Chapter 50
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 50
Meanwhile, Sa-eon pondered over Seol-yo’s identity.
Up until now, he had introduced Seol-yo to the people of the White Tiger Palace as an ordinary black wolf. To have him stay at the palace in the form of a young boy, he needed a suitable new identity.
After much thought, he once again sought San-ho’s help and introduced the boy as her distant relative.
“He is a very distant relative of the Indigo Wolf Clan. He has been working undercover in his beast form to serve as Lady Cotton Ball’s guard.”
Everyone was surprised to hear that Seol-yo, whom they had thought was just a normal wolf, was actually a beastkin, but most did not harbor much suspicion.
However, Su-ri, San-ho’s younger brother, tilted his head in confusion.
“That’s strange. I’ve never seen him before. Was there someone like that in the Wolf Clan?”
“I-it’s a good thing to have one more person to play with! Why are y-y-y-you being so suspicious!”
Ga-yul spoke up, fearing Seol-yo’s true identity might be discovered, but his outburst only earned him even more skeptical looks.
Seol-yo spent the entire day trotting along behind So-ya, and whenever someone else appeared, he would quickly duck behind her.
Of course, Seol-yo was taller than So-ya, so he was perfectly visible even when hiding.
Watching him, the people of the White Tiger Palace chuckled, remarking that their young lady had gained a cute bodyguard.
“Guard? What’s a guard?”
“A guard is someone who follows you around and stays right by your side to protect you.”
“...!”
At those words, Seol-yo’s eyes sparkled.
I am So-ya’s guard! I will protect So-ya!
Seol-yo stuck to So-ya’s side even more tenaciously, as if he had been entrusted with the most important mission in the world.
Then, evening came.
Seol-yo, who was trotting after So-ya as she headed back to her room after dinner, was suddenly grabbed by the scruff of his neck by Sa-eon.
“That’s enough for today. Go back to your own quarters. It’s time for children to sleep.”
“I-I’m going to sleep with So-ya...!”
Seol-yo shouted, flailing his limbs in the air.
“Haven’t you heard that boys and girls shouldn't sit together after the age of seven?”
“I don’t know what that means! Let go of me this instant!”
Seol-yo growled fiercely at Sa-eon.
Having always slept by So-ya’s bedside until now, he was furious at Sa-eon’s sudden interference.
At this, Sa-eon arched a sharp eyebrow and let out a scoffing snort.
“You aren’t a demonic beast anymore. Your teeth aren't even sharp.”
But as if to mock Sa-eon, Seol-yo suddenly transformed with a poof! into a tiger with razor-sharp fangs.
“...?”
A bewildered Sa-eon blinked his eyes and asked, “You... were a White Tiger beastkin?”
But if that were the case, there was no way Sa-eon wouldn't have recognized him.
“I can become whatever I want to be.”
“What...?”
While Sa-eon’s expression instantly hardened, So-ya and Ga-yul clapped their hands in wonder.
“Wow, Seol-yo, that’s so cool!”
“Then can you turn into a fox too? A bear? A wolf?”
Ga-yul went a step further, egging Seol-yo on to transform into various things.
As if it were no trouble at all, Seol-yo transformed into every animal Ga-yul named with a series of poofs!
“Then what about a dragon?”
“A dragon?”
“You don’t know what a dragon is?”
“....”
Seol-yo nodded.
Ga-yul tried to describe what a dragon looked like, but Seol-yo couldn't transform into one. He had never seen one before.
“Aw, what? You can’t even turn into a dragon.”
Unlike the children, who were fascinated by Seol-yo’s ability, Sa-eon’s expression was grave.
A beastkin who can transform into anything.
Though he had once been corrupted and lived in the form of a demonic beast, Seol-yo was definitely a beastkin.
This was because Seol-yo possessed a Spirit Core.
However, Sa-eon had never heard of a beastkin who could transform into whatever they desired.
It was while Sa-eon was staring at Seol-yo with a face full of deep thought that Jeok Yeong hurriedly sought him out.
“Clan Head! You were here!”
At Jeok Yeong’s urgent tone, Sa-eon’s eyes hardened as he asked, “What is it?”
“Well, at the Imperial Palace...”
Jeok Yeong, who had started to speak reflexively, caught sight of the children in the room and hesitated. He then lowered his voice to a whisper that only Sa-eon could hear.
In an instant, Sa-eon’s expression froze into a cold mask.
* * *
That day, after receiving Jeok Yeong’s report, Sa-eon left the White Tiger Palace, saying there was urgent business at the Imperial Palace.
One day passed since Sa-eon left, then two, then five...
“Brother, don’t you miss Lord Sa-eon?”
“Father is often away from the White Tiger Palace anyway. In the past, he used to be gone much longer when he went to the battlefield,” Ga-yul replied with a shrug to So-ya’s question.
But I miss Lord Sa-eon so much...
Seeing Ga-yul acting as brave as usual even without Sa-eon made So-ya feel like she was the only one being a crybaby, so she suppressed her longing for him.
Then nine days passed, then ten...
“Brother Hyeon. Don’t you miss Lord Sa-eon?”
“Father left because of important business. Even if we miss him, we have to endure it a little. So-ya, if you’re bored, do you want to play with me?”
Looking at Ga-hyeon’s kind smile, So-ya thought to herself.
It’s not that I’m bored, it’s that I miss Lord Sa-eon...
That day, So-ya spent time with Ga-hyeon, visiting the library and looking at the autumn leaves, but the empty feeling in her heart did not disappear.
“Seol-yo, don’t you miss Lord Sa-eon?”
“?”
She asked Seol-yo as well, but he only tilted his head in confusion.
Then, on the fifteenth day.
Unable to hold back any longer, So-ya asked the adults when Sa-eon would return.
“The situation at the Imperial Palace seems very chaotic. They say the Fifth Prince is purging his brothers in a bloodbath.”
“What? The Fifth Prince?”
A face immediately came to So-ya’s mind.
The one with platinum-blonde hair and turquoise eyes...
[When I come back, I want to take you to the Imperial Palace. If... you will allow it.]
The kind Prince who had made a pinky promise with her while saying those words.
Because everything that happened afterward had been so hectic, she had forgotten about him for a while.
So-ya could hardly believe that such a gentle person was causing a bloodbath.
“The Clan Head was the Fifth Prince’s teacher. That is why our Clan Head is the only adult he trusts and relies on.”
“....”
“It seems he will be staying in the Central Region until the situation at the Imperial Palace is settled.”
“....”
So-ya was a little upset, as she hadn't expected to be unable to see Sa-eon for this long.
But since it’s Brother Rim and not anyone else, I can share Lord Sa-eon a little.
Before she met Sa-eon, he was the person who had shown her the only kindness during her most difficult and lonely times.
Thinking that way made her feel a bit better.
I shouldn't be gloomy just because I miss Lord Sa-eon. I’ll practice my supernatural ability hard until he comes back.
So-ya bravely found something to do.
“That’s strange. Is this... is this not how I’m supposed to apply pressure...?”
She had been practicing by gathering strength in her fingertips whenever she had a spare moment, wanting to use her ability again, but it wasn't easy.
“Was that day just a fluke?”
It was just as So-ya let out a long sigh.
“So-ya!”
A bunch of colorful flowers was suddenly thrust in front of her face.
So-ya knew who the owner of the flowers was without even looking at his face.
“Seol-yo.”
So-ya looked up with a bright smile.
The boy, whose jet-black hair was tied high in a ponytail, dumped the flowers into So-ya’s arms and plopped down beside her.
“So-ya, are you in a bad mood?” Seol-yo asked, stealing a glance at her expression.
“Huh? How did you know?”
Startled, So-ya touched her face. Was her gloominess that obvious?
“Here. They go way down when So-ya is in a bad mood.”
Seol-yo replied, poking the ends of So-ya’s eyebrows with his finger.
“Ah, I see. It’s just... I want to be good at using my ability, but it’s not working out like I thought, so I was a little upset.”
So-ya laughed it off and shared her worries.
Seol-yo wanted to help her.
However, Seol-yo didn't know how to handle supernatural abilities either.
It was then.
“The Clan Head is returning!”
At someone’s shout, So-ya jumped up from her seat.
“Lord Sa-eon!”
So-ya and Seol-yo ran headlong toward the main gate of the White Tiger Palace together.
Everyone from the White Tiger Palace, including Ga-hyeon and Ga-yul, was already gathered there.
“Uh...?”
In the distance, a golden carriage drawn by six horses—a carriage only the Emperor of the Taehwa Empire could ride—appeared.
Sa-eon was riding a horse beside it.
However, So-ya’s gaze was fixed not on Sa-eon, whom she had been waiting for all these days, but on the boy sitting atop the carriage.
This was true not only for So-ya but for everyone gathered there.
“That carriage is...”
“Could the rumors be...”
Leaving the whispering voices behind, So-ya stared blankly at the boy.
More accurately, she stared at the Emperor’s crown resting upon his head.
Soon, the carriage stopped, and the boy atop it stepped down gracefully.
“We have been waiting for your return, Father. And...”
Ga-hyeon was hesitating, not knowing how to address the boy.
The boy immediately strode toward So-ya.
“I am very late, So-ya.”
Everyone was taken aback by the boy’s sudden action, but he spoke with a gentle smile, as if he didn't care about the gazes of others.
“I missed you.”