Chapter 197: Laveua
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 197: Laveua
[Here lies Chieftain Ragia, who dedicated herself to the prosperity of the Blood Dagger Clan.]
The first thing she saw were the large words carved into the fang of an Eastern beast. Nicole nodded. It seemed like the best place for a serious conversation. She sighed. On one side of the fang sat Laveua, pouting.
“Mom and Dad hate me. They weren't even happy to see me, and it's been a whole week...”
So that was what she was upset about. She was clearly unhappy that Blood Dagger and Mev had gone straight into a meeting after seeing her for the first time in a while. But Nicole knew that wasn't the whole story. Stroking Yazaa's fur, she began to speak.
“That's not true. I remember the day you were born, Laveua. They were both so happy. I'd never seen the Chieftain smile so brightly. He must have had his reasons. Blood Dagger is your father, but he's also a father to everyone.”
“I know that, but...”
Seeing that Laveua herself understood to some extent, Nicole nodded to herself.
“But Dad only likes Kim Yoora! He plays with her every day... hic... sob... He even goes hunting with her, and he talks to her more than anyone else.”
“It's not like that. W-well... of course the Chieftain spends a lot of time with Yoora, but...”
“But?”
“It's not because the Chieftain likes Yoora more.”
Nicole's suspicion was correct. Laveua was jealous. She was probably upset that only Kim Yoora had been invited to the meeting. But explaining the situation was tricky. As Nicole racked her brain for the right words, Laveua spoke again.
“The other young Green Skins said it. They said Dad dotes on Kim Yoora. They said that if I hadn't been born, he would have made her his daughter.”
“Th-that's not true! Kkireuk.”
She was so flustered that a goblin sound escaped her without her realizing it. The young Green Skins must have spoken freely, thinking Laveua wasn't around.
“You don't know because you don't have a dad.”
“Th-that's...”
The unexpected comment left Nicole speechless. It was true; she didn't really understand the bond between a father and child. She had heard stories about her own father and respected his memory, but she had never experienced that kind of love herself. Still, Nicole thought about Blood Dagger.
Her birth father was Najin, but she imagined that if he were still alive, he would have cherished her just as Blood Dagger cherished his own. Nicole remembered the moment Blood Dagger first lifted Laveua into the air. The look of pure joy on his face was still vivid in her memory. To be honest, she had even felt a pang of jealousy back then.
He wore a similar expression when caring for the other young Green Skins and humans, but the way he looked at Laveua was undeniably different. When Nicole turned back to Laveua, she saw the little girl looked startled, as if she had just realized her mistake.
“S-sorry, Nicole... I didn't mean it like that... I misspoke.”
Nicole looked at Laveua and smiled.
“I know, Laveua. It's alright. I may not know exactly how you feel, but I know for a fact that the Chieftain loves you. I can promise you that.”
“..........Really?”
“Absolutely. The Chieftain spends so much time with Kim Yoora not because of who she is, but what she is: a brilliant and honorable Green Skin.”
“But Kim Yoora is human...”
“The Chieftain accepted humans as Green Skins! You can't think that way! That's basic knowledge in the Blood Dagger Clan! Lee Wanyong might be an exception, but Baek Ahyeon is a Green Skin!”
“O-okay...”
“From the moment the Chieftain accepted her, Kim Yoora became a Green Skin. Yoora has proven herself. You're just too young, Laveua, you're only one. Once you're older than three and prove yourself, I'm sure you'll be able to join the Chieftain and your mother, just like Kim Yoora.”
“Prove myself?”
“That's right.”
Feeling she had handled that well, Nicole let out a deep breath. Laveua's expression suggested she was starting to understand.
“How do I prove myself?”
“W-well... I don't really know that part. I'm sure time will take care of it. For now, you just need to get a little older and bigger. And... you have to train hard and play hard, too. You have to keep showing the Chieftain how strong and smart you are!”
Nicole squeezed Laveua's hand. Feeling the tiny arm in her grasp made Nicole smile, and Laveua smiled back happily. Some time had passed, so thinking the meeting might be over, Nicole began to tug Laveua along.
“Come on, let's go see the Chieftain now.”
“Okay!”
As they walked over, they saw Green Skins emerging one by one from Blood Dagger's tent, a sure sign the meeting had ended. Laveua's face brightened. She knew it was her turn now. Just then, Blood Dagger stepped out with Kim Yoora, and their voices carried over.
“Good work.”
“N-no, not at all. Thank you, Chieftain.”
Nicole raised her hand to wave but instinctively glanced at Laveua. The little girl's eyes were blazing.
When she looked back, she saw Blood Dagger patting Kim Yoora's head. Kim Yoora's head was bowed, her face flushed red, and she was tracing patterns in the dirt with her foot, her hands clasped behind her back. On any other day, Nicole would have cheered them on, but the timing felt all wrong. There was a tender air about them.
Sure enough, Laveua's expression began to crumble.
“I'm leaving.”
“No! Laveua. We can play with him now!”
“Mom will call us to eat soon anyway.”
Her face had gone cold, and she was glaring at Kim Yoora as if she wanted to devour her. Nicole made a mental note to create an opportunity for Laveua and her father later, nodding vigorously to herself. Laveua was still young; she'd surely cheer up after eating with the Chieftain and her mother. Resigned to the fact that she wouldn't be drawing any more flags today, Nicole sighed and ran after Laveua.
*
“What's wrong, Chief?”
“It's nothing. Just have a lot on my mind.”
Mev spoke up after the brief meeting had ended and he had laid down on his cot. Life had always been busy here, but lately, it had become even more hectic. They still hadn't managed to corner the Spider Clan.
Of course, it wasn't as if they'd had no success. In fact, their achievements had been significant, but they still weren't close enough to get their hands on the Spider Clan's master.
The most noteworthy successes were locating the Hound Clan's base and wiping them out several times, as well as capturing the Spider Clan's explosion mage. Surprisingly, it was Kim Yoora who had found the Hounds. Using data she'd received from Jang Ye Ri, she had pinpointed their exact location. They had stumbled upon the mage while clearing out the Hound Clan, and thanks to him, it seemed they would be able to learn a great deal more about the Spider Clan. For now, he was locked in the underground prison with Park Hyeri.
Kim Yoora was always smart, but she seemed even more brilliant than I had thought.
She was desperate to prove herself, and with a good teacher, it was only natural that she was growing by leaps and bounds. I was even tempted to give her an executive position. Ragia's absence had left a significant void in the Blood Dagger Clan's leadership.
Ragia's strength had been her ability to manage the other Green Skins. While all the clan members followed Chieftain Gark, his leadership style was completely different from hers.
With so many projects underway, Mev had to take a more active role, and both Hakajin and Jung Hayeon were overloaded with work. The problem was that most of our core members were combat-focused.
In a situation like this, Kim Yoora was a godsend. Of course, she was still too young to be given too much responsibility, but I believed time would solve that.
“Chieeeef!”
As I was tapping the table and thinking about the future, Mev rushed toward my chest.
“Hm?”
She nuzzled her face against my chest again and again; she must have missed these moments. A playful mood struck me, and I placed a light kiss on her forehead. Mev's face instantly turned beet-red, her surprise understandable. I rarely initiated displays of affection.
I scooped Mev into my arms and stood up. I could see her little wings fluttering. It was a rare moment of rest, and I wanted to spend it with my daughter. We had a lot to talk about.
“Where's Laveua?”
“Hm? I think she's with Nicole. I was just about to get her for a meal.”
“I'm always grateful to Nicole.”
“Yeah. She seems to be taking good care of her.”
Mev nodded, her face bright. It was clear she also wanted to spend time together as a family. Mev adored Laveua, but she was far from being a strict or imposing mother.
Perhaps out of guilt for not always being there, whenever she tried to raise her voice, she would stutter or her hands would tremble. She wasn't used to scolding or raising a child. I was no different. I hadn't seen much of Laveua as she grew into a little troublemaker. I had spent a great deal of time with her right after she was born, but by the time she started talking and walking, I was often away from the clan.
Even when I was back in the clan, it was a problem. As Chieftain, I felt it would be wrong to give my own daughter special treatment.
Our clan was already full of humans and Green Skins who had no parents. If I doted on Laveua in front of everyone, I feared the other children would feel a sense of deprivation.
I might be a good chieftain, but I was probably not a good father. The thought left a bitter taste in my mouth.
“I'll be back then, Chief.”
Mev went out to find Laveua, and I began to think about my daughter again. A faint smile touched my lips before I even realized it.
I was overjoyed when she was born, of course. I still am. But the speed at which Green Skins grow is astonishing.
It's only been a year, yet she's growing at a terrifying rate. It's truly a marvel to watch. Laveua, in particular, inherited Mev's sharp mind, making her smarter than her peers, and she was born with an exceptionally high affinity for mana.
I wasn't sure what she had inherited from me yet, but I suspected it was her wild, unruly nature.
She was always quiet in my presence, but I'd heard the stories. For now, it was just the mischief of a young child, but I knew I couldn't let it go on unchecked.
I wasn't sure if it was a side effect of my refusal to give her special treatment, but everyone else in the clan certainly was.
It was only natural to seek advice on matters I didn't understand. I decided I needed to make some time to talk with Black Spear.
After a short wait, Laveua started to enter the tent, holding Mev's hand.
“Dad!”
I watched as Laveua ran toward me with a loud cry. She charged with a speed rivaling Mev's and crashed right into me. I scooped her up into my arms. Seeing her eyes brimming with tears—whether from joy or from missing me, I couldn't tell—I realized I had been far too distant.