Side Story 10
Translator: RaidenTL
Side Story 10
“My younger sister is six years old. She hasn't even had her first beast transformation yet, but she already learned how to read and write when she was five. That’s why she’s already sending me letters like this.”
“…….”
“Look at this rounded script. Isn’t it just adorable and impressive? I’ve never seen a six-year-old with such beautiful handwriting.”
“…….”
“And here, do you see these dried petals? My sister dried them herself. With those tiny, fern-like hands, thinking of me the whole time.”
“…….”
If there was one thing Ga-ya had learned during the two months he’d shared a barracks with San-yu, it was that the man was a total fool for his sister, utterly devoted to singing her praises.
San-yu spoke of his younger sister incessantly in a gentle voice, though it felt less like he was talking to Ga-ya and more like he was simply bragging to himself.
It had to be that, considering he continued his boasting without a hint of offense even when Ga-ya didn't offer a single word in response.
Good grief. How is someone without a sister supposed to survive this sorrow?
Ga-ya tuned out San-yu’s bragging and glanced sideways at the pile of letters stacked on the man's lap.
San-yu’s daily routine always ended with him taking out the letters his sister had sent and reading them thoroughly before bed.
There were already ten letters spread out carefully on his lap, one by one.
In contrast, Ga-ya’s own brothers had only sent a single letter so far.
Even that was just a formal greeting written by Ga-hyeon; Ga-yul hadn't even sent a one-line scribble.
Those insolent baby tigers. Their brother is leaving for the battlefield, and all they know how to do is scratch their full bellies.
Ga-ya felt a surge of annoyance as he remembered Ga-yul, who had followed him to his departure ceremony only to fall asleep and snore loudly.
This is why they say you shouldn't take in a white-haired beast.
How much had he struggled to raise that mischievous youngest tiger?
He had to go up the mountain every day to catch the brat and bring him back... (Though he usually ended up dragging him down by the scruff of the neck while the kid dangled in the air, stubbornly insisting he didn't want to go home.)
He had to wash the boy when he was covered in dirt... (Though his method was simply dunking him into a giant bathtub.)
And he had even stood by to watch his first beast transformation in their father's stead...! (Though he had snorted at his younger brother, telling the newly transformed cub that he was far inferior to himself—but it wasn't like he was lying.)
He had cared for them so diligently as an older brother while their father was away, yet that wicked tiger was repaying his kindness with such ingratitude.
Ga-ya felt a petty sense of pique.
“Anyway, I’m worried. She has her first beast transformation coming up soon. I want to send her a nice gift, even from afar…”
“Just turn off the light and get ready for bed.”
Ga-ya retorted in a sharp voice and tossed a pillow at San-yu.
Perhaps because of his irritation, he failed to control his strength, and his aim was off.
The pillow Ga-ya threw struck San-yu’s body with a thud, bounced off, and landed right on his lap.
And then, a minor... no, a grave problem occurred—one that could never be called minor to a certain person in the room.
Rustle—
The stack of letters piled on San-yu’s lap spilled onto the floor along with the bouncing pillow.
San-yu’s body froze instantly, and a brief silence filled the barracks.
“…….”
“…….”
Regrettably, the floor of the barracks wasn't covered by so much as a common rug. Consequently, the letters from his sister that San-yu cherished so dearly were now rolling around on the dirt floor.
“Hey, that just now was…”
Ga-ya spoke in an awkward voice toward the stiffened San-yu.
He hadn't intended for that to happen.
He was just about to apologize.
Crash—!
In an instant, Ga-ya was grabbed by the collar and slammed onto the floor.
“Ugh…”
Ga-ya let out a faint groan at the weight pressing down on him.
San-yu, who had been sitting on the opposite cot just a moment ago, was now pinning him down.
Ga-ya reached out instinctively to push him away, but then he flinched.
San-yu’s eyes, looking down at him, were half-crazed.
Like a madman.
That wasn't all.
Sparks were crackling in the air around San-yu.
Is that the supernatural ability of the Vermilion Bird Clan…?
Ga-ya gulped, forgetting to push him away.
Don't tell me this guy…
Along with a faint murderous intent, San-yu’s ability was surging wildly through the air in the barracks.
It was as if he were having a 'Rampage.'
A 'Rampage' was a phenomenon where beastkin lost their reason due to the aftermath of strong emotions and could no longer control their supernatural abilities.
A 'Beastkin’s Rampage' could not be ignored, no matter how weak or young the subject was.
This was because the power used during a rampage came directly from the Spirit Core, the source that contained all of a beastkin’s energy.
Furthermore, his opponent was the successor of the Southern Jeok Clan, one of the Four Great Clans, even if he was only twelve years old.
If I get caught in a rampage the wrong way, it’ll be hard to stay alive. For both me and this guy.
The end of a rampage was the destruction of the Spirit Core. And then, only death.
Just as Ga-ya tensed and clenched his fists—
“Wow…”
San-yu’s mouth slowly opened, and a low exclamation escaped.
“Lord Ga-ya, you are truly… a truly lawless person.”
He muttered, his eyes curving into a bright, crescent smile.
“No matter how much you dislike me, to lay hands on the letters my innocent younger sister wrote so sincerely with her tiny, fern-like hands… even a beast wouldn't do such a thing.”
“……?”
Ga-ya’s brow furrowed as he listened to the muttering.
Could a beastkin on the verge of a rampage speak so clearly?
Wait. This bastard didn't actually lose control…
Suddenly, a hypothesis flashed through Ga-ya’s mind.
He’s doing this while perfectly sane…?
And just before Ga-ya could finish his thought, a chilling glint flickered in San-yu’s eyes.
“In that sense, Lord Ga-ya.”
The sparks blooming in the air gathered into a massive sphere and flew toward Ga-ya.
Boom—!
Ga-ya barely managed to roll his body away to avoid the explosion.
However, fierce flames immediately erupted, encircling him in a ring.
Through the billowing smoke where the sparks had just exploded, San-yu walked out.
Unlike Ga-ya, he hadn't dodged; he had taken the explosion head-on, yet he wasn't injured at all.
The moment Ga-ya saw San-yu like that, he became even more certain.
That explosion just now had been San-yu’s will.
Right now, that guy was perfectly fine, nowhere near a rampage.
“For your sake, Lord Ga-ya, I think I shall fix those lawless manners of yours.”
San-yu said with a bright smile.
“Are—are you crazy? You’re trying to kill someone over something like that?”
Ga-ya shouted, unable to hide his bewilderment.
It was only because he was exceptionally skilled that he survived; anyone else would have failed to dodge that attack and been roasted alive by the flames.
“Something like that?”
San-yu asked back in a surprisingly crooked voice that didn't match his gentle face.
“What a self-centered, wicked tiger you are.”
San-yu’s voice dropped even lower, turning cold.
“How should I make you understand that those letters, which seem so trivial in your eyes, are the most precious treasures in the world to someone else?”
“That was an accident just now—!”
“Yes, that’s right, an accident. It was an accident that Lord Ga-ya shoved my treasure into the dirt, and it was an accident that I attacked Lord Ga-ya.”
“What…?”
“It’s only fair, isn't it?”
San-yu smiled broadly and conjured more sparks in the air.
Ga-ya glared at him, dumbfounded. The guy was in no state to be reasoned with.
No, it seemed he had no intention of listening from the start.
“……You, I’m going to report this to the superiors.”
Ga-ya said, grinding his teeth.
Ga-ya and San-yu, who had been deployed for less than three months, were still of trainee status here.
Regardless of clan or rank, causing trouble during this period was met with severe punishment.
And attacking a comrade using a supernatural ability was a malicious crime that should never happen.
“That’s perfect. I was finding you annoying anyway. I’ll take this opportunity to have you kicked out of my barracks.”
However, San-yu didn't even blink. In fact, he smiled even more radiantly and asked in a soft voice:
“Do you have any proof?”