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Chapter 101

At the same time, the divine power that had been restraining the heads' energies vanished.

"Where is this?"

Only then did the heads realize they were not in the shrine but in an open field in the Village of the Twelve Spirit Beasts. They looked bewildered—they had clearly entered the shrine. Without their knowledge, they had been moved, and outside, a black energy shaped like a Black Demon was bound by golden chains, struggling in vain.

It was clearly a trap made of divine power. Then Arin spoke in a refreshing voice,

"Were you all surprised? The situation is over, so you can rest assured!"

While everyone was stunned, Arin, Dogyeong, Muje, and Yeoryeong remained calm. Watching them with interest, Cheong Haeju raised her hand and asked,

"Could you explain what just happened?"

Arin, as if it were an excellent question, replied,

"Actually, there was a sinister spell hidden in the Village of the Twelve Spirit Beasts. So I borrowed a tiny, tiny bit of your powers."

The well-hidden spell had a peculiar tendency to react to Yeoryeong's divine power. Since it was quick and she couldn't risk Yeoryeong, Arin had suggested using the heads' powers instead.

By disguising all the heads' twelfth-year energies as Yeoryeong's divine power and gathering them in one place, the spell's true form had appeared. Having worked tirelessly to plant her divine power throughout the village, Arin was immensely proud of her successful mission.

Then Cheong Haeju, stroking her chin, said seriously,

"So you used us?"

"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you in advance! Without you, I couldn't have done it alone!"

Arin hastily apologized, and Haeju's lips trembled—then she burst out laughing.

"Hahaha! What a fun child! It's been so long since I've been caught like this!"

Her reaction didn't seem displeased. Arin, gauging the heads' moods, asked,

"Then may I count on your help in the future?"

"Anytime. I never expected such a cute Divine Maiden to appear—I'm so excited!"

She then glanced between Dogyeong and Ijin, grinning—as if she found the situation amusing, but was even more eager to see how those two would react.

Dogyeong, for his part, was proud to finally show off Arin openly. Watching the stunned faces of those who had secretly treated her as a half-wit was also entertaining.

Hong Ijin, on the other hand, looked like he had bitten into something foul. Who could have guessed that the child he had cast out would become the next Divine Maiden? And Arin's power was far stronger than he had imagined—divine power enough to fool all the heads of the Twelve Houses. He had never even conceived of such a thing.

A sudden dizziness made him stagger. Hwang Bo Cheon, standing beside him, steadied him and asked with concern,

"Are you alright?"

"Do I look alright to you?"

At his sharp reply, Hwang Bo Cheon shrugged. "Well, I suppose you wouldn't be—finding out the daughter you threw away was a golden egg."

"Hah."

Struck to the core, Hong Ijin shook off his hand and stepped back. When he tried to go to Dogyeong, Hwang Bo Cheon stopped him.

"You're too agitated. Calm down first and try to talk rationally..."

"Get out of my way. I've never been more rational."

Ignoring him, Ijin grabbed Dogyeong by the collar.

"You knew from the start, didn't you? That day you came to my house—you planned to take my daughter. Don't you dare play dumb like last time!"

Before anyone could stop him, he threw a punch at Dogyeong.

Thud—!

Dogyeong's head snapped to the side from the impact, and Arin covered her mouth with her hands.

"Dad!"

She rushed to stop them, but Dogyeong was faster. He punched Ijin back, and the two of them grappled. In an instant, chaos erupted, and no one could separate them.

"What do you two think you're doing!"

Even Yeoryeong's command couldn't stop them. Just as she was about to use her divine power, Geumgeum jumped between them.

"Stop it, both of you! At your age, what kind of behavior is this!"

But even Geumgeum's sacrifice couldn't end the brawl.

"Move! He started it! I'm going to kill him today!"

Furious, Dogyeong snarled, and Ijin shot back,

"Go ahead! You couldn't kill me even if you tried!"

"You think I can't?"

"You think you can?"

Their childish exchange made Geumgeum grimace.

"Someone help! I'm going to get killed here!"

As he cried out between them, the watching heads finally pulled Ijin and Dogyeong apart. Amid the overheated atmosphere, Arin ran to Dogyeong.

"Dad!"

The spot where Ijin had hit him was red and swollen. Seeing his split lip, she looked distressed.

"Does it hurt a lot? Oh no, what should I do."

As she fussed, Dogyeong, who had been glaring daggers at Ijin, finally realized the situation—he had brawled with Arin's biological father right in front of her.

"Sorry, child."

He deflated as soon as he saw her, looking sheepish. He should have held back for her sake, but when Ijin had struck first, his reason had snapped.

Feeling guilty under her gaze, he lowered his head, and Arin sighed deeply. Wiping his wound with a handkerchief, she said,

"It's okay. There's nothing for you to apologize for."

Meanwhile, Hong Ijin's spirit had also deflated the moment Arin ran to Dogyeong. She hadn't even looked at him—her only concern was her adoptive father. The more the years had bound them together, the more isolated Ijin felt.

He had struck Dogyeong in rage, but it felt like he was the one who had been hit. He didn't know how to define this feeling. Until a few days ago, he had forgotten the child even existed. This was different from the hurt of trying to reconnect after discovering her worth and failing.

The feeling he had felt watching Dogyeong and Arin's warm bond at the festival had resurfaced—the feeling he had deliberately suppressed. Now that those buried emotions were exposed, he was in turmoil.

He had charged at Dogyeong to reclaim her, but it seemed difficult to bring Arin back to the Red Serpent House. That should have been his biggest regret—yet he just stood there like a stone, staring at Dogyeong and Arin.

Then Yeoryeong approached him.

"It seems there's been a misunderstanding."

"...A misunderstanding?"

"That day, Dogyeong met Arin without knowing anything."

"So you knew, then?"

"Yes. I knew."

When she admitted it, Ijin's expression twisted.

"Couldn't you have given me a hint? Why did you let him take my daughter?"

"Do you really not know why?"

Yeoryeong swallowed her words, pitying him. If she mentioned he had abused Arin, the other heads would condemn him—so she held back. But Ijin, unaware of her intent, looked betrayed.

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