Chapter 83
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Chapter 83
Baek Gahyun had been captured by the Gray Wolves who guarded the outer reaches of the Western Lands.
"Young Master attempted to destroy the Southern Bridge and venture alone into the Southern Lands. Our patrol discovered this and sustained injuries while preventing him from doing so."
Sayeon received the patrol captain's report with an impassive expression.
So Baek Gahyun had completely destroyed the Southern Bridge.
And as if that weren't enough, he'd engaged the patrol in hand-to-hand combat when they tried to stop him from heading toward the Southern Lands alone.
First Baek Gayul, now Baek Gahyun—with both sons causing such incidents, Sayeon felt a dull ache creeping up the back of his neck.
"Baek Gahyun."
He gazed at his second son, who stood silently with a pallid, sickly expression, and asked.
"Do you understand that what you've done constitutes treason against the family head?"
Injuring the Gray Wolves—the outer patrol force—was a grave crime that violated the family head's authority.
Even if he hadn't intended to attack them.
Moreover, Baek Gahyun had destroyed a vital structure connecting the Western and Southern Lands.
Sayeon asked, exasperated, but Baek Gahyun stubbornly clamped his mouth shut and offered no response.
"Won't you tell your father why you did such a thing?"
...
My second son, Baek Gahyun, had always been a mature child.
My youngest, Baek Gayul, occasionally caused trouble and played mischievous pranks, but Baek Gahyun had never done such things.
Considering how most young tiger beastkin succumbed to their overflowing competitive spirit and caused incidents, this was quite exceptional.
Thus he had always been a gentle and gracious young master, beloved by all beastkin in the Western Lands.
Yet this same Baek Gahyun had now caused a major incident that paled in comparison to the mischievous pranks Baek Gayul had pulled earlier.
"Sigh, really...."
Sayeon exhaled deeply and pressed his index fingers repeatedly against his throbbing temples.
Of all days, my sons had to cause such incidents today.
"Why are you both suddenly acting like this? Do you know what day it is?"
I sternly admonished my two sons, who stood with their heads bowed before me.
"Your sister has finally overcome her first growth pains. Yet on this wonderful day when you should be celebrating her, you two act as if you'd made a pact to cause such trouble—"
"B-but...!"
At this moment, Baek Gayul cut off Sayeon's words.
"But?"
As if to say go ahead and make your excuse, Sayeon raised one eyebrow and looked at his youngest son.
At this, Baek Gayul squeezed his eyes shut and cried out.
"But we can't help it! We can't let the cotton ball be taken away!"
"...What?"
"...Pardon?"
Sayeon and Jeok Soya simultaneously widened their eyes and stared at Baek Gayul.
"The cotton ball being taken away? What are you talking about?"
"Me being taken away? By whom?"
"Th-that is... that...! I, I can't say!"
Baek Gayul turned his head away and refused to answer.
Yet his heaving shoulders and the intermittent sound of sniffling revealed that he was on the verge of tears.
Jeok Soya, unable to comprehend the situation, blinked blankly before approaching Baek Gayul.
"Older Brother, you're the one who tormented me, so how can you cry like this?"
"Ugh, ugh, sob...."
"Don't do that—just tell me. Who did you say was taking me away?"
Jeok Soya looked up at the sniffling Baek Gayul and asked.
Unable to avoid her gaze, Baek Gayul squeezed his eyes shut and confessed.
"That... feather. The red feather. It's a Phoenix feather, isn't it?"
"...?"
"So, I... I was afraid you'd go to those people... I was trying to keep you from leaving...."
"Those people?"
Jeok Soya didn't immediately grasp who the "those people" Baek Gayul mentioned were, and asked back with a bewildered expression.
However, Baek Gayul couldn't respond, fearing that if he continued speaking, sorrowful sobs would burst forth, and instead only bit his lower lip hard.
He bit down so fiercely that the blood drained from his lip, making it appear deathly pale.
"Older Brother, you don't mean... the people of the Jujak Family, do you?"
Watching his expression, Jeok Soya asked in a hesitant voice.
At that, Baek Gayul's whimpering grew louder, and soon he burst into wailing sobs.
Shock washed over Jeok Soya, her mouth falling open.
So taking all her shoes and disappearing with them.
Blocking the corridor in front of her chamber.
'He wasn't trying to prank me—he was trying to keep me from leaving?'
"Ha...."
Sayeon let out a hollow laugh, his expression one of utter disbelief.
Then, struck by a sudden thought, he whirled around to face Baek Gahyun.
"Then was it you who severed the Southern Bridge to keep Jeok Soya from heading south?"
"...I intended to prevent Jeok Soya from crossing to the south. Even if she could transform into her beastkin form and cross anyway, I thought I could buy at least some time."
Baek Gahyun, who had remained silent until now, finally lifted his head and met his father's gaze directly as he spoke.
"And with that time I'd buy, I planned to go to the Joojak Residence and duel them. Or I thought setting it ablaze might work too."
"What?"
"If she had nowhere to return to, Jeok Soya would have to stay at Baek Ho Palace."
Sayeon asked in bewilderment, but Baek Gahyun continued without pause, explaining steadily.
Baek Gahyun still vividly remembered that night long ago, before the Mountain Lord Festival, when Jeok Soya had tried to leave Baek Ho Palace alone in the darkness.
He still clearly recalled that chilling terror and shock, the sorrow, guilt, and sense of loss—all those negative emotions he'd felt that day.
I never wanted to lose Jeok Soya again.
She was my younger sister.
She was the precious younger sister who had made me feel, for the first time in my life, the desire to cherish someone.
As long as I could remain with Jeok Soya within the bonds of family for a long time, I could do anything.
Even if it meant harming those wretched members of her old family.
"If I couldn't burn down the Joojak Residence, I was prepared to pluck every last feather from those bird-brained fools. They deserved it anyway."
"You, do you even understand what you're saying right now...!"
Sayeon was about to interject when he heard his son speak so boldly—claiming he had intended to march straight to the Joojak Residence, set it ablaze, and pluck out every feather.
"So that's it."
At the sound of Jeok Soya's voice, everyone fell silent.
"You brothers did all of this because you were afraid I'd leave? That I'd abandon Baek Ho Palace and go to the Joojak Residence? Is that what I'm understanding correctly?"
"S-sob, sniff, cotton ball...."
"...."
At Jeok Soya's question, Baek Gayul's tears burst forth, while Baek Gahyun clenched his fists and bowed his head.
Seeing this, Jeok Soya's voice rose sharply.
"What were you thinking? Why would I go there? My family is here!"
"S-sob, sniff, wh...?"
"...?"
In an instant, Baek Gayul stopped crying and Baek Gahyun's head snapped up, both staring at Jeok Soya simultaneously.
Jeok Soya stood with her hands planted firmly on her hips, her face flushed with barely restrained anger, her gaze fierce and cutting.
"Then don't tell me—the suspicious behavior you two have been displaying these past few days was because of this?"
"...."
"...."
This was the first time Jeok Soya had ever spoken in such an angry tone.
Confronted by her reproach, Baek Gahyun and Baek Gayul stood frozen with foolish expressions before cautiously nodding.
"No, but why.... Did you see something? Red feathers?"
"Y-yes...."
Baek Gayul confessed readily, stealing a nervous glance at Jeok Soya.
A sigh escaped through Jeok Soya's lips.
I had noticed it was suspicious—the way they kept wearing serious expressions and stealing glances at me, only to play dumb and pretend ignorance whenever I tried to talk to them....
"Older Brother Gahyun. You told me something before. That true family doesn't abandon each other over mere appearance."
Jeok Soya looked directly at Baek Gahyun as she spoke.
"Yet you thought I would leave just because red feathers appeared on me?"
"...But that's not just feathers. It's proof that you share blood with those people."
Baek Gahyun answered through gritted teeth, clearly hating to speak this truth aloud.
"Gahyun, that's—"
Sayeon, who had been silently watching the children's exchange, was about to step in.
"What does it matter? It's just a bloodline connection."
Jeok Soya spoke as if stating the most obvious fact, her voice perfectly calm.
"My real family is all here."
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