Chapter 150
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 150
As the rising flames enveloped the entire Imperial Palace, red feathers fluttered down like falling leaves.
Soon, a massive red bird imbued with divine energy covered the dark sky, illuminating the entire world with a brilliant light.
It was the Vermilion Bird, the ancient divine beast that guarded the South.
The people looked up with eyes full of wonder. Their faces, too, were reflected in the light, glowing a deep crimson.
The Vermilion Bird looked down upon the world and slowly opened its beak.
―You have summoned me from the center of the earth, my little bird.
Its holy voice resonated through the air.
“Celestial Maiden…?”
―Yes, I am the Purifier of the South, the Vermilion Bird Celestial Maiden. My tiny little bird who carries my blood. How may I help you?
So-ya stared at her blankly.
‘Why is the Celestial Maiden here…? She said manifesting her true form was an incredibly difficult task.’
―The Vermilion Bird hag must have exerted herself. She’s been gnashing her teeth at those birdbrains ever since she arrived at the Imperial Palace.
―I’m jealous, little bird. I can make a grand entrance too. Call for me next time.
The White Tiger Mountain Lord and the Dragon God of Cheonghae whispered in voices that only So-ya could hear.
‘Ah…’
Realizing the Vermilion Bird Celestial Maiden’s intentions from their words, So-ya felt a lump in her throat.
‘She did this for me…’
Only a few days ago, Ri-ri had falsely claimed to be the Bride of the Yellow Dragon in front of everyone. To ensure that So-ya would not face similar suspicions because of that precedent, the Celestial Maiden had intentionally revealed her true form before the eyes of the masses.
She was firmly establishing that So-ya was of the Vermilion Bird’s direct lineage, so that no one could ever doubt her birth again.
“Please purify the people who have turned into demonic beasts.”
―Where my flames reach, your will shall burn alongside them.
At So-ya’s request, the Vermilion Bird Celestial Maiden replied in an elegant voice.
Soon, bright red sparks began to fall one by one from her crimson plumage, and a radiant light enveloped the entire Imperial Palace.
* * *
Meanwhile, at the White Tiger Clan’s pavilion, two boys were engaged in a desperate struggle with a sparrow.
The tiny sparrow, which had begun its demonic beast transformation slightly earlier than the others, was mercilessly attacking Ga-yul, who had just returned to his room after dinner.
“Ugh, ack! Sparrow?”
The baby sparrow, its pupils turned a blood-red, fluttered its wings as it pecked and scratched at Ga-yul’s body. Because the transformation was underway, its strikes were surprisingly heavy.
“Young Master, are you alright? You wicked little bird!”
“Stop! What are you doing to that tiny bird?!” Ga-yul shouted as Su-ri tried to attack the sparrow to protect him.
“What? But that bird is attacking you, Young Master…!”
“No, don’t attack it! It’s the sparrow I treated! I promised to protect it until it was all better!”
“B-but it doesn’t look like that bird particularly wants to be protected by us!”
As if in response, the sparrow fluttered and pecked at Su-ri.
“I-I don’t care! Don’t attack, just defend!”
“H-how am I supposed to just defend? Eek!”
Poof!
Ultimately, Su-ri transformed into his beast form and hopped out the window to escape the sparrow’s assault. The sparrow, having shifted its target from Ga-yul to Su-ri, pursued him fiercely as if determined not to let him go.
Ga-yul followed them outside and watched Su-ri being attacked, looking utterly bewildered.
“What should I do? Why is the sparrow so angry?”
It was so enraged that its eyes had turned red and its strength had increased—just like the goblins in old folktales.
Right then, the sky suddenly flashed and was dyed crimson.
“Huh…? This is…”
For a moment, Ga-yul stared blankly up at the red sky. He had seen a sky colored with that red light once before.
“Cotton Ball…?”
Two years ago, in the village they visited to solve the plague, on the day So-ya’s growing pains began amidst red flames. On that day, too, the sky had been dyed red like this, and shimmering red feathers had…
Just then, red feathers fluttered down from the sky.
Staring at them in a daze, Ga-yul quickly snatched a red feather.
“Mine!”
“Oh, Young Master! Now isn’t the time for feathers… Huh?”
The sparrow that had been attacking Su-ri suddenly stopped. Its red pupils returned to black as it slowly regained its original form, before promptly fainting.
“Are you okay?”
Ga-yul ran over to Su-ri and the sparrow.
“Yes, I’m fine—”
“Not you, I mean the sparrow.”
“……Yes, the sparrow is fine,” Su-ri replied, pouting.
“Phew, what a relief.”
Looking at the sparrow sleeping peacefully, Ga-yul let out a sigh of relief.
And at that same moment.
“Grrr…”
“You birdbrained bastard…”
The demonic-beastified San-yu and Ga-ya were locked in a tangled confrontation.
In the midst of it, as the red light covered the sky, San-yu also regained his true form and collapsed on the spot.
“Ugh…”
Ga-ya frowned at the weight falling on top of him.
“Is it… over?”
A short sigh escaped through Ga-ya’s teeth. His eyes narrowed slightly as he glanced down at his bitten shoulder.
The throbbing pain caused a sudden surge of irritation, and Ga-ya stood up, tossing San-yu’s unconscious body aside carelessly.
When he lifted his head, he saw the sky dyed crimson.
No one had told him whose work this red sky was, but Ga-ya felt like he somehow knew. He knew the most amazing and brave baby bird in the world, the one who had made the decisive contribution to ending this long war.
And he knew that perhaps this was the moment that amazing baby bird was finally spreading her wings and soaring before the world.
Ga-ya gave the fallen San-yu’s shoulder a quick kick before walking toward the sound of the crackling flames.
* * *
Crackle, crackle.
Crackle, crackle, crackle.
In the night where only the sound of sparks remained, everyone fell into a deep silence.
“The Bride… of the Yellow Dragon…”
The silence was broken by someone’s murmur, and everyone looked at So-ya with eyes full of awe.
“The true Bride of the Yellow Dragon…”
And amidst those people, only the father and son, Jeok Ah-yun and Jeok Hwa-yu, stood with pale faces, unable to say a word.
‘Why… No, how… Why…?’
Hwa-yu’s eyes shook violently as he looked at So-ya.
The red feathers of the small bird that had soared into the dark sky moments ago. The purification flames that had descended warmly as if to embrace the whole world… and the voice of the divine beast.
The Vermilion Bird had clearly said, ‘My tiny little bird who carries my blood.’
Everything pointed to one truth.
[And another thing, Young Master Hwa-yu. I have never lied to you.]
The moment he recalled So-ya’s voice as she looked at him with cold eyes and said those words…
“Ah…”
A pained groan escaped his throat.
Something had gone terribly, terribly wrong.
* * *
As Do-cheol’s body exploded, the Evil fled as well.
Ri-ri’s body, which had once been possessed by the Evil, had its life force drained away, leaving half of it hideously withered.
“A heart of evil ultimately brings about ruin.”
The stronger a heart of evil becomes, the better nourishment it provides for the Evil. The cuckoo, who harbored a heart more malicious than anyone else’s, had bloomed through her wicked deeds and eventually became fodder for the Evil.
Having been overtaken by the Evil for even that short time—less than half a day—that body would not last long; its life would soon come to an end. For despite her strong malice, that cuckoo’s body was far too weak to withstand the Evil.
Whether one should consider it a blessing or a curse that she preserved her remaining half of life force was unclear.
“The end for those who become nourishment for the Evil is always the same: to be consumed by it and meet death.”
Yi-rim muttered coldly and turned his head. His gaze fell upon his dead guard.
“Why is it that those I give my heart to… always meet such a tragic end?”
He stared for a long time with a sorrowful face at the guard whose shell had been stolen by the peril beast, before eventually shifting his gaze outside.
The purification flames So-ya had ignited enveloped the entire Imperial Palace, dyeing the sky red. He could feel So-ya’s energy in the air.
A faint smile appeared on his face at that exceptionally warm, cozy, and kind energy.
[Why do you just watch and then leave?]
Do you know, So-ya?
Every time I intervened in your life, you ended up dying.
Not once was I able to save you.
How could someone like me… ever approach you?
Yi-rim slowly closed and opened his eyes, looking toward his chest where his orb should have been.
His orb was not with him. He had handed it to her a long time ago.
It was the very first life, which only he remembered—a time that had become a distant, ancient memory for him, but a time that had never existed for her.
Back when So-ya was the only daughter of the Vermilion Bird Clan… back when she still possessed hair that burned a brilliant, radiant red…