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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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Chapter 99
"Jjak Jjak?"
At this, Gaya blinked rapidly and peered down into the collar of his garment where it had puffed out, then lifted his head once more.
His brow furrowed as he caught ‌‌sight of a man's silhouette across from him.
'Did Jjak Jjak just hide because of that ‌‌bastard?'
The moment that thought crossed his ‌‌‌mind, a wave of displeasure washed over him.
'This is strange. I'm in a genuinely foul mood.'
Just as his expression twisted into something crooked, the man across from him noticed Gaya and came to a halt.
Gaya pulled his collar tighter, concealing the crimson tail that peeked out from within, and glared at the other man.
"Lord Gaya?"
His gaze was fierce enough to tear the other apart, ‌‌‌yet Jeok San Yu ‌‌‌‌seemed utterly unbothered.
After ‌‌all, Baek Ga Ya had always looked at him ‌‌‌‌with those eyes.
Though Gaya's gaze seemed particularly savage today, Jeok San Yu's attention had been caught by something else since moments before.
"Did you not hear a bird's cry just now?"
Jeok Soya, hidden within Gaya's collar, trembled slightly.
"I didn't hear anything."
Gaya drew his collar more tightly closed and feigned innocence.
"No, I'm certain—"
"Spending too long on the battlefield must have you hearing things, you flaming chicken head."
"..."
At the mocking tone, the corners of Jeok San Yu's eyes hardened sharply.
'True enough. There's ‌‌no reason a bird would sing in this desolate Northern Lands teeming only with demonic beasts.'
Jeok San Yu withdrew, and Jeok Soya exhaled in relief.
Peeking out from Gaya's collar, Jeok Soya watched the retreating figure of Jeok San Yu as ‌‌‌‌he turned to leave.
His crimson ‌‌hair, bound high atop his head, swayed softly ‌‌with each step ‌‌‌he took.
'Older Brother San Yu...'
The last time I saw him, he was twelve years old—exactly my age now.
And now he had grown as tall as Father. ‌‌‌
'He must have already completed his second growth phase by now.'
In beast-human society, the age of eighteen, when one completed their second growth phase, marked the boundary between adulthood and youth.
Seeing him stirred something strange within me.
When I was younger, after he left the estate, I always waited for the wars to end so ‌‌he would return.
He was truly a wonderful older brother.
Every night he would read fairy tales to me, and he would ‌‌‌tell me stories of the world beyond the estate's ‌‌walls that I was curious about.
He was the one who taught me how to read and write, and through him, I learned about the world.
On nights when I had frightening dreams and couldn't sleep, he would stay awake beside my ‌‌bedside ‌‌‌until I fell asleep.
Like he was trying to fill the void left by Mother, he was such a tender and compassionate older brother.
'But...'
I recalled Jeok Ahyun and Jeok ‌‌‌Hwayou.
I remembered their sharp gazes and cold voices from that day when they abandoned me in an instant.
[Seize the Spirit Core and lock her in the Cold Palace.]
[Who are you saying is your ‌Older Brother?]
They too had once cherished and adored me dearly, yet those warm childhood memories faded in ‌‌an ‌instant, rendered colorless by what came after.
So I... I'm not entirely sure.
San Yu, my Older Brother, who had always ‌‌been the gentlest soul in the world to me.
But did that truly set him apart from the others?
I really don't know.
"Chirp..."
A melancholy bird's cry escaped my beak ‌‌‌‌without my ‌realizing it. ‌‌‌
My wings drooped listlessly at that moment.
"Chirp?" ‌‌
Huh?
I blinked my eyes at the finger caught between my beak.
"No teeth."
Gaya, who had placed his finger between my beak, murmured with fascination.
"They say birds have no teeth, and it's really ‌‌‌true."
"W-what are you doing!"
I recoiled in alarm and asked.
"Hmm. Don't be too upset about it, Fluffy. Your Older Brother will take responsibility for you for life, even without teeth."
At Gaya's absurd behavior, the uneasy feeling I'd harbored while watching San Yu moments before completely vanished.
"Take responsibility for what?"
"Since Fluffy has no teeth, I'll have to hunt for you instead, right?"
"I have a sharp beak even without teeth!"
Puffing myself up indignantly, I pecked at Gaya's ‌‌palm with my pointed beak.
Just as Jjak Jjak had done to me once.
Gaya burst into laughter at the ticklish sensation across his palm.
After fidgeting on Gaya's palm for a while, I fluttered down and settled onto it.
I lifted my head and looked up at Gaya.
Gazing intently at that face so ‌‌‌resembling Father's, I asked him.
"Thank you, Older Brother. You said all those terrible things to hide me, didn't you?"
"Terrible things?"
Gaya tilted his head quizzically.
"When did I say ‌‌anything terrible?"
His genuine confusion felt to me like a kindness meant just for me.
'He's pretending not to know so I won't feel sorry.' ‌‌
Of course, that wasn't it.
Gaya truly had no awareness that he'd said anything terrible at all.
'Older Brother ‌‌Gaya really ‌‌‌‌is such a kind person!'
Yet I completely misunderstood him.
* * *
Sayeon had ‌‌rushed to the Border Region with such breakneck speed that the supplies departing from Baek Ho Palace would take several more days to arrive.
Thus, the Guest Barracks had been prepared for Sayeon.
Inside, I had comfortably released my human form and was devising a strategy alongside Father and my Older Brother.
"So you're saying ‌that ‌tiny fluffy thing needs to go ‌‌to the Northern Lands?"
When Gaya raised one eyebrow ‌‌‌‌and asked this, a small exclamation escaped my lips.
At that moment, Gaya's expression was identical ‌‌to Sayeon's.
I began to understand why everyone called Gaya Older Brother "the young master who resembles the family head most."
"It won't be easy."
Gaya ‌‌‌furrowed his brow slightly as he spoke.
"Crossing past the demonic beasts is one problem, but evading human eyes will be far harder. Above all, there are two direct descendants of the Four Great Families here with senses sharper than most."
"That's why we need your help."
"...The annihilation battle in two days. We should seize the opportunity in the chaos then. If Father offers his assistance, the commander will be pleased."
Gaya fell silent ‌‌‌in thought for a moment, then presented his plan.
"I'll provide cover, so Father and the fluffy one should watch for an opening and slip back this way."
He pointed to the map laid out ‌‌‌‌‌on the table as he explained. ‌‌‌
"Yes. I'm counting on you."
"Please, Older Brother."
I nodded vigorously with determination blazing across my face.
Then Gaya turned to look at me and asked in a deliberately playful tone.
"Can our toothless little fluffy thing really fight well against ‌‌demonic beasts?"
"I can too...!"
"Don't underestimate your sister, Gaya."
I opened ‌‌‌my mouth to say something, but Sayeon was faster.
"She's a terrifying little furball who kills their demonic beasts without even blinking."
"Oh."
Gaya looked at me with an expression of surprise.
"You're really impressive, fluffy?"
Hearing ‌‌‌Father and ‌‌‌‌my Older Brother ‌‌‌‌‌praise me like this, I felt a sense of pride welling up inside.
Gaya burst into laughter as he watched my face, clearly puffed up with satisfaction.
Then, suddenly.
A pause.
Both Gaya and Sayeon froze ‌‌‌at the same moment, sensing something, and their gazes snapped sharply to the space behind my shoulder.
I also turned my head abruptly to follow their gaze, but all I could see was an ordinary ‌‌wooden box.
'What's wrong?'
I tilted my head in confusion. ‌‌‌
Crack―!
In an instant, Gaya lunged toward the box with lightning speed.
Crash! Bang!
Moments later, with a tremendous clatter, a black baby bird burst out from inside ‌‌‌the box.
My eyes widened in recognition as I saw ‌‌who it was.
"Seol Yoya!"

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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
---------------