Home/The Beloved Young Divine Child of the Twelve Zodiacs/ch 12

Chapter 12

The golden mouse bit the back of Ahyeon's hand as he reached for Arin—with a vengeance, sinking its teeth in with all its might.

"Ah!"

Startled, Ahyeon tried to shake the mouse off, but it would not budge. At last, after tearing a chunk of flesh, the golden mouse stood proudly before Arin, guarding her.

"Brother!"

A startled Sosso wrapped Ahyeon's bleeding hand in her handkerchief. Ahyeon glared at the creature that had attacked him out of nowhere. Then he noticed the mouse's torn ear and his eyes widened.

"You're that one from before...!"

For some reason, the mouse now wore a silent bell on its ear, and its fur—unlike when he first saw it—shimmered gold.

"Isn't it?"

As Ahyeon hesitated, the golden mouse turned to Arin.

Squeak?! (Are you okay? Was I too late?)

Thankfully, Arin seemed unharmed.

Squeak, squeak. (Those mad bastards ganging up on you so cheaply?)

The golden mouse glared at Ahyeon and Sosso as if ready to exact punishment right then.

"Yes, that look. That's the one."

Ahyeon finally recalled the mouse he had used as target practice a few days ago.

"What's that bell? Looks like you've got a master now, huh? Did they dye your fur too?"

At Ahyeon's insolent remark, the golden mouse sneered.

Squeak, squeak, squeak. (Fine. Good that I met you. Back then I couldn't reveal myself, so I let it slide—but today, I won't!)

Geumgeum, who had been waiting for revenge, immediately let out a whistle. In an instant, mice appeared from everywhere and surrounded Ahyeon and Sosso.

"B-brother, mice, mice!"

Sosso shrieked and clung to Ahyeon. Ahyeon too, surrounded by over a hundred mice, felt genuine fear.

"H-how cowardly—calling your friends!"

Squeak. (If you don't like it, call yours.)

Geumgeum stuck out its tongue and used a front paw to pull down one eye, taunting him. Seeing a mouse stand on two legs like a human was horrifying.

"What kind of mouse is that?!"

"Do something about it!"

As Sosso tugged at his clothes, Ahyeon looked around. Spotting a tree nearby, he abandoned Sosso and scrambled up it alone.

"Brother!"

Sosso, terrified, climbed up after him.

Squeak, squeak. (Turns out they're monkeys, not snakes!)

Geumgeum was delighted. The mice began converging on the tree as if tightening a noose.

Just as the revenge spectacle was in full swing, Yeoryeong and Geum Dogyeong arrived, having heard the bell that Geumgeum had rung earlier. Dogyeong was horrified to see Arin sprawled on the ground.

"Child!"

He had washed and fed her—and now she was rolling in the dirt again. He truly could not take his eyes off her for a moment.

"Ah, sir! D-don't come closer!"

At Arin's cry, Dogyeong stopped in his tracks. He could have caught her easily, but he spoke calmly instead.

"I think you have the wrong idea..."

But Arin did not let him finish. The moment he let his guard down, she bolted in the opposite direction.

"Hah!"

Dogyeong watched her fleeing back and wiped his face. He could have chased her down at once, but doing so might frighten her and cause injury. He had already seen her footprints—finding her would be easy. He picked up one of the shoes she had dropped.

"I'll leave the rest to you, Divine Maiden."

"Yes. Hopefully, the father-daughter bond will resolve well."

With Yeoryeong's permission, Dogyeong quietly disappeared in the direction Arin had fled. In the meantime, Ahyeon and Sosso were still clinging to the tree in terror.

"Geumgeum. That's enough."

Squeak. (I was just getting into it.)

Licking its lips regretfully, Geumgeum sent the mice away. Relieved, Ahyeon and Sosso climbed down.

"Thank you for your help, Divine Maiden. We were so frightened when a swarm of mice suddenly appeared. Your divine power truly chases even mice away."

At his admiring tone, Yeoryeong narrowed her eyes.

"So you're the one who tormented our Geumgeum."

"Pardon?"

When Ahyeon did not understand, Yeoryeong cradled Geumgeum in her arms.

"...Huh?"

Ahyeon stared dumbfounded at Geumgeum and Yeoryeong.

"The beasts of the Twelve are to be treated with care. Did Lord Hong not teach you that?"

"N-no!"

"Ordinarily, I would punish you severely for touching my spirit beast, but in light of yesterday's commotion, I will let it pass."

Of all mice, the one he had toyed with had to be the Divine Maiden's spirit beast.

But how was I supposed to know it was a spirit beast in disguise?!

When he first saw it, it had just been an unusually large mouse. If he had known it was hers, he would never have treated it so harshly. Ahyeon pouted his lips, looking aggrieved, still refusing to apologize. Seeing that, Yeoryeong sighed.

"What good is power when your character is so twisted?"

"..."

"You seem to have taken after your father in that regard."

It was pointless to say more. She swallowed her words and departed with Geumgeum, showing a detachment that suggested she had never expected much from him in the first place. Ahyeon trembled with humiliation.

"The Divine Maiden is coming to see you."

"Me?"

"Your father was also chosen by the Divine Maiden and went to the Village of the Twelve Spirit Beasts early."

When he had spoken with his father, he had been sure he would be recognized and go to the village too. But now Sosso had displeased the Divine Maiden, and he himself had injured her spirit beast.

What if I'm not invited at all?

Ahyeon, who knew little about the Divine Maiden, felt as if his future had darkened. A successor not invited to the Village of the Twelve Spirit Beasts was only half a successor.

"Who would have thought a spirit beast's creature would look so ordinary?! If I had known, I wouldn't have—!"

Frustrated, Ahyeon stormed off. Left alone, Sosso watched his back with a troubled expression.

"It's all that girl's fault."

Shifting her anger onto Arin, Sosso's face hardened as she glared in the direction Arin had disappeared.

---

Meanwhile, Arin had not fled far. She had twisted her ankle when Ahyeon pushed her. Already weakened by poor nutrition and illness, she was in no condition to run. Still, she did not stop—the thought of being caught and killed filled her mind.

She kept running with all her might, until she failed to see a rock in her path.

"Ah!"

Her exhausted legs gave way.

I'm falling!

Just as she was about to tumble forward, Dogyeong, who had been following at a steady distance, closed the gap in an instant.

"Child!"

With that cry, he caught her.

"Huff!"

The hand on her waist was large and warm. As if afraid she might hurt herself, he steadied her.

"You must be desperate to break your nose."

Arin stared wide-eyed at Dogyeong, who had appeared out of nowhere. She thought she had run far enough—yet he had caught her so easily. She had no idea he had been pacing himself.

Dogyeong looked at her disheveled state with disbelief. Just last night he had been proud of feeding her and putting her to bed well. Now Arin's clothes were wrinkled and muddy, as if she had been rolling on the ground.

"What in the world..."

Even his own two sons had never played this rough. Seeing her torn skirt, he let out a long breath.

"She's even worse than my boys."

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