Home/The Beloved Young Divine Child of the Twelve Zodiacs/ch 10

Chapter 10

At Dogyeong's question, Arin shook her head. Then she busied herself with her spoon, filling her hungry stomach. After devouring two bowls, she patted her round belly and grinned.

"Thank you so much, sir. You will be blessed."

Arin, who had not forgotten her thanks, was bright and endearing. When Dogyeong handed her a piece of hard candy he had saved, she smiled and took it. With the large candy bulging in her cheek, she looked utterly adorable.

"Do you like it?"

"Yes!"

"If you come with me, I'll give you delicious food every day."

"...Pardon?"

Arin blinked in surprise. The words jolted her drowsy, well-fed mind awake. Seeing the wariness in her eyes, Dogyeong pulled out his identity plaque from his bosom.

"I'm not a suspicious person."

He meant to show that his identity was legitimate.

"Geum...ho House?"

Arin stared at the plaque engraved with a golden tiger, her mouth dropping open. At that moment, Sosso's warning came back to her.

"The Geumho House will send people soon! By then, it'll be too late to run!"

It seemed she had walked right into the tiger's den.

"Relax. I won't eat you."

She also remembered the man's words when he had given her the sweet rice cakes. Her face turned pale.

What do I do? He's fattening me up to eat me!

Well, of course—if the twelfth-year child carrying the spiritual core for his precious son was too frail, that would be a problem. Arin trembled as she stared at the man. His golden hair, like marigolds, and his blazing golden eyes—why hadn't she noticed? The symbol of the Geumho House was gold.

Dogyeong, noticing her staring, gave her a smile. He meant it to look kind, but—

Eep!

Arin caught a glimpse of his fangs glinting between his lips and was terrified. Her shoulders trembled as she shrank back, and Dogyeong asked with concern,

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing—I'm j-just sleepy."

"Eating a full meal will make you drowsy. We'll talk later—rest now. Eat well and sleep well, and you'll recover quickly."

So I can be offered up to your son?

Arin swallowed the words rising in her throat and silently slipped under the blanket. At the same time, she checked for her bundle—thankfully, it was still in the corner of the room.

"Sleep well."

Dogyeong put out the light and left the room. Arin felt relieved that he was gone—until she heard him settle down right outside the door, as if guarding her to prevent escape.

That night, Arin resolved to slip away early the next morning. She gathered her bundle and hugged it close, squeezing her eyes shut. To escape the tiger, she needed to conserve her strength.

---

Cornered on all sides, Hong Ijin finally acknowledged Hong Arin's existence.

"I had no choice. A twelfth-year who cannot perform the transformation—how could that be acceptable? This marriage alliance was so hard to secure; I could not simply give it up."

Yet he refused to admit his own wrongdoing to the very end.

"Still, I kept her in the estate rather than casting her out, so I have done my duty as a parent."

"You call leaving a child alone in a ruin of an annex 'keeping her'?"

"Well... that was only while you were visiting, Divine Maiden."

Believing Yeoryeong knew nothing, Hong Ijin spouted lies. His habit of weaving plausible falsehoods to escape immediate crisis remained unchanged. Though in his youth he had at least felt some guilt, Yeoryeong found the expressionless Hong Ijin deeply disappointing. But she had already gathered sufficient evidence, and her words were unsparing.

"I have already confirmed that the child was confined to the annex for three months. Spare me your excuses."

At her cold rebuke, Hong Ijin swallowed a groan. Who on earth had informed on Arin's situation? He resolved to find the informant at once—but Yeoryeong added,

"Do not think of interrogating the servants. It was Geumgeum who discovered it."

At the name Geumgeum, Hong Ijin glared at the golden mouse nibbling acorns on Yeoryeong's lap. That creature had always had a habit of sneaking into people's homes and eavesdropping.

"I see you came with a purpose. Did the White Dragon House send you?"

Yeoryeong did not answer, merely gazing at Hong Ijin. Once his wrongdoings were exposed, he grew even more brazen. As the head of a house, his boldness was admirable in itself—but there was a time and place for everything. His expression showed he did not even know Arin was ill.

"Now that everything is out in the open, you still haven't asked about your child's well-being."

"I have entrusted Sosso to my wife."

"No—I mean your real daughter."

"...If you mean that child, do not worry. The servants will attend to her."

So he had left the child to the servants and never once checked on her. When the parents did not care, the servants' attention naturally waned—and they would think it far more advantageous to please the newly adopted daughter than to bother with the real one.

This will not do. At the very least, you should have protected her.

Knowing Hong Ijin's past, Yeoryeong could plainly see his intent. He had deliberately neglected the child, hoping she would die by someone else's hand so he could be rid of his shameful daughter. She did not wish to dwell on his right and wrong now—her anger might rise and make her unwilling to let Arin go.

Fortunately, thanks to Sosso's meddling, it was easy to state her terms.

"I will not punish Sosso for theft. In exchange, I will take Arin with me."

"That child?"

Hong Ijin looked at her in surprise. Well, it was only natural—he would find it suspicious that she wanted a daughter he deemed worthless. He spoke with a reluctant expression.

"As you know, she is a child who cannot even perform the transformation. Even as a servant, she is too young..."

"That is not your concern."

Drawing a firm line, Hong Ijin clicked his tongue. It was fortunate that this could be settled so easily, but there was still a matter to address.

"And the White Dragon House..."

As Hong Ijin cautiously broached the subject, Yeoryeong gave a bitter smile.

"Even now, that is your concern? I intend to give you the chance to tell the White Dragon House yourself."

"...Could you not let this pass?"

"You mean for me to lie to the White Dragons?"

"Sosso is a legitimate collateral daughter of the Red Serpent House. Adopting a daughter is not a flaw."

"You know that well. Then simply convey that."

"Divine Maiden."

As Ijin protested, Yeoryeong raised her hand to stop him.

"Ijin, do you truly not realize what a great concession I am making by letting Arin's matter slide?"

At her angry tone, Hong Ijin clenched his fists. He knew well—all children of the Twelve were children of the Divine Maiden. Neglecting a child for being somewhat deficient was clearly abuse, punishable by the elders of the clan. By offering to bury Arin's case, Yeoryeong was advising him to confess Sosso's matter instead. A confession would look far better than being reported.

"I will do as you say."

In the end, Hong Ijin accepted Yeoryeong's proposal.

---

The next morning, Yeoryeong summoned Dogyeong. He had stood guard outside the door all night, fearing someone might try to harm Arin. Thanks to the power of the Twelve, going two days without sleep was no trouble.

When Dogyeong cracked the door open, Arin was still in dreamland. He gazed at the sleeping child, full and content, for a long while, then headed to the next room. And the moment the door closed, Arin's eyes snapped open.

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