Chapter 10
Do-hun’s question made Arin shake her head vigorously.
Then, she busied herself with her spoon, filling her starving belly.
After polishing off two bowls, Arin patted her rounded stomach and giggled.
"Thank you so much, sir. You will be blessed."
Arin, who didn't forget to offer her thanks, was both charming and sweet.
When Do-hun handed her a rock candy he had been saving, Arin accepted it with a bright smile.
The way she tucked the large candy into her cheek and chewed it was incredibly adorable.
"Are you happy?"
"Yes!"
"If you come with me, I will make sure you eat delicious food every day."
"……Yes?"
Arin blinked in surprise. It was a statement that jolted her out of the lethargy that had set in after her full meal.
Seeing the wariness clouding the child’s eyes, Do-hun pulled his identification plaque from his robes.
"I am not a suspicious person."
He had intended to show her that his status was legitimate, but.
"The Golden…… Tiger Family?"
Arin’s jaw dropped as she stared at the plaque engraved with a golden tiger.
At that moment, the warning So-so had given her flashed through her mind.
‘Someone from the Golden Tiger Family will come soon! By then, it’ll be too late to run away!’
It seemed she had walked straight into a tiger’s den of her own volition.
‘Rest easy. I won’t eat you.’
Arin’s face turned deathly pale as she recalled the words the man before her had spoken while handing her the Yakgwa.
‘What do I do? They must be fattening me up to eat me!’
Well, it would be troublesome if a Twelve Zodiac deity carrying a Spirit Core meant for a precious son were weak and sickly.
Arin trembled, staring intently at the man.
Blonde hair resembling marigolds and golden eyes that burned like the sun.
Why hadn't she noticed?
That the symbol of the Golden Tiger Family was gold.
Do-hun offered a wide smile as Arin stared at him. It was a smile meant to make him look like a kind person, but.
‘Eek!’
Arin was terrified to see sharp fangs glinting between Do-hun’s lips as he smiled.
As her shoulders hunched and shook violently, Do-hun asked with concern.
"What is the matter?"
"N-nothing…… I, I’m just sleepy."
"You must be sleepy after such a full meal. Then, we shall talk later, so get some rest. You must eat well and sleep well to recover quickly."
*So you can feed me to your son once I’m healthy?*
Arin swallowed the words rising in her throat and silently crawled under the covers.
At the same time, she searched for her belongings. Fortunately, her bundle was sitting untouched in the corner of the room.
"Sleep well."
Do-hun blew out the lamp in Arin’s room and stepped out.
Just as she was relieved that he had left,
Do-hun sat down right in front of the door. It was as if he were standing guard to ensure she couldn't escape.
That night, Arin made a resolution: she would slip out of this place early tomorrow morning.
Arin gathered her bundle, clutched it to her chest, and squeezed her eyes shut.
She needed to conserve her strength to escape from the tiger.
* * *
Cornered, Hong I-jin finally acknowledged the existence of Hong Arin.
"I had no choice. A member of the Twelve Zodiacs who cannot perform a Phantom Beast Transformation? Is that even reasonable? I worked so hard for this betrothal; I cannot simply give it up, can I?"
Yet, he refused to admit his own fault until the very end.
"Besides, I did not cast her out; I kept her in the estate, so I have fulfilled my duties as a parent."
"Do you call leaving a child all alone in an Annex that is practically a ruin 'keeping her'?"
"That was…… only meant to be temporary while the Divine Priestess was here."
Thinking Yeo-ryeong knew nothing, Hong I-jin resorted to lies.
It seemed his habit of spinning plausible falsehoods to escape a momentary crisis remained unchanged.
He used to feel at least a shred of guilt when he was younger.
Yeo-ryeong was disappointed by Hong I-jin, who showed not a single change in expression.
However, since she had already secured sufficient evidence, Yeo-ryeong’s words were relentless.
"I have already confirmed that the child has been staying in the Annex for three months, so spare me the excuses."
Hong I-jin stifled a groan at her cold, sharp tone.
Who on earth could have snitched about Arin?
As he vowed to find the spy immediately, Yeo-ryeong added.
"Do not think of punishing your servants. It was Geum-geum who found out."
At the mention of Geum-geum, Hong I-jin glared at the Golden Mouse currently cracking open an acorn on Yeo-ryeong’s lap.
That creature still had the habit of sneaking into other people's homes to eavesdrop, just as it always had.
"I see now that you came here with a plan. Did the White Dragon Family send you?"
Yeo-ryeong stared at Hong I-jin without answering.
Once his wrongdoing was exposed, Hong I-jin became even more brazen.
While it is admirable for a Family Head to have a strong spirit, one must know the time and place for it.
Judging by his expression, he didn't even seem to know that Arin was ill.
"Even with all the facts laid bare, you still do not ask after the child’s well-being."
"As for So-so, I have entrusted her well to my wife."
"No, I am not talking about that child, but your real daughter."
"……As for that child, you need not worry. The servants will take care of her."
To think he had left the child to the servants without ever checking on her himself.
Since the parents didn't care, the servants' interest was bound to wane.
They would naturally think it far more profitable to cater to the newly adopted daughter than to curry favor with the real one.
*You shouldn't have done that. At the very least, you should have protected the child.*
To Yeo-ryeong, who knew Hong I-jin’s past, his intentions were painfully obvious.
Hong I-jin had neglected the child on purpose.
He wanted to hide a daughter he was ashamed of and let her die at the hands of others.
Yeo-ryeong did not want to dwell on his faults now.
If she provoked him, he might refuse to let Arin go.
Fortunately, thanks to the child named So-so escalating the situation, it was easier to say she would take Arin with her.
"I will not hold you accountable for So-so’s theft. In exchange, I will take Arin with me."
"That child?"
Hong I-jin looked at her as if it were unexpected.
Well, it was only natural for him to be suspicious when she offered to take a daughter he deemed worthless.
He spoke with a sour expression.
"As you know, she is a child who cannot even perform a Phantom Beast Transformation. She is far too young to be of use as a servant……."
"That is not a matter for you to worry about."
When she drew a firm line, Hong I-jin clicked his tongue.
If it could be settled this way, it was a relief, but there was still a problem that needed to be resolved.
"Then, as for the White Dragon Family……."
At the opening Hong I-jin tentatively offered, Yeo-ryeong gave a bitter smile.
"Are you worried about that even in this situation? I intend to give you the opportunity to tell the White Dragon Family yourself."
"……Can you not just let it slide?"
"Are you asking me to lie to the White Dragon Family?"
"So-so is also a proper daughter of the Red Snake Family’s collateral branch. Adopting a daughter is not a flaw."
"You know that well. Then that is exactly what you should tell them."
"Divine Priestess."
As I-jin spat out the words in protest, Yeo-ryeong raised her hand to stop him.
"I-jin, do you truly not know what a great decision it is for me to let Arin’s matter pass?"
At Yeo-ryeong’s furious tone, Hong I-jin clenched his fists.
He knew it well. All children of the Twelve Zodiacs were the children of the Divine Priestess.
Neglecting one simply because they were a bit lacking was blatant abuse, and something that would be punished by the elders of the clan.
By burying the matter of Arin, Yeo-ryeong was effectively advising him to confess about So-so.
It would look much better to confess than to be reported.
"I will do as you wish."
In the end, Hong I-jin accepted Yeo-ryeong’s proposal.
* * *
The next morning, Yeo-ryeong summoned Do-hun.
Do-hun had guarded the door all night, worried that someone might come to harm Arin.
It was possible because, thanks to the power of the Twelve Zodiacs, he could function perfectly well without sleeping for two days.
As Do-hun quietly opened the door, Arin was still in dreamland.
Do-hun stared for a long while at the child who had fallen asleep after a full meal, then headed to the next room.
And the moment the door closed, Arin’s eyes snapped open.
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