Chapter 131
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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 131
A sudden rustle—
A bouquet of flowers extended from behind him, accompanied by a delicate floral fragrance.
"Hello."
At that languid greeting, Seol Yo turned around without thinking and stumbled backward in surprise.
"Y-you are...!"
"It's been a while."
Tae Irim, dressed in comfortable attire, smiled gently as he offered the flowers to Seol Yo.
"W-w-what is this?"
"I heard you were looking for flowers."
"...?"
"Give these to Soya for me."
He placed the bouquet into Seol Yo's arms with a warm smile.
"There's no need to mention that they came from me."
"Why won't you deliver them yourself instead of asking me?"
Seol Yo asked, unable to fully conceal his wariness.
At his reaction, Tae Irim's lips curved upward slightly.
"I see you've learned proper etiquette, addressing me so formally. Back then, you were nothing but a wild, reckless tiger."
Seol Yo's face flushed crimson.
Of all people, hearing such words from Tae Irim made him feel inexplicably ashamed.
"If you wish to comfort Soya, wouldn't it be better to deliver them yourself?"
So Seol Yo deliberately refused to obey his request outright, speaking thus.
"The sky has grown dark. It's far too late an hour to visit a lady's quarters."
But at his following words, Seol Yo's face burned even brighter red.
Seol Yo had been thinking only of comforting Soya, completely oblivious to how late the hour had become.
Just like that "untrained, foolish tiger" the young master of Baek Ho Palace once spoke of—the one who would thoughtlessly visit a grown lady's quarters at all hours.
"I-I wouldn't visit Soya at such a late hour either! So please, Your Majesty, deliver them yourself when dawn breaks!"
He raised his voice deliberately, trying to hide his embarrassment.
"My, are you defying an imperial command?"
At that question, tinged with a chilling amusement, Seol Yo's body trembled slightly.
Tae Irim then let out a soft laugh.
"I jest."
"..."
Watching Tae Irim's genuinely delighted expression, Seol Yo could only grip the bouquet tightly in his arms.
As petals fluttered down to the ground, Tae Irim, who had been gazing at them, suddenly issued a warning.
"Beware the darkness that seeps in. Evil always lurks in shadowed, damp places."
"...?"
"The seeds of Evil have infiltrated the Imperial Palace."
Seol Yo blinked, unable to readily comprehend Tae Irim's words.
But Tae Irim offered no further explanation, simply brushing past Seol Yo.
Tap, tap, tap.
The quiet footsteps echoed through the night air.
Tae Irim walked beneath the moonlight with an expressionless face.
The 'seeds of evil' had flowed into the Imperial Palace.
Dochul, the last calamity beast, had been displeased with the body of the Northern Lands man who harbored his true master ever since his seal was released.
Thus, when his master would one day abandon that wretched man's body and inhabit another, Dochul had scattered 'seeds of evil' across the continent to ensure his master's power would never wane.
He had infused a portion of evil's strength into those possessed of hearts as vile as evil itself, calling it a 'transaction'.
They would become sustenance for the powerless evil that fled, and in doing so, would summon evil forth once more.
And wherever that peculiar malice dwelling within the 'seeds of evil' was directed....
He stopped.
Tae Irim's footsteps came to a halt.
It was before Jeok Soya's Quarters, where the lamp still burned.
Even the shadow that flickered faintly across the paper door was so endearing.
Tae Irim's eyes curved with a tender light as he gazed upon it.
Do you know this, Soya?
You are always so lovely and precious like this.
Like a dandelion seed so delicate it might scatter on the wind, like sweet candy that might melt at the slightest touch.
So beautiful and precious, yet so fragile.
I worry you might scatter away, might dissolve beneath my fingers.
And so I am always cautious with you.
Though only a few more steps would have brought me to her door, I could not bring myself to draw any closer.
I merely stood where her quarters were visible, quietly watching the shadows that flickered across the paper door.
Long into the deepening night, even after the light in Soya's room had extinguished and much time had passed.
Remaining in that same spot for so very long....
* * *
The next morning.
Soya rested her elbow on the windowsill, cradling her chin as she breathed in the morning air.
She had worried her eyes would be terribly swollen from crying so much yesterday, but fortunately, since she had calmed herself by evening, they were not as puffy as she had feared.
'Yesterday was truly a tremendous commotion. My tears flowed without end. Because of Gaya, my older brother....'
Gaya had only barely composed himself after Sayeon appeared.
Or rather, could that even be called composing himself?
To be more honest, he had not calmed down at all even after Sayeon's arrival.
Watching him thrash about so wildly, Soya worried he might actually breathe fire from his mouth.
It seemed as though he might even manifest a flame ability he had never possessed before.
In the end, her Father subdued the raging Gaya with force, and even as he lay sprawled on the ground, he trembled while glaring fiercely toward where the Jujak Family Estate lay.
'It is such a warm and comforting feeling to have someone angry on my behalf.'
Though Gaya had turned the entire pavilion upside down, and Father had to grab him by the nape of his neck countless times..., Soya nonetheless felt grateful to Gaya.
For she understood that beneath his actions lay a heart that cared for her.
Meanwhile, because of all that commotion, she had not been able to have much conversation with San Yu, and she felt a slight regret about that.
San Yu had bowed his head respectfully to Father and her older brothers, then turned to her with tender eyes to offer his farewell before he began to turn away.
Had Jeok Soya not held him back, that truly would have been the end.
[Older Brother...!]
Jeok Soya rushed after him as he turned to leave, grasping his sleeve as she spoke.
[Thank you for coming to tell me this today.]
[Soya...?]
[For letting me know that at least one person was my family. For allowing me to cherish those childhood years I always wanted to cut away, even so. I'm truly grateful, Older Brother.]
[Soya...]
[And someday. If the chance ever comes... I want to show you too. The sight of me spreading my wings and flying. I've already undergone my first growth at Baek Ho Palace, and I'm quite skilled at flying.]
[Ah...]
At that, he let out a short exclamation and offered a sorrowful smile.
[You're truly remarkable. Flying so beautifully without anyone teaching you—our Soya is truly wonderful and magnificent, a little bird of such promise.]
These were the words Jeok Soya had always longed to hear.
[I'm so curious to see how you've grown, Soya. I truly want to see it. So next time, let's fly together, you and I. We'll climb high mountains, pierce through clouds, and soar together with powerful wingbeats.]
[Yes, Older Brother. I promise.]
Jeok Soya smiled brightly and linked her pinky finger with his.
And strangely enough, the heavy melancholy that had weighed on me since his departure lifted entirely.
Even thinking of the other members of the Jujak Family no longer brought sadness.
'Will the day come when I show San Yu Older Brother my human form?'
When I had encountered him before in the form of a baby bird, part of my spiritual power had been sealed, so my crimson feathers had not been visible.
'If Older Brother sees my crimson feathers... he'll cry even more sadly than yesterday.'
Soya, I understand. When I realized I wasn't fake, I wept so bitterly and felt such anguish that I shed countless tears.
Kind San Yu Older Brother would surely grieve even more deeply than I did.
'Still, someday I absolutely want to show him. My true self.'
Jjak Jjak chirped encouragingly at Jeok Soya, as if cheering her on.
"Thank you, Jjak Jjak. When that time comes, I'll let you join Older Brother and me in our flight as something special."
Jeok Soya laughed softly and stroked Jjak Jjak's head.
The grand banquet, which had lavishly celebrated the generals' achievements, had come to an end, and from today onward, numerous smaller gatherings had been arranged in succession.
Today an archery competition and a boat excursion had been planned.
Jeok Soya, whose eyes felt heavy from crying so much the day before, planned to rest well in the morning and then head out for the boat excursion in the afternoon.
Seol Yo arrived at Jeok Soya's room just as she finished her preparations with Yeon Jeong's help, intending to take a morning walk in the fresh air.
"Welcome, Seol Yo."
Jeok Soya greeted him warmly.
"San Ho told me to help with your morning walk..."
Seol Yo added, scratching his head somewhat awkwardly.
As if to make clear that he hadn't simply barged into a lady's room on his own.
"Thank you. I hope this isn't too much trouble for you when you're busy?"
"N-not at all!"
Seol Yo cried out hastily, worried that Jeok Soya might send him away if she was busy.
"Then let's go for a walk together, Seol Yo."
Jeok Soya was just about to head outside with a soft laugh when she noticed a vase on the table and suddenly remembered something she wanted to say.
"Oh, that's right, Seol Yo. The flowers in the vase—you brought them last night and delivered them to Yeon Jeong, didn't you?"
"Huh? Oh, um... yes."
"Thank you. I really do love these flowers. They're hard to find at Baek Ho Palace, so I had no idea they grew here."
Jeok Soya spoke with a smile. But Seol Yo hesitated, unable to respond immediately.
I should tell her that man gave them to me, not that I did... but I didn't want to say it, and yet staying silent felt strangely wrong all at once.
'Why did that man leave this with me to deliver?'
Jeok Soya seemed to adore the flowers, burying the tip of her nose between the petals and leaves to savor their fragrance.
'How beautiful she is...'
Watching her lovely face nestled in the blooms, Seol Yo suddenly understood why that man had said he didn't need to reveal who sent them.
Seeing Jeok Soya's face buried in the flowers, it didn't matter who had given them—nothing else seemed to matter.
But then, a commotion erupted from the entrance of the pavilion.
Running toward the sound, I found San Ho engaged in a struggle with someone.
The moment Jeok Soya recognized the other person, her eyes hardened imperceptibly.
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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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