Chapter 12
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Chapter 12
Baek Sayeon, the head of the Baek Family who ruled the Western Lands, was also the mentor of the Fifth Prince.
The Fifth Prince Tae Irim, Sayeon's disciple, was the Imperial Family's sole legitimate heir, yet he harbored no interest in the throne. He lacked drive not only for the throne, but in all matters.
It was around three years ago. From a certain day onward, he gradually brightened and regained his vitality, but even so, he did not covet the throne like the other princes.
Yet that prince changed overnight.
On the morning he returned from the Southern Lands with a cotton-like bundle, Sayeon heard that the prince had taken ill and was requesting his presence, so he hurried to the Imperial Palace.
But the eleven-year-old prince, supposedly suffering from a raging fever, sat perfectly upright on his bed to receive him.
His pallid complexion and reddened eyes indicated he had not yet shaken the fever, yet his condition was not grave enough to warrant such an urgent summons.
[I pay my respects to Your Highness.]
[Welcome, Master.]
At that languid greeting, Sayeon faltered.
Was it the hoarse voice ravaged by fever? Something felt different from usual.
[I summoned you today because I have a request.]
[Please command me.]
[Go to the Southern Lands, to the Phoenix Territory. Steal the most precious thing there. If you do, I shall give you the Dragon's Blood Herb you have searched so desperately to find.]
Sayeon stilled.
His expression hardened like stone.
Dragon's Blood Herb.
That legendary herb, said to bloom from the blood of dragons, was a divine medicine that bloomed only once when an emperor ascended the throne—no mere prince could bestow or withhold it.
As if reading Sayeon's thoughts, the Fifth Prince Tae Irim spoke softly.
[I will become emperor.]
That gentle, tender voice carried no weakness whatsoever.
Only then did Sayeon realize something. Just moments before, the prince had not addressed him as "Master," but had called him by name.
Before an emperor, all are but servants....
[I make you this promise, Sayeon. Before this year ends, I shall ascend the throne and grant you the Dragon's Blood Herb.]
Sayeon swallowed silently and studied the prince more carefully.
His gaze, his expression, his manner of speech, his voice—everything that composed him was utterly different from what Sayeon had known before.
The prince was eleven years old, the same age as his own second son, yet he possessed eyes so profound and a countenance so mature it seemed impossible.
[...What exactly must I bring?]
[The most precious thing, which no one recognizes the value of. But you will know it at a glance.]
The prince's request was like a riddle.
[Time is scarce. Leave at once, before sunset today.]
[I never expected to receive an order to steal. The most precious thing, you say? Now I'm tempted. What if I take it and flee with it instead?]
When Sayeon chuckled and replied playfully, a chill suddenly flickered in the prince's teal eyes.
[It cannot be possessed. You need only show me that it remains safe.]
Tae Irim spoke with absolute certainty.
As if he had already foreseen what I would steal.
The most precious thing, yet something no one could possess.
Thus, the first thing Sayeon thought of was the Phoenix Divine Bow left behind by the ancient divine beast Phoenix, which the Jujak Family kept.
That divine artifact, safeguarded by the Jujak Family, was a treasure no mere human could possess.
Then I spotted Suri and changed my mind, so I brought the child here instead.
"In any case, I'm relieved it's not that sort of situation..."
At that moment, Ho Jeok Young's voice pulled him from his thoughts.
"Since the Family Head has offered that room at the far western end, everyone will misunderstand just as I have. That room was prepared to adopt a collateral branch daughter, after all."
"There's no other suitable room in Baek Ho Palace for a girl to stay in, so what choice do I have?"
"That's true, but I'm asking just in case..."
Ho Jeok Young glanced sideways at Baek Sayeon as he spoke.
"Surely you're not thinking of registering that little cotton ball into the family in place of the collateral branch daughters?"
"What? I've never even considered..."
Sayeon was about to answer that he'd never entertained such a thought when he was caught off guard.
Suddenly, the image of the little cotton ball who had become the youngest daughter of Baek Ho Palace unfolded in his mind.
The sight of her scurrying about Baek Ho Palace on those tiny little legs, discovering me and calling out "Father" with a radiant smile...
"Hmm..."
Sayeon stroked his chin with a deliberately serious expression, lost in thought.
The cotton ball becoming my daughter. That doesn't sound so bad, actually...
"Wait, wait? Family Head, surely you're not thinking right now, 'Hmm, that doesn't sound so bad actually,' are you? Tell me you're not?"
"..."
"Of course, the little cotton ball is very small! And cute! And absolutely adorable, I'll admit!"
"Mm."
At the mention of being small, cute, and adorable, Sayeon unconsciously broke into a pleased expression and nodded.
Seeing this, Ho Jeok Young's eyes widened as he cried out.
"That still won't do! We're talking about adopting a daughter to represent the family! This isn't a position where you can simply shower her with affection and adoration! Absolutely not!"
The corners of Sayeon's mouth, which had been rising, fell once more.
"...I know."
Deciding to register a collateral branch daughter was a decision made for the family's sake. So I couldn't make it based on mere sentiment and impulse.
Besides, Suri wasn't even a tiger.
But Suri has nowhere else to go. Since I picked her up, it's only right that I take responsibility for her.
Sayeon glanced at Ho Jeok Young's expression before asking in a measured tone.
"But, Ho Jeok Young. The family doesn't necessarily need just one daughter, does it..."
"It absolutely does!"
Ho Jeok Young's voice rose sharply.
"Think about it, Family Head. If you adopt two daughters simultaneously, they will inevitably be compared. So which one would end up being compared and intimidated?"
"Hmm."
"Your well-intentioned actions would only make the little cotton ball suffer. It would be an affront to the new daughter of the family as well."
"..."
"I understand her situation is pitiful, but you can't take responsibility for every unfortunate person in the world, can you? Why not find a suitable family to send the little cotton ball to instead?"
"..."
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"You heartless, cunning red fox."
"Huh? I feel strange hearing such words from the Family Head."
"Aren't you even worried about that little cotton ball?"
"Of course I am...!"
It was at that moment.
"Master."
A voice calling for him came from outside.
It was Ho Yeon Jeong, the beast-human of the Red Fox Clan who had been assigned to watch over Soya.
"What is it?"
"I have something to report regarding the young lady of the Western Room."
At Yeon Jeong's report, Baek Sayeon's eyes hardened sharply.
* * *
I was hiding in the bushes, observing the little cotton ball that Father had apparently stolen on his way home.
'Her name was Soya, wasn't it.'
She was remarkably small compared to the people of Baek Ho Palace. And weak. That's why I couldn't help but worry about her.
'Why is she so tiny?'
Before the cotton ball appeared, I was the smallest person in the Baek Family.
But now there was a girl even smaller than me.
I found Soya, who was a head shorter than me, absolutely fascinating.
Fascinating, yet worrisome.
'And why is she so frail? She collapsed in Father's arms from the very first day.'
Her pale, sickly complexion as she sat on the large rock basking in the sunlight made her look genuinely ill.
'If she's that weak, she won't survive....'
My heart ached with anxiety that something might happen to the small, fragile Soya.
"My goodness, Young Master. If the Master finds out you're neglecting your training like this, there will be trouble."
And Suri, who had followed me, was also anxious.
Worried that the young master's mischief might bring trouble down on him as well.
"Go away. I'm doing something very important right now. I need to figure out who this cotton ball really is."
I waved my hands dismissively at Suri, as if annoyed.
"How will you find out by spying like this? Why don't you just go ask her directly?"
"What if the cotton ball gets startled and falls over when I talk to her?"
"She'd fall over just from you talking to her?"
....
I remembered how yesterday, when our eyes met, I was so startled that I fell over.
If Soya, who was even smaller and weaker than me, were to fall, she might not just stumble—she could lose consciousness entirely.
"If you're not going to ask her directly, then let's hurry to the Training Ground, Young Master. All right?"
"But she's so small and weak. That's why I have to keep watch over her. My heart is so uneasy. I'm afraid if someone just breathes on her, she'll collapse...."
It was at that very moment.
"Gasp...!"
"Oh no...!"
Soya, who had been dozing in the sunlight, actually collapsed!
I bolted out of the bushes and rushed toward Soya, crying out.
"S-Sori? Sori, are you okay?"
But when I reached the boulder where Sori had been sitting moments before, Sori was nowhere to be found.
"Where did Sori go?"
As I spun around in panic, a tiny chick suddenly caught my eye, lying at my feet.
I froze.
A small, snow-white chick with fluffy down feathers lay sleeping with its eyes closed.
"Could it be... Sori...?"
My eyes widened in shock.
I had only just turned ten—a young tiger-human—and had never ventured beyond Baek Ho Palace.
I had never even seen a herbivore before, let alone a winged creature.
"Goodness! That must be Miss Sori! Look at those adorable tail feathers! There's no other creature in Baek Ho Palace as precious as Miss Sori...!"
"Shh, be quiet! You'll wake Sori!"
I scolded Suri for his outburst and carefully lifted the tiny chick I presumed to be Sori.
"Sori must have been so exhausted... Huh?"
Suddenly, my eyes widened in astonishment.
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