Chapter 68
Soya had grown up believing for a very long time that the late Lady of the Zhuque Clan was her own birth mother.
The lady had been a red-haired, small-eyed beastkin, rumored to be one of the smallest among the bird beastkin.
So Soya had thought that her own small stature, unlike her father and brothers, must be because she took after her mother.
But she wasn’t her real mother after all, and Soya’s true mother was said to be a handmaiden who had served the lady.
However, no one had ever explained that woman to Soya in detail, so Soya had no way of knowing anything about her birth mother.
The only thing she knew about her was one fact.
That she was a sinner who had ruined the Young Lady’s happiness and shattered the Zhuque Clan’s peace.
That fact made Soya so sad.
Why had she done such a thing?
Maybe her mother had done it because she loved me too much.
Maybe she thought I would be happier if I became the Young Lady of the Zhuque Clan, so that’s why…
But even as she tried to think that way, Soya’s mood didn’t improve at all.
But because of that, I ended up stealing Young Lady Riri’s life.
And as a result, I made everyone unhappy, and even made myself unhappy.
And above all…
‘Did Mother think it was okay as long as I became the Young Lady of the Zhuque Clan, even if she could never see me again?’
It was a question that had quietly taken root in her heart ever since she saw Cheongha-nim grieving and suffering because she had to part from her sons due to the duties of the direct line.
It was then, as Soya sat dejectedly on a rock in the garden with her face downcast.
Seolyo sat beside such a Soya, quietly gazing at her.
He wanted to comfort Soya, who somehow looked melancholic, but Seolyo wasn’t good with words.
‘If it were that kid, he would have comforted Soya well.’
Seolyo recalled the platinum-haired boy who had visited Baekho Palace last autumn.
The lingering image of that boy speaking in a gentle, soft tone and Soya responding with bright smiles hadn’t faded even after a season had passed.
‘I want to comfort Soya too…’
Seolyo, who had been pondering, looked around.
He wanted to find something Soya liked and make her happy.
But the flowers in the garden that Soya loved could no longer be seen as the days grew colder.
The vibrant red maple leaves and the bright yellow ginkgo leaves were the same.
It would be nice if even the snow remained, but the snow that had piled up in the garden had melted into slush after noon.
Seolyo, who had been worrying, soon quietly disappeared.
A moment later, Soya turned her head at the rustling sound.
“Huh?”
But when nothing was visible where the sound came from, as Soya blinked her eyes.
Plop—
A pure white snowflake fell from the sky.
“Snow?”
Soya unconsciously caught the falling snowflake.
Looking closer, it wasn’t snow but tiny white flowers that resembled stars in the night sky.
“What flowers in this winter…? Huh? Seolyo!”
Soya, who had absentmindedly looked up, startled in surprise.
Seolyo, who had transformed into a little black bird mimicking Soya, was holding a branch of white spine tree from the foot of Horim Mountain in his beak and shaking it vigorously above her head.
“You, what if someone sees you…!”
Since the people of Baekho Palace knew Seolyo as a wolf beastkin, Soya suddenly grew worried that his secret might be discovered.
But at the sight of Seolyo folding his eyes into crescent moons and smiling with his beak pursed, she immediately understood his intention.
“You did this to cheer me up, right? Thank you.”
Seolyo always seemed to sense her mood eerily well, even without her saying anything.
At Seolyo’s comfort, Soya’s heart warmed.
She still didn’t know why her birth mother had done such a thing, nor if she had truly loved her.
But even so, Soya had family who loved her, the people of Baekho Palace, and this wonderful friend who was always by her side comforting her whenever she felt down.
Realizing that, Soya finally shook off her melancholy and asked with a bright smile.
“These are so pretty, Seolyo. Did you pick them from Horim Mountain?”
“Cheep, cheep!”
As Seolyo opened his beak to answer Soya’s question, he ended up dropping the branch.
But since he had achieved his goal of seeing Soya’s smiling face, Seolyo let go of the branch without regret and landed on her palm, panting heavily.
Unlike his wolf form, the baby bird’s body was small and delicate, so even just vigorously shaking one branch made his beak ache.
Soya stroked the body of Seolyo, who had flopped down on her palm all fluffy and panting, and smiled broadly.
* * *
Cheongha had to return again.
Because of the duties of the direct line engraved in her Spirit Core, she couldn’t stay away from the land of the Azure Dragon for long.
However, Gahyeon no longer cried as he saw his departing mother off.
“I believe you’ll come back again. And if it’s hard for you to come, then I can go to you…”
Gahyeon added, his face a bit shy and his earlobes flushing red.
“You have to stay healthy.”
“Yes, Hyeon-ah. You stay healthy too.”
Soya found it a little amazing to see Gahyeon snugly held in Cheongha’s arms.
He was always so mature in front of her, but the Hyeon-oppa next to Cheongha-nim looked just like a little child, like her or Yul-oppa.
“Mom, me too! Tell me to stay healthy too!”
“Our baby tiger will stay healthy too.”
“Hehe.”
Gayul, who would normally bristle at being called a ‘baby’ tiger, just grinned foolishly.
‘Yul-oppa always threw a fit whenever Father called him a baby, saying no he’s not… And Hyeon-oppa too. Do they all turn into babies in front of Mom?’
It was then, as Soya blinked her eyes with a newfound sense of wonder.
After exchanging farewells with her family one by one, Cheongha turned to Soya.
“Soya-ya, after you complete your Primary Growth, come visit Cheonghae Palace with your brothers for sure.”
She bent down toward Soya and whispered.
“Cheonghae Palace?”
“Yes, in the eastern continent ruled by the Cheongryong Clan, there’s a vast sea.”
“I’ve read about it in books. The sea is an enormous, incredibly wide lake that stretches endlessly.”
“It can’t even compare to a mere lake. It’s deeper than Horim Mountain is tall, and wider than the entire continent combined.”
Cheongha explained how vast the sea was.
“Beneath that sea lies Cheonghae Dragon Palace, the home of the Cheongryong Clan that rules the marine beastkin.”
Soya was completely absorbed in the stories Cheongha told about the eastern lands and the sea.
The festival held every spring sounded so fun, she was curious about the sea in the eastern lands, and she was curious about the undersea palace Cheonghae Dragon Palace.
But young beastkin who hadn’t undergone Primary Growth couldn’t breathe underwater, so something big would happen before even arriving at Cheonghae Palace.
Cheongha added that she should grow up wonderfully like her brothers and come visit.
“Yes, Cheongha-nim! I’ll definitely come visit!”
Soya smiled brightly and hooked her pinky finger with Cheongha’s.
Cheongha pressed her thumb firmly against Soya’s thumb and smiled gently.
“And it’s still a bit early to say this, but… um, someday when I return to Baekho Palace again.”
She paused for a moment, then asked in a somewhat tense voice.
“Will you call me Mom then, instead of Cheongha-nim?”
“…!”
Soya’s eyes widened round.
“I’m not some perfect adult, but if it’s okay with you, Soya, I’d like to become family to this little cotton ball baby.”
“Ah…”
At those words, Soya froze in place.
As Soya stood there blankly without responding, Cheongha grew restless.
‘Oh no, what do I do? It was too sudden, wasn’t it?’
She must have burdened the child by saying something unnecessary just because she’d followed her for a few days.
“I’m sorry, Soya-ya. I didn’t mean to pressure you…”
It was then, as Cheongha tried to smooth things over with an awkward smile.
Squeeze—
A small palm strongly gripped the hem of Cheongha’s clothes.
“…Mom.”
“…!”
At that thin voice, Cheongha’s pupils trembled widely.
“I read in a book that family of family is family.”
Soya said, looking up at Cheongha.
“We’re already family, right? So it’s okay to call you this way, right?”
Soya’s face flushed bright red as she spoke in a voice that trembled faintly.
