Chapter 70
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Chapter 70 This was a matter of considerable importance. Seol Yo harbored an unspoken obsession with being "Jeok Soya's closest friend."
I first discovered this when I met Jjak Jjak for the first time. After Chung Ha departed from Baek Ho Palace. As spring arrived and the frozen earth thawed from the long winter. Jjak Jjak was a chick hatched from an egg laid by the mother lark that had first built her nest in Baek Ho Palace. When the lark built her nest, not only did the people of Baek Ho Palace—who had never seen a winged creature before—show keen interest in the soon-to-hatch chicks, but even Jeok Soya, a bird-human, displayed profound fascination. Jjak Jjak hatched from the very last egg among them. Remarkably small in stature, Jjak Jjak followed me more readily than even the mother bird. Though I was delighted to have a lark family with beaks and wings like my own, my heart was drawn most to little Jjak Jjak, who was small just like me. I often visited the lark family's nest in my humanoid form, playing with Jjak Jjak and helping with first steps and flight. But Seol Yo did not approve of Jjak Jjak. Once, when Jjak Jjak—still unable to fly—toddled after me, Seol Yo snorted sharply and knocked the chick over. Another time, when Jjak Jjak flew alongside me, Seol Yo transformed into a large bird and deliberately disrupted the chick's flight.
"Seol Yo, why are you tormenting Jjak Jjak!"
"Uh, um...?"
Startled by my cry, Seol Yo froze in place.
"It's not... it's not that... I just... waaah."
Seol Yo, lacking eloquence, could offer no excuse and simply burst into tears. After barely soothing Seol Yo and talking it through, the child sniffled and answered with a reddened nose.
"You... you only play with Jjak Jjak."
"What?"
I was taken aback by this answer, but I quickly crouched beside Seol Yo and apologized.
"I see. I'm sorry, Seol Yo. You felt lonely because I was playing with Jjak Jjak, didn't you? I'm sorry for making you feel that way."
Seol Yo, who hadn't expected an apology, perked up attentively.
"But don't be too upset. You're my closest friend."
At my words—"closest friend"—Seol Yo's eyes widened round.
"But you can't treat Jjak Jjak so badly. Jjak Jjak is still just a baby chick, so we need to look after them. So next time, let's all three of us—you, me, and Jjak Jjak—play together happily."
"Mmm..."
Seol Yo nodded obediently. From that day forward, Seol Yo never tormented Jjak Jjak again, and in the Garden of Baek Ho Palace, one could see the three of us—Jeok Soya, Seol Yo, and Jjak Jjak—playing together in harmony. That had been two springs ago, so it was already two years past. I smiled softly at the memory.
"Chirp chirp!"
Jjak Jjak sang cheerfully with a delighted trill, pecking gently at my fingertips with that blunt beak. The affectionate pecks from that dull beak didn't hurt at all—instead, they tickled pleasantly.
"You seem to be in a particularly good mood today, Jjak Jjak."
As I brought my hand to the small lark's head, Jjak Jjak nuzzled against my palm.
"Chirrrr―" "What? Mother sent a letter?"
"Chirp!"
Jjak Jjak extended his left leg toward Jeok Soya with a flourish. A small letter was tied to the lark's left leg. At the joyful news Jjak Jjak had brought, Jeok Soya's drowsiness vanished in an instant.
"Thank you, Jjak Jjak!"
Jeok Soya beamed with delight as she carefully untied the small letter bound to Jjak Jjak's leg. It was a letter sent from Chung Ha at the distant Cheong Hae Dragon Palace. Over the past two years, Jjak Jjak had grown into an adult bird and now flew long distances for Jeok Soya's sake. After reading the letter in one breath, Jeok Soya immediately prepared brush and ink to compose her reply. Yes, Mother. I am doing well. Father and my older brothers are also doing well. I hope you remain in good health? Spring has already arrived at Baek Ho Palace. This third spring at Baek Ho Palace is so warm and beautiful. At Cheonghae Palace where you are....> Jeok Soya's expression suddenly darkened as she wrote to that point. She had promised to visit Cheonghae Palace once she had grown stronger, but Jeok Soya had not yet undergone her first transformation. Despite already being twelve years old. Generally, beastkin undergo their first transformation as early as ten or as late as eleven years old. But Jeok Soya was falling behind compared to others. 'Aunt Sara said this might be an aftereffect from separating the spirit core from my body when I was young....' Jeok Soya recalled Sara's words and placed her hand over her chest. She felt the resonance of her spirit core alongside her heartbeat. Ever since receiving the Dragon's Blood Herb from Sayeon three years ago, Jeok Soya's spirit core had been thriving beautifully. There was nothing wrong with her spirit core. So this was simply her own issue. 'Father said it might just be a little delayed, and that it would be fine....' Being a little slower than others was acceptable. It didn't matter. As Father said, even if it took longer, she could simply take her time. But thinking that she couldn't visit Mother this spring either made her feel a little... no, quite sad. 'I want to go see Mother too.' Yet Jeok Soya deliberately hid her sadness. She knew that if people discovered her sorrow, they would become even more sorrowful. Baek Gayul, who had been absorbed in his own form after completing his first transformation, now refrained from transforming in front of Jeok Soya. Seol Yo also deliberately appeared in the form of a young beast to comfort Jeok Soya. Not only them, but everyone at Baek Ho Palace comforted Jeok Soya in their own ways. 'There are too many people at Baek Ho Palace who would be sadder than me if they knew I was sad. So I mustn't be sad—I need to be strong.' Jeok Soya deliberately steeled herself with courage, finished her reply to Chung Ha, and sent it with Jjak Jjak. It was as she turned to leave. 'Hmm?' A single crimson feather that she hadn't noticed before caught her eye. Jeok Soya stared at it blankly before carefully picking it up. * * * In the Southern Lands of the continent, at the Joojak Residence. Jeok Ahyun, the family patriarch, was consumed by worry. It stemmed from the migration of birds that had begun three years prior. More and more birds were abandoning the Southern Lands to nest in the Western Lands. Outside the Central region, the beasts of the beast-human society were divided and governed strictly across the four directions. Marine creatures inhabited the Eastern Blue Dragon Territory, which embraced the vast Cheong Hae Sea. Mountain and field beasts dwelled in the Western White Tiger Territory, which began from the ridges of Horim Mountain. Winged creatures made their home in the Southern Vermillion Bird Territory, where warm sunlight and crimson soil stretched endlessly. And though the Northern Lands were now corrupted, with only demonic beasts prowling its desolate expanse, in ages past, cold-blooded creatures had thrived there in great numbers. The cohesion of these groups was influenced by their respective families, so the departure of winged creatures from the Southern Lands was itself evidence that the Jujak Family's power was waning. 'But why?' The Jujak Family remained steadfast, and the divine beasts posed no problems. I needed to uncover the cause of this situation, yet unable to discern any clear reason, my anxiety deepened. 'No immediate crisis will emerge, perhaps, but I cannot help but feel this dread.' As I walked with a darkened expression, I suddenly came to a halt. It was before the Cold Palace, now desolate and abandoned by all. Realizing I had unconsciously wandered here again, I clenched both fists tightly. Jeok Soya. The last place where that child, now long dead, had spent three years. [But that child's name was... Jeok Soya...] When I learned that Baek Sayeon's newly registered youngest daughter bore the name 'Soya'. Though I knew it was impossible, I felt an inexplicable compulsion to go and verify it myself. But Riri held me back.
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