Chapter 88
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 88
It was strange.
There were three conditions to awaken a Divine Beast.
The blood of a direct descendant. The heart of the Divine Beast. And a spiritual body.
Her mother, who carried the blood of the direct lineage, was right beside her, and they even had the Divine Object made from the Divine Beast’s spiritual body, but…
‘Is my heart not enough?’
So-ya stole a glance down at the branch tucked into her shirt.
“Now that you’ve seen everything, shall we head to the banquet hall, So-ya?”
“Ah… Yes…”
Even as she walked out holding Cheong-ha’s hand, So-ya couldn’t take her eyes off the Blue Dragon Painted Halberd.
‘Why did it fail?’
It was while So-ya was lost in thought, her face clouded with disappointment.
—Do not be so upset, little bird. It is not because your heart is lacking.
The voice of the White Tiger Mountain Lord echoed in her mind.
—That Divine Object is a fake.
‘…!’
So-ya was so startled she almost let out a sound.
“So-ya?”
However, at the sound of Cheong-ha calling her name, So-ya quickly snapped back to her senses.
“My baby, why the long face? Is something bothering you?”
“N-no, Mother! Let’s hurry to the banquet hall!”
So-ya shook her head vigorously and followed Cheong-ha out of the shrine, clutching her hand tightly.
* * *
That day, So-ya had a wonderful time with Cheong-ha, whom she hadn’t seen in three years.
“Mother, look! I have a red feather now!”
“Mother! I can reach the summit of Mt. Horim in just twenty steps now!”
So-ya and Ga-yul took up the spots on either side of Cheong-ha, chattering away incessantly.
Ga-hyeon, who had yielded the seats next to their mother to his younger siblings, sat across from them and chuckled as he watched So-ya, who was much more talkative than usual.
So-ya had often exchanged letters with Cheong-ha to share news, but being together in person like this was far better.
‘I wish Mother could live with us at the White Tiger Palace too.’
The thought kept crossing her mind.
And that night.
Something even better happened to So-ya.
And that was…
“I—is that really okay?”
So-ya asked back, her face filled with disbelief.
“Of course.”
“...!”
She was going to take a bath and sleep with her mother!
‘I always slept alone at the White Tiger Palace…!’
“I’m so happy, Mother!”
Overjoyed, So-ya clung to Cheong-ha’s sleeve.
“Must be nice, Cotton Ball…”
Ga-yul’s gaze followed them, filled with envy.
In beastkin society, it was customary for parents and children of the same gender not to sleep together once the child had undergone their First Growth.
So-ya had been taught the same, so it was something she had never even imagined, but Cheong-ha brushed aside long-standing customs and rules with ease.
“I am the Acting Clan Head of the Cheonghae Palace. Who would dare say anything to me?” she had said.
So-ya, who had been taught that rules must be strictly followed, felt her heart thumping at this side of Cheong-ha.
‘Mother is so cool. Sometimes, even more than Father.’
After soaking in the warm bath with her mother and washing up, So-ya changed into fresh, fluffy pajamas and sat on the bed to dry her hair.
Cheong-ha personally dried So-ya’s hair with a thick towel.
Every time her mother’s hands briskly rubbed the towel over her head, So-ya’s eyes crinkled into crescents as she giggled.
“Three years ago, when I went to the White Tiger Palace…”
Cheong-ha, who was gently brushing So-ya’s hair with a half-moon-shaped comb that smelled of cypress, suddenly brought up the past.
“I was actually very nervous. I wasn’t in a position to return to the White Tiger Palace yet, and I was worried that saying I wanted to be So-ya’s mother would make our baby uncomfortable.”
A gentle smile played on Cheong-ha’s lips as she recalled that time.
“But when So-ya held onto me and called me ‘Mother,’ telling me that we were already family… I can’t tell you how happy I was.”
“I only said what was obvious. …Mother.”
So-ya emphasized the word ‘Mother’ as she said it once more.
At that, Cheong-ha let out a soft laugh.
While lounging in her mother’s arms, So-ya spotted something small and blue that had fallen on the floor.
“Oh? Mother, look at this.”
“Ah, that’s a scale.”
Seeing the scale made it sink in once again that she was a dragon beastkin.
“I learned that dragon beastkin are very, very strong! And they can fly in the sky and swim in the depths of the sea!”
“My, that’s right. Our baby has studied a lot about her mother, hasn’t she?”
“Then, since you are a dragon beastkin, Mother, do you have an orb?”
The orb. Also known as the Yeoui Boju, this golden bead was said to possess no mystical power to grant wishes like in the legends.
However, it was something incredibly precious and symbolic to dragon beastkin, given to a lifelong partner when confessing one’s love.
“My orb, well…”
Cheong-ha wore a subtle smile before whispering into So-ya’s ear.
“I gave it to your father a long time ago.”
“...!”
So-ya turned to look at Cheong-ha, her face wide with surprise.
“S-so, Mother… to Father… um…”
So-ya glanced around to make sure no one was there, then lowered her voice and whispered back into her ear.
“You love him, don’t you?”
“Hmm?”
“A dragon’s orb is something very precious!”
So-ya spoke in an excited voice, thrilled by the story of her mother and father.
In truth, the memory wasn’t quite as romantic as So-ya expected.
[Since it’s you, I know you won’t lose my orb. So, you take care of it for me.]
[What? Where in the world is there a dragon who hands over their orb for a reason like—!]
[Thanks, Sa-eon. I knew I could count on you.]
[Hey, Cheong-ha!]
She remembered how Sa-eon had clutched the back of his neck in a headache after she had unilaterally tossed her orb to him.
However, not wanting to crush So-ya’s expectations, Cheong-ha subtly changed the subject.
“Speaking of which, our So-ya is at the age where she might find a handsome young lord to fall in love with, isn’t she?”
In an instant, So-ya’s face turned bright red.
“N-no, I’m not!”
So-ya quickly raised her voice in denial.
“I don’t have anyone like that. And I’m not getting married; I’m going to live at the White Tiger Palace forever. With Father… and later, when Mother comes back, we’ll all live together…”
“Wow, really? I’d love that too.”
Cheong-ha chuckled at So-ya’s mumbling response.
“But, my baby. If you ever do find someone you love later on, you have to tell Mother first. Promise?”
“Mmm, okay…”
The mother and daughter hooked their pinkies together and made a promise.
* * *
The next day.
So-ya went out to the mainland with her brothers, Seol-yo, and Jjaek-jjaek to properly explore the festival.
They decided to watch the Martial Arts Tournament that Ga-yul had been talking about.
While the rest of the group scattered to get tickets for the tournament and some light snacks, So-ya stayed on the street with Jjaek-jjaek to wait for them.
The entire street was filled with the scent of spring, adorned with canola flowers and daffodils.
But even amidst the lively festival atmosphere, So-ya kept thinking about the fake painted halberd she had seen yesterday.
Since she couldn’t talk to the Divine Beasts last night because Cheong-ha was with her, So-ya had woken up early this morning to ask them about the halberd.
[That painted halberd is a fake?]
—Yes, little bird. Do not be too disappointed; it is not because your heart was lacking.
[Then where is the real one?]
—Well. We do not know that either.
To think that the Divine Object enshrined in the Cheonghae Palace was a fake.
It was a serious matter.
‘Mother didn’t seem to know it was a fake yet.’
She was walking along, her face grave with worry.
Because of that, So-ya failed to notice the person walking toward her and bumped right into them.
“Ah…!”
“Are you alright!”
Fortunately, the other person quickly supported her, preventing her from falling, but she ended up being held in their arms.
Startled, So-ya blinked her eyes for a moment before snapping to her senses and pulling away.
“I-I’m sorry! I was lost in thought…”
“As long as the young lady is not hurt, I am fine.”
A boy with bluish-gray hair replied with a gentle smile.
“You are Lady So-ya of the White Tiger Clan, correct?”
“Do you know me?”
“I happened to hear that an esteemed guest from the Western Lands was visiting. It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady So-ya.”
The boy, who had greeted her with a pleasant smile, added an introduction as if he had just remembered.
“Ah, I am A-han, the eldest son of the Blue Shark Clan.”
“Yes, Young Lord A-han. Thank you for your help.”
Just as So-ya was about to politely conclude the conversation.
“If you truly feel thankful,” A-han said, handing So-ya a handkerchief.
“Would you give me the chance to escort you during the Falling Flower Fireworks the day after tomorrow?”