--------------- ‌‌‌‌
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team ‌‌‌‌and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
---------------
‌‌‌
Chapter 89
Jeok Soya's eyes widened at the sight of the grayish-blue handkerchief embroidered with kerria flowers.
In the Eastern Lands, known for their free and uninhibited spirit, there ‌‌‌existed a custom where ‌‌‌boys and girls who had completed their first growth would offer a handkerchief embroidered with kerria flowers as a confession of romantic interest.
Breaking off a kerria branch in response signified acceptance, while returning the handkerchief unchanged meant rejection.
When Mother had told ‌‌me about this yesterday, I had merely listened in amusement, thinking it a charming custom. ‌‌I never imagined I would actually receive such a handkerchief.
Jeok Soya stared at Ahan in shock, unable to even process accepting the handkerchief.
Ahan smiled softly and pressed the handkerchief firmly into her ‌‌hand.
"I shall await your answer, Miss."
"Wait—!"
Jeok Soya tried to respond, but Ahan had already vanished.
Left alone, Jeok Soya could only stare blankly at the ‌‌spot where he had disappeared.
It was then that Jjak Jjak chirped softly beside her.
"Soya, we're back—"
He stopped short.
Baek Gahyun, who had returned with Jeok A after securing tickets to the martial arts festival, froze upon seeing the handkerchief in Jeok ‌‌Soya's hand.
"Cottontail! What is that!"
Baek Gayul, ‌‌who had been gathering snacks with Suri and Seol Yo, also spotted the handkerchief and rushed over with fierce eyes blazing.
"It appears Miss has received a confession of romantic interest," Jeok A ‌‌said in her measured tone.
Suri let out an incongruous "Oh my!" while Seol Yo stood frozen in place.
Baek Gahyun approached Jeok Soya and tried to reason with her.
"Soya, you need to think carefully about this. ‌‌‌Even ‌‌though you've completed your first growth, you're only ‌‌twelve years old."
"In the Eastern Lands, anyone past ten years old—"
"Hush, ‌‌‌Ho Jeok A."
Jeok A ‌‌‌had pointed this out cautiously, but Baek Gahyun's sharp rebuke came immediately.
"S-Cottontail! You're not actually thinking of accepting that confession, are you? Tell me you're not!"
Baek Gayul snorted indignantly, his gaze fixed on the handkerchief in Jeok Soya's hand.
Seol Yo continued ‌to watch Jeok Soya ‌‌with anxious eyes throughout.
"Ah..."
Jeok Soya, who had been staring blankly at the handkerchief, finally came to her senses.
"Please don't worry. I was just startled because I didn't expect it. I'll ‌‌‌‌simply return the handkerchief."
Watching her older brothers' serious expressions soften and relief wash over their faces, Jeok Soya let out a ‌small laugh.
"Let's hurry and go watch the martial arts festival."
"It seems we still have a little time. Shall we take a walk along the Coastal ‌‌‌‌Path while ‌‌we wait?"
"Yes, Older Brother!"
Jeok Soya removed her shoes and ‌‌‌‌walked across the sandy beach by the shore.
Each time the water splashed against her feet, a ticklish sensation rippled through her.
It was then.
"Have you heard? The kerria flowers throughout our Eastern Lands have been withering of ‌‌‌‌late."
She stopped.
Stop.
"No, isn't that a ‌‌‌serious matter? Of all things, the Kerria Flower, the symbol of ‌‌‌the Eastern Lands..."
Hearing voices from a distance, Jeok Soya found herself ‌‌‌stopping in her tracks without realizing it.
"Hasn't it been a while since the cries of ‌‌‌new ‌‌life ceased?"
"Isn't this all because that woman is acting as the family head and angering the Blue Dragon?"
"It makes no sense for a woman who once had her name registered in another family's records to represent the Eastern Lands."
Jeok Soya's face hardened as she eavesdropped on the ‌people's conversation.
'They're talking about Mother.' ‌‌‌‌
She had recognized that ‌‌the "woman" they spoke of was Chung Ha.
As Jeok Soya looked at them with a troubled expression, Baek Gahyun approached her side.
"Don't mind them, Soya. It's all nonsense."
"Those people were speaking badly of Mother."
"The family head is young and away at war, so some retainers are eyeing that position. Besides, Mother was once part of the Baekho Family, so they ‌‌use that as a reason to disparage her."
"..."
"But they won't dare touch her easily because of our bond with the Baekho Family."
Baek Gahyun explained that since he had been visiting the Eastern Lands for the past two years, demonstrating the alliance with ‌‌the Baekho Family, those who had openly opposed the Cheongryong Family were now keeping their distance. ‌‌
Instead, they were spreading such nonsense behind the scenes.
"Mother should have told Father beforehand and received his help. Though I know that's not her nature."
Though Baek Gahyun spoke in ‌‌‌‌a deliberately ‌‌bright tone, Jeok Soya remained troubled.
'Isn't there something I can do to help Mother?'
While watching the martial arts tournament with her older brothers, Jeok Soya quietly ‌‌‌slipped away and made her way to the Kerria Flower Cluster that people had ‌‌been whispering about.
The Kerria Flowers that bloomed here originally never withered even in the depths of winter, blessed by the Blue Dragon.
Now the crimson-purple flowers, which had become the symbol of the Eastern Lands, were wilted and twisted, drying away.
Jeok Soya attempted to kindle purifying flames toward the withered flowers.
But it had no effect whatsoever.
―Those plants haven't been corrupted—they've lost their life force, which is why the Phoenix's flames are useless.
"Then what must I do to revive these flowers?"
Jeok Soya asked, gently touching the withered Kerria leaves.
―Life is the symbol of the Blue Dragon. This happened because his spiritual form, Hwa Geuk, has vanished, so we must ‌‌‌‌find that first.
* * *
The next morning.
Jeok Soya visited the Blue Shark Residence in the Underwater District to return the handkerchief.
Ga Bok guided Jeok Soya to the Pavilion Tower in the Inner Courtyard, then disappeared, asking her to wait a moment.
Jeok Soya admired the scenery of the Inner Courtyard while waiting for ‌‌Ahan.
Even in the Underwater District, one could see flowers and trees like those on land, all thanks to the blessing of the dragon god, it was said.
Looking at the landscape spread before her eyes, it was no different from the land, but when she lifted her gaze upward, the azure Cheong Hae Sea stretched overhead in a way that was truly mystical and beautiful.
Jeok Soya was sitting on the Pavilion Tower, admiring this with a leisurely expression.
Jjak Jjak, perched on Jeok Soya's shoulder, spotted a plump, appetizing-looking insect.
"Chirp chirp―"
Jjak Jjak fluttered down and scampered away with quick little steps.
"Jjak Jjak, you can't go over there."
"Chirp chirp!"
Yet Jjak Jjak paid no heed to Jeok Soya's words and ventured deeper into the Inner Courtyard.
Jeok Soya quickly gave chase and caught the small bird.
"You, not long ago you were caught red-handed stealing food and got ‌‌‌thoroughly stung by poison wasps. If you keep causing trouble over food like this, what am I to do?"
"Chirp!"
Caught in Jeok Soya's grasp, Jjak Jjak chirped softly against her chest.
"Crying won't help. Come on, let's go outside...."
Just as Jeok Soya was about to leave with Jjak Jjak, she suddenly stopped and looked around.
'What's this?'
Jeok Soya blinked, sensing something peculiar.
'Why only here...?'
Deep within the Inner Courtyard of the Blue Shark Residence, brilliant crimson kerria flowers bloomed in full splendor.
And shortly after. ‌‌‌‌‌
Jeok Soya, who had visited the Blue Shark Residence with Jjak Jjak, left the estate alone.
But the brothers ‌‌waiting for Jeok Soya outside the residence paid no ‌‌‌mind to Jjak Jjak's whereabouts.
"You refused him properly, didn't you?"
Baek Gayul bounded toward Jeok Soya and asked that very thing first.
"No. I've agreed to watch the falling flower festival with the young master of the Blue Shark Family."
Jeok Soya shook her head with a bright smile.
"What?"
"Jeok Soya!"
Baek Gahyun and Baek Gayul cried out simultaneously.
"Cotton ball! Don't ‌‌‌‌tell me you've taken a liking to that guy?"
"Jeok Soya, as I said last time, ‌‌you're only twelve years old. You're far too young to be courting anyone."
"I'm ‌‌‌‌not courting the young master. I'm simply going to watch the falling flower festival with him."
Throughout the festival that day, the two brothers ranted and raved, trying to persuade Jeok Soya, but she merely smiled enigmatically.
In the end, Baek Gahyun and Baek Gayul, faced with Jeok Soya's resolve, gave ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌up trying to convince her further.
And that evening.
Jeok Soya waited by ‌‌‌the open window for Jjak Jjak to return.
When Jjak Jjak ‌‌‌finally came ‌‌back, the ‌small bird relayed what it had heard at the Blue Shark Family residence.
"So that's what they were saying."
"Chirp chirp!"
"Thank you, Jjak Jjak."
As Jeok Soya stroked its head, the little lark sang out cheerfully—a melodious trill.

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