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Chapter 85
Jeok Soya slipped on the flower-embroidered shoes that Baek Gayul had gifted her and made her way to the Guard Unit Outpost where Baek Gahyun was stationed.
Today marked Baek Gahyun's final day serving at the Guard Unit.
Once his duties concluded, she planned to return home with him.
"Older Brother Gahyun!"
Baek Gahyun, dressed in the modest uniform of a guard, was working alongside the junior members of the unit.
"Welcome, Soya."
Having received ‌‌‌word of her arrival through Jjak Jjak ‌‌‌beforehand, Baek Gahyun greeted her with a radiant smile.
"The journey here wasn't too taxing, was it?"
"Not at all—Seol Yo brought me, so it was quite easy."
The massive wolf-form creature that had carried Jeok Soya let out a satisfied snort.
"I see."
Baek Gahyun was smiling warmly at Jeok ‌‌‌Soya when—
"Oh, is this the famous fluffy young lady we've heard so much about?"
"My, the usually sharp-tongued young master becomes quite gentle in her presence, doesn't he?"
The guards ‌‌‌‌turned their attention to the young lady who had come to visit Baek Gahyun.
"Ah, hello everyone!"
At Jeok Soya's greeting, the guards ‌‌erupted in cheers and began introducing themselves.
"A pleasure to meet you, young lady! I'm from the Gray Wolf Clan...!"
"It's truly an ‌‌honor, young lady! I serve in the Southern Guard Unit...."
"Why is everyone so interested in my younger ‌‌sister?"
Baek Gahyun's displeasure was evident in his furrowed brow, prompting hearty ‌‌‌laughter from the men.
"Thank goodness the young lady doesn't share the young master's ‌‌sharp temperament. It's a blessing from the Western Lands!"
"Older Brother is sharp-tongued?" ‌‌‌
"Indeed! So particular about everything, and such a stickler for cleanliness...."
"Enough of that nonsense."
Baek Gahyun cut off the speaker with a cold edge to his voice.
'Oh?'
Jeok Soya's eyes widened as she looked between Baek Gahyun and ‌‌‌‌the guards.
Her second older brother certainly had a sensitive and prickly side, but he only revealed such a nature to those closest to him.
To see him drop his usual facade of a courteous and gentle nobleman meant ‌he must have grown quite fond of these men.
"I'm so glad Older Brother gets to spend time with such good people."
Jeok Soya laughed softly, and the guards responded with ‌‌cheerful remarks about how the youngest young lady had such keen insight into character, their chatter filling the air.
Baek Gahyun pressed his temples with a somewhat weary expression, then turned back to Jeok Soya with a question.
"Soya, it looks like I'll need another hour ‌‌‌or so to finish my duties. What would you like to do?"
"That's fine, Older ‌‌Brother. I'll explore the surroundings with Seol Yo while I wait for you to finish."
"All ‌right. But don't wander too far, understand? Promise me."
The guards ‌‌‌‌teased at the concern evident in Baek Gahyun's voice.
Amused by how close they seemed, Jeok Soya laughed and stepped outside with Seol Yo.
The gentle warmth of ‌‌spring enveloped them both.
Before long, it was the fourth month—the month when ‌‌‌trees budding with spring growth unfurled their leaves.
As I spread a cloth over the grassland and sat upon it, Jjak Jjak sang out and soared into the sky.
Chirrup, ‌‌‌chirrup chirrup—
At the sound of Jjak Jjak's song, sparrows, larks, tits, woodpeckers, bulbuls, magpies, and all manner of winged creatures ‌‌from the surrounding area flew toward me.
Most were birds with injured ‌‌wings or legs, unable to fly properly or limping as they moved.
I opened my palm and summoned purifying flames to heal the wounded birds.
"Come now, shall we try flapping your wings again?"
I ‌‌was treating a young tit whose wing had been injured.
Suddenly, I ‌‌lifted my head and spotted wild beasts peering at me from behind the ‌‌‌brush.
Rabbits, deer, squirrels, leopard cats, musk deer—all manner of wild creatures drawn by the chirping had gathered at a distance, watching me intently without daring to ‌approach.
Then a young rabbit suddenly bounded free from its mother's embrace and scampered toward me.
"Hello there, little rabbit. What brings you? Are you hurt somewhere?" ‌‌
"Squeak!"
The young rabbit thrust out ‌‌‌‌its plump front paw.
"Oh my, what's this? You've got a wound on your paw."
I murmured with concern and healed the young rabbit's front paw.
The rabbit then wagged its fluffy tail and hopped back to its group, proudly ‌displaying its ‌‌‌‌fully healed paw.
Seeing this, the other animals rushed toward me in ‌a frenzy.
"Oh dear, everyone must wait their turn in order." ‌‌‌
I spoke in ‌‌‌surprise at the disorderly ‌‌‌surge of animals, but unfortunately, unlike the winged creatures, the wild beasts could not understand my words.
"This will ‌‌‌only cause more injuries..."
At that ‌‌moment, Seol Yo struck the ground with his front paw—thump!
Faced with the threat of the ‌enormous wolf, the beasts quickly fell into a docile line behind him.
"Now then, come forward one at a time in order."
Seeing this, I laughed softly and spread both arms toward the ‌‌‌doe standing at the front of the line. ‌
While Seol Yo prowled about in his massive wolf form, I healed the injured beasts.
By now, I could wield the purifying flames with perfect freedom.
But it was not only the purifying flames.
After finishing the treatment of the wild beasts, I glanced at the White Tiger Divine Sword hanging at my waist.
Three years ago, when I defeated Hondon on Horim Mountain.
'Back then, I thought I had simply stumbled upon a divine artifact by chance and received the White Tiger's aid...'
That was not the case. Defeating Hondon with the White Tiger's power that day—it had all ‌‌been my own ability.
"So my power awakens when I hold the heart of ‌‌a Divine Beast, is that right?"
―Yes, little bird. The ‌‌‌‌heart that wishes to ‌‌‌‌protect those dear to you—that is the heart of steel.
As I asked into the void, a telepathic voice resonated in my ‌‌‌‌mind.
―Metal is that which is strong and unyielding. Thus it manifests only when one holds ‌‌‌the heart to protect, not to harm.
"Then it makes sense that I could not wield the steel's power even after awakening you." ‌‌‌‌
―It means you grew ‌up safely and healthily in ‌‌‌‌a protected ‌‌‌place. It is proof that you were never in danger grave enough to require protecting another.
If there was another change that occurred in me after awakening the Phoenix, it was this.
I could now converse freely with the Divine Beasts I had awakened.
―Ha ha ha. After a thousand years, I finally met the child who awakened me, yet you never once came to visit me all this time. Do you know how terribly bored I've been, little bird?
The voice belonged to the Western Divine Beast, the White Tiger Mountain Lord, speaking as if ‌‌‌he were pouting.
―This old tiger has lost his mind, hasn't he? Why are you burdening such a small child with your ‌‌complaints?
The rebuke came from ‌the Southern Divine Beast, the Vermillion Bird ‌‌‌‌Goddess.
I heard their voices that very night—after enduring the growth pains and dealing with my older brothers' mischief.
After being congratulated by my family on ‌‌‌completing my growth, enjoying delicious food, admiring gifts, and spending a wonderful time together.
I lay down to sleep when ‌I heard a strange tapping sound from somewhere.
'Hm...?'
I looked around, but saw nothing.
'How strange.'
Just as I was trying to fall back asleep, I heard the sound again.
'...!'
I poked just my eyes out from under the blanket.
'Could it be... a ‌‌‌‌‌ghost?'
They say Baek Ho Palace has a ghost that specifically preys on small children like me. Suddenly, I remembered something Baek Gayul had once ‌‌‌‌told me.
'Oh. That was just a lie from my older brother.'
Now that I was twelve, I knew well that there were no such things as ghosts in Baek Ho Palace.
Yet I couldn't easily dismiss the creeping fear, so I forced it ‌down and pulled the blanket back over myself, when once again I heard that tapping sound.
I bolted upright!
I threw off the blanket and sat up.
In that moment, the surroundings fell silent again, but...
'There's definitely something behind me.'
I was certain of it.
The moment I sat up and threw off the blanket, I felt a presence go quiet—just a half-beat too late.
I swallowed hard.
I spun around quickly. And then...
[A g-ghost...!]
I discovered a man in white robes and a woman in red robes, each no larger than my palm, hovering in mid-air.
―Kyaaaaahhh!
―Kyaaaaahhh!
The ghosts who locked eyes with me let out a scream in unison.

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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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