Chapter 17
— — —
“You knew I would come looking for you eventually, didn’t you?”
“I didn’t expect you to come running here before even a day had passed. You’ve grown in size, but you’re still just a greenhorn.”
As Do-gyeong shrugged and stepped inside naturally, Geum-geum squeaked.
- Squeak, squeak. (What about Arin?)
Ignoring the creature with ease, Do-gyeong got straight to the point.
“Tell me now. Why did you go so far as to move yourself just to bring Arin here?”
Offended by being ignored, Geum-geum began to nibble on Do-gyeong’s foot.
Seeing this, Yeo-ryeong pulled Geum-geum away from Do-gyeong and answered calmly.
“Didn’t I tell you? I intended to give you a daughter.”
“Have I only known you for a year or two, Divine Priestess? If it were just that, you would have sent me alone instead of going yourself.”
“Well. If I had sent you alone, you would have only ended up bickering with I-jin and failed to bring Arin back, wouldn’t you?”
At Yeo-ryeong’s sharp, piercing remark, Do-gyeong let out a dry laugh.
It was clearly a diversion, but Do-gyeong did not fall for it.
“You even used the Cloak of Hidden Aura, so don’t try to play dumb.”
At the mention of the Cloak of Hidden Aura, Yeo-ryeong’s gaze turned somber.
Since the incident ten years ago, her Divine Power had been extremely unstable.
For her to leave the safety of the Village of the Twelve Zodiac Deities just to meet Arin—it was only natural to be suspicious.
‘That child saw through my Taoist arts!’
Recalling what Geum-geum had said, Yeo-ryeong had tested Arin through the Cloak of Hidden Aura only after arriving at the safe Village of the Twelve Zodiac Deities.
The basic ability of the Cloak of Hidden Aura was to conceal one’s energy.
However, it was a sacred artifact that did not work on those who knew how to use Divine Power.
On top of that, she had intentionally suppressed her Divine Power.
‘The Divine Priestess’s eyes are just like stars.’
Arin had sensed Yeo-ryeong’s Divine Power with such ease.
It could have been because Yeo-ryeong’s Divine Power was unstable, but Yeo-ryeong didn’t think that was the only reason.
Having faced the child in person, she felt even more certain.
Eyes that could see what was hidden.
Phantom Beast Transformation.
The uniqueness of the Spirit Core.
All of these were characteristics of a Divine Priestess.
Because this was information passed down orally among Divine Priestesses, it was a fact known only to Yeo-ryeong at present.
‘Arin has no gate. Isn’t it useless, no matter how vast the energy of her Spirit Core may be?’
Recalling the words of Hong I-jin, who had justified his abuse until the very end, Yeo-ryeong smiled bitterly.
When Hong I-jin eventually learned of Arin’s true ability, he would surely regret it until he hit the ground in despair.
He judged phenomena only by profit and loss, which was why he acted so wrongly.
Yeo-ryeong gazed steadily at Do-gyeong, who was still standing tall and urging her for an answer.
Geum Do-gyeong had possessed a bulldozer-like temperament since he was a child.
He was a troublemaker who caused many incidents because of his personality, which stopped at nothing once he considered someone "his own."
But now, he had become a proper Family Head and a source of strength for Yeo-ryeong.
Furthermore, the Golden Tiger Family was a clan that had protected the Divine Priestess for generations.
As Arin’s guardian and shield, there was no one more suitable.
Deciding that she could no longer hide it from Do-gyeong, Yeo-ryeong cautiously began to speak.
“The story I am about to tell you is something that must not leak out, not even to the elders.”
* * *
While Do-gyeong was talking with Yeo-ryeong, Arin was touring the Golden Tiger Family estate with Cho-ryeong.
“This is the Cheongmyeong Hall.”
The Cheongmyeong Hall was an inner hall adjacent to the Plum Blossom Hall where Arin was staying.
It was separated by a stone bridge, making it very easy to travel between the two.
“It’s so close. Whose room is this?”
Arin, who was holding Cho-ryeong’s hand as they crossed the stone bridge, asked with curious eyes.
“These are the rooms used by the young masters. The southern inner hall is the rearmost part of the Golden Tiger Family estate. Along with the Plum Blossom Hall, the Cheongmyeong Hall can be considered the safest place in the mansion.”
Cho-ryeong did not bother to mention that only the direct line stayed in the Plum Blossom Hall and the Cheongmyeong Hall.
She was worried that Arin might feel burdened by staying in the Plum Blossom Hall.
Within a day, all sorts of rumors about Arin’s existence were circulating in the Golden Tiger Family.
‘The Family Head’s illegitimate child? To think such an absurd rumor would spread.’
It was a well-known fact among his closest aides that Do-gyeong missed his late wife dearly.
Even so, the reason such nonsense was circulating was likely because Arin was one of the Twelve Zodiacs.
However, until the Family Head informed them, even being curious was a luxury.
“Currently, the eldest, Young Master Do-hun, is away for training, so only the second, Young Master Do-yeong, is here. Since we’re already here, shall we go and say hello?”
Cho-ryeong, who did not know about the persimmon incident from the morning, suggested it lightly.
At the mention of Do-yeong’s name, Arin fell into deep thought.
‘I want to be friends with him….’
Arin had almost no friends her own age. It was because Hong I-jin had prevented her from playing with children outside when she stayed at the Red Snake Family.
“What does Young Master Do-yeong like?”
Since she was going to visit, she wanted to bring something Do-yeong liked as a gift.
Noticing Arin’s sweet intentions, Cho-ryeong answered earnestly.
“Well. Our second young master likes swordsmanship and snacks the most. He especially loves sweet things, so a ban has even been placed on the kitchen.”
“So he likes sweets.”
As it happened, Arin had some sweet snacks.
If she brought those to him, wouldn’t he be happy?
Having made up her mind, Arin said spiritedly.
“I have something to get before I go say hello.”
* * *
Do-yeong had to perform three thousand strikes, three thousand cuts, and three thousand thrusts as punishment for skipping his lessons before he was allowed to rest.
Thanks to that, his body was exhausted, and his distracting thoughts had vanished completely.
“A persimmon.”
Suddenly, he felt regretful about the persimmon he had refused that morning.
“It probably would have been delicious.”
Why did he refuse the persimmon back then?
It would have been better if he had just pretended to be defeated and shared it.
Of course, that didn’t mean he was going to accept Arin.
Not even for his mother’s sake.
He had no intention of becoming a traitor like his father.
However, the persimmon itself was innocent.
Knowing all too well how sweet it was, he couldn’t help but think about the wasted persimmon.
“Ah, I’m hungry.”
He still had a long time to wait until snack time.
‘Should I sneak in and steal something to eat?’
Just as he was lying on the main hall floor, thinking something that would have horrified the head chef, a delicious scent wafted from somewhere.
Naturally, Do-yeong’s nostrils flared.
The moment he lifted his head, unable to resist the temptation of the scent, he locked eyes with Arin, who was just entering the Cheongmyeong Hall.
“You!”
Do-yeong jumped up in surprise.
His voice was so loud.
Arin was startled and hesitated for a moment, but she did not shy away from approaching him.
What she held out with her small hand was a piece of Red Yakgwa.
“Do you want to eat this together?”
Her voice, asking cautiously, was very timid.
What Arin held out was made with special red honey that could only be found in Red Snake Village.
It was something Do-gyeong had bought for her to eat on her journey, but she had brought it because she wanted to share it with Do-yeong.
“This is very sweet.”
“…….”
To think she would offer him food every time she saw him.
Her intention to win his favor was too obvious.
Do-yeong, who had been wearing a blank expression, turned his head away haughtily.
“Hmph! I, I don’t need it!”
But contrary to his words of refusal, his mouth was watering profusely.
‘That Yakgwa looks delicious….’
Do-yeong’s gaze drifted toward the Yakgwa.
The red hue of the Yakgwa seemed to stimulate his appetite all the more.
After staring at the Yakgwa for a long time, Do-yeong squeezed his eyes shut, turned his back, and said.
“You eat it all yourself!”
No matter how delicious it looked, he couldn’t betray his mother.
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