Chapter 73
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
Chapter 73
Baek Gahyun entered the library and examined the books on the shelves.
They were texts related to the bloodlines of beast-humans.
'Could the traits of a direct lineage manifest belatedly?'
Beast-human society had a peculiar tendency to place great emphasis on bloodline, a consequence of the spiritual core power that flowed through their veins.
Among them, the blood of direct descendants who inherited the essence of the Four Divine Beasts was the most potent—save only for the imperial family.
And the stronger that blood, the more vivid its manifestations.
For this reason, when direct lineage members who had not been chosen as the next family head took marriage vows, they would partially seal the direct lineage power dwelling within their spiritual cores.
It was to prevent the blood of the direct line from passing into other families.
The fact that Gaya, Baek Gahyun, and Baek Gayul—all three brothers—bore Father Sayeon's distinctive features without exception stemmed from the same principle.
But Jeok Soya had shown no trace of Jujak Family characteristics whatsoever until now.
If she truly were a direct descendant of the Jujak Family, those traits should have appeared during her first transformation into a beast-human.
'Perhaps winged beast-humans manifest differently.'
Baek Gahyun, wondering if there might be information he had overlooked, meticulously combed through the relevant texts.
Yet the library in the Western Lands had relatively sparse records concerning winged beasts.
Still refusing to yield, he had been turning through the books for quite some time when—
'But what if the direct lineage blood didn't manifest belatedly... but actually manifested from the beginning, only to be suppressed by some other mystical force?'
The sudden thought caused Baek Gahyun to furrow his brow.
'But... could such a thing even exist? The Jujak Family is one of the Four Great Families, inheriting the blood of an ancient divine beast. For a power to surpass that...'
Without power on the level of an ancient divine beast itself, there was no way an ordinary beast-human could suppress the blood of a direct lineage.
Baek Gahyun was lost in thought, his expression growing somewhat grave.
"Oh? Brother Gahyun, you're here!"
"Ah, Jeok Soya."
At the sound of her voice, he lifted his head with a start, quickly shelving the book he had been holding and offering a natural smile as though nothing were amiss.
"Are you looking for a book?"
"Yes. In five days, I'm going to investigate an epidemic with Father! So I wanted to find related texts beforehand."
"With Father? I see. Our Jeok Soya must be looking forward to it. If it's medical texts you need, they're over here."
Baek Gahyun responded in his usual affectionate manner and helped Jeok Soya locate books related to the epidemic.
As he searched through the shelves, Baek Gahyun stole a glance at Jeok Soya.
'Could those crimson feathers really be Jeok Soya's?'
He tried to reassure himself that perhaps Baek Gayul had been mistaken, that he had confused them with feathers from another bird.
Yet even Baek Gahyun harbored the unspoken conviction that those feathers belonged to Jeok Soya.
Most of all, feathers that gleamed as crimson as blazing flames could hardly be dismissed as those of an ordinary bird.
They matched the descriptions of Jujak feathers he had read in texts during his childhood.
But if those truly were Jeok Soya's feathers...
'Does she still not know?'
Jeok Soya appeared no different from usual.
Yes. She surely didn't know yet.
If she had truly discovered those feathers, she would have shown some sign of agitation in some form.
Whether joy, sorrow, or anger...
"Listen, older brother. What if Jjak Jjak were, just hypothetically..."
I recalled Baek Gayul's voice, which had been muttering anxiously in that uncharacteristic way since earlier.
"What if Jjak Jjak is actually the real daughter of the Jujak Family, and she leaves us because of it?"
Of course, Baek Gahyun had dismissed such nonsense, insisting that Jeok Soya would never abandon them, but even he couldn't help feeling a creeping sense of unease.
'If Soya truly is the real daughter of the Jujak Family, and if she discovers that...'
Baek Gahyun bit the soft flesh inside his mouth, suppressing the rising anxiety.
* * *
Five days had passed, and the morning arrived when Jeok Soya would depart with Sayeon to investigate the plague.
Waking early, I rolled my hair into neat curls and dressed myself in practical, comfortable attire.
With the Baekho Sword at my waist and the tiger mask I'd received three years ago after winning the Mountain Lord Festival, I looked every bit the young lady of the Baekho Family.
"Wow, you look so cool, our young lady!"
"Our young lady has grown so much already, and now you're going to help the family head—it's truly amazing."
Yeon Jeong and San Ho gazed at me with continuous admiration.
"Hehe."
Though I was now twelve years old, I still felt shy at their praise.
"Our young lady, you'll be able to manage just fine without me, won't you?"
"Yes, don't worry, Yeon Jeong. I can wake up on my own in the morning now, and I eat my meals and medicine very well."
Yeon Jeong felt a bit disappointed about not being able to accompany me on this journey.
Instead, San Ho and Seol Yo were planning to follow as my escorts.
As we stepped outside, Father and Baek Gahyun were exchanging greetings.
"Father! Older brother!"
I scampered toward them eagerly.
"Where's older brother Gayul?"
"H-he's coming with us, Jjak Jjak!"
Baek Gayul, who had overslept, came rushing out and clung to me.
Seeing this, Sayeon looked down at Baek Gayul with a suspicious expression and asked.
"Little tiger, be honest with me. You're not coming along to help your father—you're coming because you don't want to be separated from Jjak Jjak, aren't you?"
"I-I'm Jjak Jjak's older brother, so I have no choice! I have to protect Jjak Jjak!"
Baek Gayul replied as if the question itself was absurd.
Somehow, Baek Gayul, who had never followed me before, had suddenly appeared and insisted on coming along.
Sayeon was exasperated but couldn't help laughing at the sibling affection.
When the childish Baek Gayul was beside me, it was endearing how he tried to act like an older brother.
After exchanging light greetings with Baek Gahyun, we headed toward the main gate.
Beast-humans typically don't use transportation unless circumstances are exceptional.
Especially for long distances, riding in palanquins or carriages was terribly inefficient.
Transforming into beast form and running directly was far faster.
In Sayeon's case, he was faster than any transportation method even without transforming.
Whoosh!
Seol Yo transformed into a massive wolf and lowered his body before me.
As I climbed onto Seol Yo's back, Jjak Jjak also perched on my head.
"Then let's depart."
At Sayeon's signal, they all transformed with a flash—puff, puff—and bolted forward like arrows.
"I'm counting on you, Seol Yo."
As Jeok Soya stroked Seol Yo's head with a request, Seol Yo whinnied excitedly and kicked off the ground, leaping forward.
With each bound of Seol Yo's four legs, the surrounding landscape blurred past in streaks.
Feeling the crisp spring breeze brush against my skin, I smiled radiantly.
This was the first time I'd ventured so far from Baek Ho Palace.
At most, I'd only ever climbed Horim Mountain beyond the North Gate.
Their destination was a village in the outer regions where the Central Region ruled by the Emperor met the Western Lands under the dominion of the Baekho Family.
As they drew closer to the Central Region, creatures unseen in Baek Ho Palace began to appear.
"Oh? Look there, San Ho! It just came up from underground!"
"Ah, that's a mole."
"...!"
My heart raced at the sight of animals I'd only ever read about in books.
'I'm so glad I came with Father.'
With each step Seol Yo took, my world seemed to expand one step further as well.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org