayeong.
Excited beyond measure, Hwayeong came fluttering into the garden.
“Father! They said Brother came back! He didn’t bully Yeon, did he?”
“What exactly do you think of your brother? You sound as though you consider him worse than a street thug.”
“He’s basically the same as a thug! If he doesn’t like something, he breaks it first. If he dislikes someone, he throws a punch before anything else!”
Hwayeong stubbornly argued back.
Doyi nodded in agreement from the side.
Both Doyi and Hwayeong had been beaten by Hwanya multiple times before, so Ju Jeokseo couldn’t honestly tell them that Hwanya wasn’t a bad child.
Still, he felt somewhat wronged.
“Didn’t you get hit because you deserved it? Hwanya doesn’t beat people without reason.”
“No! Brother’s just a gangster—”
At that moment, Ju Jeokseo’s expression turned peculiar.
Doyi, who had been nodding along the entire time, suddenly clamped his mouth shut.
“…He hits anyone who gets on his nerves. Wait… is someone standing behind me?”
Ju Jeokseo nodded sympathetically.
Slowly, Hwayeong turned around.
Standing behind him was Hwanya, who had apparently changed clothes and arrived without anyone noticing.
He strode forward and smacked Hwayeong on the head.
“Gah!”
Then he looked toward Ju Jeokseo, who was sitting with Baekyeon in his lap while picking flowers.
Seeing the scene, he spoke as though witnessing something unbearable.
“Father, what are you doing?”
With an embarrassed expression, Ju Jeokseo replied,
“Making flower rings.”
