Chapter 41
The dinner table.
For the first time in a while, the entire family of Baekho Palace had gathered together.
The Patriarch and the two young masters were all so busy that it was often hard to align their mealtimes.
But today was Soya’s first official day as family, after all!
That was why they were all having dinner (夕餐) together.
“Today, we completed the formal adoption procedure during the day. From now on, whenever someone asks your name, you introduce yourself as Baek Sa-eon’s daughter, Baek Soya.”
“Yes!”
Soya answered brightly, her face flushed pink.
Baek Soya.
Not Jeok Soya, but Baek Soya.
Baek Sa-eon’s daughter, Baek Soya.
The Baekho Clan’s, Baek Soya.
The sound of that name still felt so unfamiliar, yet it was truly beautiful.
“My name is Baek Ga-yul too! Cotton Ball and I both have ‘Baek’ in our names!”
Ga-yul shouted, his face even more excited than Soya’s.
“Don’t say stupid things.”
Ga-hyeon shot him a pitiful look and muttered.
“I’m just saying it’s amazing! Father said that putting ‘Baek’ at the beginning of the name means we’re family! That means Cotton Ball and I are really family now!”
“Shut your mouth, please. You’re embarrassing me too. Soya’s gonna run away because of your idiocy.”
Ga-hyeon shook his head in dismay.
Soya just giggled.
Sa-eon watched them fondly, propping his chin askew as he asked Soya,
“How does it feel to be Baek Soya on your first day, Cotton Ball? Anything uncomfortable?”
“Yes, everyone has been so good to me. Both before and now.”
“That’s a relief. If there’s anything you need, don’t hesitate to tell me anytime.”
“Ah, then… about Seolyo.”
“Seolyo?”
“Th-that child you brought back, Sa-eon-nim!”
“That guy told you his name?”
“Yes! He can even write his name, and he’s such a kind and clever child! He helped me yesterday too!”
Just moments ago, Soya had to tell Seolyo, who had tried to follow her, not to come along anymore and send him back.
Remembering how Seolyo had stood quietly by the bushes, wagging his tail vigorously until she was out of sight, made her feel sorry.
“Could Seolyo stay here at Baekho Palace with us too?”
Soya glanced at Sa-eon nervously, worried he might say no.
But Sa-eon chuckled without a hint of hesitation.
“If that’s what you want, then that’s how it’ll be.”
“Wow… really?”
“He was the one I brought back in the first place. Of course it’s fine. Just be careful so people don’t find out he’s a magic beast—they might be shocked if they see him.”
“Yes! I’ll tell Seolyo properly. He’s smart, so he’ll understand!”
“Magic beast? Cotton Ball, did you tame a magic beast?”
Ga-yul, who had never seen Seolyo, asked in a voice full of curiosity.
“No, we just became friends. You know that black wolf you saw yesterday?”
“The black wolf you rode in on was a magic beast? That’s incredible, Cotton Ball! I heard magic beasts are ferocious and don’t make friends with people!”
“Ga-yul-oraboni could be good friends with Seolyo too. Seolyo’s kind and gentle, so he doesn’t hurt people.”
“Then after dinner, let’s go meet the magic beast!”
“No, Soya and I are going to look at the books in the library.”
Ga-hyeon, who had been placing side dishes one by one over Soya’s rice bowl, cut into their conversation.
“Then how about I introduce Seolyo to Ga-yul-oraboni and we all go to the library together?”
Sa-eon, who had been listening absently to the children’s chatter, perked up his ears. He recalled what Jeokyeong had said that morning.
[But she calls you Sa-eon-nim instead of Father or Dad—isn’t that uncomfortable for you?]
[She calls the young masters oraboni just fine.]
‘Jeokyeong was right.’
Sa-eon subtly furrowed his brow.
He figured it would be more comfortable for her with peers like Ga-hyeon and Ga-yul than with him, an adult, but it still nagged at him for some reason.
“Soya-ya, that idiot tiger pup has a sickness where he flops over the second he opens a book. So let’s just go by ourselves, you and me.”
“Huh? A sickness where he flops over? Then are books like peaches to Ga-yul-oraboni?”
“Ah, no! I like books too! I’m going to read books with Cotton Ball too!”
“Ahem, ahem.”
At the sound of the deliberate cough, the three bickering children turned to Sa-eon all at once.
“The ritual that was scheduled for today has been postponed due to yesterday’s events, so it’ll be held together with the Mountain Lord Festival on the day itself. And on that day, I’m planning to officially introduce you to the retainers, Cotton Ball. As my daughter.”
Sa-eon emphasized ‘my daughter’ in the hopes that she might call him Father too.
“Am I going to the Mountain Lord Festival too?”
“Of course. You’re my daughter now, and a member of the Baek Clan.”
“……!”
Just as Soya’s face was about to light up brightly.
“Then we’ll get to see Cotton Ball in beast transformation form too!”
Soya froze at Ga-yul’s words.
“Beast transformation…?”
“Yeah! To participate in the Mountain Lord Festival, you have to do beast transformation.”
Ga-yul, who had been scolded by Ga-hyeon the whole time, finally perked up now that the topic was something he knew and explained eagerly.
But unlike Ga-yul’s excited voice, Soya’s chopsticks began to slow little by little.
Sa-eon recalled last night’s conversation with the child, seeing her darkening expression.
[I found out I was a fake when I was six. That day, I did my first beast transformation, and…]
Last night, Soya had quietly shared the things from her time in the Zhuque Clan that Sa-eon had never dared to ask about.
There was no doubt that the events of that day had instilled a fear of beast transformation in her.
Sa-eon pictured the chick as white as fluff.
The child had called herself plain and worthless, but in Sa-eon’s eyes, she was nothing but adorable and lovely.
He couldn’t understand the people of the Zhuque Clan who had tormented this small child he wanted only to protect.
He wanted to tell her that every part of her was precious and lovely, but her fear of beast transformation was too great.
‘Someday she’ll have to do beast transformation, but there’s no need to rush.’
He didn’t want to force her and reopen her wounds.
The moment he decided to formally adopt her, he had vowed it. To give her a world without wounds, full of happiness.
“If you don’t want to, there’s no need to force it.”
Soya’s eyes widened round at Sa-eon’s words.
“Huh? But…! Mmph!”
Ga-hyeon slapped his palm over Ga-yul’s mouth as he tried to butt in cluelessly.
“That’s right, Soya-ya. We didn’t ask you to stay here to force anything on you or burden you with responsibilities.”
Then, in a gentle voice to Soya, who still looked puzzled,
“If anyone tries to make you do something you don’t want, just tell this oraboni everything. I’ll scold them for you. Even if it’s Father.”
Ga-hyeon lowered his voice slightly for the last part.
Sa-eon raised one eyebrow incredulously and let out a chuckle.
“Well now. Look at this, Cotton Ball. Your oraboni is so scary.”
Thanks to that, Soya’s expression brightened, and the warm, harmonious dinner continued.
* * *
That evening, Soya introduced Seolyo to everyone and went to the library—accessible only to the Baekho direct lineage—to play and read books.
She had such a fun time with her orabonis, yet for some reason, a corner of her heart felt prickly and irritating.
But Soya tried to ignore that prickly feeling. The joy of gaining a new family right away was just too overwhelming.
Time passed like that, and the night before the Mountain Lord Festival arrived.
Soya had a dream.
