Chapter 111
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 111
Meanwhile, Seol-yo was walking alone, lost in thought over what he had witnessed in the swamp that day.
The Swamp of the Dead was known to ensnare visitors with sweet, inescapable illusions, but at other times, it held them captive with visions steeped in profound shock and horror.
For Seol-yo, it had been the latter.
Hyeon Ra-baek, the head of the Black Tortoise Tribe.
The man who had awakened the Evil and threatened So-ya was…
‘He was my biological father.’
Seol-yo squeezed his eyes shut before slowly opening them again. His revealed ash-gray eyes were trembling violently.
In the depths of that swamp, he had seen every fragment of his once-scattered memories.
The man who had embraced the Evil sought to sever the remaining direct lineage of the Black Tortoise. To protect him, Seol-yo’s mother had taken him and fled.
But the day finally came when that man caught up to them.
His mother, the Chief of the Black Imoogi Tribe, had draped the skin of a demonic beast over his body to save his life. Then, using her tribe’s innate ability, ‘Sealing,’ she bound the skin tightly so it could never be removed. She hid him inside a wardrobe and faced the man alone.
Through a tiny crack in the wardrobe, Seol-yo had been forced to watch as that man threatened his mother.
He had wanted to burst out and run to her. He wanted to scream at the man to stop hurting her.
But he couldn't.
Strangely, his body lacked all strength, and no sound would leave his throat.
The man who killed his mother then set the mansion ablaze.
Seol-yo thought he would die there, but he didn't. The thick demonic beast skin had shielded him from the searing flames.
[It’s okay, Seol-yo. Everything you saw wasn’t real. It was just an illusion shown by the Swamp of the Dead.]
So-ya had said those words in such a gentle voice, but…
No, So-ya. It wasn’t an illusion. It was real.
That man was my father.
[So, you don’t have to be afraid.]
I am afraid, So-ya. I’m so terrified.
I’m so, so scared that if you find out my secret, you’ll hate me.
Having lived as a demonic beast rather than a beastkin for so long, Seol-yo knew little of the beastkin world. However, he knew one thing for certain: Hyeon Ra-baek had started a war, and because of him, So-ya had suffered.
He knew that the reason So-ya couldn't be with the woman who gave birth to the white tigers, and the reason she had been threatened by peril beasts multiple times, was all because of that man.
It was all because of his father.
‘If So-ya finds out… if she learns I’m that man’s son… will she hate me?’
Seol-yo bit his lower lip hard.
‘That’s what I’m most afraid of…’
He bit down with such force that beads of crimson blood began to well up on his lip.
“Seol-yo. The Young Lady is heading out. Get yourself ready.”
Startled out of his daze by the words of a White Tiger Palace worker, Seol-yo hurried toward So-ya’s room.
So-ya, who had just finished preparing and was stepping outside with Yeon-jeong, spotted Seol-yo and greeted him with a bright smile.
“Seol-yo! I hope you didn't rush over while you were resting just because of me?”
“…….”
For a moment, Seol-yo was at a loss for words.
Though he still lacked a full understanding of beastkin society due to his long years as a beast, he had begun to grasp the basics. So-ya was the lady of the clan, and he was the warrior who served her.
Of course, the large white tiger who had picked him up told him he was a guard in name only and should live comfortably, but Seol-yo still felt the vague presence of an insurmountable wall of status between himself and So-ya.
Yet, So-ya always treated him with such a kind smile and warm words. Seol-yo loved that gentle side of her more than anything.
“What’s wrong, Seol-yo? Are you feeling unwell?”
When he didn't answer, So-ya asked with a worried expression.
“……No. I’m fine,” Seol-yo replied, shaking his head.
“That’s a relief. I’m going to the city district with Lady Yeon-jeong. Su-ri is busy, so I’d like you to come with us, Seol-yo.”
“Yes, okay!” Seol-yo nodded quickly.
“Shall we go then?”
So-ya headed out with a cheerful smile. Seol-yo followed behind her as she walked briskly while holding Yeon-jeong’s hand.
So-ya was a kind person.
However, Seol-yo remembered how she had acted in the face of Hyeon Ra-baek’s death.
To be honest, he had been a little worried back then.
‘What if So-ya feels sorry for that man?’
Since So-ya was a gentle child, he feared she might reach out to that wicked man or feel heartache watching him die. He felt he had to protect her so her kind heart wouldn't be wounded.
‘Because I am the warrior who protects So-ya.’
After recovering his strength with So-ya’s help, Seol-yo had stood by her side and glared at Hyeon Ra-baek.
‘I will execute that man in So-ya’s place.’
Even if that man was the one who had fathered him…
‘I can do it. Because this is for So-ya’s sake.’
With that firm resolve, Seol-yo had swallowed hard, ready to step forward at any moment.
But in front of that man, So-ya had shown a side of herself he had never seen before. She didn't get angry or use harsh words, nor did she raise her voice. She simply watched the dying man in silence.
The reason she had felt different from usual was her attitude—the way she drew a line without leaving even a hint of an opening.
Thinking back on it now, So-ya had always been like that. She was a child who offered kindness with hands as warm as spring sunshine, but she was also a child who would withdraw it with cold precision if she decided it wasn't right.
Since realizing this, Seol-yo’s fear had only deepened.
He never knew he could be so afraid of the moment that kindness—which he wished he had never known if it had to end—might be withdrawn. He hoped the kindness So-ya gave him would never disappear.
‘So, I’ll never let So-ya find out I’m that man’s son. I’ll keep it hidden forever.’
—I wonder. Will things really go as you wish?
Startled by the sudden voice, Seol-yo jumped and looked around. But the sound didn't come again.
‘That voice just now…’
Seol-yo stood dazed, blinking his eyes.
“Seol-yo, what are you doing? Hurry up!”
So-ya, who had walked ahead, turned back and waved her arms vigorously.
“I-I’m coming!”
Seol-yo pushed the strange voice out of his mind and hurried after her.
*
While out in the city with Yeon-jeong, So-ya bought some beautiful satin at a fabric shop.
Having become quite skilled at embroidery over the past few months, So-ya succeeded in stitching a large white tiger and lilies of the valley.
“What’s this, Cotton Ball? A gift for your father?”
“No, it’s a bribe!”
Sa-eon, who had been looking at the embroidered handkerchief with a proud expression, arched an eyebrow at her spirited response.
“A bribe?”
“Yes! Please teach me how to steal!”
“What?”
“You’re good at stealing, Father. That’s how you stole me and Seol-yo!”
“Hah…?”
Sa-eon stared at So-ya with a look of utter disbelief.
“And what do you plan to do with a skill like that, my little thief?”
“There’s something I absolutely have to get back. It was stolen from me, and it’s very important.”
It was time to carry out the task she had postponed while awakening the divine beasts. Specifically, reclaiming her mother’s keepsake that Ri-ri had taken.
“Since I’m your daughter, wouldn't I be good at stealing too?”
“…….”
Sa-eon fell silent.
“This is why you shouldn't have gone around ‘stealing’ things,” Jeok Yeong chimed in with a snicker.
“……That’s just a figure of speech. I picked them up with proper permission. You gave me permission too, Cotton Ball, when I sto—ah…”
Sa-eon, who had been protesting with an aggrieved voice, let out a short sigh only after the word ‘stole’ had already started to leave his lips.
“A parent is a mirror to their child. You have to be careful with every word you say in front of them.”
“I’m already regretting it, so stop nagging.”
Sa-eon pressed a hand to his forehead with a troubled expression, letting out a low groan.
“Father, you’re so tall. How did you sneak into the Land of the Vermilion Bird and steal me?”
So-ya clung to Sa-eon’s desk, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Sa-eon wasn't just tall; he was exceptionally handsome and striking. His fine white hair and brilliant blue eyes, like clear sapphires, were the unmistakable traits of the White Tiger’s direct lineage.
She had been too young at the time, and so many things had happened since then that she hadn't thought deeply about it. But looking back, it was a miracle that someone as conspicuous as Sa-eon could roam the Land of the Vermilion Bird without being caught.
So-ya was certain her father must have a very special secret technique.
“……It’s quite simple,” Sa-eon said, his lips finally parting. “I just hid my presence, and anyone I made eye contact with, I knocked unconscious.”