Chapter 135
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 135
Ri-ri took San-yu’s hand with a flourish and stepped forward with a jaunty gait.
A quarter hour ago, after she had finished dressing for the boating excursion, both San-yu and Hwa-yu had simultaneously reached out their hands, asking her to go with them.
Without a moment's hesitation, Ri-ri had grasped San-yu’s hand.
Hwa-yu had looked at her with a deeply disappointed expression, but Ri-ri wanted to walk with San-yu today. Rather than Hwa-yu, who was always by her side, she wanted to flaunt the fact that she was the sole recipient of both her brothers' affection.
Above all, being beside San-yu, the hero of this victory banquet, would ensure all eyes were on her.
And...
‘I’m so curious to see the look on that girl’s face when Ri-ri shows up holding San-yu’s hand.’
Ri-ri ground her teeth as she recalled the unpleasant sensations she had felt when So-ya appeared yesterday.
Her father, who had always thought only of her, had acted in that moment as if she didn't even exist.
The sheer misery of watching her father’s back as he walked away from her to approach that girl was unforgettable.
In truth, Ri-ri was still deeply sulking because of that incident.
‘How could he do that? No matter how shocked he was by that girl’s appearance, how could he ignore Ri-ri and only care about her!’
Though she had said she was fine yesterday, the more she thought about it, the angrier she became.
She had planned to play hard to get—rejecting him twice before finally accepting his apology on the third attempt once he realized his mistake.
However, her father had been nowhere to be seen since morning, as if he were preoccupied with something urgent.
‘Come to think of it, this is all that girl’s fault too. It would have been better if she had just died back then. How on earth did she come back alive?’
Ri-ri redirected the arrows of her fury toward So-ya.
‘What kind of trick did she use to get into the White Tiger Clan? She must have even charmed those White Tiger young lords.’
She still felt a chill when she remembered the two young lords of the White Tiger Clan who had radiated coldness toward her on the first day she arrived.
‘That girl must have said something nasty about Ri-ri. Otherwise, there’s no way those young lords would treat Ri-ri so terrifyingly.’
Ri-ri was certain.
This was all because of that wicked little thief’s slander.
‘But it’s fine. Soon, everyone will realize once again, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that she is the “fake” and Ri-ri is the “real” one.’
Once that happened, the young masters of the White Tiger Clan would surely prefer her over that girl.
After all, that girl was a "fake" who didn't share a drop of their blood.
No one likes a fake.
‘I don’t know what scheme she used to snatch the position of the White Tiger Clan’s youngest daughter, but I’ll make sure she gets kicked out of that house too.’
Hiding her malicious intent, Ri-ri arrived at the pond’s edge.
As it happened, her eyes locked with So-ya’s as the latter descended from the pavilion.
In that instant, the corners of Ri-ri’s mouth curled upward.
Unlike yesterday, when her expression had frozen stiff at the sight of So-ya, Ri-ri approached her with a bright face, even humming a tune.
The distance between Ri-ri and So-ya gradually closed.
So-ya did not avoid her, meeting her gaze directly.
A flicker of displeasure crossed Ri-ri’s face.
It felt utterly contemptible that a child who used to be unable to even lift her head in Ri-ri's presence was now staring straight at her.
Moreover, she had apparently eaten and grown well, as her height was now nearly equal to Ri-ri’s.
“Hello, So-ya. It’s been a long time.”
Wiping away the look of displeasure, Ri-ri offered a beaming smile and a greeting.
“I didn’t expect to meet you like this again. This is perfect, actually. I was worried about what to do if the dirty pond water splashed on me while boating. You shall wait on me today.”
It was a rude tone, treating So-ya like a subordinate, just as she had done long ago.
It was then.
Ssh—
A man stepped up to So-ya’s side.
He was tall, with snow-white hair and blue eyes—the distinct characteristics of the White Tiger Clan.
The other two young lords of the same age she had seen a few days ago were also incredibly handsome, but this man was on another level.
He was exceptionally brilliant... and dazzling.
As Ri-ri stared blankly at his blinding appearance, the man’s eyes shifted slowly to look down at her.
The moment their eyes met, those cool blue eyes seemed to crinkle into a smile, but then...
Sensing something, San-yu furrowed his brow and shoved Ri-ri aside.
Thud!
“Ah!”
“My Lady!”
The members of the Vermilion Bird Clan following behind quickly supported Ri-ri as she was suddenly thrown to the ground.
Ri-ri was about to demand what he thought he was doing.
But the moment she snapped her head up, she froze.
San-yu was barely holding back the man who had been standing before her just a moment ago—a man who was now lunging toward her with terrifying bloodlust.
“Move. Now.”
“If you intend to harm her, stop. This is the Imperial Palace, Young Lord Ga-ya.”
“Hah?”
Ga-ya let out a hollow, incredulous laugh.
“Are you seriously defending that in front of me—in front of our Som-som?”
“...”
When San-yu offered no reply, a faint sense of betrayal flickered across Ga-ya’s face.
“This is why I shouldn't associate with chicken-heads whose brains are stuffed with nothing but straw...”
Ga-ya was muttering in a chilling voice, glaring at San-yu as if he wanted to kill him, when—
“Baek Ga-ya.”
Sa-eon’s low, heavy voice rang out.
Instantly, Ga-ya’s body, which had looked ready to snap at any moment, stiffened.
Step, step—
Walking with a pace that was neither fast nor slow, Sa-eon came to stand beside So-ya and glanced down at Ri-ri.
Ri-ri flinched.
Her body instinctively recoiled at the frigid aura emanating from Sa-eon.
“How dare you.”
His voice, hauntingly low, froze the surrounding air.
“Did you just tell a daughter of the Baek Clan to wait on your pathetic self?”
“N-N-No, I just... I was just so happy to see So-ya after so long...”
Ri-ri managed to stammer out an answer.
“Happy?”
Sa-eon let out a mocking sneer, as if he had heard something utterly absurd.
“Happy... Happy, is it? Jeok Ah-yun has brought something quite amusing all the way to the Imperial Palace.”
Then, in an instant.
“No. On second thought, I don't find it amusing at all.”
The trace of a smile vanished from his face.
“Did you just say you were happy to see my daughter? Indeed, I am happy to see you too, daughter of Jeok Ah-yun. I hear you and my daughter... are very well acquainted?”
“...”
Ri-ri knew she had to say something, but her lips only quivered like a fool’s.
He hadn't raised his voice, nor was he shouting in anger, yet Sa-eon was far more terrifying than Ga-ya, who had tried to attack her moments ago.
Ri-ri clutched at San-yu’s sleeve in her terror, but San-yu, oblivious to her plight, simply stared straight ahead.
Just as tears began to well in her eyes at his indifference—
“Father.”
So-ya stepped forward, taking hold of Sa-eon’s sleeve.
“I’m fine. I’ll get on the same boat as her.”
“...?”
Sa-eon, who had retracted his terrifying bloodlust in an instant, looked back at So-ya with a confused furrow in his brow.
“I really want to,” So-ya said, her voice firm as she looked Sa-eon in the eye.
“What are you talking about, Som-som? Why would you with that—!”
“Fine. Let’s do that, my daughter.”
Ga-ya shouted in protest, but Sa-eon cut him off and gave his consent.
As he did, Sa-eon’s eyes were filled with unwavering trust as he looked at So-ya.
So-ya gave him a small, grateful smile.
*
After much ado, So-ya and Ri-ri ended up on the same boat.
Aside from the boatman rowing the oars, the two girls were alone on the small skiff.
Ri-ri’s mood, which had been pleasant only half an hour ago, was now a complete mess.
It was all because of So-ya.
Nothing had gone right since that girl appeared.
Ri-ri didn't bother hiding her hostility, glaring openly at So-ya.
In contrast, So-ya’s expression was perfectly calm.
The sound of a small duck’s quack drifted through the gentle splashing of the water.
Turning her head slightly, So-ya noticed a family of spot-billed ducks following the skiff.
A small smile bloomed on So-ya’s previously stoic face.
As she watched the ducks with a warm gaze, her eyes crinkling softly, the ducks quacked as if singing.
The excited ducklings dipped their heads into the water, kicking their little feet and showing off their fluffy tails.
“Go away!”
Ri-ri snapped at the ducks out of pure spite.
Startled by her shout, the ducks flapped their wings frantically, splashing water onto the boat.
“Ack, cold! What is this filth!”
Ri-ri fumed, huffing in anger.
Watching her quietly, So-ya spoke for the first time since they had boarded.
“I suppose the water in this pond feels filthy to you.”
“Of course! Who would like a dirty pond like this?”
“Did you think the same when you looked at the pond at Ha-yeon Pond?”
“What?”
Ri-ri knit her brows at the sudden question.
“Hah! And what if I did?”
She then gave a derisive snort and retorted.
“I suppose to a filthy beggar like you, that pond might look grand and impressive. But to me, it’s just dirty mud-water. Now that I think about it, its filth and impurity are just like you.”
Ri-ri’s voice was thick with sarcasm.
“That pond was a place my late mother cherished,” So-ya said, looking at Ri-ri with eyes that had turned cold and sunken.
“It was modeled after a pond in the hometown she left behind, and because of that pond, my mother was never lonely. Do not speak of a place my mother cherished in such a way.”
“Wait, did you just say ‘mother’?”
Ri-ri’s face twisted into a demonic scowl.
“Did you just call Ri-ri’s mother your mother?”
Ri-ri spat the words out sharply.
However, So-ya simply asked back calmly, her face showing no sign of emotional disturbance.
“Do you truly believe that woman was your mother?”
“...”
Caught off guard by the sudden strike, Ri-ri swallowed hard, trying to hide her shock.
‘What is with her? It’s as if she knows something...’
Faced with So-ya’s expressionless gaze and her question, Ri-ri felt an involuntary pang of guilt.
‘She really is an unpleasant brat. I need to get rid of her as soon as possible.’
Just as Ri-ri was clenching her fists and glaring at So-ya—
Splaaaash!
“Kyaaaaah!”
The sound of water tearing apart was followed by the screams of people.
So-ya and Ri-ri turned toward the sound at the same time.
A pillar of black water was erupting from beneath the pond.
No, that swirling, rising black pillar wasn't water.
It was a viscous pillar of mud, tangled and mixed from the bottom of the pond.
“W-What is that?”
“F-First, we have to get away...”
But before people could even flee, the rising black mud collapsed in an instant and—
Splash!
It struck the surface of the water, creating a violent spray.
Where the spray cleared...
The black mud had become a lotus flower as large as a house, with hundreds of layers of petals.
It was grotesque to see the hundreds of petals writhing and twitching in different shapes.
In the moment everyone held their breath in shock at the bizarre phenomenon—
The black petals that had been twitching ominously suddenly transformed into dozens of black hands, shooting up in every direction.
‘That’s...!’
So-ya’s expression hardened.
As if to confirm her suspicion, someone screamed.
“A demonic beast...! A demonic beast has appeared!”