Chapter 111
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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 111
Meanwhile, Seol Yo walked alone, his thoughts consumed by what he had witnessed in the marsh that day.
The Marsh of the Dead showed visitors beguiling illusions that were difficult to escape, but sometimes it also presented visions pierced by intense shock and terror, ensnaring those who came seeking answers.
Seol Yo had experienced the latter.
Hyun Rabaek, the patriarch of the Hyunmu Clan.
That man who had awakened Evil and threatened Soya was....
'My biological father.'
Seol Yo squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them again.
His revealed ashen irises trembled violently.
In that marsh of the dead, I had witnessed all the fragmented memories that had eluded me.
That man, who had accepted Evil, sought to sever all remaining direct bloodlines of the Hyunmu, and my mother fled with me to escape him.
But on the day he finally caught me by the tail.
My mother, who was the chieftain of the Black Dragon Tribe, draped herself in the hide of a divine beast to save me.
Then, using the tribe's unique ability of 'Sealing,' she bound it tightly so the hide would not shed, hid me in a wardrobe, and faced that man alone.
Through a small crack in the wardrobe, I had to watch as that man threatened my mother.
I wanted to rush out to her immediately. I wanted to scream at him to stop tormenting her.
But I could not.
Strangely, my body would not obey, and my voice would not come.
The man who killed my mother set fire to the estate.
I thought I would die then, but I did not.
The thick hide of the divine beast protected me from the searing flames.
[It's alright. Seol Yo. What you saw wasn't real. It was an illusion shown by the Marsh of the Dead.]
Soya spoke in a gentle voice, but....
No, Soya. That wasn't an illusion. It was real.
That man was my biological father.
[That's why you don't need to be afraid.]
I am afraid, Soya. I'm so very afraid.
I'm terrified that if you learn my secret, you'll come to hate me.
Having lived as a divine beast rather than a human for so long, Seol Yo knew little of the world of humans.
But I knew that Hyun Rabaek, that man, had started a war, and because of it, sorrowful things had happened to Soya.
The reason Soya could not stay with the woman who gave birth to the white tigers, the reason she had faced threats from corrupted beasts multiple times—all of it was because of that man.
All of it was because of my biological father.
'If Soya learns this truth... if she learns that I am that man's son, will she come to hate me?'
Seol Yo bit down hard on his lower lip.
'That thought terrifies me....'
He bit down so hard that small drops of blood began to bead on his lip.
"Seol Yo. The young lady is going out. Prepare yourself as well."
Seol Yo, who had been walking in a daze, snapped back to awareness at the words delivered by a servant of Baek Ho Palace and hurried toward Soya's Room.
Just as Soya emerged outside with Yeon Jeong, having finished her preparations, she spotted Seol Yo and asked with a bright smile.
"Seol Yo. You weren't resting, were you? You didn't rush over because of me, did you?"
"...."
Seol Yo's words caught in his throat.
Though I had spent more years as a beast than among the civilized, I was beginning to understand the hierarchy of their society.
Soya was the young lady of the household, and I was the warrior who served her.
Of course, that massive white tiger who had taken me in had said I could relax, that my role as her guardian was merely nominal—yet I understood vaguely that an insurmountable wall of station existed between Soya and me.
But Soya had always treated me with such gentle smiles and warm words.
I cherished that tenderness of hers deeply.
"What's wrong, Seol Yo? Are you feeling unwell?"
Soya asked with concern, noticing my silence.
"...No. I'm fine."
I shook my head in response.
"Good. I'm going to the market district with Yeon Jeong. Suri is busy, so come along with us, will you?"
"Yes, of course!"
I nodded quickly.
"Then shall we go?"
Soya smiled brightly and headed outside.
I followed behind Soya, who walked along holding Yeon Jeong's hand, my thoughts churning.
Soya was a kind person.
But I remembered how she had appeared before Hyun Rabaek's death.
In truth, I had been worried then.
'What if Soya pitied that man?'
She was such a gentle child—she might extend her hand even to that wretched man.
Or perhaps her heart would ache watching him die.
So I had to protect her tender heart from breaking.
'Because I am the warrior who protects Soya.'
After recovering with Soya's help, I stood beside her and watched Hyun Rabaek.
'I will deal with that man in Soya's stead.'
Even though that man was the one who gave me life....
'I can do this. It's for protecting Soya.'
With such resolve, I swallowed hard and prepared to act if necessary.
But before that man, Soya showed an attitude I had never seen before.
She did not rage or speak harshly, nor did she raise her voice at him.
She simply gazed quietly at the dying man.
The reason she seemed slightly different from usual was that unwavering line she drew—absolute and unyielding.
Upon reflection, it seemed Soya had always been this way.
A child who offered kindness with hands as warm as spring sunlight, yet withdrew it like a blade the moment she deemed it wrong.
After realizing this, my fear deepened.
I had not known that the moment her kindness was withdrawn would terrify me so.
I desperately wished this tenderness she gave me would never disappear.
'So I will never let her discover that I am that man's son. I will hide it completely.'
"Well, do you think that will go according to your wishes?"
At that moment, a sudden sound reached Seol Yo's ears, and he startled, glancing nervously around.
But the sound did not return.
'That sound just now....'
Seol Yo stood dazed, blinking his eyes repeatedly.
"Seol Yo, what are you doing! Come on!"
Jeok Soya, who had been walking ahead, turned back to look at Seol Yo and waved her arms enthusiastically.
"I'm c-coming!"
Seol Yo erased the strange sound he'd heard moments before from his mind and hurried after Jeok Soya.
* * *
Jeok Soya, who had gone to the Market District with Yeon Jeong, purchased a beautiful silk fabric from the Fabric Shop.
Over the past few months, Jeok Soya had become quite skilled at embroidery, and she had successfully embroidered a large white tiger and lily of the valley flowers.
"What is this, little one? A gift for Father?"
"No, it's a bribe!"
Sayeon, who had been examining the handkerchief embroidered by Jeok Soya with a pleased expression, raised one eyebrow at her spirited answer.
"A bribe?"
"Yes! Please teach me how to steal!"
"What?"
"Father is good at stealing, isn't he? That's why I stole things too, and Seol Yo stole things as well!"
"Huh...?"
Sayeon looked at Jeok Soya with an expression of utter bewilderment.
"What would you use such a skill for, little thief?"
"There's something I absolutely must find. It's important to me, and it was taken from me."
Now it was time to carry out the task that had been postponed while awakening the Divine Beasts.
It was none other than retrieving Mother's keepsake that had been taken by Riri.
"Since I'm Father's daughter, wouldn't I be good at stealing too?"
"...."
Sayeon fell silent.
"I wonder why you've been stealing so many things."
Jeok Young burst out laughing with a "pfft" and added a remark.
"...It's just a manner of speaking—I obtained them legitimately with permission. You gave me permission too, didn't you, little one? I stole.... Ah...."
Sayeon, who had been protesting in a somewhat aggrieved tone, let out a short sigh the moment the word 'stole' left his lips.
"Parents are mirrors for their children. One must be careful with every word spoken in front of them."
"I'm already regretting it, so stop lecturing me."
Sayeon pressed his forehead with a troubled expression and let out a groan "Ugh...."
"Father, you're so tall—how did you manage to sneak into the Phoenix Territory and steal me?"
Jeok Soya clung to Sayeon's desk, her eyes sparkling brightly as she asked.
Sayeon was not only tall but also possessed striking beauty and was extremely conspicuous.
Especially those lustrous white hair and those jade-like brilliant blue eyes were unmistakable traits of a direct descendant of Baekho.
At the time, she had been too young, and afterward, various matters had erupted, preventing her from thinking deeply about it.
Yet, reflecting on it now, I found it remarkable that Sayeon, so conspicuous in appearance, had wandered freely through the Phoenix Territory without being discovered by anyone.
There was undoubtedly some extraordinarily secret technique known only to Father.
"...It's quite simple."
Sayeon parted his barely-separated lips and spoke.
"I simply concealed my presence, and anyone whose eyes met mine—I knocked them unconscious and disposed of them."
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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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